A woman who has struggled with her health all her life and lives “in constant pain” has paid tribute to a Jewish charity for enabling her to “live life to the full”.
Ruth, 79, who asked the JC not to use her surname and has limited mobility in her left arm, along with neck and back problems, said that Jewish Blind and Disabled (JBD) had offered her a lifeline when she found herself struggling while living in a third-floor flat without a lift.
Speaking at the charity’s annual dinner at JW3 on Wednesday, which raised £200,000, Ruth told guests: “In my late 50s, I reached a pivotal moment… We needed a solution that let me maintain my independence. I knew I wasn’t going to let my disability stop me from living life to the full.”
Although her husband, Harold, had been reluctant at first to move into an adapted mobility apartment, Ruth said that the decision to live at JBD’s Frances and Dick James Court in Mill Hill “changed our lives” as it enabled her to remain independent and use a mobility scooter for the first time. “A new world of opportunities opened up. JBD offered us a place we could call home,” she said.
Ruth, who said at the annual JBD dinner that living in one of their mobility apartments had enabled her to retain her independence and find a community (Photo: Blake Ezra Photography)
Ruth, who had previously worked full time before volunteering for a number of charities, including the Jewish Women’s League and the Samaritans, said that her new home had also provided her with a community.
Describing the last 12 months as “the hardest year of my life” after her husband of 56 years died from cancer, she told the audience: “I have felt lost since Harold passed, and the community here have done all they can to support me. Because that is what we do. We help each other.”
Having lived in her JBD flat for the past 20 years, Ruth said: “I feel blessed every day that I have my apartment. I thank God I am here, and I have a home. …No one does welcoming better than our Jewish community.”
Her comments were echoed by TV personality and JC columnist Rob Rinder, who told JBD supporters:
“Family and home are two essential ingredients of who we are as a community. JBD is an example of who we are and who we can be at our best.”
JBD has seven developments which support people living with a disability and/or vision impairment. The charity also enables people to continue living independently in their own home via their independent living advisory service.
Its CEO Lisa Wimborne said that demand for its services had never been higher, and that the charity was doing all it could to meet the demand, “whether that’s going full steam ahead with our construction projects or expanding our community-based services so that we can reach more people who need our help”.
According to JBD, only 7 per cent of England’s housing provides the most basic features of accessibility for people with disabilities. The charity has found that 38 per cent of people who have a long-term physical condition also experience severe mental health problems, which it partly attributes to inappropriate living conditions.
Charity chair Marc Gordon said: “By providing people with the right physical environment and support, we enable people to live their life to the full, with their own front door and a place to call home, along with the peace of mind that, should they need it, day or night, support is there for them.
“We have a big job to do to meet the demand we are facing from across the community. Our ambitious plans will only be possible through working in partnership with our supporters, volunteers and the wider community.”
The charity is currently in the process of building Ephraim Court, a development of 30 mobility apartments in Mill Hill East, north-west London. It is expected to cost in the region of £10million and be completed in the spring.
