James Leigh has big dreams for St Chads

St Chads new manager James Leigh (front) with John Harvey. Photo/Stephen Parker

He's been in the job only a few weeks, but James Leigh already has big dreams for St Chads.

Among them are setting up the centre's own radio station and a new commercial kitchen.

After serving on the charitable trust's board of trustees and working for a short stint as a facilitator, Mr Leigh said he jumped at the opportunity to return to the centre as its manager.

"I fell in love with the place."

With a background in teaching and working with people with physical disabilities, Mr Leigh said it was a dream job.

St Chads has been around since the early 1980s and helps people who have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities to learn the skills to integrate into the wider community.

More than 70 people attend the centre during the week.

Mr Leigh said the focus on communication skills was a key reason behind him wanting to set up a radio station.

He also wanted to make the centre more self sufficient through selling its produce and seedlings from the successful gardening programme. He even wants to install a commercial kitchen.

While he admitted it would cost "an absolute fortune" he said it was something he'd seen done in the United Kingdom and would love to see in the future.

Mr Leigh said it's those services they provide and the way they "empower" the clients that makes such a difference.

"One of the big things we promote is making choices and choosing what they want to happen. That's something I will have a big focus on."

He said they focused on giving people life skills that would help them while in the community - so skills like communication and listening were big ones.

Mr Leigh fell into teaching when he went on a work experience placement as a 16-year-old and hasn't looked back since, he said.