Enjoy live music and make new friends with Gig Buddies

Gig Buddies aims to ensure that people with learning disabilities don’t miss out on evening social activities, such as gigs, clubbing or theatre.

Through matching people together based on their leisure activities Gig Buddies hopes to create sustainable and genuine networks for people who may otherwise feel disconnected from their local community.

One Gig Buddy volunteer Sam said: “Through volunteering with Gig Buddies I have met amazing people, made some great friends and shared some brilliant experiences.”

Paul Richards, director and co-founder of the charity said: “The charity was set up as a response to seeing people with learning disabilities being denied the sort of social opportunities that many of us take for granted. To see how the project has now grown with so many people benefitting from is a dream come true and we’re keen for many more people to benefit.”

The project grew out of local Sussex charity Stay Up Late. Stay Up Late started as a national campaign to ensure that people with a learning disability receive support that doesn’t stop at 9pm.

Gig Buddies has already linked more than 100 people in Sussex to a volunteer Gig Buddy. To find out more, visit: stayuplate.org