Last updated 05:36, Friday, 04 July 2008

A CHARITY in Wigton is celebrating another successful year supporting adults with learning disabilities at its AGM today.

Claire Hetherington: Offering choice to adults needing support

Chrysalis provides help for people with a range of care needs and has flourished since it started up 24 years ago.

The charity is going from strength to strength according to manager Claire Hetherington.

She said: “We have got a lot of new people who we support and new interest in the work that we do.

“We are now providing support in Carlisle and Plumpton.

“We have a website being developed and a large multi-national company is helping us with it, which is exciting,” she added.

An enterprise officer has also begun to build on the success of the Wholefood Shop in the town’s centre in another major development for the charity this year.

Chrysalis manages the shop, which is staffed by some of the 51 people who are supported by them.

The shop has boomed since starting out as a market stall and Claire hopes to see new opportunities for its staff and customers alike in the coming months.

Chrysalis has also begun to provide more evening and weekend care as its staff team grows.

Projects for the future include securing funding to improve Chrysalis’ Longthwaite Road base and fundraising to buy a new mini-bus to enhance its outdoor activity programme.

Claire, who has managed the centre since 2000, said: “Things are expanding here by the minute.

“We work in a very person-centred way, ensuring people have a choice.

“We are very passionate about what we do and it is about providing a range of positive opportunities for people to maximise their potential.”