1. Welcome to Swan Advocacy’s (SWAN) Autumn
newsletter. In our last newsletter I reported that
SWAN was undergoing an independent evaluation of
its services and procedures. This was to ensure that
we continue to provide the best client-focused
service. The evaluation highlighted a need to review
SWAN’s management infrastructure, which has been
stretched to the seams due to our rapid growth over
the past 12 months.
Following the review, SWAN now has a senior staff
team comprising a Chief Officer, Resources Manager
and Advocacy Services Manager. Our senior staff
offer support, supervision and management to our
dedicated team of paid and volunteer advocates
and support staff. The Chief Officer and Advocacy
Services Manager also continue in advocacy roles to
ensure that maximum service provision is available.
SWAN now has 10 employees and 18 volunteers. The
Board of Trustees has increased to seven and is
delighted to have secured the support and expertise
of Mark Merrill as our Treasurer, and Peter King, who
comes to SWAN with extensive experience in HR
management. The Board is still looking for new
members from the North West or Kennet areas to
ensure a comprehensive range of members.
Throughout these changes SWAN has continued to
offer advocacy services to a wide range of clients
across Wiltshire. SWAN has taken over 130 new
referrals between April and July. We have seen
increases in self referrals, and in issues about housing.
Jane Capper – Chief Officer
September
Fundraising stall – gifts and products for sale
Tues 23 Sept, 8 am-1 pm
Guildhall, Market Square, Salisbury
October
AGM - guest speaker - Rick Henderson, A4A
Weds 8 Oct, 4.30 pm
Salisbury Methodist Hall, St Edmund’s
Church, Salisbury
December
Mince Pie and Mingle – meet our staff and
Trustees at a festive open morning
Weds 10 Dec, 12-2 pm
SWAN Advocacy, 26 Milford Street, Salisbury
Mental Health UpdateDates for your Diary!
Issue 17
Autumn 2008
“People’s views matter and their voices should be heard”
The demand for mental health
advocacy support continues to
increase with 64 mental
health service users currently
receiving support from SWAN
Advocacy across Wiltshire.
Numbers have increased
significantly since the
appointment of Jamie Parsons,
specialist mental health
advocate for Kennet, North,
and West Wiltshire. Jamie has
established a drop-in service
for in-patients at Green Lane
hospital in Devizes on
Wednesday
afternoons –
ensuring that
those people
most isolated
have access
to independent advocacy.
Having dedicated mental
health workers enables us to
work towards equality of
service across the County.
Teresa Wells – Advocacy
Services Manager
Manager’s Report
SWAN Advocacy Network, 26 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2AP
Tel: 01722 341851 • Fax: 01722 341379 • Email: mail@swanadvocacy.org.uk • Web: www.swanadvocacy.org.uk
Registered Charity No: 1125679 • Registered Company No: 6599429
Following incorporation,
SWAN is now called
SWAN Advocacy Network

2. SWAN’s Learning Disabilities team has taken 43
new referrals since February 2008 and currently
has 28 active cases. Referrals are coming from a
wider variety of professionals and organisations
and prospective clients often seem to be saying
that they were advised to call SWAN when
nothing else works!
Because of the move towards closing residential
homes in favour of supported living
accommodation, SWAN has been asked to provide
advocates for eight people affected at once and
this is an ongoing project. Service users are
experiencing lots of stress because of the length
of time they are having to wait to find out where
they will be living.
The process has highlighted the current lack of
suitable accommodation available for this group
of people and is a situation likely to happen
across Wiltshire.
Here are some of the ways that clients have
expressed their needs:
“Why didn't they listen to me in the first place?
I tried to talk to them, but no-one would listen to
me. I only wanted to understand and they
thought I was being deliberately difficult.
”
“I am afraid to go out and shop by myself
because people won't talk to me and think I don't
understand when they see my disability.
”
“Why don't they have leaflets like yours that
we could understand, or someone behind the
desk who is trained to deal with people with
learning disabilities? I've been barred from that
office because I get so frustrated and it makes
me angry.
”
Shirley Blades – Advocacy Co-ordinator for
people with Learning Disabilities
Fundraising
SWAN is the sole provider of Wiltshire’s Independent
Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCA), which became a
statutory requirement from 1 April 2007. The charity
receives statutory funding to provide this IMCA service,
but is otherwise reliant on the generosity of our
wonderful funders and donors.
Recent funders, to whom we are extremely grateful,
include: Salisbury District Council; Kennet District
Council; MENCAP Opportunities for Volunteering
Scheme; Portway Trust; MENCAP South Wiltshire;
Herbert & Peter Blagrave Charitable Trust; David
Solomon Charitable Trust; Samuel William Farmer Trust;
Kathleen Laurence Charitable Trust; and Walter
Guinness Charitable Trust.
A big thank you to our fundraising volunteers for their
ongoing support. Recent events included:
• a Bar-B-Q hosted by Patrick and Mary Paisey, which
raised £300;
• a stall organised by Year 8 girls at South Wilts
Grammar School, which raised £46.17;
• an unexpected legacy of £1,000.
Due to SWAN’s recent rapid growth, additional money is
needed to meet current service provision as well as to
prepare for the future.
If you would like to be involved in raising the vital
funds SWAN needs, or wish to make a donation, why
not contact us today on 01722 341851.
Learning Disabilities
Update
SWAN Advocacy Network, 26 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2AP
Tel: 01722 341851 • Fax: 01722 341379 • Email: mail@swanadvocacy.org.uk • Web: www.swanadvocacy.org.uk
Registered Charity No: 1125679 • Registered Company No: 6599429
Recycle to raise funds for advocacy
• SWAN is a recycling point for
mobile phones and used
printer cartridges.
• Drop off your unwanted items
at our Salisbury or Devizes
offices to help raise funds.
Thanks to…
Trethowans Solicitors, Salisbury, who kindly donated office
furniture to our expanded offices in Salisbury.
Finns Removals, who generously moved all the furniture.
SWAN AGM 2008
SWAN’s Board of Trustees and Staff invite you to join
them for their Annual General Meeting on Wednesday,
8 October 2008 at Salisbury Methodist Church,
St Edmund’s Church Street, Salisbury, SP1 1EF.
4.30 pm – Afternoon Tea
5.00 pm – AGM proceedings begin
Guest speaker: Rick Henderson, Chief Executive,
Action 4 Advocacy (A4A).
Rick has 18 years’ experience of working in and developing
advocacy services. He has worked with A4A since 2001.
Rick has also worked as Director of Southwark Community
Care Forum and as manager of the independent advocacy
service at Cambridge House and Talbot. He has an MA in
Management of Community Care and is co-author of ‘A
Right Result’ Advocacy Justice and Empowerment
(Policy Press, 2001).