Richard Hammond film

 Read more about Richard Hammond's visit here...

Transcription of Richard Hammond video:

"Broadcaster Richard Hammond paid a special visit to The Children’s Trust, Tadworth to open the charity’s brand new rehabilitation centre for children with acquired brain injuries. The £7 million centre has been funded entirely by voluntary donations. It will enable The Children’s Trust to help even more children from all across the UK to rebuild their lives following tragic accidents or serious illness.

"Richard spent the morning touring the new facilities and found time to talk with some of the children, parents and staff. Having sustained a brain injury himself, in a near fatal accident whilst filming for the BBC, Richard talked about his own personal experiences of rehabilitation.

"I think it’s such an optimistic process, the idea of identifying what faculties and facilities a child will still have following however their brain injury was acquired and to then maximise them to go forward. That might be helping a child re-learn the fact that if you do things, things then happen, like cause and effect. It might be helping a child to speak or walk again.

"He admits that even today, some three years later, his own journey to recovery is not yet over.

"I know that chatting to some of the kids today, chatting to Christine I think it was, who was saying Richard, I understand that you still have trouble with spelling since your brain injury. I didn’t like to disillusion the poor girl and point out that I never could spell but what she wanted to talk about was the process of getting better, as getting as better as you’re going to get. To come and see a place like this, dedicated to that business is absolutely tremendous.

"The new twenty bed rehabilitation centre includes family accommodation and a state of the art hydrotherapy pool. The opening forms part of The Children’s Trust's 25th anniversary this year.

"Richard was escorted on his visit by 13 year old Chas, who stayed at the Trust for rehabilitation in 2008 after being severely injured in a skiing accident.

"I was still in a coma when I was airlifted back to England and taken to Great Ormond Street Hospital. I’ve heard since how terrified my parents were, and how no-one could tell them for sure that I would recover, or be able to walk or talk again.

"Also present were many of the supporters whose generous donations had made the new building possible. It was a day to remember for so many people, and for Richard, there were some very special personal memories to take away with him.

"I’ll remember specific meetings with children because every story is just astonishing, so how could you not? I remember watching them in the therapy pool, and talking to the woman, the therapist in there, and the fact that a lot of what they do hasn’t been done because it’s specific to a certain child. It might be a combination of lights or a certain mood, or whatever – they’re learning, they’re doing new stuff. So I’ll take away memories of coming to a place where it is inevitably at the cutting edge and doing lots of things for the first time which is wonderful to see."