Down Syndrome Sligo

Lovely photo of many of our members - do you know someone else who would like to join? Spread the word for Jamie at Sligo Rovers F.C.

The Rovers Down syndrome Futsal team continued their training last night at Summerhill College ahead of an upcoming blitz. If you know someone interested in joining the team email [email protected]

Thanks for featuring our new book/library clubs! Speech and Language Therapy North West. Great to hear about the sensory resource library available in Sligo County Library. It is very helpful for families to be able try out sensory and educational resources before having to buy them. A letter from a health professional is required and teachers/SNAs/healthcare staff etc can also access it, have a look here: https://sligolibrary.ie/sense-ability-catalogue/

Lovely!

This amazing service has been sending out beautiful gift baskets to new babies born with Down syndrome, please support them and spread the word. If you know of a new baby who has Down syndrome please tell them about us and get in touch with the The Perfect Gift. There is a lot of love and support out there but it can be difficult for a new mammy or daddy to find it in the haze of those early days. https://www.idonate.ie/perfectgiftDS 😍

31 baskets went out this morning ! We have almost caught up on the backlog ! 💙💛💙 The biggest thanks to Laura Horan & baby Maria for coming to help me from Leitrim 🥰 It was a long days work but so glad to be back on top of things again ! Loving the news of two more new babies born this week ❤️❤️❤️

Calling all local employers or any hiring manager - please spread the word Sligo Hub , Sligo County Library, The Sligo Champion, The Model Sligo, Sligo BID, The Beach Hotel Sligo Rovers F.C. Sligo Credit Union Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Sligo Ocean FM Ireland Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership Update: Emma's visit has been postponed until early June so please get in touch before then if interested.

Emma Foran, Employment Officer with Down Syndrome Ireland will be in Sligo next Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd of May. She is working to develop links with local employers for the benefit of our adult members who are seeking part time employment. If you have any leads, or can make an introduction to any business owner/hiring manager, please contact her on 0861992546/ [email protected].

Many of our adult members are working very successfully in hotels, restaurants, shops etc. mostly doing 1-3 short shifts per week. Here is a pic of employee Killian from The Beach Hotel who did some seasonal work there last summer.

A big thank you to our own volunteers this National Volunteering week. Volunteer parents and guardians run our committee and support our Coordinator Ríona in running our activities and events. Every community group and charity in the country depends on volunteers like them. So keep going, we'd all be lost without you!

Less than 100 tickets still available for this FREE event
on Friday May 24th starting at 7pm in Summerhill College, Caltragh, Sligo, F91 D5YF.
The aim of the evening is to give people hope. It is for the young people of Sligo and beyond, whether they are involved in sport or not, whether they find themselves with mental health issues or not. It is for the parents too – anyone who thinks it might be useful to their situation is more than welcome to come along.
Red Óg Murphy died by su***de in April 2022 at the age of 21-years-old. He was a Sligo GAA star, studying at DCU and showed no signs he was in distress. He was a footballer, a son, a student teacher and plenty more besides. Since his death, it has been important to the Murphy family that mental health becomes a more widespread topic of conversation, particularly among young people. His parents want to raise awareness about the importance of reaching out for support.

A great service to tell people about.

𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞: Phone Mary on 086 0838075

Special schools in crisis: Investigation reveals hundreds of children without places as demand for spots soars Hundreds of children are being left without places in special schools which are experiencing the “worst” demand for places ahead of the next academic year.

Emma Foran, Employment Officer with Down Syndrome Ireland will be in Sligo next Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd of May. She is working to develop links with local employers for the benefit of our adult members who are seeking part time employment. If you have any leads, or can make an introduction to any business owner/hiring manager, please contact her on 0861992546/ [email protected].

Many of our adult members are working very successfully in hotels, restaurants, shops etc. mostly doing 1-3 short shifts per week. Here is a pic of employee Killian from The Beach Hotel who did some seasonal work there last summer.

We are looking for a 1:1 English tutor for one of our members, can you help?

The ideal tutor would be experienced in both teaching English and/or interacting with people with an intellectual disability. The class could happen in our member's home in Calry or in a public place/cafe/community space, on a Monday or Tuesday between 3-6pm preferably, for 1-2 hours. Payment would be agreed in advance with her parents.

This member is a very pleasant woman in her early 20s who already attends a weekly ETB English class, a day centre and various activities so this would supplement those.

If you are interested, please get in touch with our Coordinator Ríona on 086-4409596. And help us spread the word by sharing this post. Thanks all!

We were recipients of this grant last year and the Credit Union staff were so pleasant and easy to deal with. Any relevant community group /non-profit should consider applying!

🙌 Don't forget, applications for our Community Fund are open until the 17th of May! Apply for funding for your organisation today. See www.sligocu.ie/community-fund.

Looks great!

**Our Tribe Summer Camp**
🌟 7-10year olds
🗓️ July 2nd-4th
⏰ 10am-1pm
📍 Pebbles Occupational Therapy, Strandhill
Cost : €150 A deposit of €30 to secure your place

This camp will be a small group of children led by their similar interests and experiences. Our goal is to provide an enjoyable camp experience for everyone, including those with higher support needs, who may have less access to summer camp experiences. We will create an environment for everyone to have fun this summer.

To secure your place email Gemma [email protected]

It's almost Bike Week! Inclusive Cycle Right Taster sessions also available throughout next week for 7-17 year olds, contact Shane Hayes on 0861526673 if you haven't booked yet.

Digital Skills Classes with MSLETB

Sligo Central Library

Thursday 2nd of May

Two sessions: 10am OR 11am

Four-parts over four Thursdays.

Basic class in Smart phone and website access

Phone 0719111675 or email [email protected] to book your place.

Sligo Family Resource Centre

Loads of summer camps here! Get booking!

Summer Camp Brochure 2024 Explore multi activity camps in our brochure.

Delighted to have worked with Sligo County Library to get this going, with the support of colleagues in Down Syndrome Ireland. The Tubbercurry club has been running a few months and it is great to have a Sligo town club starting soon! Thanks to the library staff involved.

A final thank you to all who supported the sea dippers who raised a whopping €11,539 throughout March for us. We were truly overwhelmed by the amount raised and the commitment of these women who braved the icy water daily, sometimes multiple times a day!

Take a bow Ellen Curran, our chairperson Nikki Curran, our Coordinator Riona Rochford, parents Michelle O Rourke and Claire Kelly and good friend Theresa King (missing from the photo).

The funds raised will fund various inclusive sports and social activities for our members over the months ahead.

A huge thank you to the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Sligo who donated €2500 to our branch today. Some of our families went along for coffee and a chat and to say thanks in person.

They also sponsor many of our training days and information events throughout the year, as well as employing three of our adults members. We really appreciate it, cheers to all the team there!

Member Ruaidhri here at the Sligo Rovers F.C. game last Friday, he had a ball being mascot. Fair play to you Ruaidhri!

It’s collection day for Special Olympics Ireland an organisation many of our members are part of. Please support them and well done to all the volunteers.

Collections are active up and down the country - all to help us transform more lives through sport! You can also donate online at https://www.specialolympics.ie/donate-to-the-special-olympics-collection-day-appeal

Our Coordinator Ríona and one of our member’s parents Ann were delighted to collect this donation today from the LCA class in Ballinode. Their cake sale raised €300 & they baked all the goods themselves. Thanks so much to the LCA class & everyone in Ballinode CC. It was great to talk with you about our group & some practical ways we can all be more inclusive.

LCA students presented the money raised from a recent Easter Cake Sale to Down Syndrome Sligo. Well done to all involved. Down Syndrome Sligo

Kids Connect Kids Connect Sligo Ireland, run by Anita Loftus these bespoke children's activities are suitable for

This Thursday evening! All Abilities Ireland also offer other online social and artistic clubs, some free, some with a fee. Worth checking out.

Just a heads up!! Our fortnightly online Social Clubs are continuing on as normal until the end of May. They run for 2 different age groups, please see poster. The next ones are Thursday evening the 18th of April. We will then be having a little break for summer :)
To register, please click on the link below ->
https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/all-abilities-ireland-32607392089

Arts & Disability Ireland
Asiam.ie
Autism Awareness Ireland Admin
Ballymun Child & Family Resource Centre
Be Well Bray
Little Bray Family Resource And Development Centre Ltd
Carers Ireland
Childhood Development Initiative
Cobh Youth Services
Community Cork

About 40% of the adolescents and adults with Down syndrome we have seen at our clinic have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Because many of the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism are common in people with Down syndrome even when they do not have hypothyroidism, just watching for symptoms is a difficult way to assess thyroid function in people with Down syndrome. For this reason, regular thyroid testing is recommended. Learn more in our *recently updated* article on hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism: https://adscresources.advocatehealth.com/resources/hypothyroidism/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=thyroid&utm_term=post&utm_content=2024-04-11

Down Syndrome Ireland Down Syndrome Ireland offers support and services to people with Down syndrome and their families throughout Ireland.