Wokingham

WEBCAS, which provides support to people with learning disabilities in Berkshire, has been awarded a £500 grant under the Berkshire Brewery Silver Jubilee Partnership Awards Scheme. The money will be used to develop a new website which will help to publicise the Wokingham charity’s work. Staff will be attending a presentation ceremony at the Brewery on 5th December.

WEBCAS has offices in Wokingham and Newbury and promotes independent advocacy services for people with learning disabilities and multiple disabilities within the areas of Newbury, Reading and Wokingham. It welcomes contact from families, carers, health professionals and those with disabilities themselves. Its services are provided by volunteer advocates, trained and supported by a small paid staff team.

WEBCAS currently provides advocacy services for over 200 adults with learning disabilities in Berkshire. In the Wokingham area alone, the number of people seeking services has risen by over 68% in the past 12 months. In order for Webcas to meet this growing need for its services, it has to increase the numbers of people coming forward as potential volunteer advocates. The website will form a focal part, not only of the campaign to bring forward new volunteers but also to publicise Webcas's work to new potential service users and to those who support them.

WEBCAS also works within the borough of Reading as well as Wokingham where there is a much larger population of minority ethnic groups. It will be essential to ensure that services are made available to members of these groups, and that volunteers from minority ethnic backgrounds come forward. For this reason, it is planned to engage a professional translator who can provide web pages which convey the concept of the service, not just a translation of the English text.

If readers would like to know more about the way Wokingham WEBCAS works with the people its supports and would like to become involved in its work. Please contact Sally Grant on 0118 979 2031.

WEBCAS ~ 5th December 2005
30 Rose Street, Wokingham, RG40 1XU