Kent Woman marks becoming South East’s ‘2010 Regional Champion’ for People with Learning Disabilities after attending National Conference

  • Carol
 

Kent woman Carol Anstee has become a ‘2010 Regional Champion’ for people with learning disabilities in the South East of England. Carol marked this achievement by attending Learning Disability Today 2009, a national conference on learning disabilities.

December 2009

Carol’s role, which has been created by Craegmoor – the leading independent provider of support for people with learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, mental illnesses and older people – follows her significant contribution to the company’s ‘Your Voice’ initiative. Your Voice is a nationwide scheme to encourage individuals who use Craegmoor services to give their views on the support that they receive. It enables Craegmoor to ask people their opinions, listen to their responses and act on their advice.

A Regional Champion is an honorary role, created in recognition of a person’s contribution to speaking up on issues of importance to those using Craegmoor services in a given region. The Regional Champions will be able to act as public-facing advocates for those who use Craegmoor services in that region, as Craegmoor believes that the voice of those who use its services is more important that any corporate voice.

The Regional Champions have been invited to take up their positions because of their pre-existing authority and mandate as Your Voice representatives to speak publicly for those they represent. Carol has for some time represented thousands of people at a national level as an advocate within Craegmoor and now has been asked to be an external facing champion for the South East of England.

Appearing at Learning Disability Today, Carol described to delegates her experiences of Craegmoor’s supported living services for people with learning disabilities in the South East.

Alongside her work on ‘Your Voice’, Carol has worked in a nursery for over twenty years, volunteers in an old people’s home and has recently moved from residential care into a flat of her own. She is also helping to organise next year’s Special Olympics for the South East Region.

Speaking about her new role, Carol said:

"Being involved with Your Voice has been a wonderful experience. As a regional representative I have had the chance to meet so many different people and help make their voices heard."

"By attending the Learning Disability Today conference I was able to talk to even more people and show that with the right support, people with learning disabilities can achieve great things, something I want to continue as a Regional Champion."

Christine Cameron, Craegmoor’s Chief Operating Officer said:

"At Craegmoor, we are committed to encouraging people to have control over their own lives and belief in their abilities, offering as much or as little support as they decide.

"We are thrilled that Carol has become our 2010 Regional Champion for the South East of England and hope that this will support her to further inspire people and educate the public."

Notes for Editors

For further information please contact the Craegmoor Press Office on: 01905 459 813

  • Craegmoor is one of the leading independent providers of specialist support in the UK with a turnover of approximately £170m and employs over 6,500 people.
  • It has a portfolio comprising specialist and nursing residential support, mental health hospitals, specialist adult colleges and supported living schemes with over 4,700 beds across 234 homes.
  • The wide range of services offered by Craegmoor include: Specialist support for adults with learning disabilities and mental illnesses, Nursing and residential support for older people and Independent Hospitals
  • Craegmoor has 2,229 Specialist beds including 143 beds in three colleges.
  • Craegmoor has currently 2,242 Older People beds and 237 beds in the company’s Independent Hospitals.
  • Working closely with local authorities, Primary Care Trusts and NHS Trusts, Craegmoor is committed to building partnerships focused on constant service improvements which meet the needs of individual people and which are in line with regulatory requirements and best practice.