We’ve had an amazing month of activities celebrating with different support groups across the UK for #WDSD19 and enjoyed rocking our socks with you all!
In early March we visited our friends at South Manchester DS Support group for a concert, followed by a concert in Bolton for High Five Support Group. Later in the month, we joined the friends and families of Portsmouth DS Support Group, followed by a visit to St Richards Nursery in Chichester where we were thrilled to meet their volunteer Isabelle, who has DS, and who is about to start her Childcare training. From there we went to visit the Chichester DS Support Group (with PACSO), followed by Kent Wide DS Support Group and then finished off the month with Down’s South London Support Group. How lucky are we!?!
Here’s a lovely video from our morning with PDSA on the 21st March (with thanks to PDSA and Media Bunker):
We couldn’t believe the amount of videos we saw raising awareness about Down’s Syndrome – it was absolutely overwhelming. Obviously there was the #Wouldn’tChangeAThing Don’t Stop Me Now video which we wrote about already – and there are many more links over on our FB page to videos (which are not on YouTube) so do come and have a look at those too. We got sent links to children singing along to our songs from Dubai and elsewhere around the world, just incredible! But here are just a few of our favourites:
Here’s our friends at 21 Together with their video of ‘A Million Dreams’ which they learned by using our very own Million Dreams YouTube video:
With the very same song, here is what Derwen College created:
Keeping on the Greatest Showman theme, our friends at Ups and Downs Southwest created this stunning video with an original choral arrangement of THIS IS ME
And our friends at Willowbank School in Kilmarnock made this fabulous video with our Singing Hands cover of ‘LOVE MY LIFE’
On a different note, as this year’s theme is #Leavenoonebehind – our friend Tatty from our local DS Support Group (21&Co) wrote HEAR ME which is a thought-provoking article imagining the thoughts of her non-verbal teenage son George, who has a dual diagnosis of DS/ASD. A must-read. Whilst you’re there, you should also see the video that 21&Co produced too as it really captures the meaning of this year’s theme.
DS Scotland created a powerful video on the impact of negative language called ‘Mind Your Language’ –
And our friend Ruben Reuter (star of the Dumping Ground and from Shabang Theatre) stars in this international production:
And if that wasn’t enough for you – head over to the World Down Syndrome Day “Down TV” website to see a whole host of videos from all over the world – should keep you busy for a while!!
However, in amongst all the ‘noise’ and flurry of all these videos, this tweet by Jon Arnold, CEO of TINY TICKERS really stood out. It is a beautifully-constructed, emotional depiction of what it feels like to suddenly become a parent of a child with DS – it’s breath-taking. We posted it on our FB and it clearly has also struck a chord with others as it has gone on to be shared so widely. Enjoy x
SMI x