A community hub that is giving adults with learning disabilities and autism more choice, more independence and a genuine voice in the activities they take part in is celebrating its first anniversary.
The Foxglove Bespoke Care & Support Hub in Bransholme was created to give people a welcoming place to meet others, develop new skills and, most importantly, have a genuine say in the activities, opportunities and experiences on offer. Over the past 12 months, that approach has helped people build confidence, make new friendships and discover new opportunities.
Johanna Leigh-Thompson, Director of Foxglove, said:
“When we opened the Bespoke Centre a year ago, we wanted to create a space that genuinely belonged to the people we support. We didn’t want to decide what people should be doing and simply provide a timetable of activities. We wanted to listen, learn and create opportunities around what people actually wanted from the space.
“A year later, I think what makes me proudest is seeing the friendships that have developed and watching people grow in confidence. The centre has evolved because the people using it have helped shape it and that’s exactly how it should be.”
Foxglove has been supporting adults with learning disabilities and autism across Hull and East Yorkshire for more than 20 years, helping people live independent, fulfilling lives within their communities.
The Bespoke Hub has also become an important base for staff training and professional development, helping Foxglove continue to invest in its workforce while keeping the people it supports at the heart of everything it does.
William Hirst, Training and Development Officer, said:
“One of our priorities has been to develop more training in-house while involving the people we support in shaping future learning through co-production.
“We’ve already introduced face-to-face First Aid training, which has received fantastic feedback from staff, and we’re looking forward to building on that over the coming months.”
As Foxglove Bespoke Care & Support enters its second year, plans are already underway to introduce new activities, partnerships and opportunities, with the people who use the hub continuing to help shape its future.
Anne-Marie Bone, Positive Behaviour Lead, said:
“Social care is about so much more than meeting someone’s basic needs. It is about supporting people to have friendships, interests, ambitions, experiences and choices, all the things that make up a good life.
“The last year has shown us what can happen when you create the space for people to come together and give them a genuine voice in what happens next. We have lots of ideas for the future, but the most important thing is that we don’t lose what makes the centre special. It will continue to grow with the people who use it and their voices will help decide where we go next.”