WORK has begun to provide a new home for children’s charity Hop, Skip and Jump, which will open its doors in July.

The regeneration of the Upper Shaw Farm Community Centre is due to be completed by July 15, thanks to the work of volunteers who began work to clear the land on Thursday.

Members of the Community Payback Team, at Wiltshire Probation Trust, started work by stripping the interior and grounds, preparing the area for work to begin.

They will then be involved with building fences, play equipment, play areas, painting and decorating and turning the outside areas into places where children can go out to play.

Hop Skip and Jump Swindon, which offers families of children with life-limiting disease or special needs much needed respite, had originally wanted to build a brand new state-of-the-art centre in Lydiard Park.

But founding trustee Clarrissa Mitchell said she was excited to see the start of the project, which the charity has been working towards for some time.

“It’s a fantastic feeling, to have the provision of a daycare centre for children with special needs, it has been our aim since we started,” she said.

“The massive support we have received from volunteers have helped us to open sooner then we would have done if we had appealed for a site at Lydiard, which would have meant more time without a centre for the families.

“It is a lovely project and it is really helpful to have the support of so many people in making it happen.

“The community centre has not been used for two-and-a-half years so there is a lot of work to do inside and outside.

“It already has a lovely big hall – we want to have an art room and state-of-the-art changing room with showers.

“With the wonderful help from the probation service we are aiming to be open on July 15.”

Rotary clubs have also been big supporters of the charity and have agreed to volunteer with any work as well as raising money with their forthcoming annual duck race and last night of the proms-style concert.

The grand opening for the new centre will be at 5pm on July 15 with Hop Skip and Jump Swindon presidents James Arkell and his wife on hand to witness the occasion as well as Swindon South MP Robert Buckland, who will have the honour of cutting the ribbon.