Independent Lives

24/07/2025

🌿 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬!

South Downs National Park is drafting its 2026-2031 Management Plan – and they want to hear from you! Whether you live, work, or simply love the South Downs, this is your chance to influence how this beautiful landscape is protected and enjoyed for years to come.

📢 Have your say by 1st August 2025:

✅ General Public Survey (for individuals)
✅ Partner/Organisation Survey (for groups)

🔗 Take the survey here: https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/national-park-authority/our-work/partnership-management/ (or head to Instagram Bio)

📧 Need help? Email managementplan@southdowns.gov.uk for a Word version or questions.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝?
Over 1,000 stakeholders helped shape the draft – now it’s your turn! From conservation to community access, your feedback ensures the plan reflects what matters most.

🌱 Share this post to spread the word!

22/07/2025

💜 "𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒔𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑." – A client we supported at home

Healing happens best at home. Our private care services help you or your loved ones recover, stay independent and live well with:

🛋️ Personalised care plans – tailored to your needs
🤝 Companionship + daily support – boosting confidence
🛒 Practical help – meals, meds, household tasks

💙 Give families peace of mind – less stress, more quality time together.

📞 01903 219482 (option 2) to arrange compassionate, flexible care.

17/07/2025

🌟 Recap on our 2024 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: By the Numbers 🌟

As we reach the halfway point of 2025, we’re reflecting on an incredible year of support, advocacy, and community at Independent Lives. Here’s how you helped us make a difference in 2024:

🔵 7,934 instances of information and advice to 2,685 people
🔴 44,140 hours of person-centred care in people’s homes
🟢 7,488 hours of carers’ respite (and 5kg of biscuits consumed!)
🟣 783 PA/employers trained | 504 job adverts posted | 3,486 job applications processed

💡 But our research also revealed stark challenges:

Disabled people and carers faced impossible choices between heating, eating, and care — leaving many 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠.

📊 Explore the full Impact Report by heading to the 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 below.

15/07/2025

🦸 𝐁𝐞 𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐓𝐫𝐢 🦸

📅 Saturday, 16 August 2025 | 📍 Dorney Lake, Windsor

Join Independent Lives at the UK’s largest fully inclusive sports event – where everyone can take part, regardless of ability!

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐮𝐩?

💪 Support a great cause – Raise £200 to empower disabled people to live independently.
🎉 Fun for all – Accessible activities, celebrity guests and Clare Balding hosting!
🏅 Be a superhero – Take on challenges with friends, family, or solo!

🔗 Register now: [Link in comments]

📧 Questions? Email fundraising@independentlives.org or call 01903 219482.

📢 Tag a friend who’d love this!

11/07/2025

💡 Need Help with Direct Payments or Employing a PA? 𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮!

At Independent Lives, we’re commissioned by West Sussex, East Sussex, and Croydon Councils to guide residents through Direct Payments – so you can take control of your care.

How we help:

✅ One-to-one support (home visits, Zoom, or phone) for up to a year
✅ Advice on recruiting/managing Personal Assistants
✅ Templates, resources, and ongoing help from our specialist team

📞 Call us: 01903 219482 (option 3)
📧 Email: advice@independentlives.org
⏰ Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm

🔗 Learn more: [Link in comments]

08/07/2025

🚀 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 Sussex VCSE Mental Health Network 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭!

🗓 Tuesday 16th July | 1-5PM
📍 Towner Eastbourne

Join them for an inspiring afternoon exploring creative health, social isolation, and mental wellbeing, featuring:

🎤 Insightful speakers & panel discussions
🎭 LIVE performances
☕ Refreshments + networking
➕ Bonus: Interactive session by NMHT

🔗 Register via link in comments 👇

04/07/2025

⏰ 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐱 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲!

Voluntary Action Arun & Chichester wants to hear 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 thoughts on leisure activities – from sports clubs to art groups, skate parks to youth spaces.

🎁 Complete the survey by 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 6th July for a chance to win in their free prize draw!

🔗 Survey link in first comment below 👇
📧 Questions? Email publichealth@westsussex.gov.uk

📢 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬/𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐬/𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬: Please share with young people you know!

03/07/2025

📢 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 – 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞!

This July, we join the UK in celebrating – a time to recognise the incredible work of paid and unpaid carers who support our most at risk groups.

💙 At Independent Lives, we’re proud to provide:

✅ Personal Care Services
✅ Carers’ Respite (because carers need care too!)
✅ Home Care & PA Support
✅ Training (Moving & Handling, Medication Awareness & more)

👏 To all care professionals: Thank you for your dedication. To those considering a career in care – it’s challenging, rewarding, and vital for our communities.

🔍 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝?
👉 Share this post to celebrate a carer you know!
👉 Explore careers in care: https://www.independentlives.org/careers/
👉 Learn about our services: https://www.independentlives.org/services/

01/07/2025

🎉🌈 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐇: 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄, 𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐘, 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄!

July is — a time to:

✅ Celebrate disabled joy, resilience, and identity.
✅ Challenge stigma and outdated stereotypes.
✅ Push for accessibility and inclusion everywhere.

At Independent Lives, we stand with the disability community — not just in July, but every day. Pride starts with visibility. We aim to uplift disabled voices, stories, and rights!

💬 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬: How are you celebrating or advocating this month? Comment below! ⬇️

26/06/2025

🎬 "𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫—𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐬"

Meet Tyler: a gym-goer, friend, and hardworking individual living life on his terms. But as a disabled man, he faces unnecessary barriers—attitudes, accessibility, and assumptions — that hold him back.

📽 Watch Tyler’s Story — Independent Lives’ eye-opening short film that reveals:

✅ How the social model of disability shifts blame from people to societal obstacles.
✅ The real challenges disabled people navigate daily.
✅ What we all can do to create a more inclusive world.

▶️ Watch now: https://www.independentlives.org/services/campaigns-and-projects/tylers-story/

📢 Share to challenge stereotypes!

In 2022, Independent Lives launched Tyler's Story - a short film about disability. Filmed in and around Worthing the film aims to educate people to what it is

24/06/2025

✨ "𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬" – 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐔𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐟𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤!

23rd–29th June 2025 is , a time to celebrate the achievements of people with sight and hearing loss and champion inclusion for all.

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰? 450,000+ people in the UK live with deafblindness — each with unique experiences, strengths, and needs. This year’s Deafblind UK theme, "𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬", focuses on creating opportunities for the next generation.

At Independent Lives, we’re proud to support this mission and share two key one-hour webinars:

📅 An Introduction to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: 30th June, 1pm - 2pm
💡 Learn how to build environments where everyone thrives.

📅 Disability Awareness Training: 30th June, 2.30pm - 3.30pm
💡 Explore how to support people with sensory impairments meaningfully.

Why join? Because inclusion starts with understanding, empathy, and action. Let’s create a future where no one is left behind.

🔗 Sign up today - link in comments.

19/06/2025

🗣️ 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐱

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞 wants to hear from residents in her annual 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐱 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲.

The survey helps shape local policing priorities by understanding:

~ Your experiences of crime
~ Measures that would make you feel safer
~ Where resources or partnerships could improve

⏳ Closes 23:00 on 30 October 2025
📝 Take the survey by hitting the link in comments

𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘹 𝘗𝘊𝘊.