Stephen Flynn MP Visits Our Aberdeen Charity Shop

On Friday 13th March, we were pleased to welcome Stephen Flynn, MP for Aberdeen South, to our Inspire…By charity shop in Aberdeen.

Inspire…By is our award‑winning model of support at Community Integrated Care. Across North East Scotland, we empower more than 70 people with learning disabilities to develop new skills, build confidence, and strengthen their connections within the community, through our charity shops and community projects. We see every day how this helps individuals grow their customer service, teamwork, and communication skills – supporting them as they move towards volunteering, employment, and independent living.

During the visit, we had the opportunity to introduce Stephen to our colleagues and the people we support, and to share first-hand the difference Inspire…By makes in helping people live the best life possible. Suz Bracken, our Regional Manager and Head of Inspire…By, led an exclusive tour of our newest shop.

Discussing the Realities Facing Scotland’s Social Care Sector

The visit also allowed us to speak openly with Stephen about some of the key challenges currently facing Scotland’s social care sector. Alongside Ben Lehan‑Powick, our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, and our Managing Director, Sara Murphy.

• Our latest Unfair To Care report and what the social care funding gap means for Scotland
• Rising operational pressures in the sector
• The urgent need for sustainable funding models
• How workforce stability underpins safe, high‑quality support
• The impact of disability benefits on people accessing social care

Sara Murphy, said, “We valued the chance to highlight both the successes of Inspire…By and the ongoing need for positive change within the social care sector. It was important for us to share how our services play a vital role in helping adults with support needs live full, independent lives, and we thank Stephen for taking the time to see this work. Visits like this reinforce why sustainable, long‑term investment in social care matters.”