Aspire Community Benefit Society’s chief executive has praised Leeds people’s kindness during lockdown

The boss of a care organisation has been touched by the daily “acts of kindness” he has witnessed during lockdown.
Aspire Community Benefit Society’s Culture Day in 2019. Since the pandemic it has been reaching out to people in various ways.Aspire Community Benefit Society’s Culture Day in 2019. Since the pandemic it has been reaching out to people in various ways.
Aspire Community Benefit Society’s Culture Day in 2019. Since the pandemic it has been reaching out to people in various ways.

Andy Rawnsley, the chief executive of Aspire Community Benefit Society, praised staff, the adults with learning disabilities it cares for and their families for their efforts during the national crisis.

He said: “I want to recognise the work and kindness of both staff, the people we support and family carers because it has been a particularly difficult time for people who have been most affected, people who are extremely clinically vulnerable.

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“The real acts of kindness that I’m witnessing on a daily basis are amazing really.”

Andy Rawnsley, the chief executive of  Aspire Community Benefit Society, has praised acts of kindness during lockdown.Andy Rawnsley, the chief executive of  Aspire Community Benefit Society, has praised acts of kindness during lockdown.
Andy Rawnsley, the chief executive of Aspire Community Benefit Society, has praised acts of kindness during lockdown.

Examples include people who have changed when and where they work to help the community, and staff who have stayed several days at hospital to support clients who have been admitted.

Then there are Good Samaritans who have done all sorts of charity and voluntary work in their own time, ensuring isolated people get a meal and clothing. Andy added: “It genuinely is those individual acts of kindness that really make the difference to people. Whether that’s just a reassuring phone call or people absolutely going well over and above to make sure people remain safe and have that connectivity.

“Most of the people we support are unable to articulate their own needs, people have to go that extra mile to understand what those needs are. And then to meet those needs in a time like this is quite remarkable.”

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Lockdown has been a challenging time for Aspire, which helps around 900 adults with learning disabilities across Leeds. Pre-lockdown Aspire’s work ranged from Supported Living Services that assists 330 people to live in their own homes or in small groups. The not for profit group, which is based in Lower Wortley, also runs day services in public buildings like libraries and sport centres. It provides respite care as well to give carers a much need break. People with learning difficulties can also gain employment experience in the three cafes that it runs.

People like John, above, have been keeping busy during lockdown with lots of activities.People like John, above, have been keeping busy during lockdown with lots of activities.
People like John, above, have been keeping busy during lockdown with lots of activities.

But lockdown has affected its services differently.

While its Supported Living Service continued throughout the pandemic in Covid-secure ways, the demand for respite reduced significantly initially. Some parents were very reluctant about letting their vulnerable loved ones out of their sight and the safety of their own homes. But the work did continue as some families really needed that level of support, and it is now back up to 80 per cent of pre-Covid levels.

Just before the national lockdown, Aspire closed all of its day services to keep its clients safe. It shifted to remote means of support like doing shopping, taking people on walks and keeping touch online. In August it reopened some buildings to run day services to ‘small bubbles’ of people. Aspire also continues to offer community support and online activities to assist those who wish to stay at home.

It is also working hard with other groups to increase digital inclusion for people with learning difficulties. There are plans to coordinate efforts to make it easier for them to access the information they need. Andy added: “We have worked closely with a lot of other Third Sector organisations about an online offer. We are hopeful fairly soon across the city there will be a full package of online services available for people with learning disabilities and from a range of providers.”

Aspire will run a mix of in person and virtual events in the future.Aspire will run a mix of in person and virtual events in the future.
Aspire will run a mix of in person and virtual events in the future.

FACT FILE:

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ASPIRE Community Benefit Society was set up five-years-ago to help adults with learning disabilities.

It is a staff owned, not for profit, social enterprise with charitable status.

Chief executive Andy Rawnsley said: “We have been operating since 2015 and prior to that we were part of Leeds City Council’s in-house provider service.”

He said there had been a consultation back then about which council services to keep or not. A team of 700 council employees put forward a case to go into the voluntary sector to support people with learning disabilities.

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Andy added: “We thought we had a really good service that people wanted and we wanted to keep the public service ethos but have some of the flexibility and innovation that you get in the Third Sector.”

The large service, which now has 800 employees, is owned by the staff who have nominal £1 shares. Its major funding comes from the council, who is one of its key statutory partners along with Leeds and York Foundation Trust.

Aspire also works with about 30 Third Sector organisations. Andy added: “There are some really specialist organisations that do work that complements the care and support work that we do.”

Examples include Yorkshire Dance, Pyramid of Arts, Leeds Rhinos Foundation and Carers Leeds. For more information see: www.aspirecbs.org.uk, or email: [email protected] or ring 0113 378 1919.

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