Stay Up Late is a charity which promotes full and active social lives for people with learning disabilities.
The charity was started by members of the inclusive band ‘Heavy Load’, which was made up of musicians with and without learning disabilities and started out as a campaign in 2006. Heavy Load were concerned and frustrated at seeing so many people with learning disabilities leaving events at 9pm, often against their will, due to staff working inflexible shift patterns.
The main focus of their work falls into two main areas:
- Gig Buddies, their volunteer befriending scheme which they run across Sussex (and franchising to other areas). Gig Buddies matches up people with learning disabilities and/or autism with a volunteer who loves the same music or shares the same cultural interests.
- Campaigning to change inflexible support systems which prevent people from leading the lifestyle they want