Five members of the Ruils team seated on a grassy lawn having a chat.
Image of Jenny and Ewan standing in front of the power station Youth centre ahead of a health and well being event. They are both wearing grey rules T shirts hidden disability sunflower lanyards and holding their arms out wide.
Image of Ruils CEO Cathy in a pink top hugging founder and previous chair Richard Kember who is seated in his wheelchair at a previous Ruils AGM.

About us

 

 

 

Home > About us

We are a charity run by and for Disabled People.

Ruils is a user-led charity supporting Disabled children and adults and people with long term health & mental health conditions to live independently, be part of their community and to live life to the full. We provide information, advice, advocacy, befriending and activities to our clients and their families.

We deliver a range of holistic, outcome-focused services that remove the barriers to living an independent life across Richmond, Hounslow, Wandsworth and Kingston boroughs in SW London.

At the heart of Ruils is our belief that although we are all different, every human being has the right to live the life of their choice and to be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their impairment, age or health status. We adhere to the Social Model of Disability that holds that it is not the individual’s impairment or illness that disables them, rather it is the barriers that society creates that are disabling.

What we do

Image of several young people and their parents sitting around a table participating in an art activity.

Children’s Services

Our Children’s Services provide parents with information and advice to enable them to get their young person the education, community and home support they need to thrive.

A female social prescribing sitting at a table with an older women learning how to play the card came 'Bridge'

Adult Services 

We run a range of Adult Services that enable people to stay living at home, maintain their independence and be connected to their local community.

Image of social prescribing client standing next to her link worker. They are standing next tot he Richmond Medical Group sign on a brick wall.

Health & Wellbeing

We work in partnership with the NHS, the local authority and community organisations to bring health and wellbeing support to people in Richmond through a variety of services.

Five people standing in a hallway holding placards that are about social housing provision. A few of the people have foam chains around them and one of the placards is shaped like a lock and key.

Community Voice

We support our local Disabled community to have a voice and impact change through peer-led community involvement groups and development of Disability justice campaigns.

Vision, mission and values

Our founder, Richard, is sitting in his wheelchair at the top table at a meeting smiling out at the crowd. Cathy, our CEO is standing to the side and reading from a piece of paper.

Our Vision

Our vision is for a society where all individuals (regardless of age, disability, impairment, health, capacity) are independent, valued, effective, equal and fully engaged members of society.

Image of a man wearing an orange flap cap and glasses seated at a piano next to a young woman with Down syndrome wearing a grey and black polka dot top. They are both playing the piano with their hands.

Our Mission

Our mission is to enable Disabled people (both children & adults), older people, individuals who use mental health services and people with learning disabilities to live the life of their choice and to reach their full potential.

Image of 5 women who work on the Kew, Sheen and Barnes team. They are all standing close together to take a selfie and one is holding up a Ruils tote bag.

Our Values

We strive to work with each person at their pace, valuing and celebrating their skills and experience and enabling them to use those abilities to get what they need to live independent lives.

Underpinning all our services, are the values that we embody:

A young woman with Downs Syndrome sitting in a chair in front of a music instructor who is playing the recorder. She has drums in front of her and is holding onto a Woody doll.

Person-Centred

Working at the individual’s pace and to their agenda rather than expecting people to fit in to the services we provide.

Group of volunteers at a golf day event with funraising manager Carolyn

Quality

Deliver services to a high standard; constantly working to improve the services we offer.

Image of two women sitting on a bench looking at each other and having a conversation

Striving

Going that “extra mile” to make sure our clients get the services they need to be independent and in control.

Image of Wellbeing Coordinator, Euan, sitting in front of a cafe with a client taking his blood pressure at community outreach.

Holistic

Working with all aspects of the person’s life – social, health, family life, work.

A meeting room with 8 people facing a woman who is standing at the front of the room. There is a screen with a person joining the meeting next to the woman.

Collaboration

Working with individuals and other organisations to achieve positive outcomes for our clients.

Group photo of the Ruils staff team supporting a health and wellbeing community event. They are wearing grey Ruils t-shirts and have big smiles and thumbs up.

Commitment

Working together as a team to ensure that we deliver our vision.