Celebrating Learning Disability Week 2025 with The Fidelis Partnership
What a day!
To celebrate Learning Disability Week 2025, our Music and Media group took a special trip to London.
They met with our corporate partner, The Fidelis Partnership, which supports LinkAble through The Fidelis Foundation.
The theme of Learning Disability Week 2025 is "Do you see me?", which is all about people with a learning disability being seen, heard, and valued. We saw this as a brilliant opportunity for The Fidelis Partnership to meet some of our attendees and learn first-hand about the incredible impact of their support.
Now in the second year of our partnership, LinkAble has been extremely grateful to receive £60,000 from The Fidelis Foundation to help develop our adult services. So, we had plenty to update them on!
A visit to remember
Traveling together by train and then taking the tube, we arrived on a sunny day to be met by Natalie and Katharine from The Fidelis Partnership, which is the insurance business that funds The Fidelis Foundation. They took us took us on a tour of their incredible offices which was so exciting for our group!
High up on the 42nd floor, we were treated to breathtaking panoramic views of London. We had fun spotting famous landmarks, including The Emirates Stadium and The Gherkin. At this point we were also joined by Simon, from The Fidelis Partnership who told us about the types of things they insure, including some very famous singers’ concerts!
Sharing our experiences
Over a delicious lunch, we discussed some of the skills and experiences our attendees have gained in sessions that The Fidelis Foundation has made possible. This included creating a children’s book which the group wrote and illustrated, forest yoga sessions complete with learning mindfulness techniques, and recording a LinkAble radio show!
Two members of the group also shared stories about their paid and voluntary work, showing how learning new skills is helping the people we support to live more independently.
Later, our group had the chance to practise interviewing skills by asking Natalie, Katharine, and Simon some questions for their newly developed newspaper, The LinkAble Gazette.
The interview
Chris asked: What is The Fidelis Foundation?
Natalie: “The Fidelis Foundation is a corporate Foundation built on the passion and engagement of our employees. As an employee-driven foundation, our team members play a central role by proposing charity partners, allowing us to connect with a diverse range of causes, not just those within the insurance industry.
We are committed to creating meaningful impact by supporting initiatives that promote inclusion, empowerment, and sustainable positive change. By combining the insights and passions of our staff, we form strategic partnerships that help organisations thrive and reach those who need support the most.”
Kate asked: What's the best thing about working at The Fidelis Partnership?
Katharine: “The best part of being involved with The Fidelis Foundation is the opportunity to engage directly with the charities we support and witness the real-world impact of our contributions. Because many of our charity partners are proposed by our employees, there’s a personal connection to the causes we champion.
These partnerships allow us to learn from and collaborate with organisations doing remarkable work across a wide range of sectors, far beyond the insurance industry. At the same time, we’re proud to bring the strengths of the insurance world, demonstrating the positive power of insurance. It’s this combination of hands-on involvement, employee passion, and strategic thinking that makes the work so meaningful.”
Deryn and Rachel asked: Why does The Fidelis Foundation support LinkAble?
Simon: “We support LinkAble because their mission speaks directly to the values that drive The Fidelis Foundation, particularly inclusion, opportunity, and meaningful community engagement. LinkAble was nominated by one of our team members, reflecting our belief that the most powerful partnerships often come from personal connections and lived experiences.
Their work providing tailored support for children and adults with learning disabilities exemplifies the kind of deep, long-term impact we strive to achieve. By collaborating closely with LinkAble, we’re helping people live more fulfilling lives and showing how the insurance industry can support inclusion and strength communities.”
Nico asked: What's the best thing that has come from the LinkAble and The Fidelis Foundation partnership?
Natalie: “One of the most meaningful outcomes of our partnership with LinkAble has been the growth and diversification of their adult daytime services. Our support has enabled LinkAble to broaden the range of sessions they offer, giving individuals more opportunities to explore new skills, build confidence, and connect with others. This has not only enhanced the quality of support but also empowered the people LinkAble support to live more independent and enriched lives.
This partnership highlights the value of employee-led initiatives. One of my colleagues nominated LinkAble because their work means a lot to them personally, and we’ve been so proud of how the relationship has grown since then. It really shows what’s possible when a company backs the causes its people care about.”
Watch this space for the easy read version of this interview, which will come out in the second edition of The LinkAble Gazette soon!
A lasting legacy
The donations from The Fidelis Foundation have significantly enhanced LinkAble’s support for adults with a learning disability and autistic adults. Part of the funding enabled the creation of a new Adult Services Team Leader role, who now leads referrals, plans sessions, and co-produces activities with attendees—boosting engagement and impact.
The remaining funds supported daytime services, including the launch of a new ‘Music and Media’ group in November 2024. Other groups ‘Fitness for All,’ ‘Wellbeing Wednesday,’ and ‘Hobby Club’ have also flourished, helping participants build skills, confidence, and lasting friendships. We are so grateful for everything this partnership has enabled us to achieve.
