News

Kevin Fitzpatrick, our Head of Estates and Properties, has signed up to the iconic Rolex Fastnet yacht race to raise money for The Disabilities Trust. Arguably one of the toughest offshore races in the world, participants in the Fastnet cover 600 miles, from Cowes to the Fastnet lighthouse on the southern tip of Ireland and back, finishing in Cherbourg. It will take around five to six days of full time non-stop sailing to complete.

As the UK celebrates Autism Awareness Week, we’ve been reflecting on the challenges of the past year and the impact this has had on the people we support with Autism. We know that the response of our services has been excellent; they adapted quickly and continue to come up with creative ways of keeping the people we support busy. To get more of an insight into this, we wanted to talk to some family members to see what they had to say about the support they have received.

We were really pleased to see our work to build understanding of the needs of offenders with brain injury in prisons referenced in The Economist today, Friday, March 26. The article took a global slant on work happening internationally to build understanding of the needs of offenders who have sustained a brain injury, and the link between this and offending.

The Disabilities Trust continues to highlight the link between brain injuries and domestic abuse. Brain Injuries Awareness Month provides an opportunity for awareness raising and advocacy, and serves as a platform for those who suffer from the often hidden impacts of brain injury. Brain injuries are often referred to as a ‘hidden disability’ as they can result in a range of cognitive, behavioural and emotional symptoms which aren’t immediately obvious and often go undiagnosed.

At The Disabilities Trust, we continue to take the risks of coronavirus very seriously, and are doing everything that we can to keep the people we support safe. We are taking every possible precaution to minimise the risk of infection. We continuously follow all government guidance closely, and update our policies and procedures in order to provide the safest and best care for the people we support.

Irene Sobowale, Chief Executive of The Disabilities Trust, reflects on a day marking a year since measures were put in place to contain the coronavirus pandemic, which changed life as we knew it. “Today will offer us all the opportunity to pause and reflect on all that we have faced in the last year, give thought to the losses experienced by too many families and focus on the belief of brighter times ahead.”

Darren’s story Darren has been supported by The Disabilities Trust for a number of years following a road traffic accident at a young age which left him with a traumatic brain injury. Towards the end of 2019 staff at our service in Tollemache noticed Darren was becoming weaker and seemed tired, showing a weakness which affected his daily chair to chair, chair to shower and chair to car transfers.

As Mother’s Day approaches this Sunday, The Disabilities Trust spoke to mum, Sharon, to mum Sharon, who highlighted the support her son receives from Shinewater Court ensures that she can now focus on ‘being a Mum instead of a carer’. People we support are looking forward to reconnecting with their families and local community with the opening up of care homes is part of the government's first step in easing restrictions as the road map out of lockdown begins, allowing visits with their Mother’s and loved ones where possible this year.

In a study recently published in the British Journal of Social work, a team from The Disabilities Trust explored the relationship between one’s awareness of into their own difficulties, functional outcome following brain injury, risk and need for support.

People we support are looking forward to reconnecting with their families and local communities, as today marks step one of the coronavirus roadmap, with care home residents being allowed regular visits from today. We spoke to Gregory Court residents Tracey and John to find out what the easing of lockdown restrictions means to them.