Dear Chris, Sebastian, Jill and Colin

Thank you so much for supporting Livability’s Lifestyle Choices projects. Your donation has helped connect disabled people with work, study, volunteer and social opportunities that exist in their local area – here are just two of people you’ve helped:

NIGEL'S STORY

“Hi, I’m Nigel and I’ve cerebral palsy. Above is a photo of myself and Garry, my key worker, in my local supermarket. I used to hate going there. I just felt that everyone was looking at me and I wasn’t very good at asking for help – I was too embarrassed. But Garry gave me the confidence to get out of my flat and just talk to people, rather than being a shrinking violet. It’s just like having a friend there who can help you out when you need them. I also have a great hobby. I love horses and I wanted to ride, but my balance wasn’t good enough, so Garry suggested I try carriage driving instead. I found sitting in the carriages holding the reins gave me a sense of being in control that I hadn’t felt for a long time. Thanks to Garry and Livability I can go wherever I want. In short, I’m just living my life!”

KAYLEIGH’S STORY

“My name is Kayleigh, I’m 22 and I have cerebral palsy which affects my legs and hands. I use an electric wheelchair outdoors, but at home I crawl on my hands and knees. I go to University, but I find it to hard to keep up with taking notes. Because of my wheelchair and lack of confidence, I haven’t really been able to make any friends. However Lifestyle Choices is AWESOME!!!!

Before my life was SO rubbish. I was just getting up, going to college, doing my homework and going to bed. That’s all I was doing. And it’s not because I’m a swot! I was just too scared and nervous to try anything new. I was really embarrassed about being in a wheelchair and getting in the way. And I didn’t really know what to say to people. I was really miserable, and these should be the best years of my life, right?!

Anyway, at first when I met Jacqui from Lifestyle Choices it was a bit weird because she’s not like my doctor or social worker or anything – more like a friend really. We just talked about all the stuff that I really wanted to do. I was like “I just want to do more with people my age” and she was like “OK – let’s do it!”

The first time we went out was to get some lunch. I was really nervous because I never usually go out without my mum. But Jacqui was really cool – she encouraged me to go and order my food and ask the man to carry it to a table. It’s hard to explain how brilliant it was just to be out, like other people my age.

Since then, Jacqui’s helped me get out loads. And it’s not just Jacqui that I’ve been spending time with. I’m feeling so much more confident, so now I go out with college mates after lectures, or meet up at the weekends. Finally I’m not just ‘that quiet girl in the wheelchair’! Making friends and having fun – life is SO different from how it was last year. I can’t really describe how it feels - I finally feel like I’m human!”

These are just two of the many success stories we have from the last 12 months. We are constantly looking to improve and expand our services across the country to help more disabled and disadvantaged people live lives of true independence and freedom.

Thank you for making this possible.
Gemma and the fundraising team at Livability