Looking Back Moving Forward: A tribute

Twenty three years of hard work, determination and joy, tinged with moments of sadness, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale’s Learning Disabilities Home Support Service is celebrating the end of an era.

The Home Support Service that supports people with learning disabilities will soon be managed by different organisations from June 2007. But before this happens both clients and staff believe they have a lot to be proud of and are marking the occasion by demonstrating their achievements.

There have been considerable developments and improvements to the LDS since 1984 when Rochdale Borough began to support people to move from the large institutions back into their local community. The journey has been remarkable. Throughout the years there have been many personal, professional and organisational achievements and the service believes that as people move in different directions, its history should not go unrecognised.
 
Professional and organisational achievements such as the following should not be underestimated:

• The many successes of the Health Team
• The development of the Training Team in delivering the Learning Disabilities Award Framework
• Achieving Investors in People status
• Being part of the first organisation in Britain to achieve Magnet status

These achievements are not withstanding the day-to-day work of supporting the people we serve to high quality standards. The hard work and commitment of the services unsung heroes is demonstrated by one of the teams achieving Runner-Up prize in the HMPCT Outstanding Achievement Awards.

Angela Anslow, Learning Disabilities Service Manager said: “We wanted to mark this momentous occasion with a large celebration event to congratulate  all members of staff and the people we support who have made considerable progress and to commemorate the service.

"I am particularly proud of everyone who has been involved over the years and after 15 years of working for the NHS in Rochdale I believe we have created a Learning Disabilities Home Support Service where staff are enthusiastic, committed and passionate. Their dedication is clearly appreciated by all of the people we support. Working together we have a created a service that everyone can be proud to be a part of and this accomplishment should not go unnoticed.”

‘Looking Back Moving Forward: A Tribute” is a celebration event, taking place on 22 March 2007 at Rochdale Town Hall. The event forms part of a series of commemorative activities that are taking place over the next few months. Throughout the day in the reception room there will be displays and photographs provided by the people the service supports.

This part of the event is an open invitation to the people we support and their families, colleagues, staff past and present, can come along, be a part of the service’s celebrations and see how much has been achieved by the Learning Disabilities Home Support Service over the years. 

A formal presentation follows (invitation only) and accredited awards including Learning Disabilities Award Framework Awards will be presented by the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Jean Hornby. The grand finale of the formal celebrations culminates in a Tribute to the unsung heroes within the LDS service, by presentation of the Jane Cummins Role of Honour to mark outstanding achievements made by staff.