Join Mencap and design a card for Christmas

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The local provider of mental health and learning disability services is calling on people to get involved in this year’s design a Christmas card competition run by Mencap and John Lewis.

Mencap, which is the national charity dedicated to giving people with learning disabilities a voice, and department store John Lewis are joining forces to give people with a learning disability the chance to design a card that could be produced and sold in time for Christmas 2011.

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which provides services in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield, is lending its support to the competition by encouraging local people with a learning disability to get involved to show off their creative talents nationwide.

The competition is open to all people with a learning disability. The winners will have their designs made into Christmas cards that will then be sold in John Lewis department stores across the UK in the run up to Christmas 2011. At least £1 will be donated to Mencap from the sale of each pack of cards.

Mencap’s Christmas card competition has been running for more than a decade, encouraging people with learning difficulties to use their creative skills to produce an original Christmas card design.

The Trust’s professional lead nurse for learning disabilities, Nigel McLoughlin, said; "We are really pleased to support this year’s competition and are looking forward to seeing if anybody who uses our services wants to take part. The use of creativity in healthcare environments has long been recognised; increasing self-esteem, developing social skills, helping community integration and improving an individual’s quality of life. Creative approaches play a key role in how we deliver services that local people have told us they want. It’s great that the creative skills of our service users can be put to good use by entering this competition. "

To enter a design all you need to do is download an application form from the Mencap website www.mencap.org.uk . All the entries must be received by Friday 14 January 2011.

Mencap’s chief executive Mark Goldring, said: "We are delighted to team up with John Lewis to help us make this competition even more successful. Every year we receive entries of the highest standard and we want this year’s to be just as inspiring. People of all ages with a learning disability can enter this competition – not only will winners receive some fantastic prizes but they will also see their Christmas cards on sale."

For more information of the competition and how to enter visit www.mencap.org.uk or call 020 7696 5524.

Join Mencap and design a card for Christmas

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