Do You See Me? Learning Disability Week 2025

Some of our tenants presenting at our last Evaluation Day

During Learning Disability Week this year, we are highlighting some of our members’ achievements and the role that SWALLOW plays in helping them to have their voices heard. 

Campaigning

We support our members to live the lives they choose and to become active citizens within the community.  Earlier this year, we were particularly excited to have supported one of our tenants, Hetty, to work with our local MP Anna Sabine, to campaign on extending the times that the Diamond Bus Pass can be used.  Hetty contributed to a positive change for thousands of disabled people locally, which was such an incredible achievement.  She was so pleased to have her feelings heard and acted on, she said ‘the best thing is, we can save some money now.’

Being filmed for BBC Points West about the bus pass campaign

Community Cafes

Our two community cafes are popular hubs for local people to meet and enjoy nutritious, affordable food and refreshments.  They also serve as beacons for showing the skills of our members who train in the cafes to gain catering and front of house skills.  Some of our members also work at pop-up café events in the community, where they get paid for their work.

Members working on meal prep at our Radstock Cafe

Paid employment opportunities

Many of our members love to give back to the community that supports them.  At SWALLOW, we fundraise to be able to pay our members to maintain vulnerable local people’s gardens, teach families how to cook and to work at craft stalls and pop-up café events.  This helps our members to be seen as the active contributors to society that they are.  One member recently told us ‘I am absolutely loving teaching cooking at the Hive – seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces is amazing.’

We also work closely with local employers to build relationships and increase accessibility.  We were really delighted to be able to support one member to get a paid job at the Somerset Toiletry Soap Bar Café last year.  It was going so well that he was able to increase his hours quite quickly.  We want to help more people to achieve their dreams of having a paid job and their contributions valued.

Members working on a pop-up stall at Grow Timsbury market

Expression through art

Our art groups provide a supportive studio space for members to express themselves through a variety of artistic mediums.  They often take part in local community exhibitions, including open studios events and in Midsomer Norton town centre – giving our members the chance to share their talents with the community.  One member, Molly, has recently been commissioned to create two decorative panels for our Radstock Café which she is delighted about.  She told us ‘it’s a great way for us to be able to show people what we can do.’

Showing their artwork on the SWALLOW art room doors

Tailor-made support

SWALLOW support workers enable our members to live more independently and access the community.  We talked to support worker Aleksandra and our member Gary, they told us that she supports Gary to go shopping, which is important in helping him to make healthier choices.  Gary is really well-connected in the community and makes the most of various opportunities through SWALLOW as well.  He is training at our cafes, taking part in the forest group, doing Read Easy training and getting lots of paid work opportunities with us too.  SWALLOW is also supporting him to search for work in the community.

Serving curry at our Curry & Quiz Night event

Campaigns like these can make a real difference, because they raise awareness of the capabilities of people with learning disabilities and help to reduce stigma in society.  Everyone is different and has their own unique contribution to give to the world – they just need to have the right support and opportunity.