The Mai-Wel Group recently opened a new office in Charlestown to enable them to deliver services to more people with a disability.

Chief Executive Officer, Pennie Kearney, said she is delighted that the organisation now has a permanent presence in the Newcastle region.

“I am excited that we can now provide our existing and new participants in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie area easy access to Mai-Wel staff in the Charlestown office,” Pennie said.

“I am very proud of the flexibility and range of opportunity Mai-Wel can offer people with a disability and I want to be sure that those who have aspirations and plans, who believe could be assisted by Mai-Wel, will be able to meet us closer to home because we have our Charlestown office”.

“With the National Disability Insurance Agency in the same complex, a Newcastle presence is essential in order to provide easier access by those people with a disability who are eligible participants under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).”

The office was launched on Wednesday, 30 April 2014 by Geoffrey Kirby, a Novocastrian and Gold Medallist at the Special Olympics.

Geoff represented Australia in swimming at the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games in 2013 and is one of the first of Mai-Wel’s Newcastle-based participants to choose his own style of support and service delivery, under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Mai-Wel commenced with the support of local Maitland businesses and the community and has provided employment opportunities and services to people with a disability for 50 plus years. For the past 15 years services have been extended to include Cessnock, Port Stephens, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Upper Hunter regions.

Image | Geoff Kirby, Mai-Wel CEO Pennie Kearney and Mai-Wel Facilitator James Brummell