Lottery funding boostfor second Carrick learning disability parade

Carrickfergus and District Senior Gateway Club has received £10,000 to hold a second Learning Disability parade.
Pictured is the Learning Disability Pride 2019 Working Group. Front from left: Angela Heddles, Kilcreggan,Thomas Haighton, Carrickfergus Senior Gateway Club; chair LDP; Kellie Ritchie, Northern Health and Social Care Trust. Back from left: Linda McCausland, Caring Breaks; Rosalie Edge, Mencap NI, vice chair LDP, Lynsey June, Sense, Michelle McDowell, Sense; Jenny Snoddy, Carrickfergus Senior Gateway Club, Anna Ingram, LDP co-ordinator; Pauline Spence, Mencap NI (not pictured Joanna McCammon, AEL.Pictured is the Learning Disability Pride 2019 Working Group. Front from left: Angela Heddles, Kilcreggan,Thomas Haighton, Carrickfergus Senior Gateway Club; chair LDP; Kellie Ritchie, Northern Health and Social Care Trust. Back from left: Linda McCausland, Caring Breaks; Rosalie Edge, Mencap NI, vice chair LDP, Lynsey June, Sense, Michelle McDowell, Sense; Jenny Snoddy, Carrickfergus Senior Gateway Club, Anna Ingram, LDP co-ordinator; Pauline Spence, Mencap NI (not pictured Joanna McCammon, AEL.
Pictured is the Learning Disability Pride 2019 Working Group. Front from left: Angela Heddles, Kilcreggan,Thomas Haighton, Carrickfergus Senior Gateway Club; chair LDP; Kellie Ritchie, Northern Health and Social Care Trust. Back from left: Linda McCausland, Caring Breaks; Rosalie Edge, Mencap NI, vice chair LDP, Lynsey June, Sense, Michelle McDowell, Sense; Jenny Snoddy, Carrickfergus Senior Gateway Club, Anna Ingram, LDP co-ordinator; Pauline Spence, Mencap NI (not pictured Joanna McCammon, AEL.

The sum was awarded by Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All.

More than 5,000 people attended the first parade held in Carrick in 2017.

The team behind Learning Disability Pride hope to make it “even bigger and better for 2019”.

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The event will begin with a carnival style parade around the town culminating in the castle carpark where there will be plenty of live entertainment, stalls and fun activities for the whole family.

It is being supported by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and organised by the newly-formed Learning Disability Pride Working Group which involves representatives from organisations supporting people with a learning disability in Northern Ireland. There are over 42,000 people with a learning disability in the province.

The Working Group is made up of Carrickfergus Senior Gateway Club, Mencap NI, Kilcreggan, Caring Breaks, Sense, AEL and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.

Carrickfergus Mencap Society has funded a part-time events co-ordinator post which has been taken up by Anna Ingram.

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Anna said: “I am thrilled to be involved in this exciting project. Already there is such a buzz from those involved and we will be working to make 2019’s event a memorable experience for all. We would love to hear from any organisation or individual interested in contributing to Learning Disability Pride 2019.”

Margaret Kelly, director of Mencap NI, added: “We at Mencap NI couldn’t be more proud or excited to be part of the event.”

Learning Disability Pride 2019 will be held in Carrick on Saturday June 22. Details on how to get involved can be found at www.learningdisabilitypride.org