11th and 12th houses : CREB Woluwe

Constellations in collaboration with CREB association / Fundraising 2019-2024

Project to extend and completely renovate the day and residential centers at CREB Woluwe (Centre de Rééducation de l'Enfance à Bruxelles).

This center will accommodate 55 children in a day center and 27 in a residential center. This is CREB's second project, following the opening of CREB Anderlecht.

We have had encouraging contacts with the main supporters of CREB Anderlecht. Since the start of construction at CREB Anderlecht, our priority has been to find funding for CREB Woluwe.

CREB Woluwe cares for children and young people with profound mental handicaps and associated disabilities. The current premises, built without subsidies, are insalubrious, contain asbestos and are too small to meet current standards.

The authorities are imposing a complete extension and renovation on pain of closure.

The plan is to rebuild a first floor with an additional storey. The space will be increased by +/- 1000 m² and will enable the sanitary facilities and bedrooms to be brought up to standard. The work will be staggered over time, as it is impossible to close the facilities.

Constellations has a major role to play in bringing the project to a successful conclusion. In fact, this will be the most ambitious project Constellations has ever undertaken. The cost, initially €5,000,000 in 2021, has risen to €6,750,000 in 2024 due to increased construction costs. More than 120 people work in this center, and their jobs are also at stake.

We had found the €5,000,000 needed, including the equipment. We obtained €1,450,000 from several foundations thanks to Constellations' contribution. These foundations include the Lokumo Foundation, the Brussels Rotary Clubs, the M.M Delacroix Foundation, CAP48, the ROGER DE SPOELBERCH Foundation, the NIF Foundation, the Michelham Foundation and the 6088 Fund.

COCOF will cover a large part of the cost of inflation. We have taken other measures to finance the reconstruction, and we are committed to seeing the project through to the end. Given the context, we have decided that the 2025 theatre evening will be dedicated to supporting our 3 current projects, including the CREB. The increase in construction costs makes this additional support unavoidable.

The good news is that we're making good progress with the project, having just obtained planning permission after 18 months of work.

To prepare the call for tenders, we had to update all the costs. This exercise has shown a continuation of the dramatic increase in construction costs as the total cost rises to €6,750,000 plus €400,000 for equipment. This includes €250,000 needed to obtain planning permission - additional requests from the fire brigade and modifications required by the region. Against this backdrop, we have contributed €750,000 and hope to raise a little more. We are still €200,000 short of what is needed for the construction.

We hope to find the missing money for construction with the help of friendly Foundations and an additional contribution from Constellations (theatre 2025).

We still need to finance the equipment (€400,000), including the purchase of a Snoezelen. We are counting on further support from CAP48, Brussels Rotary and friendly foundations.

As the procedures in Brussels are very lengthy, we still have to obtain final approval from the administration and the regional government for the project and the compulsory call for tenders. Construction can then begin.

Constellations has a major role to play in providing support in all the areas concerned in order to bring the project to a successful conclusion as quickly as possible.

We have just sent Cocof the complete file for final approval.