Autumn Edition 2023
Strength through adversity Read how a serious brain injury out of the blue changed Laura’s life
Hello + Welcome
Dear friend
In this issue
Welcome to the latest Your Livability – and thank you for your valuable support. At Livability, we look at what a person with disabilities might be able to achieve, rather than focus on what they can’t do. Time and time again, we witness significant improvement when someone joins one of our services or starts a new term in one of our education settings. In this edition, read about Laura who experienced a traumatic brain injury in her twenties, and her remarkable achievements with Livability’s support. Thank you for enabling us to change lives.
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Yours sincerely,
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Sally Chivers Chief Executive
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Your Livability
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Laura’s extraordinary journey 02 Foreword 03 Contents 04 How Laura has
transformed her life
06 Gifts in Wills: Pass on something wonderful
08 Stroke survivor Rich’s new life at Livability Wall Street
10 Wonderful work with words 12 Student Poem – Life’s Journey
Autumn 2023
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Overcoming challenges + Positivity
How Laura has transformed her life
Overcoming challenges + Positivity previously the simplest of tasks were impossible. Laura relearnt to grasp a pencil – and the first word she wrote was ‘home’. From then, while still requiring high-dependency care, Laura’s writing skills developed, albeit slowly. Fast forward to today and Laura is determined to keep a positive attitude to her changed life. She says, ‘Livability staff have helped me to improve my speech immensely. I’ve gone from only being able to vocalise a couple of single words to holding full conversations.’ Laura is also deeply appreciative of how staff have helped her to develop self-confidence. ‘I have come to recognise I’m not alone or different to everyone within the home.’
Experiencing a life-changing brain injury, especially for a young healthy woman, is hard to imagine. Laura, who now lives at Livability Kenway Court, a specialist service that offers nursing support to those with complex needs, describes her journey after such an injury turned her world upside down Laura experienced a life-changing accident in her mid-twenties and her life changed beyond all recognition. Having graduated and built a home with her partner, she collapsed at home one day. Laura’s brain injury has impaired her speech and changed her life beyond all recognition. 4
Your Livability
She was rushed to hospital in Oxford, where she underwent life-saving surgery. Six weeks of induced coma followed; doctors told the family she was likely to be in a vegetative state if she woke up at all. But six months later, Laura began to make huge strides, where
‘It’s astonishing when I compare the initial outcome the doctor gave my family, compared to everything I can do today.’ Laura has recently written a book about her life to help other people deal with life-changing events
Please see a video of Laura’s remarkable journey at livability.org.uk/autumn-news where you can also make a gift online or by calling 020 7452 2121 Autumn 2023
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Potential + Transformation
Potential + Transformation Free Will service
Pass on something wonderful
We recently launched our latest campaign to promote legacy giving through our partnership with Remember a Charity. As part of the campaign Livability joined up with charities across the UK to encourage more people to think about passing on something wonderful by leaving a gift in their Will Gifts in Wills have been crucial in helping us to run services such as Livability Millie College. The college supports young people with disabilities and caters for a wide range of needs for students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, learning difficulties and physical disabilities.
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Attending Millie College not only equips students with the job skills they need. It also helps them to develop new life-skills, such as catering, gardening, forestry therapy, arts, and equine therapy. Gifts in Wills are vital in helping us to support future generations, just as the skills taught at Millie College are vital for the students to prepare for the future they face when they leave college. These skills not only help our students to become more independent, they can help to open doors to develop a successful career in a challenging world.
If you’re thinking about updating or perhaps making your Will for the first time, you may be interested to know about Livability’s partnership with the National Free Wills Network. We can offer you the opportunity to have a simple Will written or updated with a local solicitor – for free. Of course, Livability would be very grateful if you decide to support us with a gift in your Will, but there is no obligation to do so.
Forest school
Cooking
Sign up to our Free Will Scheme in 3 Easy Steps: Step 1 – To receive your free will pack please call our friendly supporter services team on 020 7452 2121 or email supporterservices@livability.org.uk Step 2 – You will be referred to The National Free Wills Network and receive a pack with a list of local solicitors to choose from Step 3 – Simply choose a firm and contact them directly to make an appointment to make your Will Autumn 2023
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Grit + Gratitude
Grit + Gratitude with cleaning, to check I’ve done it ok. Sometimes they take me shopping but I like to try and do that mostly on my own.’
Stroke survivor Rich’s new life at Livability Wall Street
He has felt supported and cared for by staff when he’s needed it most: ‘They help me massively. My dad has got cancer and he’s undergoing treatment at the moment, and there’s always someone to talk to here. I’ve shared my worries with Tracy [regional service manager] a few times, I can tell you!’
After being hospitalised for a serious illness, Rich suffered nerve damage – and was completely paralysed as a result, able only to move his eyes
His prognosis was tough: he was told by doctors that he would never move again and would need 24/7 care for the rest of his life. Rich was determined to prove the doctors wrong and worked on his rehabilitation with incredible determination. He can now walk and was able to move to Livability Wall Street in Hereford, which has proved an ideal place for his new life. 8
Your Livability
‘I’ve moved into the independent living flat on the first floor of the Wall Street service and I can access the gym and local amenities. The biggest issue for me is my balance, which is part of the brain injury I had.’ Rich Music is just one of Rich’s favoured passtimes
‘After two years in various hospitals and rehab, it was a bit of a shock to the system to be back in the big wide world again, but very exciting at the same time,’ Rich says. Staff at Wall Street have given Rich his life back. ‘They’re worth a million bucks,’ he says. ‘I’m partially sighted so they help me with correspondence and appointments. They also help me
Rich is proud to call Livability Wall Street home
Your support can help more people like Rich to live independent, fulfilled lives … please donate today by completing the enclosed form, visiting livability.org.uk/autumn-news or calling 020 7452 2121 Autumn 2023
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Technology + Music
Expression + Poetry
Hitting the charts at Victoria School
Music therapy is a big hit with students at our education centres – and Olly and friends, at Livability Victoria, have got a band together for Friday jamming sessions
Olly’s passionate about making music
Olly uses Eyegaze, a programme that enables him to control his computer with eye movements, to play the drums, at which he excels. His bandmates William, Deniz and Daniel are part of the band, playing synthesiser, sound beam and percussion. Soundbeam is a cutting-edge device that enables students with very little movement to create their own melodies, beats and great music.
The band rocks out every Friday in the music room and can be heard on the school’s VIBE Radio, run by the students.
Former student and and poet Dave Young – known as ‘The Shouting Mute’ – got students playing with words at his second poetry workshop at Livability Victoria. Students enjoyed their first poetry day so much that Dave was recently invited back for a return session Taking the topic of ‘life in different worlds’, students produced some vibrant verses, picturing themselves as professional footballers, saving the world as super-heroes – or for some, relaxing in a comfy bed.
and workshop facilitator. He has channelled his creative passion into supporting young people across Europe, sometimes in conflict zones, to create art and enjoy the happines and escapism it can bring.
Dave brought considerable experience to the workshop, as a freelance author, poet, director
‘I’m a passionate believer in the power of poetry, and seeing what Victoria students produce is so exciting,’ says Dave.
Not only that, but Olly has also mastered solo xylophone, with a piano accompaniment. The band’s achievement has reaped rewards – they are number six in the Mixcloud global charts. Listen to Olly and other students on VIBE radio at mixcloud.com/vecviberadio
Your support can help more young people like Olly pursue their passions. Please donate today by completing the enclosed form, visiting livability.org.uk/autumn-news or calling 020 7452 2121 10 Your Livability
Wonderful work with words
On the next page – read a beatiful poem from Livability Victoria student Sophie Autumn 2023 11
Expression + Poetry
otion m e f o x i feel a m I y a d o aster T o c r e l l o r n, like a w o d d y Up an d happ n a s s e gr my pro f o d u Pro one far g e v a h as I leased p , e r u t u ut the f o b a d Excite m me rable, that I a a e b n u o ain is s p , t h g Distrau p mixed u l l a ’ s d min tunnel k r a d see is a n a c I l l A a little , h g u o h tunnel t e h t r e t Af ight ball of l ppiness a h o t k bac Leading e - Sophi ain. g a e c n o
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