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Disability Awareness Week

In 2011 Disability Awareness Week will be held from 31 October to 5 November.  The aims for the week are as follows:

• To highlight and celebrate the work of statutory, private and voluntary services across the Isle of Man, whose aim it is to assist and enable people with impairments to be as independent as possible;
• To provide a platform to lobby newly elected MHKs and MLCs to prioritise and make law legislation that will have a positive effect on those people with disabilities;
• To challenge existing discrimination on the Isle of Man;
• To promote an inclusive accessible environment that enhances the quality of life for all people living on the Island; and
• To promote the rights of persons with disabilities “Dignity and Justice for all of us” as a human rights issue.

 

To help achieve these aims we will be travelling around the Island at various times of the week to promote the work that is currently done to help improve quality of life for disabled people and to make the wider community aware of the issues that still have a negative impact on their lives.  Manx Radio will be supporting the event with various radio coverage during the week.

The following is a list of events that will take place during the week:

Date	Event
All week	Flags to be flown and posters displayed across the Island
Saturday 29 October	Official launch of DAW at the Halloween Ball on Saturday 29 October 2011, to be held at Mount Murray Hotel
Monday 31 October	Walkthrough Douglas shopping area for wheelchairs and people with visual impairments – escorted by various representatives from the community including MHKs, businesses, third sector organisations and the public sector.  The event will be filmed by Isle of Man College students and starts at 11.00 am outside Regent Street Post Office
Tuesday 1 November	Awareness Van containing mobile displays and information at Ramsey Shoprite from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm.   Sailing for disabled on Pride of Man
Wednesday 2 November	Awareness Van containing mobile displays and information at Peel Shoprite from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm.   Sailing for disabled on Pride of Man. Nick Barrow will be creating a wood sculpture at Masham Court in recognition of the week.
Thursday 3 November	Awareness Van containing mobile displays and information at Port Erin Shoprite from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm.   Sailing for disabled on Pride of Man.
Friday 4 November	Sports Session with Zoe Carney, Disability Sports Officer, at Masham Court.
Saturday 5 November	Open Day at Braddan Bridge House 10.00 am to 3.00 pm.  Manx Radio Cafe will be broadcast live and special guest appearances including Klaus Klaffenbach, Connor Cummins and others to be announced.   Sailing for the disabled on Pride of Man.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank the following organisations for their support by way of donations, trust funds and fundraising events during 2010/11:

There are also several individuals who have made donations to whom we would also like to extend our sincere thanks.