Bristol welcomes new funding

BRISTOL WELCOMES NEW FUNDING TO BECOME THE BEST PLACE FOR PEOPLE WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY!

Funding from Mencap aims to help our community become an even better place for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives

Thanks to local organisations SENDaWelcome and Step and Stone, Bristol is now one of nine communities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland that will benefit from funding received by Mencap from the Covid-19 Support Fund to help support some of the people hardest hit by the Covid-19 crisis. SENDaWelcome and Step and Stone were set up by north Bristol parent carers of young people with learning disabilities. They work towards full inclusion of people with a learning disability in all aspects of our community and celebrate the enrichment this brings to all our lives.

Mencap’s vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives. This project aims to put people with a learning disability at the heart of Covid recovery planning and help develop new ways of working. Newly appointed ‘Community Partners’, Jess Garbett and Alice Cranston, will be working across Ashley, Horfield, Lockleaze, Bishopston and Ashley Down wards and supporting local people with a learning disability to work with local communities to lead social change. Community members with and without a learning disability will be involved in co-designing, developing, and implementing change initiatives that make their community a better place to live. Jess and Alice want to find out what ‘community’ means to you, what you think is great about your community, what you might like to change or make better, and how you may be able to contribute and make a difference. If you’d like to find out more or are interested in getting involved in the project, they will be out and about in the local area to chat to, hosting pop up Community Conversations or you can contact them at mycommunity.bristol@mencap.org.uk Ciara Lawrence, who has a learning disability and is the Big Plan Engagement Lead at Mencap, said: “This funding from the Covid-19 Support Fund is really great news! It will help people with a learning disability, like me, be seen and heard in their local communities.

“Many people with a learning disability have been forgotten during the pandemic. Mencap’s new community programme means they can take their place in society once again. It will also help communities to be more inclusive.

“It is great that people with a learning disability will carry out this programme because they know what changes they want to see to make their community the best place to live. It is about them and their voices.”

We are delighted to be partnering with Mencap to work toward our shared vision of making our community the best place for people with a learning disability to live. This is something we have been working towards for the last 5 years and we hope with the support of Mencap to really quicken the pace of this change and get many more local people involved in this exciting initiative for our area. Edel Harris, Chief Executive of the learning disability charity Mencap, said: “We’re thrilled to receive this generous donation from the Covid-19 Support Fund for this ground-breaking new programme, which puts people with a learning disability in the driving seat to make positive changes in their local communities after the pandemic. “People with a learning disability have been hit hard during the coronavirus pandemic. Many people have faced huge health inequalities and spent a year stuck at home, cut off from their family or friends. In many cases, they have been left with no support at all. “As we come out of lockdown, we want to make sure that people with a learning disability are not left behind. This programme will help empower them to be part of rebuilding their local community in a post-COVID-19 world. I’m excited to see what changes people with a learning disability lead and deliver as part of this programme to help make the UK a healthier and happy place for them, their friends and family and wider community.”

Hengrove Community Centre

Fortfield Road BS14 9NX Tuesday 9.30am

Sarah: 07879 443888

Tuesday:5.30pm

Vicky: 07710 626746 Bridgefarm Primary School

East Dundry Road BS14 0LL Wednesday 5.30pm and 7pm

Sarah: 07879 443888

No need to book, just pop along

Christ Church Hall Petherton Road Hengrove BS14 9BP Saturday 9:30am

Keesa: 07399 597267