A HAPPY Thoughts Walk, Bhangra dancing and wandering minstrels were just some of the highlights of a special day out in Stratford organised by a local disability charity.
Some 50 people turned out for the bumper-packed day organised by South Warwickshire based charity ILEAP – the very first of its kind since the pandemic.
The action began at the Bancroft Gardens where it was walking shoes on for a leisurely stroll and a chance to exchange happy memories as part of a “Happy Thoughts Walk”.
Next stop was The Old Tramway Pub where a BBQ had been laid on, followed by Indian Drumming and Bhangra Dancing provided by In2Cultures.
And The Wandering Minstrels dropped in – a group of local buskers who brought along lots of instruments for the ILEAP members to try out.
ILEAP CEO, Pete Bazeley said: “The increased social isolation created by the Covid lockdowns led to us providing an online service. Now that it is safer for us to socialise in person again, I wanted to start it off with a bang. Thank you to everyone who has made this day possible”.
ILEAP was established in 2000 to try and level the playing field so that disabled young people could enjoy the same leisure opportunities as their non-disabled peers. Now, over 200 families have registered a loved one so that they can benefit from some of the 10,000 plus, opportunities provided each year.
Mr Bazeley continued: “We were fortunate last year to get a grant from Stratford Town Trust for a Volunteer Project Co-ordinator and now we also have a Children’s Project Co-ordinator. This combined with our dedicated trustees will mean its game, set and match for our existing and future members, so it’s a perfect time to join ILEAP and join the fun”.
Anyone wishing to join ILEAP can visit www.ileap.co.uk
