As you might imagine a charity that is as longstanding ours has a history that is rich and plentiful. This page will offer you key events in the charity’s life. If you wish to read about us in more detail please follow the links
The charity was formed in 1965. It was set up by local parents of children with cerebral palsy, their friends and local Councillor Sammy Chapman (the first chairman of the Worthing group). It was then known as Worthing, Littlehampton and District Spastics Society and was affiliated to the national Spastics Society as part of its regional structure. Its purpose was to meet the day care needs of local children with cerebral palsy who had to travel to Brighton to receive any day service.
Councillor Chapman offered a room in his public house for the committee to hold meetings and raise funds, and a charity was formed. Miss Jess Carter became Vice Chairman and Welfare Officer and Miss MacLean (a physiotherapist) became Secretary. Mr Thomas of firm Thomas, Davies and Chealey acted as our honorary lawyer and Her Grace, Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk happily agreed to become our President. Subscriptions and donations at the inaugural meeting amounted to £40.
In 1968 the Society leased a 2 bedroom bungalow in Pavilion Road (now the Fitzalan Howard Centre). This building became our centre for children.
A site in Rectory Road was leased in 1970 and used as a work centre for 9 adults a day.
Change to legislation in 1972 saw the government take responsibility for the education of disabled children and the children from our centre moved to specialist units at Highdown School and West Park School.
We opened our first charity shop in 1972 at Rivoli Buildings
Work began on the conversion of the bungalow in Pavilion Road into a work centre for 30 adults in 1975 and the Fitzalan Howard Centre was officially opened in January 1977 by HRH the Duchess of Kent.
In 1983 extensions were added to the Work Centre
In 1985 we funded the adaptation and refurbishment of a Stonham Housing Association property in Selden Road for people with cerebral palsy. The fundraising efforts were extensive.
We purchased a property suitable for residential care in Grand Avenue in 1990. The property was leased to Stonham for a peppercorn rent of £1 a year.
In 1986 we purchased property on South Farm Road and opened a charity shop which is still operating today.
Changes were made to the Work centre to secure funding of some placements by County Hall in 1994
Our President Lady Sarah Clutton opened the training kitchen at the Fitzalan Howard Centre in 1995.
We changed our name from Worthing, Littlehampton and District Spastic Society to Worthing & District Scope in 1995/96
Further changes and additions were made to the Fitzalan Howard Centre in 1997. With these changes saw a change of focus. The contract work was stopped and an emphasis put on training, education and independence.
A Community Liaison Worker was employed to run the new fieldwork service set up to provide support, advice and funding information to individuals, parents and carers.
A bungalow in Exmoor Crescent was purchased and adapted to provide living accommodation for 3 disabled people. The lease agreement was agreed with Crawley based Outreach 3 Way in 2005.
Worthing & District Scope set up its website www.wscope.org.uk in 2005
Our shop in South Farm Road was given a refit in 2008 and the old storerooms upstairs were modernised to offer a self contained one bedroom flat which was leased to a young person with cerebral palsy.
A new post was agreed by the Board and a shop coordinator was employed in September 2008.
2009 has also seen change. A conservatory was added to the Fitzalan Howard Centre to increase the space for service user activities and a resource library was opened for member and non members to access books and information about cerebral palsy.