Annual Summer Fundraising BBQ 2025
Annual Summer Fundraising BBQ 2025
Come and join us at our Summer Barbecue, in aid of Mid Norfolk Mencap!
It is happening on Saturday 12th July 2025.
Entry by ticket only.
Please direct enquiries to the main office at info@midnorfolkmencap.org.uk or on 01362 693013. 
By Lucy Smith 9 May 2025
35 Years of Merle Boddy House
35 Years of Merle Boddy House
Merle Boddy House opened its doors to residents and staff on 23rd April 1990, making this year its 35th anniversary. Named after the founder and chairperson, Merle Boddy, it opened as a residential home aimed at building “a caring and stimulating environment for all our residents, involving them with all issues of running their home and introducing them to the facilities available to them within the community” (Mid Norfolk Mencap newsletter, April 1990).
Since then, Merle Boddy House has provided valuable care to many residents and has made a significant difference to the lives of individuals with learning disabilites. Without the efforts, hard work and dedication of those responsible for creating, opening and running the house, this impact would not be possible. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all these figures, past and present, for their contributions, as they have made it possible for Merle Boddy House to provide its services for 35 years. Thank you so much to these individuals. We hope to continue this important work for many more years to come.
Below are some thoughts from a parent of one of our Merle Boddy House residents, reflecting upon its 35th anniversary:
‘Thoughts of Merle Boddy House –
Happy, smiling residents, always ready for a chat -
cheerful, kindly staff, always willing to help -
delicious smells coming from the kitchen.
The residents and staff feel like a real family, in a homely, relaxed, friendly and comfortable environment. I sincerely hope that dear Merle Boddy House will be recognised for all the above, and I must acknowledge the staff team who make it such a wonderful home for all their residents – thank you, your work is greatly appreciated!
Congratulations on your 35th Anniversary, you are wished all the very best for the next 35 years.’
- Ruth, parent / carer
Finally, please see below some images showing articles, blueprints and photographs, from the planning and opening of Merle Boddy House 35 years ago!
By Lucy Smith 9 Apr 2025
Paintballing Trip - Community Outreach Support
Paintballing Trip - Community Outreach Support
On Friday 28th March 2025, some of the Community Outreach Support service users went on an action-packed trip to Battle Stations Activity Centre and did some paintballing. Everyone had so much fun and a lot of laughs were had. What a fantastic day!
By Lucy Smith 7 Apr 2025
World Cooking Club - UK
World Cooking Club - UK
On Wednesday 26th March, the Community Outreach Support service saw its next instalment of the World Cooking Club, this time focusing on the UK. We hosted an afternoon tea, filled with lots of cakes, scones, pastries and sandwiches, and of course, tea!
By Lucy Smith 4 Apr 2025
World Cooking Club 2025 - India
World Cooking Club - India
February 18th 2025 saw our service users take on the next instalment of the world cooking club, this time focusing on India! They explored the country through food, culture, arts and crafts.
Our menu:
Special thanks to Rani’s Indian Dining for their donation of desserts and chocolates, which were such a treat and the perfect way to finish the experience!
By Lucy Smith 4 Mar 2025
World Cooking Club 2025 - Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year 2025
Starting us off in January for our first stop in the World Cooking Club, China! We chose this so we could celebrate Chinese New Year.
Our service users spent the day cooking up a variety of Chinese-style dishes, serving it up for the whole team. We decorated our room with Chinese New Year decorations, had special menus and enjoyed a lovely meal. Thank you for all the staff involved for their hard work in making this happen.
What a wonderful start to the World Cooking Club!
By Lucy Smith 4 Mar 2025
Community Outreach Support - World Cooking Club 2025
World Cooking Club
The Community Outreach Support Service is launching a new culinary adventure this year – World Cooking Club!
We invite our service users to excite their taste buds and explore the world through food, culture, arts and crafts.
Here are the dates and countries we will be exploring:
January 27th – China
February 18th – India
March 26th – UK
April 24th – Jamaica
May 23rd – Australia
June 16th – Spain
July 29th – Greece
August 27th – Italy
September 25th – France
October 24th – America
November 24th – Africa
December 16th - Germany
Cooking Club will be held at the Mid Norfolk Mencap hub. We look forward to this journey through the world in 2025!
By Lucy Smith 4 Mar 2025
Mid Norfolk Mencap Christmas Party 2024
Christmas Disco 2024!
On Friday 13th December 2024, we had our most anticipated event of the year - the Christmas Disco!
‘Tinsel Tim’ was back on with his party music, and our guests enjoyed dancing the night away. There was another annual rematch of the snowball fight, a Christmas buffet and a very special guest...
Thank you to everyone who came along to our Christmas disco for making it such a special night!
By Lucy Smith 4 Mar 2025
Fundraising Christmas Disco 2023
COME ALONG TO OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DISCO
on Friday 8th December 2023, 7.30pm - 11.30pm
at Swanton Morley Village Hall
Join “Tinsel Tim” with his party music, snow machine and pom pom snowballs for a fun night out!
Adult Tickets: £10 each
Price includes Christmas buffet and the bar will be open.
This year we have a VERY special guest coming!! There will also be a raffle.
Phone or email Sarah at the Mid Norfolk Mencap office to get your name on the guest list for tickets:
Tel: 01362 693013 or Email: sarah@midnorfolkmencap.org
We would prefer payments to be made by BACS.
If you are unable to pay by bank transfer, we will still accept cash or cheque.
By Sarah Freeman 31 Oct 2023
Christmas Disco, Fri 2nd December 2022
CHRISTMAS DISCO
on Friday 2nd December 2022, 7.30pm - 11.30pm
at Swanton Morley Village Hall
Join Tinsel Tim with his party music, snow machine and
pom pom snowballs!
TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE NOW & SELLING FAST
Adults: £8 each
Children under 12: £4 each
Price includes buffet and the bar will be open.
There will be a Christmas Raffle.
By Sarah Freeman 1 Nov 2022
BBQ Fundraiser July 2022
Our summer fundraiser was a great success. An amazing £1,400 was raised with 101 people attending the BBQ held at the home of Jon & Ruth Gooch. Our thanks go to Jon & Ruth Gooch for hosting, the people who attended and the companies who donated food and raffle prizes. See you next year!
By Sarah Freeman 16 Aug 2022
Tesco Community Grant Update
We have been granted £1,000.00 from the Tesco Community Grant scheme (managed by the community charity Groundwork UK). This is specifically for the purpose of our Field to Fork Allotment Project.
Thank you to everyone who voted for us with the Tesco blue tokens.
We are going to plough on with our plans for our allotment plot with the help from, and benefit of, our community clients and residents of Merle Boddy House. The preparation work at the beginning may seem boring and hard but we will reap the rewards and learn many new skills so it will be worth it!
By Sarah Freeman 26 May 2022
Fundraising Summer BBQ 2022
Come and join our Summer Barbecue - in aid of Mid Norfolk Mencap.
Entry by ticket only. Restricted numbers.
Saturday 9th July 2022.
Enquire at the Tavern Lane office for ticket information 01362 693013.
By Sarah Freeman 26 May 2022
Tesco Community Grant - our Field to Fork Allotment Project
For 3 months until the end of March 2022, we are delighted that our Field to Fork Allotment project has been chosen by the Tesco Community Grants initiative for customer votes in the Dereham Tesco store. We are hoping to get the top grant of £1,500 to really make a difference and support our clients and residents with learning difficulties to enhance their skills, promote their wellbeing and enjoy the great outdoors by growing and looking after their own produce.
Please spread the word with your friends and family to support us.
By Sarah Freeman 14 Jan 2022
Corona Virus Update
As a result of the current Government guidance we have taken the following decisions.
All clubs and groups have ceased until further notice.
The community outreach service will be closing today 24th March 2020 and resume when safe to do so.
The office will close as from today with key staff working from home.
The office number is being directed to our HR manager who will pass on calls to the relevant person.
Our residential service continues as normal with the great work from our staff, shift/team leaders and Registered Manager Steven
I will update this site when there are any changes to the above.
I wish all our members and friends the best of wishes and please be safe and stay at home.
Kind Regards
Jon Rose GM
By Admin 24 Mar 2020
Sensory Room 'Grand Opening'
Everyone is welcome to attend the grand Opening of our new sensory room here at Tavern Lane. We have been fundraising hard over the past few years and would like to say a big thank you for all who have contributed to this project. The Mayor of Dereham will be opening the room and we hope to see lots of support on the day. A big thanks to Anya Rose who has made this happen along with the support of the staff and trustees.
Hope to see you there.
Jon Rose
General Manager
By Jon Rose 7 Jan 2020
Mid Norfolk Mencaps' Summer BBQ 2019
By Jon Rose 28 Mar 2019
2018 Christmas Disco
LOOK!!! The best Christmas disco in Norfolk this year is with us. Please call us for a ticket.
By Jon Rose 24 Oct 2018
Mid Norfolk Mencap BBQ
A big thanks to MR and Mrs Gooch. Please come and get a ticket and support us for this great event.
By Jon Rose 23 Apr 2018
Our Breckland Lottery
.png)
I’m excited to tell you about our new fundraising venture.
We have signed up as a good cause with “Our Breckland Lottery” which is a community lottery scheme funded by Breckland Council. It’s aim is to provide charities and community groups with a free online platform through which to raise valuable core funds.
It works just like the National Lottery, with tickets sold for £1, and weekly draws on a Saturday Night. Tickets are available to buy online or over the phone.
For each ticket sold on our page:
- 50p will come to us
- 20p will go to the lottery prize fund, which it’s top prize is £25,000
- 20p will go to running costs and VAT
- 10p will go to a general fund, which Breckland Council will distribute locally as grants
This is a fantastic opportunity to raise funds for our very worthwhile charity. I ask that you consider supporting us by buying a lottery ticket, @
www.ourbrecklandlottery.co.uk/support/mid-norfolk-mencap
For further information then please do get in touch with me on 01362 693013.
I thank you in advance for your valuable support.
Anya Rose
Public Relations and Office Manager
By Jon Rose 1 Mar 2018
Christmas Dance 2017
By Jon Rose 27 Sep 2017
Gateway Events Autumn 2017
By Jon Rose 26 Sep 2017
Family Carers Meeting 2018
By Jon Rose 26 Sep 2017
Dereham Stepping Out Dates
By Jon Rose 26 Sep 2017
New Learning Disability Strategy
Norfolk County Council is developing a new Learning Disability Strategy for the next 5 years. We are encouraging people to complete the survey they have created and give as much feedback as possible.
To fill in the survey online please click on the link below, alternatively contact the Mid Norfolk Mencap office for a hard copy.
Please note all hard copies need to be returned to Anya at the registered office by 29th September.
By Jon Rose 19 Sep 2017
Stop Sleep In Crisis 'WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT'
.jpg)
We need your support.
Government changes to 'sleep-in' payments are threatening to take away vital support from thousands of disabled people. This support allows them to live a safe and independent life in the community.
The care sector has been landed with a massive £400 million bill and many providers now face bankruptcy. This could mean the end of social care as we know it.
We are asking the Government to urgently commit to paying this bill as the sector cannot afford it. Government caused this problem only they can fix it.
PLEASE PLEASE click on the link below and register your name on the petition.
Thank You
By Jon Rose 11 Aug 2017
Learning Disabilities Week Grand Finale
Well, Its been a great time here at Mid Norfolk Mencap, celebrating Learning Disabilities Week. The week was finished off with a disco and BBQ at our offices at Tavern Lane. We were pleased to see so many people coming to enjoy themselves and participate in the evening.
Congratulations to Craig Savage for coming 1st in our competition who won an Odeon cinema voucher, 2nd place went to Mark Adams with 3rd place to Denise Woodgate, who both won chocolates. Pictures of the winner and the winning entries can be viewed in our gallery, so please take a look.
My thanks must go to Anya and Lorna for all thier time in organising the events of the week. It is not an easy job as there is much preperation and extra time involved. I would also like to say a big thanks to Les, his wife Tina, and Charlotte for helping on the day of the BBQ.
I believe it is really important to support these events and I will ask if you were unable to come to this one then please come to another, all events are advertised in 'In The Loop' which you can also view here on this site.
By Jon Rose 29 Jun 2017
Our New Manager
We would all like to welcome our new Residential Services Manager at our home at Merle Boddy House. Mary comes with a vast amount of experience and gave an excellent account of herself in interview. We all recognise it has been a difficult period after David Robinson left us at the early part of this year We would like you all to allow her time to settle in and give her a smile and support, especially during this starting period. We would also like to thank the seniors and staff for maintaining the house during this time and the extra support by the management team.
By Jon Rose 21 Jun 2017
Mid Norfolk Mencap and Radio Norwich working together
As you know we have teamed up with Radio Norwich this week (19 - 23 June), to promote this important event in our diary. We hope you all listen to the radio stations and tell everyone else about it.
By Jon Rose 19 Jun 2017
NEW WEB SITE
Welcome to our new web site.
The office team over the past months have been working hard in partnership with Anglian Internet to bring you this new site. We are all excited to see this develop over the coming months, so if you would like to add anything or want to comment then please call me, Jon Rose, and I will see what we can do. As I said this is new to you and to us so please be patient whilst we get to grips with it.
I would just like to say a big thanks to Anya at the office and Richard Lockett from Anglian Internet for the time spent to get this developed.
By Jon Rose 16 Jun 2017
DISCO and BBQ 25th JUNE 2017
Please see the poster, lets celebrate the end of a great week....
By Jon Rose 16 Jun 2017
LEARNING DISABILITIES WEEK
Learning Disabilities Week 2017
Celebrating ‘YOU’
Mid Norfolk Mencap are celebrating Learning Disability Week ‘2017’ which takes place between 19th—25th June.
With this year’s theme being ‘Friendships’, we kick off the week firstly with a free competition (details enclosed in this month’s issue of ‘In the Loop’) where we are focusing on children and adults with learning disabilities and their ‘Friendships’.
During the week, we will also be collaborating with Radio Norwich sponsoring and working in conjunction with them to spread the news about National Disabilities Week. Alongside this, will be the launch of our newly revamped web site, where you can take a tour to find up-to-date information about Mid Norfolk Mencap’s activities, clubs and dates for your diary.
The week rounds off with a superb BBQ & Disco at 1a Tavern Lane Office on Sunday 25th June from 6-9pm. Do come and ‘Boogie’ the night away. Tickets £6 still available from the Mid Norfolk Office, 1A Tavern Lane, Dereham.
By Jon Rose 15 Jun 2017