Startup finance creates a SENsational space for Greater Manchester kids
A Wigan mum saw the opportunity to provide a safe, inclusive sensory space. One based on the kind of experience she wanted for her own sons. Making it happen was far from child’s play, but the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans scheme had the solution.
There are more than 1.8 million children with special educational needs (SEN) in UK schools. Dissatisfaction with schools’ SEN provision accounts for around 5,040 pupils currently being homeschooled. In the end, parents are left to make the kind of adjustments that an overburdened education system can’t provide.
Ashley Williams is one of these parents. Mother to two autistic boys with additional needs and type 1 diabetes, Ashley knows what it’s like navigating a difficult system. She’s dealt with spaces which are sometimes adapted for young SEN people, but never truly designed with them in mind.
But unlike most mums in her position, Ashley decided she wanted to do something about it. She explains:
“We’d spoken about the struggles of going anywhere without having to take a child each or having an extra pair of hands. My husband brought up the idea of a safe play space completely built around families like ours. We knew the idea could work, but it was touch and go whether we could financially get it off the ground.
Then in January 2025, my husband took seriously ill. By the time he recovered, the experience had put life into perspective. We didn’t want to just go back to the same kind of job with the same kind of employer. We needed more flexibility, more freedom to enjoy what’s important. So we said, ‘ok let’s do this.’
My mum Diane, who’s now my business partner, found a building for sale in Horwich, Bolton which she purchased in December. My brother is a joiner and my dad’s an electrician by trade. Thankfully, he had the experience to project manage bringing our vision to life. We all pitched in working in the evenings and weekends to get the project completed. It was a real family effort, and for such an important cause.”
But of course, you can only get so far with dedication, hard work, and family favours. The rest of the project needed to be funded somehow.
Diane’s background as an estate agency business owner gave her a network of commercial finance contacts. Through Faye Haynes of family-run brokerage Haynes and Haynes, the mother-daughter duo found Business Enterprise Fund.
“Obviously, the story behind SENsis is deeply emotive and engaging,” says Tim Burt, head of BEF Group’s Start Up Loans team. “But they also came to us with a well thought out business plan which demonstrated that they were the right people to take this idea forward.
What Ashley and her team have created is a viable, working business which also creates a huge positive social impact. Families like hers now have somewhere that’s authentically theirs. Lives will be tangibly improved thanks to this business. It’s exactly the kind of loan BEF is set up to provide.”
Ashley and Diane each took out a £25,000 Start Up Loan. That allowed SENsis to open its doors on 16 June 2026 to immediate success.
Visitors book online before their visit, cutting down on fuss and admin when they arrive. Play and sensory equipment is handmade to order in the UK by Rompa. Everything is planned and designed to accommodate different styles of play and learning in a calm, self-regulating environment.
Safety is absolutely paramount. Two buzzer systems control access in and out of the building and play facilities. CCTV on each level allows parents or caregivers to keep an eye on things while enjoying the space.
This centre is a non-judgemental safe space for all, with no hidden corners where little Houdinis can escape. The whole experience is informed by Ashley’s life as a SEN mum.
On her experience of working with Start Up Loan Manager Shannon Donaghy, Ashley reflects: “If you’re not familiar with business startups, it can feel daunting. But BEF were great at getting the paperwork through, guiding me, telling me exactly what I needed to do next.
Shannon was very informative; she handled my inquisitive nature very well. The team were very reassuring. I’d definitely recommend BEF to anyone looking to go down that route.”
SENsis already have their sights set on next steps; partnerships with local schools and charities. A second building would let them offer their experience to more families in different boroughs. They’re even discussing a SEN swimming bath concept, SENswim.
Family-owned businesses sit at the heart of regional economies. Success stories like Ashley’s demonstrate what’s achievable when locally knowledgeable lenders take the time to really understand a loan application. The outcome can, and does, change lives.