Sense Norwich

"Even though it’s all virtual, I love feeling that we’re connecting, and that I’m making a difference."

Today is the start of , this week highlights the positive impact befriending can have on tackling isolation. You can read more about Yomna and Chloe's virtual buddying experience here:

Gaming opened up a new world for me and my Virtual Buddy - Sense Find out how Chloe and her Virtual Buddy Yomna have used the game Roblox as a way of getting to know each other.

Happy Halloween! At our Sense TouchBase Pears hub we've been making these spooky creations! Show us your pumpkin designs below!

Congratulations Emersyn for being shortlisted for our amazing Young Person of the Year award!

Emersyn was born prematurely, at just two pounds two ounces, and with multiple health conditions and disabilities. Her family said goodbye to her eight times, but now six-years-old she has defied the odds and is described by her family as “a bubbly, joyful little girl”.

Emersyn – who continues to live with multiple health conditions and disabilities including sight and hearing impairments, Down Syndrome, low muscle tone and global developmental delay – fundraises for local charities and good causes, including the neo natal unit at Royal Victoria Hospital where she was born. Her mum says she’s “a little inspiration”.

Fancy finding out more? Follow our link! https://www.sense.org.uk/sense-awards/sense-awards-shortlist

Jack, a learner at Sense College Knapwell, took on a leadership role in helping to promote the Paralympics at his college. He created an informative board about the event and regularly updated the Team GB medal table for all in his College to see. His enthusiasm shone through as he led the opening ceremony parade for Team GB, ensuring everyone had a fantastic experience.

Let’s give it up for one of our amazing shortlisted nominees, Marianne!

Marianne, 11, has been shortlisted for Young Sibling of the Year. She is a young family carer to her big brother Levi who is autistic, has sensory processing disorder and has recently developed epilepsy.

Levi and Marianne are very close and communicate using a mixture of picture cards, Makaton and sign language!

She is a huge advocate for her brother and has always accepted that Levi’s medical needs take priority for her family. Congrats on being shortlisted Marianne!

Want to find out more on our fabulous shortlisted nominees: https://www.sense.org.uk/sense-awards/sense-awards-shortlist

A huge thank you and a big well done to all of our runners that have recently completed the Royal Parks Half Marathon! Have our runners inspired you to take on the challenge? You can sign up for next year here:

Run the Royal Parks Half Marathon 2024 for Sense! Sign up to run the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 6 October 2024 and raise money for Sense. £25 registration fee!

Drum roll please....

We are incredibly excited to announce our shortlisted nominees for the 2024!

We had so many amazing stories from all over the UK, but the big question is; has your nomination made the shortlist!?
Find out here: https://www.sense.org.uk/sense.../sense-awards-shortlist/

Sense Awards 2024 shortlist - Sense Our shortlisted 2024 nominees are truly amazing people. Here's the shortlist for each award.

Back in August, Deaf Chef and TV presenter Scott, AKA Punk Chef stopped by one of our residential services to cook up something special with Gakleen, a resident Sense Supports.

On the day, Scott taught Gakleen, who is also Deaf, how to cook a meal from scratch in British Sign Language. Gakleen had a blast learning new cooking skills and sampling the delicious meal they whipped up together.

Scott is a trailblazer in the culinary world, passionate about championing Sign Language and making food preparation more accessible. Like Sense, Scott believes in the importance of breaking down communication barriers to ensure that everyone, no matter how complex their disability, has equal opportunities.

Thank you Punk Chef for delivering such an amazing cooking lesson. We hope you enjoyed seeing our work first hand and witnessing how Sense supports thousands of people who are deafblind or who have complex disabilities to communicate, experience the world and fulfil their potential.

Can you imagine being paid £2 less per hour than another worker doing a similar job? That’s around £70 a week if you work full-time!

Our research shows that over half (52%) of people with complex disabilities in work have taken on a less challenging role because their needs as a disabled person were not being met by employers.

This needs to change. You can read more here: https://www.bigissue.com/opinion/disability-pay-gap-work-jobs-employment/

When people hear the term “deafblind” they often think that it means someone who is totally deaf and totally blind. However, we know this isn't the case and some people who are deafblind may have some hearing and/or some sight.

We also know there are so many ways a person may want to communicate. We've put together this blog with a list of different methods of communication and some top tips to support you when you're communicating with someone who is deafblind.

How to communicate with someone who is deafblind - Sense Speaking to someone who is deafblind may seem daunting. But it doesn’t need to be! Follow these tips for communicating with deafblind people.

We've written a little message for you in British Sign Language (BSL) fingerspelling. Do you know what it says? Let us know below!

We can't wait for our Awards! Can you? On being asked to judge this years awards, Lisette said:

“I’m thrilled to be on the judging panel for this year’s Sense Awards, which has recognised so many remarkable adults and children with complex disabilities over the years. I’m sure that picking the winners won’t be easy, but I’m looking forward to giving it a good go!”

Photo credit: Paperboat Photography

We're delighted to announce that as of February next year our new CEO will be James Watson-O'Neill.

James will take the reins from Richard Kramer, who has led Sense since 2018.

James, who is deaf, will be joining us from SignHealth.

James said: "I am honoured to be appointed as the new Chief Executive of Sense and Sense International. For 70 years, Sense has delivered vital support to disabled people and their families, working alongside them to campaign for a fairer society for disabled people."

"It’s important to remember that disabled people are more likely to be chronically lonely. Making sure that we can access event tickets as easily as possible is one way to reduce isolation, and make us feel like we’re a part of big cultural events, just like everyone else."

You can read more about Stevens experience with ticket accessibility here: https://www.sense.org.uk/blog/live-music-wembley-ticketmaster-accessible-tickets/

Are you ready to get your bake on?

It's , so why not take on a Sensational Tea Party fundraiser? Whether you’re serving penny buns or millionaire shortbread, every donation enables us to do more, fancy giving it a go?

https://www.sense.org.uk/get-involved/fundraise-for-sense/your-own-way/sensational-tea-party/

Good luck to all of our fantastic runners taking part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon! We spoke to one of our fabulous runners Sarah about her run and fundraising journey, she said:

"When India Morse came into my workplace for a talk, her story really stuck with me. It made me think deeply about the struggles so many people face every day, and led me onto thinking about those with multiple or particularly complex disabilities. That’s why I decided to support Sense in the Royal Parks Half Marathon—they give people with complex disabilities the support they need to live full lives. Sharing my journey on social media has been an amazing way to raise both funds and awareness for this cause. For me, running the Royal Parks Half Marathon is more than just a race—it's an opportunity to make a difference."

This , we're highlighting the experiences of young carers like Bayleigh, Freddie, and Evie. As siblings of a disabled brother, they face challenges that many don’t see.

Sense provides them with a crucial break and a chance to make friends who understand and share their experiences. It’s a reminder of the importance of supporting the wellbeing of young carers.

“It’s nice for them to know they’re not the only ones going through it,” their mum, Kirsty, says, “and they form these bonds and just get to have fun together. They come back and they’re so happy they can talk for hours and hours about what they’ve done.”

Love mini golf? Join the club! Sense's siblings and young carers group recently set off to Charnwood Golf & Leisure Complex for a day of mini golf and football! The group loved exploring the golf course based on Loughborough’s fascinating history.

Who is excited for the 2024 Sense Awards!? We know we are! One of our amazing judges Jaina said:

“I am so thrilled to be joining the panel of judges for the Sense Awards 2024. The awards have a long history of recognising and celebrating the outstanding achievements of people with complex disabilities and those that support them, and it’s going to be an honour to read about the nominees and their stories."

Norbins House had their own Olympics this summer. Milicia doesn’t always get involved in group activities at Norbins House but loved getting involved with this.

Support worker Charlene said "Everyone else was doing it and she wanted to be involved too. It’s amazing to know that she will join in if she wants to, and now we need to keep working on activities that will get Milicia as engaged as the Olympics did.”

It’s World Smile Day! Nothing makes us happier than witnessing these breakthrough moments at Sense College Loughborough.

Sense College is a specialist further education college for young people aged 16-25 with special educational needs.

Want to find out more about this service? https://www.sense.org.uk/our-services/education-and-work/sense-college/

Thank you to Indeed Flex UK who organised a charity golf day in aid of Sense! It was a fantastic day with over 40 golfers at the Celtic Manor. There was entertainment, dinner, and of course, amazing golf. They raised £1,000 to support our services and we can not thank them enough!

Interested to host your own golf day in aid of Sense? DM us!

Images: Valleyboypics Photography

With the Sense Awards well on the way, we wanted to highlight some of our fantastic judges. On being invited to judge our awards, Joe Kenny said:

“It really is an honour to be on the judging panel for this year’s Sense Awards, which have such a long history of recognising the achievements of people with complex disabilities. Choosing the winners won’t be easy, but I’m looking forward to reading the nominations and finding out more about the incredible people and stories that the Awards look to celebrate.”

Sense Arts Fest was an unforgettable experience!

It brought together the people we support and artists to celebrate creativity and connection. A huge thank you to all the incredible contributors who made this event so memorable and helped highlight the powerful role of disability arts in care.

This month we’re doing our bit to tackle the causes of climate change. Did you know we have over 100 charity shops nationwide? Why not pop into one today and take the first step to living more sustainably?

At Sense, we are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of individuals living with complex disabilities. You can play a vital role by donating your preloved clothing to your local Sense charity shop. 👗 👖 👜 👠

To find out where your local sense charity shop is, please visit https://www.sense.org.uk/shop/charity-shops/donate-items.

Thank you for supporting Sense. 🧡 💜

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Sense is excited to launch a brand-new cycling event - Box Hill Super Climb! Taking place on Sunday 22nd September.

This unique closed road event, challenging riders to make the ascent of Box Hill as many times as they’re able to in a single day. The event is accessible to cyclists of all fitness levels, whether you can make the climb twice or twenty times.

https://www.sense.org.uk/fundraising-events/box-hill-super-climb/

Use the code BOXHILL25 to get 25% off

Hello and welcome to the exciting new promotion we are running in our shop for a limited period. Spend £10 and receive 20% off.. yes 20% off .. money saved for that naughty bit of cake you really wanted or just to spend in our shop on another day 😀
(Excludes new goods)
Please pop in and see us and how about donating some time and volunteering as well 😊. Speak to a member of staff about more details.
We work together to be 1 team 🥰😍

Have a fabulous day everyone and please pop in and take advantage of the 20% deal 😎

Donate to your local Sense charity shop and help make a difference in the lives of people with complex disabilities. By donating your preloved clothing, bric-a-brac, books and media, you can help raise vital funds to support Sense's objective of ensuring everyone has an opportunity to participate in life.

To learn more about how to donate, please visit https://www.sense.org.uk/shop/charity-shops/donate-items and join us on our mission to promote sustainability, recycling, and giving back to the community.

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At Sense, we are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of individuals living with complex disabilities.

You can play a vital role by donating your preloved clothing to your local Sense charity shop. 👗 👖 👜 👠

To find out where your local sense charity shop is, please visit https://www.sense.org.uk/shop/charity-shops/donate-items.

Thank you for supporting Sense. 🧡 💜

,

It's Deafblind Awareness Week 2024 - 24 June – 30 June

We're raising awareness of the people with multi-sensory impairment, or deafblindness.
It’s all about learning about what life is like for those who are deafblind, challenging misconceptions about what it’s like to be deafblind, and celebrating the achievements of people who are deafblind.

Please visit our website to find out more information - sense.org.uk/dbaw

Like and share to help us raise awareness

It's Deafblind Awareness Week 2024 - 24 June – 30 June

We're raising awareness of the people with multi-sensory impairment, or deafblindness.

It’s all about learning about what life is like for those who are deafblind, challenging misconceptions about what it’s like to be deafblind, and celebrating the achievements of people who are deafblind.

Please visit our website to find out more information - sense.org.uk/dbaw

Like and share to help us raise awareness

Are you able to spare an hour each week or even a full day to join our team of volunteers and make a meaningful contribution to a great cause? Our volunteers play a significant role in enhancing the lives of individuals with complex disabilities or those who are deafblind.

Volunteering at our shops presents a fantastic opportunity for you to:

Meet new people and enjoy yourself.
Enhancing your skills and learning new ones
Build retail experience and confidence.
Use your spare time, expertise, and knowledge to support Sense.

Please do not hesitate to contact us by messaging us or visiting our store in Anglia Square to find out more.

It’s and we want to celebrate the amazing work our volunteers do.

We just wanted to send a big thank you to all our wonderful volunteers for everything you do!

If you want to find out more about volunteering for Sense, please click on the link below or pop into one of our shops.

https://www.sense.org.uk/get.../volunteering-with-sense/

Thank you for supporting Sense. 💜🧡 We couldn’t do it without you !

Donating clothing to a nearby Sense store can make a significant difference in the lives of individuals with complex disabilities.

To learn more about donating, kindly visit https://www.sense.org.uk/shop/charity-shops/donate-items. Join us in promoting sustainability, recycling.

Thank you for supporting Sense.

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By donating your gently used clothing to a local Sense shop, you can positively impact the lives of individuals with complex disabilities. Supporting Sense's mission of inclusivity and giving everyone a chance at a fulfilling life.

To find out more about donating, please visit https://www.sense.org.uk/shop/charity-shops/donate-items. Join us in promoting sustainability, recycling.

Thank you for supporting Sense.

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