Children with disabilities help lay bricks of new permanent, inclusive community hub in Lichfield

After years of campaigning and being moved from place to place, Lichfield charity Liberty Jamboree said the ‘historic’ government grant will save the organisation from closure and help provide children with an all-new building.

The new community hub - and brainchild of Liberty Jamboree’s founder and CEO Maggi Huckfield - will be key to helping transform the lives of children and young adults with disabilities across South Staffordshire.

The £1.9 million grant, awarded from the UK Government's Youth Investment Fund, will fund the new building on Eastern Avenue next to Lichfield Sports Club. 

It will serve as a permanent, inclusive space that young disabled adults and children can call home. 

Run in partnership with Liberty Jamboree and the sports club, it will also serve as a wider community hub for generations to come.

Maggi said: “We’re overjoyed to announce this historic milestone after three years of relentless effort and hard work. Our dream was built on determination and a need to provide an inclusive, safe, purpose-built facility for these incredible young people.

“The building will allow Liberty to continue to deliver a range of initiatives that sustain and grow opportunities for disabled young people to participate and excel through our programmes and services. It will also allow us to continue advocating for families and offer information, advice and guidance to children, young people and their carers."

Maggie stressed that without the grant the charity would have been facing closure.

She said: “This money is life-changing for our members and means we can look forward to a future that was far from certain.

“It will make a huge difference to these amazing children and young people, providing a place they can belong and thrive without the fear of displacement.

“It will also enable us to continue to deliver change, challenge inequality and promote greater public understanding of disability through our campaigning and influencing work.

“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has played a part in making this happen. Special thanks go to Christian Gregory and Central Co-op Food for offering temporary accommodations in our time of need, when Liberty was on the brink of closure. We’d also like to thank Kattens Solicitors, London, for their pro bono support, Councillor Jamie Checkland and St John’s Lichfield for believing in our vision."

Ashley Hall, mother of Seb, a member of Liberty, said: “Our son, Sebbie, has been attending Liberty Jamboree since he was 12, and he is now 21. He has a rare chromosomal condition that affects his learning and physical abilities. When he first joined Liberty, Sebbie was shy, unsteady, and had limited communication. 

"Today, thanks to Liberty, Sebbie has achieved things we never thought possible. He has progressed through youth clubs, sports, and arts programs, and is now part of their adult day provision. Liberty has opened doors for him.

"He has travelled independently, completed a 10K run, and developed physically and socially, surpassing medical expectations."

Ashley also spoke of the support the program has offered her as a parent. 

 “Liberty has been a lifeline, not just for Sebbie but for us as parents. It provides support, guidance, and a sense of community in a world that can feel isolating. 

"The staff are professional and respectful, treating every member as an individual and not defining them by their disability. We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of Liberty Jamboree, a trailblazing organisation that has transformed our son’s life and given him a future full of independence and hope.

“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has played a part in making this happen and I hope people will continue to support this fantastic project. Together, we can build something life-changing for the children and young people who rely on Liberty’s services.”