Charity celebrates 20 years

WARRINGTON Disability Partnership celebrated their 20th anniversary with a special civic reception at Warrington Town Hall.
Founders Dave Thompson, Alan Shaw and Eric James, who all met at the Dallam Day Centre, were on hand to help launch the celebration with Mayor of Warrington Cllr Mike Biggin.
The three men who had experienced exclusion from information and other opportunities launched Warrington Disability Information Services in 1990.
They volunteered to collate data and set up an information base on local accessible shops and services. The group were then approached by Cheshire County Council to work with the group of volunteers on an information data system titled INCHES (Information in Cheshire).
During 2000 it was identified that the trustees and volunteers of four organisations (Warrington Disability Information Services, Warrington Shopmobility, Disability Sports Forum and the Committee for Disabled People) were virtually the same small group of people, added to this there was the difficulty for officers from statutory bodies to attend every meeting, and more importantly to fund every organisation.
The four groups then came together under the banner of Warriungton Disability Partnership.
During the anniversary event Dave, now Chairman of the organisation, praised their many volunteers who have helped the charity over the past 20 years, includeing Eric, who dedicated more than 10,000 volunteering hours at the market stall.

Picture shows ( L-R) Eric James, Dave Thompson, Alan Shaw with the Mayor of Warrington Cllr Mike Biggin celebrating the 20th anniversary with a special cake.