As One (Enablement Services) CIC

It has been another exciting year for our organisation as we continue to grow with passion, purpose, and intent. Our success has and shall always be monitored by the outcomes of those we enable, support, and guide through life. I must first express my gratitude for the retention of a dedicated core staff group and management team, that excels in delivering exceptional specialist wellbeing support to those living with disease, disability, neurological conditions, and fluctuating mental ill-health. Although we have seen a 10% decrease in the total number of hours of support provided due to our clients either passing onto the next life, transitioning to complex / alternative care services, or successfully overcoming their identified barriers, we have worked extremely hard as a team to welcome in new clients; balancing our financial stature whilst showcasing our core enablement services with great pride. Our Carers Project in partnership with a fellow local 3rd sector organisation also came to an end during this 12-month period. We consider this partnership a great success, and it was a joy to work alongside such a dedicated team of care professionals. The project helped both organisations to further demonstrate the emotional weight that carers carry silently on their shoulders, and the benefit of appropriately-timed intervention to prevent deterioration of wellbeing. With support from VAST and the Beth Johnson Foundation, information from our Carers Project was essential in gaining support for our proposed free-to-access signposting service. In October 2024, it was thanks to a successful National Lottery bid that we were able to kickstart a free signposting service, available to any adult in the Stoke-on-Trent area who is experiencing barriers associated with disease, disability, and mental ill-health. Our Wellbeing and Empowerment Bridging Service (WEB) received an average of 77 enquiries within its first 6 months, and allows us to maintain a community office space for the more detailed, complex situations. Complete information will be provided at the end of the 12-month project period. We continue to invest in our local area, and it was with great pleasure we were able to adopt a local community support group, that was at risk of closing down, into our organisation. We provided the staff and funds to allow the group, mainly consisting of carers and their loved ones, to grow and thrive. Under our Time4Me (and a Cup of Tea) service, this was the first of our free community groups, where members of the public can access our wellbeing services for free. Worthwhile additional notes from this period include: We have seen a 39% increase in hours spent in support of those with forms of Dementia, a 45% increase in hours spent in support of those with neurological conditions, and a slight decrease in hours spent in support of those with physical conditions. Our team have also undertaken support of those with learning disabilities for the first time, and market demand has presented us with the opportunity to offer gardening services to our clients. A final note from myself to all those that have worked with us and alongside us, our partners, our employees, and our friends; thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to share this journey together. Life can be extremely complex, but in our quest for fulfilment, peace, and joy, we embrace and treasure simplicity.