![](https://biglotteryfund-assets.imgix.net/media/heroes/Voices-CiaraTablet.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=faces%2Cedge&fit=fill&w=1280&s=f3e6db2012eff19a13c4a13ad5cedfc7)
Ciara Lawrence and Edel Harris, Mencap (easy read)
![Person sitting indoors alone](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Lockdown_Photosymbol.jpg?mtime=20210317134405&focal=none)
Covid-19 has been hard for everyone. But it has been really hard for many people with a learning disability.
![Zoe Anderson](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Zoe-profile.jpg?mtime=20210319101348&focal=none)
I am Zoë Anderson from the National Lottery Community Fund.
![Person with a thought bubble](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Think_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134453&focal=none)
I wanted to know more about what was happening to people with a learning disability during Covid-19 and what can help.
![a bag filled with money](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Moneybag-Pounds_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134431&focal=none)
The National Lottery Community Fund has already helped.
We gave £100,000 for a Mencap project in England called Home Not Alone.
![A computer screen showing people making a video call, with the Skype logo](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Skype-Call_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134432&focal=none)
The project helps to stop people being lonely.
It helps people to meet and do things on the internet.
![Woman looking at her phone screen and waving hello. A text bubble shows another woman checking her phone with the word hello](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Check-On-Friend_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134242&focal=none)
In Northern Ireland the money has helped people with a learning disability to get support at home during Covid-19.
![Mencap logo](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Mencap-logo.png?mtime=20210317141321&focal=none)
I spoke to Edel Harris and Ciara Lawrence from Mencap to find out more about what can help.
Helping everyone to understand the Covid-19 rules
![Man sitting alone in an empty room](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Alone-1_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317142148&focal=none)
Ciara from Mencap said that many people with a learning disability have been forgotten during Covid-19.
![Man reading a document. He is scratching his head and looks confused, with a question mark beside him](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Confused-5_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134302&focal=none)
She said that a lot of information has been hard for people with a learning disability to understand.
![Woman looking confused and scratching her head. There is a question mark beside her](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Confused3_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134301&focal=none)
And many people with a learning disability have not had their usual support.
This means they have not had people to help them know what to do.
![Chart of coronavirus tiers 1 to 4, with images of the virus](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/4-Tiers_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134240&focal=none)
It has also been hard because the Covid-19 rules keep changing.
![Ciara Lawrence](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Ciara-Lawrence-200.jpg?mtime=20210317134300&focal=none)
Ciara has a learning disability.
She said she found it hard to understand the rules at first.
She had to ask her mum for help.
What can help?
![Woman holding paper, which says Your Vaccine Appointment](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Vaccine-Story-Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134454&focal=none)
I found out that clear information about Covid-19 and what to do is really important.
![A group of people sitting around a table](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/CQC-Group-Meet-7_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134322&focal=none)
Mencap and other organisations have done some good work on this.
They worked together to make some easy to understand information about Covid-19.
![Three people looking at a paper. They are smiling and making the thumbs up sign](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Approved-1_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134241&focal=none)
Ciara even set up an easy read group at Mencap.
The group looked at lots of information about Covid-19.
They worked out how to make it better for everyone.
![A man hands a paper to a second man. They are both smiling](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Share-Information-1_Photosymbol_200-1.jpg?mtime=20210317134432&focal=none)
Ciara said that the easy read group has done a great job.
Some families said that the group’s information really helped.
Working together
![Edel Harris](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Edel-Harris-200.jpg?mtime=20210317134347&focal=none)
Edel is the senior boss of Mencap.
She said it is important for different organisations to work together when there is a problem like Covid-19.
![A woman with a thoughtful expression. There is a thinks bubble over her head.](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Inspector-Thinking-1_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134403&focal=none)
She said that Covid-19 has also helped Mencap think more about the future and what they need to do.
![Five people sitting together and talking](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Discussion-2_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134323&focal=none)
Mencap is working with people with a learning disability and their families.
They are looking at how everyone with a learning disability can have a happy and healthy life.
Listening to people with a learning disability
![Woman and man looking at a paper together. He is pointing at the page, and she is speaking](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Social-Work_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134452&focal=none)
Ciara said that what is most important is to listen to people with a learning disability like her.
![Two people shaking hands over a Welcome mat](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/CQC-Arrive-3_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134320&focal=none)
Ciara said that people should meet people with a learning disability and hear what they have to say.
![A group of people smiling. They are of different ages and have different disabilities.](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Group-44_Photosymbol_200.jpg?mtime=20210317134348&focal=none)
This will help people to understand people with a learning disability.
And it will help people with a learning disability to show what they can do.
Then we can all work together, Ciara said.
![Photosymbols logo](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/Photosymbols-image.png?mtime=20210322102931&focal=none)
Easy Read version prepared by Making it Clear. Pictures by Photosymbols.
This page was last updated on 22 March 2021.