BDDF Blurb for Distribution
According to the latest Census data (from 2011), together with more recent claimant counts for key benefits and allowances, approximately one fifth of households in Basingstoke and Deane have one or more persons with a long-term health problem or disability.
Here at Basingstoke and District Disability Forum we want to reach out to everyone affected by disability and let you know that we are here to offer signposting services, disability awareness days, forum events and casual get-togethers.
Our charity is a registered charity run by nine voluntary Trustees with a wide range of skills and abilities, plus one paid part-time member of staff. We work hard to organise events which we hope will help the people in our community who are affected by disability either as a disabled person or as a carer or family member.
- On Wednesday 14 September we are holding a big Disability Awareness Day outside Primark/Wilkinson in the town centre. This will be running all day and we will be joined by charities covering the subjects of physical disabilities, memory loss, mental health, learning disabilities, sensory disabilities, etc. Please come along there will be representatives from local organisations to talk to and get information from.
- We run a disability signpost service on the first Tuesday of the month from 10-12 in the Basingstoke Discovery Centre, this is a drop in service, please come along and meet our ladies who run it as they have a wide range of information about local disability services.
- On the first Tuesday of the month 12:30-2:30pm in the Basingstoke Discovery Centre we run our Basingstoke Disability Connections get-togethers, drop in for a free cuppa and a chat, again no booking necessary.
- The Basingstoke Roll Saturday 1st July 2017 – a fun event which raises awareness of disabilities, it is organised by us and next year will take place in The Malls shopping centre. It sees teams from local companies dressed up in their chosen theme and following a charity treasure hunt around town using a wheelchair.
We hope to see you at our events!
Amanda Knowles (Facilitator)
(Statistics provided by Basingstoke and Deane’s 2016 Equality and Diversity Information publication)
