Meet Shauna, a member of The Reader’s Café team

Shauna, initially came to work at The Reader through WorkFit, the Down's Syndrome Association's employment programme. This tailored service is dedicated to training employers about the learning profile of the individual who has Down’s syndrome so that they can be supported in the workplace.  

The 33-year-old talent from Mossley Hill, who is a Special Olympian swimmer, has been working at The Reader for nine years. 

Talented athlete Shauna won a host of silver and bronze medals when representing Team GB at the 2012 Special Olympics in Puerto Rico and the 2014 Southern California Special Olympics in LA, where she also met Nicole Scherzinger and consequently was invited onto The X Factor!  In 2022 Shauna was chosen as one of the Liverpool Baton Bearers for the Commonwealth Games. 

Very often she is recognised behind-the-counter. Shauna, like her older brother Niall (The League of Gentleman) an actor in her spare time. She's appeared on Channel 4’s Cheshire-based college soap Hollyoaks and CBBC’s Lagging. 

When she is not training with The Cheshire Penguins at the pool in Ellesmere Port or rehearsing for her latest theatre production or TV show, she is working at one of The Reader’s cafes in Liverpool’s Calderstones Park. The cafes are part of the charity’s social enterprises run by Calderstones Mansion House CIC, which this autumn celebrates its 10th anniversary.  

Shauna said: “My job involves serving tables and serving people. I met people my age and younger with Down’s syndrome when I was doing my work experience, some I knew already, and have made good friends on the staff.

I like the customer’s here too, they’re friendly – one of the customers always comes in to say hello. 

“In my spare time I like swimming butterfly, and I am in RAWD theatre company (for adults with a disability).” 

Shauna’s dad John, who lives with wife Margaret, said: “The Reader initially enrolled Shauna in The Reader’s café for a three-month trial period. She has a personal assistant who helps with daily tasks, travel and promoting independence while providing assistance as needed, 

“She works from 9am to 11.30am, five hours a week, and is popular with the customers. It’s a great scheme and has offered her a little bit of independence – she is in control of that budget and can buy clothes or something nice. It opens choices. 

“The Reader has now made her a permanent member of staff – it's quite a big thing and it demonstrates the way Shauna has fitted in. Everyone knows her – she's quite outgoing. Over the years it has really helped her to improve confidence and her self-worth. She’s had to learn the rules for work – someone needs to remind her if there is a 20-minute break! 

“When Shauna was at junior school, we were told a teacher would not let her go swimming as said she was a health and safety risk, which we strongly objected to. It made us feel we had to do it properly and so arranged for Shauna to have swimming lessons. 

“Shauna has been swimming with The Cheshire Penguins for people with learning disabilities for 15 years and picked up all these technical skills. Then she won medals in every race. She trains in Ellesmere Port and loves it. Shauna originally started off Irish dancing and took part in the Irish Dancing World Championships in Belfast – but she gave it all up for swimming. 

“Only five cent of people with learning disabilities are paid for employment in the UK**. What The Reader is doing is very important.” 

** 5.1% of adults with a learning disability known to their local authority in England are in paid work - NHS Digital, 2021 – as highlighted by Mencap, https://www.mencap.org.uk/learning-disability-explained/research-and-statistics/employment-research-and-statistics)