Buddy’s café, which is run by Worthing Mencap, welcomes around 300 visitors each week and helps to facilitate active participation in the local community for people with learning disabilities, providing work experience opportunities and a welcoming venue to meet friends.
Worthing Mencap is one of over 400 local groups that support national charity, Mencap, by providing a network across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. The charity was established over 60 years ago by a group of parents who wanted to improve the services available for people with learning disabilities. They have been instrumental in setting up local services and championing the rights of individuals and their families, directly improving the facilities and opportunities available.
According to Mencap, there are 1.4 million people with a learning disability in the UK, many of whom face difficulties around employment and socialising. We are delighted to have donated £500 in support of Buddy’s café, which is working to help address these issues, as the local charity celebrates 60 years.
Commercial Manager, Chris Taylor, nominated the charity to receive a donation from our Clarity Cares committee, said: “Buddy’s café has created an incredible support network for adults with learning difficulties, providing work, social opportunities and educational events for the local community. I am delighted that our committee chose to donate to Worthing Mencap, helping to support the great work they do.”
Alongside Managing Director, David Honcoop, Chris was invited to visit Buddy’s café earlier this month. Leading the tour, Richard DeNiese Business Development lead at Worthing Mencap, explained more about how our donation will help:
“Clarity’s donation goes towards supporting people in our local community with learning disabilities to learn and practice the skills needed to be in the work place or a part of the community. This helps to dismiss the myth that people with a learning disability are unemployable or unable to live fulfilling lives.”
We would like to thank all at Buddy’s café for taking the time to show us around.
How you can help
There are plenty of ways that you can help to make a difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities, this could be by donation, volunteering or donations of cakes and crafts. See how you can help here.
Find out more
Find out more about our Clarity Cares donations and take a look at all of our Q3 donations here.
Recommend a charity
It isn’t just our employees that can recommend a charity, by using our online form you can too. We will discuss your suggestion in our future Clarity Cares donation committee meeting and will get in touch as soon as possible. For more information on our Clarity Cares committee, continue here.
