Opening Doors Kirklees

Opening Doors Kirklees was a partnership between Disability Sport Yorkshire and Leonard Cheshire Disability, to help socially isolated people to get out and about in the community.

People with disabilities/ long term health conditions were referred to the project by health professionals, family members or themselves. Their situation was assessed by our staff, and then solutions are sought, by either matching them to known suitable activity, or by matching them 1:1 with a trained Opening Doors Volunteer.

By December 2018, the project had mad 12 life-enhancing matches, where clients and volunteers regularly went on outings.

Fiona Hall, Projects Officer explained: “We’ve seen some fantastic changes in people. Just giving a focus to someone’s week, by offering them companionship cannot be underestimated. Some of our clients have come on leaps and bounds and are now ready to pass on the benefits of their experiences.”

As part of the project DSY was instrumental in setting up the Holmfirth based Square Pegs Activities. This is a drop in group for people who feel that they “don’t fit in”.  The club is chaired by stroke survivor, Richard Ford, who was himself referred to Opening Doors Kirklees as someone who was becoming increasingly socially isolated. Two years on, and Richard is proactive in organising outings, and running the group, making sure that everyone is included. He said: “Square Pegs has given me a sense of purpose. I want to pass that on and it would be an honour to see this model rolled out elsewhere.”

The Square Pegs model puts clients with disabilities / long term conditions at the forefront of the project, offering peer to peer inspiration of what is possible.