Sarah and Peter's Story
If you saw Sarah singing a solo at the Reach 20th Anniversary Concert in Southwell Minster, or chatting and cooking a meal, you would find it difficult to believe that 10 years ago she hardly left her bedroom. But that is the difference that the support of our staff and volunteers has made to Sarah.
Sarah has been cared for her whole life by her family, but when her mother sadly passed away, Sarah's father Peter became concerned about what the future held for her. She had become confident and happy through attending sessions at Reach, from singing and music to crafts and cookery.
But once her father was not able to care for her, who would Sarah live with and where?
As Sarah’s father Peter says:
“I could die a happy man if I knew Sarah was being looked after by Reach.”
There is accommodation for adults with learning disabilities in other parts of Nottinghamshire, but this would mean moving Sarah away from the Southwell area, where she knows and is known in the community, and away from her activities at Reach’s Southwell Centre. Coping with a move like this is difficult for anybody, but for Sarah, who loves her familiar routines, losing friends, family and support in one go will be particularly hard.