chadd news

We have some really good news.  CHADD is about to welcome a host of new colleagues and service users after we agreed to merge with fellow Dudley charity, The Langstone Society.    

Together we will create a larger and more robust organisation which will continue to help all the people we support as a community focussed, local housing organisation committed to Dudley. 

Services will continue as they are, any operational changes required for individual services will be discussed directly with those involved.

CHADD will be taking over Langstone after their board approached us with the idea of the merger. 

The leadership at Langstone had identified that the organisation faced risks from changes in the way care might be funded. They also wanted to strengthen their position to be sure to continue to work as a Dudley borough based service. With this in mind they considered a number of ways forward, but decided that becoming part of something bigger would most effectively meet their aim to “help people with learning disability to live the best life they can.”   

The Chair of Langstone Society,  Jane Clarke MBE,  said:

“Langstone is currently strong in terms of financial reserves, the skills and experience of its people and the reputation it has built up over the years.

We recognised that the best and most secure way to continue doing that was to join forces with another organisation with similar values, rooted in Dudley and committed to the people of Dudley.

Langstone Society has worked closely with CHADD for almost 35 years.  A full merger with them will bring to Langstone opportunities to enhance services and protect against the future risks we had identified. In its turn CHADD benefits from greater economies of scale and the asset base of the Society which will help the new combined organisation to thrive”

Anna Walsh, our CEO here at CHADD, said:

“Our two organisations and staff have worked closely together for decades and we want to offer a welcoming new home for the Langstone staff and the people they support

Our skills, our values and our work complement each other and this is an opportunity to build a strong, financially stable team that supports people to be safe and to thrive.

Like Langstone, CHADD is strongly committed to local voluntary organisations and investing in the people of Dudley.  This merger helps us do that, for the staff and for the people who use our services.”

The decision was taken at two separate board meetings held in February 2020, following a process of due diligence. The merger will take place on April 1st 2020.

A formal consultation with staff affected will begin shortly.

For more information please contact Angela Cockette at CHADD

angela.cockette@chadd.org.uk   tel  01384 456465 

Notes

CHADD is the Churches Housing Association of Dudley and District, a housing association and charity founded in 1979 to work supporting people in Dudley Borough.  It employs 80 people.

CHADD provides a safety net of supported homes and community based services for people in Dudley who may be experiencing crisis or challenging transitions, homelessness, domestic abuse or may need support with independent living.  Chadd already has Care Quality Commission registered supported homes for people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities.  Langstone staff already work closely with people who live in CHADD homes.

Langstone Society was founded in 1986 to work with learning disabled people across Dudley Borough.  t employs 120 people and currently runs two Care Quality Commission Registered residential care homes in Gornal and Halesowen. It provides support to people with Learning Difficulties, Acquired Brain Injury, Autism and Mental Health Issues.