It's early evening at the Gherkin and Richard Charnock, CEO of Standard Life Wealth, is welcoming guests to the beautiful Cathedral Room on the 34th floor. Richard talks about how pleased Standard Life are to partner with Scope to support the work they do, breaking down barriers for disabled people and running a range of services to ensure our society is a fair place for disabled people and their families.
I follow on and talk about the Gherkin, sharing some things guests may not know about this extraordinary building. I then have the pleasure of introducing a couple who are permanent carers for a disabled child as well as providing respite care for other Scope foster children at the weekends and in school holidays. Everyone is moved by what the couple have achieved for the little boy who, since living with the family, has developed more than medical professionals thought possible. They end by talking about the support Scope has given them and then Andrew Macdonald from the charity speaks about how Scope plans to expand the fostering service. Which can only be a great thing.
At the end of the evening Debbie Hastings (Head of Trusts and Government Funding for Scope) and I have both given up on our high shoes!