National Lottery Funding for Disability Information Bureau

Macclesfield-based Disability Information Bureau has recently been successful in its bid to receive £297,832 from the National Lottery Community Fund.

David Rutley, local MP, met with the team to discuss the great news and how the funding will allow DIB to continue providing support to the disabled community in Macclesfield and beyond.

David met with Leanne Lake, Support Coach, Kwok Wei-Wan, IT Tutor and Coordinator and Duncan Walker, Welfare Rights Officer, to discuss how the three year funding will help elevate the support DIB currently delivers. Widening the charity’s reach within the disabled community will allow more people to access support with their finances, benefit and allowance claims, as well as accessing additional support with work and training opportunities to help improve financial situations.

The DIB offers a three-pronged approach encompassing welfare, wellbeing and work. Using the charity’s expert team of Welfare Rights Officers, and Support Coaches, the funding will allow the team to provide hands on support through each stage of the programme, to enable more disabled people in their transition back into work. Not only providing financial support, DIB also uses a variety of techniques such as social prescribing to tackle issues, including health challenges and social isolation.

Later this year, the Disability Information Bureau will also be celebrating its 30^th Anniversary, as well as the new funding. During this milestone year, the charity is aiming to recruit further volunteers to enable them to assist and support more people. The DIB can be found on Pierce St, Macclesfield SK11 6ER and more information on the support they provide and volunteer information, can be found using the following link:

https://www.dibservices.org.uk/disability-information-bureau.

Speaking after the meeting, David said, “I am very pleased to see that the Disability Information Bureau has been awarded this important and significant funding from the National Lottery. It is a major vote of confidence in DIB’s hard working team and will enable them to continue their activities and reach a wider audience over the years ahead. I look forward to celebrating their 30^th Anniversary later this year and I would encourage anyone looking for a volunteer role to get in touch with DIB.”

Pictured - David Rutley MP and Leanne Lake.