JIGSAW Thornbury is a charity that works with children and young people aged 0-25 with additional needs or disabilities. They provide friendship, support, compassion, and fun as well as innovative services that empower the whole family to connect, fit in, and thrive.
In 2021, JIGSAW moved to a new home in Thornbury’s St Mary Centre. The Grade II listed building sits prominently in the town centre but needed several adaptations to make it safe, accessible, and functional for the charity and the families it supports.
Drawing on our SEND experience in the Schools sector – which includes projects like The Deaf Academy, Iffley Academy and Gympanzees Activity Centre – we were pleased to work with JIGSAW on a pro bono basis to draw up plans to refurbish and fit out their new venue.
We reimagined the ground floor space to include open-plan communal play and sensory areas with separate lending library and kitchen. A demolished storage cupboard will join with the old WC to create a new and much-needed accessible toilet and changing facility.
The first floor provides space for private meetings and office work as well as a breakout area.
In the past, noise disturbance had proven a serious issue for the charity which cares for children with complex learning needs and sensory disabilities. A new partition will surround the stairs to create acoustic separation between ground and first floor to minimise carried and projected sound.
Throughout the scheme, we’ve opted for bespoke plywood furniture and cabinetry to make the most of limited space and provide lots of storage. A folding café kiosk will help generate income through cake and coffee sales and can be easily stored away to make room for other activities.
The natural material palette is sleek and soft and helps to create a sense of calm throughout the building.
“Stride Treglown completely understood us right from the start. The architect who came out to meet us was very knowledgeable about creating sensory areas and was very friendly too – which was reassuring given we haven’t done a project like this before. They created plans, advised on design options, and took us through the process of getting listed building permission – all pro bono. Our aim is to make our home in the heart of Thornbury more functional and accessible for the families we support and the local community. I am not sure we would be on track to achieve this goal without the wonderful Stride Treglown team.”
Hattie Clayton, CEO, JIGSAW Thornbury
In January 2023, our Architecture and Town Planning teams were pleased to secure Listed Building Consent for the scheme which means JIGSAW can now get to work upgrading their new home.
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