Break Aways

What Break Aways did

Leonard Cheshire Disability worked in partnership with the Edinburgh Local Area Coordination Team and Options in Life to identify individuals that were not in receipt of any funding, and a number of meetings were held with the identified individuals. During these meetings a plan was developed based on the preferences of the individuals and the type of activities/breaks that they would like to take part in.

As a result of creating these plans we were able to arrange several short breaks which included: a trip to Top Gear Live in Liverpool, a weekend in Manchester to see McBusted, a Blues Brothers weekend were the individuals dressed up for the concert. A weekend break in Edinburgh, there was also a visit to Coronation Street and a Knockhill Weekend where the individuals participated in Go Karting then had a night at the shows.

These were just a few of the breaks that we have been able to deliver which have given carers the opportunity to have a much needed respite break from their daily caring routine. For one family this was the first weekend that they had ever spent time away from their son, this allowed them as a family to have time away on there own. They have requested that we also keep them informed of any other breaks in the future as they have seen there son grow in confidence whilst meeting new friends and gaining new skills

The Service was managed in the whole by our existing staff team and a few additional bank workers were recruited to assist with the larger breaks. All Individuals that were on the breaks have requested further information on any up and coming breaks we are holding, as the breaks offered gave them time to spend with there other children go on a weekend break themselves or just have some me time were all the comments we got feedback.

What Leonard Cheshire Disability has learned

We have learned that to identify and source individuals not in receipt of funding was very challenging at the start of the project as there was no clear pathway to follow.

The funding has now allowed us to work in partnership with other organisations and this has allowed us to develop our programme of activities