Bognor charity worker recognised for efforts in organising virtual events during Covid pandemic

Victoria Smith, 26, works for Brighton charity Stay Up Late as an assistant on its Gig Buddies project, which matches people with learning disabilities across Sussex with volunteers who can go to gigs with them.

As the focus of the charity changed during lockdown from physical events and meet-ups to online engagement, Victoria helped organise a range of fun activities and inspired others with her ability to remain positive.

She even starred in her own one-woman show as part of the charity’s online Coronavirus Fest.

Victoria said: “Because of lockdown, as a team we thought about what we could do to support our Gig Buddies to stay connected.

“I came up with the idea of coffee mornings, and the rest of the team thought it was good to put our socials online.

“We do a social every week on Zoom and a coffee morning each Tuesday where we sit and chat about what everyone’s been up to. We talk about anything they want to and I help run the coffee morning on Zoom. I love helping our Gig Buddies and helping them brings a smile to my face.”

Victoria, who has a learning disability and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), told the organisers that prior to starting work at Stay Up Late four years ago she had never been to a gig, needed help using public transport and was nervous in crowds.

“I am so proud and excited that I won the award for all the hard work supporting people at Gig Buddies.

“But it’s not about me, it’s about the people we support and that’s what I love doing at the end of the day.”

The Leaders’ List is published each year by Dimensions, a charity which supports people with learning disabilities and autism to have a louder voice, choice and control in their lives.

The charity postponed its 2020 list in order to recognise what people have been doing during self-isolation and the coronavirus pandemic.

Victoria was nominated for the Coronavirus Leaders’ List by Stay Up Late’s campaigns coordinator Darren Johnson.

He said: “Victoria has such a strong insight into the lack of confidence that having a learning disability can instil in people, not from any learning impairment itself but from the way they may have been treated in the past and how this can badly affect people’s confidence and limit their horizons.

“One of Victoria’s real gifts is helping build confidence in others. Through her own journey she knows what a positive impact such a confidence boost can have on a person’s health and wellbeing and their ability to achieve their hopes and dreams and aspirations.”

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