Equal Choices • Equal Opportunities • Ordinary Lives
Our ambition is for a future full of equal choices and opportunities for disabled children, young people and their families, empowering them to live as ordinary lives as possible and aspiring for the extraordinary
Individuals • Safeguarding • Teamwork • Confidential • Partnership
• Individuals
• Safeguarding
• Teamwork
• Confidential
• Partnership
Mission Statement
Our mission is to deliver a quality service that values the views and enables the voice of disabled children, young people and their families in Leicestershire and Leicester. We aim to provide a range of holistic, impartial and empowering specialist services through our own resources and in partnership with the statutory authorities and other voluntary sector groups.
Within the framework of everything we do, we aim to identify unmet need and offer effective support, which is in step with current legislation and concepts of good practice.
We value diversity and believe that every child or young person, whatever their needs, has the equal right to take part fully in their community and to have the same choices, opportunities and experiences as other children.
Menphys is a local charity that provides a range of specialist services to support children and young adults with additional needs and disabilities and their families.
It has been supporting families across Leicester and Leicestershire for 50 years, striving to give young people equal choices, equal opportunities to allow them to live ordinary lives.
Menphys Ltd is a Registered Charity (no. 270700) and a Company Limited by Guarantee and is governed by an executive board consisting of 10 trustees, led by Mr Martin Traynor O.B.E, as the Chairman.
We work in partnership with:
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Children, young people and young adults
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Parents and carers
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Contact A Family
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Council for Disabled Children
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Leicestershire and Leicester Parent Carer Participation Forums
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Voluntary Action Leicestershire
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Fundraising Regulator
Menphys Timeline
Playgroup for 12 children
Registered as a private limited company
Registered as a charity
Purpose-built nursery opened in Wigston
Sketchley Hill Primary School opened in Burbage
Saturday Morning Activity Clubs
HelpLine Launched
Employed and independence and inclusion team leader
Relocated to Basset Street Community Hub
Menphys 50th anniversary, celebrating 50 years of Menphys
We have been providing care and support to Leicestershire families for over 50 years
Menphys started providing services in February 1970 when founder Audrey Smith opened a playgroup for 12 children with a range of mental and physical disabilities. By the time it was registered as a charity in March 1976, Menphys had become a limited company running two nurseries. In the spring of 1978, its first purpose-built nursery opened in Wigston. The second, adjacent to Sketchley Hill Primary School in Burbage, was opened in 1992.
Two years later and with both nurseries at capacity and under local education authority control, Menphys set up a Special Outreach Service; this was our major area of operations.
Through the Menphys Special Outreach Service, we support more than 500 families every year, delivering early support, family support, welfare benefits advice, and inclusion opportunities through our “I Can do it too” taster activities (play, sport, leisure and cultural activities).
In 2008, the original playgroup transformed into two Saturday morning activity clubs, which currently cater for 23 disabled children, young people and adults.
A short-term project (3yrs) externally funded in which we employed a Talent Match Key Worker to support young adults aged 18-24 into education, employment or training.
As part of a service restructure in 2015 a Help-Line was launched in November 2015 for parents-carers and professionals in Leicestershire and Leicester.
In 2016, Menphys employed an Independence and Inclusion Team Leader. The purpose of the post is to be responsible for transforming, growing and coordinating the following development areas of Menphys Inclusion and Independence Services, the Menphys Saturday Clubs, the “I Can Do It Too” taster activity scheme and develop a Support and Befriending Scheme.
In 2017 Leicestershire County Council informed us that our contract, which substantially funded the Menphys Special Outreach Service would end on the 31st December 2017. Since July 1995 the service has supported 5,400 disabled children, young people and their families. The services included the Menphys SOS Help-Line, Early Support, Family Support, “I Can Do it Too” taster activity scheme, Family Activity Days, Inclusion, Benefits and Grants Advice, Together for Families Support Groups, Specialist Summer Scheme Coordination, and more. It was with sadness that this part of our service provision has had to come to an end.
In 2018 we will be embarking on an exciting period of change, which will give us an ideal opportunity to ensure that our future services meet the needs of disabled children and young people now and in the future.
Despite being a small charity, Menphys aims to be at the forefront of change and our future direction and development is underpinned by our vision and mission statement.
Our team members are dedicated to providing equal opportunities for families across the region
Menphys is governed by an executive board consisting of 8 trustees:
Chairman: Professor Wyn Rees and Mrs Lisa Franklin
Vice Chairman: Mr Nev Hammonds
Hon Treasurer: Mrs. Sandra Abraham
Company Secretary: Mr Nev Hammonds
Trustees: Mr Darren Bradbury, Mr Micheal Griffiths, Mrs Emma Spradbury and Mr Liam Deacy
The following offices are also held:
Chief Executive Officer: Robert Martin
President: Jennifer, (Currently vacant)
Vice President: (Currently vacant)
Patron: (Currently vacant)
Wyn Rees
Chairman
Lisa Franklin
Chairman
Robert Martin
Chief Executive Officer
Emma Sharpe
Chief Operating Officer
Laura Shephard
Head of Fundraising
Laura Roberts
Head of Retail
Sarah Spray
Family Support Team Leader
Toni Holland
Fundraising and Events Coordinator
Bree Pennwilliams
Service Delivery Coordinator
Amelia Stretton
Family Support Advisor