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Community News
Saffron Walden Mencap Society has a vibrant community of more than 100. This is made up of young people and adults with learning difficulties, carers, trustees, staff and volunteers. Members of the community have a vast array of interests and talents. Read on to find out what some of them have been getting up to!
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GWOF Friday Nights: Friday 9th January 2026
Happy New Year from GWOF! We had a fabulous night at Fairycroft House for our first get-together of 2026! We created a canvas to show how we all come together with everyone printing their handprint around the words ‘Go With Our Flow’. When finished, the canvas will hang in Fast Eddie’s Bar for all to see. We then made some plans for trips this year and celebrated Flo’s 20th birthday! We are looking forward to making many more memories in 2026! Supported by The National Lot
diannecarter0908
1 day ago1 min read


Side by Side Club: Wednesday 7th January 2026
Our Side by Side group taking over The Temeraire! Community is about everyone having a seat at the table. A wonderful evening of friendship and laughter in Saffron Walden. Most enjoyed a lovely meal - thank you to the staff who made us all so welcome! #InclusionMatters #SideBySide #bringingsmiles #makeadifference #friendslikefamily
diannecarter0908
3 days ago1 min read


Magical Music Man Mondays: Monday 5th January 2026
Happy New Year !!! We’re back with a bang; We’re back with smiles; We’re back amongst friends; And we’re back with our beloved music. Music Man, we love you and we’re so looking forward to growing with you in 2026. Thank you to everyone who has made, and continues to make, our very special Music Man Project possible. Supported by People's Postcode Lottery awarded by the Postcode Trust and the Stansted Airport Community Fund ( London Stansted Airport ) #MusicMonday #mus
diannecarter0908
3 days ago1 min read


Christmas Charity Collection: Sunday 21st December 2025
Community spirit is alive and well in Saffron Walden! We spent a wonderful day at @tescosaffronwalden today, and we wanted to say a huge thank you for the donations we received. For those who don’t know us yet, we are a small local charity dedicated to improving the lives of local people with learning disabilities and/or autism. Because we are local, your support today has a massive, direct impact on the lives of people right here in our town. Thank you for helping us make a
diannecarter0908
Dec 21, 20251 min read


GWOF Friday Nights: Friday 19th December 2025
Merry Christmas from all of us! We celebrated our last session of 2025 with a delicious dinner at Zafferano Lounge in Saffron Walden. The perfect place to get together! Supported by The National Lottery Community Fund and the #lotteryplayers #christmas2025 #bringingsmiles #MakeADifferenceEveryday #TimeToCelebrate #lovinglife #dinner #lovetosocialise #cometogether #joy #fridayvibes #FridayFeeling
diannecarter0908
Dec 20, 20251 min read


What a ‘Grinch’ of a Wednesday night!
Our last Side by Side of 2025! An exciting evening; a marvellous music quiz, Christmas presents for all the members and a visit from The Grinch! Smile for your photo! Everyone went home happy Merry Christmas from all the staff, volunteers and members at our Side by Side Club! #christmas2025 #MakeADifferenceEveryday #lovinglife #bringingsmiles #timetocelebrate #thegrinch #photoshoot #presents
diannecarter0908
Dec 20, 20251 min read


Merry Magical Music Man Monday
What a wonderfully festive evening we had! Christmas sparkles, Christmas songs, Christmas food, exchanging Christmas cards, playing Christmas games, and wishing each other a Merry Christmas! Thank you again, to everyone who has helped to make our very special Music Man Project possible this year. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year A huge thank you to the People's Postcode Lottery - awarded by the Postcode Trust - and the..
diannecarter0908
Dec 16, 20251 min read


Saffron Walden Mencap Society’s Music Man Project with Prime Brass: Sunday 7th December 2025
Everyone was in fine voice today at our first big public concert!! We performed alongside Music Man Projects from Bishops Stortford and Cambridge as guests of Prime Brass, at the West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge! An amazing experience Thank you, Nicky New, for giving us this wonderful opportunity! Supported by generous donations from People's Postcode Lottery , awarded by the People’s Postcode Trust and #stanstedcommumityfund (London Stansted Airport) #localmencap #brin
diannecarter0908
Dec 7, 20251 min read


Music Man Project: Monday 1st December 2025
Merry Magical Music Man Mondays !!! T’is the season to be jolly!!! Everyone was in fine voice this evening, for our final practice before our first big public concert!! We will be performing alongside Music Man Projects from Bishops Stortford and Cambridge as guests of Prime Brass, at the West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge, this coming Sunday! Tickets are available from https://www.adcticketing.com/.../family-christmas.../ We are sooooo excited!! Thank you, Nicky New, for
diannecarter0908
Dec 3, 20251 min read


SWMS Members Christmas Meal: Saturday 29th November 2025
Our members’ Christmas meal and dance at Newport Village Hall, Essex Fabulous meal, drinks, raffle, dancing and laughter! A huge thank you to Quinntessential Catering for the amazing service! Thank you to all the volunteers who made the event possible! #christmas2025 #localmencap #bringingsmiles #seasonalcelebration #abilitynotdisability #lovewhatwedo #makeadifferencetogether
diannecarter0908
Dec 3, 20251 min read


GWOF Friday Nights: Friday 28th November 2025
What a fabulous night we had at the ‘Christmas at Wimpole 2025’! Our whole group of 30 members, companions and volunteers enjoyed a magical night! An truly amazing experience we had at the trail that brings the estate to life with over a million twinkling lights and seasonal sounds. Thank you so much to the Crocus Sapphires for enabling the trip! Supported by The National Lottery Community Fund and #lotteryplayers #localmencap #abilitynotdisability #bringingsmiles #l
diannecarter0908
Nov 29, 20251 min read


Magical Music Man Mondays: Monday 24th November 2025
With Christmas just a month away, and a special concert to perform at on 7th December, we have been hard at work practicing some special festive pieces….the bells are so Christmassy aren’t they?! We love helping, supporting and encouraging each other, and we love to celebrate special occasions and achievements. So many reasons why Music Man Mondays are so Magical Supported by People's Postcode Lottery awarded by the Postcode Trust and #stanstedcommunityfund ( London Stan
diannecarter0908
Nov 26, 20251 min read


Side by Side Club: Wednesday 19th November 2025
Quiz night at our Side-by -Side club on Wednesday - two teams and so much knowledge between them… the scores were so close at the end and the night was such fun - lovely to see new members and volunteers settling in, friendships blossoming, and so much FUN and Laughter! #mencap #lovewhatwedo #inclusion #quiz night #abilitynotdisability #bringingsmiles #saffronwalden
diannecarter0908
Nov 22, 20251 min read


GWOF Friday Nights: Friday 21st November 2025
Karaoke Tenpin in Cambridge tonight for the birthday girl, Isabel! Followed by dinner Five Guys ! Supported by The National Lottery Community Fund and the #lotteryplayers #bringingsmiles #abilitynotdisability #mencap #fridaynight #FridayFeeling #outandbout #livinglife #lovinglife
diannecarter0908
Nov 22, 20251 min read


GWOF Friday Nights: Friday 14th November 2025
Bowling at Tenpin in Cambridge tonight for some of our members! Great fun and laughter Then dinner at McDonald's yum! Supported by The National Lottery Community Fund and #lotteryplayers #bringingsmiles #mencap #FridayVibes #fridaynight #abilitynotdisability #inclusion #MakeADifference
diannecarter0908
Nov 15, 20251 min read


GWOF Friday Nights: Friday 14th November 2025
Guys and Dolls the Musical at the Town Hall tonight! A great night The National Lottery Community Fund and #lotteryplayers #bringingsmiles #mencap #fridaynight #fridayvibes #musical
diannecarter0908
Nov 15, 20251 min read


Side by Side Club: Wednesday 12th November 2025
Such a good turn out at the Club this evening! Noah had his first session with us and he won the raffle! He chose a lovely gift to give to his sister! There were jigsaws, feed the pig and pirate games, a really raucous game if UNO and much more! We welcomed the lovely George for a taster session - it was such a fun night - the hall looked lovely and as always just full of love and happiness thank you Kitty for making it such a fun night! #gamesmight #unocardgame #jigsawp
diannecarter0908
Nov 15, 20251 min read


GrowAbility: Wednesday 12th November 2025
So much to say about today’s session! Esther, Noah, Barry, Katie, Tristan, Ewelina, Lisa, Mitch, Alice, Julie, Jacquie, and Marion made a happy gang at Dig It Community Allotment today for our GrowAbility club. Weeding, composting, harvesting, and cooking together. Ewelina’s turn to cook today and wow it was fabulous food - what a cook she is! We enjoyed looking at a solitary bee hotel which was brought along by Katie who explained all about how the bee larvae make themselve
diannecarter0908
Nov 15, 20251 min read


Magical Music Man Monday’s
Our lovely Nicky decided it was time to ‘GO BIG’ with the glocks!! We absolutely love this instrument, with its sweet, bell like, sounds. We listened to Nicky’s instructions, telling us which colour to play, and the results were beautiful Thank you Stansted Airport Community Fund ( London Stansted Airport ) for providing these wonderful instruments for all of us. We also want to give a great big shout out to our wonderful volunteers, Jacquie, Marion, Jo and Marian. They are
diannecarter0908
Nov 15, 20251 min read


GWOF Friday Nights: Friday 7th November 2025
Daisy and Alicia’s choice of trips out tonight and they both chose bowling. Great team work! Great communication! Great laughs! Who will win? Supported by The National Lottery Community Fund and #lotteryplayers #mencap #bringingsmiles #abilitynotdisability #lovewhatwedo #FridayFeeling #weekendvibes
diannecarter0908
Nov 8, 20251 min read
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