News – Down syndrome Cheshire

Join Team DSC in 2026 for the Cheshire Inflatable 2.5K

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:13:22 GMT

Saturday 18th July 2026

9:30 am

Only 20 spaces available

We’re inviting YOU to join our team for the Cheshire Inflatable 2.5K in 2026, and it’s guaranteed to be full of laughs, energy, and unforgettable moments! ��‍♀️��

Imagine tackling giant inflatables, bouncing your way through the course, and crossing the finish line with your friends and family cheering you on… all while making a real difference ��

Here’s the best part:

�� We’ll cover the cost of your place

�� You just need to raise a minimum of £200 for Down Syndrome Cheshire

Whether you sign up solo, with friends, or as a family team – it’s the perfect way to create memories AND support an amazing cause that helps people with Down syndrome across Cheshire

Don’t wait – spaces will go fast! Click the image to secure your spot or find out more

Golf Day 2026

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:04:47 GMT

Wednesday, 3rd June 2026

Vale Royal Abbey Golf Club

Arrival from 10 am with a shotgun start, teeing off at 12 noon

We’re thrilled to invite you to our annual Golf Day at the beautiful Vale Royal Abbey Golf Club. This is your chance to enjoy a fantastic day on the greens while supporting the incredible work of the DSC.

Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or just looking to enjoy a fun day with friends and colleagues, this is a perfect way to make an impact and support the DSC. Just click the image on the right for full details, including prices and booking instructions.

Last year's event was a huge success and raised over £1000 for DSC, but we'd love to better this in 2026!

Our New Outdoor Space

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:29:45 GMT

We’re really excited to share that we’re developing a new outdoor space at the Hub.

The aim is to create an area where members can spend more time outdoors, grow vegetables, learn new skills and enjoy activities in a relaxed, safe outdoor environment.

Over the coming months we’ll be planting and maintaining a small vegetable growing area, which members will help care for as part of their sessions.

If you have anything you might be able to donate, we would love to hear from you. This could include:

• Garden tools
• Old garden pots
• Compost or soil
• Seeds or vegetable plants
• Outdoor furniture or materials

Community Open Day – 11th April

We’ll also be hosting a Hub Open Day on 11th April , where families can come along and help us get the space ready for the better weather (which we’re hoping arrives soon!).

There will be opportunities to help with:

• painting
• preparing planting areas
• general outdoor tidy-up
• getting the space ready for use

It should be a lovely way to spend a bit of time together while creating something really positive for our members.

What An Amazing Celebration!

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:29:58 GMT

Hey, we knew this year’s World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) celebration weekend was going to be something special, but we had no idea it would be as amazing as it turned out to be! Everyone who took part - and there were lots of you - had a fabulous time, and thanks to your incredible energy, generosity, and community spirit, we’re delighted to announce this year’s events are set to raise an amazing £20,000+ for Down Syndrome Cheshire.

From start to finish, the weekend was a true celebration of fundraising, empowerment, and fun. We kicked things off in style with a fantastic Friday evening Country & Western event, full of laughter, music, and dancing. Saturday brought us together for a brilliant family pottery throw-down and community litter pick, led by our very own fundraising champion, Theo, whose enthusiasm inspired us all. And we rounded off the weekend with a sumptuous Sunday afternoon tea, together with a very special appearance at the Sale Sharks Women’s rugby match—where some of our young adult members had the unforgettable experience of running onto the pitch with the players!

Be More Theo!

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 14:48:39 GMT

We are incredibly proud of Theo, who has raised an amazing amount of money for Down Syndrome Cheshire before and after his heart surgery last year. His determination and positivity continue to inspire us all.

It was fantastic to see Theo sharing his story on ITV Granada News, and thanks to the interview almost £500 was raised in just one day! ��

Theo still has 3 more bags of litter to collect to complete his challenge — so there’s still time to support him by clicking the button below to visit his Just Giving page.

Y ou can also join Theo for his final bag collection on World Down Syndrome Day (21 March) at the DSC Hub a nd help him cross the finish line.

�� Book your space here:
https://www.trybooking.com/uk/FZQY

If you missed the interview, you can watch it here:
Teen with Down Syndrome on a mission to tidy Northwich and raise money for charity | ITV News Grana…

We couldn’t be prouder of you, Theo. ��

Gingerbread Sock Biscuits Have Landed!

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:21:45 GMT

Our 2026 Gingerbread Sock Biscuits have now arrived at the hub and deliveries have started to everyone who placed an order.

Josh is smashing his 21.3 Creative Challenge for WDSD '26

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:49:03 GMT

Stepping up to support our 21.3 Creative Challenge for WDSD 2026

KS1/KS2 and beyond: Learning Profile of a Child with DS - Online Course

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:16:17 GMT

Monday 6th July, 2026, 1.00 pm - 3.00 pm

Online Course

KS1/KS2 and beyond: Learning Profile of a Child with DS - Online Course

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:15:10 GMT

Monday 13th July, 2026, 9.30 am - 11.30 am

Online Course

For EARLY YEARS/KS1: Learning Profile of a Child with DS - Online

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:13:23 GMT

Monday 6th July, 2026, 9.30 am -11.30 am

Online

For EARLY YEARS/KS1: Learning Profile of a Child with DS - Online

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:12:39 GMT

Monday 13th July, 2026, 1.00 pm - 3.00 pm

Online

Makaton Level 1

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:59:23 GMT

Tuesday 5th May 2026, 9.00 am - 4.30 pm

DSC Hub, Denton Drive, Northwich CW9 7TU

Celebrating Success

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:13:56 GMT

Celebrating the wins in our amazing community

Language Matters

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:06:04 GMT

Language matters: choosing the right words that recognises people with Down syndrome as individuals with their own voices, rights, & strengths.

Overcoming Barriers

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 11:56:22 GMT

What they are and the work we do to break them down

Fundraising with DSC

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 12:00:19 GMT

Fundraising for DSC - It’s not about how fast or fit you are. It’s about stepping up for something that matters, creating connections, and making a difference.

Could you run for DSC?

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:44:01 GMT

Bag a DSC Place

Just get in touch here if you fancy running running in support of individuals with Down syndrome and their families. There’s no entry fee , but we do ask for a minimum fundraising pledge of £200 (excluding Gift Aid). Every step you take helps us make a difference.

Already Have Your Own Place?

You can still run with Team DSC! If you’ve already signed up (or plan to) and want to fundraise for our cause, we’d love to have you on board. There’s no minimum sponsorship—just raise what you can and help us spread awareness and support. Every mile you run helps us go the extra mile for the community we serve. Is this you? Let us know here to get onboard!

Volunteer Celebration

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:19:23 GMT

In December, two of our amazing volunteers, Evie and Paige , attended the CWVA Volunteer Awards after both being shortlisted for awards recognising the incredible work they do here at Down Syndrome Cheshire.

We are so grateful that their dedication, passion, and hard work were recognised at such a special event.

We are especially proud to share that Evie won her category and was named Young Volunteer of the Year , a truly well-deserved achievement!

Thank you, Evie and Paige, for everything you do for our charity and our community. We couldn’t do this without you

Makaton Level 2

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:21:56 GMT

Tuesday 19th May 2026, 9.00 am - 4.30 pm

DSH Hub, Denton House, Denton Drive, Northwich CW9 7TU

Cookery Club

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 16:08:02 GMT

Come join Chef DSC and learn some basic skills, cook from scratch and try some new foods and become a master in the kitchen!

The sessions are £15, open to all ages, and includes dinner.

Just click Chef DSC to the right for session times and to book.

Saturday Learning Lab

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:44:52 GMT

We’re so excited to welcome more members to The Learning Lab, our fun and engaging program designed by Down Syndrome Cheshire to help individuals with Down syndrome learn, grow, and thrive.

Through exciting, hands-on sessions, participants will explore:
✅ Digital Skills
�� Life Skills
��‍�� Cooking
�� Communication Skills

�� The Learning Lab runs monthly on Saturdays, 10am – 3pm at the Down Syndrome Cheshire Hub for the following age groups:
�� Primary (6–10 years)
��‍�� Secondary (11–15 years)
�� 16+

Each session is filled with learning, laughter, and life skills to support independence and confidence, all in a safe, inclusive environment.

Parent Drop-In Mornings

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 12:58:49 GMT

Join us for a social parent drop in session, connect with other parents, enjoy a coffee together and build a support network

DS Drama is back for the autumn term!

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:42:50 GMT

We’re thrilled to announce that Down Syndrome Cheshire’s DS Drama group is back for the autumn term!

Open to anyone aged 13 and over with Down syndrome who lives in the Cheshire region, these fun-filled sessions are the perfect opportunity to explore creativity, build confidence, and share laughter with friends.

Hosted at the welcoming Petty Pool Outdoor College in Sandiway, the group meets every Thursday afternoon from 4.00 pm to 5.30 pm.

Each session is packed with opportunities for teamwork, friendship, and self-expression, all in a supportive environment that celebrates individuality and empowers every participant.

Whether you love performing or just want to try something new, DS Drama is all about having fun and discovering the joy of drama together!

Our 213 Communi-tea Cafe is back and better than ever!

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 10:59:28 GMT

"For anyone thinking about this, Jack and I went today and it was fab. The food was delicious and it was so nice to be in an environment where I felt relaxed if Jack kicked off and when he got quite loud (he’s not patient when he’s hungry ��)

Will be going back next month for another cooked breakfast."

Our next 213 Communi-tea Coffee Club is just around the corner and you’re all invited!

�� Monday 20th April

�� 11am – 2pm

�� DSC Hub, Northwich (CW9 7LU)

Come along and enjoy hot drinks, toasties, cakes and more, all lovingly prepared and served by our incredible Thrive Club members.

It’s a warm, relaxed space where everyone’s welcome — families, friends, carers, and anyone who enjoys good food and even better company.

Remember, the 213 Communi-tea Coffee Club takes place every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month, so pop it in your diary!

�� Spread the word and bring someone along with you, we can’t wait to see you there!

SPAR Community Cashback Initiative

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 11:24:55 GMT

Down Syndrome Cheshire has been awarded £10,000 through SPAR’s Community Cashback initiative!

Our CEO, Vicky Irwin, received the cheque from Fiona Drummond, SPAR Company Stores Director, at our Hub in Northwich. This incredible funding will help us continue supporting families at key moments, from diagnosis to school, adulthood, and beyond, ensuring no one feels alone on their journey.

A huge thank you to SPAR and James Hall & Co. Ltd for recognising the importance of our work and investing in our community.

AGM 2025

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 16:51:18 GMT

A Fabulous AGM Celebration!

Everyone had a fabulous time at this year's AGM party at Storyhouse Chester. This event is always a joyous celebration of achievement and a time to reflect on how far we've come as an organisation with the people who matter - our community members. After warmly welcoming everyone to Storyhouse, CEO Vicky Irwin presented this year's facts & figures (you can view these now by clicking the slide deck button below) before handing over to our Chair, Julie, who presented our Acheivement Awards to some truely deserving superstars. The afternoon was rounded off with an exclusive showing of The Greatest Showman - a DS Commuinty favourite - and a great excuse (not that it was needed) for a boogie!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the celebration and for your continued support.

Everyone had a great time at Storyhouse Chester...

The Learning Profile of a Child with DS - ONLINE COURSE

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:01:12 GMT

Monday 27th April, 2026, 1.00 pm - 3.00 pm

Online Course

Learning Profile of a Child with Down syndrome

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:52:41 GMT

Wednesday 24th June 2026, 9.00 am - 3.30 pm

DSC Hub, Denton Drive, Northwich CW9 7LU

DSC Impact Report 2024

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:18:58 GMT

We're proud to share our 2024 Impact Report, showcasing a year of milestones, inspiring stories, and the positive difference we’ve made in the lives of individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

Story 4

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 12:04:48 GMT

Story 2

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:27:39 GMT

Supporting learners with Down syndrome

Tue, 13 May 2025 13:08:12 GMT

At Down Syndrome Cheshire, we’re dedicated to empowering learners with Down syndrome by offering tailored educational support and inclusive strategies. Our continued goal is to work together with families and schools across Cheshire to create better educational outcomes for every child with Down syndrome, allowing them access to the tools, knowledge, and strategies they need to succeed.

We offer:

Expert guidance, training and resources for educators
Support and guidance for parents and carers
Practical tools to foster inclusive learning environments
One-on-one support and advice

Visit our dedicated Education zone for more information, including to contact the team.

Story 3

Thu, 08 May 2025 14:24:59 GMT

Story 1

Thu, 08 May 2025 14:24:56 GMT

Focusing on all things work: what does employment really mean for people with Down syndrome?

Tue, 06 May 2025 12:45:56 GMT

What does employment really mean for people with Down syndrome?

Anna' s 21 Gym Challenge for WDSD 25

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 13:18:39 GMT

We're so proud of mum and DSC Trustee, Anna, for challenging herself to 21 gym sessions across the WDSD month of March. In her own words, this was a real undertaking - fitting it in with a busy life and home, but she did it and managed to raise an amazing £916 in the process! Well done, Anna! You're a real inspiration, and we're so grateful for your support.

Park Run Hero

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 12:24:51 GMT

A huge well done to Jasper for taking part in a recent Delemere Park Run as part of our 'Get Active For DSC' WDSD 2025 fundraising campaign. Not only did Jasper successfully get around the course, but he also got everybody off at the start line with his megaphone skills! Brilliant stuff, Jasper and even more so as you managed to raise a fantastic £2402.50!!

Introducing the Little Joys Fund

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:46:08 GMT

Little acts of joy to help when you need it most.

Learning Lab

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:17:57 GMT

We're very excited to introduce THE LEARNING LAB —a fun, hands-on program designed to unlock potential through play.

What’s involved:

Digital Skills – Learn to use technology safely.
Lego Therapy – Develop teamwork and problem-solving abilities.
Life Skills – Steps toward independence.
Cooking – Discover basic cooking techniques.
Communication Skills – Connect through music.

Details:
Location: The Down Syndrome Cheshire Hub, CW9 7LU
Saturdays, 10.00 am – 2.00 pm
For ages: Primary, Secondary & 16+.

Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out - book on here

Certified Bronze!

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:23:08 GMT

Celebrating a bronze Duke of Edinburgh award

Libby - Our Sponsored Superstar !

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 13:13:07 GMT

To celebrate World Down Syndrome Day 2025, DSC member Libby took on an inspiring challenge for Down Syndrome Cheshire of walking 2.1 km every day for 21 days in March to raise awareness and support.

Walking isn’t exactly Libby’s favourite activity, so this was no easy task. But with her determination and positive attitude, she pushed through and has raised over £1.2K for DSC!

We’re so proud of Libby’s efforts and the amazing impact she’s had - every step taken will help further support our fantastic Cheshire community.

Please join us in celebrating Libby’s incredible journey!

Happy Tenth Birthday, DS Football!

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 12:03:14 GMT

We're delighted to celebrate ten years of inclusion, empowerment, fun, and fitness with our amazing DS football team.

The team, coaches, and families had a fantastic party at Lane 7 in Altrincham where they enjoyed fun & games, pizza, a prize giving, and an amazing football pitch birthday cake!

Every Sunday during the season, our team meets at Egerton Football Club in Knutsford and plays between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. We enjoy fun football sessions delivered by FA-qualified coaches , focusing on dribbling, passing, and shooting.

Can You Help Us Keep It Going?
We’d love your support to ensure we can continue offering these valuable sessions. Please consider donating to Down Syndrome Cheshire to help us keep the ball rolling by clicking the our blue donate button at the top of the page.

Celebrating Our Chester 10k Champions

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:38:56 GMT

We are incredibly grateful, not to mention super proud, of our family members, Adele O'Reilly and Debora Moreton who both took part in this year's Chester 10k on March 9th to raise awareness and funds for Down Syndrome Cheshire. This was such an awesome achievement, and we're very grateful for Adele and Deborah's support and the generosity shown by their many Just Giving donors

A huge well done, guys!!

If you'd like to donate to their Just Giving campaigns - which currently stand at over £700 please click the links below

Adele's Just Giving campaign

Deborah's Just Giving campaign

Family Easter Fun

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 14:18:59 GMT

Easter 'Your Space' & Lego Therapy Session

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 14:07:46 GMT

Easter Bowling at Cheshire Oaks

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 14:00:29 GMT

16+ Easter Member Monday Sessions

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 13:55:27 GMT

Training Opportunities with Down Syndrome Cheshire!

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 13:59:34 GMT

We offer a range of training sessions for families, educators, and healthcare professionals at our hub in Northwich. Whether you're looking to learn more or enhance your skills, we've got courses to support you!

Click the poster to find out more and to book your place.

Important News!

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 13:14:57 GMT

The DSC members are taking over our Instagram page! They’ll be sharing regular news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content—you won’t want to miss it!

Make sure you’re following us at https://www.instagram.com/dscheshire/ to stay in the loop!

Our activities awards gala

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 13:03:37 GMT

We had a fabulous time recently at Hartford Golf Club when we celebrated the achievements of our regular activities attendees. It was lovely to showcase the talents of our drama, dance, and yoga participants in front of parents, carers, friends and family - all rounded off with a sumptuous buffet and awards presentation.

Follow us on Instagram

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 11:39:15 GMT

New private Facebook group now available

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 10:58:54 GMT

We're excited to bring our community a brand new Facebook group

New Training Sessions Now Available

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:58:49 GMT

Our Education Ad vocacy Team have put together some fantastic training sessions for the beginning of 2025. Just click on the image above to visit our training page to find out more and to register your place.

Fashion Fundraiser 2024 Huge Success

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 11:42:41 GMT

Our recent fundraising evening of fun, fizz, and fashion was a huge thank and we'd love to extend a huge thanks to everyone who attended and supported us - and to give a special shoutout to SOS Clothing Parties and Teal & Stars who, once again, were the stars of the show.

Membership Achievement - Well Done Charlie!

tracey@dscheshire.org.uk (Tracey Lee) — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:51:26 GMT

We're super proud of Charlie for recently winning a trophy for being Bowler-of-the-Week with his after-school activity group.

At Down Syndrome Cheshire, we believe in celebrating every milestone, big or small! We want to highlight the incredible achievements of our members and showcase the amazing things they accomplish every day.

Do you have a story to share? Whether it’s a new hobby, a special moment, or a big accomplishment, we’d love to hear it! Send us your photos and stories so we can share them with our community and spread the joy. Let’s celebrate together!

Send your stories to admin@dscheshire.org.uk
#DSCStories , #EmpowerWithDSC , #InclusionMatters See less

Instead of buying Xmas Cards...

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:33:35 GMT

Looking for an excuse to not spend hours writing and sending Christmas cards to all those people you met on those all-inclusive holiday years ago and whose first names you now can't even remember? Then we're happy to be that excuse!

Once again this festive period, we're inviting our supporters to make a donation to Down Syndrome Cheshire instead of sending Christmas cards It’s a simple yet meaningful way to spread cheer and support our incredible community.

By choosing to donate, you’ll help fund vital programs and events that make a real difference in the lives of our members and their families. Plus, it’s a great way to give back while reducing waste—truly a gift that keeps on giving.

Thank you for choosing to make a difference this Christmas! ��

Click on the image to make a donation now

Important Membership Surveys - We Need Your Input

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 12:25:11 GMT

We are asking our registered families to take a few moments out of their day and share some all-important information with us. We have created a number of different surveys that cover a range of membership demographics - the main one being our Hopes & Fears survey - and invite our family membership to complete all that are relevant to their current needs and interests. We appreciate that competing surveys is not the most exciting thing in the world but please know that the reports generated from these results are so important to us as they help us to shape the support and services that we offer - making sure it's tuned to exactly what is needed by our DS community.

Membership Achievement - Well Done Rachel!

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 15:56:03 GMT

Congratulations Rachel! We're so proud of your recent fantastic achievement of riding Quinn unaided and being awarded your certificate for independent riding for the first time. Rachel and Quinn make a great team and she loves guiding him around the arena.

What a great picture - you look so happy (...we're not so sure about Quinn?)!

Spook-tacular Fun For Everyone!

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:37:04 GMT

Happy Halloween!

Our primary and teen members had a blast at our recent half-term Halloween fun mornings. The spooky fancy dress got everyone in the mood for some ghoulish arts and crafts and some spine-tingling party games! A huge thank you to everyone for taking part - especially our volunteer supporters.

"We had the best morning thank you so much "

Joe's calendar is back for 2025

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 11:18:04 GMT

We're delighted to offer this exclusive calendar for 2025

Following the success of last year's project, we're delighted that our resident superstar photographer, Joe Tranter, has created another fantastic calendar for 2025. Once again, it features 12 stunning original images including still life, Landscapes and wildlife, all personally curated by Joe from his collection. The calendars are now available from our store for just £12.00

Here's Joe himself to tell you about his brilliant new calendar for 2025...

Learning for Life - Growing Up and Keeping Safe

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:56:11 GMT

As part of our continuing support for our 18yrs+ members, our employment & enterprise lead, Lucy McLaren, is hosting a series of mini-seminars delivered under the title Learning for Life - Growing Up and Keeping Safe . These informal and interactive weekly sessions cover a wide range of topics centred around the personal development of our young adult members.

Learning for Life is a project created by our friends at Learn and Thrive and covers personal health, emotions, relationships, and appropriate behaviour. Learn and Thrive have built this programme to support young people in primary and secondary school and beyond. The Learn and Thrive team explain that Learning for Life provides critical teaching on key social and emotional development areas, and we're delighted to say that our members, pictured below, engaged brilliantly, with everyone demonstrating a better understanding of the subject areas discussed over the course of the sessions.

As an organisation driven to support and empower, we felt so fortunate to have access to such a wonderful array of print and digital resources to support the effective delivery of such vital life skills to our membership.

Latest Podcast Episode Alert!

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 11:55:42 GMT

Listen to our very special guest, Ben Wilson, on episode four of TDSP

#iChooseBoard and the MP

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 12:26:54 GMT

The #iChooseBoard - our young adult advocate steering - had an exciting time recently when they met with the newly elected MP for Mid Cheshire, Andrew Cooper. After the group chairman, Ben opened the meeting and read through the morning's agenda, we spent some time finding out how everyone had spent their summer and sharing any highlights with the group. The team then reflected on the previous session when the General Election was discussed, including an easy-to-read guide on voting, before taking a well-earned tea & coffee break. Then it was time to invite Andrew and PA, Rory into the That Down Syndrome Podcast bunker where they were both quizzed by the team who asked a range of carefully curated questions - all chosen by the #iChooseBoard. It was a fantastic morning, with everyone playing their part. Andrew and Rory were such good sports for agreeing to come on the podcast and for being so thoughtful and engaging with our young adults.

Employment week success

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 11:42:31 GMT

The employment and enterprise team and our 16yrs+ group had two fantastic weeks of employment experience in August, visiting Carden Park Hotel, Gauntlet Birds of Prey Eagle & Vulture Park, Storyhouse, Chester, Jodrell Bank, Warrington Wolves Foundation Summer Holiday Club, and Morrisons Manufacturing in Winsford.

All of the participants had a fabulous and rewarding time, and, once again, we'd like to thank all of those external partner organisations for throwing their doors open and for generously giving of their time for the benefit and development of our 16yrs+ members.

Introducing Coacha

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 10:30:22 GMT

Starting this month, we will be using an event and activity management system called Coacha. This system will allow us to:

Add all our upcoming events
Track attendance
Store member data
Send emails directly from one place

Coacha offers significant benefits to us as a charity, including:

Reducing administration time, giving us more time to plan exciting opportunities for our members and their families!
Providing instant access to member information, such as emergency contacts, wherever we are
Utilizing safeguarding technology to keep all our families' and members' sensitive data secure

We need all members who wish to participate in any of our regular activities, such as DS Dance, all Preschool groups, and DS Drama, as well as our one-off events, such as trips to BeWILDerwood, bowling, and the Panto at Christmas, to sign up to Coacha in August.

We appreciate this is another bit of administration we are asking you to complete, however it is quick and simple to do and will save you time in the long run. We are aiming to use Coacha from September, so registration during August is essential.

Please use the link below to access any future activities and events:
https://hosted-uk.coacha.app/member.../DownSyndromeCheshire

A Ton of Fun at our Super Summer Holiday Club...

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 10:11:16 GMT

For 8 days over the second half of August, we welcomed members through the doors of the Down Syndrome Cheshire Hub for lots of fun with our friends, Poppy Jardine Dance Teaching, DJ Jay, Molecular Marty Science , Let’s Farm and Cheshire Dance .

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the incredible volunteers whose support made it possible to accommodate as many members each day as we did. In total, 39 members enjoyed the holiday club sessions.

If members of your family were lucky enough to attend then we hope they enjoyed themselves as much as we did.

Helen - Our Wing Walking Warrior!

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 09:49:05 GMT

We are simply in awe of Amazing Mum, Helen, who took part in a thrilling wing walk to raise awareness and funds for DSC on the 20th of August. This was such a fantastic experience, with Helen saying:

"Absolutely brilliant experience..one I’ll remember forever, weather was stunning and countryside around the airfield just so beautiful..so glad I was brave enough to try it..what a day! think it could become addictive! "

"Thanks so much for your support and generous donations. Still time to donate ..every penny is so gratefully received."

Well done, Helen - we think you're brilliant!

If you feel you can support her please follow the below link to her Just Giving page
https://www.justgiving.com/team/helsandmelswingwalk...

(Click on the image to see Helen in action)

Going to the airport easy read

tracey@dscheshire.org.uk (Tracey Lee) — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 12:25:16 GMT

Hands up who is going on holiday this month?!

Lucy has put together an amazing easy read to help prepare your DSC member for what will happen at the airport.

Click below to access the document.

Going to the airport document.

'Assume That I Can' wins Golden Lion at Cannes

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 14:10:00 GMT

Congratulations to actor, activist, influencer and all-round energiser, Madison Tevlin who, together with the CoorDown team, recently scooped the prestigious Golden Lion award at the Cannes Festival of Creativity. Madison is such a passionate and positive advocate for the global Down syndrome community and was the perfect choice to star in CoorDown's latest campaign which, once again, used humour, intelligence and stark honesty to deliver a powerful message of the need for change and for society to reframe its perceptions.

You can view the award-winning campaign below.

We're delighted to welcome two new members to the DSC team...

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 11:37:24 GMT

Afternoon Teas

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 13:28:22 GMT

Summer Sunday Teas

We host our Sunday Teas fundraiser annually at High Legh Village Hall. These are always hugely popular events with loads of family and friends dropping in to enjoy a sumptuous afternoon tea of mouth-watering homemade goodies!

Our next Sunday Afternoon Teas event will now be spring 2025. Be sure to drop back nearer the time for more details on how you can get involved in this mouth-watering fundraiser.

AGM 2024

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:01:31 GMT

A Fabulous AGM Celebration!

Everyone had a fabulous time at this year's AGM summer party! This event is always a joyous celebration of achievement and a time to reflect on how far we've come as an organisation with the people who matter - our community members. After warmly welcoming everyone to our hub, Charity Chair, Julie presented this year's facts & figures (see our infographic below) before premiering our exclusive round-up video which you can now watch below. Then it was time to celebrate everyone's brilliant achievements with our Proud Moment Awards, followed by some mad exploding-volcano science with Molecular Marty, after which everyone tucked into some delicious pizza! Thank you to everyone who joined us for the celebration and for your continued support.

Check out our fantastic 2023/2024 video highlight reel...

Employment Week 2024

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 08:51:32 GMT

After such a successful employment week last year, we have decided to do it again!

The idea behind employment week is to provide our 16+ members an opportunity to enter a variety of workplace settings to explore different employability routes they might want to take. It is an opportunity for our members to enter a variety of workplace settings to explore different employability routes they might want to take.

If you member with DS would like to sign up for employment week please click here

Celebrating 40 years of Volunteers Week in 2024

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 22:05:49 GMT

This year marks 40 years of Volunteers Week when we celebrate the amazing contributions volunteers make to communities like ours across the UK. Here at DSC, we are so grateful to our dedicated army of unsung superheroes and wanted to take a moment to share their stories, champion their efforts and say a huge thank you to each and every one of them!

Head over to our Volunteers page to right now to meet Sarah, Andy, Julia, and Colin and hear what volunteering means to them

Cheshire Life Awards

Mon, 20 May 2024 11:46:39 GMT

Although we didn't win at the recent Cheshire Life Champions Awards, it was still a real honour to be nominated, and the team had such a fabulously inspirational evening, networking with the other nominees! Education Advocate Manager, Yvonne, Education advocate, volunteer extraordinaire, Julia, and Ben, the chair of our #IChooseBoard , had an amazing evening...

Ben even managed to meet Noddy Holder from Slade!

Matt & Sarah's Marathon triumph!

Thu, 02 May 2024 11:49:23 GMT

Running a Marathon is such an awesome achievement, especially the London event, and we're so proud of Matt & Sarah for pushing themselves to raise funds and awareness for DSC

Down Syndrome Cheshire co-founder, Sara Larkin took part with her husband, Matt, and both had a fantastic experience. Here's what they had to say on their Just Giving page:

"Well, we made it!! Inspired by your generosity (and the crowd too of course!) we both made it round London; Sarah gave it everything with a fabulous 3h56 and Matt needed to draw on your motivation to finish in 3h28. What an atmosphere, a truly unique event for us and a massive sense of achievement too of course!"

A huge well done, guys!! If you'd like to donate to their Just Giving campaign - which currently stands at over £1300 - then please click here.

Star Prize Auction 2024

Wed, 01 May 2024 14:57:02 GMT

We are so excited to bring you our super prize auction for 2024. With two amazing lots:

Here's Steve and Lucy to tell you more...

There's plenty of time to get involved as we're not going to reveal the winning bids until AGM on the 22nd of June.

Freelance events worker

Wed, 01 May 2024 11:48:16 GMT

£13.00 per hour - zero hour contract

Do you have some spare time on your hands? You could earn money by supporting our members and their families at various events and activities throughout the region.

Are you passionate about creating memorable experiences?

Are you free on a flexible basis during weekends and evenings throughout the month?

Have you only got one day a month – not a problem hours and days to suit you.

Do you want a job where you can choose the events which you support our wonderful members at?

Do you have great communication and organisational skills?

If you think you have what we need then get in touch

Click here to download a role description

Please forward applications, including CV, to this email address

Closing date: 19th May 2024

Revisiting our Awareness Roadshow 2024

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:15:14 GMT

Our awareness assemblies have always been a big part of our World Down Syndrome Day campaigns.

They represent a fantastic opportunity to share with schools across the region just how amazing our DS community are, how we support those members, and how the schools, with their gingerbread sock biscuits sales, help us to keep providing that support.

So, in this tenth anniversary year, Steve and the Education Advocate team took to the road once more, and delivered some amazing assemblies to schools across the region. From Ellesmere Port to Macclesfield; From Warrington down to Stoke, we presented to over 3000 pupils and staff who warmly welcomed us, and demonstrated once again just how much support, respect and kindness there is across the region for our DS community and their families.

We had an AMAZING World Down Syndrome Day 2024

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 12:30:34 GMT

Well, unsurprisingly, World Down Syndrome Day 2024 was another one for the album! It was a day full of positivity, awareness-raising and celebration of our amazing Down syndrome community, both here in Cheshire and around the world.

Our Gingerbread Sock Biscuits celebrated ten years of support with our wonderful friends at Roberts Bakery in 2024. With well over 40,000 biscuits being delivered, sold, and munched across the North West, we're looking forward to some whooping fundraising (if you were good enough to host a biscuit sale and have some fundraising for us, then we would ask that you return this to us ASAP...thanks!)

We were truly delighted with all the amazingly colourful socks produced for our Knitted/Crocheted Sock Challenge that were received to the hub this year. They were all displayed proudly as dazzling sock bunting on WDSD - with everyone who knitted or crocheted socks receiving one of our exclusive enamel gingerbread sock biscuit pin badges!

It was also the tenth anniversary of our original 2-1-3 challenges (numbers chosen for being so closely linked to the chromosomal picture of Down syndrome) - which saw our very own Julie Duff plank her way around Cheshire throughout the whole of March! So, if you challenged yourself this year, helping to raise awareness and those all-important funds, then thank you - you made a difference.

Once again, Steve and the Education Advocate team took to the road to deliver some amazing Awareness Assemblies to schools across the whole county. From Ellesmere Port to Macclesfield, from Warrington down to Stoke, we presented to over 3000 pupils and staff who warmly welcomed us and demonstrated just how much support, respect and kindness there is across the region for our DS community and their families.

An undoubted highlight this year was the Downing Street reception hosted jointly by the National Down Syndrome Policy Group and Sir Liam Fox MP, to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day 2024. This also allowed Sir Liam to update on the supporting guidance surrounding the DS Act. So, after an early start to catch the train down to London, Julie, Lucy and the gang had a very exciting day meeting lots of other wonderfully inspiring members of our UK DS community. Julie even managed to squeeze in a Day 21 plank at the Women's World War 2 monument!

This year's special message was #iWant, which called on our members to speak out and articulate their hopes, dreams and aspirations. And by doing this, they were empowering themselves to manifest these goals and work towards turning them into reality. Click here to watch our super inspiring video.

A HUGE Thank you to everyone who supported World Down Syndrome Day 2024

More Easter adventures in the forest!

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:14:08 GMT

Our members had a week of incredible adventures whilst attending our Easter break Forest School residential. Once again, in the fantastic setting of Petty Pool Vocational College, everyone have had an amazing time stay away from home, making new friendships and learning new skills. A huge shout-out must go to the team of staff and volunteers who worked their socks off to make this such a memorable week. Thanks also to our funders - The Henry Smith Charity - who made it all possible. Here’s just a taste of what they all got up to…

Mike's Coast to Coast adventure

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 12:19:50 GMT

Long-time supporter of the charity, Mike Eaton, has gone and done it again with his latest fantastic fundraising adventure! Here's his daughter, and mum of Emily, Kate explaining recently on social media just what her superstar dad has achieved...

My Dad, Mike, completed Wainwright's Coast to Coast yesterday in his 70th year. A total of 190 ish miles over 14 days, split in to 3-day stints since September. He walked an average of 13.5 miles a day, with the longest mileage being 22.5 miles. He has ascended and descended the equivalent height of Mount Everest.

He did it old school with his trusty Wainwright book and maps. No GPS and quite often hours without a mobile phone signal, leaving us waiting for word of his safe arrival with bated breath.

To say that we're all proud of him and his achievement is an understatement. He has persevered through all sorts to complete this including difficult terrain and foul weather. He's remained positive and determined throughout.

My mum has supported him at every stage, researching, organising accommodation and getting him to starting points at silly o'clock!

It was very emotional being there at the end yesterday, so happy we could join him for the final stretch.

My Dad is one of the biggest advocates of his granddaughter Emily and he wanted to support the wonderful charity Down Syndrome Cheshire who has supported us and so many other families over the years. If you wish to donate, here's the link: https://bit.ly/45rTh6M

Thank you to everyone who has supported him with words of encouragement, snacks to keep him going and donations to Down Syndrome Cheshire

Everyone here at DSC thinks you're a superstar too, Mike...

Thank you!!

Can you believe it; We've been nominated for not one but two upcoming awards!

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:04:33 GMT

Steve Morgan Foundation 2024 Awards

These awards celebrate the fantastic work of the organisations and people within the SMF family of charities, recognising the valuable contribution they make towards changing lives for good. DSC are finalists in the 'Disrupters for Good' category and stand to win a whooping £10K from the £100,000 prize pot! Wish us luck for the 22nd of April.

Cheshire Life Champions Award

The Cheshire Life Champions Awards celebrates volunteers, charity organisers, entrepreneurs, good neighbours, public servants and artists across Cheshire, and who will be honoured at an awards dinner at The Cheshire View, at Christleton, near Chester, on Thursday, 16th May. And fingers crossed this might include DSC!

Fingers Crossed!!

Aidan smashes his post-op 10k!

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 12:41:37 GMT

Can you believe after just six short weeks following open heart surgery, Superstar athlete, Aidan was back participating in a Parkrun event, having gradually built back up from walking to running! Aidan trains with Helsby Running Club and really likes track sessions. To run the 10Km he ran 3 times a week and is a regular at Parkrun in Delamere, where he recorded a fantastic time of 1hr and 6 mins. We think this is amazing, Aidan, and we're so proud of your commitment to keeping fit and healthy.

Bright future for Cheshire dance star

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 15:03:32 GMT

We're so proud of DSC member, Ben Wilson and are delighted to share his journey of achievement as he continues to work hard to realise his goal of becoming a professional dancer. Ben started dancing with our Winsford-based DS dance group, facilitated by Cheshire Dance, about six years ago and hasn't looked back! Click the button below to read Cheshire Dance's full article where they talk to Ben about his love of dance and about his dreams and aspirations for the future.

Historic DS Act meeting of minds

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 13:46:39 GMT

Wednesday 28th February was a historic day for Down Syndrome Cheshire. The Department for Health and Social Care came to our HQ to consult with our members about the Guidance for the Down Syndrome Act. We were proud that we were in a position to support all our members, those who needed communication aids, and those who required one-to-one support. We were also able to create an opportunity for our #iChooseBoard to hone their skills and to facilitate break-out sessions whilst the civil servants gained more knowledge and experience about DS so they are better informed about the condition. Working in partnership with Petty Pool College and Looking forward activities enabled this session to be such a success. It was a truly inspirational day. We would like to thank the National Down Syndrome Policy Group for asking us to host this session and People Health Trust for their funding.

Superstar Mike's DIY Makeover

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 13:32:04 GMT

We are so incredibly grateful to long-time family community member, Mike Avraam, for stepping up to the challenge of developing and improving the storage options and audio-visual setup in our Hub's activity room. After consulting with a well-known Scandinavian lifestyle furniture emporium, Mike set himself the challenge of building some bespoke seat/storage bins at one end and then constructing a super smart 'wall' of white glossy loveliness at the other - leaving a perfect space to relocate our modestly-sized TV, ready for film nights and presentations. Mike achieved all this in just a few short weeks, completing the work in time for us to host our monumental DS Act guidance symposium with the DoHSC on 28th February. You really can't put a value on support of this kind - it's immense and will make such a difference to our day-to-day operations. So, thank you, Mike - we all think you are a superstar!

Let's see how Josh is getting on

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 13:14:06 GMT

First day on the job!

One of our members Josh had his first day at work this week and we couldn’t be prouder of him!

After a brilliant employment week back in August, Josh was offered a job in Howden, a global insurance broker as an administrator. Some of the tasks that he gets up too at work include photocopying, filing, data inputting and greeting customers. Josh was extremely eager to tell his new work colleagues what he is going to spend his first pay check on, he would love to buy a ticket to see Craig Revel Horwood in The Wizard of Oz musical. How fabulous darling! We are so proud of you Josh and can’t wait to see all the amazing things you will achieve in this job!

Thank you to Lewis and Darren from Howden for this amazing opportunity they have given Josh.

Lets see what Joe's been taking photos of

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 13:11:16 GMT

Most of you will be aware that Joe created and sold 100 copies of his calendar last year where he took all of the ph otos himself.

Joe is also the winner of the of the DSA My Perspective photography competition in December 2023.

Lets see how Jodie's getting on with those socks

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 12:57:04 GMT

Good luck to Jodie on her first day at Stand Out, she's looking forward to meeting the team.

And here she is with Ross and colleague Mark.

Learning the role

Receiving her first payslip

Massive thank you to Christian, Ross & Natalie at Stand Out for giving Jodie this opportunity.

How's Mark packing those socks.....

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 12:37:27 GMT

Mark is very excited to start his job at Stand Out packaging socks to post out to clients. We wish Mark all the best on his 1st day.

Mark says "Can't wait to work"

Here's Mark with Ross and colleague Jodie.

Receiving his first payslip

Mark not only is packing these socks but he's obviously got a new role as a model as well.

Mark you are doing amazing, well done.

Massive thank you to Christian, Ross & Natalie at Stand Out for giving Mark this opportunity.

Gina says "I love working here"

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:56:35 GMT

Gina has been a credit to our working team here at the hub coming into the office 3 hours a week, she helps with printing, laminating and makes sure the hub is always nice and clean for the staff and visitors.

Crafty Plans to Celebrate WDSD 2024!!

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 11:26:39 GMT

Calling all crafters! Throughout March, as we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day, we’re asking all you knitters and crochet crafters to take on a challenge and produce a pair of socks that we can include on our giant sock bunting! You can use any pattern you'd like, or feel free to download one of ours below. We will also be sending socks to families in Ukraine and neonatal units across the region. So, whether you are a crochet queen or a knitting master, join our Facebook challenge and be part of something WOOLLY special this #wdsd2024

Oh, and be sure to get those socks back to us before Thursday, March 21st, so they can be included in our celebration bunting!!

We're Off to the Zoo, thanks to Foundation Grant!

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 14:06:54 GMT

We are incredibly grateful to the Moulding Foundation for supporting the charity with a £5000 grant for Chester Zoo family passes! The passes were sent out to 70 families last weekend, some of whom wasted no time at all and enjoyed a trip with other members of our community. This is a great chance for our families to experience a financially risk-free day out that they may not otherwise be able to manage, allowing the charity to facilitate some much-needed peer support to its members.

Growing up and staying safe ONLINE COURSE

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 14:28:36 GMT

Wednesday 6th May 2026, 9.30 am - 11.00 am

ONLINE COURSE

Registration of interest for Makaton training

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 13:26:07 GMT

If you are interested in receiving Makaton training then please complete the following form, remembering to click submit at the footer. This information will inform what training we deliver in 2024.

Please note this is not an application for training, but we will contact you when training becomes available.

Vacancy - Finance & HR Administrator

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 12:42:43 GMT

We are looking for an enthusiastic and organised planner to be our new Finance & HR Administrator

Hours: 15 - 20 hours per week

Salary: £13.50 per hour

Location: A flexible mix to include home & DSC Hub(Denton Drive, Northwich, CW9 7LU)

Please click the button below to download the job description, and forward all applications here

Closing date: 7th January 2024

Lovely Jubbly - Success Down The Market!

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 12:34:46 GMT

Two of our young adult members, Mark & Joe, had a fantastic time when they recently visited a weekend artisan market in the heart of Northwich. Both were very proud to display and sell their work to the public- Mark with his woodworking skills, and Joe with his amazing illustrations - with all proceeds being shared with those members involved. Both are regular visitors to the DSC Hub in Northwich, where they are mentored by our very own employment & enterprise expert, Lucy McLaren (pictured). Lucy works closely with our young adults to nurture their talents and interests, and with local businesses and organisations to develop opportunities for our young people to put these skills to use in 'real' work environments.

Fashion Fundraisers

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 14:39:08 GMT

The DSC Team having a blast at recent festive Fashion Fundraisers...

Yes, the days are shorter, the mercury plummets and the Christmas songs seem to get earlier and earlier, but one good thing about this time of year is that we get to celebrate our annual festive fashion fundraiser again! And this year's event was another absolute belter - thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended and managed to raise the fantastic total of £2,382.87!! Make sure you put Thursday 14th November 2024 in your diaries, so that we can do it all over again!

A massive thank you once again to both, SOS Clothing and Teal & Stars Gifts, for joining us on the night and for being such brilliant supporters of the event.

Petty Pool Student Council meet with DSC

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 14:21:26 GMT

Student Council in discussions with Down Syndrome Cheshire team

Recently, learners from Petty Pool Vocational College's student council met with Julie and Lucy from Down Syndrome Cheshire to take part in their #ichoose board which represents the voices of people with Down syndrome in Cheshire and influences national policy. #Downsydromeact

Sip & Learn

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 15:25:39 GMT

Sip and Learn sessions are held once a month on a Thursday from 10am until 12pm to catch up with other parents and carers in an informal setting.

At each session we will have a visiting professional to give guidance on subjects such as advocacy, benefits and trust funds.

Keep an eye on our events page for this months date and topic.

Below are the details from previous sessions:

November 2023

Our partners at Disability Positive gave some assistance on the below topics.

• Do you need support to say what matters to you and your child and understand your rights?

• Do you want to know more about Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)

• Are you worried about your Child turning 18 and knowing how best to advocate for them?

For further information or to contact Disability positive directly for support, please click here .

December 2023

In December's session we welcomed Cheshire and Warrington Carers Trust who gave an opportunity for parents and carers to ask any questions they may have about benefits that you are applying for or currently receiving.

For further information from Cheshire and Warrington Carers Trust please contact them here.

January 2024

Emma from Foresters answered questions about accessing your member’s Child trust fund and saving for them for the future. There is lots of information on the Foresters website, but Emma is happy to discuss the matter with anyone who missed this months session. You can contact her directly here

Michael from HSBC answered questions regarding third party access to your member’s bank account, this relates to different ways of giving another person access to your bank account and the right to operate it.

More information can be found by clicking here , or by contacting HSBC directly using the help and support area of their website.

February 2024

Alison Greatbanks from Hall Smith Whittingham Solicitors spoke about Lasting Power of Attorney, Deputyships and Discretionary and Disabled Trust Funds.

Should you wish to request further details on these subjects please contact Tracey at DS Cheshire here, and she will be happy to send all information to you.

April 2024

Yvonne Johnson from Making Space joined us to discuss the difficult subject of who will care for our loved ones when we are not here. Making Space are a national charity that provides services in the heart of local communities, in the comfort of people's own homes, and specialist care and support services.

For more information click here.

Future session dates

20th June 2024
18th July 2024
19th September 2024
17th October 2024
21st November 2024
19st December 2024

Grandparents Club

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 15:22:58 GMT

This is a great opportunity for our grandparents to get together and have a chat about their members, what they've been up to, questions they may want to ask somebody else in the same situation.

Sessions will be monthly on a Thursday 10am - 12pm at Our DSC hub, Denton House, Denton Drive, Northwich, CW9 7LU.

No need to register just turn up.

Butties for Blokes sessions

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 15:00:02 GMT

These monthly meet ups get our blokes together to have a chat with a sausage/bacon butty on hand at our DSC hub. This is not just for dads but any granddads, uncles, cousins etc… who would find this group useful.

Sessions will take place monthly on a Saturday from 10am till 12pm at Our DSC hub, Denton House, Denton Drive, Northwich, CW9 7LU.

Check out our monthly events for upcoming dates

No need to register just turn up.

Sewing Club

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 14:58:15 GMT

If you like sewing, why not bring your needle and thread and join our regular monthly Sewing Club at the DSC Hub. We already have a great team of seamstresses who meet on a Thursday, so why not drop in - they'll have you in stitches! P.S. thimbles will be provided.

Joe's stunning 2024 calendars for sale - 100% of the profits go to Joe

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 13:30:23 GMT

Get organised in 2024!

As part of our enterprise and employment initiative, our resident superstar photographer, Joe Tranter, has created a fantastic 2024 calendar. Featuring 12 stunning original images of landscapes and still life, including his Down Syndrome Association My Perspective Photography Competition winning entry, 'Willow', Joe's calendar will help organise anyone's year! The calendars are available now from our store - just click the button below to get your copy now.

Launching our newest Dance group

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 17:23:14 GMT

We are extremely happy to be launching our 4th Dance group located in Knutsford.

Sessions will take place at Jubilee Hall, Stanley Road, Knutsford, WA16 0GP on Saturdays 10am to 11am term time.

If you love dance and would like to show us your moves or if you have a question please contact Rebecca at admin@dscheshire.org.uk

We look forward to seeing you there.

Friday Social Events

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:04:20 GMT

Each Friday, between 6pm - 8.30pm , we'll have a different social activity at the DSC hub in Northwich for our members and their families.

Coming Up:

Friday 10th April

18+ Social Club - Talent Show

Friday 17th April

Movie Club - Moana

Friday 24th April

Friends Get Together open to members aged 9 - 15 yrs

Friday 8th May

16+ Members Games Night

Friday 15th May

Talent Show (open to all members!)

Preschool Activities

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 10:40:45 GMT

We’re excited to share our Preschool Events Calendar for the rest of 2026!

If you have a preschool-aged child with Down syndrome, we’d love to welcome you and your family to our friendly and supportive hub. Every session is designed to encourage play, learning, and connection for children and parents alike!

Come and join our community, we can’t wait to see you!

To view dates, times and to book just visit our calendar of events under the WHATS ON tab above.

Delighted to announce our Champions Club for Businesses

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 13:55:24 GMT

Down Syndrome Cheshire are delighted to announce the launch of their new and exclusive Champions Club for Businesses

Down Syndrome Cheshire are delighted to announce the launch of their new and exclusive Champions Club for Businesses. We are hoping to partner with 21 socially responsible businesses who will donate £2,130 annual to help the sustainability of the Charity. Funding costs such as heating, lighting and the general running costs of the Charity which is crucial to enable us to offer free to access services to all our members. By becoming a Champion you are directly supporting a family by removing barriers to access services and contributing to a safe and secure environment where they can access knowledge, experience and a supportive community of people who have similar life experiences.

To find out how you can become a Champion please click the button below.

Delighted to Announce the 213 Champions Club for Families

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 10:53:40 GMT

Down Syndrome Cheshire are delighted to announce the launch of their new and exclusive 213 Champions Club for Families.

Down Syndrome Cheshire are delighted to announce the launch of their new and exclusive 213 Champions Club for Families. We are on a quest to find 213 exceptional individuals who will donate £21.30 monthly to the sustainability of the Charity. The funding gifted by our Champions to Down Syndrome Cheshire will allow us to cover the essential core cost. Funding costs such as heating, lighting and the general running costs of the Charity which is crucial to enable us to offer free to access services to all our members. We know that raising a child with Down syndrome requires a lot of effort. By becoming a Champion you are directly supporting a family by removing barriers to access services and contributing to a safe and secure environment where they can access knowledge, experience and a supportive community of people who have similar life experiences.

To find out how you can become a Champion please click the button below.

Fabulous Fundraisers

steve@dscheshire.org.uk (Steve Hart) — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 13:03:17 GMT

A heartfelt donation from regional DS support group.

We would like to give a big shout out to Dawn McKeegan and all of the incredible volunteers who have run Ready Steady Downs in St Helens for a number of years. Dawn and the team took the difficult decision to fold the Charity in the Summer and kindly donated £6,000 of their residual funds to Down Syndrome Cheshire.

We are very grateful for this very generous donation and would like to welcome all of the families from Ready Steady Down’s to the DS Cheshire community.

Michael Daw

Photography Star's Work in Liverpool Exhibition

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 12:40:39 GMT

Superstar's photography on show in Albert Dock Exhibition.

We are very proud of one of our members Michael Daw and his Mum Dot Daw. Michael and Dot Daw have been involved in a photography project with a local group for ‘Historic England’ ‘Picturing High Streets’

Michael has always enjoyed taking photographs and has had his work displayed in local shopping centres, also in the Shakespeare North Playhouse and now in an exhibition at the Open Eye Gallery, Albert Dock. They enjoyed the opening night for the exhibition and their photographs have been selected to be included in the ‘Historic England’ archives.

If you would like to go and view Michael and Dot’s work, the exhibition ‘A Place Of Our Own’ runs from 29th September - 23rd December 2023 at the Open Eye Gallery, Albert Dock, opening times Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm.

We will certainly be displaying Michael’s pictures on our Wow wall at our Hub. Well done Michael and Dot!

Michael Daw

Football

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 10:57:57 GMT

We're really proud to have an active Down syndrome football group, affiliated with the national DSActive sports programme.

Our season will recommence on Sunday 7th September 2025 at the sports hall of Egerton Football Club, Knutsford, WA16 6SL, from 9.30 am - 11.30 am.

Session 1

6yrs - 12yrs: 9.30 am to 10.15 am

Session 2

13+yrs: 10.30 am to 11.30 am

Players will take part in fun football sessions delivered by FA-qualified coaching staff, focusing on dribbling, passing and shooting whilst playing plenty of games. We invite you to come along and tell your friends!

Although this activity doesn't require booking, we would appreciate any prospective members contact us here to express their interest in joining the group.

The sessions currently remain free of charge to all participants.

Yoga

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 10:49:43 GMT

�� DSC Hub
�� Thursday
⏰ 5.30pm - 6.15pm

Join us every week at Down Syndrome Cheshire’s hub in Northwich for our specially designed Down syndrome Yoga sessions , led by experienced yoga teacher Savitri Jo Kirwin .

These sessions are tailored specifically for our members with Down syndrome, offering a fun, supportive, and inclusive space to build strength, balance, and relaxation through gentle movement and breathing techniques.

Open to anyone aged five and above , the classes provide a wonderful opportunity to boost wellbeing, develop confidence, and enjoy the many benefits of yoga in a welcoming community setting.

Please call or email us beforehand if you would like to take part. Jo will provide participants with a medical form and advice for getting the most out of these sessions.

Dance

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 10:35:45 GMT

Our DS Dance sessions are fun, inclusive, and full of energy, a chance for members to move, express themselves, and make friends along the way.

Where & When:

Warrington (The Old School): Wednesdays, 5:30pm – 6:30pm

Open to members aged 5+ , our dance classes are s afe and supportive environments, guided by experienced leaders.

Find out more by emailing us here

Drama

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 10:22:30 GMT

Our DS drama group is going from strength to strength. These are fantastic weekly classes that allows our participants to explore challenging life scenarios through the safe, fun and supportive drama framework, created and led by our qualified drama practitioner team.

Every Thursday at Petty Pool Vocational College & Outdoor Centre between 4 pm - 5.30 pm

Minimum age is 13 years

AGM 2023

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 16:15:22 GMT

It was brilliant to host our first AGM at the HUB.

It was brilliant to host our first AGM at the HUB. It was fabulous to see the HUB so full of our members enjoying every inch of it from the sensory room to the reception, where the table football witnessed some great battles.

We even managed to make use of the outside area and set up a BBQ. It was a fantastic opportunity to reflect on some of members and Charities achievements over the last 12 months. Our members received awards for their fantastic contribution to Dance, Drama and yoga to name a few. If you would like to learn more about the charities achievements over the last 12 months, then take a look at our short video below that captures the highlights. None of these success’ would have been achievable without a dedicated, staff and volunteer team, not forgetting our generous funders. Here’s to another successful 12 months.

Our new Down Syndrome Champions Club – are you are business who could become a Champion?

The charity is looking for a maximum of 21 socially responsible businesses to partner with Down Syndrome Cheshire. We will be asking our Champions to help in our quest of sustainability and free access to services for all members. Champions will be asked to donate £2130 paid as a one-off donation of or monthly payment of £177.50 if preferred. Why £2130? These numbers 21/3 represent the 3 copies of chromosome 21 that is unique to people with Down syndrome.

Employability Week

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 16:10:58 GMT

Employability Week

Our first ever Employability weeks were a success!!

We were able to offer 8 different employment settings for our 16+ members to attend, these included Ginger and Pickles tearoom and bakery, Radio Northwich, Chester FC, Morrisons Manufacturing, Co-op, A Plan Insurance and a banking session ran by HSBC.

Thank you so much to all the employers that we have visited over the past 2 weeks for providing our members invaluable work experience and for being absolutely amazing!

If you know of an organisation who would be interested in supporting somebody with Down syndrome into employment then please feel free to contact Lucy our Employability and Enterprise Worker lucym@dscheshire.org.uk

Here is what our members thought:

‘It was a real success’

‘Gained new skills in communicating with new people’

‘He absolutely loved it, can’t thank you enough for including him’

The launch of the #IChooseBoard

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 16:03:00 GMT

The launch of the #IChooseBoard

What an incredible day we had at Down Syndrome Cheshire we launched our #IChooseBoard . A board led by members with #Downsyndrome to ensure their voices are heard on a local and national stage. Learners from The Petty Pool Trust joined us to share their views.

We were also lucky enough to have guest speakers from the National Down Syndrome Policy Group; we had Fionn, Jonathan Angus, and Ed Daly as Chair and facilitator on the National Advisory Board. They spoke about their work with Parliament to shape the #DownSyndromeAct .

We are delighted about how many members showed an interest in being part of our #IChooseBoard. We are looking forward to our next meeting. If you are interested in joining then please get in contact with Lucy by emailing her at lucym@dscheshire.org.uk

National Down Syndrome Policy Group

gandmch@btinternet.com (Graham Havercroft) — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 13:48:00 GMT

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