annual report 2016/2017 - sheffield mencap & gateway...charitable trust, sir michael bett trust,...
TRANSCRIPT
Annual Report 2016/2017
Contents• Welcome To Our Annual Report
• Looking Back At The Past Year
• A Big Thank You To Our Funders
• What Matters To Us
• What Do We Do?
• Activity And Learning Hub
• Our Member Stories: Michael
• Learning New Skills
• Our Parent Stories: Graham Ellis
• Focus On: Snooker
• Friendship, Health and Social Inclusion
• Our Member Stories: Charlene
• Growing Great Kids
• Our Children Stories: Alistair
• Volunteering and Student Placements
• Staff That Go Above And Beyond
• Our Staff Stories: Cathy
• Supporting Families and Carers – Keep In Touch Service
• Focus On Blackpool
• Our Home
• Fitness Fanatics
• Out and About
• Our Future
• Statement Of Financial Activity
• Balance Sheet
Welcome To Our Annual Report…
Our Vision: “That all people with a learning disability and their carers in Sheffield feel valued
and respected. We believe that everyone should be supported to reach their full potential and to live the life they choose.”
On behalf of over 1500 people who are involved in Sheffield Mencap and Gateway every
year, thank you for taking the time to join with us and celebrate the commitment,
talent, drive and innovation that has gone in to continuing our work for another year. We
are all immensely proud of what we have achieved together to make Sheffield the best
place in which to live, work and have fun.
This work would not be possible without the brilliant members’ families who inform our
services and the community that helps us raise funds to keep our work alive. We hope
you enjoy our reflection of the past 12 months. The Trustees
Looking Back At The Last Year…
This last year, like many other charities, we experienced big cuts to our statutory funding. This has meant a reduction in the support we can offer family carers and the consequential loss of several of our colleagues. However, we worked hard to increase the numbers of people accessing our services and introduced new projects and sporting activities. We’ve also managed to return a balanced set of accounts for the year. Our plans for next year include further expanding our children’s services and sporting activities; introducing a healthy lifestyle and weight management course and offering new opportunities for people attending our Activity and Learning Hub. We’re also seeking funding to replace the valuable support to family carers which was lost. We’re very optimistic for the future and I’d like to thank everyone involved in making Sheffield Mencap and Gateway a very special place - our members and families, our wonderful staff team, volunteers and trustees and our generous funders – you all make our work possible.
Our Chairperson: Christine Booth-Mayblin
A message from our Chief Executive: Janet Sullivan
Another 12 months has whizzed by and I am proud and privileged to be working within such an inspiring organisation. Every year that passes we continue to reach more people with a learning disability, more families and work with more professionals. We know that our support is needed more now than ever before. We will always listen to the wishes of the families and individuals who guide our work. I am grateful for the help of our committed and talented board of trustees, their invaluable input and guidance
makes a huge difference and helps us plan for the future.
Sheffield Mencap and Gateway would like to thank the following Trusts, Foundations and Companies
for their vital and continuing support...
Cutlers Company Charitable Trust, Souter Charitable Trust, Marjorie Coote Old People’s Charity Fund, The George AMoore Foundation, Hallam FM Cash for Kids, James Wise Charitable Trust, Sheffield Town Trust, Whalley WhiteCharitable Trust, Sir Michael Bett Trust, The John Horniman’s Children’s Trust, Trustees of Elsie Lawrence Deceased,Unite The Union, The Housley Bequest Ltd, BBC Children in Need, Alchemy Foundation, Boshier-Hinton Foundation,Paul Grant Charitable Trust, Church Burgess Trust, Blakemore Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, HarryBottom Charitable Trust, Baily Thomas Charitable Fund, Gripple PLC, True Colours Trust, Talbot Trusts, WhitecourtCharitable Trust, Casa Stella Trust, David Solomons Charitable Trust, Austin & Hope Pilkington Trust, WG EdwardCharitable Trust, H M Burdall Charity, Hyman Winstone Foundation, Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust, Barbara AShuttleworth Foundation, Evan Cornish Foundation, Westfield Health Charitable Trust, Middlesex SportsFoundation, Newman’s Own Foundation, Screwfix Foundation, Dorothy Pamela Smith CIO, Inman Charity, LeedsBuilding Society, Wessex Youth Trust, SYCF, SDAD, Percy Bilton Charity, Henry Smith Charity.
What
Matters
To Us
Supporting friendships
and relationships
Working with families and
carers
Giving people opportunities and new skills
Giving children the best start in
life
Supporting people to
achieve their education
goals
Improving the health and well being of people with a learning disability and their families
What Do We Do?
Sheffield Mencap and Gateway is a different experience for every person.
We are greater than the sum of our parts. We provide a flexible,
responsive, family and person centred range of activities, support and
services. People need us for a little or a long time. Some people need
more help than others, some just want to find friends or someone to love.
We are informed and inspired by people with a learning disability and their
families. It’s what we have been doing for 65 years and it’s what we will
always do.
Activity And Learning Hub
Whilst we also focus on personal goals
which are set on Individual Learning Plans.
Core literacy, IT and numeracy skills are
embedded into all units delivered. Recent
subjects also include, managing money,
budgeting, leisure activities, computer
workshops, music, film animation and the
opportunity to work more in the community
with the introduction of a Community Café.Our students are also entrepreneurs.
We hold regular markets stalls, open
days and at the Christmas Fair
where we sell our own work, raise
awareness and provide an
opportunity for students to improve
their customer service skills.
The Activity and Learning Hub provides a high quality, educational service which allows members to learn
in a relaxed and happy environment. Members are offered a choice of AQA accredited units to study in that
are specifically designed for our students which have included Performing Arts, Independent Living Skills,
Cookery, Arts & Crafts, Design Technology, Enterprise, Geography, History and many Sporting and well
being activities. Our team of qualified and experienced Tutors and Learning Support Assistants continually
add new programmes of learning which provides our members with a great variety of new and exciting
learning opportunities each year. In 2016/17 we presented, at an Award ceremony, 45 of our members with
over 360 certificates for learning under the Unit Award Scheme. Members taking part in various AQA units
have the opportunity to improve social and life skills whilst also focusing on their own specific goals
through assessment and by following their own interests.
Our Member Stories: MichaelMichael has been coming to Sheffield Mencap & Gateway for nearly five
years. Both Michael and his father Richard, who supports Michael at Norfolk
Lodge, are both valued members. When Michael first began attending he was
very shy and timid and needed a lot of support and encouragement for him to
participate. But now, through his attendance, Michael’s confidence has grown
hugely and he has even taken part in the drama groups performances “The
Snowman” at Christmas. He has also taken part in a Chinese New Year
traditional lion dance and designed his own costume as well as having a
speaking part in a media production. He has excelled with his computer skills
and has even learnt how to edit video footage using iMovie, and helping other
members of the group! Michael also attends the snooker session being
friendly, helpful and having a cheeky side! His development has been
inspiring!
“I like being in my groups and having lots of laughs and jokes with other members. I enjoy snooker on a Wednesday and
sometimes play my dad (I always win). I have just joined cooking and really enjoy it. I have been
serving people and I am looking forward to learning to use the till. I also get to do the dishes which I
don’t do at home so don’t tell mum and dad.”
“I have been helping in the garden for 3 years now. I enjoy
doing my own thing in the garden and helping keep the
place neat and tidy and safe for people. I like doing small jobs to
make things easier for the gardening group. I also enjoy working with the gardening group. It’s always a lovely
atmosphere when I come here.”
Learning New Skills Media Projects
This year our members
have been creating their
own action film! This has
involved developing skills
in story writing,
characters and costume
design, script writing,
acting, using filming
equipment and editing the
video footage. They have
also written their own
fictional article whilst
learning about journalism
creating their own
newspaper called “Sun
Dog” Please see picture
on the right.
We also offer non-accredited learning for those who
don’t wish to join accredited courses. We offer a
wide range of activities that are based on the
members goals and aspirations which can help
improve independence, confidence and social skills
whilst experiencing something new and exciting.
Activity Sessions
We offer a number of ways for our members to be creative and
expressive. Our Drama group performs regularly and allows people
to develop their acting, singing and physical movement skills which
helps develop confidence and social skills. We have also been
working closely with Sheffield Theatres with the Drama group
performing at the theatre! We also offer film making projects, music
workshops, gardening, and our cooking group have been running a
Café out in the community which was enjoyed by all. Many of our
members have also attended art and pottery workshops. The
creative writing group produces beautiful stories, prose and poetry,
many of which have been published. You can see some of our work
displayed on our You Tube channel!
Our Parent Stories: Graham Ellis – Gary’s DadThe SCP project became involved with Graham and his son Gary when they were going through
a very difficult time. Graham’s wife Beryl was sadly very unwell and needed to go into a care
home. She had been the main carer for Gary, and the family were facing very difficult times.
Cathy our family support worker went out to meet with Graham and Gary at home, and spent
some time getting to know them. Graham was very worried about his son as Gary was spending
most of the time in his room alone. Graham was really concerned that Gary was depressed and
isolated. Graham knew it wasn’t a good situation for Gary but he didn’t know what options were
out there and Gary wasn’t really responding to suggestions from his dad! Cathy made a referral
to the Community Learning Disability Team for Gary and they sent a social worker to visit and
assess Gary’s needs, and to discuss what he might like to do with his time. Gary said he would
like to have a look round Mencap if Cathy would go with him, so they arranged some trial days
and the rest is history!
Gary now attends Mencap two days a week and is part of the snooker group; He is so much
happier now that he is doing things that he enjoys every week. Sharing Caring has also
supported Graham with other issues Gary’s PIP benefit had stopped so we supported Graham to
write a letter of appeal and he got the benefit reinstated. As part of emergency planning we
discussed getting a City Wide Care alarm installed for the family. Graham decided he wanted to
be referred for this, so he knew that he and Gary could contact someone easily if they needed
help in an emergency. We also applied for a ‘Time For Me’ short breaks fund through the Carers’
Centre so Graham and Gary could have a little respite break away as they had had such a
difficult year.
Graham Ellis
This is Gary
performing at the
Crucible Theatre
something that
Graham didn’t believe
he would ever see he
was astounded by
Gary’s performance
and confidence.
Focus on: Snooker The World Professional Billiards and Snooker
Association has enabled us to start a new project this
year to engage people with learning disabilities to play
snooker. The project is being funded through Sport
England and our group are reaping the rewards. The
group play every Tuesday and our coach Aaron Firth
teaches them all the tricks of the trade. Our group
even made it on the TV as the BBC paid us a visit and
we were featured in the BBC's coverage of World
Disability Billiards and Snooker Day.
Friendship, Health and Social Inclusion
Cricket
Our cricket group was set up this year and has proved to be very
successful. As funding ran out, the group have continued to self fund
and enjoy cricket every Wednesday.
Women’s and Men’s Football
Hugely popular, our football clubs are FA affiliated and supported by
our lovely local clubs. Members have enjoyed playing matches and
going for a well earned drink afterwards!
Sunday Lunch Club
The best Yorkshire Pudding in the whole world. Fun, friendship and
singing for people with a learning disability and their family carers.
We just love it!
ALH Cafés
Our Thursday and Friday ALH groups each week provide freshly
prepared home-made lunch snacks for our staff, volunteers, members
and any visitors. From small breakfasts, to snacks on toast you never
leave hungry and our cakes and scones are legendary. Our members
are gaining great customer service experience.
Keep In Touch – Carers Lunch
Join us on the first Thursday of every month for our Carers Lunch
Group in our very own Thursday ALH Cafe. Come for a natter and
there are lots of tasty lunch options to choose from.
Our Member Stories: CharleneIf you ask any taxi driver in Sheffield to take you to ‘Gateway Club’ they will
know exactly where you want to go. Our Gateway clubs are a lifeline to
hundreds of people who face social exclusion, poor mental health and low
confidence. They offer a safe and joyful place where people can be themselves,
find friendship and dance the night away. We spoke to Charlene and asked her
why she enjoyed coming to Gateway.
“My name is Charlene Chattoo I am 34
years old and have been coming to
Monday Gateway for about 8 years but I
can’t remember. I like making new
friends and I like cooking because I am
very good at it and I like to help my
friends to bake. I like playing bingo
because I like winning. I also like to
help my friends in the art room and
make things to give to my friends. If I
want to try something new the staff will
support me to do this, I like all the staff
and volunteers because they help me a
lot so I can do what I like to do I want to
keep coming for a long time and make
lots of new friends. I love Gateway.”
Growing Great Kids
Shine Out on Saturdays
Shine Out on Saturdays (SOS) is a member led drama and art club for
young people with learning disabilities aged 10-18. The project is funded
by a number of charitable trusts. SOS uses drama, dance and art as a
tool to develop self-confidence, independence and social skills, whilst
also providing a great opportunity for young people interested in the
performing arts to meet like-minded individuals. The project aims to
provide an environment that encourages creativity in a safe and positive
atmosphere.
Thank Gateway it’s Friday (TGIF)TGIF is a really special project for
children aged 6-16 with a learning
disability and their brothers and
sisters. It gives children the chance to
chill out and have fun on a Friday
evening and shake off the week with
football, baking, arts and crafts and
play. The project is funded by BBC
Children in Need
Special Needs Inclusion
Playscheme (SNIPs)
SNIPs provides a safe and
creative setting which
means children are free to
have fun and explore their
creativity and also provides
parents with a short break
to do important grown up
stuff! Over the past year we
have provided over 1440
hours of fun to support over
40 families.
Working with
ParentsTransition time can be
a challenging time for
families. Our Sharing
Caring Project works
closely with the
Sheffield Parent Carer
Forum to signpost
parents and run
transitions clinics to
make sure that the
voices of parents and
their children are
heard, and understood.
Radio MencapThis year we launched a radio
project which gave children the
opportunity to design, record and
listen to their own radio shows.
The young people gained
confidence and skills. The
project was low cost so
everyone could take part. The
children enjoyed having
specialist input and being
creative.
Communicate This project is for children
with autism aged 6-10. It aims to develop
children’s attention, listening and social
communication skills through play based
activities. The group has specialist input from
Speech and Language Therapists who have
worked within autism for many years.
“I enjoy doing the toast, enjoy the games, in fact I enjoy all of it in
general!”
Our Children’s Story: Alistair RaynesAlistair is twelve-years-old and has been a member of Shine Out on Saturdays for three years.
He is a lively character and enjoys drama, dance and art. He is also passionate about
Minecraft and Lego Ninjago. Alistair has a diagnosis of autism, which can make
communication and groupwork quite challenging for him. He particularly struggles to
understand other people’s points of view, which has resulted in him becoming quite emotional
and needing time away from the group.
One of the techniques we use to promote positive behaviour at Shine Out on Saturdays is the
use of a reward chart. At the end of a session, the young people are asked to identify what
they did well; we also use this opportunity to identify any areas for improvement. Discussion
with the members also determines what constitutes positive behaviour so that the young
people understand how to get a reward.
Volunteering and Student PlacementsOur volunteers are brilliant. They bring additional skills, enthusiasmand further insight to our work. They are an irreplaceable workforceof people motivated by a desire to learn, develop and make Sheffielda better place. Over the past 12 months we have continued to buildon our student placement and supervision offer and continue ourexcellent relationship with local universities and colleges.
From October 2016 -
September 2017 we saw
13,649 hours of volunteering
completed by a team of 195
volunteers!!
We now welcome
placements from both
universities in Sheffield.
We have supported
students of Art
Psychotherapy, Education
and Counselling,
Psychology, Medicine,
Social Work, Learning
Disability Nursing and
Occupational Therapy as
well as researchers.
Our volunteers are
priceless to us!
However, we can work
out in financial terms
that they have provided
us with over
£153,551.25 of support
over 12 months.
148 people came and visited
us for an interview and a
wonderful 136 new
volunteers started
volunteering!
Staff That Go Above And Beyond
.
Our staff team of 45 people are experienced, well trained and professional. That
goes without saying. However, we are also proud that our staff are:
• Passionate about helping people with a learning disability and their family
carers.
• Caring in their approach. No one will ever feel afraid, excluded or alone at
Sheffield Mencap and Gateway.
• Resilient in the face of problems. Our team can deal professionally with complex
and sometimes distressing issues. Yet every day they come to work with a smile
on their faces.
• Creative in the design and delivery of projects and services. No problem is too
big; no concern is too small. They strive to be the absolute best and continue to
amaze us all.
• Hilarious: from the moment you arrive at Norfolk Lodge you will laugh. Our base
is happy, fun and joyful. Our staff wouldn’t have it any other way!
Our Staff Stories: CathyCathy has worked at the Sharing Caring project at Sheffield Mencap for
almost 9 years; the project itself has been going for 21 years! The SCP
‘Keep In Touch’ service aims to support Carers aged 55 + of those with a
Learning Disability and or Autism living at home. The project has faced
some huge challenges around funding in the last few years, however Cathy
remains committed to doing her very best to support carers. She helps in
lots of different ways: giving information and advice, or practically helping
a carer to fill out a benefit form, supporting people to speak up, putting on
information sessions that are relevant to the issues carers face or
supporting them to plan for an emergency and to plan for the future.
Keep In Touch Service
Achievements
• We have continued practical advice and support to carers by applying for necessary benefits including ESA,
PIP and AA. We have a lot of carers asking for support with this, due to the ongoing welfare benefit changes.
• We have provided advocacy for carers’ to help them get further necessary support from social services and
speaking up for people around negotiating the repayment of debts and updating hospital passports for
families. Hospital Passports are an important element of ‘Future Planning’ alongside doing Emergency plans
for carers.
• We have been working with carers to give them the information and support they need to put in place the
practical steps towards building a future plan, for example looking for accommodation, setting up a
Discretionary Trust, or funeral arrangements.
• We have spent a significant amount of time supporting families through the difficult transition of the person
with a learning disability moving on from the family home into alternative accommodation. We have also put
on some very successfully attended information sessions, empowered carers to continue to meet at the
existing carers support groups and set up a new community group here at Mencap linking in with Thursdays
ALH cooking group.
The project works with family carers over 55 of people with a learning disability and or Autism.
Our particular focus is to keep in touch and help families to think about the future and create
emergency and long term plans.
Sharing Caring Project has always worked in a variety of ways to support families of adults with
learning disabilities and/or autism. Although we are much reduced in capacity we are still here!
Since January 2017 we
have been working with
the Sheffield Carers’
Centre to focus our
support on family carers,
who are 55+ and are
caring at home or who
are regularly supporting a
relative who is living
elsewhere.
➢ Providing a regular ‘Keep In Touch’
service
➢ Helping families develop long term
emergency plans
➢ Helping families think about long
term future planning and steps they
can begin to take
➢ Organising regular information
sessions, workshops and groups
about useful topics for carers
Focus on: Gateway Blackpool Trip
The Blackpool trip runs annually and is consistently popular year on year. We
take a large group of members for a weekend away in Blackpool. We stay at
the Cliffs hotel which has evening entertainment and a swimming pool and
fabulous food. On the Saturday we whisk members away to the Blackpool
tower to have a boogie in the Ballroom and a second group over to the
Blackpool pleasure beach for some thrills and frights. Then on the Sunday we
have a lazy start and then head into town for some shopping before a big lunch
and our return trip home. The members love the Blackpool trip so much they
ask about the next one before we've even left Blackpool to come home!
“Its good, have
fun with friends
and dancing at night”
“A great holiday, fun for everybody and liked and had a
dance in the ballroom”
“Enjoyed the evening disco, going out in
Blackpool for a walk after the Blackpool tower and enjoyed
swimming”
Our HomeNorfolk Lodge has been our home for 43 years! Surrounded by beautiful
ancient woodland, it is a little bit of calm and tranquillity right next to
the city centre. Our great transport links and bright accessible building
make it perfect to deliver our services.
It is also a great place for meetings, conferences, sports clubs and even
birthday parties! In the past 12 months we have welcomed many organisations
to our home and can give competitive quotes for any occasion. The money
raised from our venue hire goes directly into running the building, keeping it
warm and making it better for everyone.
A blast from the past. In 1974
our home was built.
43 years later and we are still
proud to call Norfolk Lodge
our home.
The group have focused this year on tackling obesity and nutrition, by
raising awareness around good diet choices and portion sizes and talking
about various health issues and how these affect our bodies.
Some of the topics we
have covered include
bones, muscles, warm
ups and cool downs, 5 a
day, salt and sugar
intake, diabetes, blood
pressure, eye health and
many others. We have
linked in with NHS and
other community groups
to help deliver specialist
topic areas and raise
awareness.
All our activities can be
adapted to meet the
needs of our members.
We have a wheelchair
user who can still take
part in the physical side
with adaptations made.
The group have been
very welcoming of new
members and carers
this year.
Fitness Fanatics
Out and About…
In the last 12 months we have:
• Provided regular support to
over 45 people with a learning
disability in Sheffield.
• Provided regular respite for
over 60 parents and carers.
• Welcomed a new enthusiastic
walking leader, Jonathan
Clitheroe.
• Walked over 200 miles in 10
picturesque areas of South
Yorkshire.
• Enjoyed 40 games of bowling.
• Eaten over 20 meals with
friends.
We love Sheffield and love being out and
about in it! We offer fantastic groups each
month that help people with a learning
disability get out and enjoy the things they
love. We offer groups that aim to give
people independence, improve social
skills, make new friends and improve their
health and well being. This service gives
family carers valuable respite time and
raises awareness in our community.
• Bowling Group
• Under The Stars
• Snooker Group
• Football Team
• Walking Group
• Liberated Ladies
• Youth Group
Our Future…
We appeal to anyone who would like to support our work to get in touch so that we can explore opportunities with you. From running marathons to jumping out of planes, to fancy dress at work, we have lots of exciting ideas to inspire you and your friends and families. If you are interested in supporting us please contact
us.
Our community is fantastic. It continues to support our work locally and allows us to reach out to more people every year. We are grateful to every single person who has raised funds, donated equipment, given their time and run a really long way!
We continue to be inspired by your efforts.
Balance Sheet
Statement of Financial Activities
Charity Number: 1056155Company Number: 3168775
Norfolk Lodge
Park Grange Road
Sheffield
S2 3QF
@sheffieldmencap
www.facebook.com/SheffieldMencapandGateway
www.sheffieldmencap.org.uk
0114 2767757