From Monday 16th – Sunday 22nd June, we celebrated Learning Disability Week in true Wirral Mencap style – with energy, fun, and a fantastic series of events.
Did you join in the fun?
Here is a run down of the week’s events, just in case you missed them!
We kicked off the week at Arrowe Park Hospital, speaking with staff, patients, carers, and families about 3 key issues: hospital passports, Oliver McGowan training, and reasonable adjustments.
Wirral Mencap is engaged with the hospital’s Patient Experience Strategy and this yearly visit forms part of that.
Our lovely volunteers supported people in completing a short survey and helped raise awareness in the hospital. They also had the chance to visit the sensory room at the hospital’s Surgical Elective Admissions Lounge (SEAL) Unit.
The group was visited by regular hospital volunteers Jane and Kayleigh. Jane often goes singing with Green Blade Singers to raise money for Wirral Mencap and Kayleigh accesses some of our services.
A huge thank you to our volunteers: Nicola, John, Emily, Martin, Anna, Dan, Alex, Ken, Rebecca, Ian, and Jimmy – you helped us to make a difference!
Our Tuesday Gateway Group pulled out all the stops to host a wonderful tea party in Hamilton Square. From collecting cakes and baking homemade treats to creating a special video invitation for the Mayor of Wirral – they did it all!
We were delighted to welcome the mayor, who chatted with guests and tried some of the delicious bakes on offer.
The Gateway group took on hosting duties, welcoming guests, serving drinks, and selling cakes.
A big well done and thank you to the Gateway group: Molly, Kayleigh, Leah, Courtney, Tom, Alistair, Harry, and Callum; and to the amazing volunteers from our Fundraising Committee, Anna and Ian, who ran a very popular tombola stall!
Aloha from Crossbow!
Midweek brought a tropical twist as our Crossbow members celebrated with a Hawaiian-themed party, and they certainly brought the sunshine with them!
Everyone got into the spirit by dressing up in bright floral shirts, grass skirts, and colourful leis, turning the Liberty Centre into our very own paradise. Our Crossbow goers danced and sang along to Hawaiian-themed music all night long.
The evening wasn’t just about fun (although there was plenty of it!), it was also a brilliant opportunity for everyone to express themselves and enjoy being part of a lively supportive group.
What a night! Our Gateway Awards Party was a fantastic celebration of all of our Gateway participants’ confidence, achievements, and progress.
Nathan, a talented member of one of our Gateway Groups, opened the evening with a moving drum performance of This Is Me, inspiring some of our other Gateway participants to join in and sign along.
Every Gateway participant was recognised with a medal and certificate, marking their incredible achievements.
Despite the rain, our Vale Park Funday was a brilliant way to round off Learning Disability Week. Live music from local acts, pirate-themed games, tasty cakes, and another popular tombola brought the community together in the best way.
We were also thrilled to be joined by Friends of Wallasey Central Library and The Black Pearl of New Brighton, who helped keep smiles on faces with books, bubbles, and community spirit.
Thanks to your amazing support, we raised just under £800 towards our Big 5K Drive – what a result!
Thank You
To everyone who took part, volunteered, donated, or simply turned up to support us – thank you. Your enthusiasm and generosity made this year’s Learning Disability Week truly unforgettable.
The main focus of this week was to raise awareness, but we also raised plenty of funds too, with £1,286 raised!
If you couldn’t make it to any of the week’s activities, you can still support Wirral Mencap. The link to donate to our JustGiving page is: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/big-5k-drive?utm_medium=CA&utm_source=CL
