Four More Years for Speak Out in Hounslow

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Learning disability charity has been awarded almost half a million in lottery funding

Members of Speak Out in Hounslow’s cooking group celebrating the good news

Local learning disability charity Speak Out in Hounslow has been awarded continuation funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. 

Under the banner of “Strengthening Our Community”, the charity will receive £472,692 over 4 years from January 2020.

This funding will allow this fantastic organisation, that supports learning disabled and autistic adults of all ages and abilities, to deliver new and existing projects.

Co-Directors Nick Benjamin & Sally Malit say:
“We have spent over six months working on our funding bid.  Being a people-led organisation, much of the work has been in meeting with our members, carers and families to find out what they want from us and need us to provide.”

For example, over the last 4 years, our Travel Training project has helped many people but there is now a greater need to address “Keeping Safe” in all areas of life not just when travelling.  So that’s one of the areas we are adapting to deliver courses looking at fire safety, keeping safe online, and safety within your community.”

“We are also excited about changes to our Campaigns Project.  From January 2020 we will be offering a monthly Advice Shop where members can come along for help in making a phone call or filling in a form as our members have told us that they need some straight forward basic help.”   

Members of the Speak Out’s cooking group were very excited to hear the good news and were really pleased to know that their group activities were going to continue.  Speak Out member Lisa said “I am really excited that the arts and crafts and cooking groups are going to be on for at least 4 more years and that there will also be more stuff to do’. Another member Anthony said ‘that’s great we can arrange an outing to go on the Elizabeth Line when it opens’.

A support worker Alexandra also welcomed the news. She said “People don’t realise the positive impact the work Speak Out has not only for learning disabled adults themselves, but their families too. Speak Out gives learning disabled people a safe place to express themselves and be part of a community. Without Speak Out many of them would be stuck at home, not doing anything.”

Joe Johnson, Chair of Trustees for Speak Out in Hounslow commented,
“As trustees, we are delighted and excited that we’ve received this support from the National Lottery. It is great to know that we will be able to build on the fantastic work that the charity has achieved in the last 4 years and this funding will enable us to review our projects and provide further support to vulnerable people.”

For more information, visit:
SpeakOutinHounslow.org
Speak Out In Hounslow
@speakoutinh

October 21, 2019