Waterford Disability Network hosts long-awaited information and networking event by Jo Bell
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On Saturday 23rd April, Waterford Disability Network’s ‘Dungarvan Disability Awareness Event’ took place in 360 Cookhouse. The information and networking event featured seven speakers, who discussed a range of issues which affect people with a disability, after which there was an opportunity for attendees to network with others who have an interest in disability issues, over a complimentary tea or coffee.
Conference on Autism
Text of article: The self-discovery of living with autism by Dermot Keyes
Carmel Hennessy stood before the microphone at St. Patrick’s Gateway with calm, understated confidence.
She told the gathering assembled at the inaugural Waterford Disability Network (WDN) Conference on Autism that she’d written down what she needed to say on a sheet of A4 paper. As she shared her story, Carmel spoke from the heart with colour, eloquence and clarity. I suspect there’ll be few better speeches I’ll report on all year.
“I was officially diagnosed as autistic about two years ago, just before the pandemic hit”, she began.
“The signs were probably always there but it wasn’t until I went to the National Learning Network (NLN, on the Cork Road) to do a retail course that things began to fall into place and I began to see others with kind of similar world views. For me, it was like being an ugly duckling and walking in and seeing a load of other swans and thinking, ‘woah, this is interesting’. An amazing journey was about to begin for me.”
Text of article: Wheelchair scheme proposed for Déise’s Blue Flag beaches by Darren Skelton
An idea that has been proposed more than once at Waterford City & county Council meetings is once again being pushed to the fore, by independent TD Matt Shanahan and former Councillor Blaise Hannigan.
“Myself and Blaise, who is a well known community activist in Tramore and always has been, before and after local politics, have been reviewing accessibility to beach areas in the county when the problem of access for wheelchair users became apparent,” Deputy Shanahan said. “Wheelchairs that are not ‘purpose built’ have great difficulty in being rolled along sand and stony areas. It is almost impossible for the user or any person attending a user to bring a conventional chair safely onto the beach for the purpose of enjoying what so many of us take for granted – time spent close to the shore or on the beach. From looking at the problem and speaking to both wheelchair users and representative groups it became apparent there are already existing specified beach wheelchairs in place in some other coastal counties which are managed through the beach life-guards service.”
Waterford Disability Network has launched its new website and presented its inaugural Inclusion Award.
Mayor of Waterford City and County Cllr Joe Kelly (Ind) was in attendance at a special event held at Waterford Disability Network’s New Street offices in the city on Monday August 16th. Due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, attendance at the event was restricted but several organisations such as Waterford and South Kilkenny branch of Down Syndrome Ireland and ’50 Shades of Exceptional’ were represented.
Waterford Disability Network secretary Jo Cregan complimented Emily Breen in the Waterford Disability Network office for curating much of the content on the website. She also thanked David Fitzpatrick Web Design who designed the website to be as user friendly as possible. Gratitude was also expressed to the Granary Café who have always supported Waterford Disability Network.
Office manager Seán Rohan gave a demonstration of the new website. He explained that more content will be added based on feedback. It’s intended that videos will become a major feature as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
Waterford Disability Network secretary Jo Cregan complimented Emily Breen in the Waterford Disability Network office for curating much of the content on the website. She also thanked David Fitzpatrick Web Design who designed the website to be as user friendly as possible. Gratitude was also expressed to the Granary Café who have always supported Waterford Disability Network.
Office manager Seán Rohan gave a demonstration of the new website. He explained that more content will be added based on feedback. It’s intended that videos will become a major feature as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
