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    CantAbility  

     

      The disability forum for Canterbury District

    CantAbility is a fully inclusive social forum, led by disabled people, to promote accessibility and to share our skills, views and advice,  in the Canterbury District.

     

     CantAbility … the story so far …

     

     In 2009, Kent Adult Social Services (KASS) awarded Canterbury District Voluntary Action and Support (CaDVAS) a small amount of funding to set up a disability forum for the Canterbury district. CaDVAS launched the forum in April 2010.

    At the launch, it was agreed that the forum should aim to provide:

    • peer support  
    • information 
    • education 
    • awareness raising   
    • advice/signposting to relevant services 
    • social/networking opportunities 
    • campaigning and consultation/lobbying of statutory services.

    A steering group set up as a result of the launch has met regularly to develop the forum, now called CantAbility, which has since then constituted itself as an independent organisation. CantAbility has now made links with many local and national organisations, statutory, voluntary and independent.

    CantAbility contacts: 

    Chair:             Cate Jackson : cate.jackson1@virgin.net  

    Vice Chair:   currently vacant

    Secretary:    currently vacant

                                  Post: c/o TNRC, Thanington Road, Canterbury CT1 3XE 

                                  Tel.: 01227 767720        

    Treasurer:    Maggie Lee :  Maggietlee@aol.com

    In November 2010 CantAbility held its first major event, ‘After the Spending Review’, which provided an opportunity for CantAbility members and supporters to hear from representatives of local health and social care services their initial indications of how the recent Comprehensive Spending Review would affect services locally.

    CantAbility and Canterbury City Council (CCC) held a further event  - Results – at Westgate Hall, Canterbury, on May 17th 2011. Results saw the launch of CantAbility’s Mission Statement  and the results of the CCC Disability Needs Assessment survey; presentations from invited speakers giving updates about changes to health and social services and benefits; and a ‘marketplace’ where a wide range of organisations which provide goods and services of interest to people affected by disability had the opportunity to showcase their work.

    Hannah Tutt, a member of the Steering Group of CantAbility, presented the Mission Statement of CantAbility:

    ” CantAbility is a fully inclusive social forum, led by disabled people, to promote accessibility and to share our skills, views and advice, in the Canterbury District”.

     She went on to say:

     “About myself, I have lived in Canterbury for 10 years, living independently in my own home with the support of my P.As.  Before I found out about CantAbility, there were times when I just needed some advice from another disabled person who was able to understand my needs first-hand.  I have been longing for a local disabled people’s forum for years, and now I feel so glad to be part of CantAbility and look forward to seeing what the future holds for the group and watching it grow.”