Jersey’s Grand Hotel and Spa has teamed up with a local charity to help support islanders and guests on the autistic spectrum and offer them a relaxing, safe and inclusive stay.
The staff have announced that Autism Jersey is their charity of choice for 2021.
Established in 2005 by a group of dedicated and committed parents, Autism Jersey is dedicated to the assistance and support of people on the autism spectrum. Autism Jersey enables people on the autism spectrum to achieve their potential by advocating for an inclusive community and providing personalised services to individuals, families and carers.
The team work hard to transform the lives of islanders by providing support, information and practical advice for adults and children, as well as their family members and carers.
Shaun McGachan, General Manager said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Autism Jersey, a charity which works tirelessly to help enhance the quality of life for islanders on the autistic spectrum. It’s not just a matter of fundraising, we wanted to make the most of our assets and really make Grand Jersey inclusive and a treat to visit for all.”
Commenting further he said: “To kick-off the partnership Grand Jersey has already offered a significant number of family experiences at the hotel in 2021.
“Autism Jersey had arranged a number of Christmas events for families to get together during the festive season, which can often be a challenging time. With the restrictions implemented due to the COVID-19 crisis, these events had to be cancelled much to the disappointment of the families and the organisers.
“We were delighted to step in to provide some festive cheer by offering complimentary vouchers for exclusive use of the hotel’s swimming pool or its purpose built cinema, enabling 28 families to enjoy some quality family time in 2021″.
A full schedule of support and a range of activities are planned throughout the coming year. Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa will offer the charity regular exclusive use of its private cinema, giving families and siblings the opportunity to watch movies together. Coffee mornings will take place in the Champagne Lounge and the hotel will host an adult social club, allowing members to meet two or three evenings a month, when Covid-19 restrictions allow.
Autism Jersey will also be able to make use of the Park Suites, the dedicated business centre for training and conferences whilst Grand Jersey staff will be given specialist SPELL training and the restaurants and bars will custom dining experiences accordingly.
In order to help raise funds guests of Grand Jersey will be given the opportunity to donate £1 to Autism Jersey at the end of their stay. The staff also hope to work with the charity to offer work experience at the hotel for young adults on the autism spectrum.
Discussing the plans Chris Dunne CEO of Autism Jersey said: “We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with the Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa. We are especially excited about the long term partnership as this will give such positivity not just to our families and staff but for the community of Jersey as a whole, showing that even in these difficult times there is amazing work projects in progress for the future!”
