As a leading disability charity our services are becoming increasingly important and popular to a wider range of people, not only in Hertfordshire but furher afield too.
And with people living longer - a recent survey puts the average life expectancy in our area at 81 years - HAD must and will continue to grow.
That's why we are planning to build a £3m Ability Centre, either at our present site or nearby. This Centre of Excellence would be an environmentally friendly and sustainable building with a disabled people's assessment centre, sensory gardens and plenty of parking. It would also mean that we will have the opportunity of expanding our equipment services by creating a separate social enterprise company.
The success and subsequent expansion of all of our services over the past three or four years has meant we have outgrown our existing premises. Ideally the new building will be constructed on our existing site at The Woodside Centre, but we are also looking at other potential sites nearby.
It would be a 'one-stop shop' centre of excellence for disablity services to the community, not only in Herts but also taking in the home counties, East Anglia and north London.
The centre would include an assessment centre for disabled people and those recuperating from injury. In addition there will be a sensory garden, accessible nature trails and children's play areas.
As well as being HAD's HQ the centre could also be the base for Age Concern Hertfordshire, Herts Hearing Advisory Service and Herts Society for the Blind. It will also house an NHS wheelchair clinic and a Multiple Sclerosis Centre.