Callum is a wonderful young man who we have had the pleasure to support for several years. He first joined us while still at school and we supported him to do his Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award – a huge achievement! When Callum started college he continued to make the most of our weekend activities. Favourites included Alton Towers, party nights at the Cresta Court and meals out with friends. Now Callum is older his independence is very important to him. When Stockdales launched the Home Care Support Service, Callum was one of the very first to use it. Callum can do all sorts of things with our support that he couldn’t do completely on his own, such as a trip to Alton Towers or a weekend camping in the Lake District. Callum continues to make the most of all that Stockdales has to offer. He even helps out at our fundraising events! A charming young man - we wish him every success for his future.

Our apprentices are a vibrant group of young people. They have a real desire to work in care and make a difference to lives of people with learning disabilities. We take on a number of apprentices each year and we’re proud to be a part of their journey. We put a lot of work into making sure we get the right people to join our team. We want keen individuals with a “can do” attitude who have an interest in learning disability. Efren, achieved his level QCF level 2 in social care. He is now a support worker in one of our homes and wants to have a career working with people with learning disabilities. Tyler started as an apprentice and is now a senior support worker, which is excellent progress. Ellie says she has learnt so much through the apprenticeship scheme. Not only has she hands on skills that will help her to be a support worker but her confidence has grown too. Learning to work as part of a team and developing as an individual, all essential for a bright future.

Good friends are really important to all of us. Angela has known Margaret & John since she was a young when she regularly stayed with them for respite care. This gave a welcome change of scenery and chance to relax and take a break from her normal routines. When Margaret and John moved to North Wales, they visited Angela regularly in Sale. However, one of the things Angela wanted to do was visit her friends at their home. So in the summer she took a trip to see them with her support worker. The couple now live in the beautiful Welsh countryside on a small farm complete with chickens, sheep and a pair of crazy sheep dogs! It was smiles all round and we think you can see from the pictures how much the visit meant to everyone. Angela is looking forward to planning more visits in the future.

Harry had been a full time Carer for his mum for many years. When she sadly passed away, he wanted something to fill his time. So, Harry applied to volunteer for Stockdales, as he was keen to help out. Harry now joins us several times a week. By supporting staff and the session teachers, he helps the service users get the most out of their activities. Harry volunteers in Media studies and Jump Space, which he finds interesting and fun. He also joins in the lively Thursday morning music session, where he encourages people to get noisy with instruments or sing along to the karaoke. Harry loves coming to Stockdales. He’s taken the time to get to know people well. Not only is he helping local people with learning disabilities, which is close to his heart, but he enjoys the social side of volunteering. He’s getting out and about in the community, which has done wonders for him too. It’s a win-win!

When James’s sister Kayleigh heard about Stockdales Dream Days project, she thought it would be just perfect for her brother James. He has a real passion for cars and so a day out at a race track seemed ideal. And who better to share it with than fellow petrol head/car enthusiast & Dad, Tim? We really wanted to make it an extra special experience for them both and so arranged for them to spend a supercharged day at the Oulton Park racing circuit. They took a thrill ride at full speed in a Lamborgini and an Ariel Atom. They also took a spin in another Italian supercar, a bright red Ferrari with their very own Stig! And the Dream didn’t finish there! We topped up the experience with an overnight stay, a go karting session, bowling and crazy golf. A fun packed couple of days that will create memories to last a lifetime. Dad Tim says “Thank you for James’s treat. It was fantastic from start to finish with a special thanks to Mike who bonded brilliantly with James.”

Martin Bartlett and his team at the Sale office of the Leeds Building Society wanted to support a local charity and engage with the local community. They chose to support Stockdales and raised a staggering £800 in their first year of fundraising. The team have come up with some unusual fundraising ideas which are great fun for their customers to take part in and raise cash for us at the same time. One idea was the balloon pop raffle. They have also run a Christmas hamper raffle for us and are regulars at our charity quiz night. The team have also helped out by volunteering and doing some painting for us. This not only is fantastic for us, but also helps the company to fulfil its social corporate responsibility! And the team get a real buzz knowing they are making a real difference to the lives of local people with learning disabilities.

Lizzie has been coming to Stockdales for many years. It’s been a pleasure to watch her grow during this time. Her confidence and conversation have come on in leaps and bounds as proud Dad Joe told us. “Elisabeth when she wakes up each day is so excited. She can’t wait to get there as quickly as possible, so full of conversation in the car discussing the day ahead. It is a joy to watch her.” Lizzie loves cookery and music. Whether she’s cooking up a storm in the kitchen or singing along in music, one things for sure – Lizzie makes the most of everything we have to offer! She is a regular at our social clubs and takes part in our weekend activities too. Lizzie enjoys trips to the theatre or a meal out with friends, as these give her some valuable independence. You can safely say that Lizzie lives life to the full! We are so pleased that we can help her on her journey!