The Hear The Mums group, led by Yvonne Keane, opened their Hear Their Children early intervention centre yesterday after weeks of painting, decorating, landscaping and organising .

The group has given a donation to Dawn and Darryl Brown, of Treasure Island Early Learning Centre, to use their premises.

The opening marks a new stage in a campaign these mothers have waged since October, when they learnt that the St Gabriel's early intervention centre was to close. St Gabriel's has since opened for children with a range of disabilities, including Down syndrome and autism.

The mothers wanted their children to continue to receive audio-verbal therapy, which St Gabriel's had pioneered.

The therapy teaches children how to speak and how to listen with hearing aids and Cochlea implants.

The mums continued the work of the centre, which they have now registered as a business and which has received deductible gift recipient status.

They have also enlisted the help of the co-editor of the St Gabriel's curriculum, therapist Charmaine Mercer-Moseley. They need $200,000 to operate the centre each year and have received $40,000 in corporate sponsorship and $44,550 in Intervention Support Program funding from the Department of Education. Blinds were donated by Kresta at Penrith.

They also raised $4000 from a movie night. To help, visit www.hearthechildren.org.au.