Cumbria Disability Information Day
Friday 8 March 2013
Rheged, Penrith
Cumbria Disability Information Day will be held at Rheged Centre, Penrith on Friday, March 8. This is an event organised by the parents and carers of children with disabilities and/or additional needs, of the Steering Group of Learning To Change CUMBRIA – Parent/Carer Forum, at the Rheged Centre, Penrith, Cumbria.
This event is the biggest of it’s type to ever be held this far north in England. Although it’s not the first in the County this event will be double the size of the previous very successful event held February 2012 by Learning To Change CUMBRIA – Parent/Carer Forum. It is designed to bring together parents/carers and organisations dedicated to the care of children and adults with disabilities and/or additional needs.
The chairperson of the Learning to Change CUMBRIA is Kerryanne Hunter, of Shap. "We are made up of parents who all have children with various disabilities or additional needs throughout Cumbria. We give our time free to help shape, mould, and influence, inform and support all services within Cumbria, which appertain to disabilities so that they can then support the families appropriately within the county.
We are supported by Parent Partnership Service and Cumbria County Council on some aspects, but, mostly, all the work we do is given purely by volunteer parent/carers. Our aim is to help shape future services and provision for all families to make life better and easier and not so much of a struggle as at times it can be.
The aim of the event is to bring together many of the services that are available in Cumbria and Nationally for parents, carers, grandparents, child minders and foster parents of children and adults with disabilities or additional needs.
Service providers were invited to attend the event and hold an information stand, with their costs being covered by Learning To Change CUMBRIA. The reason for this is so that we build bridges and work together for a common goal. “The best possible services for our most vulnerable families within Cumbria.
It is also to inform and arm our parents with the right information of what is out there to support them and their families along the long journey that living with children and adults with disabilities and/or additional needs tends to take you."
Among the service providers and charities which are taking part in the Event are Children With Disabilities Team, Parent Partnership Service, Action for Blind People, Barnardo’s, Cumbria Cerebral Palsy, Carlisle and Eden Autism Support, Carlisle & Eden Mencap, Lecky, Aidservice, Abena, Sensory+, Ullswater Commuinty College, dentistry, watchtree Wheelers and many more.
There will also be 8 seminars/workshops available to book onto prior to the event and on the morning. These will be delivered by the following providers:
1. Irwin Mitchells Solicitors – Disability Law Specialists
2. Pannone LLP Solicitors – Disability Law Specialists
3. CAB – Citizens Advice Bureau
4. Cerebra
5. A Chance for Life
6. Abena
7. Ollie Flitcroft
8. Ghyllmont Dental Practice
As it stands at the moment this is what we have in place:
- Creche facility
- Alternative Therapies Chill Out Zone
- 8 x 45 minutes Seminars available to attend
- Appropriate disabled adult changing facilities
- Adapted vehicles (awaiting confirmation)
- 60+(so far) - National and local providers of services, equipment and provisions for children and adults with disabilities and/or additional needs
- Outside play castle free for the day
- Upon registration all will receive a 10% discount voucher for food or drink in the Rheged centre cafes/restaurants on the day
- Free parking
Free Transport from the following areas, booking is essential in advance:
- Allerdale & Copeland
- Carlisle
- Barrow
- South Lakes & Kendal
Rory Stewart MP - Attending between 12:30 - 1:30pm
For further information please contact:
Kerryanne Hunter – Chairperson
kerryanne.l2c.cumbria@gmail.com
07972 799307