United Response: an award-winning, innovative charity which helps 1,500 people live the lives they want; funding helps them find jobs for people with learning disabilities or mental health needs, and access their communities; and their specialist fundraising and communications team is flexible enough to work closely with the sponsor's organisation and ensure the sponsor receives the full CSR benefit of supporting the charity.

United Response is a national charity providing skilled care and support to over 1,500 adults with learning disabilities or mental health needs in over 200 different locations across England and Wales. Around 15% of the people it supports have a mental health need, although an estimated 25-40% of people with learning disabilities in the UK experience mental health problems, with social isolation and loneliness as a major contributing factor.

The organisation works with some of the most isolated and vulnerable people in society - more than half cannot talk and may have little or no ability to communicate, and in addition, may be deaf, blind and need a wheelchair to get around. Depending on their level of disability, some people need one or two people to care for them 24 hours a day, which is why the charity employs over 2,000 carers. United Response recognises that everyone has different interests, giving them the support they need to explore and fulfil their potential.

What matters to United Response are the day to day ordinary lives of people, and people not having a voice. They believe that everybody should have the chance to live the fullest possible life, whatever their level of disability. They work closely with each individual to provide the support they need to do what they want to do in life, and aim to create choices and opportunities to enable people to take control of their own lives; to choose the type of support they want; and to fulfil their potential and achieve a better quality of life in the community.

United Response provides everything from 24 hour care and support to helping someone living in his or her own flat, gaining qualifications or work experience, to using the internet or supporting someone to find employment.

As well as supporting people, United Response is involved in several groups working for change. They lobby to break down barriers and challenge attitudes.

Sponsorship support could provide equipment or access to experiences and opportunities that make independence a reality - even a small contribution can literally transform someone's life. Corporate partnerships can make a huge difference to their work, by allowing them to put more opportunities in reach of the people with learning disabilities or mental health needs.

United Response aims to significantly improve the quality of life for the people they support - this is their mission as a charity.

Contact: Laura Golland, Fundraising Officer. Tel.: 0208 246 5200.

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