Local Mencap support worker, Lesley McCormack, was honoured yesterday (Wednesday 25th May) with an invitation to the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. Lesley was chosen following her outstanding contribution to society during the pandemic.
Yesterday, Lesley - who lives in Liverpool and has dedicated 16 years to supporting people with a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
at Mencap in the Wigan area - was recognised for her positive impact in the
community
A community is the people and places in an area.
with a trip to Buckingham Palace where she met HRH the Countess of Wessex, the charity’s royal patron.
Immensely passionate about her job in
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
, Lesley, 38, was honoured for going above and beyond through the pandemic; taking extra shifts when people were isolating, picking up shopping and dropping off food parcels and PPE to those who needed it – or just touching base with other carers to ensure they were okay.
Lesley even gave up Christmas Day with her family in order to be there for the people with a learning disability who she supports.
Lesley said:
“It was so exciting and such an honour to go to Buckingham Palace. I feel incredibly proud to do the job I do and am really pleased to be recognised in this way.”
Many of the people that Lesley supports struggled to understand what was happening as lockdown began, so finding new ways to ensure people were happy and well was critical. And with everyone’s routine being lost - something which can be so important to people with a learning disability - Lesley became a driving force in innovating, even creating a pop-up restaurant at the Mencap
supported living
Supported living is when you live in your own home with support from staff. People who live in supported living have a tenancy agreement.
service.
A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability which affects someone for their whole life, and many people with a learning disability rely on some form of social care support in their lives. For example someone with a severe learning disability might need full-time care while someone with a mild learning disability may need support with everyday tasks – for example shopping, cooking or managing money.
Edel Harris, Chief Executive at the learning disability charity Mencap, said:
“Our vision at Mencap is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives, and Lesley embodies those values
Values are the things that are important to you. Mencap's values are being passionate, inclusive, brave, positive, and kind. . We know that with the right support, people with a learning disability can live brilliant, fulfilled, and independent lives – and the provision of high-quality social care support is key to this. People who choose to work for Mencap, like Lesley, play an incredibly valuable role in society and I am so pleased that Lesley’s selfless contribution through the pandemic is being recognised.”
For further information or to arrange an
interview
An interview is a meeting where you talk to someone or a group of people about something. When you have an interview for a job, you have to answer questions and say why you would be good at the job. The person who gives the best answers is offered the job.
with a Mencap
spokesperson
A spokesperson is someone who speaks up about something. They usually speak up on behalf of a group or
organisation
An organisation are a group of people who work together.
.
or
case study
A case study is a piece of writing that tells people more information about someone's
experience
Experience is when you have learned or tried something before.
.
, please contact Mencap’s media team on: media@mencap.org.uk or 02076965414 (including out of hours).