14th October 1970
Grantham & district Society for mentally handicapped children was formed and affiliated to the Royal Society. MR Peter Cree was elected as chair.
The organisation had three main aims: leisure facilities; day care services and residential care. There was no money, no property or equipment so fund raising started in earnest.
October 1971
A leisure group – the 71-gateway club was opened in rented premises, for over sixteen-year-olds.
With help from local organisations funds were raised to buy a minibus so that Gateway members could be offered transport.
1972
The 71-gateway club moved into rooms at the barracks. A junior group began for under sixteens meeting on Wednesday evenings. The seniors conformed to meeting on Monday evenings. Both groups were staffed by volunteers.
1973
South Kesteven District Council offered the organisation a piece of land on Aire Road at a peppercorn rent for twenty-one years. A sympathise builder agreed to build as funds were raised.
1974
The foundation stone for the Cree centre was laid by Earl of Ancaster.
October 1975
The Cree Centre was opened by the duke of Devonshire, president of the Royal society, over £50k had been raised in five years to pay for the building of the centre. Local organisations helped with furniture etc, and volunteers did much of the interior decoration.
Day services began for pre-school children and over sixteens. The services were staffed by volunteers, with one paid leader. It soon became necessary to employ more staff, and the county council made a grant towards the cost.
Over the next five years fund raising continued in respect of providing a residential service. Many houses were viewed but none were suitable. Fundraising activities included sponsored walk, fetes and fayres, raffles, dances, and social events; one highly successful fund raiser was a weekly members tote- raising over £180k in the twenty years it ran.
1980
A group of younger mothers formed a pressure group call the mothers group to try and improve services in places such as hospitals, doctor surgeries, dentists etc for children with learning disabilities (or mental handicap as it was called back then) They opened with great success for over forty years.
1983
After five years of searching and viewing many properties a suitable one, Fairview Farm was found. It needed some changes but by this time Lincolnshire County Council had agreed to help. They bought the house and paid for the alterations and then handed it over to Grantham society to run.
February 1985
The first residents moved into Fairview Farm
June 1985
Fairview farm was officially opened by Lady Jane Willoughby de Eresby – daughter of the Eral of Ancaster who had laid the Cree centre foundation stone.
As with the Cree Centre local organisations helped with furniture, fittings, and equipment for Fairview Farm.
June 1986
Grantham & district Society for mentally handicapped children and Adults became a limited company Grantham & district Mencap Ltd.
The first of two semi-detached bungalows was completed. It was funded by a supporter in memory of his wide and was named the Mabel Emmett bungalow.
1987
The second of the two bungalows was built, funded by money left for Fairview Farm by the mother of a gentleman living at Fairview Farm and was name the Margaret York bungalow.
Fairview Farm now has twenty-two beds.
June 1985
Peter Cree retired as Chair and Judith Burnett was elected to the Chair.
2001
A grant from the National Lottery helped to fund the development of the grounds at the Cree Centre into a “millennium Garden.”
2011
Grantham Mencap opened “café rainbow” at the Grantham Tennis club. The Café ran a training programme for people with learning disabilities to learn various skills involved in catering. It ran for just over two years and was well thought of but unfortunately the business did not prosper and was losing a lot of money so had to be closed. It was taken over by the Tennis Club.
