We were delighted to welcome elected members from across Barnsley to our recent Members Breakfast, an opportunity to share the impact of DIAL’s work and discuss how, together, we can continue supporting disabled and vulnerable residents across the borough.

During the event, we highlighted the “Choices, Chances, Changes and Connections” that we provide every day – helping people navigate benefits, manage rising living costs, access essential wellbeing services, and feel less isolated in their communities. However, as we shared with attendees, continuing this work relies on strong partnerships across the borough.

Working Together to Reach More Residents

One of the key messages from the morning was the importance of early signposting. When residents attend local surgeries feeling overwhelmed by issues such as energy bills or benefit claims, directing them to DIAL early can prevent situations from escalating into crisis.

We also encouraged members to support our work through digital advocacy. This could be as simple as liking or sharing our Facebook posts, which can help our message reach more people who may not know that support is available.

Raising awareness within local communities remains vital. Many vulnerable people are still ‘hidden’ in our wards, unaware that organisations like ourselves are here to help. Simple leaflet drop-offs are essential for reaching people in their homes to increase awareness that DIAL is there to support them.

A Shared Commitment

We asked attendees to pledge their support for DIAL – not as a simple commitment on paper, but as an active partnership that ensures more residents are heard, supported, and included.
By working together, we can help ensure Barnsley remains “The Place of Possibilities” for everyone.

Thank You to Our Attendees

We would like to thank everyone who joined us for the breakfast. Your engagement and support help ensure that more people across Barnsley can access the advice and advocacy they need.

Support DIAL

And finally, a light-hearted challenge from the morning: if you’re running the Barnsley 10K or even a marathon this year, we’d be honoured to be your charity of choice.

Together, we can continue making a difference in the lives of disabled people across Barnsley.

If you’re an elected member reading this and would like to know what DIAL can do for your area, please get in touch with Nicola: nicola.walker@dialbarnsley.org.uk