A Down’s syndrome man and Special Olympics champion who has been working for free for years is now being charged a fee to wash councillors’ dishes.
Virgil Taylor has been helping to wash up, wipe tables and set up trolleys in a restaurant used by town hall staff for 17 years as part of subsidised adult care services.
Every week Mr Taylor - who won a gold medal at the Special Olympics in Glasgow in 2005 - has attended 10 sessions run by the William Knowles Centre in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
But now savage cuts have ended the subsidies and the 34-year-old will have to pay £2.50 per session for the ‘privilege’ of cleaning up after councillors.
Shocked: Virgil and his mother Joan with the council letter announcing the new fees. Below: Mr Taylor with his Special Olympics medal
His outraged mother Joan, of Winscombe, said: ‘Virgil does not get paid for his time at the Town Hall. But I would never stop him going as it makes him feel useful and he is so proud when he puts his uniform on.
‘He does this for nothing but he loves it and that is the most important thing.
‘How and why should he pay? The £2.50 per session will really eat into his savings.’
The family heard about the new fees in a letter from the council three weeks ago, she said, adding: ‘Other parents and I have been given less than a month’s notice.’
Mr Taylor will even be charged for non-attendance, his mother said.
‘I couldn’t believe it. It just left me shocked and confused.’
The mother-of-six has now written to Weston MP John Penrose to protest.
Mrs Taylor said: ‘I save the Government a lot of money keeping him with me and I would not have it any other way.
‘I am an honest person and the underhanded way we have been treated sickens me.
‘Those at the council should hang their heads in shame.’
Cllr Ian Peddlesden, North Somerset Council’s executive member for community services, adult services and housing, said: ‘I believe most people receive other allowances that would cover these charges.
‘The introduction of the fees was the result of the review we carried out after we won the elections last May.
‘They pay for transport and also lunch if care service users spend whole days at sessions.
‘This is the first complaint I have received about this.’
A council spokesman added: ‘A non-attendance charge will only be applied for repeated failure to attend. It will not apply for planned absences.’
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Posted by ans.
Filed under Article, What’s Really Going On?, World
Posted on Thu, 03 July 2008 at 9:59 p
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What is the world coming to? This is outrageous to say the least. I hope this coverage shames the council to no end. I can’t believe a member of the council could not be willing to cover this expense for this guy.
03 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #I say, sue ‘em for back wages! ooh, could get them for slavery if they attempt to charge him for not working. Some lawyer could have a field day.
03 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #This is truly disgusting. I can’t believe that there is a group of people out there who seem to think this is a legitimate thing to do. I’d be sue’ing for backwages also.
03 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #This makes me sick. No one should be treated this way. Being charged for volunteer services? That is just wrong.
03 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #Something about this story does not add up. What is this “non-attendance charge” they mention? We are not hearing the whole story.
Before I express an opinion, I want to hear ALL the facts, not just the part that suits the yellow journalist who clearly has deliberately witheld information to make the story more sensational.
I have a cousin in a similar situation, albeit not in England, so it’s not a matter of being unsympathetic. It’s a matter of knowing how unscrupulous English “journalists” are, and applying simple logic.
Again: this does not add up, and I will give long odds that the so-called “reporter” of this story is the most despicable character. Lying by telling only part of the story is a vile form of deceit. Shame on you.
03 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #Yes this does sound like we are not getting the real story! It sounds like a program where an otherwise unemployable man actually earns the government benefits he receives for his disability. His mother sounds like a self entitled turd, “Saving them money by having him live with her” How disgustingly self entitled, birth a disabled kid someone who will never be able to contribute to society and think society owes you something! OH PLZZZZZZZZZZZ
I wonder if they have t pay cash for the 2.50 or it is debited from their free benefits.
I think a deduction is fine but no it is not ok to charge him out of pocket.
In California is they are forcing people on welfare who refuse or say they can’t get a job to work now. They get hundreds of dollars and food stamps and excellent medical care plans, often better then people who actually work and pay taxes get from their employers. Even people who work and don’t get medical benefits can’t get state medical because they work!
Then the losers with their hands out, riding on the curtails of every tax payer, keep pooping out kids they can’t afford to increase their government checks.
Poor me, I am being forced to work for FREE!
This sounds like the same sort of thing to me. Reaks of it.
03 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #If he is able to wash up after people then I say he IS employable. Benefits or no, I cannot believe they would charge him to work. I can’t even think of a situation where that would be ok. Most of the people with Down Syndrome in the United States find work in the food service industry and they get PAID to work there. Actually most of them do a better job then the folks with no disability. Sorry Amber, I don’t see this as a situation where this young man has his hand out. Say it outloud “they want to CHARGE him to work”. Hows this, you pay me and I will let you clean my house. I thought not.
03 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #Something doesn’t add up?? Isn’t this England we’re talking about? What adds up with English bureaucracy? This sounds pretty typical for what is considered acceptable behaviors. They charge this guy to work? That’s almost as crazy as giving people a place to live, a TV and money because they’re too lazy to work………..
03 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #Hell London cops shot some innocent unarmed student down in the streets (hey they even shot him in the back!)
and nobody was fired over that. They made a big stink about it in the papers. Still didn’t do anything. Except now that can hold you for 42 days without charge.
I just love that ‘non-attendance’ charge; if they can’t charge you for being there, they’ll charge you for not being there. I’m sure it won’t be long before they extend it to everyone in Somerset.
04 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #Shannon,
If he is not a govt moocher and they are really not only not giving him anything for his work efforts and now even charging him why wouldn’t his mother help him get a paying job using his skills? Like you said he is employable.
Reaks of moochy whining, right down to the MOTHER saying she was SAVING the govt money by keeping her son living with her. So self- entitled, poor her maybe the government should pay her more for taking care of her own son.
04 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #Most likely because he can work but refused to get a job, the govt threatened to cut his free money and benefits off. He said he couldn’t get a job and surprise the govt said, fine here is one for you go or get no more free money. Its more like a pay cut then a charge.
04 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #Gee, you guys are rough on both man and mom.
04 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #I’d say you don’t know much about downs people.
Having a routine day is of utmost importance
to them, being able to do something helpful does much for their personal well being.
The whole story is outrageous. What did the discontinued program do to help him obtain this
unpaid job? If the company was able to use him
all this time, why shouldn’t they be willing to at least pay him transportation so that he continue. Watch the movie “I am Bill” you will understand better how this affects this man.
Amber:
I’ve worked with people who have Down’s Syndrome, and while most of them are nominally employable, there aren’t many places that will hire them. Instead, they work at supervised jobs where the trade-off for their sweat is the satisfaction of feeling useful – and they’re right to feel that way, as they’re providing a butt-load of free labor merely for the “privilege” of being tolerated.
The reason there’s a non-attendance fee is because it is a structured program in which this man participates. He doesn’t merely show up for a scheduled shift; he operates under supervision that is designed to maintain his capabilities.
It may be that washing dishes is all he’s capable of doing, which makes him unemployable anywhere but in this tailor-made role.
But way to jump to conclusions, Amber: hey, maybe he’s faking his developmental disability merely as a personal affront to people like you – folks who will never experience misfortune because your political leanings prevent such things.
I’m sure if you had a disabled baby that you’d strangle him in the crib, ostensibly for the good of humanity, but this man’s mother isn’t that much of a douchebag.
In closing, you’re a selfish idiot who talks out her face-sphincter when she’d be better served by remaining silent.
04 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #What the “Hell” is going on in your country?
04 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #Oh, Sweet Jesus! As bad as things have gotten under Bush II on this side of the pond, at least we haven’t reached the point of extorting the challenged by making them pay to work. Does this actually make sense to your town councillors? Maybe someone should check for mold or lead pipes or paint in the coucil chambers or something. Isn’t there a disused pillory in the common or market or green where Councillor Ian Pedophile or whateverhisnameis can be horse-whipped into sense or sanity? As Horace van der Gelder said, ” Ninety percent of the people in the world are idiots and I am in grave danger of contamination.” What’s next? Position quadriplegic’s gurneys against open doors and make them pay for the privilege of being door stops, and then fine them if they don’t lie there face up on rainy days? It doesn’t matter what country - we all need to stop paying politicians; it just encourages them.
04 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #Absolutely charming. “If you want to work for us, you have to pay us!”
That’s worse than slavery.
What happens if all the DS kids stop doing the dishes? Are we to expect Councillors to clean up after themselves? ROFL.
04 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #you cocksuckers have learned well from GWB’s AmeriDUH.
05 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #why don’t we just kill him and his less than perfect mother? GODWIN FTW, MOFOS!
05 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #fuck you uk
05 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #well, maybe not. except for the eye thing, he looks EXACTLY like your heir to the Throne!
05 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #Sounds fair to me. Transportation to and from the job and lunch for £2.50? Wish I had those perks! I am sure they are also considering insurance for accidents and injury, which costs a bundle these days. Sounds like the man has quite a deal going, now get down there and pay the price for wearing that uniform soldier!
05 Jul 08 at 9:59 p #