Langdon has come a long way since it began in 1992.

Langdon College began with six students and was named after Margaret Langdon, a prominent Manchester Jewish philanthropist and activist in community care, who set up Delamere Forest School in 1921.

In 2005, Langdon established supported living communities for people leaving the College. Today, the Langdon community is now made up of over 100 people, living in supported accommodation in over 50 properties in Manchester, Edgware and Borehamwood. A dedicated employment service was set up in 2004, and Maccabi House, a community building for Langdon and its members, was opened in Edgware in 2012. Langdon’s support to its members is provided within a Jewish ethos.

Our goal is to ensure the young people we support have the same opportunities as their peers to experience the satisfaction that comes from a good day’s work and the chance to enjoy a full social life. We shine a light on our members’ achievements every day.

Without Langdon’s help, these ordinary ambitions would remain beyond their reach. Our mission is to provide the extra support our people need to lead independent and fulfilling lives.

Click here to view our films and find out more about us.

Meet some of our Langdon community:

Neil Taylor

I’m Neil, the Chief Executive of Langdon

Walking into Langdon on my first day, I knew I had joined a very special charity. I’d worked in social care for nearly 30 years, and as a parent of a daughter with a severe learning disability, I have first-hand experience of the essential role that charities such as Langdon contribute to members and their families.

I believe that Langdon is an innovator. We support members across all areas of supported living, from employment and social activities to accommodation and education. Our position in the community is vital. We keep learning disabilities on top of the agenda, as we persevere to be a voice that is listened to, speaking up on behalf of our members and their families. I feel very proud to be leading Langdon into a new stage of growth.

Faith

Hi, my name is Faith

I’ve been a Langdon member for the past 21 years. I’ve made many friends in Langdon and I socialise with them regularly at coffee get-togethers, pub nights, cinema and bowling events, and dining in or out. Langdon helps me to find work, supports me to learn life skills and to live independently. I work in a nursery school which I enjoy very much. I recently started working with elderly people in a day centre. Also, they organise holidays every year which I enjoy very much. I’ve been to many countries with family or my friends. Without Langdon, my life wouldn’t be the same.

Ella

I’m Ella, a Langdon volunteer

I’ve been volunteering with Langdon for about a year now. I heard about Langdon Brady through my sister and wanted to give back to the community and help other people to feel comfortable in any environment. I saw how happy she was when she came home each week, and now I’m the same.

Volunteering at Langdon Brady is the highlight of my week and I love the sense of community which is felt through not just helping and leading the members, but also being their friend. I volunteer because I enjoy helping other people. Every week when I go to the club, it makes feel so fulfilled. It’s a massive achievement for myself and for our members and there are no negatives towards it. Through helping others you are also developing yourself.

Shelley

Hi, I’m Shelley, a Langdon parent

My son, Adam, has been a member of Langdon for almost 4 years. For many years I was fighting for every little thing he needed, whether it was which school he went to, therapies to improve the quality of his life, or getting the support I needed to be able to look after him. Clearly, it was a fight Adam and I won. He has his own circle of friends and lives life on his terms.

He now lives an independent life, impossible for me to have imagined some years ago. Adam loves going to the pub and for coffee, as well as art club, bowling, Laser Quest, and disco night. This, in turn, has allowed me to regain my life and to give me peace of mind, knowing he is cared for and safe. I cannot put a price on this!

Anthony

I’m Anthony, a Langdon Brady Club member

I’ve been a part of Langdon Brady for 2 years. I like the people and it’s quite nice to see my friends here every week. The volunteers are all really friendly as well. My favourite activities are cooking and sports. It’s made me more social since I started. I’m hoping to join Langdon College next year to learn more skills to help me find a job and be more independent.

Richard Denton

I’m Richard Denton, a Langdon employer

I’ve been involved with Langdon’s employment scheme since 2016. We heard about Langdon’s supported employment service, as we have been supporters of the Langdon foundation for quite some time. Marcus comes into our offices 3 days a week and he is a great help to our solicitors and support staff. Marcus assists our Business Services team with many tasks including: ordering and collecting office supplies, helping with our archiving projects and providing vital support to our Front of House team.

We all really enjoy having a Langdon member in our office because he is hardworking, makes us laugh (he supports West Ham!), and he’s a real asset to the team. It also allows us to feel we’re giving back to the community in a way, especially since the employment rate for people with disabilities is not high. It has been great to work with the Langdon employment team as we feel fully supported by the employment co-ordinator and the team in general and because we have been perfectly matched with someone like Marcus who we can see growing and developing every day.