THE QUACK LANE
Youngsters helped to live life to the fullest
MORE than 60 ducks were rescued by RSPCA officer Kate Wright after they waddled onto the M25 at Watford and got stranded.
Putting smiles on faces
Groups enjoy days out
WHETHER it’s enjoying a pint with their mates or heading off on a sunshine break, Liberty Jamboree ensures all its young people can live life to the full.
The charity has 450 members with special educational needs and disabilities. “A lot of our young people suffer emotional ill health but it’s not recognised because people only see disability,” says founder Maggi Huckfield.
“My passion is that they are young people and young adults – that’s what I see first, then their disabilities and their needs are what we have to try and educate other people to support.
“Seeing a young person smile, seeing them take steps into something they never thought they’d be able to do, that makes it all worthwhile for me.”
Liberty Jamboree, based in Staffordshire is one of dozens bidding for a grant from the Mirror. The paper has teamed up with the Pride of Britain fund to give
Liberty Jamboree helps young have fun
away £100,000 to community projects. Members of Liberty Jamboree aged 10 and over can join youth groups, a football team, running club or the Shine and Sign choir, who sign all their songs.
“We found our over 18s wanted to go out and socialise but they didn’t want to go out with a PA because they felt like they were paying for a friend,” says Maggi. “We developed a group work scenario where there’s two youth workers and we take a group out.
“They go and do everything that any young person does. We should have been going to Tenerife this month.”
Liberty Jamboree has started doing face-to-face meet ups again, using oneto-ones and social bubbles and would use the funding to develop an intense programme to support their most vulnerable members to come back out.
“They so desperately want to get back to where they were,” Maggi adds.