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Disability Huntingdonshire premieres new film showcasing The Difference DISH MakesDisability Huntingdonshire (DISH) today launches The Difference DISH Makes, a new promotional film produced by Light and Star Media, which highlights the charity’s impact across Huntingdonshire, Fenland and South Cambridgeshire.
Known locally as DISH, the charity supports people with disabilities and older people to access support and apply for welfare benefits to support their needs. The film The Difference DISH Makes profiles DISH’s work and features contributions from staff, clients and referring organisations, offering a powerful insight into the difference the charity makes every day.
The film was created after DISH was selected as the winner of Light & Star Media’s filmmaking giveaway during Small Charities Week 2025.
Both films produced as part of the project are available on DISH’s website at www.dish.org.uk.
Martin John, Director of Light and Star Media, said:
“It has been such a pleasure working with DISH, who won our filmmaking giveaway as part of the 2025 Small Charities Week. Light & Star Media exists to help third sector organisations ‘shine a light and lead the way’ through filmmaking. Unfortunately, people with disabilities are often stigmatised, so my hope is that this short film helps to raise awareness of the issues they face, as well as raise the profile of the excellent work that DISH does in Huntingdonshire and surrounding areas. To learn more about our work, visit www.lightstarmedia.co.uk“
Tracy Hyland, Chief Executive of DISH, added:
“This film was created with the sole intention of demonstrating the impact DISH makes, not just to the staff, but to people who use our services or refer to us. The uniqueness of what we do is best told by the people who use our services. We are delighted and incredibly grateful to both the clients and organisations who contributed to this amazing piece of film. For any organisation looking to capture the true impact of their work, I cannot recommend Martin enough. He guided us through the process with professionalism, kindness and patience, and what he has produced is something we are all very proud of.
The Difference DISH Makes – 6-minute version
The Difference DISH Makes – 3-minute version [...]April 15, 2026View- Disability Huntingdonshire Announces Service Changes to Protect Long Term SupportDisability Huntingdonshire (DISH) announces service changes across Huntingdonshire, South Cambridgeshire and Fenland.
Disability Huntingdonshire, known locally as DISH, today announces several changes to the services it provides across Huntingdonshire, South Cambridgeshire and Fenland.
DISH has supported disabled people in the community since 1991, working to enable individuals living with a disability to achieve independence.
Over the past year, as experienced widely across the charitable sector, it has become increasingly challenging to generate the income required to meet the rising demand for its services.
In 2025/26, DISH supported more than 1,000 people across its operational area and helped to secure £2.5 million in benefits for clients. Each appointment can cost the charity between £250 and £500, depending on the complexity of the case.
From 1 April 2026, DISH will continue to offer its recognised core support but will introduce several changes and new charges:
Priority appointments: Clients who wish to fast track their appointment will be able to access one of two paid priority appointments per week.
Benefit appeals: Automatic support for benefit appeals will no longer be provided due to the significant cost to the charity. Instead, appeal requests will undergo an expert assessment to determine the likelihood of success. This assessment will incur a small fee, along with a commitment to donate a percentage of any arrears awarded once the tribunal has been heard and decided.
Support outside core areas: Individuals living outside DISH’s current area of operation—specifically East Cambridgeshire or Cambridge City—may access telephone or video support for Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance claims. This will be offered for a fee and subject to caseworker availability.
Tracy Hyland, Chief Executive, said:
“The reality is that funding for the voluntary sector has significantly decreased, while demand for the support DISH provides has grown exponentially. Without making some changes and introducing charges, DISH would not be able to continue supporting the people who rely on us.
This has not been an easy decision for me, my team, or our Board of Trustees. It has been an incredibly difficult period, and our priority is to ensure DISH remains viable so that we can continue delivering our personalised, specialist service. We can no longer ignore the fact that we cannot provide everything for free.”
For detailed information on chargeable services and areas of operation, please visit www.dish.org.uk. [...]April 8, 2026View
King’s Fund: Join a Cambridgeshire focus group on how your social care is managedWould you like to add your voice to research on how people choose to organise and manage their social care?
The King’s Fund is a charity that works to improve health and care. They want to hear from people living in Cambridgeshire who have chosen to have their social care organised and managed by the local authority, rather than using a direct payment to organise their own care.
They want to hear your story — no specialist knowledge is required to participate. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never heard of direct payments.
Participation will be through an online focus group.
Date: Monday 23 February
Time: 1-3 pm
Thank you payment: £55 for all participants
Your insights will help shape future policy and practice. Everything you share will be confidential, your information will not be passed on to anyone else, and your name will not appear in any reports. Taking part will not affect your services, and the local council will not know who participates.
Interested?If you’d like to participate in the focus group or just want more information, complete this short form:
The King’s Fund: Join a Cambridgeshire focus group on how your social care is managed. – Fill out form
You are not committing to attend the focus group just by filling out the form. [...]January 29, 2026View
Phone system upgradeWe are in the process of upgrading our phone system.
This will mean our phones and voicemail will be unavailable for a period of time. We hope completion will be on 7th January; however, this is subject to change.
If the matter is urgent, please email us, and we will respond upon our return to the office on 5th January 2026.
Further updates will appear here.
UPDATE 12/01/2026: Our new phone system is installed and now active. [...]December 18, 2025View
Festive opening hours 2025Our office will close at 2.30pm on Thursday 18th December 2025, and we will reopen at 9.30am on Monday 5th January 2026.
Our referral form will be offline during this time and will go live again in the early hours on Monday 5th January.
Our staff will be taking a well-deserved break during this time and will respond to emails and messages when they return in the new year.
Office Opening breakdown:
Thursday 18th December: 9:30am to 2.30pm
Friday 19th December: CLOSED
Monday 22nd December: CLOSED
Tuesday 23rd December: CLOSED
Wednesday 24th December: CLOSED
Thursday 25th December: Christmas Day (Bank Holiday)
Friday 26th December: Boxing Day (Bank Holiday)
Monday 29th December: CLOSED
Tuesday 30th December: CLOSED
Wednesday 31st December: CLOSED
Thursday 1st January: New Year’s Day (Bank Holiday)
Friday 2nd January: CLOSED
Monday 5th January: 9:30am to 2.30pm [...]December 11, 2025View
Celebrating our Trustees for Trustees’ WeekThis Trustees’ Week, we proudly celebrate the incredible individuals who serve as trustees of Disability Huntingdonshire (DISH). Their commitment, guidance, and belief in our purpose enable us to provide compassionate and expert support to people living with a disability across our community.
At DISH, trustees are more than board members — they are champions of inclusion, accessibility, and community. They guide our strategy, uphold our values, and ensure our services remain impactful and responsive.
Tracy Hyland, Chief Executive, commented:
Trustees are the backbone of any charity, often unnoticed and regularly undervalued, but no charity can function effectively without their oversight and support, particularly in these challenging times for charities. So my huge thanks must go to our board of trustees, who are respectful, challenging (as they should be), but are always encouraging and stay because they love what DISH does. Thank you.
Meet out trustees
Hilary Bayles
Amy Bosse
David Bowers
Melody Chanakira
Chris Harding
Bill Templeton
Georgie Wark
Nic Wells
Gethyn Williams
Why our trustees serve
We asked some of our trustees what inspired them to join DISH and what being a trustee means to them:
I wanted to give back by helping shape an organisation that empowers all people to access their rights and independence. I work alongside a passionate team who genuinely put people first, making a tangible difference in our community. I’m so proud to be able to use my skills to help ensure everyone has access to fair, independent advice and the support they need to live with dignity and confidence.
Georgie Wark
I became a trustee with DISH because… too many people with disabilities are judged instead of supported – both by the stigma around benefits and a system that can feel dehumanising. I’m proud of our work to give people dignity, fairness and access to the benefits they’re entitled to.
Gethyn Williams
To all our trustees: thank you for your time, your insight, and your unwavering support. You help us stay true to our mission and grow stronger every year.
Interested in joining our board?
We welcome individuals who share our passion and values. If you are interested in joining our board of trustees, get in touch by emailing apply@dish.org.uk
What is Trustees’ Week?
Trustees’ Week is an annual awareness week and a time to celebrate the achievements of nearly one million trustees across the UK.
Find out more about Trustees’ Week [...]November 3, 2025View
Call for strategic approach to end poverty in CambridgeshireOn Monday 16th June, The Cambridgeshire Poverty Strategy Commission was proud to launch its report ‘A call for a strategic approach to end poverty across Cambridgeshire‘.
Our Chief Executive, Tracy Hyland, was involved with this innovative publication with a number of other colleagues from across Cambridgeshire. The premise of the report was summed up in the foreword ‘From the outset, our aim has been clear: to better understand the reality of poverty in Cambridgeshire and to help shape meaningful and realistic recommendations that can influence change. Our work has taken place within a tight timeline and against a backdrop of growing need, rising inequalities, and increasing pressures on services and communities alike.’
Tracy commented,
It was a privilege to be involved to work with like minded colleagues who wanted to suggest solutions to the ever growing rise in need across our county. Together, we can affect change.
You can find out more about the Poverty Commission and read the full report on the Cambridgeshire County Council website. [...]June 16, 2025View
Tracy Represents DISH at His Majesty’s Garden PartyOn Tuesday, 20th May, our Chief Executive, Tracy Hyland, had the privilege of attending His Majesty’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
Tracy received this esteemed invitation in recognition of DISH’s outstanding efforts in supporting individuals across Huntingdonshire, Fenland, and South Cambridgeshire.
Reflecting on the occasion, Tracy shared,
“It was a tremendous honour to be among the invited guests, representing the work of DISH. Visiting the palace grounds and meeting wonderful people made the experience truly unforgettable.”
Tracy was accompanied at the event by her son, James. [...]May 27, 2025View- DISH introduces nominal fees for additional services to safeguard core supportDisability Huntingdonshire (DISH), a leading local charity supporting people living with a disability, has announced the introduction of nominal fees for a select range of services to ensure the sustainability of its core offerings within Huntingdonshire, Fenland, and South Cambridgeshire.
Due to increasing demand and a challenging funding landscape, DISH has made the difficult decision to charge for some additional services they don’t currently provide. However, the charity remains committed to offering its core services free of charge. The newly introduced paid services include:
Mandatory Reconsiderations – Support for where DISH has not been involved in the initial application. However, if the mandatory reconsideration is unsuccessful, DISH can submit the tribunal appeal online. Although, DISH would not be able to support through the tribunal appeal process.
Document Review – A professional review of applications before submission.
Change of Circumstances Forms – Assistance for clients needing to challenge existing awards.
These additional paid for services will be restricted to Personal Independence Payments and Attendance allowance only.
Tracy Hyland, Chief Executive of DISH, stated,
“The funding landscape for charities is grim. It is necessary to safeguard our ability to continue to provide free services where they are most needed. These small fees will allow us to continue helping more people.”
DISH acknowledges that each client’s financial situation is unique. The charity will continue to monitor the impact of this change and welcomes feedback from the community.
For further information, please visit our website or contact us at info@dish.org.uk.
Note to Editors
For media enquiries, please contact Tracy Hyland, Chief Executive, at ceo@dish.org.uk. [...]March 31, 2025View
