University of Liverpool Affiliated Charity MOWLL Marks 20 Years of Impact: Bridging Gaps and Inspiring Change

University of Liverpool Affiliated Charity MOWLL Marks 20 Years of Impact: Bridging Gaps and Inspiring Change

(IN BRIEF) MOWLL (Moving On With Life & Learning), a charitable organization affiliated with the University of Liverpool, is commemorating its 20th anniversary of community support and social inclusion initiatives for individuals with various social care needs. MOWLL offers a wide range of programs and support services, including cooking, gardening, arts, and more. The organization also provides community support services such as shopping assistance and medical appointment coordination. Beneficiaries have expressed improved confidence and friendships through MOWLL’s efforts. Additionally, MOWLL has collaborated on impactful projects, including culinary training and art programs, and campaigns against hate crime. To mark its milestone, MOWLL is hosting a week-long celebration with interactive exhibitions and activities.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 30-Oct-2023 — /EuropaWire/ —  University of Liverpool, a public research university, announces that its charitable organization affiliated with the School of Law and Social Justice, MOWLL (Moving On With Life & Learning), is celebrating its remarkable 20-year journey of community support, advocacy, and fostering social inclusion for individuals with diverse social care needs.

MOWLL has been a cornerstone in providing community care services to local beneficiaries, comprising adults with a wide spectrum of needs, including learning disabilities, mental health conditions, physical disabilities, and dementia. Through their dedicated efforts, MOWLL has become an integral part of the fabric of the community, offering a diverse array of programs and support services.

These community care services include a range of programs hosted at local community hubs. Beneficiaries have access to activities such as cooking, gardening, health and wellbeing initiatives, creative arts, digital drama, local history exploration, dance, and photography. Moreover, MOWLL organizes both daytime and evening social opportunities for those experiencing isolation, providing a means to reconnect with their community.

Beyond these social and learning opportunities, MOWLL extends critical community support services to beneficiaries who require assistance with tasks such as shopping, scheduling and attending medical appointments, and accessing housing and benefit services.

The impact of MOWLL’s work is best reflected in the words of beneficiaries who have found friendship, confidence, and inspiration through their involvement. One individual expressed that MOWLL has given them “a chance to be the best I can be.”

MOWLL has also played a vital role in University of Liverpool teaching since 2003, supporting programs in Sociology, Social Work, and Health Sciences. Beneficiaries from MOWLL actively contribute by sharing their life experiences related to health, education, and social care settings with students, making lived experiences of disability a central aspect of the teaching process.

Helen Marshall, Lecturer in Nursing at the School of Health Sciences said: “It is always pleasure to have beneficiaries share their real stories and it’s always a really useful, informative session that’s gets the students thinking…It is a credit for the people of MOWLL to stand up and talk to the health professionals of tomorrow.”

Over the past two decades, MOWLL has established impactful collaborations across the city. Notable projects include “Soulfillers,” a culinary initiative in collaboration with award-winning Chef Sky Glover-Anderson, aimed at providing culinary skills and promoting healthy eating. This project has led to paid employment opportunities for beneficiaries in the catering industry.

MOWLL’s “Hidden Talents” project, in collaboration with local sculptor Tom Murphy, has provided a creative and nurturing space for beneficiaries to develop their art skills. Tom Murphy has become MOWLL’s patron, mentoring beneficiaries through weekly art masterclasses.

Moreover, MOWLL has partnered with Merseyside Police, Crown Prosecution Service, the Police Crime Commissioner, Probation Service, and other social care providers on the “FACE FactS” (Fighting Against Community Exclusion) project. This initiative campaigns against hate crime and was initiated following the tragic death of MOWLL beneficiary Gary Skelly in 2010.

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Over the past two decades, MOWLL have made a real difference in so many people’s lives across Merseyside, tackling hate crime, supporting the vulnerable and working to create happier and healthier communities.

“To mark 20 years empowering local people is a huge achievement and I am delighted to join this anniversary event to congratulate everyone at MOWLL on reaching this fantastic milestone and celebrate everything they have accomplished.”

In honor of their 20th anniversary, MOWLL is hosting a week-long celebration from Monday, October 30th, to Friday, November 3rd, in the atrium at the University of Liverpool’s School of Law and Social Justice. The event includes interactive exhibitions showcasing MOWLL’s achievements and key projects over the past two decades, as well as activities such as dancing, yoga, crafts, and video screenings. The artwork from the Hidden Talents project, created by beneficiaries, will also be on display.

Heidi Kenworthy, CEO of MOWLL said: “We’re really proud to be celebrating 20 years of everything we’ve achieved working communities across Liverpool.

“From providing meaningful opportunities for people who use our services across Liverpool to campaigning on hate crime at a local and national level, MOWLL has built a really strong community of people across the city. All of our work would not have been possible without the University of Liverpool providing us with their unwavering support– here’s to the next 20 years of work!”

Media contact:

Catrin Owen
Media Relations Manager – Humanities and Social Sciences
T: +44 (0)7721 834238
E: catrin.owen@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool