Basingstoke based charity Speakeasy Advocacy is celebrating 21 years of supporting the rights of local people with a learning disability, autism and other vulnerable people. It was set up in 2003 by a group of local people after a pilot advocacy project with a Hampshire autism charity ended, and is the last remaining independent advocacy charity in the county after 7 others have closed over the years. Speakeasy has expanded to cover more areas in Hampshire, providing all the different types of independent advocacy introduced by legislation to a wide range of people including those with dementia.
A celebration event was hosted by The ‘Friday Network’ group – who were also marking their 18th anniversary – with a lifetime achievement award presented to one of the founding Trustees and a quiz. People who have benefited from Speakeasy support shared their stories saying how much advocacy has helped them gain confidence and get the right support to lead more independent lives.
Chair of Trustees Iain Speed said “We offer consistency and local expertise to vulnerable people when they most need support to uphold their rights, which is needed now more than ever during this time of reductions to public services. Despite competition from national providers we continue to maintain our independence, giving a voice and support to people so that they are part of their local communities.” Anyone interested in helping Speakeasy with future development as a Trustee or in another volunteering role should contact the CEO Amanda Kent for an informal discussion on [email protected].
