Attend The Shaw Centre
We Have Spaces Available at The Shaw Centre!
Are you or someone you care for looking for a friendly, supportive place to meet new people, try new things, and be part of a vibrant community?
At The Shaw Centre, we provide a safe, inclusive environment where adults with learning disabilities can enjoy meaningful activities, develop life skills, and build lasting friendships.
Whether you’re referred by a social worker or prefer to self-fund your sessions, we’d love to hear from you!
Not sure if it’s right for you?
We’re happy to offer two free trial days, including a free lunch, so you can come along, meet the team, and see what we're all about — with no pressure.
Feel free to pop in for a brew and a chat, give us a call, or drop us a message to find out more. We’re here to answer your questions and help you take that first step.
Come and see why the Shaw Centre is such a special place to be.
We can’t wait to welcome you!
Volunteer with The Shaw Centre
Make a difference – share your time, skills, and smile.
At the Shaw Centre, we welcome dedicated volunteers to work alongside our small team of friendly, paid staff. Volunteers play a vital role in helping us deliver fun, meaningful activities to adults with learning disabilities.
🚌 We cover travel costs
🍽️ Lunch is provided
❤️ No experience needed – just kindness, enthusiasm, and a good sense of humour!
About Us
The Shaw Centre is a small, voluntary-run activity centre in Manchester supporting up to 25 adults with learning disabilities per day. The number of days each person attends depends on their budget and the availability of spaces.
We run a varied programme of activities throughout the week, including:
Sing-Along Sessions
Drumming Workshops
Zumba
Community Outings
Could You Be the Volunteer We’re Looking For?
You don’t need previous experience working with people with learning disabilities. What’s most important is that you’re:
✔ Friendly and approachable
✔ Willing to get involved
✔ Encouraging and supportive
✔ Up for a laugh!
What You’ll Be Doing
Volunteers help us by:
Supporting individuals during sessions and community trips
Chatting, socialising, and helping members feel welcome
Encouraging participation and helping people get the most from activities
Being an extra pair of hands and a friendly face
You’ll be given a full induction and a chance to settle in gradually. This period also gives both you and us time to make sure it’s the right fit.
What You’ll Get Out of It
Volunteering with us can be a stepping stone into a career in care or support work. You’ll gain experience that can help with:
Applying for jobs in the social care sector
Starting an NVQ or college course in Health and Social Care
Building confidence, skills, and lasting friendships
Concerned About Your Benefits?
No worries! Volunteering does not affect your benefits. You won’t be paid, but we’ll cover your travel expenses (e.g., bus fare) and lunch if you volunteer for more than 3 hours.
Interested? Let’s Talk!
If you’d like more information or want an application form, get in touch:
Contact: Danielle Crosby
📞 0161 203 5109
📧 danielle.crosby@theshawcentre.org.uk
Come and see what volunteering at The Shaw Centre is all about – we’d love to have you on board!
Jill, One of our trustees volunteering her time at one of our Christmas parties
Also Charlene and Christine, Group-members.
Do You Have What It Takes To Join Our Board Of Trustees?
Join Our Board of Trustees – Make a Lasting Difference
We are currently looking for new trustees to join the board of The Shaw Centre, a warm, community-led charity that supports adults with learning disabilities in North Manchester.
Why Join Us?
This is a genuinely exciting time to get involved with the Shaw Centre. As we continue to grow and adapt to meet the changing needs of our members, we are looking for people who can help guide and shape our future. We want individuals who share our passion for inclusion, empowerment, and creating opportunities for adults with learning disabilities.
Whether you already have board-level experience or are looking to take your first step into a trustee role, we’d love to hear from you.
What We’re Looking For:
We’re particularly keen to hear from people who:
Have lived experience or professional knowledge related to learning disabilities
Have skills in governance, finance, marketing, HR, fundraising, or social care
Are willing to contribute ideas, attend meetings, and actively support the work of the charity
Are team players who believe in the rights and potential of adults with learning disabilities
Your Commitment
Attend a Board of Trustees meeting every six weeks (usually around 1.5–2 hours, held in person or online)
Be available for occasional additional discussions or support, if needed
Champion our values and act in the best interests of the charity and our members
About The Shaw Centre
The Shaw Centre is a voluntary-run activity centre offering a safe, inclusive space for adults with learning disabilities to build confidence, try new things, and enjoy meaningful days. From creative arts and music sessions to community outings and life skills support, we work with up to 25 individuals per day and pride ourselves on being a welcoming and engaging place to be.
Get in Touch
If you're interested in becoming a trustee or just want to find out more, please contact:
Danielle Crosby
danielle.crosby@theshawcentre.org.uk
0161 203 5109
Let’s have a conversation about how your voice and experience could help shape the future of the Shaw Centre.
We've Created an Amazon Gift List!
We’re often asked by our wonderful supporters, “Is there anything you need?” or “What could I buy to help the centre?” and it means the world to us every time someone reaches out with kindness like that.
So, we’ve taken the plunge and set up our very first Amazon Gift List!
The list includes a few craft supplies, some sensory lights, and a puzzle. They're all simple but meaningful items that will bring joy, creativity, and stimulation to our amazing members here at the Shaw Centre.
Whether you’re able to gift something or simply share the list with others, every gesture makes a difference. These little extras help us go above and beyond in making the centre a fun, engaging, and inclusive space for adults with learning disabilities.
You can view the gift list here: Amazon Gift List
As always, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued support, generosity, and love. 💛
Together, we keep building something truly special.
Support The Shaw Centre
The Shaw Centre is currently funded by Manchester City Council, and we also apply for grants and project funding to help us run specific activities — from arts and music sessions to community outings and wellbeing programmes.
As a small charity, every donation really does make a difference and helps us continue to provide a fun, safe, and supportive environment for adults with learning disabilities.
If you’d like to support our work, we also have a JustGiving page where donations of any size are warmly appreciated.
👉 Click here to donate:
The Shaw Centre – JustGiving
Your support helps us bring more smiles, more creativity, and more opportunities to our wonderful community.
Thank you for helping us do what we do 💛