Local organisations and disability services have joined forces to create a new event celebrating International Day of People with Disability.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
A new steering committee has been formed to develop a local event celebrating the International Day of People with Disability.
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Recognised each year on December 3, IDPwD aims to promote awareness, understanding and inclusion for the 5.5 million Australians living with disability.
The committee brings together representatives from local disability support organisations including Vivid, Community Living and Respite Services, and U-Choose.
Intereach, Echuca Regional Health, Campaspe Shire Council and Kyabram District Health Service are also supporting the initiative by joining the committee.
Intereach local area co-ordinator Fiona Brown initiated the idea after being inspired by KDHS’s annual event, organised by the hospital’s ‘What We Can Do’ group of people with disability.
What We Can Do committee member Debbie Lloyd said Kyabram’s events had been a huge success since they began four years ago.
“This will be our fourth one, we have been very busy,” she said.
“The day is important to get others involved to help people with their disability.”
Representatives from KDHS, Natalie Zonneveld, Debbie Lloyd and Megan Simmins, have used their experience to help shape Echuca’s event.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Mrs Brown said she wanted to create an event that would bring the community and local support service together.
“We have never had any one (event) in Echuca to celebrate the International Day of People with Disability,” she said.
“I wanted something that we could promote in the Echuca area for everybody.
“I didn’t want any one business to have to put forward any money to put it together so I felt that we could collaboratively do that. I just facilitate everything ... but these guys are the ones that are driving it.”
While IDPwD will fall on Wednesday, December 3, Echuca will celebrate a day earlier on Tuesday, December 2.
Vivid’s Josh Cheap and Joel Awty will take on the role of MCs for the event, guiding guests through the day’s program.
Support services will have stalls on the day with information about what they offer, as well as a sausage sizzle and ice-cream for attendees to enjoy.
Visitors will also hear from guest speaker Martyn Lawrence, a local man living with cerebral palsy, who will share his story and reflections on this year’s theme of leadership.
Vivid learning manager Sue Green said the event would be an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate inclusion.
“We’re involved because it’s the International Day of People with Disability and that’s what we do, and we would like to promote that, share that and get the word out there about the event so that we can try and get communities involved,” she said.
“Part of our role here is to invite people with disability into the community, and that would be what I would hope the community would see by attending this event.”
The event will be held at the Echuca Recreation Reserve on Tuesday, December 2 from 10am to 1pm.
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