SWALLOW, a charity supporting teenagers and adults with learning disabilities, have been the heroes at the heart of the community since their founding days thirty years ago.

The local Westfield, Midsomer Norton and Radstock Charity, with a hugely proud heritage, started when a group of adults with learning disabilities wanted to choose the way they lived and what they did back in 1993.

To celebrate the charity’s thirtieth anniversary, the team came up with the ‘Thirty for 30’ challenge where people are being asked to do thirty things during the month of June, and beyond, to raise much-needed funds for the charity.

The team are hoping to raise £30,000 this year to continue their vital support and outreach work.

Nicky Tew, Fundraising and Finance Manager at SWALLOW, told The Journal: “We are asking schools, businesses and local people to get involved with our challenge to help us make sure we are around for another thirty years.

“At SWALLOW, we have a wall of challenges, one member is growing thirty pots of cress, so it can be anything you like!

“The charity has grown massively since it was founded. Our uniqueness is that we are user led. Our members drive what we do and are the heart of where it started, helping to run the organisation.”

SWALLOW Charity now supports more than one hundred and fifty people with learning disabilities across Bath and North East Somerset. It is unique in the range of help and support that it provides, helping its members to live their lives to the full, to become more independent and follow their dreams.

SWALLOW Chief Executive, Bev Craney says: “At SWALLOW we always strive to help our members to have fulfilled lives. Dan, who plays in SWALLOW’s football team wanted to get into football coaching, so we liaised with the Bath Football Foundation and as a result, he is now enrolled onto a coaching course, supported by James, his 1 to 1 support worker.

“Dan now works with Geoff from Bath Football Club and Leanne, SWALLOW’s football coach, to run the weekly session for SWALLOW.”

Dan spoke of his achievements, saying: “I want to tell other members of SWALLOW what I have achieved. I want to get the best out of the team and hope to win more matches.”

Bev continued: “This is just a portion of the bespoke support that SWALLOW gives to our members – we always seek to go the extra mile. We wish Dan all the luck in his football coaching career.”

Help SWALLOW to make more dreams come true – they need your support. What ‘Thirty for 30’ challenge would you take on?

To donate to SWALLOW’s Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/thirtyfor30challenge

If you would like to get involved with SWALLOW, whether that be as a member or an employee, visit: https://www.swallowcharity.org/