Our Journey

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Our story began in 1996 when a member of  Shoebury Baptist Church, Mr. Tom Stradler, identified a lack of day services for younger working age persons diagnosed with Dementia.

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Tom presented the local Council with a plan for a service directed at a younger client group, that would include activities to inspire and support them to live well after their diagnosis.

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Southend Council responded with a grant and Peaceful Place began its journey with a service opening, initially, just one day a week.

In November 2005 we were incorporated into a Limited Company by Guarantee and in December 2008 we were registered as “The Peaceful Place Charity”

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Over time, the original handful of Members grew steadily as did in proportion our Staff and we outgrew our rented premises at St. Luke’s Place in Rochford. Accordingly, a search for new premises began.

A fundraising drive was set up, with many volunteers generously donating their time to raise money.

 

We were fortunate to receive an extremely generous Grant from the Heath Trust. This enabled us to purchase a domestic bungalow and outbuildings in Basildon that was  suitable for conversion to a modern Day Centre for our Members.

 

In the following months we were also fortunate to receive from Veolia Trust a further Grant which covered almost all of the costs of the renovation and alteration work that was needed, including major conversion of the Bungalow and one of the large outbuildings, the design and construction of a Sensory Garden and the construction of a small Art Room.

 

Construction work commenced in early June 2018 and was completed at the end of March 2019. In recognition of the major Grants received the bungalow has been named “Vera Heath House” and the large converted outbuilding has been named “The Veolia Centre”.

 

The Centre was officially opened in March 2019 and this beautiful new space continues to inspire our Peaceful People to support each other to maintain and share their talents from their many and varied lives.