Raising a glass to 60 years of community support and new faces welcomed into the FOLD

On Tuesday 20 October FOLD (Friends of Learning Disabled) celebrated its 60th anniversary in The Butterfly House at Castle Gardens in Sherborne. The celebrations for the registered charity based in North Dorset, which has been supporting and enhancing the lives of people with learning disabilities since 1955, welcomed local businesses and residents from across the community, as well as representatives and service-users from the organisations that receive support from FOLD.

The committee members, who are a group of volunteers and representatives of parents and staff, shared some of the inspiring and innovative projects that FOLD has carried out in recent times, from helping individuals overcome personal hurdles to assisting them with moving onto independence with items for their new home, such as cookers, carpets and the hire of a removal van. More recently FOLD has provided financial support to The Green Shed, based at Castle Gardens and run by Tricuro, which has been offering hands-on working opportunities for adults with learning difficulties since October 2010.

Christine Stevens, chair of FOLD explains;

“The FOLD has been an integral part of these people’s lives for more than half a century and continues to encourage them to enjoy a full and happy life in the community. We would love to see this support continue for another 60 years and beyond and hope that we can encourage some new faces into the FOLD. As a committee we meet up regularly to discuss requests and requirements from individuals, carers, family members and community staff and it is very rewarding experience coming up with innovative ways to help them.”

For more information about joining FOLD, donating or to find out more about the support that FOLD provides in North Dorset, please contact Eddie Trim, secretary, at foldnorthdorset@hotmail.co.uk.