Our daughter Jo has been an ECL member since April 2024 and has been attending activities at Burview Hall in Walton on Thames ever since. Nearly a year on I was asked by the charity’s Chair, Ann Ledgard, if I would put pen to paper and share mine and my daughter’s experience of the charity. Here goes…..
Every week Jo attends the Multi Activity Day for people with learning disabilities and/or autism – this is held in a wonderfully bright and vibrant venue, with a great outdoor facility for those all-important sunny days. When Jo first tried the session she was greeted by an engaging group of new people who have now become friends. The staff and volunteers are a great bunch and then of course there is Finch, the Pet Therapy Dog who attends most weeks.
As a parent it’s important to me that my daughter enjoys the activities she takes part in and the evidence, as far as I am concerned, is how quickly she gets ready in the morning when it’s an ECL day! We know when Jo doesn’t want to do something because she will drag her feet and is reluctant to leave the house. We’ve never experienced that when it’s a Multi Activity Day.
At the end of last year, I was delighted to be invited to the charity’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and hear first hand what impact ECL has on its members, their families and the community as a whole. The event itself reflected the inclusive nature of ECL, with its members actively participating throughout the day with singing and a special ‘chair exercise’ performance which was a joy to watch. It was also great to see the different projects they had been involved with over the year, including the Remembrance Day exhibition.
As a small locally run charity focused on the needs of people with learning disabilities and/or autism, ECL is an organisation free from the dogma so often associated with larger authority run services. In fact, how they manage to run the sessions on the very affordable fees they charge is a testament to both good management, enthusiastic staff and volunteers.
I think one of the reasons Jo’s life is enhanced by ECL is because they offer a diverse range of activities to occupy different interests and abilities. Lunch Club once a month is also a firm favourite because everyone gets involved with the food preparation and then enjoys the fruits of their labour. It’s also lovely when the members are treated to a trip out, such as the recent expedition to the Watercress Railway Line.
I would encourage anyone who might have a family member or friend with learning disabilities to look at what’s on offer through ECL. From our perspective it’s a warm, friendly charity run by people whose whole aim is to bring happiness and social connection to their member’s lives. We will certainly continue to be a part of ECL for as long as Jo is happy to attend.
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