Imagineer Development UK CIC & Support Brokerage Network

29/09/2026

I had a catch up coffee with someone we worked with a few years to help their brother move from a supported living scheme into his own home.

For a long time, his brother, Martin, had become more and more upset which was directly connected with the support he received, his family knew that he was not happy and they could see this in how he was behaving, they could tell he was frightened, in pain and unhappy.
The team providing the support were focused on how to manage the situation whilst the family were asking them repeatedly to listen to what Martin was telling people through his behaviour - unfortunately this was ignored and the situation was getting worse overtime.

The family wanted to focus on what Martin needed for a good life and this also included his; history, personality, relationships, communication, interests, what made him feel safe and happy, and what got in the way.

We were able to bring people together to think and plan, this included Martin, his family, professionals and the local authority. We explored what could genuinely work for him, rather than trying to fit him into an existing service. What we did together was transformative.

A housing association purchased a bungalow for Martin and a consistent support team was developed around him. Five years later, he remains in his own home, supported by people who know him well.

His family talked about seeing Martin living a much happier and settled life, where he chooses where he wants to go. They also talked about how much he enjoys his home and how he now communicates what he wants clearly which shows, we believe, this shows that he now has more trust in the people supporting him and a better relationship with them. He smiles, he watches the fish in his aquarium, we appreciate these might sound like small things but when you know what his life was like and how he was living, however they aren't.

This shows how Martin is able to live his life, rather than simply being cared for, their is more family time now too, meals and walks, rather than constantly dealing with crises, reviews and safeguarding concerns.

This is what brings purpose to the work we do, we recognise more and more that the biggest change comes from changing the question and the conversation.

29/09/2026

Great news!!! Imagineer is running these Direct Payment workshops in partnership with Accessible Calderdale and Visits Unlimited through the rest of 2026 and early 2027.
The topics covered are based on what people receiving Direct Payments, or interested in this option, have said they would like to know more about.

These sessions are free of charge and open to people in Calderdale and surrounding areas.

22/09/2026

Three years ago, Jayna and Liz published A Family Guide to Living Well with Dementia.

Three years on, we find ourselves reflecting on why we wrote it in the first place, and why its message still matters.

A dementia diagnosis doesn't just affect the person receiving it, it changes family life.

It can bring uncertainty, fear, practical challenges, difficult decisions and a whole new landscape of health and social care to navigate. Families can suddenly find themselves having to become experts in a system they never expected to need.

Families often want to explore and understand; What happens next? Who can help? What support is available? What are our rights? How do we make decisions about the care and support needed? and
How do we plan for the future without losing sight of living well now?

Three years ago, we wanted to create something that helped families answer some of those questions, but the context has continued to change as there is now a strong national focus on improving dementia diagnosis and ensuring people receive personalised post-diagnostic support and care.

At the same time, families are still telling us that navigating dementia support can be incredibly difficult.

Recent research from Alzheimer's Society found that 45% of carers surveyed had waited more than six months for a dementia diagnosis. And even after diagnosis, families identified the need for better follow-up, clearer information, help accessing local services and guidance about what happens next.

With this in mind we need to move away from simply asking about the services for people with dementia to instead finding out what the person and their family need to live well, and how do we make that possible

That firstly means listening to the person and the people who know them best, building a picture of what matters to them and supporting families to understand their options.

And recognising that good dementia care and support recognises relationships, identity, choice, connection, purpose, home and belonging.

This is what A Family Guide to Living Well with Dementia is about.

Dementia changes things but it doesn't mean that life stops. There is still living to be done and to be made.

https://www.routledge.com/A-Family-Guide-To-Living-Well-With-Dementia/LeachMurphy-Patel/p/book/9781915713063

Gain the knowledge and insight you need to support your loved one with dementia to live life as they wish. When a family member is diagnosed with dementia it’s difficult to know what to do. Do you worry you don’t have the skills and knowledge to support them? And what about looking after your ow...

15/09/2026

Only one week to go before we decide on the website layout- we would love to hear which layout you like the best, your top 3!

We will be adding the colours later,
It will only take a min and what you share will help Imagineer create a fab new website.

Vote for your top 3 here https://imagineer-design-vote.vercel.app

Help us choose the new Imagineer website design. Pick your top 3.

08/09/2026

We’re designing a new website for Imagineer and we’d love your thoughts on the design, we have got six different ideas for how the pages of the site could be laid out, and before we take things any further, we want to hear what you think.

We’re asking people to choose their top 3 designs. At this stage, they’re deliberately simple, greyscale wireframes so we’re not asking you to judge the colours or branding. We’re interested in things like:

Is it clear and easy to navigate?
Does the information feel well organised?
Does the layout make sense?
Which one feels most like it could work for Imagineer?

It only takes a few minutes, and your feedback will help us shape the website before we get into the visual design.

Have a look and vote for your top 3 here https://imagineer-design-vote.vercel.app

Please share this with people who know Imagineer, use our services, work in health and social care, or simply have an opinion about what makes a good website

Help us choose the new Imagineer website design. Pick your top 3.

08/09/2026

Sometimes you can do everything you’re supposed to do; make the phone calls, attend the appointments, speak to the right people and still find that your issue isn’t being resolved.

You might feel like you’re being passed from one service to another, that nobody is listening, or that you simply don’t know what to try next.

That’s where Imagineer’s FREE Advice Session may be able to help.

For the next few months, we’re offering one free one-hour session each month with someone who understands health and social care systems and can help you:

• make sense of what is happening
• think through your options
• understand your rights
• work out what you could ask for
• prepare for a meeting or difficult conversation
• think about advocacy or self-advocacy
• identify possible next steps
• work out where else you might be able to get help

You don’t have to know exactly what you need. If you know that something isn’t working and you’re struggling to get it sorted, that’s a good place to start.

The session can take place by video call, telephone or email, depending on what works best for you.

This is a 6 month pilot, and we’ll be listening to feedback from people who use the sessions to help us understand what is most useful and whether we should develop the offer further.

Next session: Friday 2nd October, 10am–11am and there is one free appointment available.

Book here - https://tinyurl.com/mrxnpuxa

If you’re not sure whether we can help with your situation, email [email protected] and tell us a little about what’s happening.

And if you know someone who is struggling to get the help or support they need, please share this with them.

25/08/2026

Introducing Imagineer’s new Free Advice Session

We know that sometimes people do not need ongoing support, they just need a bit of time with someone who understands the system, can help them think through an issue, and can point them in the right direction.

So, for the next few months, Imagineer is piloting a monthly Free Advice Session.

On the first Friday of each month, from 10.00–11.00am, we will offer one free one hour appointment for someone who would benefit from initial advice, guidance or support.

This might include help with issues around:

social care and support;
advocacy and self-advocacy;
navigating services or processes;
understanding rights, options or next steps;
preparing for meetings or difficult conversations;
identifying where to go for further help.

The session can take place by video call, telephone or email, depending on what works best for you.

To make the hour as useful as possible, we will ask for some brief information in advance so that we can understand the issue and prepare before the session.

This is initially a 3 to 6 month pilot, so we would also really value feedback from people who use the service. If there is demand, we will use what we learn from the pilot to consider how the offer might develop in future.

Our first session will be:

Friday 4th September, 10.00–11.00am

There is one appointment available, offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Book here: Advice Session 4th September - https://calendly.com/d/d33s-s4g-ngt/imagineer-free-advice-session?month=2026-09

If you cannot use the online booking system, or would like to check whether this session is suitable for your query, please email us: [email protected]

14/08/2026

What should Personal Independence Payment look like in the future?

The Timms Review is now moving into its next stage, developing recommendations for the future of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
More than 38,000 people and organisations contributed to the Review's Call for Evidence, sharing their experiences and views about what is working, what isn't, and what needs to change.

The Review process has made it clear from the start that disabled people and people with long-term health conditions need to be at the heart of this work.

For many people PIP makes a difference to whether they can participate in everyday life, maintain their independence, manage additional costs and have choices about how they live.

The next stage of the Timms Review is inviting disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to register their interest in taking part in workshops that will help shape the recommendations in the final report.

If you have experience of PIP, this is an opportunity to have your voice heard.

Find out more and register your interest: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/timms-review-of-personal-independence-payment-register-your-interest-in-a-shaping-recommendations-workshop.

Please share this with people and organisations who might want to contribute.

Find out about and register your interest in attending a workshop to discuss and refine the Timms Review’s emerging recommendations.

14/08/2026

We’ve realised our website doesn’t quite tell the Imagineer story anymore… that’s a good thing because Imagineer has changed, grown and developed since we first created it over 15 years ago.

So, we are working on a new and improved website that better reflects what we do, how we work and why we do it.

The new website will bring together our resources, training and ideas and in the rebuild we are thinking about the experience of the person arriving at the website, possibly for the first time.

We are thinking about if the person will, understand what we do? be able to find what they need? be able to see how it relates to them?

These are the questions guiding the work.

It’s not finished yet… but we are getting there.

We are looking to invite people to a Website premier, where we will guide you through the new site, talk through some of the new content and provide a goody bag.

Like this comment, or get in touch if you would like to come along [email protected]

05/08/2026

We were recently heard from someone we currently support which spent some time really considering, they have gavin permission to share because they hope others may relate to this and consider this in the future

Here is one sentence that really got our attention:

"I don't know if I would have continued pursuing my path to living independently and well if I hadn't had someone in my corner."

This is possible when we work alongside people, 'with' not 'to'.

The person described their experience of the support Imagineer provided as being:
• Going at the pace of building trust and genuine relationships.
• An effort to build real understanding and never making assumptions.
• Focused on getting to where the wanted to be, whilst also noticing barriers before they became crises.
• A feeling of being in partnership and how this developed confidence, skills and self-belief rather than dependence.
• Focused on their choices, strengths and aspirations.

What we learnt together aligned with Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which advocates for the right support, at the right time, in ways that enable people to exercise choice, control and full participation in their communities.

Too often, support is measured by hours delivered, tasks completed or forms filled in. But the real measure is whether people feel more confident, more connected, more in control of their own lives, and more able to pursue the future they want.

That's why we need to invest in the values, relationships and skills that make truly person-led support at the heart of how we work together.