Accuro (Care Services)

Accuro (Care Services) celebrate after receiving £210,000 over the next 3 years from The National Lottery Community Fund to fund new services for Young Adults with Disabilities across West Essex.

Local charity Accuro is celebrating after being awarded £210,000 over the next 3 years in National Lottery funding to support their current Adult Friendship scheme and to launch new services for Young Adults, aged 19-25, with a disability in West Essex.

The National Lottery funding will start in September 2021, and Accuro (Care Services) are delighted to announce the launch of STRIDE, a 6-month life skills programme for Young Adults in Harlow and Uttlesford and a new social group for Young Adults, providing a wide range social and leisure opportunities for members in Harlow, Uttlesford and Epping.

STRIDE, standing for Skills, Togetherness, Relationships, Independence, Diversity, Equality is a 6-month programme that will support Young Adults with a disability in developing essential life skills. The first of the six month programmes will launch in Harlow on 25^th September 2021 with Uttlesford sessions following. The programme will cover healthy living, personal care, household tasks, how to keep safe, social and communication skills and more.

The new social group for Young Adults has yet to be named, pending a naming competition taking place among Accuro’s existing members. Members will come up with suggestions for a name and vote for their favourite. The group will take place in Harlow, Uttlesford and Epping and will run on two evenings per month in each location. The sessions will offer fun activities for young adults with a disability to socialise and make friends in a safe, supportive environment. Activities may include bowling, going out for meals, cinema trips and more and members will be involved in the planning of activities, giving them ownership over their club.

These new services aimed at supporting 19-25s with Disability will complement Accuro’s existing services for children and young people and their current Adult Friendship scheme, enabling Accuro to provide lifelong services for people with disability across West Essex.

Accuro (Care Services) is a West Essex based charity, providing clubs and services for Children, Young People and Adults with a disability. The sessions provide opportunities for members to socialise, have fun, try new things, build confidence, and make friends in a safe, inclusive environment.

The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest funder of community activity in the UK, will enable Accuro see these sessions expand to meet the demand identified for additional services for 19-25s with a disability in West Essex to support them on their journey into adulthood and greater independence.

Alison McKeown, Operations Manager at Accuro says: “We’re delighted to have support from The National Lottery and are thrilled to launch these services, that will meet the need for support for young adults in the area.”

Kerry Mattholie, Coordinator of Accuro’s current and future Adult services, says: “We are so excited to be launching these new services for young adults, both for our existing members and to welcome new members. Behind the scenes, lots of time and effort has been put in to putting together these new services and we are over the moon to have secured the funding to get them off the ground. We will be busy over the next few months finalising the plans ready to launch in September and absolutely cannot wait to welcome our members and have some fun!”

Helen Bushell, Senior Head of Regional Funding for London, South East & East at The National Lottery Community Fund: “We’re delighted to award this funding to Accuro, which will make a huge difference to the lives of young adults with disabilities living in West Essex through the provision of a life skills programme and social groups and activities.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, projects such as this across the country are playing a vital role at the heart of their local communities and will continue to do so as we rebuild and reconnect with one another throughout this year.”

If you or someone you know are interested in finding out more about Accuro’s new services for Young Adults, please visit accuro.org.uk/new-services

On episode 9 of our podcast, Accuro Out Loud, our Fundraising Manager Sue Fishpool chatted with Author, Speaker and Creativity Coach Eden Gruger, while Accuro’s Community Fundraising and Communications Officer Chloe Salisbury spoke with Accuro Volunteer, Elodie Gibby. They chatted about all things disability and living your best life.

To listen to the full episode, visit anchor.fm/accuro or search ‘Accuro Out Loud’ on your favourite podcast streaming platform.