She aims to ensure all calls to Shaftesbury are answered in person, contrary to the growing trend for automated services that cause frustration for so many of us and can be prohibitive for people with disabilities.
This is just one example of how we’re delivering personalised care; working in partnership with families, supporters and professionals to make life better for people with disabilities.
The importance of human connection and working together was the unofficial theme of the day as supporters joined us at the historic Palace of Westminster to hear of our future initiatives. This was at the invitation of our Vice-President, Lord Donald Curry of Kirkharle CBE, who welcomed everyone as part of ‘one big family’ committed to the Shaftesbury cause.
Guests were greeted on arrival by people we support, including a group of students from Shaftesbury Nash College, some of whom were old hands at the role, having previously hosted a board meeting for Shaftesbury Trustees to gain experience of the working world.
When a technical glitch briefly held up proceedings, student Omar willingly stepped in to give our 80+ guests an impromptu Makaton lesson, including the sign for cake, which was clearly high on the students’ agenda for the day!
Mark wasn’t billed as a guest speaker either, but at Sally’s invitation, he gladly stepped up to the microphone to share his LifeSum. Having been part of the community at Shaftesbury Netteswell Rectory for over 40 years, Mark is a great advocate for our residential services. Staff and fellow residents are like family to him.
Shaftesbury LifeSums go right to the heart of our mission to enable people with disabilities to lead full and meaningful lives. These personalised lists identify what brings joy and comfort to an individual, helping us deliver bespoke care and giving families confidence we can meet the unique needs of their loved one. Mark’s LifeSum tells us he loves to talk about tigers, the Army or Liverpool FC.
For students across our three special education settings, the focus is on preparing for life and future employment. Adele Audin, our Director for Education, shared how this strategy is shaped around communication, community, curiosity and connectivity.
Our students always gain skills and grow in confidence, but there are not enough openings for them beyond Shaftesbury college life, Adele explained, urging supporters to utilise their network of contacts to generate work experience opportunities for young people with disabilities.
“Our students are so capable. What’s limited is opportunities, not them,” she said.
Guests were interested to see video footage of students outlining their job aspirations, ranging from veterinary nurse and AI technician, to cleaner and chef. The young people were articulate about what they can offer, whether it’s the ability to work well in a team, being reliable, patient or helpful, good at maths or effective under pressure, among many other attributes.
Hermine has been a Teaching Assistant at Shaftesbury Nash College for 16 years. For the last three years, she’s been working with Connor who is non-verbal, which doesn’t stop him taking up work placements whenever he can. He’s had experience in the kitchen at Shaftesbury Nash College and at a nearby social club, helping out in the bar and in the grounds.
With the use of assistive technology to communicate, Hermine is convinced Connor has capacity to get a paid job, describing him as a very busy and productive student. She couldn’t disguise how proud she is of his achievements. Many attendees commented on how the interaction with Connor and his fellow students was the highlight of the event.
Most of those present have supported us over many years and were vocal in their approval of Sally’s pledge to uphold the Christian ethos of our original founders, notably the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury and John Groom.
More recently, this has included Lord Curry, founder of one of our composite charities, At Home in the Community, which later merged with Prospects and came under the Shaftesbury umbrella.
As a Vice-President of Shaftesbury and Member of the House of Lords, Lord Curry hosted the event on our behalf. His recently published biography details his charity work and experience of parenting a daughter with complex needs. Sally urged supporters to buy the book, not only because it’s a good read, but because a percentage of the sales are being donated to Shaftesbury.
Despite turning a £6m deficit into a £7m surplus within a couple of years, we’re not in a position to take our foot off the pedal. A big fundraising push will enable us to do more to enhance the lives of those we support this year.
This includes the reopening of Shaftesbury Talbot Manor in Dorset, which will undergo complete refurbishment thanks to generous support from donors, many of them present at the event. News that the building work was starting that same day got a big cheer from the crowd!
Click here for details about Lord Curry’s biography: