Building A Sensory And Illusion Hub For All Ages

Strathearn Stories
Recorded in Johnston Media's Podcast Studio in Crieff
Produced by Johnston Media - https://johnstonmediapodcasts.co.uk
Hosted by Iain Johnston - Strathearn Stories
Guest - Nadia McNicol, founder of What the Sence

We sit down with Nadia McNicol, founder of What the Sence, to talk about why she would like to build a sensory and illusion activity centre in Crieff.


Imagine a place where a tough day can soften in minutes: a quiet room with gentle lights, a movement space with monkey bars, then a burst of wonder in an illusion gallery or a short VR adventure. That’s the heart of Nadia’s plan for What The Sense, a sensory and illusion activity centre in Crieff designed for children, teens, adults, and older people who need spaces that calm, delight, and include.

We talk through the lived experience that sparked the idea: raising two boys, one with microcephaly, and navigating outings that too often end in overwhelm, stares, and early exits. From there, the vision expands—multiple illusion rooms, an arcade and VR zone, a smaller dim sensory room for refuge, and a larger regulation room for climbing and jumping. The inclusive café and membership model aim to lower stress and cost for frequent visits while keeping families visible to one another across a sensory garden built for safe exploration. This isn’t a gimmick; it’s community wellbeing by design.

Support is growing fast. Local schools and NHS health visitors see clear benefits for mental and physical health. Media coverage has ranged from the Strathearn Herald to STV News, and the VR Collective in Houston highlighted the project’s global relevance. On the practical side, Perth and Kinross Council’s greenspace team is exploring off‑market sites, while private estate owners review a 101‑page business plan that maps feasibility, phasing, and sustainability. We also cover timelines, potential planning hurdles, and why a centre that works for neurodivergent people can make public life better for everyone—from overstretched parents to elders seeking gentle stimulation.

If this vision resonates, help us build momentum: share the episode, spread the word locally, and point us to land or partners who could unlock the next step. Subscribe, leave a review to boost the message, and tell us what your ideal sensory space would include.

Transcript

Meet Naria And Her Story

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Welcome to another certain stories podcast. In the studio today, we have Naria, a young mum of two, Straceran girl, and she's here to tell us about a project that she's got on the go. Um Naria, how are you?

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Hi, I'm good, thank you. Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_01 0:33

Not at all. My pleasure, or our pleasure. Um tell us a little bit about you and your family.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

I've got two boys. I've got an eight-year-old and a four-year-old, double trouble.

Life With Microcephaly At Home

SPEAKER_00 0:44

Um, and my youngest son actually has a rare brain condition called microcephaly, um, which is really quite rare. So he's almost five, but his brain's the size of a one-year-old, um, which can cause a lot of problems. So there's a lot of side effects that can come with that. Um, and with his side's kind of cognitive and kind of behavioural and things like that, and sensory overload. So um I kind of had to learn how to navigate the ways through that with a child with additional needs. Um and I actually kind of started the project with his kind of nursery hours getting cut um to only two hours a day. So he was going in full-time, um, and then they kind of said his behaviour's getting a little bit tricky to manage, and when he's kind of getting emotional and kind of lashing out, it's a bit tricky to manage it. Um so they reduced it to two hours with kind of lack of support for one-to-one because they don't really do one-to-one at nurseries. Um, and yeah, they didn't really have all the things to kind of put in place for his condition. So um that kind of left me with what can I do with them? So I'd take him out, do different activities. Um, sometimes I'd take him out to the park, and like when it's raining, that's not very handy. So um, especially when it rains for 41 days straight, kind of you know, I use your imagination a little

Public Spaces And Overwhelm

SPEAKER_00 2:00

bit. Um so yeah, sometimes I'd take him out to restaurants or activities and kind of soft plays, and he'd just start running everywhere, and then I get overwhelmed, and I'm like, no, I just wish I never came out, or people would look when he's screaming, shouting, um, and I'm just feel really uncomfortable. So I'm like, no, I just want to go home. So I was kind of left with what can I do apart from taking him far like to places and things like that, but that costs money, and sometimes when kids are having a meltdown, it just ruins the whole trip basically, or can just make it quite challenging.

The Spark For A Local Centre

SPEAKER_00 2:33

Um, so that's why I kind of got the idea to have an activity centre in Crief, um, where there's so many families and individuals that would benefit from something like this.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

Sennaria, tell us a little bit about your project.

Vision: Sensory And Illusion Rooms

SPEAKER_00 2:47

Sure. Um so what the sense is a project. So I'm basically hoping to create a sensory and illusion activity centre, um, the first of its kind in Scotland. And I was hoping to have kind of multiple illusion rooms as well as a VR and kind of arcade area where kids, teenagers, and grown-ups can have fun with. Um, and then there would be like a sensory and regulation room as well, kind of on the other side of the building, so it's a bit quieter, so there'd be things like padded walls, so they can't really hear too much of the outside. Um, one room will be a little bit smaller, kind of darker and quieter, with maybe some tents and lights and things like that. Okay. And the other room being a little bit larger

Quiet Regulation And Active Play

SPEAKER_00 3:28

with kind of things that they can climb monkey bars and jump. Um, because I know obviously different kids need different things to kind of regulate themselves. So um I kind of put that in mind as well as having an inclusive cafe. So members that pay a membership, they can come to the cafe as much as they want or the activity centre, and they can get free teas and coffee. Like if they wanted something more premium, like a can of coke or something, then they can pay for it. So it's kind of like if you're paying

Inclusive Café And Membership

SPEAKER_00 3:56

an inclusive holiday type of thing, so you get that inclusiveness button activity centre, and you can just drink your coffee or whatever while um they're in the sensory garden, you can see them from there, kind of playing on the swings. Um, and if they're touching things, you don't need to worry about them breaking it, because that's one thing is a mum with additional like having a kid with additional needs. I've noticed you're always running after them, worried that they're gonna touch or break something, and you're not actually enjoying your time out. And sometimes even in kind of soft play areas as well, it can be a bit like, oh my god, you're running after them in case they they do this or that. So this should be built for that.

Safety By Design For Families

SPEAKER_01 4:29

Sounds like a very ambitious plan. So business plan, planning permission, all that kind of stuff. Where are the up to that?

SPEAKER_00 4:41

So I've currently been in contact with Per in Canros Council for the past few months, um, and they were kind of looking on on market properties to see what was available. Um there was a few sites that had mentioned to them, and then they

Sites, Council And Setbacks

SPEAKER_00 4:54

said either there was plans or it wouldn't just not accommodate the project, or there was underground infrastructure that prevented development. Um

Media Buzz And VR Collective

SPEAKER_00 5:01

so there was always kind of something, but once it kind of blew up on social media and things like that, so um at first I went on Straffern Herald front page, which I was absolutely shocked to see it there. Um and then it was on the second page of the PA STV News as well, like people were tagging me on it, and I was just like, what the hell? It's quite overwhelming. Um and then I saw that the VR industry also wrote an article about it as well, um, which show that they recognised that this would be quite good for the community, and they even said that it could inspire other kind of areas in the UK and even across the globe to kind of join in on.

SPEAKER_01 5:36

So VR can we just expand on that a little bit because that's that's not in this country, is it?

SPEAKER_00 5:41

No, it's not. So it's um the VR Collective, they're like a kind of global immersive industry for VR. Um and they're actually based in uh Houston, Texas, which I was quite surprised for them to hear about a story in Strafern, um which just kind of highlights how um important something like this would be.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

Fantastic.

Council Support And Land Search

SPEAKER_01 6:03

Well, we're definitely going to tag them in the Strathairden stories because that's what we want. We want people far and wide to know about our lovely little community.

SPEAKER_00 6:12

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 6:13

So um who's backing you? Uh you talked to me a couple of weeks ago about the council. Where where are we up to with that?

SPEAKER_00 6:23

That's right. So I've had plenty of meetings with different council departments. Um I've now been kind of put through to the green space department, so now with it blowing up, they've um put me through to them. They kind of help with off-market properties that are not advertised, and they can negotiate with private owners as well, like farmers and estate agents, so they can kind of help find things that are a bit more harder to find. Um so I'm meeting them next week to see what they've kind of come up with. And I've also got um private estate owners looking over the business plan. Um, and I've been to Cief Community Council meetings as well, um, which I didn't know I was going to be handed a mic as well at the time. So I was like, just saw these counsellors and I was like, oh, oh dear, okay, just don't stutter whatever you do, which I've actually done quite fine on. So I was quite proud of myself

Community Backing Across Ages

SPEAKER_00 7:11

for that one. But yeah, there's been a lot of community back in as well as five schools um in Crief that are supporting the project in some sort of way, um, and I've acknowledged that it's it would be quite beneficial, as well as NHS. Um, health visitors have w written letters of support, um, MSP Jim Fairley. Um, I've also got um Richard uh Richmond House, sorry, um, from the care home for the elderly. They also contacted me um and offered to write a letter of support as well because they said that their residents currently have nothing really here at all. Like they either have to invite people into the home or they need to take them far out of the way. Like there's nothing here, especially everything's like age restricted, so it's either like just for kids or just up till that age, or you need to be 20 plus. Like, there's always some sort of rule thing. So my centre would kind of be like for all ages, but structured classes, like kids, teens, adults, and el elderly, and things like that. So there's yeah, a lot of community support and

How Locals Can Help Now

SPEAKER_00 8:12

people interested in it, and a lot of people that are offering donations for the raffle that we're gonna do at the end of next month, um, and a few people that are being interested in come into our community walk for inclusion as well on the 7th of March. So yeah, it's been quite a lot of momentum.

SPEAKER_01 8:27

So you definitely had to go out and running, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_00 8:30

Yeah, I'm not much of a runner, but I thought that I was like, at least that would be good for me.

SPEAKER_01 8:35

So it's great to see all these people kind of getting behind you. What can the people of Sherden do for you?

SPEAKER_00 8:42

Um in support wise, I would say probably just sharing, sharing our post, um, maybe can donate, um help with a fundraiser, just yeah, sharing our articles, really. That's kind of the most we can get help with is uh even word of mouth as well.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

Maybe a bit of ground someplace.

SPEAKER_00 9:02

Yeah, a bit of ground would be great as well if anyone wants to do that. Um I'm not saying no.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

So on that note, if you were to get a bit of ground tomorrow, uh-huh.

Timelines And Permissions

SPEAKER_01 9:11

Whether you've got to buy it or whether it was gifted to you, how long would it take to get us off the ground?

SPEAKER_00 9:17

It depends whether if it was with council or private estates um sort of thing, but as well it depends with pre-planning permission applications, because they can take a while. Because I was told that there is company in Crefe that's been waiting two years for their application to be approved. So it does depend on kind of what it is as well, that if it's deemed to be more like helpful, if it's done quicker, be more effective, sort of thing. So but I would be saying towards the end of 2027, maybe 2028, um, for at least to have the structure of it, maybe not it be fully open, but um for the building at least to be there if we were to be gifted the land or uh buy the land tomorrow sort of thing.

SPEAKER_01 9:58

Okay. So you've you've got your business plan, you've got the the the project kind of laid

A 101-Page Plan And Purpose

SPEAKER_01 10:05

out.

SPEAKER_00 10:05

Yeah, a hundred and one page business plan.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

101 pages.

SPEAKER_00 10:08

101 pages, yeah. It's very thorough. I made sure I covered every aspect of it or I just wouldn't be taken seriously. So I looked really deep into it.

SPEAKER_01 10:18

So who who helped you with your business plan?

SPEAKER_00 10:20

Uh I done it myself, actually. I tried um setting up a modelling business a few years ago, um, and I had experience kind of learning how to do business plans and things like that. And it wasn't actually something that I was passionate about, it was just like just a way to make money for my kids. Um so with something like this, I was like, this is something I'm actually passionate about that actually touches my heart. It's not just a gimmick thing for me, it's something that would actually help me, my kids, and so many other kids and families that I know out there that are struggling that don't have anywhere like this to go to. Like my neighbour literally paid a fortune to go to somewhere else in Edinburgh um for immersive kind of illusions and things like that, and like it was just the hassle getting them there and coming back, and it's just it's not it's not ideal. It would be better if there was more things like that here, I would say for sure.

Why It Matters To Wellbeing

SPEAKER_01 11:12

So you got the backing of a few people, Catherine Girls Council, um, local MP the newspaper.

SPEAKER_00 11:20

NHS as well.

SPEAKER_01 11:21

NHS.

SPEAKER_00 11:22

Yeah, they acknowledged it would help the physical and mental health of a few people.

SPEAKER_01 11:27

Fantastic. What would this mean to you if you actually got it off the ground?

Hopes, Next Steps And Thanks

SPEAKER_00 11:35

It would mean a lot, really, and it would show that Cree really is built with the heart and by the community kinda at heart. Um it would it would mean so much to see so many people benefiting from something like this, not just a standard gimmick or a basic thing for them to do, like it would be something that could genuinely help them. So I think I would be very, very pleased with something like that.

SPEAKER_01 12:02

Cool. On that note, I'm gonna wish you the very best on what with it. It's very ambitious plans, but I think you've got the right people behind you.

SPEAKER_00 12:10

Yeah, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_01 12:12

Um so all the very best.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

Thank you, I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_01 12:16

And and hopefully we'll have you back on another podcast maybe in six months.

SPEAKER_00 12:20

Yeah, hopefully. Yeah, that would be really fun. Hopefully a lot further than that and the building halfway up already.

Contact: What The Sense

SPEAKER_01 12:28

Well So Nadia, how do people how do people contact you? Uh if they want to get in touch, where do they go?

SPEAKER_00 12:36

Um so I do have a Facebook page that people can find me on. Um you can just type in what the sense, give me a wee message. I also have um an email address, info at whatthecents.co.uk. So you could just send me a we email. I've also got my phone number and a few of the signature app application forms around the town. I think there's about ten of them in different shops and um restaurants and things like that. So um yeah, people could just find them there if they want to reach out.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

Okay, Naria, thanks again.

SPEAKER_00 13:07

Perfect, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

That was Naria um telling us all about Hushern's story. Until next time, thanks for watching.