20 March 2024
A south coast charity has raised thousands of pounds to help people with learning disabilities to deal with trauma and live their life, their way.
People with learning disabilities want to follow their passions and live their life to the maximum. But often they don’t have the right support to help them to live independently.
From 28 November 2023, Minstead Trust aimed to raise £45,000 to help people get the support they need to live fulfilled and more independent lives.
For one week as part of the Big Give Christmas Challenge, supporters saw any donation to the My Life, My Way campaign doubled thanks to generous match funders. Donations will help to:
- Run Listening Ear groups to help people deal with emotional issues and thrive
- Provide life coaching to help people realise their aspirations and how to achieve them
- Guide people on how to develop meaningful and positive relationships that enrich their lives
- Start changing society into a place that embraces and values people with learning disabilities.
Since December, support worker Bea has been continuing her work with people that require a little bit more support around their mental health and recognising their aspirations in life. Here are some of the successes funds have helped to bring about.
Kerry: improving mental health
Kerry lives in supported living in Poole. With a support team around her that allows her to live independently, Kerry knows that the support that she needs is in place.
Bea has been working with her for six months and has seen her confidence and mental health improve – she is now living her life, her way.
Kerry says: ‘Bea helped me with my mental health big time, she can talk to me about literally anything, and she even had a cup of tea on the last visit!
‘Bea talked to me about my physical and mental health and my family. She is such a lovely lady, it’s enough for her to come in once a week. She has improved my quality of life. She always says it’s my decision, it’s my choice.’
David in the woodwork workshop
David’s support hours increase
You may remember that we introduced you to both Dan and David during the run up to the Big Give.
We are pleased to let you know that with your help, David’s support hours at his flat have increased. He now receives an extra five hours of support a week, helping him to gain confidence in living independently.
This is making him happy; he says: ‘I’ve got 5 hours of support now on a Friday. I didn’t have any before. They help me sort out my bills and shopping. It makes me very happy. Minstead helped me with that, I’m very thankful for that. People are kind here’.
David is just one person out of many that your donations have helped to support live his life, his way.
Dan at Lily&Lime
Dan has continued to thrive at Lily&Lime, supported by staff and his friends in the café. He now works at The View, our café in the Portsmouth Civic Offices. Dan is working towards paid employment as an apprentice.
Dan says: ‘When I first came here, my confidence was very low. I had very low self-esteem issues. I had low confidence. Now that I am here? I’m having the time of my life and doing this apprenticeship will help me take ownership of the things I’m good at.’
Dan is very open about the challenges he faces with his mental health but now he can communicate when he needs support. He also knows how to put systems in place to help him feel better.
By supporting the Big Give, donors are helping people like Kerry, Dan and David to enrich society with their views, personalities and passions.
By recognising their aspirations and possibilities open to them, people with learning disabilities can thrive and live their lives to the full, however they choose.
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