Livability (charity)

Livability is a national disability charity based in the UK and is the country's largest Christian disability charity.[1] The charity was formed in 2007 after a merger between the Shaftesbury Society and John Grooms.[2] The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, became President of the organization in 2013[3] and the previous Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was its vice-president.[4]

History
An artificial rose distributed to raise funds by John Groom's Cripplegate and Flower Girls' Mission

John Alfred Groom was a Victorian philanthropist who founded the Watercress and Flower Girls' Christian Mission (later "John Groom's Cripplegate and Flower Girls' Mission"), in 1866. In 1872 the social reformer Lord Shaftesbury established the Emily Loan Fund to enable young women flower sellers to support themselves. Later, in 1914, the Ragged School Union merged into the Shaftesbury Society, becoming fully subsumed under the title of the Shaftesbury Society in 1944.

In 2007, the two charities merged and combined their experience in care, education and employment support to create the disability charity Livability.[5]

Services

Livability provides a number of services for disabled people across the country. These include education services such as school and colleges, care homes, specialist rehabilitation services, holidays for disabled people, employment advice and training courses.[6]

Livability also works with entrepreneurs to acquire the skills necessary to run a business. They provide workshops and training courses which cover business planning, book-keeping and marketing.[7]

In December 2014 Livability acquired Holton Lee in Dorset - now Livability Holton Lee.[8] Livability Holton Lee is a large, predominantly outdoor area which is to be used for accessible holidays as well as being a venue for weddings and art exhibitions.[9]

Community engagement and church work

Livability’s community engagement team supports churches and Christian projects in disadvantaged urban areas by running courses providing resources, practical support and training courses.

In 2015 Livability worked with the Christian charity Mind and Soul to produce the Mental Health Access Pack. The Mental Health Access Pack is an online resource created to help church leaders make their churches fully accessible to people with mental health issues.[10] Katharine Welby-Roberts, the daughter of Archbishop Justin Welby and ex-Livability employee, helped to launch the Pack. In an interview in January 2015 she said: "Churches have a responsibility to welcome everyone who comes to them in Christ's name, but the reality is that they don't always know how best to support people who are struggling with mental health issues. The Mental Health Access Pack will help equip churches to make God's love more visible in the welcome they offer to every person."[11]

Patrons

Notable patrons and supporters of Livability include: Anne, Princess Royal (Patron); Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury (President); Valerie Howarth (Senior Vice President and Trustee); Esther Rantzen (Vice President); and Pam Rhodes (Vice President).[12] Harry Redknapp has also attended events in support of Livability.[13]

References
  1. "Tackling mental health stigma in churches". Eauk.org. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  2. "Welcome to Livability". Livability. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  3. "Archbishop becomes president of disability charity". Archbishopofcanterbury.org. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  4. "Archbishop becomes president of disability charity | Hereford Diocese". Hereford.anglican.org. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  5. "Our history". Livability. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  6. "Our services". Livability. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  7. Rezene Woldeyesus (2011-08-10). "Enterprise Agency | Livability - Choices for disabled people". Livability. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  8. "Holton Lee merges with Livability | Livability Holton Lee". Holtonlee.org. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  9. "at Holton Lee | Livability - Choices for disabled people". Livability. 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  10. "About Us". mentalhealthaccesspack.org. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  11. "Archbishop of Canterbury and daughter back churches' mental health toolkit - Christian News on Christian Today". Christiantoday.com. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  12. "Patron & honorary positions". Livability.org.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  13. "VIDEO: The innovative sensory changing rooms that will help disabled children prepare for the swimming pool". Bournemouthecho.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
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