Showcasing our achievements at Parliament

Representatives from Community Integrated Care were proud to attend a special reception at the Commons Speaker’s House in London on Monday 18th November, to share the achievements of people we support, in recognition of Disability History Month.

The event, hosted by Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, brought together politicians, advocates, and organisations supporting people with disabilities, to honour the contributions of disabled people across the UK. This year’s Disability History Month theme focuses on Disability, Livelihood, and Employment, highlighting the importance of breaking down barriers to inclusive workplaces and ensuring fair opportunities for disabled people.

Our charity was proud to attend and share directly with Sir Lindsay Hoyle, some of the brilliant outcomes of the people we support, and the strides we have made as a charity in championing social inclusion and equal opportunities on a national scale, through our projects and partnerships.

At the heart of this work is our partnership with Rugby Football League (RFL) – of which Sir Lindsay Hoyle is the president- and the countless opportunities we’ve created together for people with learning disabilities, including paid work, education and training, and voluntary work at major events across the UK.

We were delighted to showcase three of our fantastic projects in particular: our Inclusive Volunteering Programme and the impact this had had creating employment, volunteering, and skill-building opportunities for thousands of people who draw on social care; our On The Same Team campaign which tackles discrimination and bullying through working with schools to change attitudes and future beliefs in young people; and an upcoming portrait series due to be published next year, sharing the incredible stories and accomplishments of people we support across England and Scotland.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle praised our charity’s work hailing it as ‘wonderful’ and thanking our colleagues and people we support for their contributions to both the care sector and wider society.

Amongst the representatives from our charity attending the event was Ian Toole, a person we support in Widnes. Ian has gained work experience and volunteering opportunities with Widnes Vikings, thanks to the support of his team and our Inclusive Volunteering®️ programme. He was joined on the evening by his Support Worker, Sara Jones. The pair spoke to Sir Lindsay Hoyle all about how Community Integrated Care and the RFL have supported Ian to develop new skills, build confidence, and achieve his biggest ambitions.

Ian said, “It was amazing to visit parliament and to share everything I have achieved. I love working and volunteering and I have done so much with Rugby League. My friends and family are so proud and I’m proud of myself too!”

John Hughes, Director of Partnerships and Communities at Community Integrated Care, was also in attendance. He said: “I was beyond thrilled to see the talents of the people we support and our colleagues represented at Parliament for Disability History Month. Through our charity’s projects and partnerships, we’re leading the way on driving social inclusion for people with disabilities, breaking down barriers and creating more opportunities.”

He continued, “Ian’s story is a shining example of how our work is transforming lives and enabling people to develop their skills and access more independence. We are incredibly grateful to the Rugby Football League for inviting us to this special event and for all of the initiatives that we’ve worked on together over the past few years, empowering and inspiring hundreds of people who draw on social care and supporting us to create a more inclusive future for people with disabilities.”