Merry Christmas
Another year has come and gone. Supported Lives is over two years old, and is starting to feel more like a 'grown up' company. There are now over 50 staff supporting a similar number of clients and doing over 700 hours of support each week. In this time very few staff have ever left (except those who were students etc.) and the feedback we receive from clients and their families continues to be very encouraging.
As Supported Lives grows, so the challenges increase, particularly around ensuring we remain focussed on the needs of each of our clients and finding realistic and meaningful ways of supporting the staff who are out there doing the work. You will be hearing about some new practical ways of how we are intending to do this.
On behalf of everybody at Supported Lives may I wish you all Peace and Happiness during the season of Christmas, and for the year to come.
John Drury
A Grand Day Out
Carlisle, Lancaster and Morecambe
We featured this last year when it was running and there's no apologies for featuring it again! Return tickets to anywhere on the Settle-Carlisle or Lancaster-Morecambe lines for only £7
The offer is open to anyone with a Concessionary Permit, whether senior, disabled or blind. (It's also open to holders of MetroCards with a rail zone element.) If your Concessionary Permit includes a companion they can also travel for £7.
There are plenty of trains running from Shipley and Keighley and you can buy a through ticket from any West Yorkshire station. Simon Nunn and I had a grand time in Lancaster, Carlisle and Morecambe last time and we plan to repeat our journeys on this offer.
The offer runs until 16 February 2007.
Further details can be found on Metro's website.
Brett
Staff Questionnaires
Twenty four staff questionnaires have been completed and returned and I have asked Chris Peltier from Bradford Social Enterprise to have a look at them so he can analyse them.
Some very good points came out of the questionnaire; some very positive comments and also some concerns.
I will complete a report on the findings and feedback to all staff and management in January.
Questionnaires have also been sent out to social workers and clients again so we can get a full picture of what people think of the services we offer.
Tracy
Advisory Committee
We will be holding an Advisory Committee meeting at Rebecca House on 18 January, 10:30-12:30. If anyone would like to take part (it's only two meetings a year) please contact me at the Supported Lives office.
Tracy
A Great Day Out?
Supported Lives has won the National SupportActionNet award for innovation and excellence in meeting the social and emotional needs and aspirations of vulnerable people.
Supported Lives beat off stiff competition from 81 other entries to win this national award.
John Drury and Mandy Corby were accompanied to London by Neil Ackroyd and Libby Devlin. Neil and Libby spoke to the annual conference of more than 200 people about the changes in their lives since becoming involved with Supported Lives .
Libby spoke in a very moving way about her children being taken into care and how she didn't like social workers! Given that at least 70% of the audience were social workers this could have been received negatively. However, Libby's testimony was very powerful and it was clear from what she was saying that people with moderate learning disabilities can be good parents if they are given the support to do so. This will have had a deep effect on the audience and will hopefully impact upon their practice.
Neil spoke about how, following six years in which he had suffered blindness, a stroke, and the loss of his food swallowing reflex he "had been set free from prison" since meeting Supported Lives . He waxed lyrical about Michelle, his support worker, who supports Neil for 7 hours per week. Also he talked about the work he has just started with the Royal Armouries as a voluntary consultant around access and other disability issues.
Luckily Neil's lack of swallowing reflex does not apply to liquid and the presentation (of a lovely glassware trophy and £1000 cheque!) was followed very quickly by a few swift celebratory halves in the Masons Arms around the corner in Portland Terrace.
The day was pretty hectic, but we were back on the train by 6:00pm, and all back in our own homes by 9:30pm. A great day out!
John Drury
Cinema Discount Card
The Cinema Exhibitors' Association Card is a national card that entitles the holder to one free ticket for a person accompanying them to the cinema.
To apply for the card, you will need to be in receipt of disability living allowance or attendance allowance, or be a registered blind person.
Application forms are theoretically available from Cineworld or the Odeon but I ended up going to the website because they never seemed to have any.
A processing fee of £5 is charged and the card lasts three years.
Brett
Interview with
Richard Cullen
JD: Hi Richard, how are you doing?
RC: I'm fine thanks.
JD: Good. We interviewed you about 6 months ago for the Bugle and Trumpet, but we know that things have changed a lot for you since then and we thought we would interview you again.
RC: Yes, that's a good idea.
JD: So, tell us a bit about how things have changed for you recently.
RC: I am now working at Bradford Bulls Rugby Football Club two days a week. That's on a Tuesday and Thursday. I am also still going to the gym and as you can see I am getting fitter and stronger. I have also started at Shipley College in Saltaire. I am doing the NVQ2 in Horticulture, specializing in Turf Management.
JD: How did you feel about this new venture?
RC: I was really excited.
JD: So would you say your life has changed in the past year?
RC: Yes ... for the better.
JD: Last time we spoke about your piece in the Bugle and Trumpet, you said your ambition was to win the lottery. Has this changed?
RC: Well, my ambition is still to win the lottery (I've got Saturday's ticket!). That still stands, but I'd also like to continue working with Bradford Bulls and to get the Turf Management course completed.
JD: Great! Thanks for this interview Richard.
RC: You're welcome mate!
John Drury
Drop-In Sessions
We will be holding some monthly Drop-In sessions for our staff and clients to meet up, if they wish, for a chat, coffee, and to swap ideas.
We will rotate the times and days each month to suit most people. Please contact me for more details.
Tracy
Phone Numbers
There's still a bit of confusion about our contact phone numbers since the move.
If you want to contact us about a change in your service, a problem or any general query ring 01274 377 104
For out of hours emergencies only, ring 07962 401 150
