So much but so much more to do!
Whilst most of our funding is from local authorities who contract with us, United Response also fundraises to help buy the extra things that make a real difference to the lives of the people we
support.
The picture for fundraising income in 2008/9 is very positive and early indications are that this has been a record-breaking year with nearly £700,000 having been raised by the team - an increase of 65% on the previous year! This money has been used to promote greater inclusion for people we support across a range of areas, from electoral participation, to trialling new technologies and helping people to develop new skills.
We are even leading a European project with partners from Portugal, Bulgaria, Germany and France, to create more effective tools for helping people with learning disabilities to find sustainable employment.
On a national level therefore, the money we raise has real power in terms of developing and testing models for government and other funders to roll out, and in campaigning and supporting the rights of people to access all of the things that many of us take for granted. However, there are also local needs that service managers, staff and families are aware of and which can often be met by local fundraising activity. We spoke to Carol Armstrong, one of our Area Managers in Cornwall to hear about what she and colleagues had been up to …