COMMUNITY STARS Worthing Scope nominated for best charity award

“WONDERFUL”, “brilliant” and “amazing” are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the praise received for Worthing Scope. The Pavilion Road-based organisation received two nominations in the Herald and Gazette’s Community Stars Awards’ Best Charity category, with each nominee giving it a glowing report. Its biggest project is the Fitzalan Howard day centre, which helps around 60 local people, but it also offers support in the community, owns three residential homes and has two charity shops. Christine Tucker cares for Joanne Light, who uses the centre. She said: “They completely focus on people-centred needs. It’s wonderful, it’s such a nurturing environment and Jo gets so excited about going there. “They do so much – they take them out on day trips, they offer a respite service and they have a wonderful light room offering severely disabled people stimulation. They’re brilliant.” Christine, 50, is a registered carer for Shared Lives, a West Sussex organisation which places disabled people in the homes of carers, where they live as part of their family. Jo, 36, who cannot talk and has cerebral palsy, attends the centre four days a week. Christine said it was a real lifeline and made the life of dozens of familes across the area much easier. The charity and the centre are managed by Pauline Fox, who Christine and her husband Morris said should be knighted for her dedication and hard work. Christine said: “Pauline tirelessly gives up her own time to raise money for Worthing Scope – at the moment she’s trying to raise enough to pay for a swimming pool. “She always gets the community to donate things so she can do the best for the people that go there. “It is such a well-run organisation that gives the people who go there confidence and makes them feel special.” Shirley Armstrong, 67, said the Fitzalan Howard centre had changed her daughter Debbie’s life. The 42-year-old has cerebral palsy and since using the centre has “come on enormously”. She has been going there for five years, since the family moved from Surrey. Shirley, of Fairview Avenue, Goring, said: “When she first started there, she couldn’t talk much or hold a conversation, but now they have got her doing everything she should be, it’s amazing. “I can’t praise them enough. They so deserve this award.” Pauline said she was chuffed to bits to be nominated. “I would say that the centre offers an exceptional daytime opportunity for disabled people. “The staff team are proactive and work well and are very understanding of people’s needs. It really is a team effort. “This is so great because as a charity, Worthing and District Scope doesn’t get much recognition, we just keep our heads down and get on with things, but it’s nice to know we’re appreciated. “I couldn’t do it without all the hard-working staff and volunteers.” All Community Stars nominees will be featured in the Thursday, October 14 editions of the Herald and Gazette series. The first voting form will be published on this date. Readers can vote for one nominee per category.