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Rose launches 'Breakdown Barriers' project

Thursday, 31 October 2013

Antrim Rose Jean Daly (left), who has launched the 'Breakdown Barriers' project and Barbara Logan, an Asda Community Champion. SE4417

ANTRIM'S Rose of Tralee is encouraging primary school students across Ballyclare to get involved in a new project centred around the obstacles facing disabled people.
The Breakdown Barriers project is an exciting new initiative inviting primary school students to draw a picture, write a poem or a short story on the theme 'Breakdown Barrier: Celebrate Ability".
The scheme centres around the United Nations International Day of People with Disabilities on Tuesday, December 3. Students are asked to imagine the society they would like to see in the future, a society without barriers and which includes everyone. All pieces of work will be displayed in selected Asda stores throughout Northern Ireland. The project coordinator is Jean Daly, the 2013 Antrim Rose and the very first 'Rose' to have a physical disability. The local wheelchair basketball and tennis player used a wheelchair as a result of a spinal injury following a horse riding accident at 17.
She said: "The very reason I put myself forward for the Antrim Rose was to 'break down' perceptions and even challenge attitudes about disability." 
Jean works for The Cedar Foundation and has also selected the organisation to be her Charity of the Year as she believes their work is so important to enable disabled people to engage in society. The Cedar Foundation prides itself on providing exceptional services that support children and adults with disabilities to participant in all aspects of the community throughout Northern Ireland. The Antrim Rose added: "I am so excited that the Breakdown Barriers Project has the potential to start a conversation about disability amongst the younger members of our society. Thinking about removing barriers in such a creative way will change young people attitudes and perceptions towards people with disabilities within the community."
Any schools or individual classes who wish to register for the project must do so by Tuesday, November 12 and the final deadline for submission of any entries is Thursday, November 21. For more information on how to register please go to http://www.cedar-foundation.org/barriers.