Many of our members may not know that there’s a lot going on at JIGSAW beyond our services and regular groups? Mady joined the JIGSAW team in February 2024 as Operations Admin. Assistant and has been working on Health and Safety ever since! In this blog she gives you a special insight……
Whether you’re visiting for support, joining an activity, or coming along to an event, we want you to feel safe, comfortable, and at ease while you’re with us. We’re a small charity, and people are at the heart of everything we do — that includes looking after everyone who visits us.
As an RNLD (Registered Nurse in Learning Disabilities) with 20 years experience of managing nursing homes and running my own small business, maintaining high standards of health and safety is central to my practice. Ensuring that everyone is safe, well-equipped, and properly supported is essential in delivering effective and person‑centred care.
As part of my role at JIGSAW, I carry out 466 checks a year!
Weekly checks include our 6 smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detector and the emergency cord in the toilet,
Monthly checks include fire extinguishers assessments and emergency lighting,
Quarterly checks involve emergency and fire exits (who knows where the 2nd set of steps lead to)?
Annually we have professional fire extinguisher servicing, the boiler serviced and legionella prevention!
Plus regular checks and deep cleans in the kitchen! We are delighted to have a 5* food hygiene rating for our home in Thornbury, meaning our hygiene standards are very good and fully comply with the law.
Keeping Our Space Safe and Welcoming
We do our best to make sure our building, activities, and events are safe for everyone. We do this formally through risk assessments and policies, but it also means spotting and fixing any potential hazards and making sure our staff and volunteers know how to help keep people safe.
We also rely on a volunteer handyperson to help fix and install items for us, assisted with help from one of our young volunteers.
Health and safety isn’t complicated – it’s about care, awareness, and looking out for one another.
While You’re Here
To help us keep everyone safe, we ask that you:
- Follow any safety signs or guidance from our team
- Take care when moving around, especially in busy areas
- Let us know if you spot something that doesn’t feel quite right
- There’s no such thing as a silly question — if you’re unsure about anything, just ask.
If Something Happens
If you:
- Feel unwell
- Have an accident or were close to having an accident
- Feel unsafe or worried at any point
- Please let a member of our team know straight away. We’re here to help and would much rather know than have you deal with it alone.
- Our team all wear branded purple JIGSAW uniform to be more easily identifiable for reporting any issues.
Your Individual Needs
Everyone is different, and we’re happy to help where we can. If you have any additional needs, just let us know – we’ll do our best to make your visit as comfortable and safe as possible.
I have recently been diagnosed with hearing loss, and I am exploring the equipment and adjustments that will help me continue fulfilling my role safely and confidently. Having the right tools and support is crucial – not only for my own wellbeing, but for ensuring the safety of the individuals I support and the colleagues I work alongside. It’s important that everyone has access to the equipment and adjustments they need to work safely and effectively.
Looking After Wellbeing
We know visiting our charity can sometimes be emotional. If things feel overwhelming:
- Take a break if you need one
- Speak to a staff member or volunteer
- Let us know how you’re feeling
- Your wellbeing matters to us, both physically and emotionally.
Accessibility improvements
We’ve got some great news! We were awarded a grant from South Gloucestershire Council’s Accessibility and Shop Front scheme to make accessibility improvements at JIGSAW. During the recent half term holiday we have had workmen in completing this. This has included adding visual strips to the stairs and exits, brightening up the stair handrail, and fitting a new lock and handrails in the bathroom and lighting improvements.
Have you noticed any other changes? We are always improving things at JIGSAW, over the past 18 months we have added stair gates, a change mat, magnetic cupboard catches, cloakroom mirror, cleaned the chairs, rehung TV’s, added cupboard door handles, repositioned the first aid box and fire blanket, replaced smoke detectors, and much more.
By working together, we can keep JIGSAW a safe, welcoming space for everyone.
If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions while you’re visiting, please don’t hesitate to talk to us, or send us an email. We’re always happy to help.