Celebrating Learning Disability Week
A host of activities and events will be held across South Tyneside next week as the Council and its partners come together to celebrate Learning Disability Week.
The national campaign, led by Mencap, runs from 20 - 26 June and for the first time in two years face-to-face events such as workshops, drop-ins and live performances are on offer for people with a learning disability and their families and carers.
Councillor Anne Hetherington, Lead Member for Adults, Health and Independence, said: "Learning Disability Week is all about making sure the wider community gets an understanding of what life is like for people with a learning disability.
"It is only by raising awareness of this that we can end discrimination and fight for a fairer society."
Highlights of the week include an employer engagement event at The Word on Monday, 20 July, a pop-up café at Westoe Community Hub on Thursday hosted by members of Autismable, a visit to Arbeia fort on Thursday 23 June while an afternoon of song and dance is on offer at the Amphitheatre on Friday. From Monday to Thursday Arts4Wellbeing will be offering workshops in libraries across the Borough. People can try their hand at card making at Cleadon Park Library on Monday while scrap book collage and printing will be at the Word on Tuesday. Making patches and fabric painting will be at Jarrow Focus library on Wednesday and on Thursday sewing and fabric painting will be on offer at Hebburn Library.
Councillor Ruth Berkley, Lead Member for the Voluntary Sector, Partnerships and Equalities, said: "South Tyneside enjoys an enviable reputation when it comes to partnership working and the strength of our third sector.
"It is brilliant to see such close collaboration between the Council, the NHS, charities and voluntary organisations to celebrate this important week, particularly after the challenges of Covid. It is only by working in partnership that we can effectively support people with a learning disability and those who care for them in line with our priority of supporting vulnerable communities."