Former Grantham and District Mencap chair, who gave over 50 years of commitment to people with learning disabilities in the town, retires
A Grantham woman who dedicated over 50 years of her life to helping people with learning disabilities has retired from her role.
Judith Burnett, 79, was a founding member of Grantham and District Mencap in 1970, and had served as chair of the organisation since 1995 until last month, when she took the decision to step down.
She worked at Sandon School for 34 years, starting out as a trainee teacher and rising through the ranks to serve as deputy head, and acting head on four occasions.
Judith’s first experience of caring for someone with additional needs came in 1954 when her younger brother Paul was born. He had Down’s Syndrome.
“We were upset because we had been looking forward to this baby arriving,” said Judith. “But it didn’t make much difference. He needed care and support for the rest of his life. We said we will be there for him.
Paul’s condition influenced Judith’s career choices, which led her into teaching children with learning disabilities.
At that time, there was no school that catered to his needs, and the town’s only support group met once a week.
Judith continued: “ There was just nothing else. There were no schools or adult facilities.
“If people did not want to keep a child with learning disabilities at home, they were put into a hospital, which were called subnormality hospitals. It was absolutely awful.
“When my mum went to see the paediatric consultant, the way he told her about Paul’s condition was ‘this child is a Mongolian imbecile, he will never walk, talk, feed himself, dress himself, he won’t look like the family, he won’t show any affection to them. You might as well put him in a hospital and forget you had him’.
“Mother picked up Paul, said over my dead body, and walked out. She did prove him wrong. Some of the things the guy said he wouldn’t do, he didn’t do, but he did quite a lot of them.
“Paul was always full of affection for all of us and he had the greatest sense of humour.”
In the late 1950s, South Kesteven District Council decided to build a centre for youngsters with learning disabilities after being lobbied by campaigners.
Services were offered in the meantime at a temporary location before a site on Sandon Road was located and services began there in February 1963, even though the school was not fully completed.
Judith got a job as a trainee teacher at Sandon School in September of that year, having already helped out with the service during school holidays.
She said: “I absolutely loved it. At the same time, we were trying to promote the interests of people with learning disabilities through a pressure group and we decided we weren’t getting very far and formed into a local Mencap group. National Mencap lets local groups form and affiliate to it.
“In October 1970, we started Grantham and District Mencap Ltd. Peter Cree was elected as chair. He had a little boy who was at the school and the Cree Centre was named after him. I was elected to the committee.”
Judith and Peter attended many speaking events at Grantham organisations such as the Round Table, Lions and Freemasons, which allowed them to encourage donations.
“When we formed, we had nothing at all, no money, no property, no equipment,” continued Judith. “We met as a committee in each other's houses.
“We decided on three priorities, set up a leisure facility for evenings, a day service and a residential home. The leisure group, called the Gateway Club, still runs, in a slightly different format now.
“In 1970, but we bought a minibus. We had help from the King’s School and another organisation, plus money ourselves.”
The next step was forming a day centre.
Judith said: “We couldn’t find anything that was suitable. Then SKDC came to us and said they had a piece of land on Aire Road for 21 years on peppercorn rent, then first option to buy it after.
“We said yes please. They said we could do what we liked with it. We found a very obliging builder who agreed to build in a modular way, so if we raised some money he could do something with that until we raised more.
“We raised £50,000 in five years between 70 and 75. That building is still standing really well and it opened in 1975.
“Now the Cree Centre is acknowledged to have an excellence in working with people with profound and multiple disabilities. They are very good there.
“My brother spent 45 years there. He was one of the first to go in and he died in February 2020. He was very happy there.”
In 1997, Judith took early retirement from Sandon School due to budget cuts and was able to commit more time to Grantham Mencap.
After opening the Cree Centre, they turned their attentions to forming a residential home, which they found at Fairview Farm in the early 1980s. The first residents moved in during February 1985.
Judith said: “We received a lot of help and support from the organisations in the town, but we worked hard as well. It was quite a feat to go from absolutely nothing in 1970 to having a centre which served for a day service and leisure service, and the residential home too.”
“Overall, services are hugely better than they were back then, because there was nothing. When I first started teaching in 1963, the school had just opened. There was nothing for over 16s.
“Now, you have got a school, there are facilities for over 16s and residential in Grantham but there aren’t any other facilities for profound and multiple intellectual learning disabilities, but the local authority do support them. In the beginning, they didn’t do that.
“What makes me sad about all of this is that we fought so hard to get the authorities to do something to make sure there were facilities for the people we were working with, and they did, but now it seems to be sliding back.
“I understand they’re being drastically under funded by central government, but it means people who are quite vulnerable are not getting the input they should.
“People [with learning disabilities] are accepted more easily now. We’ve supported people in going and taking their place in the community.
“My favourite part has always been the interaction with the ladies and gentlemen at the school. I’ve spent more than two thirds of my life with them in very close relationships and I’ve found so much love and friendship through that. I do miss going in on a regular basis.”
Karena Brooks, CEO of Grantham & District Mencap Ltd, said: “Everyone speaks so highly of Judith, and the work and lifelong commitment to GDM, and the ladies and gentlemen who use all our services, all have so many kind words and love for her.
“The passion and commitment to GDM that Judith has given over her many years with are remarkable and she will always remain a lifelong friend and family to some of our ladies and gentlemen and their families.
“Everyone at GDM would like to thank Judith for everything she has done for the charity from day one without her passion, dedication for each individual who uses our services at Fairview Farm Residential home, the day services at the Cree centre, supporting staff and families over the many years, we would all like to say a very big thank you.”
Grantham and District Mencap is now looking for trustees to join them. Anyone interested in supporting adults with learning difficulties can get involved, by going to its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, June 28 at the Cree Centre, Aire Road, at 7pm.
