Why I'm Going to Britmums Live

This will be my fourth Britmums Live, the largest blogging event in my calendar. It's a combination of workshops, awards and speeches, a chance to meet brands if you wish, to learn to chat, to indulge in a sneaky Prosecco or two.  I always come home with a new spin on blogging, I learn tips and tricks, and most importantly it is a chance to mix, network and make true friendships with like-minded writers.

Hayley from Downs Side Up at BritmumsLive 2012

Each year is different, I think because we progress along our blogging journey and we therefore go with different expectations and ideas, confidences and questions. In the beginning I had no idea where my blog was going. I wrote voraciously and, if the truth be known, it was a very cathartic, healing experience for me. I cried many tears into my keyboard as I wrote late into the night. 

#TeamT21 November Linky

Thank you all for joining in the monthly #TeamT21 blog linky and for taking part in the Facebook page of the same name.

 We are a team to be proud of indeed!

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.downssideup.com" title="Downs Side Up"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjax3iHsx6pWvQ67hGe3QaCoyjwoqtfbeFdPH-Z01FOFX0Mh0Vt7DBegFXgDcszxn1EfrV547HffZ8-sjAefs1m36AMAFh96NuW1SHgcT4N-NwdU3E386t5iXbI4NnMnXKBap0YXunZoU_e/s1600/TeamT21.jpg" alt="Downs Side Up" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Grab your blog badge code above to show you are a part of this amazing group. 
#TeamT21 was coined by Tom Bachofner at The Futures Rosie and the 
Facebook page is run by Alice Hassell from My Son My Life My Way.

What an amazing mix of blogs by people with Down's syndrome, parents, teachers and siblings we have seen added to the list and what a treat it is to sit down with a cuppa and spend time visiting and reading around these wonderful sites. Testimony to the power of our words indeed!
My latest favourite discovery is Beth Blogs! by Ginger Warrior's niece. Beth is a teen with DS and blogs about her fabulous life, this time her dedication to dance.

#TeamT21 Down Syndrome Awareness Month Linky #DSAM2014

Add your Down syndrome blog posts for #DSAM2014 

Welcome to the October Team T21 Linky dear Down syndrome bloggers. 
What a wonderful month it has been for our team, with positive media articles left right and centre,

#TeamT21 Linky

It's Friday folks!

Time to dust off an old blog post you'd like to reach a few more readers, or show us a new shining nugget of your writing. 

Team T21 Link Up

The overriding message of the incredible Britmums Live '14 was, for me, collaboration, sharing and working together to enhance our message and make it more powerful. 

With that in mind I am launching the first regular Link Up 4 Down's linky, to run each Friday here on Downs Side Up.

Leckey Changes Children's Lives: Upsee

   Miraculous!

Life-changing!

A visionary!

These are words that trip too often from the tongues of enthusiastic journalist, bloggers, anyone with an uplifting tale to tell, but rarely are they so thoroughly deserved.

Inventor Debby meets an enthusiastic user of the Upsee by Firefly

Last week I had the enormous privilege to meet and witness a handful of true visionaries whose inventions are quite simply creating a miraculous life-change for disabled children and their families.

Downs Side Up meet The Futures Rosie

I could write for hours about what happened when the two divas met for the second time... but I'll let the pictures speak the words. I bring you Natty and Rosie:

Read The Futures Rosie blog here. 

How Britmums Live and the BiBs changed my life

Friday sees the start of a 2 day event that has me nervous and excited and as keen as mustard: yep, that's right It's Britmums Live!

A time to learn, network, make new friends and, if last year was anything to go by, cry. A lot.

I've done a little video of what the 'blogging oscars' meant to me last year, and how it changed my life in small but important ways.

Please come and say hi and forgive me for being useless with names!

You might also like to read Britmums Live: Come and Say Hi

and about what Downs Side Up has been up to this year,

from Westminster to No.10 in Shortlisted in 

Brilliance in Blogging Awards: Our Year

Let's Pull Together and celebrate our children

"When a light shines brightly, shadows appear darker, they come out fighting. We must keep shining bright and drown them out."

Please join us to write, and write with integrity, to show the world how this man has upset us and just how incredible our children are. That we wouldn't change them for the world.

It's been a fraut, emotional and upsetting week.
The comments of an all-too local Councillor have been impossible to ignore.
And finally John Pring from Disability News Service gave Collin Brewer enough rope to metaphorically hang himself from. Please do not read the article if you are easily upset.

I have started at least 4 posts on the subject, each deleted and scrapped for one reason or another. I feel that Brewer, and a small minority of others like him are nothing but trolls, albeit trolls in the public eye with a microphone in their paws. And my motto is always to starve trolls of oxygen, not fuel their craving for publicity at any cost. If we stoop to their level they have won.

But this man we cannot ignore, we cannot allow him to remain in power (however minor that power might be).

Many have written succinctly over the weekend about Brewer's latest interview, including journalists far more qualified than I. I felt it futile to write another post about his comments and how they echo of Nazi propaganda. I found it hard to write without anger and hurt in my voice. There had to be a gentle effective Downs Side Up way...

So I spent the last few days writing to as many human rights and disability campaigners as I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

Their replies have been heartwarming and calming and I now feel ready to act in my own way against this monster. The positive slant I have chosen to emply doesn't detract from my anger. But there are many ways of skinning a cat so to speak.

1) Sadly complaining to the Council and signing ePetitions are not going to work as no-one appears to have the power to sack Brewer. I have accepted this and will now work in a legal direction. I have asked national disability groups to take this up for us. We have some very high profile people on board. A multi party group of local councillors have written their concern.

2) We must bear in mind that the majority of people are good, loving and accepting of difference. Only a tiny minority, such as Brewer exist. Furthermore, the man is ill and may be displaying signs of mental degeneration or incapacity. It is difficult not to become disillusioned and depressed at times like this but we must focus on our amazing children.

3) We need to show the world what we all know, that individuals with disabilites contribute as fully to society as everyone else.
Let's all flood our local media outlets with wonderful, positive, inspiring stories of the achievements of those with disabilities. Get in touch with your local paper about an event, sporting or for a charity and an individual who has done something news worthy. A person's worth can never be measured in pound coins.

4) If you blog, please join our linky here. I'm calling all the amazing bloggers I know, who write with integrity and intelligence to join together. 

It might be how the Brewer affair has left you feeling, it might be be how amazing your child is. It might be a nugget of support for other parents, a poem or a religious word. Please keep all posts respectable and let's join together in a wave of support for each other, a way of showing the world that Cllr Brewer is utterly wrong. I for one don't want to come out screaming like a banshee.