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Plans for Europe’s first gym for children across the autistic spectrum are being developed in Belfast.
Husband and wife team Aneel and Megha Sharma have been given the go-ahead from Belfast City Council and city partners to develop a “We Rock the Spectrum” gymnasium, with a location yet to be determined. The centre in Belfast will also be a training base for the rest of Europe.
Aneel Sharma said: “Our son was diagnosed with autism in September 2018. We educated ourselves in this field and saw great results in our son with in-house sensory integration therapy. We felt the need to provide the facility to other parents.
“After noticing the daily media reporting lack of resources plus diagnosis on the rise, we luckily came across a great lady, Dina Kimmel, who faced the same situation in the United States. She created a state-of-the-art kid’s gym, We Rock The Spectrum, for kids on the spectrum as well as neurotypical kids.”
He added: “Northern Ireland has the highest autism diagnosis in the UK, and this is why we are proud to announce Belfast as the first location for We Rock The Spectrum in Europe. It is an amenity for parents to not feel isolated and helpless anymore. The venture in Northern Ireland will continue the company’s mission of being a safe haven and finally a place where you never have to say I’m sorry.”
Michael Kenwood, Local Democracy Reporter
