PAMIS to lead PMLD Awareness Day
Published On Fri 13 May 2016 by Grant Hill
University of Dundee-based charity PAMIS will next week host their second Profound and Multiple Learning Disability (PMLD) Awareness Day.
Events will take place across Scotland as part of the programme, which aims to raise awareness of both the difficulties that people with profound and multiple learning difficulties and their families face and also the ways they can be helped to be more active and valued members of society.
PMLD Awareness Day is a being held on Monday, 16th May 2016 and will see the activities that people with PMLD can take part in such as adaptive skiing, yoga, craft, wheelchair ice skating, music therapy, swimming and adaptive cycling celebrated. It takes place during Learning Disability Week and PAMIS are inviting people across the country to join in and hold an event to help raise awareness of and champion PMLD.
PAMIS will hold a mass tweet on PMLD Awareness Day between 11am and 12pm using the hashtag #spotlightonpmld while people can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/pamis or by texting PMLD16, followed by the amount they wish to give, to 70070
“People with PMLD are very special people with distinctive needs,” said PAMIS Chief Executive Jenny Miller. “They are often excluded from community activities that the rest of us take for granted. With enthusiasm, commitment, some imagination and a 'can-do' approach, people with profound and complex disabilities can be included in leisure and cultural activities.
“It is hoped that by raising awareness in the community of the activities in which people with PMLD can participate, many of the barriers they face will be removed helping them to achieve their rightful place in society.”
More information about all the events taking place as part of PMLD Awareness Day please see www.pamis.org.uk/.
Notes to editors:
PAMIS is the only organisation in Scotland that works solely with people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. They provide a range of services and projects including; Family Support Service, Information & Library service and campaigns for equity in services for people with profound and complex disabilities.
People with PMLD and their families face many barriers to accessing and participating in the community, and PAMIS works on a number of fronts to enable inclusion and improve their quality of life.
The organisation’s priority is to provide support to family carers, carried out by five dedicated Family Support Services, which cover 14 local authority areas. Additional intensive support is also provided to family carers through the difficult and often stressful period of transition from child to adult services.
PAMIS has worked closely with the Scottish Government on the development of policy and practice. This work includes representation on government committees, responding to consultation exercises, and campaigning on key issues.
The organisation was highly commended in the ‘Cracking Campaign’ category of the 2015 Scottish Charity Awards for its Changing Places, Changing Lives initiative. The campaign aims to ensure there is at least one public toilet built to the Changing Places standard in every town centre with a population greater than 15,000 and within each new public building such as shopping centres, concert halls, railway stations etc.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384768
Mobile: 07854 953277
Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk