Big Night Out

Hi readers, Emily and Kerry here, catching up on the week. First, another huge thanks to everyone on the Dorchester Beerex Committee-  the folks from CAMRA and Dorchester Rotary, for their incredibly generous donation to People First Dorset (PFD). I, Kerry, went to the Corn Exchange after our Speaking Up group last Thursday, along with a few other members who also volunteered on our PFD stand at the Beerex Festival, where we were presented with a cheque.

It was good to see the Beerex team again and thank everyone in person. A couple of our members gave a little speech. Diane shared how welcomed everyone had felt at the festival. She said the volunteering was fun, but most of all it was the first time in 10 years she’d felt ‘accepted’ enough to let her hair down and dance to the band.

She and Jack both shared how important the Beerex donation is, helping PFD support people with learning disabilities to be included, speak up about things, and be involved in the community. I felt proud listening to them. In fact, I didn’t have anything to add, unlike me!

We gave the Beerex team a card that members had signed, thanked them for choosing us, and said how much we appreciated all their hard work doing the festival, and their kindness.

This week we also welcomed another Emily to the PFD team, as a Co-Manager who will lead on operations. She’s great and we are excited to have her with us, though there will be lots of learning and induction over the next few weeks to explain all the things we do! I, Kerry also had a new personal assistant start and am looking forward to getting to know her too. So, another busy week, and hope yours were good too!

The writers of the Our View column are supported in their editing by People First Dorset - a charity led and run by people with learning disabilities with support from staff