As a disabled person from birth, a wife, a mum, and an active member of society, I have a personal connection to our cause that fuels my passion and dedication.  

Our charity is highly proactive in employing disabled people and can confidently boast that its entire current staff base has a disability or long-term health condition.

Changes are due to be made to the current Disability and Work benefits. At this stage, whether we agree with the proposed changes is irrelevant. 

However, 100% of our client base is likely to be affected in some way, directly or indirectly. The possibility that some people could lose over six thousand pounds a year means that we should now prepare at least two advisers to support people with money matters, ranging from budgeting to debt.  

We want to create more volunteer opportunities, train two advisers to be specialist money advisers, advise people regarding employment, reasonable adjustments, the Equality Act 2010, and work with local employers.

Every penny raised will make the above happen.

Disability Support has always been proactive in finding ways to serve its customers. Recently, when listening to people, the common thread in every conversation has been, " How will I afford to live if?"

We intend to be fully prepared with the correct qualifications, membership and resources before our clients ask for help. 

We are raising funds to train two advisers to support people with everything from budgeting to debt management.  

We are raising funds to keep Disability Support up to date and ahead of the New Changes, especially as our demand is already high and set to increase.

We have two dedicated teams:

Benefits and Welfare Rights Advisors and  Community Welfare Advisors. 

Our Benefits Advisors provide support with benefits checks, form filling, and tribunals. Since the local authority closed its Welfare Rights service, we've seen an increase in complex cases, which require additional training for our advisers, particularly around debt-related matters.

Our Community Advisors handle a variety of inquiries, including housing, blue badge applications, grant searches, accessibility issues, social support and social groups. 

We also host free social groups that serve as a vital support system, addressing loneliness and isolation, which affects about 15% of disabled adults. 

Additional activities at Disability Support include Seated Yoga, Growing fruit and vegetables, Job skills, Interview skills, Accessible exercise/movement programmes, Social eating, Independent living skills, Shared experiences, Mental health, Therapy Animals support and Getting communities together.

Our CEO has experience in this sector, so actively supports individuals in challenging employers regarding reasonable adjustments and assists with employment tribunal cases.

It costs over £245,000 a year to keep the essential services running. We are also seeking direct donations for our projects and sponsorship, and we are very interested in hearing from people who would like to fundraise for us. Maybe you like skydiving, and could you be sponsored? Or fancy something more tame like running a stall at a car boot?

We are not all in the same boat, but we are all in the same storm. Let's weather it together!