Rainbow Hub

When Lyndsay Fahey watched her daughter Phoebe stand up and deliver a speech to 200 people at a fundraising ball, it was a moment filled with pride and emotion.

Born with a rare neurological condition, Phoebe was once told she might never walk or talk. Today, she is studying performing arts at college, confidently speaking in public and inspiring everyone around her.

Phoebe’s journey is deeply connected to Rainbow Hub, a Lancashire-based charity supporting children with neurological conditions and physical disabilities. Rainbow Hub has received a package of Lifelites’ assisitive and sensory technology in 2025, as part of our anniversary Lifelites 25 programme.

In December 2025, Lyndsay talked to the Mirror to support our “Unwrap the Magic of Christmas” appeal.

From Early Diagnosis to Standing Ovation: Phoebe’s Journey

As Lyndsay Fahey’s daughter Phoebe delivered a speech at a fundraising ball to 200 people her proud mum was overcome with emotion.

For it demonstrated the journey her 17-year-old daughter had been on after being born with a rare neurological condition and told she might never walk or talk.

Lyndsay said: “Phoebe got up and gave a speech on how incredible Rainbow Hub is, I was so proud of her after all the limitations that were put on her. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

“She can walk and talk, she’s at college and studying performing arts, she is amazing.

“I do believe all that early input has helped Phoebe achieve what she has achieved.

Rainbow Hub: Supporting Children with Neurological Conditions in Lancashire

Lyndsay is the CEO of Rainbow Hub, in Lancashire, which is a charity that supports children with neurological conditions and physical disabilities. Rainbow Hub benefits from Lifelites technology through our 25th anniversary programme, Lifelites 25.

Among the tech we provide is the Eyegaze, which enables users to control a device with just their eyes, the Magic Carpet, which projects interactive images onto a flat surface and Soundbeam, which translates motion into music.

Rainbow Hub supports children with an acquired brain injury or those born with neurological conditions.

It was founded 24 years ago as a centre providing conductive education, which is a specialist holistic approach to teaching children with a brain injury. In 2021, Rainbow Hub Nursey opened to children with diagnosed or emerging specialist education needs to provide early years education to any child who wouldn’t be able to access a mainstream nursery.

Last year Rainbow Hub School opened. This a real passion project for Lyndsay, who battled in the conventional school system with her daughter Phoebe.

She said: “The school is for children with physical disabilities and neurological conditions and was purpose built with the children’s needs in mind, so all the classrooms have ceiling hoists and wide corridors, it’s completely accessible.

“ We are quite unique, the reason why I developed the school was from my own personal experiences as children with a physical disabilities and brain injuries need to be taught in a certain way, if they find themselves in a Local Authority school very often their needs are not met.”

A Holistic Approach to Education, Therapy and Independence

“From speaking to lots of families we were finding that the children were cared for rather than challenged and what we offer is a holistic approach to education and therapy. Each child has their individual curriculum which combines education and a therapeutic approach.

“It includes conductive education and includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language and our model up skills the staff that are working with the children on a daily basis.”

Why Inclusive, Accessible Education Matters

The school caters for children aged four to 16 and currently has 11 pupils but is registered to take 32. But in total 135 children a week are using all the Rainbow Hub services.

Lyndsay’s journey with Rainbow Hub began when her daughter Phoebe started coming to the centre.

“I became involved in Rainbow Hub nearly 16 years ago when my daughter was born with a neurological condition called Moebius Syndrome, which causes muscle weakness, scoliosis, feeding difficulties and paralysis of the face.

“ It was totally unexpected, I was expecting a healthy baby and at the beginning she was very poorly and I was constantly surrounded by medical professionals who said that Phoebe would be limited in what she could achieve.

“I found Rainbow Hub through my health visitor. I came here and it was amazing because for the first time Phoebe was treated like a little girl and not a medical mystery and they talked about the positives and what she might achieve.

“I was very lonely, I had no medical knowledge and suddenly you need to become an expert in everything. It was brilliant for Phoebe but it was also brilliant for me as a parent having somewhere to go and being able to talk to other parents who understood what I was going through.

“Before I had Phoebe, I was a criminal defence lawyer and when I had her, I had to give it up as Phoebe was in and out of hospital, I couldn’t manage my caseload.

“Then I started volunteering for Rainbow Hub using my skills to write bids and became quite successful at it so they employed me, I then became head of fundraising and then in 2020 I became CEO, so I’ve been on quite a journey.

“I feel very priviledged to be in my position to help other families, it made such a difference to mine and Phoebe’s life.

“Phoebe does still have challenges but she is very confident and to see her performing at college and doing solo and a rap is great, she doesn’t let her disability get in the way of anything.

“All of the children at Rainbow Hub are inspirational and I’m very proud of all of them.”

How Lifelites 25 Technology Is Making a Difference

Lyndsay said Rainbow Hub had really benefited from being awarded Lifelites technology this summer.

Giving Children a Voice Through Assistive and Sensory Technology

“It has been life-changing for staff and children and been used in our therapy services, school and nursey and has just opened up so many ways for our children to communicate particularly those that are non-verbal.

“The iPads are a huge hit with the children, the Eyegaze technology is incredible and the PODS sensory tent is a big hit.  The iClick switches which the children use for baking and enable more independence are popular as they allow children to control their environment by switching lights and fans on and off.”

Life-Changing Moments Made Possible by Technology

“One of our pupils, Filip, had a brain tumour when he was five.  Lots schools have turned him away as they couldn’t meet his physical needs as well as his academic needs. Academically he needs the same challenges as any child his age, but he needs support with overcoming the physical challenges he faces. Only the other day, he was in the life skills kitchen and he set off his whisk too early and stuff went flying everywhere, it was so funny, he was laughing, the whole class was laughing, and it is one of those moments that will stay with us forever.  He wouldn’t have been able to do that without the iClick technology.

“The £25,000 gift of technology we’ve received means we can help so many more children all at once, we can use it as a group.

“Loui one boy, didn’t engage with anything.  He wouldn’t touch buttons but we encouraged him to use a Cosmo Switch, just very simply touching that progressed to using the cause-and-effect toys.  Now he’s using the toys without needing the Switch which is remarkable progress for him in such a short space of time.

“Everything we do at Rainbow Hub is promoting independence and this technology allows us to do just that, it has made a tremendous difference to their lives, it gives children a voice and a level of control.

“We’ve two youngsters who have been able to communicate for the first time with the Eyegaze and we have an 18-year-old, Alex, who has created art work on the Eyegaze. His mum cried when she received it because for the first time ever it was entirely Alex’s work.  He’d been able to pick the colours and where he wanted the brush strokes independently.”

Looking Ahead: Creating Opportunity for More Children

Stories like Phoebe’s, Filip’s, Loui’s and Alex’s show the real impact of accessible, inclusive technology when it’s placed in the hands of children who need it most.

Through Lifelites 25, Rainbow Hub has been able to unlock new ways for children to communicate, create, learn and gain independence. Whether that’s switching on a whisk in a life-skills kitchen, creating artwork using Eyegaze technology, or finding a voice for the very first time.

As Lifelites marks 25 years of empowering children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, partnerships like this demonstrate the power of technology to change lives. Not just for individual children but also for families, educators and communities.

To learn more about the Lifelites 25 programme and how we’re supporting organisations like Rainbow Hub, visit our Lifelites 25 page and discover how technology can open up a world of possibilities for children.