Charlotte Oakes, a student from the University of York, and sister to one of our clients, asked if she could undertake her Research in Employment project with Reach which is funded by The White Rose College of the Arts and Humanities. Charlotte has always been a fantastic supporter of Reach, in 2023 she took on the North York Moors Half Marathon, raising over £500 for us!

Over the past four months, Charlotte has worked with us on The Voice Project, capturing the stories and experiences of adults with learning disabilities who use our services. Charlotte spent time at all our Centres, getting to know clients and joining in projects, she even travelled with us to Liverpool to take part in a rally organised by Providers Unite, with our Voice & Participation group.

Through interviews, she has created a beautiful short film, giving our clients a platform to share their voices, telling us their experiences of Reach and what it means to them. The project has been a huge success, and we feel honoured that Charlotte chose to complete part of her PhD with Reach and wish Charlotte all the best as she returns to complete her PhD at the University of York. Thank you, Charlotte, for your dedication and creativity, you are welcome back any time!