Labour MP Toby Perkins Visits Priory’s The Birches Adult Care Home To Mark Autism Acceptance Month

Team members and residents at Priory’s The Birches adult care service welcomed Labour MP Toby Perkins during a visit to mark Autism Acceptance Month (April).

During the visit, he heard about work to support working-age autistic adults and joined in activities with residents in the care home, which is within his Chesterfield constituency.

Registered Manager Kirsty Marsh and Deputy Manager Lily Tomlinson oversaw a tour of the service, which provides residential support for autistic people and people with learning difficulties and mental health needs, helping individuals to live fulfilling lives and achieve their goals.

The MP met team members at the service, many of whom have personal connections to neurodiversity through their children, partners or their own diagnoses.

Marsh said: “The visit provided a valuable opportunity to share why autism awareness and acceptance is deeply important to us as a service.

“We were delighted to speak with Toby about the ethos of The Birches: that this is not simply a service, but a home. We discussed our ambition to become further integrated within the local community, ensuring that the people we support feel valued, heard and empowered as active members of that community.”

The Birches is set in a large, detached, Victorian house on Gladstone Road in Chesterfield. The spacious service, home to seven residents, is rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

During the visit, Perkins spent time with residents, as well as staff at the home.

Marsh said: “The visit included some wonderful moments that truly reflect life at The Birches. Julie, one of the people we support, prepared a cup of tea for Toby, before going on to beat him in a friendly game of Connect Four. Meanwhile, Liam shared his interests in walking and football, alongside stories from his time in the Royal Marines and his family’s local heritage.

“We are incredibly grateful to Toby for taking the time to visit, listen and engage so meaningfully with both the people we support and our team. Visits like this are vital, helping build understanding, raise awareness and create opportunities for collaboration that benefit not only our service, but the wider community.

“We look forward to continuing this relationship and welcoming Toby back for our Summer Festival.”