BUILD’s mission statement is:

“Building equality, confidence and opportunity for people with learning difficulties, and other disabilities, to make informed choices about an active community life”.

BUILD is an independent voluntary organisation that supports people with learning difficulties.

BUILD began in 1967 and was originally known as The Wednesday Club. When it began, the aim of the club was to provide community activities for people who lived within Little Plumstead Hospital (a long stay institution for people with learning difficulties) and was focused on a Wednesday evening. The organisation has changed a lot over the years and has developed upon its original aims of consulting it's own members and looks to ensure that it listens and responds to what the people who use our services want.

Because there are now projects other than The Wednesday Club which offer a variety if services, the name needed changing so people didn’t think everything just happened on a Wednesday! Therefore the name was changed in 1999 to BUILD (Bridges Unlimited for Individuals with Learning Difficulties).

The projects of BUILD are:

Wednesday Club Services – Built around the hub of a weekly social, leisure and learning activity club, principally led by and run by volunteers with learning difficulties, programmes are designed and built by the members themselves and includes disco’s, performing arts, creative arts, cookery, sports and various learning workshops such as first aid, basic cooking skills,, healthy living and money management.

In addition to the regular weekly Club Nights, the My Time project provides social networking activities specifically aimed at young adults aged 18-29 and the Awaydays service hosts a range of opportunities for days out, short breaks and holidays.

The Wednesday Club is led by a team of volunteers, facilitated by one part time member of staff, who leads the MTV (Members to Volunteer Team) - Adults with learning difficulties that are trained and support to take up volunteer roles within BUILD.

BUILD BeFriends Service – Recruiting and training adult volunteers who support other adults with learning difficulties in accessing an active leisure and social life within their local communities. These generally meet once a month for mutually agreed activities in their local communities.

BUILD Youth Services - A weekly youth club for 13-18 year olds that meet on a Tuesday evening (Norwich) and Thursday evening (Dereham) with members playing an active part in planning and evaluating their own activity programme.

BUILD Research, Training and Consultancy Services – providing commercially commissioned services to customers in the public, private and voluntary sectors. All services are designed, and delivered by adults with learning difficulties using expert experiences.

BUILD is an independent registered charity, led by its members, who elect trustees from within their peer group. Each core service has established a project planning team, made up of people who use the service, and the staff and volunteers that support its delivery. Each year, this group produces a plan and budget for the Trustees Executive Committee to consider as part of the BUILD Annual Plan.

BUILD’s range of services are very much in line with the UK Government’s Department of Health Paper – “Valuing People” and “Valuing People Now” which puts people with a learning difficulty at the heart of decision making where it affects their own individual lives.

BUILD currently serves around 300 members, and has a range of affordable fees for accessing services ranging from £2 per person per night for a standard Wednesday Club or Youth Club activity, to £30 per year to access the BeFriends service. These are subsidised prices for people who do not have a personalised care budget.

BUILD serves on the Norfolk Learning Difficulties Partnership Board and the Norwich Locality Group with member and strategic representation to ensure that it can play an active role in developing local services for people with learning difficulties.

To find out more about BUILD Contact us