21 years of safeguarding — national charity celebrates anniversary

Holding hands
11 Jun 2013 16:29:01.280
PA 192/13

This month one of the UK’s leading safeguarding charities, the Ann Craft Trust, celebrates 21 years of being at the forefront of research and training in working with disabled children and vulnerable adults.

The charity will celebrate its anniversary with an event held at the East Midlands Conference Centre on June 14th to be hosted by journalist and filmmaker — and the charity’s new patron — Kate Spicer.

Deborah Kitson, the CEO, of the Ann Craft Trust said: “We are delighted that so many family, friends and supporters of ACT will be joining us to celebrate our 21st Anniversary. A special thanks though to our new patron Kate Spicer who has agreed to be our guest speaker on the night and share her experiences.
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“The 21-year anniversary is a fantastic landmark for ACT yet it’s also a celebration of how theory, practice and safeguarding across all of social care and education has improved and evolved for people with learning disabilities”.

Protecting the vulnerable

ACT began life, in 1992, as NAPSAC (the National Association for the Protection from Sexual Abuse of Adults and Children with Learning Disabilities) founded by Dr Ann Craft to raise the issue of social equality for children and adults with learning disabilities within social care and schools. Above all NAPSAC was created to help organisations better protect some of the most vulnerable people in society through research, training and developing national legislation.

Deborah Kitson added: “Ann was someone who is remembered by so many because of her passion for her work and her generosity, kindness, humour and compassion to those who came in contact with her.”

In 1998 NAPSAC became the Ann Craft Trust in memory of Ann who had died prematurely the year before. Over the last two decades ACT has been instrumental in shaping safeguarding of disabled children and vulnerable adults including Every Disabled Child Matters, Valuing People Now and person centred planning all of which, today, underpins the work professionals across the care and education fields undertake to ensure that those they support are safe and treated with respect and dignity.

Culture of indifference

ACT’s newest patron, Kate Spicer, is a writer and filmmaker who recently made the critically acclaimed documentary Mission to Lars about her brother Tom who has Fragile X Syndrome and his attempts to meet Lars Ulrich from Metallica with help from Kate and their sibling Will Spicer.

About the 21st Celebrations Kate said: “With cuts threatening services and key watchdogs across the country, and a culture of indifference all too frequently in education, police and the NHS, among others, it is important to get together and share experiences and hatch great schemes about things we are all passionate about. Where better to let the ideas fly than a dinner. Hence, I'm looking forward to the ACT anniversary dinner.”

On June 14 the Ann Craft Trust celebrates 21 years of helping to shape safeguarding across the United Kingdom with a celebration dinner at the East Midlands Conference Centre. If you would like more information about the work ACT currently does or about the remarkable achievements of Dr Ann Craft please contact matthew.parr@nottingham.ac.uk

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Story credits

More information is available from Matt Parr, Press and Development Officer for the Ann Craft Trust, on +44 (0)115 951 5400, matthew.parr@nottingham.ac.uk
 

Emma Thorne Emma Thorne - Media Relations Manager

Email: emma.thorne@nottingham.ac.uk Phone: +44 (0)115 951 5793 Location: University Park

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