Leading Lancashire charity One Fylde has taken to the airwaves in its latest initiative to help empower the people it supports.
The dynamic organisation – which already has people competing in the North West Olympics, winning awards, working in local shops as well as running gardening and recycling businesses – has trained a number of people with learning disabilities and autism to become DJs and launched a new radio station from its recording studios in St Anne’s.
One Fylde Radio broadcasts seven days a week, with presenters working from the studio in St Anne’s. Donning headphones, people with learning disabilities and autism, who are all part of the One Fylde family, present different shows on the internet radio station, which can be found at https://s9.citrus3.com:2020/public/onefylderadio
One Fylde CEO Tracey Bush said, “It’s a big step forward and we’re thrilled to be using our recording studio and facilities in this way to help some of the people we support to live the best lives they possibly can. It’s hugely important and brings invaluable benefits, such as creating a sense of pride, value and purpose, building self-confidence and commitment in parallel with developing new skills, both technical and practical, such as time-keeping, organisation and responsibility, as well as presenting and online communication skills,” she added.
“These and a range of other opportunities we offer, like taking part in small enterprises, can be great stepping stones for supporting people into employment and, importantly, demonstrate the outstanding contribution that people with learning disabilities and autism can make to their community.”
One Fylde, which is headquartered at Whitehills Business Park, Blackpool, is a locally-focused, independent and community-led charity, providing person-centred support, accommodation and exciting enterprises for adults with learning disabilities and autism across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. The organisation supports over 230 individuals and provides employment for nearly 450 staff. Its purpose is “to contribute to the wellbeing of everyone who is part of One Fylde, and to ensure that they are treated with respect and enabled to live the best life possible”.
The radio station, which broadcasts different shows every day, features a range of music, from classical to soul and pop. It also includes some co-hosted shows, with presenters chatting and enjoying some friendly banter on air.
Presenter Sian said, “It’s amazing to be on air! I’d like to thank, on behalf of all the team of presenters, everyone who has helped us to achieve this, with training, technical skills, and in a host of other ways, as well as for their support and encouragement. We’ve greatly appreciated it and I can’t believe were actually radio presenters and transmitting over the internet. I love it and it’s great fun planning and putting the shows together.”
Michelle Riches, One Fylde’s Director of Operations & Quality, said, “We’re so proud of all the presenters and everyone involved. They’ve worked so hard with training and technical logistics to get the radio station on air. It’s already bringing tremendous benefits to all involved and we hope people will tune it to listen to their favourite presenters and support this important initiative and to be nominated for this award is a great honour, we’re really excited.”
The initiative is just the latest in a string of developments at the trail-blazing charity, including one of the people supported, Joanna Miller, from St Anne’s, winning a hat-trick of bronze medals at the North West Special Olympics, as well as opening a new specially-adapted house in Thornton for four people it supports. It also includes Mayor of Fylde Councillor Cheryl Little inaugurating One Fylde’s new Queensway Park Farm site, along with the charity’s Recycling team clinching the Environmental Impact Award.
One Fylde supports people with learning disabilities and autism by providing them with work-based opportunities. As well as many programmes, the charity also runs a number of enterprises, two of which are based at Queensway Park Farm. Its Gardening group offers garden maintenance to homes and businesses across the Fylde Coast, while the One Fylde Recycling Team provides regular cardboard, paper and soft plastics from local businesses across Blackpool and the Fylde. They collect between 5 and 8 tonnes each week, with businesses making a suggested donation. The bailed products are then sold onto a recycling company to raise funds. They have recently started collecting textiles.
“We endeavour to do good wherever we can and we empower our supported individuals to make meaningful contributions and gain life experiences,” said One Fylde Chair David Stanhope. “These roles and jobs are highly-beneficial to the people we support, the community and One Fylde, for example, benefitting their well-being and creating a real worthwhile and meaningful purpose in life. We provide services to local businesses and people within the community, showing people with learning disabilities and autism in a positive light and reducing the stigma sometimes associated with the people we support. By using our friendly service, you are supporting One Fylde and the people we support.”
If you would like to make a donation to support One Fylde, please go to www.onefylde.org/donate/
