Chantelle-Jubilee-full-photo

Chantelle goes Beyond the Limits

Chantelle has been working in the Lounge in Torquay for 2 years. The Lounge is a community café which provides support to people who are homeless.

Chantelle volunteers as a waitress, she also helps in the kitchen and enjoys talking to the customers. Chantelle received an award recently in the category of Going Above and Beyond in a volunteering role from the local Council.

On Friday 3rd June Chantelle attended the Jubilee party in Torquay and she was given her award by the Lord Mayor, she received a £15.00 voucher. Chantelle has a very good work ethic, she is never late or ill and she has made lots of friends through her volunteering. Well Done Chantelle, keep up the good work, your team is very proud of you.

Chantelle standing in a summer dress under an arch of red, white and blue balloons.

Stuck for accessible activity ideas?

If your mind has gone blank and you just cannot think of something accessible to do in and around Plymouth, take a look at the AccessAble website.

Working with Plymouth City Council, AccessAble have put together a list of accessible Cafes and Coffee Shops, Leisure Centres, Libraries, Parks and Gardens, Pubs and Bars, Restaurants, Sports Grounds and Stadiums, Swimming Pools, Theatres and Tourist Attractions.

Screengrab of the Plymouth page on Accessable websiteYou can choose from any of the list above and each activity has a set of accessibility symbols.

Who would have thought there were so many accessible things to do!

Follow this link to visit the AccessAble Plymouth website.

Photo of Durdle Door a rock formation in Dorset. Photo by Andrew Hutchison on Unsplash

Beyond Limits in Dorset

We are supporting people in Dorset with learning disabilities, mental health issues and other support needs. This page has details of Job Fairs and Try Before You Apply events in Dorset. You’ll also find Beyond Limits News and Stories from Dorset.

Contact Beyond Limits Dorset

Link to the Beyond Limits Southwest contact page

Beyond Limits Southwest staff

Follow this link to view Southwest Service leader profiles.

Vacancies Beyond Limits Devon

Follow this link to view our vacancies

Ricky and Hamish getting ready to cycle

Sofa to Finland

Well, after many delays due to Covid here it is, finally. From Sofa to Finland is the sequel to from Sofa to Sweden and the idea was to cycle around the Turku Archipelago. For those of you that have been following the story, you will know that Ricky is blind but he doesn’t let that stop him from having a great life.

Ricky never had the opportunities in life that most of us take for granted. He never learnt to ride a bike as a child and up until about 5 years ago, he wouldn’t even sit on a bike. He started like most of do, just sitting and getting comfortable and then progressed to getting pushed around.

With his team encouraging him he finally managed to ride tandem and so of course, it was time to plan a challenge. They cycled over 200kms round one of the oldest archipelago trails. A momentous effort, especially in the searing heat. I wonder where Ricky’s adventures will take him next.

Photo of Ricky and Hamish with bicycle helmets. Ricky out fo a count sleeping on David. Ricky and David enjoying a drink on country bench. Photo of the whole route on a noticeboard Photo of Ricky and Hamish on the ferry getting ready to ride

Thanks to Ryan for organising the trip, Hamish for his stubborn determination and believing anything is possible for people and David Bray for supporting and making Ricky comfortable with his first bike.

See the whole route on the trail website: The Archipelago Trail | Visit Pargas (visitparainen.fi)

Support Worker for Anna

The Chiefs and The Hawks

An inspirational and informative day was had by Rich and team members Martin and Keith at the European and English Champions, The Exeter Chiefs. Rich was granted a personal tour by Aron Struminski, the Senior Community Manager for the Exeter Chiefs.

Rich plays for the Westcountry Hawks so this was a great opportunity for him to chat to Aron, explore the grounds and the team areas including the gym, rehabilitation area and the winners’ cups.

The attention to detail was fabulous, no wonder the Exeter Chiefs are champs.


Visit West Country Hawks – Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby


Before the fantastic tour, Rich, Martin and Keith visited the House of Marbles for some Christmas shopping and to play some games before having a spot of lunch.


Visit The House of Marbles website


They ended the trip with a visit to Jolly Rogers life size resin models, a must-see attraction if you haven’t been already. It was a great day out for all, and they are looking forward to the next one.


Visit The Jolly Roger – Life Size Figure Models website


Chantelle flies to Scotland

Chantelle has had an amazing year and has achieved so much and so as a little reward a trip to Scotland was planned.

Despite not having been on a plane for a long time, Chantelle did really well and she caught the plane from Bristol to Edinburgh. She had a really busy weekend doing lots of sightseeing, she walked along the Royal Mile and enjoyed listening to the bagpipes.

Had a trip to Edinburgh Castle and visited the World of Illusions which she really enjoyed and said was great fun.

She hopped on and off the tour bus and enjoyed listening to lots of history through the headphones and to top it all off she enjoyed a shandy in a local pub. A very busy weekend but lots of fun was had.



  

Well done Rich!!!

Rich was on the winning side recently when his team won the division 2 wheelchair rugby league. Rich plays wheelchair rugby with the West Country Hawks and they played over 3 weekends which took place in Stoke-on-Trent.

He was involved in a total of 16 games and they remained undefeated across of all the games, little wonder that Rich looks so happy. He plays as a defender and he was a key player for his team, his force and strength stopped a number of goals from being conceded.

Rich holding the winners cup in his wheelchair in a gym.

Well done Rich, and who knows, this time Stoke-on Trent, next time the Olympics!

West Country Hawks – Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby (gbwr.org.uk)

 

Beyond Limits policy on modern slavery

Beyond Limits are committed to acting in an ethical and socially responsible manner and we are committed to actively contributing towards the eradication of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Our safer recruitment procedures and people management processes are designed to ensure that all prospective employees are legally entitled to work in the UK. This helps to safeguard employees from any abuse or coercion.


For more information:

Visit The National Crime Agency pages on modern slavery and human trafficking.

Listen File on 4 investigates modern slavery in the UK workplace produced by Radio 4 (37 mins).

If you suspect modern slavery, report it to the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 or the police on 101. Don’t leave it to someone else. Your information could save a life.

We have joined the Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse can happen to anyone of any age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or background. Abusive behaviour includes: physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, emotional abuse, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, psychological, or other abuse.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 makes clear that employers should consider the impact of domestic abuse on their employees as part of their duty of care. As a responsible employer, Beyond Limits are a member of the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) www.eida.org.uk and we are committed to their membership charter which includes fostering a safe, supportive and open environment to allow domestic abuse to be effectively tackled in the workplace and supporting employees who are affected by domestic abuse and those that report it by providing access to information and services.

Organisations that can provide support

If you or someone you know needs help there are several organisations that can provide support. You do not have to wait for an emergency situation to find help. If domestic abuse is happening to you, it’s important to tell someone and remember you’re not alone.


Advice and help for women experiencing domestic abuse.

I need help – information and support on domestic abuse (womensaid.org.uk)

The Survivor’s Handbook provides practical support and information for women experiencing domestic abuse.
The Survivor’s Handbook – Women’s Aid (womensaid.org.uk)


Men can contact the Men’s Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 or
Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men | Men’s Advice Line UK (mensadviceline.org.uk)


If you identify as LGBT+ you can find information here
LGBTQ+ victims of domestic abuse – IDAS


 

Our Values

Beyond Limits believes…

Everyone is of equal value. We all matter, we all have something to contribute, we will work hard to find your gifts and talents.

Everyone is unique. We are different and we celebrate difference.

Everyone has the ability to develop. We inspire change and create opportunity for growth.

Everyone has the right to enjoy valuable relationships. We create opportunities to connect, we care about community, our strength comes from relationships.

Everyone has the right to lead the life they choose. We lead by example, we do the right thing, we will overcome barriers and stand by you.



Download a pdf of Our Values poster

 

Waking Night Worker for Mike

Beyond Limits Safeguarding – Speak Up

Beyond Limits aim to consistently promote a culture of openness and transparency that enables staff to SPEAK UP when they witness or suspect an individual is experiencing harm or is at risk of experiencing harm. All staff need to be aware that they can – and must – speak up if they have genuine concerns about the people we support.

Zero-tolerance

Beyond Limits has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, unlawful discrimination and restraint. This includes:

  • Neglect
  • Subjecting people to degrading treatment
  • Unnecessary or disproportionate restraint
  • Deprivation of liberty

Beyond Limits are committed to safeguarding individuals in our care. This means we consistently aim to provide high quality care and support that will protect the people we support from harm and promote their welfare. Safeguarding is paramount and we strongly encourage all colleagues to raise any concerns about the quality and effectiveness of the care provided to speak up. We promote a psychologically safe environment where colleagues can speak up if they suspect wrongdoing or have any concerns about the quality of care provided.

Beyond Limits will not tolerate any form of inappropriate behaviour or conduct towards any of the people we support. This is a shared commitment and one that applies to all staff, regardless of position or status.


Nominated Safeguarding Lead

The legal responsibility for safeguarding rests with Rebecca Chadwick as Managing Director, therefore Rebecca is the Nominated Safeguarding Lead (NSL) for Beyond Limits. You can contact her on 07834 520579 or via email at [email protected]

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Although Rebecca is the Nominated Safeguarding Lead, day-to-day responsibility for safeguarding rests with Kathleen Griffiths as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). Kathleen is responsible for ensuring that the practice of Beyond Limits is safe and effective. You can contact her on 07779 241386 or via email at [email protected].

Out of hours

If calling out of hours, please call 01752 546449 and make a report to the manager on-call.

Speak to the Care Quality Commission

If staff are in any way concerned about raising a safeguarding issue using any of the above options, they can raise a concern in confidence with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). You can email them at [email protected] or call on 03000 616161.


For the benefit of absolute clarity, all staff have a duty of care to the people we support and must SPEAK UP if there are any concerns about potential or actual abuse or harm towards an individual in our care.

Senior Support Worker for Jane

Support Worker for Mike

With Mike, work doesn’t need to feel like work. One day you might be pottering around the garden sowing seeds, the next you might be off looking for pirate treasures and bottles washed up onshore.

Sign in a shop window that says open

Team Leader for Lou

Photo of lady standing in a garden in the sunlight

Chantelle’s busy summer volunteering

Chantelle has been keeping busy over the summer, she continues to enjoy her volunteering job at the Lounge in Torquay and is a real asset to the team. She had her planning day recently which was a chance to look back on last year’s achievements and decide new goals for the coming year.

As usual all the people who are important to Chantelle were in attendance and everyone was really positive and pleased with the positive changes in Chantelle. The standout though was how well Chantelle is doing in her job and we are really proud to share this update which was written by Hayley who is in charge of the Lounge.

Grab a tissue and have a read…

“Today, I am honoured to be here and share the remarkable story of an individual whose dedication and compassion have truly made a difference in the lives of many. I am here to celebrate the incredible contributions of Chantelle, an extraordinary volunteer whose impact has been nothing short of inspiring. Chantelle is more than just a volunteer; she is a beacon of kindness and support. Her commitment to our cause, her unwavering dedication, and her genuine empathy have touched the hearts of our clients, peers and colleagues. For those battling anxiety, Chantelle has created a safe environment, as we all know finding a safe space is invaluable, and Chantelle has been a key factor in fostering that safe haven for many.

Photo of Chantelle, a woman in a summer dress standing in the garden.

But Chantelle’s remarkable journey doesn’t stop there. She has been the driving force behind our well-being afternoons and evenings, a program that has not only enriched our team but has also created a sense of family among us. Through her ideas, she has brought joy, relaxation, and healing (and a little bit of stress) to our team. These well-being sessions have become a source of bonding which have forged friendships in order for us all to manage the challenges of life. Chantelle has transformed our organisation, infusing it with a profound sense of purpose and unity. Chantelle’s impact is immeasurable, and we want to acknowledge that we simply couldn’t run our community hub without her. Her actions remind us that it’s not just about serving coffee or snacks; it’s about creating a nurturing environment where every individual feels valued and supported.

As we celebrate Chantelle today, let us also reflect on the incredible power of volunteerism. One person’s dedication can spark a ripple effect that touches countless lives. Chantelle’s journey reminds us that small acts of kindness, when done with love and sincerity, can create a world of difference.

Chantelle, you are an amazing volunteer, a true catalyst for positive change, and an embodiment of the spirit of giving. On behalf of our clients, our team, and the entire community, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You have enriched our lives and brought light to our cafe. Your legacy will forever be etched in the hearts of those you have touched.

Thank you, Chantelle, for being the heartbeat of our community hub, and for showing us all the beauty that can be created through bravery, compassion and selflessness.”