New bespoke holiday home officially opened

The bespoke wheelchair-adapted unit, with wet room, has been named Chloe’s Den and is based at Amble Links holiday park.

The respite facility has been purchased by Cramlington-based charity Out of Sight; a parent-led support group for children with visual impairments and multiple disabilities and their families, offering support, outings and holidays.

Out of Sight was inspired to start fund-raising for the holiday home after the death of one of its members, Chloe Gilbert, nine, from Wallsend, in 2014.

The mission was launched in October 2015 and with the help of the region’s public and businesses, the £45,000 needed to buy the fully-accessible unit was reached in just over 12 months.

Out of Sight will be offering the holiday facility free to all of its members, with bookings being taken from February.

The caravan was unveiled at a launch party on Saturday. Out of Sight founding member Kath Nixon described it as an emotional moment and thanked people for their support.

Darren Fowler, general manager at Amble Links, said he was delighted that the park was able to house Chloe’s Den.

He said: “We’ve all been inspired by the story of Chloe’s Den and we’re extremely honoured that Amble Links was chosen as the location for the new holiday home and are thrilled to be able to support such a worthwhile cause.

“With the money raised from the fund-raising we’ve been able to adapt the home to accommodate the needs of all visitors and ensure that Chloe’s legacy lives on.”

To donate to the group, visit www.justgiving.com/oosc