Vicky has suffered from myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) also known as chronic fatigue syndrome for the past six years. Vicky's mobility and independence are severely affected by her condition as she is unable to get around outside the house without a wheelchair. Sue, who is a widow, cares on her own for Vicky as well as working full time for Wates in Leeds in its affordable housing business, Living Space, as a commercial administrator.
"At the end of last year, when the [carers] scheme launched, I was given a copy of the Wates Carers Scheme leaflet. As an ME sufferer, my daughter isn't entitled to any support and we have a real struggle to get any help. So the leaflet immediately caught my attention. Although Vicky is able to get around the house on her own she can't go out without a wheelchair. We had been using an old wheelchair to help Vicky get around but it was really heavy and she obviously had to rely on someone to be with her to push it. I thought if we could get a very lightweight wheelchair it would make a real difference to her quality of life. So I applied to Wates to see if we could get the equipment. I wasn't sure if we'd qualify but if you don't try you don't get, do you?
"Once I'd sent in the forms," Sue explains, "I was contacted by the scheme administrator who asked me how much money we would need to get the type of wheelchair we wanted. We had done quite a lot of research on the internet and knew that for £500 we could get exactly want we needed. Wates agreed to this, which was just great. It's made such a difference for both of us," she says. "Vicky's got her independence back and it relieves some of the pressure from me. Without a scheme like this we wouldn't have been able to afford this wheelchair and I'm very happy to tell people how Wates supported us. "
How Wates supports its staff
Sue Ambridge was one of the first recipients of an award from the Wates Carers scheme that was introduced at the end of 2007. She cares for her daughter, Vicky (32), who lives with her.
