Lizzie, a member of staff in Greater Manchester, has shared with us how her autism affects her everyday social interactions. She speaks about growing up, having to learn a ‘second language’, and what it means to be an ‘incognito autistic adult’. I am a typical example of an incognito autistic…
On 7th March 2021, 22 year old Billy Longshaw died just hours after discharging himself from a hospital in Swindon. Billy had a rare brain condition affecting his speech, vision and memory. He visited the hospital after experiencing sudden abdominal pain, but was told nothing was wrong after being assessed…
A member of staff in the North West has gratefully shared their story with us as part of Autism Acceptance Month. They speak about how their ADHD manifests in their daily lives, and the importance of diagnosis for both them and their daughter who is autistic. I’ve been on…
In 1824, the Government passed ‘The Vagrancy Act’, which made homelessness, rough sleeping, and begging illegal and punishable by time in prison. The Act was implemented following the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, when returning soldiers were discharged and left without money or employment. This forced many people into sleeping rough…
“Making a difference to the lives of the people we support teaches me so much about choices, enjoyment and experiencing a meaningful life.” Our fantastic services in Bedford are looking for enthusiastic and caring individuals to join our teams. We chatted with some of the folks at The Houghtons and…
Throughout April, we’ll be celebrating Autism Acceptance Month with the help of our wonderful services and people we support. This coincides with ‘World Autism Acceptance Week’, which runs from 29th March to 4th April. The National Autistic Society explains the change from ‘awareness’ to ‘acceptance’: “We’ve come a long way…
‘Easy Read’ is a style of writing and formatting documents which makes information easier to understand for people with a learning disability or learning difficulties. The idea of easy read originated in Sweden in the 1980’s, and according to the BBC, the first major Easy Read document published in the…
We're back to rock n' roll this summer! With brighter weather coming our way, we're bringing back our nationwide community art project. We loved seeing all of your creative rocks last year, and we can't wait to see what creativity this year brings! How to take part: 1. First of all,…
Thinking of starting an exciting career in care? We chatted with the lovely team in Bromham in Bedford, who talked to us about how much they love working at the Glade- so much so that when they'd left for other roles, it wasn’t long before they were back! “It’s a…
British Sign Language (BSL) Sign language is a way of communicating with your hands, facial expressions and body language. It is used by the Deaf community and people with hearing impairments. There is no universal sign language- each community has its own system of signs. Sign language also has its…
As discussed in my last blog, on September 3rd 2010, 23 year old Olaseni ‘Seni’ Lewis was killed by excessive use of force while being supported by Bethlem Royal Hospital in London. This day changed the Lewis family’s lives forever, and began a decade long fight to improve the rights…
The announcement that the Mental Health (Use of Force) Act 2018 will finally come into force from March 31st this year is very welcome news. After years of delays since the initial consultations and announcement of the Act in 2018, the full details were recently published, and will create necessary…
What is braille? “Blind people must be treated as equals, and communication is the way this can be brought about” – Louis Braille Braille is type of communication made up of raised dots which can be used by visually impaired or blind people to read and write. Contrary to…
Hundreds of years ago, long before we wrote books, we told stories to our friends and family out loud. Stories are as old as human language itself, and people would gather to hear these stories and pass them down through generations. This method of storytelling is as old as they…
We spoke with Team Leader and Manager Toni in Manchester, who recently won Manager of the Year in the Made in Manchester Awards! She’s told us about her Creative Support journey, and how it felt to win the coveted award. “I’ve worked for Creative Support for ten years now,” explained…
Hollie from our HR team was recently awarded the HR Professional of the Year at this year’s Made in Manchester Awards! She spoke to us about her work and how it felt to be recognised on such a platform as the MIMA's “I’m one of the HR Coordinators in the…
Tuesday 8th March marks International Women’s Day, and this year’s theme is ‘Break the Bias’. The official International Women’s Day organisation explained the meaning behind the theme, saying: ‘Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world…
March is our Storytelling Month! We’d love as many people as possible to get involved to help make this a really magical, interactive month. We want to help everyone tell their story - in their own way. Do you have a knack for writing stories or poems? Do you like…
By Rebecca from the LGBTQ+ Network Football has the power to bring us together. These are the words that I remind myself of over and over; that football is for everyone. The Rainbow Laces campaign began when Stonewall UK looked to fight homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in sport. Stonewall claim…
The Great Outdoors Grant is now open! We are providing over 100 individual grants of £30 to buy or put towards clothing or equipment for outdoor activities. Spending time outside can positively effect your wellbeing, from improving your mood and reducing stress to increasing your confidence and self-esteem to…
