We Host a BBC Radio Down's Syndrome Special

On Saturday March 21st at some unearthly hour, I was awoken by my iPhone alarm playing harp melodies (which I really must change as it grates no end these days).

Now I am not a morning person. At all. And 5am is not a time I am fond of. 

Cradling my babies, waking up to leave home on far flung adventures and Down's syndrome advocacy are the only exceptions in my book. 



BBC Radio Cornwall Breakfast Show on World Down Syndrome Day

Now Saturday March 21st was World Down Syndrome Day as many of you know. And our dear friends at BBC Radio Cornwall had succumbed to having their arms twisted offered us a two hour programme dedicated to the day. Two whole hours to chat about the myths and facts surrounding Trisomy 21 and an entire programme in which to interview who we liked and even choose some music that was important to us.

How would you fill a two hour radio programme? 
Who would you interview? 
Which 2 songs would you choose?

I spent a month or so making spidergrams of ideas and contacting folk to take part. The lovely radio team let us work with reporter Martha for two days and out we went to interview the ladies who run the Cornwall Down's Syndrome Support Group, Shaun Tubb a young who works at People and Gardens nursery who has Down's syndrome and our girls Mia and Natty. All this was 'in the can', as they say, in advance.


I interviewed Shaun Tubb who works at People and Gardens

The day arrived and I rolled out of bed at 5am, grabbed my notes and a copy of our book to gift the co-presenter and set off to Truro to the studio. It was early quiet at 6.30 am with just a couple of presenters manning the fort. 

You can listen to the entire live show here from 7-9am, the last 2 hours of the show. We really did cover everything in my trusty spirdergram, including all those important myths people hold about our children, alongside:


interviews
flashmobs
inclusion
modelling
World Down Syndrome Day
abortion
work
schooling
relationships
pets
vaccinations
eugenics
older mothers
being musical and loving
Makaton
breastfeeding
Support Groups
fundraising 
and much much more...

Downs Side Up chatting about the benefits of pets on BBC Radio Cornwall

And which songs did I choose?

Well, Mia and Natty picked Ollie Murs - Beautiful to Me:

Love don't ever change the way you are
You light up the sky just like a star
I don't care what you say 
You're beautiful to me



and I picked Emily Sandé - Read All About It, my blogging song, a real motivator when the going gets tough:

You've got the words to change a nation
But you're biting your tongue
You've spent a life time stuck in silence
Afraid you'll say something wrong
If no one ever hears it how we gonna learn your song?

The whole morning was an absolutely fabulous experience. As a former voice-over artist I've always fancied myself as a radio presenter. Maybe they'll let me read the news one day... 


Team T21 raised an fabulous £1885 for the Down's Syndrome Association on World Down Syndrome Day

To all of you who listened, who joined in the celebrations on #WDSD15 and who donated to our fundraiser, we thank you. We raised a fabulous £1885 for the Down's Syndrome Association and the fabulous work that they do. 







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