A n n u A l R e v i e w 0 7 / 0 8 Cover photo by

Welcome to our Annual Review 2006/7 was an extremely good year for Watford Mencap and heartfelt thanks must go to our volunteers, staff, donors, supporters and funders for their support which enabled us to make some very positive changes.Our key achievements over the past year included: •StrengtheningofourUserInvolvementGroup,leadingtoamuchgreater involvement of people with learning disabilities throughout the organisation •RestructuringofprojectsandthecreationofanewSeniorManagementTeam, resulting in improved service quality, greater efficiency and financial savings •SubstantialinvestmentinHRsupportforstaffandvolunteers,followingthe awardof£42,000fromBeds,HertsandLutonworkforcedevelopmentbrokerage •Greaterfinancialstabilitygainedfromtherenegotiationoffundingcontracts for our residential homes and children’s services, plus a range of high profile fundraising events •Alargeinvestmentinresidentialpropertyrenovation,andIT.Over the following 12 calendar pages you will be able to read month by month about the impact that these changes and achievements have on the lives of people who receive support from, or use the services of Watford Mencap, as well as hearing about the people who work or volunteer for Watford Mencap. We should like to thank those companies who have sponsored pages and thus enabled us to produce this report.

Don Eungblut Chair

Jane Pattinson Director

www.watfordmencap.org.uk

October 07Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30 31

“My child has a learning disability”Havingchildrenisalwayslife-changing,buthavingachildwithalearning disability brings added challenges. WatfordMencap’sAdvice&AdvocacyServicesupportschildrenand their families with advice and information about the services available to them. We guide parents through the maze of benefits and educational options and provide information on other support. Theservicehastrainedadvisers,whounderstandtheissuesfacingfamilies and can provide a listening ear. During this year we have helped families gain more respite and claim the correct benefits, and have supported a family through difficulties at their child’s school. Thishasenabledfamiliestoreducetheirstresslevelsandmakesurethat every child has the best possible chance.

www.downs-syndrome.org.uk

Photo courtesy of Playskill

Watford Mencap AGM

November 07Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 1 23 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 12 13 14 15 1617 18 19 20 21 22 2324 25 26 27 28 29 30

“My child needs to play and learn”44 children attended Watford Mencap’s after school clubs, which run 4 nights a week, and 85 children and young people used our holiday playschemes. We set up a regular parents’ group to help us campaign and plan for our services, as well as for parents to share information.We have supported the setting up of a group, Playskill, for parents and toddlers with physical and some learning disabilities. Playskill’s multi-disciplinaryteam,whichincludesapaediatricphysiotherapist,occupational and speech and language therapists, uses our Children’s Centre in term time.WeworkinpartnershipwithagenciesincludingtheAutismTeam,theAreaSpecialEducationalNeedsCoordinatorandBerrygroveChildren’sCentre, whom we have supported to set up the toy library in our Centre.

MemberoftheAfterSchoolClub

“Ways into Work” Employment Fair

Hertfordshire Autistic Resource Centrewww.harc-online.org.uk

‘Treat Yourself’

December 07Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 1415 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31

“Iwanttomakefriends”WatfordMencap’spartnershipwithWatfordGrammarSchoolforBoyshasbroughtbenefitstobothparties.TheboysheldamuftidayatChristmastoraise£550fortheChildren’sCentre.Theschool’ssportshallhosts15-20youngpeoplefortheBigKidsClubonFridayeveningsthroughouttheschoolyear,supportedby12-15volunteersfromtheBoys’andGirls’GrammarSchools.InMarch,theBoys’SchoolinvitedWatfordMencapintospeakaboutlearningdisabilityaspartofitsPSHEwork with Year 8.56childrenattendourSaturdayClubeachmonth,anditnowhasawaitinglist.HelpaLondonChildsupportedarangeofactivitiesfor 14-19yearolds.

Tea Party at

the Rising Sun

Open Office at

Langwood House

Watford Chamber of Commerce

Big Breakfast at Moor ParkMembersoftheBigKidsClub

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January 08Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 31

“What happens next?”Berrywood residential care home is empowering a younger client group to make the transition to independent living. One resident, who had never travelled on a bus before, now travels backwards and forwards to workonabuseveryday.Staffalsosupportedhimtoobtainfreetravel.Residents handle their own finances, having statements sent directly to them and keeping their own records. Residents’lifeskillshaveimproved,withthesupportofstaff.Theyaretrying out new recipes, baking fancy cakes and planning meals for theweek.Theyhavejoinedthelocallibraryandparticipateinlocalactivities.Onceamonth,onaSunday,thechurchinChorleywoodhasaservice and afternoon tea. A rapport has been built up with two Church members, who collect residents and bring them back home after.

AnneDwyer,Manager,andSaundraBellwatertheplantsatBerrywood

www.connexions-direct.com

February 08Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 1516 17 18 19 20 21 2223 24 25 26 27 28 29

People with a learning disability volunteer in our Watford and Bushey shops.ShopManagerSoniaGloversays,‘Onevolunteerstayedintheback at first, not mixing with customers. After much encouragement her confidence grew and she now works on the till.’ABusheySynagoguememberfundedacamcorderforLeisureTogetherHertsmere,and,withMortgageExpress,a‘MakeaMovie’workshop,whenLTmembersperformedinandfilmedachatshow.WatfordMPClaireWardpresentedcertificatesforWatfordandThreeRiversLeisureTogether’sITclasses.CoordinatorLataReessays:“Onestudentwasdetermined to improve her literacy skills. Despite past problems through lack of appropriate support, she is now doing really well.”

Pancake Race

“Iwanttoworkandlearn”

LouiseWilmotandColinIxermakeamovie

SandraBakerandJayminiRadiaatITclass,WestfieldCommunityEducation

www.cbeltd.co.uk

March 08Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 1415 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31

“Iwantmyvoicetobeheard”TenantsofourSupportedHousingprojectwereinvolved,withHatfieldUniversity,ininterviewingpotentialsocialworkandnursingstudents.TheAdviceandAdvocacyservicefacilitatesSelf-AdvocacyGroupsinBorehamwood,Bushey,SouthOxhey,WatfordandRickmansworth. Thegroupsmeetmonthlytotalkaboutthingsthatareimportanttothem. Thegroupsprovideanopportunityforpeopletomeetwithfriendsandenable them to grow in confidence, communicating their hopes and wishes.WatfordMencap’sUserInvolvementGroup,asub-committeeoftheCouncil of Management, has grown from strength to strength. Thiscommittedgroupofpeoplehascompletedtraininginhowtochairameetingandhasputthisintopracticeatthemonthlymeetings.Theyarenow preparing to elect 2 members onto the Council of Management.

MembersofBusheySelf-AdvocacyGroupinamusicsession

www.valuingpeople.gov.uk

April 08Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30

“Ineedabreak”

TheCollegeHolidayandDayActivitySchemesalsogivecarersabreak.Skatingsessionswereverysuccessful. Oneyoungpersonwasoverjoyedjusttobeabletostandon the ice; another was racing round the rink during his first session.

OurCommunitySupportServiceprovidesrespiteforcarers.Duringtheyear we had a very good inspection:

‘WatfordMencapprovideawealthofopportunitiesfortheserviceusersto access a varied and interesting activity programme. TheAgencyhasalsoassistedserviceusersontheirannualholidays,these include, a holiday in the Cotswolds, a trip with one service user to Budapest...Therewereseveralpositivecommentsfromserviceusers:“IcannotthinkofanythingtheycoulddobetterinrespectoftheserviceIreceivefromthem”.“AnyproblemsthatIhavestaffrespectandunderstandthem”.“Staffalwaysstayfortheirallottedtime”.’

Source:CommissionforSocialCareInspection.www.csci.org.uk

IanHandley,DavidTrill,LisaChristieandDawnLeatherlandgoskatingStart of Tax year

Start of new tax year 6th AprilBaker Tilly can help with any tax and business issues.

Contact - Mark Wilson on 01923 816400

May 08Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 1 23 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 12 13 14 15 1617 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

“Ijustwanttohavefun”LeisureTogetherorganisesleisureactivitiesforitsmembers,supportedbyvolunteers.InWatfordandThreeRiversweintroducedthefollowingnew activities: biscuit baking, garden centre treasure hunt, floral quiz, SportsDaykindlyhostedbytheRiversideClubNorthwood,silkpaintingworkshops and digital art workshops. An art grant from Royal Mencap enabledustosetupaCraftGroup,andvolunteersarerunninganewmonthly pool club.TheCollegeHolidayActivitySchemehad35students,themostever. Theyenjoyedeveningsessionsinapubwatchingacoversbandandsportsactivities in Cassiobury Park for Awareness Week. People have developed theirskills,especiallyinsailingandtrampolining.TheSchemehasgoodpartnershipswithColneValleySpecialSailors,RickmansworthArcheryClub,GrebeCanalCruisesandBricketWoodLeisureCentre.

SportsDayVictorsattheRiverside

SueProsserandEvelynFogelatanartclassinBorehamwood

Watford 10k

Proud to Support Watford Mencap

June 08Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

“I’mgettingolder”TheAdviceandAdvocacyServicesupportsoldercarerswhoareconcerned about their children’s future.Case history Mrs A, 87, has a son with a learning disability who lives at home. WatfordMencap’sAdviceWorker,JulieTreacy,helpedMrsAclaimmorethan£100perweekextrainbenefits.MrsAsays,“Ijustwantedtosaywhatagreathelpyou’vebeen.Themoneyhasmadeatremendousdifferencetomyson’sandmylives.Nowmyfirstthoughtisn’talways“CanIaffordit?”RecentlyIrentedaflatforaholidayinSussextovisitall my family, with my son. We couldn’t have done that before.”

AdviceandAdvocacyManagerRuthMurray(left)visitsSylviaHatch,memberoftheUserInvolvementGroup

Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week 4th – 10th www.carersinherts.org.uk

July 08Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 31

“Iwanttovolunteer”PoonamBikha,studentatStMargaret’sSchool,Bushey,volunteeredfortheCommunityServiceelementofherSilverandGoldDukeofEdinburgh’s Award at Watford Mencap’s Bushey shop. Poonam wanted tomake‘asmallcontributiontosociety’,andchoseWatfordMencapbecauseherMumhadworkedthere.Shelikedthefriendlyatmosphere;working on the till helped her with her Maths! Manager Jean Darke said, “IthasbeenarealpleasurehavingPoonamintheshop.”WealsohavededicatedvolunteersinHeadOffice.BobGasperwasminibus buyer and operator, involved with Rickmansworth and then WatfordMencapformanyyears.Hehasbeenaregularofficevolunteeron mailings and other work, and has brought in his grandson Robert to carry on the tradition.

Poonam with a customer

www.askmencap.info

August 08Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 1516 17 18 19 29 21 2223 24 25 26 27 28 2930 31

“IworkforWatfordMencap”At the end of the year Watford Mencap employed 112 people, both full time and part time. Wehaveconcentratedondevelopingstaff.Duringtheyearweinvested£19,845intrainingand9staffgainedqualifications,includingNVQlevels2,3and4andLearningDisabilityAwardFramework.Seniormanagersfacilitated6daysofmanagementtraining. WewelcomedtwoUniversityofHertfordshirestudentsonplacement.WerecruitedanewHumanResourcesManager,fundedbytheDepartmentofHealthBHLworkforcedevelopmentbrokerage.WehaveintroducednewhealthandsafetyandHRprocedures,andtheVizual computerised Personnel system.TheAccountsdepartmenthasincreaseditsefficiencywiththesamenumberofstaff–improvedinvoicing,bettercostallocation,newauthorisation procedures, better cashflow control, accounting entries processed up by 4%, improved sickness recording.

Management training day

Department for Work and Pensionswww.dwp.gov.uk

September 08Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30

“IsupportWatfordMencap”MayorofHertsmere,CllrMartinSaunders:“LeisureTogetherworkshardtoprovideanexcellentserviceforpeoplewithlearningdisabilitiesinHertsmere.”LeaderofThreeRiversDistrictCouncil,CllrAnnShaw:‘WatfordMencapdoesafirstclassjobforlocalfamilies,offeringadvice,support,information and practical help with caring and respite.’CllrKhalidMahmood,WatfordBoroughCouncil:“WatfordMencap’shomecareservicesprovideduswithexcellent,friendlysupporthelpingwiththecareofourson.Havingalocalorganisation,thatengageslocalpeopleinthecareneedswithinourcommunity,strengthensusall.”WearedevelopingourpartnershipswithHertfordshireCountyCouncilandwithcorporatesupporters.Examplesofcompaniessupportingusare:GlenWindows–apoolpartyandnewwindowsforourshop;CoachandHorsesRickmansworth–sponsoringthePancakeRace; MatthewArnold&BaldwinandClydesdaleBank–sponsoringtheWatford10k.Wehopetobuildonthesepartnershipsinthecomingyear.

TheClydesdaleBankrunnersaftertheWatford10k

Look out this month for the Big Herts Walk

Supporting Watford Mencap

HAYES STAFF RECRUITMENTwww.hayes-staff.co.uk

Our money and how we spent itThefollowingisasummaryoftheincomeandexpenditurefortheyearended31stMarch2007.ThefullaccountsareavailablefromtheCompanySecretaryattheaddressonthebackofthisReview.TheaccountswereapprovedbytheCouncilofManagementonthe24thSeptember2007.TheyhavebeenauditedbyKingstonSmithLLP,whohaveissuedanunqualifiedopinion.

Income£000

TotalIncome£1,939,974 TotalExpenditure£1,939,974

Expenditure £000

3

Fundraising

Shops

Residential

Community

Children

Governance

Fundsc/fto07/08

TransfertoGeneralFund

1,151

313

169

1476

73 57 87Fundraising

Shops

Investment

Public Authorities

GrantsfromTrusts

Rent

Fees

Other1,283

209

180 12436

11

94

Don Eungblut, ChairmanAlfLoose,ViceChairmanPaulineJoy,TreasurerPeterBull-resignedAugust2006LaurieKennyGlendaMarcus-resignedSeptember2006

AlbertPerahia-electedSept2006PeterRichards-resignedMay2006Pam RobertsonRussTeagueRossTiffin

Operations Management

Elizabeth DickinsonChristel Perahia

Audit & Finance Committee

JohnGood Mark Morbey

Council of Management 1 April 2006 –31 March 2007 non Board members serving on sub-committees:

ThankyoutoallourFundersandFriends

www.watfordmencap.org.uk

1st Rickmansworth Rainbows

ACLPropertyFinance

ArtisanHairSalon

Awards for All

AylettNurseries

BakerTilly

BarclaysBankCommunityTeam

BattlersGreenFarmShop

BeatriceLaingFoundation

BHLWorkforceDevelopmentBrokerage

Bushey&DistrictSynagogue

Bushey & Oxhey Methodist Church

CadburyTreborBassett

Camelot Plc

CBJ Digital

ChilternAssetFinance

ChorleywoodLawnTennisClub

ChristopherLaingFoundation

Claire Ward MP

Clydesdale Bank

Coach&Horses,Rickmansworth

Connexions

Deborah Mann

DeptofHealth-OpportunitiesforVolunteering

DorothyThornhill,MayorofWatford

DrNicolaCowap

Druids Pub, Rickmansworth

FrancisCoombeSchool

GannettFoundation

GarfieldWestonFoundation

GlenHaysman,GlenWindows

Graysons

HarlequinCentre

HelpaLondonChild

HertfordshireChildren’sFund

HertsCommunityFoundation

HertsCountyCouncil

HertsmereCouncil

HSBC

IreneLawtonTrust

JamesTetlow

JohnLewisPartnership

KeyFund

–HertfordshireCommunityFund

KPMGWatford

LloydsTSBFoundation

M&J Occasions

Manpower

Mark Master Masons

Matthew,Arnold&Baldwin,Solicitors

MencapArtsGrant

Motorvation

Mr&MrsLAnderson

MrsSmith&MountTrust

NorthWatfordYouthCentre

PiperToughenedGlass

RadlettJuniorSquashClub

RisingSun,Brewer’sFayre

RotaryClubofWatford&theLangleys

Rotary Club of Watford Clarendon

SigmaPharmaceuticals

SouthernCrossPub

StPeter’sChurch,MillEnd

TheOshwalPharmacists

TheSoulmates

ThreeRiversCouncil

TopFlightCouriers

Total

TudorArmsPub

VOCA

WatfordBoys’GrammarSchool

Watford Chamber of Commerce

Watford Council

WatfordGirls’GrammarSchool

Watford Observer

WatfordU3A

and to all the many individuals and local groups–sadly,toomanytomentionbyname–forallyourdonations,gifts,supportinkindand for giving up your time to help us.

BigHertsWalk2006:

VikashDodhiareceivesaniPodNanofrom Claire Ward MP for winning the children’s competition.

IfyouwouldliketosupportWatfordMencap, please contact us at:

Watford Mencap

LangwoodHouseSuites1&2

63-81HighStreet

Rickmansworth

HertsWD31EQ

Tel:01923713620Fax:01923773976

enquiries@watfordmencap.org.uk

www.watfordmencap.org.uk

Watford&DistrictMencapSocietyA company limited by guaranteeCompanyno.2636705

RegisteredCharityNo.1004431