About Disability Cambridgeshire (formerly Directions Plus)
Contents of this page: Aims and philosophy | Activities and services | What do we do? | Other services | Who do we help? | Our projects | Management and membership scheme | Helping Directions Plus | Who's who? | Funding | Company sponsors | Other consultants/suppliers |
Directions Plus is a member of the DIAL network of disability information services.
Annual Reports: 2006-07 | 2005-06
Aims and philosophy
Directions Plus is an advice and information service for disabled people and/or older people and their carers. We serve people of all ages in Cambridgeshire.
For over ten years, Directions Plus has existed to help maintain and improve the quality of life of disabled people and carers.
It does this mainly by providing them with information and advice about their opportunities and entitlements.
However, it also works to raise the profile of disability issues and provides disabled people and carers with a means to make their views known.
Activities and services
Our level of activity and range of services depends on the funding that we have at the time. Typically we offer:
Free, confidential and impartial advice on disability issues on a five-day a week advice line, and at drop in sessions at various locations.
Free support and representation on the claiming of disability, sickness and carers benefits.
Free support and representation on matters relating to a range of statutory services for disabled people and carers including community and residential care, education and housing adaptations.
- Free factsheets and other local information.
What do we do?
Our advice includes:
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Access
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Access to work
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Direct Payments and Independent Living
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Disability rights and discrimination
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Education, training and employment
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Equipment
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Health and Social Services
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Home care
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Leisure and holidays
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Residential and nursing care
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Support and action groups
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Transport and mobility
- Welfare benefits
Other services we provide include:
We run training courses for groups and businesses to explain the environmental, employment and discrimination issues faced by disabled people.
The courses raise awareness of a wide range of different kinds of disabilities.
They also enable participants to assess their own premises and policies to ensure that they comply with the Disability Discrimination Act and good practice.
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Assessments of Access to buildings or services - We offer an access assessment service for public, private and voluntary sectors. All surveys are undertaken by people who have knowledge of the full spectrum of disability and offer a cost-effective way to ensure that buildings and services comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.
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Disability Discrimination Act training
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Disability Awareness training - courses for individuals or bespoke sessions for organisations. For booking, contact Gerri Bird Tel: 01223 569 601.
- Websites, Factsheets and Newsletters - Our websites aim to be a point of reference for services, benefits and facilities for disabled people and their carers in Cambridgeshire.
Help to:
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Challenge benefits or services decisions
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Claim benefits such as Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Carers Allowance
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Use official complaints procedures
Who do we help?
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Anyone who lives or works in our area who has a disability, or mental health issue
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Children and young people
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Older people
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Carers
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Anyone working with or helping disabled / older people or carers
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Private, public and voluntary sector organisations
Our other projects
In addition to providing advice and information an the list of other services above, we are involved in a number of development projects including:
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ChangeUp projects for developing the infrastructure of voluntary and community services in Cambridgeshire.
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Disabled forums and groups
Disability Cambridgeshire is setting up Forums for disabled people and their carers around the county. These groups provide members with social contact, support and an opportunity to campaign and work together. If you are interested in joining a Forum in your area, phone Gerri Bird Forum Project Manager on 01223 569 601 (see Contact pages for details).
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Disability East - This covers the six counties and four unitary authorities in the eastern region. It was set up with colleagues in Essex and Herts to raise the profile of disability and share good practice.
- Equalities and Consultative Panels for Cambridge City Council - Gerri Bird of Disability Cambridgeshire is a member of this panel.
Management and membership scheme
Disability Cambridgeshire is a:
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Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England and Wales: Number 04373745.
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Registered charity number 1091855.
It is managed by a committee of disabled people and carers who are elected by the organisation’s members.
Helping Disability Cambridgeshire
We are an organisation for, and working with, disabled people and carers.
Our service is provided by a combination of paid staff and volunteers.
Almost all of the volunteers are either disabled people or carers. Many of the staff also have first-hand experience of disability or caring.
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Volunteering at Disability Cambridgeshire - we have a fully accessible office with easy parking
- Raise funds for Disability Cambridgeshire: Buy flowers from Charity Flowers Direct (Quote the code: DTP)
Who's who?
President: Lord Fairhaven KStJ, JP, DL
Honorary Life Vice President:
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Mrs Ruth Palmer
Management Committee (updated information coming soon):
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Chair: Chris Lakin
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Vice Chair: Noel Muncey
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Treasurer: post vacant
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Trustees: Doreen Brady, Diana Dockerill, Chris Lakin, Noel Muncey, Mark Taylor, Maureen Symons, Alison Kerr
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Volunteer Representatives: Alison Kerr
Staff:
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Acting Chief Executive and Casework & Outreach Manager: Peter Wetherell
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Administrator: Sally Cleghorn
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Family Support Workers/outreach: Jayne Oshaugnessy
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Forum Manager: Gerri Bird
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Project Assistant: David Challis
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Information Manager: Hilary Gorton
Funding
Directions Plus obtains its funding for core advice/information work and developmental projects from a variety of sources. Over the past few years the following have supported our work:-
Applied Medical technology Ltd - suppliers of portable infusion systems (donation) Tel: 01223 420 415
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Cambridge City Council
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Cambridgeshire County Council
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Cambridgeshire Social Services and Health
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ChangeUp - government money via Go-East
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COVER - Community and Voluntary Forum for the Eastern Region
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Lloyds TSB Foundation (England)
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National Lotteries Charities Board
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South Cambridgeshire District Council
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Varrier-Jones Foundation
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Company sponsors
Disability Cambridgeshire can not recommend any particular company. You should always have more than one estimate for any proposed work and choose the company with which you feel most comfortable.
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Andy Cabs
The first winner of The Way to be Awards and the only company to receive an award every year. -
Danwood Tel: 01480 434 534
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RSP Safety Systems Contact them: Building 14, North Gate, Alconbury Airfield, Huntingdon, Cambs PE28 4WX Tel: 01480 457 912; Mobile: 07812 985 454; E-mail: info@rspsafety.co.uk
- Taylor Vinters
Other consultants/suppliers
We wish to express our thanks to the following suppliers who helped to keep our costs down (and, in particular, bring our refurbishment of our new offices in on time)
- Quantum Leaders - for IT systems support. Contact: Room 11, Dencora Business Centre, Trinity Hall Farm Industrial Estate, Nuffield Road, Cambs CB4 1TG Website: www.quantum-leaders.co.uk | Tel: 0870 350 5415
Last updated: 8 July 2008