This has been a busy few months for Down Syndrome Liverpool, we have managed to squeeze in Summer trips to the Yellow Sub, Chester Zoo and a bowling night at Hollywood Bowl.

The Yellow Sub is a favourite with parents and children alike, the children big and small enjoyed playing on the structures and slides, parents enjoyed the chance to sit and chat and everyone enjoyed the lovely food.

Chester Zoo started as a little bit of a damp day, but despite that everyone seemed to have a lovely time. The children enjoyed seeing all the animals and trips on the boat and monorail. Children and parents went home exhausted after a good day out.

A week later and there we all were at the Hollywood Bowl, an event the adults seemed to enjoy as much as the children. I think there may be a picture somewhere of me getting a bit over excited when I got a strike!

The winners of each lane were presented with a medal and sweets were given to the other participants. The staff at Hollywood Bowl ensured everyone got their food on time and made sure that everything ran smoothly so a very big thank you to them.

The next big events we will be holding are our Fancy Dress Party on November 1st and our Christmas Party on December 5th, we are also hoping to hold a bowling evening for teens and adults with Down syndrome who may feel they are a little too old for the Christmas Party, or maybe they would like to come to both.
Please look out for the dates in the newsletter and please be sure to let the secretary know you are coming.

We have been very fortunate this year in that we have had substantial donations, this has enabled us to provide these social activities. In order for this level of activity to continue please make sure you support any fund raising events as this will impact on the amount of events we can organise in the future.

If you or anybody you know have some spare time oand who would like to do some voluntary work for charity, DSL are out collecting at the following Merseyrail stations.

We are always looking for people to come along - if you would like more information please email the secretary at anne.wilde1@btinternet.com

Thank you

Aintree Races
Friday May 15th
Aintree Station
Gates open 4pm with the first race at 5.30pm
Last race 8.45pm
3/4 volunteers needed at station from 3.45 - 5.30pm for collections
and 3/4 volunteers needed at station from 8.30pm - 10.15pm for collections

Aintree Races
Friday June 12th
Aintree Station
Gates open 4pm with the first race at 6.05pm
Last race 9.00pm
3/4 volunteers needed at station from 3.45pm - 6.00pm for collections
and 3/4 volunteers needed at station from 8.45pm - 10.15pm for collections

Mathew Street Festival
August 29th/30th/31st
Central Station
Anytime from 11am through to 9pm - very busy all day
We will need as many volunteers as possible on these days for collecting
Shifts of 2hrs from 11.00am - 1.00pm and so on all day.

Down Syndrome Liverpool and the SENISS service jointly provided training for Education Support Assistants working with children in Liverpool's schools, both primary and secondary.

This was in response to concerns expressed by both Down Syndrome Liverpool and SENISS, about how children and young people with Down syndrome in Liverpool's mainstream schools could best be supported.

This is both an issue for those children in schools now and also for the increasing numbers of children who have Down syndrome who are expected to enter reception classes in the near future.

Down Syndrome Liverpool received a massive funding boost at the start of 2009 as Merseyrail staff voted us their Charity of the Year.

DSL was invited to attend Merseyrail's annual event for partners as we were introduced as their nominated charity. At the event we had an exhibition table where we were able to promote what we do for members in Liverpool and to provide those interested with information about Down's syndrome. As a result of this we made several very useful contacts.

On Monday 2nd February our first Talking Tots sessions begins at Dingle Lane Children's Centre. The sessions will be weekly and start at 1.30pm each Monday for the next 12 weeks.

The aim of the course is to improve our children's listening and communication skills through fun interactive activites.

Talking Tots has been approved by speech therapists, teachers and educational physiologists and has been successful all over the country.

Here is a direct link to the Talking Tots website if you would like to look at their success rates: http://www.talkingtots

Elly is the Liverpool Talking Tots leader and having met her I can see she is full of enthusiasm especially when interacting with the children.

The Down Syndrome Liverpool Support Group resource library will be launched on Monday 2nd March. The library will consist of resources that will benefit families of children with Down syndrome.

Parent resources
There will be a collection of DVDS, books and other resources purchased through the Downs Education Shop that parents can borrow. These will cover speech and language as well as motor skills.

Book library
There will be a collection of books that have been specially chosen for children with Down syndrome. Theu are very visual, educational and the illustrations should enable the children to interact with the story. The aim of the book library is for parents to borrow different books so they can choose which books suit their child.

Toy library
The toy library will consist of toys that take into account the children's learning ability and motor skills, e.g. peg jigsaws will have large chunky handles. The aim is to provide toys the children can play with independently or with family members.

If you have any ideas that you would like to be considered for the resource library they will be welcomed! Contact Rena Wright on 0151 281 7114.

We hope that parents will enjoy the library, share experiences and become involved in improving this service.

On Saturday August 30th 2008 members of Down Syndrome Liverpool were invited to Goodison Park to receive a cheque for the sum of £5725.00.

The donation came from former Everton player Lee Carsley, who had just months previously donated £1000 to our charity. Lee, now at Birmingham City has once again shown huge generosity to Down Syndrome Liverpool, to put some perspective into his latest act of goodwill this amount is equal to a years funding for DSL.

Firstly, let me start by apologising for my lack of posts recently, after a hectic few months I am pleased to be back blogging again.

I am pleased to announce in this blog that we have been appointed main benefactors of a local football team set-up by my friend and colleague at the Liverpool ECHO.

Greg O'Keefe and his friends decided to join the local charity football scene on Merseyside and approached me with the idea of donating any monies raised to Down Syndrome Liverpool. Not only does it provide us with a regular donation it spreads the word of Down Syndrome throughout the city. This can only raise our charity's profile and subsequently benefit our members.

This years Awareness Week will run from Monday 2nd - Sunday 8th June and Down Syndrome Liverpool have organised a 'Bag Pack' at Sainsbury’s on East Prescot Road on Saturday 7th June.

The theme this year is about empowering people with Down’s syndrome along with their parents, carers, family and friends to be aware of their human rights and to demand them in all aspects of life.

Every year Awareness Week gives all members and supporters the opportunity to stand-up and shout-out about Down’s syndrome. It is the perfect chance to raise awareness of the work of the local charities like Down Syndrome Liverpool and to champion the rights of people with Down’s syndrome.

You may remember some time ago I blooged that the Everton FC midfielder Lee Carsley, who has a young son with Down syndrome, had put up for auction a Planet Hollywood leather jacket, an item all the first team squad were presented with by Blues director Robert Earl on a recent trip to New York.

Lee decided to get the Everton squad to sign his and said all proceeds raised would go to Down Syndrome Liverpool.

True to his word Lee met up with us recently and presented us with a cheque for £1000!!