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Cantraybridge
Cantraybridge is Highland’s unique further education college for
young adults with additional support needs, and a crucial
element in the educational and care landscape in our region.
We’re rightly ambitious that our young people fulfil their
potential and become valued members of their communities.
Due to the lack of educational and care services for young
adults with additional support needs, Cantraybridge College
wishes to continue to develop bespoke programme of support,
therapy and care for these young people, all of whom struggle to
access conventional educational facilities.
We have an immediate and pressing benefit to replace our
dilapidated 17-seater minibus, which is becoming increasingly
expensive in terms of repairs.
A
new minibus would allow us to maintain and expand our crucial
services. These include student transport to/from college;
outings for educational, health, social and leisure purposes and
for holidays. We cannot operate without our transport, and we
cannot expand our unique services to reach young people with
additional support needs without this.
We’d also like to welcome more nursery/school groups to our
19-acre campus to enjoy our outdoor educational facilities, and
to invite more older people’s groups for leisure visits.
Reliable transport would also enhance our Highland wide
employability/enterprise services.
A
gift of a minibus would be a prayer answered, potentially
bringing immediate and sustained benefits to a range of
disadvantaged people across Highland.
We are deeply grateful to the Highland Cross selection panel
for considering our application.
Highland BlindCraft
Highland BlindCraft is an ethically run commercial charity,
employing and supporting local people across Inverness and the
Highlands.
Highland BlindCraft funds its workplace and education through
the manufacture and retail of high-quality mattresses, divans
and headboards – with all items handmade to standard or bespoke
measurements in its city-centre factory in Inverness.
Across
Scotland, the employment rate for disabled people aged 16-64 is
49.6% – significantly lower than the rate for non-disabled
people (80.8%). This is why, for generations, we’ve supported
those in our community, who might otherwise be overlooked, gain
employment in a supportive
environment that builds confidence and offers invaluable
workplace experience.
Having
adapted our services over the years, we’ve been able to provide
a range of opportunities for skills development and
training that would not ordinarily be available in a working
environment to those living with a disability. This includes
continuing our legacy by teaching practical skills in mattress
and bed-making, as well as providing courses in IT, numeracy and
literacy, and industry certification in accounting, digital
marketing and health and safety.
Highland BlindCraft’s current delivery van is nearing the end of
its life and will require replacement. This is in integral part
of the stellar customer service Highland BlindCraft provides its
customers, and without a replacement van there would be
detrimental knock-on effects to Highland BlindCraft sales. A new
van provided by Highland Cross would allow Highland BlindCraft
to continue driving sales in order to provide support for people
working with disabilities.
Highland Disability Sport
People
with disabilities miss out on group/club activities as they have
been unable to access adequate transport to meet their needs.
This also impacts on them travelling to participate at a
national level in their chosen sports as the cost of hiring can
be expensive and there is no guarantee they will be able to hire
as availability for specialised transport is limited.
There are
more clubs/groups now from around the Highlands that need
support and with no available specialised transport available,
miss their events. Being part of a club/group activity is a
particularly important part of a disabled persons life as the
fellowship gives them social interaction with others, prevents
isolation and is good for their mental health.
Highland
Disability Sport have a proven record at a Local/National level
of taking teams in all sports to events all around the country.
This has led to many getting selected for National Teams
representing their country as well as the Highlands in their
chosen sports. Having been curtailed without its own mini-bus
over the last 3 years participants young and old have
potentially missed some of these opportunities.
We have
recently appointed a new events coordinator to encourage more
activities and have also identified drivers that would be used
to support the groups. They would undergo the necessary mini-bus
training required for Highland Disability Sport to transport
individuals or teams to events whether in Highland Area or to
National events. This bus would be accessible to groups all
over Highlands to assist them in transport needs not met
currently.
L'Arche Highland
L’Arche Highland is
one of 11 vibrant and inclusive Communities that make up L’Arche
in the UK, where people with and without learning disabilities
live and work together to build a more human world for
everyone. Each has its own Leadership Team, bank account and
budget which means we operate with a significant level of
autonomy and subsidiarity.
In
January 2023, our
Support Service was rated “Grade 6: Excellent”, the
highest possible by the Scottish Social Care Inspectorate, for
its level of compassion, dignity and respect.
We have
been part of Highland life since 1975 when Braerannoch on
Drummond Crescent, Inverness was gifted to us. Four people
living on institutional wards at Craig Phadrig Hospital were
invited to move there and share a home.
More than 70 people now access our services through four
residential houses, supported living and over-subscribed,
interesting day programmes. Whichever provision one chooses,
everyone is invited to Community events and is part of the
L’Arche Highland.
Highland Cross
funding would help purchase a 7 seater MPV with additional
safety and care features. It will be used for individual and
pooled journeys to and from our day workshops, outings,
attending health appointments and visiting friends and family,
significantly enhancing the lives of those we support and adding
an extra dimension to our Community.
We are deeply
grateful for being selected as a beneficiary of the 2024
Highland Cross and we wish the athletes well with their training
and offer our heartfelt thanks to sponsors, volunteers and
organisers.
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Highland Cross