Annual Review 2025
Be kind is our motto for the year and like every year, this recognises that so much of what we do is about having the best life possible for everyone we support, carers and our staff, and kindness is key.
How you live your life, who is in your life, how you are treated, and what you want to achieve are the most important things. From personal happiness to flying to the moon! Although sadly that is one thing that The Action Group Cannot do for you - for now. But you never know how services and opportunities will open up in the future! - Linda Tuthill
Welcome to The Action Group’s Annual Review 2025
Be kind is our motto for the year and like every year, this recognises that so much of what we do is about having the best life possible for everyone we support, carers and our staff, and kindness is key.
How you live your life, who is in your life, how you are treated, and what you want to achieve are the most important things. From personal happiness to flying to the moon! Although sadly that is one thing that The Action Group Cannot do for you - for now. But you never know how services and opportunities will open up in the future!
In the meantime, I am sure you could find a way of flying to the moon! But it might be with virtual reality, in a cinema or going to an observatory or the planetarium, or learning all about the moon through astronomy classes. Meeting people’s goals in a creative way sums us up as an organisation - being creative, not accepting barriers, and finding a way to help people live the life they want - even when it includes the moon!
Life is complicated and delivering support to have a good life is just as complicated. This Annual Review once again shows the stories of how we do this with people. Despite the most significant challenges in the financial context in which we work – Employers National Insurance contributions costs increased by the UK Government and no increased funding to help us, increased costs in all aspects of what we do - we still keep doing the best we can, with you, to make sure you have the best services we can deliver and the best lives possible. If we were funded taking inflation, cost of Living impacts and eNic increases into account- the services we offer would be even better- that is the reality of years of cuts in funding- there is an impact on what we pay staff and the capacity we have as an organisation.
It is hard - and we don’t always get it right - which is part of being human and part of working in challenging times. Kindness in funding would recognise staff as the professionals they are and fund for more time off support, to have more time to think, plan and learn for the benefit of the people they support.
The people we support deserve the best in life and the best from us. I am proud that we continue to strive to keep providing the best services and support possible and go above and beyond, even in these financially challenging times. Here at The Action Group, we will keep being as kind as we can, finding creative ways to make sure people get the money they are entitled to, are supported to keep the vital support hours they need to live their lives, and have support that is respectful and empowering.
Remember, whoever you are, wherever you come from, however you choose to live your life - you are very welcome here at The Action Group.
Board Report:
This year’s Annual Review theme is ‘Be Kind’ which may initially strike you as being a little simple or
a throwaway phrase with no real meaning. However, over the past year it has never been more central
to what we do or more critical when we face up to the challenges thrown at us.
It wasn’t so very long ago that if you were born with a learning disability the only ‘kindness’ society would show was to be institutionalised in a large hospital on the outskirts of the city. The Action Group was formed by parents who fought for their loved ones to be included in the communities they were born into. Being kind to our neighbours is the glue that keeps society together, provides a sense of belonging and can make life worth living!
The Action Group’s goal is to put you right at the centre of all we do. This not only means enriching your activities through the support we can provide, but also helping protect when this is challenged from outside.
This year we have seen all our councils embark on significant reviews of support packages with the sole aim of reducing their costs. Neither the Scottish or Westminster governments have delivered the much talked about improvements in social care funding. That hardly helps the people we support feel valued or wanted in our communities. The announcement of an increase in Employer National Insurance contributions at the beginning of 2025 has placed an additional cost of £650 thousand on our organisation with no benefit in return. This is NOT being kind!
Fortunately, The Action Group have the expertise and people who have been able to advocate for your care and support packages to still meet your needs. We have welcomed new people from East Lothian, taking over their support when this was required. Our local services have benefitted from our new TAG Evolve management structure and its geographical focus. Our new home at the Prentice Centre has flourished with new activities and groups. These have been positive reactions in what has been an unkind environment.
As you read the Annual Review you will see the stories of how kindness can help people find their own paths in life and explore opportunities previously denied to them. Without the hard work and kindness in the hearts of all who work in The Action Group none of this would be possible.
“Kindness is spreading sunshine into other peoples’ lives regardless of the weather” – even in Scotland!
