Pop princess Jessica Taylor admits she has driven past the SPACE Centre for years and not known what it was.
But, now the local lass and former singer in girl band Liberty X has vowed to spread the word about the work of the centre in her hometown of Preston.
The former Priory Sports and Technology College pupil, who is married to England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, paid her first visit to the centre on Pedder's Lane, Ashton, which helps people with learning or emotional difficulties, at the weekend after agreeing to become its patron.
It was her old neighbour and centre worker Jane Robinson, whose daughter, Emily, uses the centre's multi-sensory rooms, who asked the star to help them in the quest to raise £3m to build a new centre.
The pair used to live just a few doors away from each other in Penwortham in their younger years.
Jessica, 28, said: "Jane and I have known each other for absolutely years and years, I was friends with Jane's younger sister, Pam, when I was younger.
"Jane wrote to me and told me about the SPACE Centre, I am a local girl and I thought I would come down and check it out.
"I heard stories about all kinds of people who come here and how brilliant it is and how much it does for them, and having come here and seen it, I did not want to leave!
"I can only just imagine for kids like Emily, it's amazing."
Jane, whose five-year-old daughter suffers with serious epileptic fits, said despite being open 12-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, the centre is always completely booked up and desperately needs to expand from its base.
The centre, which opened in 1993 and now attracts people from across the country, is trying to raise £3m to kit out a new bigger centre.
Jane said: "We need more rooms and that is what we want to raise money for now.
"For kids with disabilities and special needs there is nothing really out there for them, you have got soft play but that is not really appropriate for children like Emily and there is nothing for adults."
l THE centre is looking for youngsters to join in a fancy dress competition at its Bank Holiday fun day on August 31 and for people to register for its fund-raising walk across Morecambe Bay on September 26.
For further details, go to www.space-centre.org.uk
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