Ashby House and The Lodge host first-ever health and wellbeing roadshow!
On 4 March, staff at Ashby House and The Lodge, a respite and day service for adults with a learning disability and complex health needs, welcomed service users, carers, and colleagues to their first-ever roadshow. This new event brought together services from across the Trust and beyond to connect patients, carers, and families to local and community support to help them live full and healthy lives.
The roadshow featured a wide range of talks, interactive stalls, and sensory and communication equipment displays, all led by knowledgeable staff and partner organisations. Visitors had the chance to learn about topics including respite care, community learning disability nursing, bowel health, speech and language therapy, and epilepsy support.
With 12 information stalls and two equipment displays, the event created an accessible and relaxed space for networking, asking questions, and discovering resources. Attendees were able to meet teams from across Coventry and Warwickshire, including:
- Coventry and Warwickshire Mind
- The Recovery and Wellbeing Academy
- Voiceability
- Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board
- CWPT's Community Learning Disability Team
- CWPT's Nursing Liaison team
- CWPT's Speech and Language Therapy team
- Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
- And more!
The day opened with an informative talk on bowel health delivered by Claire Stickels, Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner and 2025 Nursing Times finalist. After the session, visitors enjoyed free time to browse the stalls, meet specialists, and enjoy refreshments from an onsite coffee van. A designated quiet space was also available for anyone who needed a calm environment.
The roadshow was created with a clear aim: to bring multiple helpful services together in one familiar, comfortable place for service users, carers, and staff.
Vicky Denny, Learning Disability Nurse and organiser of the event, said:
In adult respite, we're often the only service a parent or service user regularly comes into contact with. We wanted to bring lots of services together in one place that feels welcoming and familiar.
The feedback has been incredible. Stall holders and speakers were able to network, parents/carers and staff accessed useful information, some of which they'd never come across before, and we were able to open our doors and share our passion with everyone. I can't wait to do it again already.
Ashby House and The Lodge specialise in providing high-quality short breaks for adults with learning disabilities. Respite care plays a vital role in supporting the wellbeing of both carers and the people they care for, offering families a much-needed and valuable break.