Alec visited Wharfedale House in Wetherby last week to see how the service supports disabled people living in the area.
Wharfedale House is a Leonard Cheshire Disability service providing a range of services for up to 18 adults, predominantly with physical disabilities. The service also has a charity shop on Cross Street in Wetherby where residents like to get involved by holding fundraising events.
Commenting on the visit and his role as a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Department for Work & Pensions, Alec said: “Leonard Cheshire Disability is the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of services for disabled people and as such I was keen to visit Wharfedale House, here in my own constituency, to learn not only about the great work that goes on but about the challenges facing the sector. In Government I’m working closely with Ministers and charities to see what more we can do to support disabled people into work so I was especially impressed to hear how Leonard Cheshire’s services include innovative projects supporting disabled people into education, employment and entrepreneurship”.
As well as meeting staff and residents at Wharfedale House, Mr Shelbrooke visited the Leonard Cheshire Disability charity shop in the town where he met a network of volunteers who work in partnership with the residents at Wharfedale House. The shop, which has been open since 1965 and is a well-established feature of the local community in Wetherby, generates profits which are invested directly back to Wharfedale House.
Maureen Asquith, Volunteer Co-ordinator for Leonard Cheshire Disability said, “We were delighted to welcome Alec Shelbrooke MP to the Leonard Cheshire Disability Charity shop at Wetherby. The shop is run by volunteers who give of their time and all funds raised help to support residents at the charity’s nearby service at Wharfedale House. During his visit Alec met with some of the volunteers and thanked them for their contribution to the local community in Wetherby. We are always keen to welcome new volunteers to the shop and if members of the public would like to help they should visit the shop to find out more information”.
