Where:
Frank Chapman Centre, Bewdley.
Who:
Ages 11+
Cost:
£150 per person.
We are very excited to offer this residential opportunity during the May Half Term at the Frank Chapman Centre in
Bewdley. You will be staying in spacious dormitories and taking part in a variety of activities including archery, bush-crafts and climbing and many more.
The price includes all meals and activities and can be paid in installments if needed.
For more information and an application form please email
Deborah.Mcgarvey@midlandmencap.org.uk or ring 0121 256 1500
Midland Mencap is proud to offer you the opportunity to race in the Run Sutton Park 1k, 5k or 10k on behalf of our fantastic local charity.
The cost to register for this event is £5 for the 1K, £ 10 for the 5k and 10k for full deatils about the day vist the Mencap website click here.
Midland Mencap is a charity which works and campaigns for accessible and inclusive services and a better quality of life for everyone with experience of learning disabilities and additional needs. We are one of the region’s leading learning disability charities with a strong, respected and established reputation for excellence and innovation. You can find out more about us by visiting our website.
Interested?
We are now accepting registrations from runners who would like to fundraise for our charity on Saturday 13th October All we are asking is that you try your best to raise £100 on behalf of Midland Mencap.
To register to Run, jog or walk for Midland Mencap please call 0121 442 2944 or email info@midlandmencap.org.uk
Once registered we will send you information about setting up your fundraising page on Virgin Giving or on Facebook.
Here are all the opening times over Christmas and the new year for Alcester Road (Head Office), The Enterprise Hub and The Walsall Disability Hub.
Alcester Road (Head Office):
ClosedMonday
ClosedTuesday
Open Wednesday and Thursday 8am – 5pm
Open Friday 8am – 4pm
The Enterprise Hub:
Open Wednesday 27th December 10am-4pm
Closed Thursday 28th December ( Children and Young Persons using building)
Open Friday 29th December 10-3pm
Open Tuesday 2nd January 9.45am-4pm
Closed Wednesday 3rd January ,but there is a community activity – Black Horse Pub 11am-2pm
Open Thursday 4th January 10am-6pm
Closed 5th January, but Community activity – 10.30am-2.30pm Sports Day, Woodcock Street
The Walsall Disability Hub:
ClosedMonday
ClosedTuesday
Open Wednesday and Thursday 9.30am – 5pm
Open Friday 9.30am – 2.30pm
STAFF ADVERSE WEATHER UPDATE:
The adverse weather means that travelling will once again be difficult. Most main routes, including bus routes are now clear so for tomorrow the following applies:
• We will again operate our offices & hubs as normal, so if you are OFFICE BASED and it safe for you to do so please attend for work. However, if it is not safe to drive, use public transport or walk to work please advise your line manager of alternative working arrangements or requests for emergency annual leave
• Office based staff can work from any of our sites at Alcester Road, The Enterprise Hub or The Walsall Hub which will be open as normal
• Colleagues from Housing with Care & Support will be advised of arrangements via their line manager to ensure they and vulnerable citizens are fully supported
• Non-housing care & Support staff can also volunteer to support colleagues in our care & support services who may have been in situ all weekend or short staffed as a consequence of the weather. If you feel you could go on emergency stand-by please e-mail Chris.Haines@midlandmencap.org.uk or David.Bird@midlandmencap.org.uk directly
I would once again like to take this opportunity to thank all of our care & support staff who have either stayed at work, walked to work or have been on-call to ensure all vulnerable citizens have been kept safe over this exceptionally challenging weekend. Every single citizen received the care and support they would get under normal circumstances!
Travel safely and please ensure you advise your line manager of your whereabouts and arrangements for Tuesday
Thank you
Dave Rogers
CEO
IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL MIDLAND MENCAP STAFF:
Following BCC’s decision to close all schools and day centres we recognise this does cause issues across our staff teams. Therefore, for tomorrow (Monday) these are our arrangements:
• We will attempt to operate our offices & hubs as normal, so if you are OFFICE BASED and it safe for you to do so please endeavor to attend for work. However, if it is not safe to drive, use public transport or walk to work please advise your line manager of alternative working arrangements or requests for emergency annual leave
• Office based staff can work from any of our sites at Alcester Road, The Enterprise Hub or The Walsall Hub
• Colleagues from Housing with Care & Support will be advised this afternoon of arrangements to ensure we fully them and support vulnerable citizens
• Non-housing care & Support staff can also volunteer to support colleagues in our care & support services who may have been in situ all weekend or short staffed as a consequence of the weather. If you feel you could go on emergency stand-by please e-mail Chris.Haines@midlandmencap.org.uk or David.Bird@midlandmencap.org.uk directly
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our care & support staff who have either stayed at work, walked miles to work or have been on-call to ensure all vulnerable citizens have been kept safe over this exceptionally challenging weekend. Outstanding commitment for which we’re very grateful.
Travel safely if you are able to do so and please ensure you advise your line manager of your whereabouts and arrangements for tomorrow
Thank you
Dave Rogers
CEO
Midland Mencaps response to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond’s recent statement to the Treasury Select Committee. Hammond was answering a question about the cause of poor productivity in the economy. He disgracefully implied that the UK’s poor productivity levels were the result of disabled people in the workforce.
Hammond said ‘It is almost certainly the case that by increasing participation in the workforce, including higher participation by marginal groups and very high levels of engagement in the workforce, for example disabled people – something we should be extremely proud of – may have had an impact on overall productivity measurements.’
Chief Executive of Midland Mencap, Dave Rogers said:
‘This is an unbelievable and exceptionally derogatory comment from the Chancellor. It’s an overt insult to individuals who work hard and make a significant contribution in the workplace. Disabled workers face many barriers to gaining and sustaining work and to suggest this, for which there’s no evidence at all, risks perpetuating the view of employers that it is not worth employing disabled people because they will impact on work place performance. The Chancellor should issue a full apology and withdraw the comments without reservation. It once again brings into question the Governments policy and moral commitment to disabled citizens.
Other responses:
On Sunday 3rd, Midland Mencap held their Weoley Winterland in their Enterprise Hub. It was an event for every one of all ages, from those at Mencap to their families and locals alike!
The festive stalls included arts & crafts, a tombola, a raffle, a cake sale, the fantastic Sing and Sign choir and Santa’s workshop – it’s safe to say there was plenty for everyone to do, no matter their age or interests.
I volunteered on the Arts & Crafts stall, making Christmas tree decorations out of painted lollipop sticks, pipe cleaners, pompoms and string. There were some impressive trees decorations crafted and it was great to meet people of all ages – from tiny children to the elderly and I was overjoyed by their enthusiasm. The eagerness of all the volunteers and staff in making the event a success was infectious. It was truly rewarding and I recommend volunteering at these events wholeheartedly.
With over 120 people attending and £402.63 raised for the charity, it was hugely successful and the atmosphere was wonderful. It really felt like Christmas had come and I’m looking forward to more events like this as it was an impressive turnout, a lot of fun and all for important causes!
– Kat, Reporter Volunteer –
Today is International Volunteer Day, at Midland Mencap we place great value on the contribution of our 113 volunteers who make a massive difference to vulnerable citizens. Last month alone they contributed nearly 650 hours of their time to support the delivery of a wide range of services across Birmingham and Walsall. Here are some impressive facts about how diverse and inclusive volunteering is at Midland Mencap:
• 20% of our volunteers are from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic communities
• 26% of our volunteers have some form of disability or impairment
• In terms of gender, 36% of our volunteers are male and 64% are female
• The majority of our volunteers (56%) are under the age of 30 (the age ranges are as follows: 16-19 = 11%; 20-29 = 45%; 30-39 = 11%; 40-49 = 14%; 50+ = 19%)
• Only 12% of our volunteers appear to fit the definition of the ‘civic core’ (white, middle-aged, highly resourced and educated)
• In terms of higher education levels, 33% of our volunteers are currently students
• With regards to socio-economic levels, 14% of our volunteers live in neighbourhoods that fall within the most deprived 10% of areas in England, 31% live in neighbourhoods that fall within the most deprived 20% of areas in England, and over half (54%) live in neighbourhoods that fall within the most deprived 40% of areas in England
If you would like to volunteer at Midland Mencap you can find all of our amazing opportunities here
https://do-it.org/organisations/midland-mencap
Here’s our response to Wednesdays autumn budget statement.
Chief Executive of Midland Mencap, Dave Rogers said:
“Disappointingly this budget does nothing to address the growing crisis across social care. With a near £3 billion funding gap predicted by 2020 over a million vulnerable citizens already do not have an appropriate level of care or support they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives. The number of people needing care and support will only grow over the coming years and services and providers meeting that level of need are at breaking point. This will inevitably lead to higher costs for both local authorities and the NHS having to manage demand due to inadequate community based social care provision.
Government funding is urgently needed now ahead of any planned reforms, reforms which must reflect on the whole community social care system. Alarmingly there was no mention of funding to resolve the crisis regarding funding for sleep-in shifts, which will undoubtedly see providers go out of business if the government does not provide funds. In essence we believe that for citizens with a learning disability and their families this budget sends out the message that they are a community increasingly forgotten by central government.
With demand on services growing at Midland Mencap we are increasingly seeing citizens living in deep poverty, socially isolated and cruelly exposed to the wider community consequences of austerity. It is now critical that Government listen to the sectors voice and focus on fully resourcing the resolving of issues that detrimentally impact on the lives, welfare and well-being of disabled people.”
Other Charities reactions to the budget
Midland Mencap fully endorses the Learning Disability Voices statement following yesterdays Government announcement regarding Sleep-in payments.
In a care sector chronically short of resources to once again fail to address how legitimate back payments will be funded only adds to the anxiety of vulnerable people, their families and the organisations who support them.
The Governments position is both baffling and disappointing.
Response to the Governments announcement:
United Response(Learning Disability Voices reaction)