A Trustees Story

Hello my name is Mathew Ward and I am a trustee and volunteer here at Equality Together. This is my story about how I came to be involved with Equality Together. Back in 2014 I spent a lot of time in my bedroom due to my depression and anxiety. On Facebook I noticed a Facebook Page for Bradford & District Disabled Peoples Forum, I liked the page and I saw a picture advertising Contact Peer Supports Opening Doors Course, I thought this may be something I would be interested in doing but I was very nervous in contacting them. It took me a while but I built up the confidence to email them.  A few weeks later the course began and I began to make friends and feel more comfortable, my confidence began to improve week on week. Following on from the Opening Doors course I decided to do the follow up course in 2015 which teaches you how to be a Peer Support Worker. During 2015 a big thing happened to me and I was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism (formally known as Aspergers) . After I passed my Peer Support course, Contact began to merge with two other charities Bradford Disability Services and BACC which became Equality Together it was during this time I was asked if i would like to get more involved and I was invited onto the shadow board of trustees which l was later elected as Equality Togethers first board. During my time with Equality Together my confidence has grown thanks to the help of staff and volunteers at Equality Together.