News

In a marvellous display of horticultural skill, a group of disabled gardeners triumphed in this year’s Sompting in Bloom awards, clinching first place in the Blooming Community category. Sompting in Bloom is a yearly gardening competition run by Sompting Parish Council and sponsored by Sompting Estate. This year, local gardeners put their skills to the

As the weather turns colder, the Government is ramping up its COVID-19 vaccination programme for 2023. The Government has confirmed which groups will be entitled to an autumn COVID-19 booster. They are: Residents in care homes for older adults; All adults aged 65 years and over; People aged six months to 64 years in a

Leanne has been using Independent Lives services since 2022. She lives in Crawley with her daughter. Life has been a struggle for us for a long time. Aside from living with my impairments, my daughter and I escaped domestic abuse and lived in one room for three years. When we arrived in Sussex, we didn’t

Would you like to share your experiences and views to contribute to a better society for disabled people? New proposals to improve the lives of disabled people have been set out by the Disability Unit (DU) – part of the Cabinet Office – which has been established to address barriers faced by disabled people in

We’re looking for people to take part in our cost-of-living steering group. In April, Independent Lives was awarded funding by NHS Health Education England to look the inequalities faced by disabled people and carers in West Sussex because of the cost-of-living crisis. We want to make sure that the people affected have a say in

The bad news continues for disabled train passengers with the Rail Delivery group (RDG) announcing the potential closure of 1000 ticket offices across the country within the next three years. As part of their plan to ‘modernise’ the railway, the RDG states that most transactions at ticket offices last year could have been done online

Staff from Independent Lives will be taking part in Worthing Pride 2023 on Saturday 8 July, transforming the event into a celebration of inclusivity and support during Disability Pride Month.   Disability Pride Month, observed throughout July, highlights the achievements and struggles faced by individuals with disabilities. The month-long initiative aims to challenge societal norms, raise

Independent Lives is proud to launch the Friends of Independent Lives membership study 2023. The study gives a snapshot of the key issues impacting disabled people and carers in 2023. The study brings together views and experiences from 52 members of the disability and caring community. The study has been explored in a 28-page report revealing common

As part of ongoing work to co-design a new offer for day, employment and volunteering support, West Sussex County Council are holding two in person meeting for service users focussed on supporting people’s employment and volunteering journey. The meetings are aimed at people with support needs related to learning disabilities, autism and acquired brain injuries.

West Sussex County Council are hosting its Adults’ Services staff conference on Monday 24 April at the Avisford Hotel, Arundel. The event will bring together 250 staff, customers and carers, to celebrate and recognise our achievements, with a strong focus throughout on wellbeing and resilience. The programme will feature the Leadership Team, the Cabinet Member