Learning Disability Wales | Anabledd Dysgu Cymru

What Learning Disability Wales | Anabledd Dysgu Cymru does

Learning Disability Wales (Anabledd Dysgu Cymru) is a registered charity (1062858) and company limited by guarantee (02326324) founded in 1986 and headquartered in Cardiff, Wales. It operates as a membership organization representing the learning disability sector in Wales, with approximately 25-30 staff and a Board of Trustees of up to 14 seats plus advisers. The organization serves individuals with learning disabilities, their families and carers, sector organizations (over 100 members), Welsh Government and public bodies, and learning disability professionals across Wales, with some services extending UK-wide. Its mission is to make Wales the best country in the world for people with a learning disability to live, learn, love and work.

The organization's core services comprise Easy Read Wales, which converts complex documents into accessible easy-read versions (completing 140+ projects in 2024 for Welsh Government, health bodies, and other public-sector clients); Gig Buddies Cymru, a volunteer befriending programme matching adults with learning disabilities and/or autism to social and music events, currently operating in Cardiff, north Wales, and Swansea Neath Port Talbot; Training and Events including an annual Digital Lives conference; and meeting room hire (The Jenkins Room, up to 20 people, and Y Lolfa). Underlying technology is a bilingual Welsh/English website with WCAG A accessibility, high-contrast options, easy-read pages, and keyboard navigation, integrated with MailChimp for member communications.

The business model is a hybrid non-profit funding stack: Welsh Government core and project grants, National Lottery Community Fund grants, fee-for-service Easy Read Wales commercial contracts, training and event fees, meeting room hire income, and voluntary donations. Membership for individuals and organizations is free. Notable institutional clients and case-study customers include Welsh Government, Improvement Cymru, Public Services Ombudsman Wales, Public Health Wales, the All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre, and the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner. Active programmes include 21st Century People, Ready to Vote, Welsh Youth Parliament, Day Opportunities Provider Network, Cross Party Group on Learning Disability, and the previously concluded Engage to Change partnership with Cardiff University's NCMH which supported 1,070 young people into employment over seven years.

Name

Learning Disability Wales | Anabledd Dysgu Cymru

Legal name

Learning Disability Wales

Website

https://ldw.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Learning Disability Wales (Anabledd Dysgu Cymru) is a Cardiff-based Welsh charity (est. 1986) representing the learning disability sector through free membership, Easy Read document conversion services, the Gig Buddies Cymru befriending project, training and events, policy advocacy, and funded community programmes across Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Learning Disability Advocacy Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Learning disability advocacy
• Easy read document conversion
• Disability sector training
• Accessible communications services
• Policy and campaigning

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Training and Events: Revenue from training courses, annual conferences, and in-house training delivery. Training is a key channel for engagement with the sector.
2. Meeting Room Hire: Hire of meeting facilities (The Jenkins Room - up to 20 people, and Y Lolfa break-out room) for events, training and meetings.
3. Easy Read Wales Commercial Services: Fee-for-service Easy Read document creation for government agencies, organizations, and businesses. Free quotes provided.
4. Government and Lottery Funding: Core funding from Welsh Government and National Lottery through various project grants and partnerships.
5. Donations and Support: Voluntary donations from supporters to support the mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Learning Disability Wales is a membership-based charity that delivers Easy Read document conversion services, training courses, events, and policy advocacy for the learning disability sector in Wales. It operates flagship projects including Gig Buddies Cymru (befriending), Ready to Vote (democracy engagement), Engage to Change (employment support), and 21st Century People, alongside meeting room hire and a free bilingual Welsh/English membership programme.

Product overview

Learning Disability Wales operates as a membership organization providing multiple interconnected services focused on improving lives of people with learning disabilities in Wales. The core services include Easy Read Wales (document conversion service), Gig Buddies Cymru (social friendship matching), Training and Events, and Meeting Room Hire. The organization runs various projects including 21st Century People, Ready to Vote, Welsh Youth Parliament, Policy and Campaigning, Day Opportunities Provider Network, Connections Cymru, Cross Party Group on Learning Disability, and Engage to Change (employment support). Membership is free and provides sector updates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Easy Read Wales: A service that takes complex documents and turns them into high standard easy read versions that people with a learning disability can understand. Provides free quotes for easy read document services.
• Gig Buddies Cymru

Products and services

• Easy Read Wales
• Gig Buddies Cymru
• Training and Events
• Meeting Room Hire
• Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• 140+ Easy Read projects completed in 2024 alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH), Cardiff UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership on Engage to Change project - advancing policy, research, and legacy work. Joint initiative to promote supported employment and transition to adult life for people with learning disabilities.
• PhotoSymbolsminorOthersCredit and attribution partner for accessible image resources used in easy read materials.
• UK Government Equalities OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for various accessibility and equality initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Response: United Response is a UK disability charity providing support services and campaigning on disability rights. Comparable to Learning Disability Wales on the disability advocacy and sector representation dimension, with overlap on accessible information and policy work.
• Mencap: Mencap is the UK's largest learning disability charity, providing advocacy, services, and policy influence across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It directly overlaps with Learning Disability Wales on learning disability advocacy, policy work, and family/carer support, though at a much larger national scale.
• Learning Disability England: Learning Disability England is a national membership organization for people with learning disabilities, their families, and member organizations in England. It is structurally analogous to Learning Disability Wales (membership org, policy advocacy, sector convening) but serves England rather than Wales.
• Sense: Sense is a UK charity supporting people with complex disabilities, including learning disabilities, through services, campaigning, and accessible information. Comparable to Learning Disability Wales on accessible communications and policy advocacy for the learning disability community.
• Hft (Home Farm Trust): Hft is a UK charity supporting people with learning disabilities through direct services, housing, and family support, and engages in policy and campaigning. Comparable to Learning Disability Wales on policy advocacy and learning-disability sector representation.
• Disability Rights UK: Disability Rights UK is a national organization led by disabled people that campaigns for disability rights and provides resources. Comparable to Learning Disability Wales on policy advocacy and cross-disability sector representation, though its scope is broader than learning disability specifically.

Regional players

• All Wales People First: All Wales People First is a Wales-based self-advocacy organization for people with learning disabilities. It is a natural in-country peer of Learning Disability Wales, with overlapping beneficiaries (people with learning disabilities in Wales) and overlapping policy/community engagement work.

Others

• PhotoSymbols: PhotoSymbols provides accessible stock imagery used in Easy Read and other accessible-information materials. It is a listed partner/credit partner of Learning Disability Wales and is an enabler/supplier in the same Easy Read production ecosystem rather than a competing service provider.

Broad incumbents

• National Autistic Society: The National Autistic Society is the UK's largest charity for autistic people, providing services, policy influence, and accessible information. It overlaps with Learning Disability Wales on accessible communications, policy advocacy, and serving people with co-occurring learning disability and autism (e.g., Gig Buddies Cymru).

Emerging players

• Down's Syndrome Association: The Down's Syndrome Association provides information, support, and advocacy for people with Down's syndrome in the UK. Comparable to Learning Disability Wales on accessible information provision and family support, though focused on a specific cause within the broader learning disability community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LdWales
• Facebookfacebook.com/learningdisabilitywales
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/learning-disability-wales

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Learning Disability Wales | Anabledd Dysgu Cymru