We feel strongly that everyone deserves to be able to understand information about the things that are most important to them. No-one should be left out.
Why Easy Read?
Easy Read documents are especially useful to people with learning difficulties, or for anyone whose first language isn't English. Even busy people whose attention you want to catch without them having to read through a long document. The National Literacy Trust website quotes that 5.2 million adults in the UK are functionally 'illiterate'. We can help you to get your message across.
Our Vision:
We're working towards changing our business into a social enterprise over the next few years. In the short term we would like to be able to widen our circle of clients so that we can employ someone with learning disabilities to work alongside us on a permanent basis. Eventually we would like to be able to make this a full time job for both of us, and employ several people with learning difficulties and be able to provide work experience for many more. Who knows better than people with learning disabilities what makes a good easy read document. Here's to the future!
The Partnership
Ali McAvoy (pictured left) & Jackie Goldstraw (pictured right).
"I moved to Chester from Northern Ireland in October 2013 to be with my partner, now husband (worth the move after all!). I've learned to speak a bit slower as my Irish accent is hard to understand at times it seems!"
"I have always been creative, I worked as a Graphic Designer with an agency in Belfast until I was made redundant due to the recession in November 2010. This opened many doors for me and I realised there was a whole new world out there! I embraced this period and completed a teaching course, volunteering courses, first aid (never know when this may come in handy!) and started to learn about the 'Third Sector'.
I volunteered with a local charity, assisting individuals in an art class, chair aerobics class and summer scheme, with varying disabilities including brain injury, sensory impairment and physical disability. Late 2011, I took up paid employment with a charity in Belfast and worked as an Employment Officer, and for the last 6 months before I moved, as a Skills Trainer, providing support to clients with learning disabilities, difficulties and autism spectrum disorder.
I was lucky to gain paid employment a month after moving. That gave me time to find my way and make some Christmas cards to sell at our local gift shop! I currently work for an organisation as a Project Coordinator alongside adults with learning disabilities, finding out local issues people have across Cheshire West and Chester.
I thoroughly enjoy my job, I'm learning all the time and no day is ever the same. I'm passionate about using my skills to help others and look forward to this new venture with Jackie!"
Ali McAvoy
"I have always loved reading and working with words and language. I also love working with people with learning difficulties, helping them to communicate. Easy read brings it all together for me."
"Following my English degree and several jobs, including working for a social housing company, rock nightclub and as a project manager for the biggest gas company in the world I finally found my vocation. I have worked (and still do) as a support worker for the last 5 years. My salary dropped but my job satisfaction soared. The adults with learning difficulties that I have worked with are amongst the most creative, fun, open, interesting people I have ever met.
One group I worked with started blogging, then making a quarterly newsletter, then a weekly easy read newspaper for their peers. We started to attend the local Partnership Board meeting and produced Easy Read minutes for them. Over several years we learned together, what worked and what didn't, and how to make the process fun.
Our work was cited as an example of best practice by the Partnership Board. We worked together as a team to create something that benefited everybody involved and it is one of the things in my life that I am most proud of."
Jackie Goldstraw