Perkisound is a unique, innovative and musically inspired recreation centre for people with additional needs, their families, friends and carers, based in the grounds of a 2.5 acre former garden centre in North Warwickshire. Although the centre has a remote rural feel, we are conveniently located off a main road not far from Coventry, Nuneaton, Solihull, Birmingham, and Tamworth with plenty of secure parking by the facilities.
Perkisound Virtual Tour!
Original music composed and produced by Tim Perkins.
Perkisound provides a safe place to play, learn, enjoy and develop through music and recreation which can promote general health and wellbeing, a space where people can express themselves freely and with confidence.
The Perkisound Centre
How it all started
Tim and Susie Perkins are both professional musicians and teachers and the idea to start up a centre was inspired by their autistic son who is currently a teenager and plays piano every day. We were also influenced by the facilities available for children with additional needs in Oxfordshire where we lived from 2004 – 2014.
On first viewing of the site, we instantly saw an opportunity to create something different to help our son and others like him. The centre was registered in 2017 as a Community Interest Company and officially opened in April 2018 with a series of 6 open weekends featuring bouncy castles and various musical activities. We converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in January 2019 and during this year we dramatically increased our availability and the Spring/Summer season saw 41 open events totalling 123 hours of opening time accessed by 446 visitors.
2020 started off brilliantly with superb January weather and busy with at least 50 visitors that month. People continued to come despite the colder February weather and shortly after, we were all suddenly hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. Like all other organisation, businesses and even outdoor parks, we entered a 13-week mandatory closure. Early on in lockdown we made the decision to remove the hired sensory room and improved the outdoor facilities with a commercial quality trampoline meeting safety standards EN1176 and the Hawkley trim trail, a great assembly of climbing and balancing log structures. Both new items have proved to be immensely popular with our attendees! When we reopened in July 2020 we were inundated with enquiries and bookings and 2020 brought us nearly 1000 visitors, all individual groups / families enjoying our outdoor amenities with sanitiser available on the site.
Facilities & Equipment
Outdoor
Commercial standard Trampoline, Adult size nest swing, log climbing feature, Hawkley trim trail, Rock hold climbing tunnel, Interactive water wall, football goal and basketball net, playhouse with slide, insect hotel, hammock, Rainwheel with Perkisound logo. Bench seating, picnic tables and a covered veranda seating area.
Music Garden
The outdoor music area is one of the most striking features at Perkisound and this is constantly evolving with new additions arriving every year. It is our aim to have the best music garden in the UK!
For further details, see the Music Garden page.
Indoor
The new Interactive Sensory Room featuring 3 major interactive facilities is now open! For more details, see The Sensory Room page.
Included is interactive floor projection from OMI interactive, a giant interactive bubble tube, and also the only giant soft piano you can play with your feet!
Opening Times & Availability
Term time and holidays
The centre is open most days during Term time and holidays, check our latest news and Facebook page for updates and times or contact us. Booking is always essential as its for one family / group / school at a time.
Weekends
We are open most weekends, booking is essential
Booking and Prices
Please book via email / Facebook messenger or phone.
Funders
We are incredibly grateful to the following organisations who have helped towards the purchase our outstanding facilities here, a big thankyou to Awards for all, BBC Children in need, Heart of England, Wesleyan fund, Variety the Children’s charity & the WPH fund, Tesco bags of Help, The Boshier – Hinton foundation, The Percy Bilton Charity, The Foyle Foundation, The Eveson Trust, the Grimmitt Trust, The Roger & Douglas Charitable trust.
Individual music lessons are available upon request all ages and abilities for fun and for exams where appropriate. Instruments offered piano, guitar violin flute and recorder, please contact us for prices and availability, this is managed through Maple keys please visit this page www.maplekeys.co.uk.
T: 01675 481304
M: 07786 674682
M: 07730 323716
Address: Perkisound, Maple Cottage, Nuneaton Road, Over Whitacre, Coleshill B46 2NR
Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registration number 1181601