About Us

Have you visited Living (dlc) in Fishponds?  It used to be known as the Disabled Living Centre or DLC.  Do you know what it does?  In spite of its name no-one lives there, and it is not only for disabled people!  It is a place where everyone can get advice and information about products or equipment, which can make it possible to be more independent, improve one's quality of life, or make things easier for someone who cares for you. You can phone up for information or come to the centre. You don't need someone else to refer you to come and see us. You will need to make an appointment to visit the centre, because the centre's policy is to make sure that there is a knowledgeable person there to spend time with you. Then you will have plenty of time to explore your options and try things out. Sometimes we have "Open Days" where you can come and browse on your own. Most of the people who manage Living (dlc) are disabled or older people and know what sort of things other people would like to see. We also have a users group, and do our best to implement suggestions for additions or improvements to our services.

The official opening of Living (dlc) (at that time the Disabled Living Centre) on 30th September 1994 was the culmination of more than three years of planning and preparation. It is one of fifty Disabled Living Centres throughout the UK and fills what had been a major gap in their geographical coverage. Meryl Gaskell is our Chief Executive Officer and Daniela Meucci is our Services Manager at the Centre.  We value our links with Assist UK (the national co-ordinating body) and we have very good links with other centres in neighbouring regions. From its inception, Living (dlc) has been firmly committed to being led by disabled people. This has been and remains the guiding principle in all policy and operational decisions. The Centre makes an important contribution to "Care in the Community" and is already recognised as playing a vital part in the provision of services that are central to its purpose. Our principal aims are:

To empower disabled and older people by providing information about, and the practical opportunity to try, a range of equipment. These are essential to making an informed choice. To make it possible for disabled and older people to increase their independence and have more control over their life-styles. To make this information and testing of equipment available to carers, to assist them in their activities. To act as a resource for professionals to enhance the effectiveness of their service to disabled people, older people and carers. To show ways of reducing the dependency of disabled and older people (which is all too often assumed and accepted by society) thus challenging prevalent social attitudes. To demonstrate ways of reducing disability, as defined by the social model, by modifying the environment and/or changing the tasks to be undertaken.

All the above aims share the common theme of enhancing the independence and quality of life of disabled and older people.

Living (dlc) is an independent organisation funded by enterprise through contracts with local authorities and by trading some of its services for the benefit of the community.