Birmingham’s annual celebratory event for International Day of Disabled People (IDDP), which normally takes place on or around December 3rd , has this year been moved into the New Year to coincide with the launch of a major equalities consultation by Birmingham City Council.
The event taking place at the Muath Trust’s Bordesley Centre in Sparkbrook on January 26th will coincide with the official launch of a major consultation process to be carried out by the City Council’s Equalities and Diversity Division around the new Equalities Bill coming in to effect in 2011. The consultation process will be taking place between January and March 2010 and the rescheduled IDDP event will comprise one of a number of such consultation events.
The consultation will provide an opportunity to shape the future of public service delivery in Birmingham and ensure that issues affecting disabled people in the city are taken into account and appropriately actioned.
Also for the first time this year, the city’s newly formed Birmingham Disability Network will take over the running of the event. The Birmingham Disability Network is a new network of disability organisations from across the city which was launched this autumn with funding from the City Council. One of the organisations leading the development of the new network is the city’s user led Birmingham Disability Resource Centre (BDRC) based at Bierton Road in Yardley.
BDRC’s Chief Executive, Louise Simmons, who is also the Chair of the new Birmingham Disability Network, said about the January 26th event:
“International Day of Disabled People presents a symbolic opportunity to celebrate the contribution made to the city by it’s disabled citizens. In the past there have been some fantastic annual events where local organisations came together in partnership with the local authority, but in recent years IDDP activities have been organised differently, so the impact may not have been felt as widely”.
“The new Birmingham Disability Network is in a great position to take on the leadership of the citywide IDDP celebrations in future years, but rather than allowing the opportunity to slip away this year, it is great to be able to work with Birmingham City Council on the organisation of the event at the Muath Trust’s Bordesley Centre on 26th January. The theme presented by the Equalities Bill consultation will give us all the chance to have an open discussion about disability issues in the city”.
Further information about the event will be circulated before Christmas, but people are also encouraged to visit our website for updates at www.birminghamdisability.org.uk or contact the Birmingham Disability Network:
c/o Birmingham Disability Resource Centre
Bierton Road
Yardley
Birmingham B24 8PQ
Tel: 0121 789 7365
Fax 0121 785 0104
E-mail bdrc@disability.co.uk
Website http://www.disability.co.uk/
About the Birmingham Disability Network
BDN is a new Network of disability groups and organisations in Birmingham which have either user led arrangements and / or user involvement and self representation systems in place to ensure inclusive participation and meaningful consultation with service users around disability issues.
BDN provides support to organisations and promotes effective networking between member groups and consultation opportunities with public sector organisations and statutory service providers.
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