Chrysalis, a charity that helps people with learning disabilities, is celebrating having received a two year grant worth £25,000 helping support people with learning disabilities in Wigton, Carlisle, Penrith and surrounding areas create and run successful social enterprises in their communities.
The grant has been made by the Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales through its Community Programme. Funding will support the charity to improve the life choices and chances of people with learning disabilities by giving them new skills and confidence through work experience opportunities – helping them into employment. Since 2007 the Lloyds TSB Foundation has made grants worth over £1 million to charities tackling disadvantage across Cumbria.
Founded in 1996, Chrysalis seeks to enrich the lives of adults with learning disabilities in a friendly and supportive environment. Chrysalis’s services are person centred and varied, encompassing learning independent living skills, employment training, computing and horticulture to name but a few. The charity also helps users to access activities including swimming, bowling and other outward bound experiences helping them successfully integrate back into the community. Recently the charity successfully developed its Wholefoods shop and café in Wigton, offering a range of Fair Trade produce and wholefoods.
Funding from the Lloyds TSB Foundation will support the salary of the charity’s Enterprise Officer to develop business opportunities similar to the Wholefoods shop and café, giving more people with learning disabilities the chance to play an active working role. The charity also hopes to profit from this experience, putting money made from the social enterprises its users develop back into improving its existing work, keeping Chrysalis at the forefront of supporting people with learning disabilities in Cumbria.
Simon Cross, Enterprise Officer for Chrysalis said, “Our aim is to provide enhanced life chances for our service users through accredited training, work placements and increased confidence through social interaction and integration.
Service users will have the opportunity to gain paid employment within the enterprises promoting 'real' work as an achievable option, which for some would act as a stepping stone to other employment …breaking down barriers and empowering people.”
Lloyds TSB Foundation grant manager for the North East and Cumbria, Peter Ellis, added, “Chrysalis is changing the lives of people with learning disabilities across Cumbria. The Lloyds TSB Foundation is delighted to support this work.”
To find out more about the support available from Chrysalis please visit their website www.chrysalis-cumbria.co.uk.
