In October 2017, the BBC dropped in on Headway Thames Valley to find out about the charity and how funding cuts are impacting the lives of people living with brain injury in the area.
The BBC came to the charity’s Hub in Henley and caught some of Eleanor Braganza’s music therapy session with a brain injured client, before having a chat with Headway Thames Valley Chairman, Dr. Trevor Powell
“If we didn’t exist there would be a lot of people who have had an acquired brain injury who would be largely on their own without anywhere to turn to”
The cameras then turned their attention to a therapy group in Reading, run by Jamie Higgins. The group is for people who have suffered a mild to moderate brain injury, however the effects of the injury are often anything but mild. They met Headway Thames Valley clients and spoke to Janet about the benefits of the group.
“Other people say ‘Yeah, I can’t do this’ and then they give you strategies”
Services like these have recently come under threat as the charity’s income has shrunk so drastically, while members of staff have lost their jobs and the opening hours have been cut.