Brandon welcomes special guests to find out more about our whole-life approach to support
In this article:
- Visitors from the National Care Forum and the Department of Health and Social Care
- Brandon’s whole-life approach
- Brandon’s social enterprises
- Round-table discussion
- Find out more about Brandon enterprises
Visitors from the National Care Forum and the Department of Health and Social Care
Brandon recently welcomed two esteemed special guests who visited us to find out more about the work we do supporting autistic children, young people and adults and people with learning disabilities throughout their lives.
Professor Vic Rayner OBE, CEO of the National Care Forum (NCF), and Tom Surrey, Director of Adult Social Care Workforce and Policy in the Department of Health and Social Care, were joined by Brandon’s Chief Executive, Helen England, visiting a range of services and a number of social enterprises in the Bristol area.
Brandon’s whole-life approach
Our guests learned the ways in which our charity aims to support people through the different stages of their lives, transitioning from childhood support through our playschemes and holiday camps, to independent living in their first homes away from family. They met with people we support and members of staff to understand how we work with individuals, their families and others who support them, to create tailor-made, seamless life experiences.
The tour included visits to shared supported living accommodation in Yate, registered care with nursing in Cadbury Heath, and several of our not-for-profit social enterprises.
Brandon’s social enterprises
The group visited Brandon’s newest charity shop in Chipping Sodbury and met with staff including supported employee Richard Boulton, who works in several Brandon shops in the Bristol area.
The group also popped into Fired Up in Yate, to meet the people we support who produce the beautiful ceramics and gifts which are sold in our charity shops.
The visit was an opportunity to showcase the ways people with learning disabilities and autism are supported to access real employment opportunities at Brandon, doing work which they love and which harnesses their creative talents.
Round-table discussion
Representatives from across the Brandon workforce, people we support, and senior leaders, ended the visit with a discussion about the inspiring work Brandon does in a challenging social care climate over lunch at the Barn Café at Grimsbury Farm - another of our thriving social enterprises where people supported by Brandon were exceptional hosts.
After the visit, Chief Executive Helen England, said:
“We were delighted to receive colleagues from the National Care Forum and the Department of Health and Social Care to see first-hand the breadth of care and support and enterprise work delivered by our teams here at Brandon Trust. The visit was an invaluable opportunity to share the impact of our work in the lives of the people we support and the communities that we serve.
"Discussion over lunch at Grimsbury Farm Barn Café, focussed on the national levers required to enable providers like us to better recruit and retain the staff that we need, including the development of defined social care career pathways. We are confident that the visit both inspired and informed all our guests.”
Find out more
To find out more, visit the Brandon enterprises page.
