Central Bedfordshire Council news and press releases

Launch of the new Silsoe Day Centre

Thursday, 20 February 2020

On 19 February 2020, older people and adults with learning disabilities celebrated the opening of the new and improved facilities at Silsoe Day Centre.

The site now boasts a refurbished and permanent café area on site, a full refurbishment of the existing Silsoe building, a new and bright modular building and an extended parking area.

The opening also saw the launch of the new site for the Beehive Day Service for older people which has now officially moved from Ampthill to its new home at Silsoe.

The Beehive Day Service is now benefitting from the use of:

  • a brand-new bathroom, with a special shower chair and tracking hoist, to help customers use all the bathroom facilities in a more dignified way
  • a bright, modern and fully-equipped kitchen for all meals
  • a Tovertafel, better known as a ‘magic table’, which allows interactive play via a special projector to stimulate the mind and reduce apathy
  • gardening activities at the on-site allotment, which customers were not able to do before
  • a bright and newly refurbished lounge area for activities and dining

As part of the new service for older people, there is also a joint partnership with Grand Union Housing Group to provide a day service at Ellenshaw Court in Flitwick. This will take place once a week, with customers taking part in activities, meeting new friends and enjoying the homely environment.

Councillor Carole Hegley, Executive Member for Executive Member for Adults, Social Care, Housing Operations (HRA) and Customer Services, said:

Day services are used by people to take part in activities that they wouldn’t be able to do otherwise, it offers opportunities to interact and socialise but also provides respite to their families. It’s important that these day centres provide a stimulating and modern environment that is personalised to their needs and allows them to flourish and be independent.

The new facilities here at Silsoe helps support that and we hope by basing older people and adults with learning disabilities close together they will be able to benefit from some great partnership working in the future.

Silsoe’s Horticultural Centre, a service for adults with learning disabilities, which was already based at the site with its own building and facilities has benefitted from:

  • a new modular building with a bright modern lounge area which gives them easier access to the allotments and gardens
  • a newly refurbished permanent café onsite which they can open to the public more often

Find out more information about our day offer programme.