Prayer Diary - January-April 2020

Prayer diary January/April 2020

Passion for community + Your church + Good news − Isolation − Deprivation + 97 cups of tea

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Livability Prayer Diary

Friendship + Connections × Happiness

About Livability Livability is the charity that supports disabled people to live a life that adds up for them.

Working together and with the people we support, we tackle barriers that impact disabled people, to enable better wellbeing and participation for all.

Delivering a wide range of care, education, vocation and rehabilitation services, we strive to grow community connections that help people thrive.

Find all our stories on our blog - make sure you visit: www.livability.org.uk. | LivabilityUK

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Livability Prayer Diary

Welcome letter from Mat Dear friends, This time of year can feel hard. With the cold weather and short days, spring feels a long way off. And if you have overspent on Christmas, or set yourself unrealistic new year’s resolutions, then life can feel even harder!

One of the main themes from this edition of the prayer diary is the barriers that disabled people face.

Isolation is such a huge issue – particularly at this time of year, when winter weather makes it extra difficult to get out and about in the local community. I’d really encourage you to think about how to support those who find themselves isolated this winter. Maybe you could visit a neighbour or relative who you haven’t seen in a little while. It may seem small, but a friendly phone call, or even sending greeting card can tell someone that they are valued and not forgotten!

Personally, I was encouraged just before Christmas when I was asked to do some training for a group of activists at the Eden Project in Cornwall. Gathered from all over the country, each one was a leader of a local community project – some environmental concerns, others social enterprises. It was

so rewarding to spend time with a buzzing group of committed, envisioned activists. I was impressed by both their drive to make an impact, and the creativity they showed in each of their projects.

So it was brilliant to be able to share with them some of Livability’s learning about how to build inclusive community, and how to break down barriers so that everyone can play their part.

As you read and pray through this diary, my hope is that you will gain a sense of hope and excitement for all that God is doing and will continue to do, through Livability. We are always so grateful for your prayers and support.

God bless you.

Mat Ray Head of Church Partnerships

P.S. If you would prefer to receive the prayer diary by email with monthly prayer pointers straight to your inbox, please sign up today at www.livability.org.uk/prayerdiary

January – April 2020

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News and real life stories Each day, together and with the people who use our services, the local church, community partners and health care providers, we work to see people enjoy connected and livable lives.

Back on track Tony was treated at brain injury rehabilitation centre Livability Icanho, following a stroke. Using Icanho’s state-of-the-art Vector gait tracker meant that Tony has regained mobility and confidence more quickly. He’s also been boosted by support from Icanho’s psychologist. This has all added up to a huge turnaround for Tony and his young family. ‘I don’t think we’d still be together if it wasn’t for this place,’ says his wife Angela.

Forging friendships Mikey has epilepsy and works at Livability’s social enterprise workshop Maesbury Metals. Coming from a little village with few people his own age, Mikey didn’t have many friends. He has enjoyed learning valuable new skills at Maesbury, producing well-finished metal items for sale. Says Mikey: ‘I’m happier at Maesbury. We’re all like brothers – best mates. I didn’t really have any friends before. This is my community.’ Mikey adds: ‘My dad was a welder too and gave me his welding mask.’ Sadly, his dad passed away recently but Mikey ‘knows I’ve made my dad proud.’

Archbishop commends Livability resource Supporting churches to understand mental health issues and to build a healthy community is the focus of Livability’s latest resource, Living Well Together. Launched at a recent Church of England conference on mental health, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby commended the resource: ‘Too often, our response takes an individualised medical approach … Livability’s Live Well Together workshop provides churches with the much needed tools to take a community approach to mental health, so that we can all thrive together.’

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Livability Prayer Diary

A gift in your Will could support children like Jenson Jenson wasn’t crawling or walking like other children. When he was three, his parents found Livability’s Victoria Education Centre in Dorset, a specialist school offering education, care and therapy for disabled young people.

Emily, Jenson’s mum, says she will never forget the day she walked into Jenson’s classroom. ‘He was walking between two therapists as they clapped and cheered him on. I immediately welled up.

Those were his first-ever steps without a walking aid.’

Gifts in Wills are vital to Livability’s services and help to run education, care and community services that support disabled adults and children.

To learn more about leaving a gift in your Will and to get your free Will guide, go to:

www.livability.org.uk/giftsinwills or call us on 020 7452 2099

January – April 2020

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Prayer Focus + Inclusion + Awareness January Let’s start the year by prayerfully celebrating living well with Livability. Livability is committed to enabling people to live the life they want to lead. That looks different for everyone – but it can all add up to living well.

Week 1 – Pray for Livability’s care homes Livability’s residential care homes strive to provide the best care and support for people who live there – something that was recognised by regulating body CQC when Livability Brookside was rated ‘outstanding’ after a recent inspection. Staff enable residents to choose from a wide range of activities at home and in the community. Janice belongs to a community choir and says: ‘I love singing, singing is my thing!’ Please thank God for the difference that Livability care makes to hundreds of individuals, families and neighbourhoods.

Week 2 – Pray for an inclusive Church Thank you for praying for our Ability Sunday event, mentioned in the last edition of the Prayer Diary. Dozens of churches took part, with a special focus on what disabled people can bring to the church community.

New friendships and connections have resulted. Please pray that Ability Sunday 2020 will do even more to raise the profile of inclusive church.

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Livability Prayer Diary

Week 3 – Give thanks for our brain injury rehab work The work of Livability Icanho, our brain injury rehabilitation centre, was highlighted recently by a visit from Livability’s Patron HRH The Princess Royal.

Please pray for Icanho’s highly skilled staff, who enable clients to live well after brain injury.

Week 4 – Pray for our training work with churches Livability's pioneering work in mental health and disability awareness in the Church has been increasingly in demand. We recently trained over 100 clergy in North London, and ran disability training with Anglican and Baptist trainee clergy in Bristol.

Please pray this work expands and effects real change in the Church this year.

Pop-up prayers

Thank God for empowering care

Manager Viren recently left the private care sector to take up a post with Livability, his first job with a charity. He notices a difference in approach, which improves the lives of disabled people we support. ‘My experience of Livability is that the people we support are at the centre of all decision-making.

We work with them at their pace to make sure we meet their needs.’ Please thank God that Livability’s work means disabled people can be empowered to live their best life.

Why is our work needed?

‘A care system which offers the option of care delivered in either an independent or communal setting,’ is the optimum for disabled people, says a report from The Centre for Social Justice*: social care commissioners ‘should place the individual’s needs and preferences at the heart of process, not the form of care in which these needs are met’. Livability’s broad range of services means we can support people in the way they choose and need, enabling people to flourish. *CSJ: The Need for Community

January – April 2020

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Prayer Focus + Barriers + Impact February This month, we’ll be praying about the barriers that disabled people face too often, impacting their lives and opportunities. At Livability, we believe that needs to change and every week, we work with the people we support to see that happening.

Week 1 – Give thanks for communication aids People who live at Livability Anvil House have profound learning disabilities and don’t communicate verbally. Livability has installed electronic ‘talking buttons’ on the kitchen door so residents can let staff know if they would like something to eat, or just some help. Please thank God for the big difference this kind of equipment can make to lives.

Week 2 – Pray for access for all Enjoying a wander on the beach can be tricky in a wheelchair, where wheels get bogged down. People who live at Livability Dolphin Court can now get onto the beach, opposite where they live, thanks to a new beach wheelchair that glides over sand. Please thank God for the generous fundraisers and Friends group who made this possible – and pray that better disabled access will become a higher priority for local councils.

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Livability Prayer Diary

Week 3 – Pray for college leavers

Pop-up prayers

Transitioning out of education and into adult life can be very challenging for disabled young people and their families, who frequently have to fight for funding and suitable places to live. Let’s pray for our transitions teams at Nash College and Victoria School, who are working now with students leaving education this summer.

Livability in Essex is helping to shape policy on end of life care for people with learning disabilities, through Livability Keefield Close’s expertise in this area. Manager Sandra Wilson was invited to join an NHS advisory group, working with a hospice consultant and community palliative care professionals, who want to make a difference to the way care is provided. Please pray for any people we support, their families and our staff, who are experiencing end of life care.

Week 4 – Pray for Livability staff Livability are proud to work with passionate and dedicated employees, who work daily with those we support to connect and expand community to make life for disabled people more livable. Please pray for our staff who work tirelessly to provide around the clock care and service to the people we support.

Thank God for compassion

Why is our work needed?

Up to 500,000 people* worldwide suffer a spinal cord injury each year, numbering 2,500 in the UK**.

Livability’s Spinal Injury Centre, International team and specialist nursing care homes enable people to overcome barriers they face and get the most out of life, post-injury. *World Health Organisation **Aspire

January – April 2020

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Prayer Focus + Welcome + Friendships

Our prayer focus this month is on growing wellbeing through community. This is at the heart of Livability’s work because we know that having community connections means people do better in life.

Livability Holton Lee is a meeting point for local people buying produce, those enjoying our Flourish therapy course, and volunteers. Their efforts meant their Dorset garden won a prestigious regional ‘Britain in Bloom’ award recently. Let’s thank God for the joy and friendship this service helps to create.

Week 1 – Pray for spiritual connections

Week 4 – Making good

March

People who live at Keefield Close love to meet together with local vicar Barbara, who runs a Bible group at their residential home. Please thank God for the connections that Livability services have with local churches and for the flourishing spiritual life enjoyed by many people we support.

Week 2 – Thank God for our supporters Local volunteers, such as Friends Groups, make valuable connections with people who use our services. Rosy gives her time to serve on a service user group at Livability Icanho, after her husband was treated there following a brain injury. Please pray that more people will connect with the Livability community around the UK.

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Week 3 – Budding friendships

Livability Prayer Diary

Disabled people at Livability Cornerpatch, our social enterprise shop in Oswestry, learn craft and retail skills, selling beautiful handmade items. Let’s pray that more people will benefit from attending Cornerpatch, and for sales to increase across Livability’s social enterprises.

Pop-up prayers

Thank God for assistive technology

Assistive technology can play a significant part in enabling a disabled person to connect with others. Take Alison, who suffered a stroke and now lives at Livability Treetops, one of our residential homes with specialised nursing care. Alison is being supported by staff to learn to use a computer programme, which will mean she can communicate online with her children, rather than only when they can visit. Please thank God with us for the life-changing difference assistive tech makes to people across our services.

Why is our work needed?

A government report on assistive tech, published last year, recognises tech’s benefits – but cites expense and outdated employer attitudes as factors which delay a wider rollout to disabled people. Livability services enable the people we support to adopt assistive tech wherever possible, with benefits ranging from enhanced communication to managing everyday tasks independently.

January – April 2020

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Prayer Focus + Taking part + Talents April Let’s focus our prayers on the opportunity for sharing gifts and abilities. Livability’s services support people with a wide range of abilities. Everyone has something to contribute, if they are given the opportunity.

Week 1 – Pray for the opportunity to work Saskia began a career in care with Livability two years ago. She loves her job at Keefield Close because she enjoys ‘giving something back to the guys there’.

Saskia, who has a form of autism, is a particularly talented carer, reports manager Sandra. Please pray that more disabled people will get the opportunity to use their talents in the workplace.

Week 2 – Pray for Easter renewal As Easter approaches, we celebrate the Easter story’s message of hope and renewal. Please pray that hope and renewal will be the experience of all in the Livability community – the people we support, staff and Friends and supporters.

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Livability Prayer Diary

Week 3 – Pray for our volunteers Bev is one of hundreds of people who support Livability with their time and talents. Following a serious injury, Bev was unable to return to her career but now uses her formidable organisational skills to volunteer in admin at Livability York House Shrewsbury. Let’s thank God for each Livability volunteer and pray for more to join our community.

Week 4 – Pray for our Marathon runners Livability’s intrepid London Marathon supporters will between them run thousands of miles this week to raise funds for the charity. Please pray for safety and success for our runners.

Pop-up prayers

Pray for Livability training in churches

More Than Welcome, the training Livability launched last year to help churches explore participation with disabled people, is reaching new audiences. We recently delivered this training in Northern Ireland for the first time. Please pray our training reaches many more churches this year. Would your church like more information? Visit https://livability.org.uk/resource/ more-than-welcome/

Why is our work needed?

Disability frequently puts people at a financial disadvantage: life costs you £583 more on average a month if you're disabled*.

Livability supports people to gain employable skills wherever possible, through services including Livability Enterprise, Dorset-based UCan which prepares people for employment, and through training at our FE centre Nash College. *Scope UK

January – April 2020

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How your support helps We’re so glad that you’re part of the praying community that supports Livability’s work.

Would you like to deepen your connection with Livability?

Any support you can offer will help us connect disabled and vulnerable people with their community so that their lives, health and wellbeing do better.

There are all sorts of ways to join in.

Donate: Make a one-off or a regular donation. Whatever you can give will enable Livability to impact the lives of the people we serve.

Volunteer: Volunteer at one of our services, join a local Friends Group to help us raise funds, or get active in your community or church.

Whatever your reason for volunteering, we want to hear from you.

Share your story: How are you reaching out to others and tackling isolation?

What are you doing to grow community connections and boost wellbeing? Send us your stories about what’s adding up for you in your life and community. We may feature it on our charity blog and social media channels.

Become a church or community partner: Livability works with local churches and community partners as key agents of local change. If you’d like to get active in your community – contact us today to find out how you can become a partner. www.livability.org.uk/joinin

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Livability Prayer Diary

Yes! I want to know more about Livability.

Please keep in touch with me by: Post Title:

Email

SMS

Phone

First name:

Surname: Address: Postcode: Email: Church name: Mobile number:

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I am over 18 years old I’d like to find out more about: Our monthly enews which equips churches to build community Livability’s training for churches on disability/how to encourage my church to welcome and include disabled people Dementia Inclusive Church support Mental health training and resources How my church can support Livability You can also visit our website www.livability.org.uk to find out more Please return this form to: Livability, Communications Team, 6 Mitre Passage, London SE10 0ER

Thank you for your support With new data protection regulations becoming law in May 2018 we want to provide extra information to ensure you are fully aware of how we may use your data and your rights. We value your vital support and want to ensure all our supporters are protected and informed.

We may process your information for communicating to you about our work via newsletters, fundraising appeals and other charitable activity via channels indicated by your preferences above. We promise to keep your details safe and secure and to hold your data for no longer than 5 years without renewing your permission – for further information, please read our privacy notice at www.livability.org.uk.

2019/Dec/CE/01/PDJanApr20

Your rights under the DPA (Data Protection Act) and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) entitle you to request a copy of any information we may hold about you or to update any inaccurate information we hold about you. For any questions about the use of your data please contact: dataprotection@livability.org.uk You can change how you hear from us at any time by contacting us on 020 7452 2121 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or email: supporterservices@livability.org.uk or writing to us at Livability, 6 Mitre Passage, London SE10 0ER.

January – April 2020

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Contact us:

Mat Ray Pray for Livability Editor 6 Mitre Passage, London, SE10 0ER Tel: 020 7452 2000 Email: joinin@livability.org.uk www.livability.org.uk

LivabilityUK

With thanks to Nancy Honey for some photos featured.

Livability is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee in England and Wales. Charity No: 1116530 and Company No: 5967087.

Registered office: 6 Mitre Passage, London, SE10 0ER. 2019/Dec/CE/01/Prayerdiary