Alex was special from the moment she was born, her disabilities were considered profound but she amazed all with her resilience and abilities. Alex couldn’t speak but always managed to communicate, she developed her own system of eyes up is yes, eyes down is no! Alex lived a remarkable thirty three years, not bad for someone whose life was considered limited from day one.

Alex has been at the centre of many things. Without Alex, there would not have been Coping with CHAOS. We know how many parents, staff or siblings benefitted from the volunteering, play opportunities and chances to work during holiday times. Alex will always be missed, but she leaves a legacy of memories behind.

To celebrate this special woman, her parents Anne and John, together with the people at Fernside (Alex’s home) wish to develop an area of the garden into a special sensory outdoor space. Plants with texture and scent, water features, sensory sound makers and a special swing for use by people in wheelchairs would become somewhere to sit, find peace and remember Alex.