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WDSD

WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY 2016

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March 21st 2016 marks the 11th anniversary of World Down Syndrome Day.

In 2016 the focus of the campaign led by Down Syndrome International is:

“My Friends, My Community” – The benefits of inclusive environments for today’s children and tomorrow’s adults

People with Down syndrome, on an equal basis with other people, must be able to enjoy full and equal rights, both as children and adults. This includes the opportunity to participate fully in their communities.

The reality for many is that prevailing negative attitudes result in low expectations, discrimination and exclusion, creating communities where children and adults with Down syndrome cannot integrate successfully with their peers.

But where children with Down syndrome and other disabilities are given opportunities to participate, all children benefit from this and environments of friendship, acceptance, respect for everyone and high expectations are created.

Not only this, but these environments prepare all today’s children for life as tomorrow’s adults, enabling adults with Down syndrome to live, work and participate, with confidence and individual autonomy, fully included in society alongside their friends and peers.

On World Down Syndrome Day, Monday 21 March 2016, join us to encourage children and adults with Down syndrome to say “My Friends, My Community” and get the world talking about the benefits for everyone of inclusive environments.

For more on World Down Syndrome Day and why we celebrate please click HERE

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World Down Syndrome Day – FREE LESSON PLAN for schools

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We are excited to share that ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS – a Yorkshire based educational recruitment agency have put together a ground breaking, awareness raising, schools competition and free lesson plan!

A wonderful opportunity for school staff to use this ready made teachers plan to get their students thinking in three dimensions about Down syndrome and have fun along the way – creating a resource and submitting it for the competition (competition close date 16/03/2016)

Please encourage any teachers you know, primary or secondary, to take advantage of this opportunity – spread the word!

Click on this link to download this fantastic free resource: WDSD16-Competition-and-Lesson-Plan

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HDSSG do WDSD 2015

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Huddersfield Down Syndrome Support Group marked World Down Syndrome Day 2015 with a huge celebration day for all our members & their families.

March 21st 2015 marked the 10th anniversary of World Down Syndrome Day.

We invited our members to join us at Cedar Court Hotel in Huddersfield to party the day away in their snazziest socks!  We had entertainment for our younger ones from local children’s entertainers The Hey Diddles along with a soft play package from the excellent Tumble Town. This was followed by ice creams all round from our amazing ice cream tricycle.

After a lovely buffet we rocked our socks off with The Covers – an excellent live band who played punk & new wave covers – The dance floor was packed! We also had dance mats, a DJ and a karaoke at our party!

All the fun of the day was captured by the very talented Fiaz of Dual Focus Media. His team took hundreds of pictures in our ‘photo booth’ check out a few of our favourites below:

Same time next year?! 😉

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World Down Syndrome Day 2013!

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21st March 2013 marks the 8th anniversary of World Down Syndrome Day. A global awareness day which has been recognised by the United Nations since 2012.

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Shabang Inclusive Learning, based at The Watershed in Slaithwaite and Huddersfield Down Syndrome Support Group have created a short accessible film – “Like A Rainbow”. This  five minute moving photo montage shows images of local children and young people with Down Syndrome pursuing their interests and  hobbies and enjoying life like anyone else.

The film will be emailed out to schools across the country as a free resource to use in assemblies, discussion groups and citizenship classes along with some simple ideas to celebrate the day.

Kim Reuter from Shabang said” We hope our film will encourage people to see our children as children first – children who are high achievers, enthusiasts and experts – children who also happen to have Down Syndrome. “

Leanne Davies from HDSSG said   “We always celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st –  the date represents the 3rd  copy of chromosome 21 which characterises Down Syndrome. This year the theme is ‘Lots of socks’ and we are inviting schools and their pupils to celebrate by wearing odd socks! This is a fun way to raise awareness. ” Local schools who have taken up the idea so far include Royds Hall High School, Thurstonland First School and Wilberlee  Primary School.

Kim from Shabang says “Rather than seeing our children as ‘different’ – we consider them to be exceptional”

Exceptional indeed – members of HDSSG , who feature in ‘Like A Rainbow” include Jack Davies who models for Eureka Children’s Museum and has been featured in National Newspapers, Joanne Kempley, Aisling Connelly, Jack Drennan,  Zoe Rank, Rebekah Hill and Ruben Reuter who will be competing in the Special Olympics Summer Games this Summer, not to mention the long list of members who have acquired their Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Also Sophie Crossland a local dancer with tv appearances on BBC’s the One Show. Ruben has recently been featured in a CBBC channel  My Life Documentary series which will be re run on World Down Syndrome Day at 9.05am. He is thought to be the first young person with Down Syndrome to ever narrate a TV programme.

Huddersfield Down Syndrome Support Group, run entirely by parent volunteers, organises a wide range of activities  such at Yoga, Literacy and Numeracy classes, swimming and theatre trips and is currently developing a social enterprise for its Post 16 members. Leanne Davies HDSSG’s Communication Officer has developed a website packed with information and news, as well as lively social networking sites which connect with regional and national groups across the Down Syndrome global community.

HDSSG keeps up to date with emerging  ideas and current research and also produces information packs for new families.

“Down Syndrome effects 1 in 1000 babies and so our numbers are always growing ” says Leanne “ however we also extend our membership to local children with additional needs with rarer diagnosis who may not have a support group of their own.”

So, now on Thursday 21st March , when people comment on you wearing odd socks – you can tell them why!

Happy World Down Syndrome Day 2013!

♦ Please enjoy Like A Rainbow made by our fabulous friends at Shabang!

A91fAjeCMAA-Xh4You can also watch rating busting programme ‘Breaking Free’ produced by Markthree Media featuring Huddersfield’s Ruben Reuter and 2 other youngsters with Down Syndrome. The show follows the trio through their summer, can they acheive their goals?

Breaking Free will be aired again by popular demand on the Cbbc channel at 9.05am on World Down Syndrome Day. It will also be available on the BBC iPlayer for 7 days following.

Down Syndrome International invites everyone to wear lots of socks to raise awareness on WDSD! See the poster below for more: 

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