Cake and Coffee fundraiser for Newark adult day care centre The Avenue's day trip

A community day care group for adults with mental and physical disabilities has run an event to raise funds for a social fun day out.

The fundraising event was organised by The Avenue at the London Road Congregational Church in Newark to raise money for a social trip to Twin Lakes by selling cake, coffee and crafts.

The Avenue is run by Newark Mencap with the aim of ensuring people with learning disabilities are treated equally, valued, listened to and accepted.

Carolyn Brocklebank, ambassador and volunteer for Newark Mencap said: "This trip will hold great significance as it will be the groups first outing since before the lockdown."

The trip is especially important to Carolyn due to the mental effects of the pandemic, she explained: "We are aware that it has had an effect and trips like this help get our clients back to a sense of freedom and normality."

"These people are eager to interact, they're incredibly sociable, always happy to give a smile or a hug and obviously Covid precluded that. It's difficult to explain that to them and they managed very well but they're ready for a good outing.

"My own brother has down syndrome and used to come here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Friday he'd go into town to buy his TV magazine and have lunch, Saturday he'd go to church and Sunday he'd go to another church. So seven days a week just turned into nothing."

Fundraising activities ran on the day within the Avenue event included a tombola, craft sales and guess the sweets in the jar from which all money will go towards the Twin Lakes trip. All crafts are also being sold for 20p which Carolyn feels creates a sense of "satisfaction when seeing them sell."

Also at the fundraiser was Mayor of Newark Lawrence Goff, who spoke ahead of the event saying: "I'm always happy to attend events like this because the Mayor is for everybody, it's all about togetherness.

"A group like the Avenue is incredibly important as it provides a contact base and support for those that need it. We have to be inclusive and not stigmatise."

Besides the day trips and outings The Avenue runs activity workshops Monday to Thursday every week between 10am and 3pm, such as; craftwork, swimming, boccia, curling, karaoke, baking, discos and themed parties.

Carolyn said: "We currently have about fifteen to twenty regular attendees but anyone is welcome to come along and have a look around, try things out and see if it's something for them."

"I think it's nice for a parent to know that their child, however old they may be, is coming somewhere they are well and truly cared for and where they're going to be encouraged and entertained and active.

"We try to demonstrate that there is no right or wrong way to do something and patiently tailor our approach to the individual, creating things with a purpose or a use such as weaving bookmarks and creating paper decorations like pinwheels."

Food and drink for the event was contributed to by local businesses, with Morrisons providing vouchers to buy food with and Asda donating tea and coffee. Volunteers also baked cakes as well as providing prizes for a raffle and tombola. Newark business, Motorfinity also raised £165 to donate towards the trip.

Article assisted by Liam Salisbury (work experience)