Leading equity firm, Advent International, has donated £400,000 in response to Mencap’s urgent coronavirus appeal.
The donation will help charity provide vital support to people with a learning disability during the pandemic, as well as empower people to build independent lives as we move forwards towards a new normal.
Loss
The coronavirus pandemic has affected people across the world, but people with a learning disability have been hit especially hard. Throughout the pandemic Mencap has continued to provide support to thousands of people with a learning disability, their families and carers.
The charity’s helpline, online support services, and lobbying and influencing work has also continued.
Charities are currently facing an uncertain future as the UK’s charity sector could lose billions of pounds in income at a time when there are increased pressures on their services. Since the start of the pandemic, Mencap has taken on significant financial costs to continue to deliver social care support, this includes the cost of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and additional staffing costs.
Edel Harris, chief executive of Mencap, says: “We are incredibly grateful for Advent International’s generous donation to our urgent appeal and our supported employment programme.
“Our extraordinary support workers and helpline team are working extremely hard to support the 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK and their families. They will need our support not just today but for many years to come.”
Helpline provision has been increased to provide essential information and advice to people with a learning disability and their loved ones, as well as adapting some of the charity’s programmes to meet support needs during lockdown by delivering these programmes virtually.
Donation
Funds raised from Mencap’s urgent appeal, along with Advent International’s donation, will help the charity to support people through this challenging time.
James Brocklebank, a managing partner at Advent International, says: “The work Mencap is doing to support the lives of the 1.5 million people in the UK who have a learning disability is invaluable, particularly during this exceptionally challenging time.
“We are incredibly proud to support Mencap and specifically the employment project, which has the potential to empower so many people and change their lives for the better.”
Advent’s donation will also go towards helping Mencap support people with a learning disability to rebuild their lives and independence after lockdown. Before the coronavirus pandemic, less than 6% of people with a learning disability known to their local authority were in paid employment.
Working with employers, Mencap will continue to break down barriers to employment and provide support to people with a learning disability to get them into paid work.
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