Paul Martin

We are a national charity, founded in 1962. We pioneered the idea that adults with learning disabilities have the right to choices about how they live and how they are supported, to enable them to lead the best life possible. We continue to explore ways to deliver this right for people, every day. People with learning disabilities face obstacles that are hard to imagine. We use our skills, experience and creative ideas to help people to overcome them. Our Fusion Model of Support is key in this – it’s how we ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone we support, challenging us to provide consistent, high-quality services. We support people in all areas of their life: developing practical skills, connecting them to their community, helping them to get a job and introducing them to technology that can help them to live as independently as possible. Local authority social care budgets have historically funded our services. But ongoing cuts have placed mounting pressure on local authorities and providers. Today, it’s common to find that local authority budgets will cover only the basics, or funding for only those with the most complex needs. We don’t feel that is enough. So we also raise money for things that are no longer funded to make sure people can live the best life possible.