The first Independent Living Centre (ILC) in Essex is to be officially opened in Colchester next week (4 July).

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony will be performed at 10.15am on Wednesday 4 July - deliberately planned to coincide with Independence Day in the US - by Eddie Price, a service manager for Essex County Council's Essex Equipment Service.

Mr Price, 54, played a key role in developing the ILC but has been on long-term sick leave following a stroke in May last year. He is currently a wheelchair-user.

The ceremony will be followed by an open drop-in event between 12.30pm and 4pm when people with disabilities, carers, health professionals and the general public can drop in to learn more about the new facility.

The ILC is the result of joint working between the former Colchester and Tendring primary care trusts (now merged to form North East Essex Primary Care Trust), Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust, Essex County Council and the Colchester Catalyst Charity. It is situated in Catalyst House on Colchester Business Park.

The ILC brings an enormous range of facilities for people with disabilities under one roof and is the base for staff including specialist nurses, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and professionals involved in falls prevention and intermediate care.

Steve Knight, a senior occupational therapy practitioner based at the ILC, said it would be the first facility of its kind in Essex.

“Its main aims are to promote independent living for adults and children with impairments - physical, sensory or both - and to provide information to carers and professionals and anyone concerned with disability,” he said.

“One of its key features is an Activities of Daily Living Suite which comprises a bedroom, bathroom, living-room and kitchen where people are able to see and try out examples of equipment and adaptations. These include chairs, beds, telephones and alarms, stairlifts, hoists, toilets and products for bathing, toileting, eating and drinking.

“The suite also contains a state-of-the-art demonstration facility for telecare and environmental control products which manufacturers and suppliers consider to be one of the top five in the UK. These products are designed to help people live at home independently and can monitor for fire, flood and falls, and call for help without any intervention from the user.

“This user-friendly technology is also able to help people turn appliances on and off, unlock doors to allow visitors in and open windows or draw curtains.”

Among the services located at the ILC will be wheelchair services, Essex Blind Charity, back care clinic, falls prevention service and Expert Patients Programme. Information will be available on a wide range of issues, including benefits, carers and employment.

The ILC is situated in a building that is only a few years old, is spacious and has many disability-friendly features, such as assisted toilet facilities and good access for wheelchair-users. It also has plenty of parking, access to Tendring via the A120 as well as the A12 and staff training facilities.

Colchester Catalyst Charity, which makes grants to charities and already provides people in North East Essex with a range of equipment, has contributed £135,000 to the cost of converting part of the building into an ILC.

* Anyone unable to attend the 4 July drop-in event but who would like more information about the Independent Living Centre or to book an appointment should phone the ILC on 01206 518888.