East Kent Mencap

Our GOLD (Getting On with Learning Difficulties) group went to The Official Broadstairs Folk Week ® and enjoyed a sunny afternoon at the bandstand listening to the live music, spotting the Hooden Horses, and taking in the lively atmosphere.

✨Being part of GOLD gives people with a learning difficulty the confidence and independence to attend special local events like this and try new experiences.

🙏Thank you to The National Lottery Community Fund for funding GOLD and making this possible.

📣Our Ramsgate Hub Fashion Show and Pre-loved Clothes Sale fundraiser is fast approaching! It's next Tuesday 20th August at Holy Trinity Church, Margate, CT9 3TN.

🕥The Fashion Show is from 10.30am to 12.30pm (tickets £4 each) and the Pre-loved Clothes Sale is from 1pm to 3pm (free entry).

👗Get your hands on some amazing new outfits and accessories, and watch a fashion show spectacular with fabulous music and dancing, and help us raise money for East Kent Mencap to support people with a learning disability.

💜We can't wait to see you there!

It’s ! We are sharing photos of our Activity Day, funded by Active Kent & Medway and Whitehead Monckton Limited, at West Faversham Community Centre in June.

Let’s enjoy seeing those photos again! Great memories for us all.

Sprucing up the garden this summer? Generate free donations for East Kent Mencap on everything you need with Give as you Live

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Visit https://bit.ly/4dfUaU8

A heartfelt to the The Hospital Saturday Fund for their generous support which enabled us to fund a new hoist at our Complex Needs Hub in Margate. This life-changing equipment makes a huge difference to the people who use our services.

💬Ange, Complex Needs Hub Manager, said, “So many people would not be able to attend our Complex Needs Hub without this hoist. It is literally worth its weight in Gold. It's not just a hoist, it's freedom, choice, accessibility, and dignity.”

🙏If you would like to make a difference and support people with a learning disability to achieve the things they want out of life, please donate at www.eastkentmencap/donate. Thank you 💜

Our Ramsgate Hub took part in releasing butterflies into Ellington Park with Trish, a member of the Bowls Club.

🦋Trish nurtured butterflies from caterpillars and talked about the fascinating stages of the metamorphosis life cycle.

🌳Sara attends our Ramsgate Hub and shared, “It was a magical experience releasing the butterflies back into nature.”

💜Spending time outdoors is great for our mental health and well-being, and a valuable opportunity to learn more about nature.

Our easy read summer newsletter is out now! It’s packed with stories and news from the last few months.

In this issue...
📖Read about the Spring Forward Challenges
📣Stay updated with the latest from our Members Committee
🎉Discover how we celebrated Learning Disability Week
📷Check out photos from the Activity Day at the West Faversham Community Centre

Pick up your copy from your local Hub in Margate, Ramsgate, Herne Bay, or Sheerness, or read it online at www.eastkentmencap.co.uk/newsletters/

🎳Our Bowling Club for adults and children is on throughout the summer holidays!

⏰Join us every Wednesday at 4.30pm at Bugsys Bowling in Cliftonville, Margate. Please try to arrive as close to 4:30pm as possible.

😊As this is a club, all participants must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver unless they are independent and over 18.

📞Each game is £5.70 and you need to arrive before 5pm to play. For more details, contact Ange Brown on 07818 497093.

☀️We are only closed for half-terms but open during the summer holidays. We look forward to bowling with you soon!

Join our friendly and supportive team at East Kent Mencap!

📣We are hiring:
Community Support Worker - Margate
Housing Support Worker - Thanet and Deal
Community & Housing Support Worker - Sheerness

✨Do you have a passion for empowering others and a desire to learn new skills? If you are dedicated, compassionate, and eager to make a positive impact in the lives of people with a learning disability, we want to hear from you.

👉For more information and to apply, visit www.eastkentmencap.co.uk/vacancies

Frank visited the Margate Caves with his Support Worker, Lois.

📷Lois said, “Frank had a great time taking photos with his camera and learning all the fascinating facts about the caves. It’s also the perfect place to stay cool on a sunny day.”

😎What is your favourite thing to do in the summer? 👇

🕺Put on your dancing shoes it’s the Unite Ashford disco this Friday 26th July.
🍦 To celebrate summer, Wayne’s Whippy ice cream van will be joining us, so come ready for some delicious treats.
🎶Join us at St Simons Hall, Brookfield Road, Ashford, from 7pm to 10pm.
👇Full details below.

It is our summer party this Friday!

Dig out your Hawaiian shirts and summer dresses, we are going to celebrate our 2nd summer in style!

A monthly social event for adults with learning/communication difficulties and additional needs.

£5 entry payable on the door (carers free)

7pm-10pm

St Simons Hall, Brookfield Road, Ashford, Kent

DJ - Evolution Entertainment

Bar and Tuck Shop available

Volunteers - Team Unite, Canterbury Oast Trust and East Kent Mencap

🌟Come to East Kent Mencap's Ramsgate Hub Fashion Show and Pre-Loved Clothes Sale!
👗Our Ramsgate Hub drama group will be showcasing fashion through the decades with music and dancing, followed by a pre-loved clothes sale with bargains galore.
📅It's on Tuesday 20th August at Holy Trinity Church, Margate, CT9 3TN.
🕥The Fashion Show is from 10.30am to 12.30pm and entry tickets are £4, pay cash at the door. The Pre-loved Clothes Sale is from 1pm to 3pm (free entry).
💜All money raised goes to supporting people with a learning disability to achieve what they want out of life.
🙏Help us spread the word and tell all your family and friends. Thank you!

Thank you, Mencap for your response to the Government's new plans, shared in the King's Speech, to implement a fair pay structure for the social care sector through the New Employment Bill.

East Kent Mencap CEO, Jason Gerlack, said, “It's crucial to ensure fair compensation for the incredible dedication and valuable work of our trained and qualified Support Workers. Without their support, many individuals with a learning disability would not be able to lead the fulfilling lives they desire and deserve. On behalf of all the people with a learning disability that East Kent Mencap and other providers serve, we urge the Government to take action now and tackle the funding crisis.”

📣East Kent Mencap is hiring in Sheerness!
💫Make a positive difference in the lives of people with a learning disability and join our friendly team as a Housing and Community Support Worker.
💪You will provide individual support, promote independence, and empower people to lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.
👉Are you ready to start a rewarding career today? For more information and to apply visit www.eastkentmencap.co.uk/vacancies Closing date: 11th August.
🙏If you know someone who might be interested, please do share

Thank you Dan Watkins, Herne Bay Councillor for attending our Herne Bay Open Day. It was fantastic to open our Hub doors, and show you and all our visitors the services we offer for people with a learning disability.
Special thanks to the amazing &TheBroomdashers Morris dancers for a fantastic performance! 👏🎶

Win a summer barbecue party bundle (or £1,000 cash) with Thanet Community Lotto.
😎Make your summer sizzle with this awesome Ninja bundle, which includes an outdoor pizza oven, woodfire electric barbecue, ice-cream and milkshake maker, smoothie blender, and a Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer.
🍀Support East Kent Mencap and be in with a chance of winning this amazing prize at the same time. Buy your tickets before 27th July. Good luck!
👉Go to www.thanetlotto.co.uk/support/east-kent-mencap

✨Make a difference in the lives of people with a learning disability.
📣We are looking for two volunteers to help at our Gateway Club, held every Monday from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Foresters Hall, Ramsgate, CT11 9RT.
😊The Gateway Club supports adults with a learning disability to try new activities, reduce social isolation, and build confidence and independence.
📧📞If you want to know more, please contact Angie Hughes at [email protected] or call 01843 808964.

💬 "That last match had us all on the edge of our seats, but we got the result we needed. Can’t wait for the next game!"
⚽ Ian, a resident in our supported living accommodation in Swale, had a great time watching the with his housemates last week and is looking forward to tonight's game!
🏆What's your score prediction? 👇

📣We are excited to announce that the Neptunes Choir Summer Concert will be raising money for East Kent Mencap!

🎵The Neptunes Choir will be performing on 12th July at Holy Trinity Church in Broadstairs and singing a selection of contemporary arrangements, with a special guest performance from Loa.

Come and listen to this amazing choir and support a great cause.
📅 Friday 12th July 2024
⌚ Doors open at 7pm
🏫 Holy Trinity Church in Broadstairs
🎟️ £11.55 per ticket
Scan the QR code to buy tickets or visit https://bit.ly/4cQHGCr

💜All proceeds will go towards our important work to support people with a learning disability. Thank you so much to the Neptunes Choir for your support.

Spring Forward Challenge success! Thank you to everyone for supporting our Spring Forward Challenge 2024 fundraiser.

🌱🚮It was fantastic to see so many people with a learning disability from across East Kent Mencap getting involved. There was a range of unique challenges, from knitting hats and picking up litter to growing chillies and baking cakes; each challenge brilliantly showcased the creativity and dedication of people with a learning disability.

🙏Thanks to your generosity we raised £586, which will go directly towards purchasing essential equipment, such as new cooking, fitness, and sensory resources for our groups.

💜Thank you, everyone, for making a BIG difference.

💬I enjoyed the beach clean-up. It felt good to help make the beach a tidier place for everyone to enjoy and to protect the wildlife.

🚮Stephen, from our Ramsgate Hub, talked about his experience at the Thanet Coast Project Beach Clean at Pegwell Bay.

🤝Being part of the beach clean-up was a great way for the group to feel part of their local community and make a positive difference.

💬"We are celebrating Pride month and LGBTQ+ people in our local community. We had a great time making rainbow cupcakes." shared, Carol from our Swale Hub.

🏳‍🌈As we approach the end of Pride month, our Swale Hub marked it by celebrating the work of LGBTQ+ people and raising awareness for the LGBTQ+ community, they also made some amazing rainbow cakes to share with family and friends.

📣The Unite Ashford disco is tomorrow, Friday 28th June!
🕺Join us at St Simons Hall, Brookfield Road, Ashford, Kent from 7pm-10pm. Tickets are £5 each and carers go free
🏳‍🌈We are celebrating Pride month, so come along wearing amazing colours
🎶We can't wait to see you there!

Unite Ashford is back on the 28th June 24

It's Pride month, so we want to see you in amazing colours!

Celebrating inclusivity, diversity and love!

A monthly social event for adults with learning/communication difficulties and additional needs.

£5 entry payable on the door by cash (carers free)

7pm-10pm

St Simons Hall, Brookfield Road, Ashford, Kent

DJ - Evolution Entertainment

Full Bar and Tuck Shop available

Supported by East Kent Mencap

🎉Our Herne Bay Hub warmly invites you to its Open Day on Friday 12th July, from 10am to 3pm, at Herne Bay Hub, 27 Canterbury Road, Herne Bay, CT6 5DQ.

✨This event will showcase the achievements of people with a learning disability who use our services and provide an opportunity for you to chat with our friendly team to find out more about the wide range of services available.

🎶There will also be stalls selling beautiful crafts made at the Hub's crafting sessions and you can enjoy a special performance by the Dead Horris Morris and The Broomdashers Morris dancers at midday.

☕Refreshments will be available and everyone is welcome.

📞For more information, please contact Louise McAlpine or Kelly Forrest on 07490773593.

❓What does having a learning disability mean?

➡People with a learning disability often take longer to learn and may need support with everyday activities, understanding information, and interacting with others.

➡It affects someone for their whole life, but with the right support, individuals can lead independent lives.

➡Learning disabilities vary; someone can have one or multiple disabilities, which may be mild, moderate, severe, or profound. The level of support needed is unique to each person.

As we wrap up Learning Disability Week, we want to thank everyone for your continued support in empowering people with a learning disability to achieve the things they want out of life 💜

This we are asking 'Do you hear me?'

At East Kent Mencap we have a Members Committee, made up of 10 people with a learning disability that represent each of our services and locations.

Natasha is part of our Members Committee, she said, “I can speak up on behalf of everyone and share what is important, so their voices are heard, and everyone is listened to.”

The Members Committee plays a vital role in our charity. Join us to campaign for people with a learning disability to be seen, heard and valued.

Congratulations to Natalie from our Ramsgate Hub for completing her Spring Forward Challenge, successfully walking 39 steps without her walker during ✨

Natalie triumphs in 39 step challenge in Learning Disability Week It’s Learning Disability Week and the theme is ‘Do you see me?’ which highlights the experiences of people with a learning disability, emphasising the importance of being seen, heard and valued. Na…

This we spoke to GOLD (Getting On with Learning Difficulties) about volunteering.

Kathy attends GOLD and volunteers at The ScrapStore at EKM, a green initiative that receives donations of crafting materials, saving them from landfill which are sold to others to get creative.

Kathy said, “I enjoy volunteering at The ScrapStore and have learnt how to use the till, create displays, sort and log donations. I feel more confident and have made some good friends too. I now teach others how to do it!”

Volunteering can help build confidence and develop essential skills that can lead to future employment opportunities for people with a learning disability. ?

People with a learning disability continue to face health inequalities and barriers to accessing care. We are proud to partner with Canterbury Christ Church University to assist student doctors and nurses with their training.

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️This valuable opportunity provides doctors and nurses with a better understanding of how to communicate and assess people with a learning disability when they access health services.

🏥GOLD Project Manager, Fiona Wonford said, “It is crucial that people with a learning disability have the same access to care as everyone else and we know that supporting doctors and nurses training is key to improving the lack of understanding around learning disabilities.”