Mansfield resident finds reason to celebrate during Learning Disabilities Week

A resident at a social care service in Mansfield is celebrating this Learning Disabilities Week after securing a volunteer position at a local wildlife rescue centre.

This week is Learning Disabilities Week, a chance to celebrate diversity and inclusion.

This year’s theme is “Do you see me?” which is all about being seen, heard and valued and challenging the barriers people with a learning disability face.

Callum is a resident at Cherry Tree House, a six-bed specialist residential service in Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, supporting individuals with learning disabilities, autism, complex needs and behaviours that may challenge. It is part of the Cygnet Social Care division.

As part of this week, he is helping to celebrate the things people with a learning disability bring to society and has managed to secure a volunteer position at Mansfield Wildlife Rescue Centre which is dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of sick, injured or orphaned wildlife.

Callum explained: “My goal was to always get a job.

“I have been looking for work and now I have been successful in getting a voluntary job at the Mansfield Wildlife rescue centre.

“My jobs include cleaning out the animals and the centre, feeding the animals and taking good care of them to help them be released back into the wild.

“I am very proud of myself and I hope that one day I can get a paid job when I have more experience.”

Cherry Tree House Manager Kiri Fullwood said: “We are all so very proud of Callum and this is a big step towards his future goal of gaining a paid job.

“He has attended a couple of interviews in the past and unfortunately was unsuccessful at that time however he has never given up and never let this set him back.

“Last week he had an interview at the wildlife rescue and was successful and he started his first shift and he smashed it!

“His best part of the shift was being able to set a bird free back into the wild.”