PLANS are underway for a day centre for young people in Forth Valley with complex health and learning needs.

Julie Halliday is aiming to establish a one-of-a-kind facility in the region which will offer them the opportunity to continue with their development in a structured environment.

She has been working on the Butterfly Day Centre over the last two years and has her heart set on buying premises in Alva – but would need a £1.1million investment to make it happen.

The Stirling woman, who has been employed in education for more than 20 years, wants to be able to offer something to those who have transitioned out of secondary school.

She wants to create a place in Forth Valley with structured timetables, that also provides fun, rebound therapy, arts and crafts, cooking and music therapy.

It will be a continuation of learning and she intends to recruit a team of staff that will ensure the health and medical needs of the young people are looked after.

Julie is applying for a range of grants, and fundraising is underway, but hopes to get more people onboard to support her drive.

She said: “The big thing that I’m needing is funding, I really do need funding for the premises.

“I also need, desperately need, a patron – I need somebody that’s going to speak up for us.

“Somebody that’s got a voice...and that people are going to listen to.”

Julie, assistant care and welfare coordinator at Ochil House in Wallace High School, already has a board of trustees in place for the registered charity.

She hopes her unique facility will include respite capabilities and she has also gathered a huge amount of information from parents and people she knows.

However, she is keen to hear from more and said: “Their young people might only be in nursery, they might be in primary, I need them to realise that school goes very quickly.

“These premises are needed, they are shutting places to save money – we need somewhere for our young people to go.

“You want something that’s structured, you want them to continue learning as much as [they] can, you want to give them the opportunity to thrive.”

Julie also works as a nursing assistant with the NHS, specialising in complex needs.

The day centre is something she is incredibly passionate about and she is ploughing plenty of energy into getting it up and running.

She said: “It’s something that I always wanted to do when I was younger, and I knew that it wasn’t the right time – my family was growing up.

“But now my family’s grown… they’ve got their own families now and I just think to myself I’m in the right position. I’ve got a lot to offer."

With fundraising in mind, a charity match will be held on the astroturf at ForthBank Stadium, Stirling, on Saturday, June 23, at 11.30am.

Dukla Pumpherston will go up against the Butterfly Day Centre on the day, with tickets priced at £5.

For more details on the plans, email Julie at butterflydaycentre16@gmail.com