21/06/2010 - News from Advance: Advance wins national Independent Living Awards

Advance has emerged as overall winner of 2 national awards for its commitment to promote the rights, responsibilities and citizenship of disabled people. Independent Living Awards - Overall Independent Living Initiative Award

Advance won both the Accessible Information Award and the Kevin Hyett Award for the Best Overall Independent Living Initiative, in recognition of its outstanding achievements in promoting independent living and innovation, showing commitment above and beyond usual good practice.

The Independent Living Awards are organised by Breakthrough UK, a national disability charity . They describe the awards as “a national celebration of actions promoting Independent Living – a concept pioneered by the disabled people’s movement, as were the ‘7 Needs for Independent Living’, on which the awards are based – Information, Peer Support, Housing, Equipment, Transport, Access, and Personal Assistance”.

The new Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller MP making her first public engagement, presented the awards at a VIP ceremony at Manchester Town Hall on June 16th.

Advance was praised by judges as an excellent example of an established business with a strong commitment to inclusion. A panel of judges said they were impressed by Advance’s skill in:

involving clients and communicating effectively with them
providing an easy to use and very accessible website, which includes Makaton signing
publishing an annual report in 5 formats - reflecting the diversity of clients
providing complex legal information in easy to understand tenancy agreements

“We are extremely proud to have won these awards and to be working with fantastic people who enjoy a fully active life in their community and demonstrate every day that disability is not a barrier to independence," said Communications & Appeals Manager John Kay who collected the awards on behalf of the organisation. “Receiving these awards from the user-led movement Breakthrough UK is particularly pleasing, as these are people who really understand the challenges of living with disabilities every day.”

Independent Living Awards 2010 - 21/06/2010

Pictures from the Independent Living Awards ceremony in Manchester

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