Unanima secures over £50k in funding to empower learning disabled and autistic adults across Nottinghamshire
Unanima, a Mansfield-based Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation (NPO), is proud to announce it has secured £56,750 in funding to support two transformative projects aimed at improving the lives of learning disabled and autistic adults in Nottinghamshire.
Assessment and Treatment Unit (ATU) Project – £35,000 Secured
Thanks to generous support from the National Lottery Community Fund (Awards For All), Boots Charitable Trust, and the Jones 1986 Charitable Trust, Unanima will pilot an innovative programme of interactive creative workshops for adults detained in Assessment and Treatment Units (ATUs).
ATUs are specialist mental health units for learning disabled and autistic people whose behaviour has been deemed challenging. Many are detained under Section 3 of the Mental Health Act for up to six months. Over the next year, Unanima will deliver 24 half-day workshops across three local ATUs, offering not just recreational activities but genuine progression opportunities. Participants will be supported to engage with other Unanima groups, explore employment and volunteering pathways, and connect with wider community networks through partnerships with local universities, NHS hospitals, and arts organisations.
OneConversation – £21,750 Secured
Unanima’s grassroots activist movement, OneConversation, has received vital funding from the Thomas Farr Charity, Baily Thomas Charitable Fund, and the Mansfield Community Grant Fund (UKSPF), ensuring its continuation for the next twelve months.
OneConversation empowers learning disabled and autistic adults in Mansfield to challenge stigma, discrimination, and segregation through weekly workshops, training, work experience, and creative activities. The funding will also support a flexible social activities budget, enabling monthly inclusive outings—such as bowling, cinema, football, and live music—chosen by participants themselves.
Unanima CEO, Tracy Radford said: “This funding is a powerful endorsement of the work we do to ensure learning disabled and autistic adults are not just included, but celebrated. These projects will create real opportunities for growth, connection, and visibility. We’re incredibly grateful to our funders for believing in our vision and helping us build a more inclusive future.”