Thanks to the astounding successes of colleagues across our family of businesses, in 2011 we raised £7 million for our Charity of the Year partners Mencap and ENABLE Scotland.
From tea parties to bike rides, our colleagues and members took part in a wide range of fundraising activities in 2011 and raised an impressive £7 million for our Charity of the Year partners Mencap and ENABLE Scotland.
Watch a short video about this amazing achievement!
The money raised will launch an innovative new programme, Inspire Me, which will reach 20,000 young people with a learning disability across the UK, empowering them to aim high and gain the skills and confidence to achieve their goals.
Inspire me
Overall, Inspire Me will work with 20,000 young people with a learning disability, their parents and carers, and their local communities.
The £7million raised has helped to launch a groundbreaking new project in 20 locations, engaging with over 200 schools, colleges and community groups across the UK. It will help young people overcome the exclusion and prejudice that many people with a learning disability face.
Young people will have access to activities and training that will build confidence and life skills, together with meaningful volunteering and employment opportunities to help them reach their goals.
For parents and carers, Inspire Me will provide information, advice and advocacy to help them support their child to achieve their full potential.
The Inspire Me programme will engage with local communities in order to increase awareness of learning disability, change negative perceptions and create the opportunities young people with a learning disability need to have a positive future.
Charity of the Year 2013
Our Charity of the Year occurs every other year and we will next consider applications in March 2012. Alongside applications from charities, we proactively contact charities that meet a number of criteria. If you’d like more information about this process, please get in touch.
Case study: going green in Irvine
A group of green fingered young people from throughout Ayrshire dedicated four weeks of their summer to transforming the gardens of ten elderly people living in Irvine, through the ENABLE Scotland and in partnership with Impact Arts, Ancho Homes and Strathclyde Fire and Rescue.
The residents, who were unable to carry out their own gardening, have been out enjoying their newly revamped gardens and are clearly delighted with the work of the young people.
Residents were very happy with the job done, one saying, “It was more than I expected, I'm absolutely delighted,” while another said, “They did a grand job. I couldn't believe it - what a difference”.
Scott, one of the young people taking part, said: “‘It was good because it was active and there was always something to keep us busy. It felt like a proper job”. Lewis also took part, saying: ‘It was nice to help folk with their gardens and they were so pleased with the results”.