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Chief pledges secure future for disability centre

Andrew Turner/BBC Alison Holmes, wearing a patterned black top, and blue cardigan, has long blonde hair. She is smiling and standing next to one of the charity's fleet of minibuses which is adapted for people with physical and learning disabilities.Andrew Turner/BBC
Alison Holmes, who has more than 20 years' experience in the care sector, has taken over the running of Centre81

The new chief executive of a charity that helps people with disabilities in Norfolk live more independently has pledged to fulfil its ambitions.

Alison Holmes, who has more than 20 years' experience in the social care sector, was selected by trustees of Centre81 to run the Great Yarmouth-based charity.

Her predecessor, Diana Staines, said much work had been done during her 17-year tenure to secure more suitable premises and build a sustainable financial base to ensure it would continue to operate.

Centre81 operates an activity centre on the Harfrey's Industrial Estate and runs a fleet of nine minibuses to help transport members to access medical services, shops and social events.

Andrew Turner/BBC Diana Staines, right, is wearing a green top with orange sleeves, with a light green gilet over the top. She has light auburn hair, and is wearing glasses. Next to her, on the left of the image, is her successor, Alison Holmes, who is wearing a black patterned top beneath a light blue cardigan. She is wearing tinsel around her neck, and she has long auburn hair.Andrew Turner/BBC
Diana Staines, right, is handing over to Alison Holmes having spent 17 years as chief executive of Centre81 in Great Yarmouth

Ms Holmes said: "What I've inherited is an amazing legacy, and one that I'm really looking forward to finishing, to some extent.

"It's an amazing service full of compassionate people and I feel a very lucky girl."

About 60 people use the day centre every week, which lays on activities and a meals service for people with physical and learning disabilities.

The minibuses are operating at 90% capacity, completing on average 100 journeys each day.

Supplied Diana Staines, in a white jacket, with a blue fascinator, being presented her MBE by King Charles III. He is wearing a blue military jacket featuring gold embroidered bands on the cuff and a lanyard on his shoulder.Supplied
Diana Staines was awarded the MBE in December 2021 for services to people living with disabilities, her medal presented by King Charles III

Diana Staines was presented the MBE in December 2021 for services to people with disabilities in Norfolk, particularly during Covid-19.

She orchestrated a "reverse meals on wheels" service where clients were brought in for a social lunch, rather than a delivery service that left isolated people on their own.

"I came to an organisation which could best be described as a tea and cake club. That was it," she said.

"We said 'what do we want for the future and how do we go about building that?' and one of the key things was that everybody needed to understand, that we were working with adults, and not children.

"Therefore we allowed playing up; various bits of language like that we tried to remove because otherwise that put everyone in the mindset of 'oh, just children playing up; we don't have to take any notice of them'.

"As one member said to me: 'I know what you're doing. What you're doing is giving the centre back to the members', because as adults they could make those choices. It wasn't for us to dictate."

Andrew Turner/BBC Julie Charles, wearing a Santa hat and jersey, has long auburn hair. SHe is smiling and holding her hands together. She is sat between two of the members of Centre81; the gentleman on the left is wearing a red and green elf outfit, and a wrist watch and glasses. The man on the right has close cropped hair, and is wearing a high visibility jersey, and has a chest harness and elbow pads.Andrew Turner/BBC
Julie Charles has worked at Centre81 for 32 years and hopes the new chief executive will work to ensure secure funding for the centre's activities

Julie Charles is the charity's skills and activities centre manager. Having started 32 years ago, she is now working under her third chief executive.

She said: "I quite like change and I think as long as the members are happy and doing what they want to do and are well looked after, different things happen and it's all positive and good."

Ms Holmes said she would look to improve services, working to secure a financially sustainable future.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't think there was [a viable future]. I've been in care for 25 years. It's always challenging.

"What we are looking at now is what all the members want from their lives.

"They're telling us clearly they want independent living skills, they want travel and do all the things we want to do, so we are introducing a programme for living independently."

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