Chair’s Welcome

A message from SIL’s chairperson Angela Higham

SIL was founded by a handful of disabled people in 1996 and it continues to be led by disabled people today. The majority of the Board of Trustees are either service users or family carers. This user led approach drives the organisation and influences the decisions that are made.

As a service user myself I believe that I can work with purpose within this service user led organisation. I am confident working alongside both fellow service users and other trustees. I have gained life skills through my disability. I work in a meticulous way which can be useful when studying figures or worksheets. I found this useful during my career as a scientist.

In later years I helped run a family business. I was responsible for a payroll system from paying wages to preparing tax returns; dealing with employees and customers; and liaising with HMRC.

In the past I acted as Chairperson of SIL’s Forum when the Chairperson took absence for planned surgery. I was responsible for running a peer-support programme to encourage service users to share their experiences with others. This had funding for one year only, but the experience was invaluable. I want to be able to use my experiences to help shape the service that users will receive in the future.

SIL’s dedicated staff and trustees are committed to finding the best way to support our service users and we strive to overcome the challenges which face all organisations currently working within social care.

I hope that you find the information within these pages informative. Should you have any questions about our services, or would like to talk to someone about how SIL may be able to help to support you or a loved one, please do no hesitate to contact us.