Brackley Mayor Jim Broomfield and local supporters joined a special event hosted at Livability Lifestyle Choices East Midlands yesterday, to celebrate the achievements of service users.
As a centre used by disabled people in the local area, Livability’s Lifestyle Choices offers a range of services all focused on supporting people to connect with their community and develop key skills. Visitors pursue a range of recreation activities including cooking, gardening, swimming, health walks, gym sessions, photography, sewing and pub groups.
Hosted by Sally Mackay, Independent Living Lifestyle Support Worker, a group of 30 service users were awarded ASDAN Certificates for independent living, leisure time, horticulture, volunteering and work experience. Brackley Mayor Jim Broomfield, Livability Director Adam Bonner, and Service Manager Mandy Himpson presented the awards.
Lifestyle Choices is part of Livability – a disability and community engagement charity. There to present awards at the event, Adam Bonner, Director of Community Engagement and Communications said:
‘Livability is a charity that is all about connecting people with each other and their community. We are proud to deliver a service that’s all about supporting disabled people live the lives they want to lead, experience new opportunities and develop their skills and independence. We are delighted to see all that the service users have achieved in one short year and look forward to seeing what they do next.’
The event also marked the anniversary of the opening of the centre’s Independent Living Flat – a Training Facility that supports disabled people develop essential skills in household tasks and independent living. Since having training sessions in the flat, one service user has moved in to a new home as she has developed core skills to pursue a more independent life. Another service user has grown important life skills and has recently undertaken work experience at Waitrose.
Lifestyle Choices members have also recently participated in ‘Red Letter Days’, where they had the opportunity to pursue new activities and experiences. This included a tour of London, a visit to a Doctor Who Exhibition, and tickets to musicals in London’s West End.
‘At the centre, the programme is altered with discussion with customers so that they can pursue interests that they want to do’, said Sally Mackay, a Support Worker at the service. ‘It’s important that everyone has a say and involvement in what we deliver.’
Mandy Himpson, Service Manager at Lifestyle Choices East Midlands said, ‘What makes me most proud to work here is the fact that everyone is an individual and is treated as an individual. We’re really trying to get people to have great experiences, learn new skills and engage in ordinary living and everyday things. It’s about the little things that make a real difference to people lives, and with the staff and the ethos of Livability we’re able to achieve that.’
Watch Mandy talk more about how users have made real strides to live and be a part of their local community:
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