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Welcome to Harpenden Mencap
Harpenden Mencap is a local independent charity for people with a learning disability and their families.
We work to to gain support, education, housing, jobs, and recreational opportunities for people with learning
disabilities, and also to offer supportive services to their families.
Our work is possible only through the often unseen help of our Volunteers, Staff and Members, through our
many generous donors and through the goodwill of the community. Harpenden Mencap is immensely grateful for this support..
What we do...
- Our volunteer Welfare team provides support and advice to carers and families.
- We support the independence of learning disabled people by helping them to live on their own, if they wish, or in shared
accommodation at Stairways and elsewhere. We also provide respite care for younger people at Stairways.
- Our charity shop, Roundabout in Southdown, raises funds for our work and runs a training scheme for the learning
disabled. We also hold an annual Flag Day in Harpenden and Wheathampstead.
- We support learning disabled people to provide a Shopping Service for people who are housebound.
- We have a social group for adults, the Britannia Club, and work in partnership with the local youth service to
provide an inclusive youth club.
- We have links with Harpenden Gateway which orgamises weekly social events for adults.
- We support Special Act, a weekly dance and drama activity for those aged 5-18. We have links with CommonSENse,
a society helping families with children having special educational needs.
- We work closely with Hertfordshire County Council Social Services and other local authorities, who are responsible for
assessing the needs of the learning disabled and providing advisory and financial support.
- We help members to take part in many leisure activities including riding, swimming, athletics, sports and other events,
often through Passport to Leisure and Special Olympics.
- We provide job opportunities and in-service NVQ training for staff at Stairways.
What.is a learning disability?
A learning disability is something that affects the way a person learns or communicates or does certain
everyday things. People with a learning disability may also have physical and emotional conditions that are associated with
their learning disability.
Learning disability is not an illness and therefore it cannot be “cured”. It is not a form of mental illness.
Most learning disabilities are caused by something that happens during pregnancy or birth or in early childhood which affects
the way that the brain develops.
Some people have a mild learning disability and do not need a great deal of support. Others may need support to do specific
things – for example with their shopping or when they get dressed. Those people who also have a physical disability
may need support throughout the day and night. .
Our Values
We believe that anyone receiving a service from us should:
- be given the opportunity, support, information and encouragement to:
- take part in everyday community activities,
- make and maintain valued relationships,
- make choices about their lifestyles;
- be protected from abuse of any kind;
- be treated with dignity and respect;
- have the right to know who holds information about them and to expect that any information will only be shared with those
who need to know in order to care for, support or protect them;
- be treated as an individual;
- have their religious, cultural and lifestyle needs met.
These are the values underpinning Harpenden Mencap services.
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Links and Contacts
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Telephone
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Website or email address
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Britannia Club
A fortnightly social club for people over 18
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CommonSENse
A support group for those whose children have special educational needs
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Dacorum Mencap
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01442 247675
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Gateway Club
A weekly social club for those over 16
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Learning Disability Helpline |
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Passport to Leisure and Special Olympics
Activities and Sport for adults
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Pre-school Opportunity Class
Batford Nursery School
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01582 762274
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Roundabout Charity Shop
4, Grove Road, Southdown, Harpenden
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01582 764274
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Royal Mencap
The national website for the leading charity for people with a learning disability and their families
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020 7454 0454
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Mencap Group Office
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01582 560003
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Social Services
Hertfordshire County Council
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01438 737400
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Special Act
Drama and dance for learning disabled children and their brothers and sisters. Ages 5-18
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01582 763675
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St Albans Mencap
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01727 851472
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