Keynsham & District Mencap Society provides essential support in the form of a fully inclusive program of activities, trips, holiday and clubs for people with learning disabilities and neurodivergence, some of whom also have physical disabilities.
Members, aged 5-75, are offered range of weekly social clubs for adults and children. These clubs take the form of music lessons plus concert performances, football, bowling and general fitness, and social clubs where people can do a variety of activities over a term. Go Explore, our club aimed at young adults 18-25 have activities and trips such as recently going to Kaspa’s Ice Cream Restaurant, disco, pub, or trampoline park. They have also crafted, sung karaoke and watched a film.
We have the highest aspirations for what can be achieved and enjoyed by anyone with a learning disability. We want to live in a community where people with learning disabilities and neurodivergence are valued equally, listened to and included. We listen to them on our #ThisIsMeKeynsham blog on FB and Insta, and listen to our Members' Committee to inform the direction and management of our charity.
25 GE members have opportunities to learn new skills in a social context. They meet people and develop friendships in a supported space. People with a learning disability generally have smaller social networks. Typically, 1 in 3 young people with a learning disability spends less than an hour a day outside their homes. Lockdown taught us that this is not a recipe for good mental health. The community we create prevents such isolation.
Although friendships are important to disabled people, they often have fewer friends and fewer opportunities for socialising than the general population. An active social life increases confidence and independence, encouraging greater community engagement. It helps reduce loneliness and improve mental and physical health. We aspire to this for everyone.
Our social clubs are a social life.
