A Year of Advocacy, Collaboration and Inclusion

What have we achieved? What have we learned?

The highs, the lows, the collaborations and challenges that made, or nearly broke us. 

Where will the next year take us? 
Who knows. But here are just a few of the moments from 2014 that have shaped our campaigning and advocacy.

The highs and lows of 2014 for Downs Side Up

We Need to See Disability in Advertising

'It's meeee!' she squealed excitedly as we drove round the roundabout.

We manoeuvred round one more time so that she could get a closer look at the huge banner outside our local supermarket urging us to get organised for the new school term. This time we all squealed. 'It's yoooou!'

A third lap. Just for luck. Just to be sure our eyes could be believed, smiles stretched across every face in the car.

I fell silent as I fought back a tear or two, my heart swollen with pride as I allowed the true significance of what I had just seen to sink in. This was so much more than a Mum seeing her child's face on banners outside every Sainsbury's in the land. For Natty has Down's syndrome and this is the first time that a child with any kind of disability, physical or intellectual has featured in a major Back to School advertising campaign. For me the posters might as well have shouted:

• All children have a right to quality education and the skills to enable them to lead full independent lives. 

• All children have their own unique personalities and our classrooms benefit from that eclectic mix. 

• All children, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, love a shiny new school uniform!

Downs Side Up's Ups and Downs in 2013: A Linky for 2014

Time to take stock

January is the time I like to spring clean my blog a little, cut the deadwood and look at it afresh after a Christmas break. It's easy to feel you haven't achieved a lot in a year, that you are stuck in a writing rut, but now's the time to look at even the smallest of steps forward, celebrate your achievements and motivate yourself for the year ahead.
Here's a taste of where Downs Side Up, our Down's syndrome support blog, has taken us this year.
I'd love to invite you to join the linky below with either your favourite post of the year or a summary of where your SEN blog has taken you or your cause, or simply a post about where you are heading in 2014. Please take time to visit and support others who link too, with lovely comments, that's how we draw our community closer.

January 

The year kicked off with a very exciting get-together of all the UK models with Down's syndrome that we could find, doing their bit for #adinclusion. Natty, Seb, Jojo, M&S, Next, Co-Op, Boden and more. We met at the Down's Syndrome Association head quarters incredible Normansfield Theatre. A place filled with the memories and the energies of those with Down's syndrome who had lived and acted there when John Langdon Down first detailed the condition, caused by an additional 21st chromosome. How far he pushed forward, but how much further our children can travel today, the world their oyster...

Gorgeous Inclusive Calendars

Look no further than Shabang Theatre or Down Syndrome Centre, Dublin for your calendar for 2014. 

Sahabang Theatre include 3 useful Makaton symbols and signs to use at home for each month.

Down Syndrome Centre, Dublin includes a lovely story about each child featured.

Not only do they make a great gift and promise to organise your life simply by hanging in your kitchen (I'm clinging to that hope anyway), but they will bring sparkle, joy and a set of beautiful role models into your lives.

Proceeds go to charity of course. You can purchase both calendars via the weblinks links above.

I wonder if the Makaton Charity will be bringing out an interactive advent calendar again this year. That was such fun too!

Natty is a Face of Kinder '13 Finalist!

thank you!

thank you!

thank you!

to everyone who voted for our little role model to be the Face of Kinder Chocolate.

23,000 children entered the competition and Natty has been anounced as 1 of 50 finalists!

So you may see her face on your packet of chocolate yet, another step for ad inclusion, and a cry from the rooftops that Down's Syndrome is beautiful.

The winners will now be chosen based on a memorable moment question. 

I wrote that mine was the first time Natty held my face in her hands and said 

"Mummy, you happy me", her own way of saying "I love you" to begin with.

Behind the Scenes at our Models Photoshoot

Here's what happened when we gathered a group of young models with Down's Syndrome together

Many of you know that Natty, our 6 year old daughter is one of the UK's first little models in the UK with Down's Syndrome.

Natty poses on the steps of the Normansfield Theatre

Exactly a year ago national press stories focussed on what was then ground-breaking stuff, a rarity, a surprise. Natty and Seb, who was taken on by M&S, featured in nearly every magazine and paper in the land.

Natty and Seb meet for the first time

I wrote a lot about our pioneers and others in the USA doing the same. And then I began wondering how many more children with disabilities working as models. Sadly I could find no child with any disability other than Down's Syndrome doing such work, a sign perhaps that our children are still viewed as cute.  We have a way to go on this path.

Thumbs up for #adinclusion

I figured if we could get all these children together for a photoshoot we could show the world how far we had come in a year, that the floodgates were now open, and in the same stroke we would encourage even more companies to follow suit. And what better way to celebrate the forthcoming World Downs Syndrome Day on 21st March, a day we will mark by wearing lots of mismatched socks.

Harvey, Natty and Thea show of the socks Penny Green bought them

A wonderful journalist called Kate Thompson offered to help with the challenge, and we were off, on an exciting mission. Everyone agreed to meet, coming from all over the country and Kate tried to find a studio to accomodate us. Then the lovely people at the Down's Syndrome Association offered to host us all, and allow us to take photos in the stunningly beautiful theatre that John Langdon Down had created for those he cared for to act in.

The Langdon Down family tree in the museum

It was a hugely emotional day, standing in the places that many had passed through, some in much less happy times than others, as Normansfield became an institution later on. One could almost feel their presence, odd to say but true. I became quite tearful, as did a few other parents and DSA staff. Also so many movers and shakers in one room is quite a rarity.

Some of the Mums and models in the Normansfield theatre

Watching our children run and giggle and pose and hug and make friendships and scoff tasty treats, the world so much more their oyster than ever before in history. 

Natty and Seb enjoy crisps and a cuddle while Rosie's Dad Tom takes a picture

Of course getting 8 children to pose in one group was a little like getting 8 peas to balance on a swaying twig... 

Kostas, Seb, Poppy, Thea and little Rosie

But we got there in the end :)

Kostas, Seb, Rosie, Poppy, Thea, Harvey, Natty and Jack

Read our story as it appeared in The Sun newspaper with the finished results.

Who knows, maybe next year we'll be seeing stories about children with other disabilities modelling, or better still, it just won't be news anymore...

Natty, model with Down's Syndrome in new catalogue

Natty features in the Frugi Organic Clothing catalogue for the second season, SS13. 

I do believe they are the first company to use a model with a disability more than once in their campaigns. So hats off to them.

Here are a few of the best pictures from the photoshoot, which I think really manages to capture her personality and essence this time around.

I hope you like them. Natty had fun as you can see but of course she is a true ambassador, gently changing perceptions of that extra little chromosome from within hearts everywhere she goes.

To see more candid pictures and find out what happens at a photoshoot, read BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE FRUGI PHOTOSHOOT here.

To read about the other children breaking down the barriers to make advertising more inclusive, read PIONEERS WITH DOWNS SYNDROME here.

To dee more pictures and read about Natty's other jobs visit our NATTY G: MODEL WITH DOWN'S SYNDROME PAGE.