Disability Awareness Day Sunday 12th July 2009

2004 Sunday 11th July

This year’s Disability Awareness Day took place on Sunday 11th July at Walton Hall Gardens and provided a fitting finale to a week of events promoting inclusion and independence. Principal Sponsor - The Northwest Regional Development Agency signed up as our principal sponsors. The extra finance enabled the management team to employ two part time administration officers, undertake advertising on 11 radio stations, and 12 newspapers across the Northwest, produce and distribute thousands of extra promotional flyers and posters, redesign and upgrade the event programme and website. The extra funds enabled the team to develop an innovative Positive Action Awards Scheme that was launched at the Sponsors and VIP Reception.

The Launch - To launch this year’s events Phil Edwards and staff from the Golden Square organised a fantastic Arts Showcase in the Old Market Place. With live music from WolfManJack, Emma Lewis, The Stevie Wonders, The Hero’s, The Heath, Karma Destination and Dave Jackson. Dancers from the Warrington Wolves cheerleaders “Independance”, Reactivate and Warrington Collegiate. Radio General provided musical support and one passer-by felt the urge to join in and gave the crowd a rendition of ballads that left everyone spellbound.

DAD Week - A small but dedicated team spent up to 16 hours a day in wet and windy weather at the event site preparing for the main event. Eddie our site store man gave everyone a scare after he slipped whilst getting out of the site unit and ended up being taken to hospital by ambulance. We were all glad to see him back on site a couple of days later, just in time for the free sausage rolls and donuts supplied by Gregg’s Bakery.

The six o’clock start for our stewards didn’t put anyone off and by eight o’clock there was a queue of over 300 vehicles waiting to get on to the event site, and by ten o’clock every vehicle was unloaded and parked safely. During the day over 22,000 people visited 280 exhibition stands displaying a range of daily living and support services offered by statutory, private and voluntary organisations, together with the latest technology and equipment aimed at improving independence.

An “Awards for All” grant enabled us to provide designated areas promoting opportunities in Sports and Arts. Both areas saw steady flows of people. The Main arena was affected by the changeable weather but overall everyone enjoyed the diverse programme that something for everyone. The team from Wire FM broadcast their Sunday afternoon show live from the event site, which helped to share the fun with thousands of people listening to their radios.

Partnerships - DAD involved a wide range of partners, including members from 6 Lions Clubs, officers and lads from Thorncross Young Offenders Unit, Warrington Rotary Club, Warrington Community Transport, Cheshire Deafness Support, Warrington Borough Transport, Warrington & District Camera Club, local businesses and dozens of individuals. Representatives from the Cornwall DAD Management Team made the 700 round mile trip.

The largest development was the launch of the “Positive Action Awards”, aimed at rewarding Good Practice in the Northwest in relation to employment and services for disabled people.

The Pulse - Anne & John Thorpe managed the Pulse Sponsored Walk/push. With over 100 people raising thousands of pounds for local charities.

Sponsors – This years event was supported by; BT, Smile Co-op Banking, Northwest Regional Assembly, North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Scoota Mart, Guardian Series Newspapers, Environment Agency, Job Centre Plus, 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust, Warrington Borough Council, Warrington Primary Care NHS Trust, Leonard Cheshire, Cheshire & Warrington Learning & Skills Council, Connexions Cheshire & Warrington, Awards 4 All, Warrington Collegiate & Northwest Regional Development Agency.

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