Publish date: 26 May 2023

Every year we celebrate Learning Disability Week. It is a week where people show what life is like if you have a learning disability The theme this year is busting myths about living life with a learning disability. Learning Disability Week begins on 19 June.

This will be the final awareness week at our forensic learning disability site before services move to Aspen Wood in the early autumn. The leads on site want to make sure the occasion is packed with events. OTs, clinicians and engagement leads have been planning a range of activities in meetings on Maplewood also attended by service users (who have had a lot of brilliant ideas!).  Engagement coordinator Tracy Collard is working with the Secure head of nursing Amy Shaw and there will also be LD events in Hollins Park at Byron Ward and on Rowan View as well.

Event details during the week can be found below. All events are held at our Whalley site.

Monday 19 June : A mythbusting morning session and an afternoon visit by a former service user to talk about his employment news

Tuesday 20 June: Empowering arts and crafts in the morning with speech and language therapists with a self sooth session from OT in the afternoon.

Wednesday 21 June: A session from ward staff in the morning with a seated exercise session around The Circle if the afternoon is dry

Thursday 22 June: Avatar software with psychology staff in the morning and a treasure hunt in the grounds in the afternoon

Friday 23 June: A ward session in the morning and after lunch, another visit from the Dance Syndrome team

Other ideas – including from service users – are also being considered and a full timetable will be published soon!

Contact: Tracy.Collard2@merseycare.nhs.uk, Service User and Carer Engagement Co-Ordinator, for more information or to share ideas.