(Image: Bruce Fitzgerald Photography)
A new hydrotherapy pool is giving families the chance to swim together for the first time.
The pool, designed for children with specialist needs, has recently opened at Martin House Children’s Hospice, part of the £21.9 million project to extend and refurbish the hospice.
It is now welcoming families as part of its new physiotherapist-led hydrotherapy service.
Ava Rehman, aged two-and-a-half, was one of the first children to use the pool alongside her parents and sisters.
Mehreen Rehman, Ava’s mother, said: "It was amazing, we had such a good time.
"Ava absolutely loved it, and the girls loved it too – it was just a really special moment to get in the pool together.
"It’s the first time we’ve been able to do that as a whole family, where we felt really supported."
Ava has a rare genetic syndrome, DDX3X, which affects her hearing and sight, causes respiratory issues, and leaves her unable to walk or move herself.
Martin House, which cares for children and young people with life-shortening conditions, will offer hydrotherapy sessions during planned care stays at the hospice, providing relief from symptoms like pain, muscle stiffness and spasm.
Hydrotherapy can help relieve symptoms such as pain, muscle stiffness, and spasms, offering both therapeutic value and family togetherness.