VRDS helping disabled people to get into work.

Many disabled people want to work, a quite understandable fact. After all, apart from the obvious financial freedom, there are also the important matters of friendly social interaction, increased self-esteem and a real improvement in quality of life. In the end, if you have say twenty years of working life available to you, why not make it a happy and fulfilling twenty years?

‘Pathways’ is a programme that started in Cheshire and Warrington in May 2008, designed to help disabled people to get into work. It is open voluntarily to anyone on Disability Living Allowance or Incapacity Benefit, also some other benefits, so that people with disability or health issues can get a better chance in life. The programme is all about levelling the playing field, enabling disabled people to access proper jobs, not the short-term artificial roles that historically separated people. A programme of information, advice, training and support is available as part of the service.

To locate your nearest specialist sub-contractor or for more general information on Pathways, contact VRDS Community Learning (Telephone 01606 888 604 or email community.learning@vrds.org.uk), or contact the central TNG contact number, 0845 602 4391.

Queen’s Award

To celebrate her Golden Jubilee in 2002, The Queen announced an annual Award to recognise and reward excellence in voluntary activities carried out by groups in the community.

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service (formerly known as The Queen's Golden Jubilee Award) is given for outstanding achievement by groups of volunteers who:

· regularly devote their time to helping others in the community

· improve the quality of life and opportunity for others

· provide an outstanding service.

It was announced that Vale Royal Disability Services is a winner of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2007. The award gives VRDS volunteers recognition as “unsung heroes” and commemorates the essential role they take.

The group were nominated by members of the public who have either benefited from their work, or seen the positive effect on their community. The Award is only given to those groups where volunteers are judged to have regularly devoted their time to providing an outstanding level of help to other people.

Well done Linda

Award winner Linda Worswick

Learning changes lives, transforms businesses and even nations. The Learndirect Achievement Awards were set up to recognise and celebrate the achievements of learners, employers and the Learndirect centres supporting them. Northwich has been recognised not once but twice in these prestigious awards.

The North West Awards were presented at a glittering ceremony on 13th June at the Reebok Stadium Bolton. The winner of the Learning for Employment Award was Linda Worswick of Northwich. Linda completed her learning at the VRDS Learning Centre in Northwich. She said, “I know that this is an individual award, but I could not have achieved it without the amazing levels of help and support from the learning centre. They helped me build up my knowledge and with a spell as a volunteer, gave me the confidence to get the job of my dreams”.

At the same ceremony, the VRDS Learning Centre in Northwich was recognised for its excellence. The centre was Highly Commended for Innovation, in recognition of its resourcefulness in helping people to achieve what they want.

Government Minister Launches Cheshire’s Information Project For Disabled People

At the launch were Jane Stanley-McCrave, Project Manager Community Wellbeing, Paul McGreary, County Manager Trading Standards and Safer Communities, Anne McGuire, Minister for Disabled People, County Council Chairman Neville Price, Tim Mann, County Manager Community Wellbeing, Geof Chan, Work Placement Officer Supported Employment and Christine Pickthall MBE, Chair of Vale Royal Disability Services.

Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire has announced that Cheshire is one of four councils working with the Government’s Office for Disability Issues. The Minister who recently officially launched Cheshire County Council’s Accessible Information Project at Crewe said, “Many disabled people find it difficult to access the services they need – because they don’t know where to start or because the application processes are unclear or disjointed. We have got to listen to disabled people, look really hard at what we do and challenge ourselves. The Information Needs project is an important part of that challenge.”

Christine Pickthall MBE, Chair of Vale Royal Disability Services speaking at the launch said, “To me, information means power, and access to information can enable me to make informed choices about the quality of my own life. At the end of the day, isn’t that what we all want, irrespective of any disability? Choice and independence.”

The Accessible Information Project will consider a range of innovative ways of making the information available to disabled people and carers.

The speeches are available from the following links:

Link to the speech by Anne Mcguire, Minister for Disabled People.

Link to the speech by Christine Pickthall MBE, Chair of Vale Royal Disability Services.

We are delighted to announce that Christine Pickthall of Vale Royal Disabiltiy Services has been awarded the MBE by her Majesty the Queen.

Remember that one of the benefits of volunteering at VRDS is that you are eligible for a wide range of up to date learning opportunities. We want to help you to enrich your life. You’ll like it even more when you find that most learning is free of charge!