2022 Edition
2 3 4 Animation 6 Preparing for the event 148 Looking back photos 18 Presentation time 26 Chat show 28 Group photo 30 Messages from AfA 36 Message from our CEO 38 Pub 40 Final message from Martin in this newsletter Our Afternooninvitationtea
3 Meet in Community House at Friends4pm and family welcome There will Afternoonbe:tea in the café A Thepresentationlaunchofthe 25-year animation A chat show A chance to catch up with past and present Members, supporters and ContactPubworkersafterwardsJan07730762924 Sign up at the Bromley Together office
A
We made an animation to celebrate our 25th anniversary which shows the growth of a tree to represent how AfA has grown over 25 years huge thanks to Perri and Nathan for leading the way and showing us what to do
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sessions 5
Preparing for the big event At our meetingmonthlymembers we made signs and bunting Thanks to our theshoppingNickyAkilahofficewonderfulcoverandforforeventThank you CVT for making the animationThankyou Polly for the 2 and 5 balloons 6
Thanks to Linda HouseCommunitycafégettingYaninkaandfortheat ready for teaafternoonourAbig Thank you to PollyAlison ’s usforMummakingour 25 year cakes 7
A big thank you to our DJ for the afternoon Chris Perks 8
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Afternoon tea to celebrate
Rhisna
see old faces
10 The 25th celebration was a wonderful chance to meet up with old friends and regular faces Great to see Jackie Jackie said “Thanks for a lovely evening. It was a great celebration. Lovely to see all the gang looking so well.”
Nice to see again to again
It was good
Annie It was great to see Dave who used to volunteer for us We.miss you Dave !
Thank you Sue for joining us . Sue said “It was great to see everyone. It is amazing how some people have changed and some are still exactly the same.” It was good to meet Max who was invited by Sarah Lee who helps with office cover also joined us 11
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It was fun . It has been brilliant. Looking forward to celebrating our 30th Laura
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14 2002 A big thank you to Sarah our wonderful 1-1 advocate for producing these
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During our afternoon tea we took a look back at Sparks early years
The presentation went through to recent years when we became Bromley Together
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2019 2018
2021 2020
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We have been together through good and bad times
As part of the celebration we had a presentation
It is wonderful to be together again after the last few challenging years To me personally, Advocacy for All has given me • Confidence • A job • A great social life • A cuddly toy • And a girlfriend! Introduction 18
What we look like today
Recent projects
• We will be starting a Community Advocacy post in Bexley
• Health Ambassadors providing a voice for adults with autism and learning difficulties regarding health and the NHS
• We work in 7 areas in South London and Kent
• We have 65 advocates
• Touch Base supporting adults with autism who are experiencing mental health challenges
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• The A Team and Media Team, along with Easy Read Team, are working together more forming the Bromley Together Training Team
• Ensure Project training some of our Kent ASC group members to become peer supporters to support others
• The Speaking Up groups are still going strong in Bromley, Bexley, Sutton, Havering, and Kent
We celebrated all the different parts of the organisation and the great work they are doing now
• We have offices in Swanley, Bromley, Faversham and Sutton
• Easy Read is still going strong, and we have recently had additional funding to develop a social enterprise
• They support over 4500 people every year
die? TickRomeParisBerlinthe
The Chamber of Secrets
correct answer.
Dave our volunteer did a great quiz about 1997 when AfA started
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The Philosopher’s Stone
Q 2 Who became the first Labour Prime Minister for 18 years?
Q 3 In
Tick the correct answer.
Neil Kinnock
Gordon Brown Tony Blair
The Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and
Tick the correct answer. which European city did Princess Diana sadly
In 1998 we became a registered charity. My friend, Mary Gifford, worked for Bromley Mencap and we thought it would be a good idea to start a group in Bromley for people who did not have any support and lived at home or on their own.
In 1995, London Councils gave £60,000 to Bexley and Bromley to start an advocacy group for people with a learning disability.
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I am sorry I can’t be with you tonight to celebrate 25 years of Advocacy for All. I am on holiday.
The group used to meet every two weeks in the Swan and Mitre in Bromley. Joanne, Teresa, Philip, Ben, Sean, Geoff and Linda were the first members.
Vivienne our 1st CEO sent a letter
Hello Everyone
We started projects especially for parents with a learning disability and I am very proud to say that Three Guineas Trust funded us to start the first advocacy project for people with Autism in England.
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We got some extra money and the group interviewed some people and decided that Yaninka was the best person for the job. They weren’t wrong were they? Philip came up with idea of calling the group Bromley Sparks as he said that the group sparked off each other.
During this time we changed our name to Bexley and Bromley Advocacy as we had more paid advocates working for us.
The other one I remember was when we did a copy of This Morning.
Again, people always said they came to our events because they were such fun and “showed what people can do and not what they can’t).”
Over the years advocacy became more recognised and had legal rules.
About this time we thought we should change our name as we were starting to work in lots more areas. We had a vote and changed to Advocacy for All
Our main annual reviews were pretty amazing. Two I really remember. In one we decided to recreate the 2012 Olympic Games with me being the Queen and Jonathan a trustee being James Bond. All the groups were represented – I was so proud of the organisation and you all.
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I had also been working there for 20 years and I thought it was time to let someone else do the job and since then you have had Jon as your Chief Executive.Iamproud of what we all achieved as a team while I was with you and just as proud to see and hear that the good work continues and goes from strength to strength. wishes and love from Vivienne
We started to offer IMCAand RPR Advocacy, Care Act Advocacy, NHS Complaints Advocacy and much Wemore.achieved the Quality Performance Mark for Advocacy and Investors in People. In 2016, we had over 50 people working for us and I had, for many years, been the Chief Executive.
so
Best
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The workersmembers,interviewedcommitteeTogetherBromleyand trustees about their JohnhighlightsWatts the chair of the trustees told a story of when he was a 1-1 mansupportedandadvocateheato say no to having to move out of his home. It was a high light for feltSomethingJohn.he proud to be part of 26
Thank you both for attending our special event and a big thank you to Brian for all your work as a trustee of Advocacy for All.
He told us about his jobs with the council as the co chair of the Partnership Board.
Well done Stephen
Brian and Jonathon spoke out about how advocacy has helped their family.
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Gracie and Juan from Sutton told they are to work along side the Sutton Speaking
Stephen from Bexley spoke about how his life has changed over the years with support from organisations
We all raised a glass to AfA to celebrate our 25 years A big thank you to all who foralongcameandallthe messages of youThanksupport to everyone makeswho AfA so special. 28
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We are incredibly proud to be part of a charity that has made so much difference to so many people. We have grown so much over the last 25 years and have always stayed true to our values, keeping those we support at the heart of everything we do.
I’ve had the opportunity to meet other people who are on the Autistic Spectrum in a safe environment which had led to me forming some lasting friendships, not only with some of the group members I’ve met but also with some of the people who run Advocacy For All as well.
Working for BromleyTogether is a wonderful experience .I am so proud of being part of such a powerful kind,hard working community that does so much for each other.
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Thank you Andrew for all your work sorting our computers
Duncan paid Health Ambassador
”
I explain myself to members of the public face to face that you can be proud of who you are and teach the members of the public about your learning.
I have done speeches in the past. It has helped me with my confidence as I like to share experiences to serviceusers to live life to the best of their abilities.
Jan - Group Supporter
I was extremely socially isolated when I was diagnosed with ASD in June 2017. If Advocacy For All wasn’t around back then my life today would be a lot more emptier than it is now.
As part of the 25 year celebrations we asked people their thoughts about AFA
Gemma and Leanne administrators
Advocacy For All has helped me grow and made me independent by speaking up for myself.
AFA is a great organisation
I love working for AfA and love working with people that are passionate about making a difference to the people’s lives we work with.
I really appreciate what AFA stands for,the flexibility, the doesorganizationgroupseffortconsistenttovariousacrosstheisisimportant
Being part of AFA for the past almost 6 years, has been one of the nicest places to call work for me.
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To be part of watching and I hope influencing, individuals develop and grow and have their voices heard is indeed THE reason to go to work with a smile, whatever the day may hold.
Alan Levy Team manager
Happy 25th Birthday and here’s to another 25 years.’
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Anniversary
I hope to be a part of that for a while yet……Trac Crockford Kent
Not by doing things for them, but empowering them to do more things for themselves and being put at the heart of decision making about their own lives. It’s good to have a job that makes a difference.
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31 Happy birthday AfA Gracie
They are a group of great Themembers give people like us a voice We feel listened to Organizations like AFA matter because they help people with a learning disability speak up and make people with LD feel important. They are very good at using words people with a learning disability understand Happy 25th Anniversary from Sutton
Susie Moorfinch Easy read coordinator
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More messages from our members and staff
33 What I love about AfA is the brilliant group members and the fantastic staff team! I love seeing the difference we make and watching people’s confidence grow . Rachel Coates Groups manager Richard- I feel supported by Advocacy for all/Action Voices and this has helped me grow in confidence, improve my social life and learn to speak up. Happy birthday AfA Happy Birthday AfA… the members have taught me so much about speaking up...here's to another 25 years… Isaac PromotionsNgugiand Marketing “I am grateful for AFA as they have helped me grow in confidence with speaking to new people and sharing my ideas. I have met a lot of kind and wonderful people.” Niamh Volunteer with the Media team
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A big shout out to Erika, Sarah and George for the great work they do in schools to enable young people to have their voice.
35 ‘’Happy 25th birthday to AFA from all our wonderful kent autism projects ‘’ Happy birthday AFA we want to celebrate the support, the groups and all the wonderful individuals that make AfA and the Kent projects a great place to…. VolunteerWorkShareBeGrowExploreMakeEngageSharefriendscreativesafeplaces “And be free to be ourselves’’ "The celebration was a fitting way to mark It was evident of the vital role we play in enabling our clients to have a voice in a society which can Their words and stories spoke volumes about the I came away humbled by what I had seen and A big thank you to John for all the work he does to keep AfA going
A word from our CEO Jon Wheeler who unfortunately had Covid and couldn’t be at the celebration
you have the power!
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I'd also like to thank every member, volunteer, board member and staff member who has contributed to making such significant differences in the lives of people we support and work with.
I'm really sorry not to be able to be part of today's celebrations.
I'm immensely proud to have been involved in the last six years of AfA. It is a truly remarkable organisation, who continues to achieve so much.
AfA has worked with local people across many areas and continues to punch above its weight.
However I know it will be a great day that shows the heart and soul of advocacy for Iall.would like to thank everyone who has been part of today in putting it together, especially Jan and Susie who I know have worked so hard with our members.
This celebration is a wonderful opportunity to recognise the amazing work everyone involved with AfA for the last 25 years has contributed to.
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I would like to recognise and thank Vivienne Lester, who provided such wonderful leadership, to take AfA from a small community group to the organisation we recognise today. Without Vivienne, we would not have such an effective organisation, nor the wonderful reputation, which our staff and volunteers continue to enhance.
A thank you to Vivienne
Thank you to everyone and I look forward to our next 25 years, providing kind, innovative and quality support to the people who need it.
After the presentation we went to the pub
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40 /biggervoices/advocacy4all /advocacyforall @biggervoice www.advocacyforall.org.uk www.advocacyforall.org.uk bromleytogether@advocacyforall.org.uk Happy 25th Birthday to all the little mosquitos that we have been assembled into a mighty squadron at AFA Martin Hampshire x (1 1 advocate)
