A Yellow Submarine is operating in Oxfordshire, but instead of taking people to Pepperland it is ferrying adults with learning disabilities away on holiday.
Founded by Toby Staveley, the West Oxfordshire charity Yellow Submarine Respite Holidays celebrates its first birthday next month. The 33-year-old, from Fulbrook, organises and subsidises short breaks, events and daytrips for people with a variety of different disabilities.
Service users get the chance to take a trip away in a supportive environment, and pick up some new skills on the way. Mr Staveley said the holidays also provide a respite for carers, and an opportunity for volunteers to involve themselves in rewarding experiences.
So far, with the help of around 20 volunteers, Yellow Submarine has taken groups to Blackpool, Dorset, the Isle of Wight and France. Around 80 people have benefited from the scheme in the past 12 months, and Toby said: “The main feedback has been that they enjoyed the company of others. Unfortunately nowadays there is a culture of isolation for people with learning disabilities.”
Mr Staveley launched the scheme after struggling to organise a trip away for a relative with Down’s Syndrome, and said the charity made short breaks more affordable, while it was easier to deal with trippers often complex needs. After a productive first year the charity is offering users the chance to take art lessons and create a range of cards, which will be available for sale.
Mr. Staveley said that one of the main issues hindering adults with learning disabilities is the difficulty of finding employment, and funding was hard to come by. “We are going as fast as funding allows,” he told the Journal. The charity recently became the 500th member of umbrella organisation Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA). The OCVA assists charities, community groups and social enterprises in different ways, including training opportunities and free web space.
Toby said: “I came across OCVA while searching on the internet for groups that support charities. I tried out some of the training opportunities, which I found really helpful. We are a tiny charity and as a new organisation I could see the advantages of being part of a larger network and accessing the support on offer.”
Ruth Domoney, OCVA’s finance and database officer, said: “It's great that Yellow Submarine have become the 500th member of OCVA. They join our growing network of diverse and dynamic voluntary and community organisations, working to improve the lives of local people. The more members we have, the louder the voice of charities will be in Oxfordshire.”
