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Sense Annual Review 2015
We support people of all ages who are deafblind, have sensory impairments and those with complex needs.
ACTION! There is a thriving community of active families at the heart of Sense.
We strive to ensure that our services are built around the needs and wishes of each individual.
We have specialist skills in supporting people with complex communication needs.
I am hugely proud that Sense has been
supporting people with sight and hearing impairments, and often other disabilities, for 60 years.
So many things have changed for the better in that time. Where there was once little help for deafblind people and their families, Sense now offers high quality services and support – based around individual dignity and choice.
We strive to ensure that our services are built around the needs and wishes We support people to express themselves of experiences. each individual. and explore stimulating new
But our ambitions don’t end there. I am keenly aware that there are still many disabled individuals and families struggling to get the right support. And in these financially difficult times we need to be even more creative and determined to bring new opportunities to them. This review shows how we are continuing to push the envelope – giving children stimulating new experiences, offering life-enhancing arts and outdoor activities, and empowering people to have their say. None of this would be possible without the incredible backing of our staff, volunteers and supporters. My thanks to each and every one of you. Here’s to the next 60 years!
Gill Morbey
Our Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, presents awards to a group of adventurous young people.
Giving children the best possible start
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“ Sometimes Ernie got sad and upset because he didn’t have the strength in his hands to learn sign language. So he was introduced to all sorts of tactile play and his fingers got stronger and stronger.” Three-year-old Ernie is quite an entertainer says his mum, Helen.
He loves playing with his twin brother Ted, drawing and making a nice mess with shaving foam and bubbles!
He was born with Down’s syndrome and has sight and hearing impairments as well as weak muscles. It is vital that children like Ernie get help early – so that they can be supported to interact with the world, communicate and develop their skills and confidence. Fortunately, Ernie’s mum, Helen, found out about Sense’s Woodside Family Centre and their highly experienced staff were able to assess Ernie’s needs, offer guidance and support the whole family. “The staff really get to know each child,” says Helen, “and they advised us how to help Ernie to move forward.” He was introduced to all sorts of messy play – like finger painting and having fun with sand – and gradually his motor skills and co-ordination improved.”
“It was lovely those first times when Ernie signed back to me,”
says Helen. “Now he’s got quite an extensive vocabulary and knows all his animals and foods. He can tell you what he wants now – it is really great to see.”
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The difference we make: • Our Children’s Specialist Services assess each child’s particular needs and put together programmes that will help them to learn and develop. • Sense supports the whole family. We offer a wide range of activities – from family days to sibling weekends – where people can share information, take a break and realise that they are not alone with the challenges they face.
2015 highlights • Sense supported 1,039 children and young people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland – 4% more than the previous year, including 185 families who contacted us for the first time. • We opened the new Hadley Family Centre in north London, which will offer specialist support to children and families across the South East.
Supporting active, healthy lives 6
“ I like walking barefoot. I enjoy the sensation of getting into the mud and water. It’s lovely and soft.”
Helene would be extremely isolated without support –
and her world would be a frightening, empty place. But happily it’s not like that. Sense supports her to live in her own flat and she loves to take part in the stimulating and sociable activities we offer. The Barefoot Walk, one of many outdoor activities we provide, is a particular favourite of hers. She also enjoys climbing, skating and the sauna – to name a few. Sense offers an ever-changing choice of challenging activities for the people we support. Apart from being a lot of fun, these help individuals to grow in confidence, stay healthy and enjoy a real sense of achievement. And they
are also a brilliant way to bring people together, to share
experiences and build friendships.
With this growing confidence, Helene has started to stretch her wings. She’s made new friends and is now an active member of SURG – Sense’s Users’ Reference Group. “I go twice a year” she says. “We discuss things about Sense’s policy and practice. We make a difference.”
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The difference we make: • A wide choice of stimulating and challenging activities help people stay heathy and active. • Sense ensures that the individuals and families we serve are fully involved in planning and shaping the services we provide.
2015 highlights • Over 1,000 people took part in our sports and arts activities last year. • On an outward-bound adventure in Denmark, dune walks, fishing and bridge building created a special bond of comradeship and cooperation.
Empowering people to have their say
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“ This is my passion. Deafblind people are a hard-to-reach group and we are such a diverse range of individuals – but we should speak with one voice.” Annette Bodsworth has been a highly effective campaigner for over 20 years. She was instrumental in developing services for deafblind people in Essex and is a key player in a number of service user groups that work in partnership with the council. She also worked closely with Sense to ensure that the government recognised the needs of deafblind people in the new Care Act. But as she is the first to say, she is no superwoman. “People see me as very strong,” she says, “but I’ve also had times when I thought I might crumble.” At different times she has suffered rejection, trauma and periods of loneliness and anxiety. She first became involved with Sense when she was finally diagnosed with Usher syndrome aged 39. These were difficult days, but with Sense’s support, and a lot of determination on her part, she has gradually grown in confidence. Today she is one of a network of people with impaired sight and hearing that Sense supports, and works in partnership with, to campaign for change.
“I believe in keeping a positive attitude,” she says. “There are times
when it becomes very challenging, and we can all become cynical, but I think the wheels are turning.”
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The difference we make: • Sense helps break down isolation and build confidence in people with deafblindness – including Usher syndrome – by offering information, support, events and social activities. • We work in close partnership with individuals and their families – which is the most powerful way to lobby local and national government for better services.
2015 highlights • As a result of Sense campaigning, The Children and Families Act and The Care Act reflect the needs of deafblind people much more fully. • In order to help people to have better experiences of health services – including receiving accessible information – Sense has provided training to NHS staff.
A new adventure – and the chance for a break 10
“ I like to tackle and I like to score. And do everything fast!”
Ten-year-old Tyrese is a bundle of energy. Like many boys his age,
The difference we make:
he loves football: if he’s not kicking a ball around and pretending to be Lionel Messi, he’s chatting for hours about his favourite teams.
• Sense offers a wide range of stimulating holidays and short breaks for children, adults and older people. They also give families and carers a much-needed break.
On a Sense short break in Derbyshire Tyrese got to play football every day – and try loads of exciting new things. Supported by Stephen, a trained volunteer, he trekked through the woods with a llama, cooked a homemade pizza, played pool and much more.
• We rely on volunteers to deliver our holidays, run our shops and many other activities across Sense. Last year 1,800 people contributed more than 485,000 hours of their time to support us.
Each young person on our short breaks is supported to do what they want, at their own pace. For Tyrese, this is often as fast as possible! “We played football – I was the captain!” he signs. “We had a Halloween party spooktacular and had races in the swimming pool – and I won!” Short breaks give children with sensory impairments like Tyrese the chance to be part of a group – and make new friends in a safe and fun environment. Meanwhile, the children’s families can have a much-needed rest and recharge their batteries. For many, it is their first break from caring. At the end of the third day, Tyrese was presented with a very special handmade trophy by Jessica, one of his new friends. Would he go on a short break again? “Oh yes definitely! It’s exciting!
And the people are lovely.” 11
2015 highlights • Through increased partnership working with other organisations and local authorities, we increased our short break provision by 1,000 hours. • An independent evaluation of Sense’s short breaks programme by the University of Chester provided clear evidence of the benefit of this approach – including that 100% of parents said the short break was the most significant break they get from their caring responsibilities.
People power in action
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“ I like it when people come to you and value your opinion. I am one of the ambassadors for Sense’s new TouchBase service which is opening in 2017.” Joe has always wanted to run his life his way. He has his own
The difference we make:
Sense-supported flat and chose the staff he wanted to help him live there. “I like living in my own flat,” he says. “I can do what I want, when I want.”
• Sense offers a range of supported housing, educational and day opportunities that are built around each individual’s needs and preferences.
He is also supported to follow his interests and take part in all sorts of activities at Sense and in the local community – everything from chairing a forum for deafblind people to working part-time in the reception of one of our services. “I enjoy meeting people, answering the phone calls,” he says, “I like the gossip too!”
• We work carefully, sensitively and patiently with each individual – learning how they prefer to communicate, to spend their time and express themselves.
Recently he has become one of the ambassadors for Sense’s pioneering TouchBase service in Birmingham. “We talked to the architects so they could make the right plans” he says, “and we have got involved with the fundraising.” TouchBase will be a new state-of-the art centre which will incorporate Sense services with a wide range of activities and facilities that reach out to the local community in the Midlands. “It’s going to have a café, a garden, an arts area and loads of other things,” says Joe,
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
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2015 highlights • TouchBase has been co-designed by TouchBase champions like Joe. The plans were finalised last year and we will begin construction at the beginning of 2016. • TouchBase will deliver significant social and economic value, contributing towards the regeneration of the area and creating 130 new jobs, whilst supporting people with disabilities into full-time employment.
Promoting wellbeing through art 14
“ It was a wonderful project. I got the satisfaction of thinking, well, I’m still good at doing something. And I met people with the same problem as me, so we could understand one other.” Since Piera came over from Italy in 1948, she has always had
to work very hard she says. And now that her hearing is poor, and her husband is unwell, she still has a lot to cope with. The ‘Material Memories’ project helped her to do something just for her. It is one of the groups Sense runs to encourage people to express themselves through art and enjoy a feeling of wellbeing. “In the group we each made something based on our life story,” she says. “I made pieces about my city Piacenza, where I grew up. I stitched a map of all the roads I used to walk along when I was a girl.” It is a sad fact that many older people can become isolated and lonely when their sight and hearing deteriorate. Without the right support, their physical and mental health can decline and staying independent is a real struggle. The groups that Sense runs, and the services that we offer, aim to stop this happening – and to give people the chance to socialise, learn new skills and rebuild their confidence. “As you get older, it’s nice to think of the things you did when you were younger,” says Piera.
“I think the project was marvellous, a lovely idea.”
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The difference we make: • Sense runs a range of early intervention projects, such as befriending and social prescribing where people of all ages can enjoy a shared interest, socialise and support one another with the challenges they face. • Sense Communicator Guides help people to keep, or extend, their independence. They offer guiding, communication support and practical help – for example, by helping individuals to visit the doctors.
2015 highlights • A sound installation involving 60 young people with sensory impairments was exhibited thanks to support from a Touring Grant awarded by the Arts Council. • We held two art exhibitions of work by deafblind artists in Lincoln and Exeter, an exhibition of a sensory photography project, and a museum ‘takeover’ day in Lincolnshire that showcased poetry, storytelling, drama, music, craft and photography.
Thanks a million! We are hugely grateful to the individuals, groups and organisations that raised over £9.4 million for Sense last year. Their generosity, loyalty and innovation allow us to continue offering vital services for people with sight and hearing impairments. Going the extra mile
Coming together
Once again, Sense supporters pushed themselves to the limit:
We have been delighted to work in partnership with out generous supporters this year:
• Over 400 runners pounded the streets in the Virgin Money London Marathon to raise £830,000 – with special mention going to the Huddersfield Marathon Band who raised £68,000 and achieved the ‘Fastest Marathon by a Marching Band’ Guinness World Record.
• Thanks to the generosity of the City Bridge Trust, SFIA Educational Trust and the Department for Education, we were able to create and publish best practice models for young people making the challenging transition into adulthood. • Sense and NEC got into the swing of things to raise a splendid £13,782 at our golf day at the renowned Buckinghamshire Golf Club – with many leading representatives from the AV industry taking to the greens.
• Over 200 plucky people tied on their walking boots to raise nearly £100,000 in the 2014 RidgeWalk.
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A fantastic commitment
27,580 generous people gave regular donations to Sense
Special friends We were honoured to join forces with The Foresters Friendly Society in a charity partnership. Huge thanks to the High Chief Ranger, David Watkins and each and every one who has tirelessly fundraised and supported Sense throughout the year.
2,394 employees kindly supported us directly through their payroll at work
A special mention to Sport England who are funding DeafblindActive – an innovative sports programme to support people to overcome the physical, logistical and psychological barriers to participating in sports – and to get fit and have a lot of fun! Getting stuck in Ninety green fingered volunteers from Procter and Gamble Prestige rolled up their sleeves to cultivate the allotment beds and extend the orchard area at TouchBase South East – our state-of-the-art resource centre for people with disabilities in north London.
134 individuals generously chose to leave a gift in their will to Sense
“ It was a great pleasure and privilege working alongside Sense. As well as the fun of a day outdoors and the team building activities, we shared a common goal and vision. We ended the day with the satisfying and inspiring sensation that we had really made a difference.”
2,315 adventurers took part in a Sense event
Alessandra Morelli, Procter and Gamble Prestige
218 community organisations made a vital donation
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258 people chose Sense to remember their loved one with an ‘in memory’ gift
Major supporters Our major supporters have a significant impact on the lives of deafblind people and their families. With thanks to: Arts Council of England Audrey Earle Charitable Trust Austin & Hope Pilkington Trust Awareness Fund Baron Davenport’s Charity Trust BBC Children In Need Appeal Big Lottery Fund Brian Wilson Charitable Trust Cantiacorum Foundation Centerbridge Foundation (USA) CHK Charities Ltd Department for Education Department of Health European Union – Grundtvig Programme Fowler Smith and Jones Trust G J W Turner Trust Jesus Hospital Charity John James Bristol Foundation Joseph Strong Frazer Trust King/Cullimore Charitable Trust Lady Blakenham’s Charity Trust Mark Garner, Garner Homes Miss W E Lawrence 1973 Charitable Settlement Myristica Trust Payne Gallwey 1989 Charitable Trust Peter Storrs Trust Ray of Light Foundation (from Patrick Ryder) Richard Radcliffe Charitable Trust Smith Charitable Trust Sport England The Ballinger Charitable Trust The Bartle Family Charitable Trust The Beatrice Laing Trust The Blair Foundation
The Boltini Trust The Camelia Trust The City Bridge Trust The Connie & Albert Taylor Charitable Trust The D&R Lewis Family Charitable Trust The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation The Estate of Helen Eunice Johnson The Florence Shute Millennium Trust The Fulmer Charitable Trust The G M C Trust The Geoff and Fiona Squire Foundation The George & EsmeePollitzer Settlement The Hadley Trust The Hyde Foundation The John Pinto Foundation The Liz & Terry Bramall Foundation The Lockwood Charitable Foundation The Maxwell Family Foundation The Misses C M Pearson & MV Williams Charitable Trust The Morton Charitable Trust The Northwick Trust The Odin Charitable Trust The Open Gate Trust The P F Charitable Trust The Patrick and Helena Frost Foundation The Peacock Charitable Trust The Princess Anne’s Charities Trust The Regional Development Fund The Robert Hall Foundation The Tanner Trust The Thomas Farr Charity The Thomas J Horne Memorial Trust The Thompson Family Charitable Trust The William Kenneth Hutchings C.T.
To find out how we can recognise your significant gift please contact Helen Mitchell, Major Donor Manager, on 020 7520 0981 or email helen.mitchell@sense.org.uk
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Hats off to Sense Trading! These are still tough times for retailers on the high street but Sense is rising to the challenge. Our new strategy concentrates on getting the best from all our people – from volunteers to our management team – and ensuring that we have plenty of Gift Aid donated stock in our shops and some exciting ranges of specially selected new goods. The results of this have already been very encouraging. In a dynamic year we: • Opened three new shops, with a further eight in the pipeline • Invested in our shop management teams through a series of learning and development programmes – with a focus on growing a stronger, commercially-aware team • Launched a pack for volunteers, along with their very own quarterly newsletter, which shows how much we value their contribution • Built stronger links with the deafblind people and the communities we serve – especially in Crayford, south London, where our main trading warehouse is based.
Our finances Along with the whole charity sector, Sense faced great financial pressure in 2014/15. However, our creativity and the skill and effort of all who work with and support us, ensured we met this challenge well. The total income for England, Wales and Northern Ireland was £59.9m – an increase of £0.6m since 2013/14. Fees and statutory grants, our main source of income, increased from £39.5m last year to £40.6m.
Expenditure £m Adults 39.3
Our fundraised income increased by £0.7m, so a huge thank you to all who gave their time, effort, commitment and passion to achieve this. Legacy income was again £1.9m and we are so grateful to those who remembered us in their wills. Overall net fundraising and legacy income increased from £8.7m to £9.4m.
Children 2.4 Older people
1.4
Campaigning, awareness 2.1
The net income from our shops fell by £0.1m, but during tough times for the local high street this was an achievement. Our wonderful team of staff and volunteers in Trading are improving things all the time, so with your help we expect a bright future.
Quality improvements
0.5
Fundraising costs
3.7
Shops costs
9.0
Total 58.4
We spent £43.1m providing services for children, adults and older people, whilst our investment in campaigning, public awareness and staff development was £2.5m.
Income £m Fees and allowances
The Sense Group
Statutory grants
The Sense Group is made up of a number of separate organisations:
40.1 0.5
Fundraising and legacies 9.4 Shops 9.4
• Sense • Sense Scotland • Sense International.
Investment and other
0.5
Total 59.9
Each part is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee, with its own Board and Memorandum and Articles. Each organisation runs its own activities for supporting and promoting the interests of children and adults who are deafblind or have multi-sensory impairments. Sense Scotland operates in Scotland, and Sense International supports and develops programmes in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Peru, Romania, Tanzania and Uganda.
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And on to the next adventure!
Sense 101 Pentonville Road London, N1 9LG Tel: 0300 330 9257 Fax: 0300 330 9251 Text: 0300 330 9252 Email: info@sense.org.uk
www.sense.org.uk @Sensetweets Registered charity number 289868