A NEW fully-accessible café for disabled children and their families has been unveiled in Penarth.

Penarth mum and campaigner Anna Murphy has opened the venue, with her charity Oshi’s World.

As the Penarth Times previously reported, she launched the charity following a series of “frustrating” days out due to a lack of space, and inadequate changing facilities for her son, Osian Liddell.

Osian suffers from the rare condition Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome, which takes the form of feeding difficulties and seizures, among other symptoms.

Around 400 people suffer from the illness worldwide, and very little is believed to be known about it.

Since then, Ms Murphy, of St David’s Crescent, has found a space at Cwrt y Vil Community Centre in Byrd Crescent.

Owned by the Vale council, a sensory room has been set up at the site as part of the accessible café, which was based at Ysgol y Deri for a short while.

Ms Murphy, who launched the café at its new home on Saturday, said: “The staff have been lovely and this is very exciting.

“Secure venue parking was a priority for us and we have a small outdoor area which can host messy play in the summer.

“It is accessible and fully equipped.”

The idea is to have a place where all children can play and adults can meet for a coffee or a tea.

The venue will host Parent and Tots Corner sessions and KeyCreate, which are both Penarth based parent and child play services.

There will also be a makeshift salon in which hairdresser Melissa Theo will volunteer her time once a month.

The Vale council’s play and development team has supplied a hoist and changing table for the charity to use as well.

Ms Murphy added: “We hope to branch out to more families because it is not based in a school and children can play outside.”

“We want everyone to be able to play and for it to be fully accessible and inclusive.”

Sessions will run at the café every Saturday between 10am and 1pm.

A Vale of Glamorgan Council spokesman said: “The council Sports and Play Development was only too happy to let the café have use of some of our specialist equipment designed specifically for disabled children.

“Among the items borrowed were a selection of sensory toys, a bubble tube, a mobile hoist, a changing bed and a projector used to project images on to the ceiling. The Saturday morning café is a thoroughly worthwhile project and we hope all the children have a really enjoyable time there.”

For more information email enquiries@oshisworld.org or call 01446 735442.