Helping Others Learn To Help Themselves

Local MP sees first hand the work of the charity Certitude

(Certitude Chair, Eleri Ebenezer, Geeta Preston and MP Rupa Huq)

A local charity which helps people with learning disabilities recently played host to Ealing Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq.

Certitude has been providing a range of support services to throughout Ealing for over 25 years. 

Below, Rupa Huq writes about her experience and urges everyone to support this worthwhile charity:

First stop of the tour was a visit to supported housing for 17 residents in two converted detached homes off Lammas Park W13.

Knowing that his local MP was coming round for a chat, one resident prepared a series of questions covering a range of hot political topics including Donald Trump, Special Needs Education and the million dollar question “How long will it take Theresa May to sort out Brexit?”

Many assumptions are made about people with learning difficulties but Naoise Carver-Nolan was razor sharp in his questions. Certitude definitely has a budding Paxman on its hands.

I continued to another smaller unit for older residents off Ealing Common W5. which. like the other facility, houses an older demographic.

The two projects were great as they enable residents who are all too often written off by mainstream society to live in an environment where they experience independence in a supportive environment alongside each other with professionals on hand.

Certitude residents and staff also manned a stall later the same day at the 2nd annual SEND fair at Ealing Town Hall put on by Ealing Parent Carer Forum with visitors and exhibitors present from all aspects of services on offer for young people with disabilities in Ealing.  Around 250 people visited during the day.

With funding pressures on government it is crucial to not make cuts to those with the most complex needs. It was great to be able to chat to the Health, Education, Social Care sectors present spanning local support groups and national agencies including Ealing Mencap and Certitude who it was great to collide with twice in the same day. The group has absolutely scored a major success in building the confidence in residents to spread the word to hundreds of people in this way.

Next time you’re in Waitrose in West Ealing or Asda in Park Royal and see the option to donate to Certitude via their in store schemes please consider doing so, this is a charity that really makes a difference.

(Below Certitude Chair, Eleri Ebenzer, MP Rupa Huq and Certitude CEO Aisling Duffy)

8th March 2017