This month, a member of West Berkshire Mencap’s Newbury Gateway Club received a lovely surprise. Alan has been attending Newbury Gateway Club, a weekly evening leisure club for adults with learning disabilities, for over twenty five years, making him the club’s longest attending member! Alan turned eighty five years old this month, and the staff and members of the club were determined to make it a birthday to remember. Alan was surprised with a cake at a Gateway session by his fellow members that had been made specially to celebrate this milestone.
Kate Grogan, Deputy Gateway Leader, said “It is amazing to have a member of our club who has been attending for the amount of time that Alan has. He is a very popular member of our club, and knows the history of the club better than anyone else, due to him being part of it for over twenty five years! We love that our members wanted to celebrate Alan’s special birthday with him, and we were so happy to see how much it meant to him. Moments like this highlight what a lovely club Gateway is to be a part of.”
West Berkshire Mencap’s Newbury Gateway has been awarded Gateway Beacon status by Royal Mencap, as an example of good practice for other Gateway clubs to follow. The service’s popularity has led to West Berkshire Mencap setting up two more Gateway Clubs which are based in Hungerford and Beenham. These smaller clubs cater for adults with learning disabilities who prefer a quieter atmosphere and enjoy small group work.
If you would like more information about West Berkshire Mencap’s Gateway Service contact the Charity on 01635 41464 or gateway.club@wbmencap.org
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