Bedfordshire Mencap

Introduction

This unit is from our archive and it is an adapted extract from Care, welfare and community (K202) which is no longer in presentation. If you wish to study formally at The Open University, you may wish to explore the courses we offer in this curriculum area [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .

A major pressure for change in the way that social welfare services were provided and organised in the latter half of the twentieth century came from the voluntary sector. In this unit, you will hear from three generations of members of Bedford Mencap society, describing how they brought pressure to bear for more community facilities aimed at people with learning difficulties and their families.

The audio clips were recorded in 2000.

Participants in the audio clips:

• Brenda Nickson, founder member of the branch, whose son was born in 1955;

• Fay, a near-contemporary of Brenda's, who played a major role in getting holiday accommodation for the branch's members;

• Ann and Michael Tombs, in their fifties at the time of the recording, they have played a key role in Bedford Mencap for many years;

• Beryl, who has been a volunteer welfare visitor for many years;

• Kim, whose son was 16 at the time of the recording in 2000, and is one of the few younger people in the branch.