The Final Retrospective Blog - World Down Syndrome Day

The Final Retrospective Blog - World Down Syndrome Day

May, 2 2020


Welcome to the very final ‘Retrospective Blog’. For almost two months I’ve been reviewing some of the fantastic events the CCG  has had the absolute pleasure and privilege to be involved in. 
 
Here is a rundown of the events following news of the corona virus outbreak:-
STAR ( Stand Together Against Racism)
Preston Soup 
1 in 4 Film Festival/World Mental Health Day 
The Preston Mela
One Billion Rising 
Preston Arts Festival/Film Week 
 
That’s the top 6 so what could appear at number 7? An odd number. Well, I figured it would be good to report on an event the CCG had hoped to be involved in for the first time this year and once we’re out of this mess it can and will return in 2021. 
 
Every year ‘World Down Syndrome Day’ takes place on the 21st March. Unfortunately due to the corona virus we just missed out on an event that was guaranteed to raise awareness of and highlight the fantastic and unique abilities of people with down syndrome. 
 
If you have a good imagination you can picture how the following schedule would have looked if it took place on the planned date:-
 
16.30 Arrival with refreshments, stalls and networking
17:00 Introduction and scene-setting – Russell Hogarth
17:10 DS short film “Show Us Your Moves”
17.20 “Dancing our way to health equality - what the evidence says” Talk by Prof. Chris Hatton
17.45 My Story - Talk by Jen Blackwell
18:00 Performances - DanceSyndrome’s Jen Blackwell and David Darcy
18:30 Feature Film - The Peanut Butter Falcon
19:45 Sum up and call to action - Jen Blackwell and Dawn Vickers MD
20:00 Close - please stay to network.
 
Each year the voice of people with Down syndrome, and those who live and work with them, grows louder.  Next year that voice is hoped to have grown even louder. You could be there in a bid to create a single global voice for advocating for the rights, inclusion and well-being of people with Down syndrome. 
 
The CCG is committed to championing local events here in the city of Preston. It thrives on promoting culturally distinct and original events that nurture the creative artist in all of us. We’ve had no choice as of recently to take a step back from events due to the corona virus but it’s been good to review a series of excellent events we’ve been involved in the past and hope to return to in the future. 
 
^Alex Ashworth CCG Art Blogger