Principle Sponsor launch for Disability Awareness Day 2019

Last Friday the Mayor of Warrington, Councillor Karen Mundry, hosted an event at the Town Hall for Warrington Disability Partnership for their official announcement of their sponsors for this year's Disability Awareness Day.

Dave Thompson MBE DL, Co-founder and Chief Executive at WDP announced that Warrington based Harry Fairclough Construction and Leigh based Expanse Learning Group are the joint principle sponsors for this year’s event.

Disability Awareness Day (DAD) is the world's largest 'not for profit' voluntary-led disability exhibition, held annually in a huge tented village within the grounds of Walton Hall Gardens in Warrington, this year’s 28th anniversary event is taking place on Sunday, July 14th. There’s something for the whole family to enjoy at the event with attractions such as the tented village housing approximately 250 exhibitors, live entertainment and a fully accessible sports zone and arts marquee.

“It's a free event but without the sponsors it wouldn’t take place, the sponsorship it vital to us” John Gartside, OBE JP DL, Chair of WDP’s board of trustees.

The first principle sponsor of DAD, Harry Fairclough Construction, delivers build and civil engineering projects across the north of England with a 120 year heritage based on their founder, Harry Fairclough.

The Chairman of Harry Fairclough Construction, Martin Budden said “Listening to Dave, it’s about a can do attitude, an opportunity to allow people to reach their potential and when you look at it from that perspective, why wouldn’t you want to be involved in the event”.

The second principle sponsor of DAD, Expanse Learning, are a leading provider of Education, Health & Social Care and professional skills development across the Northwest and have recently teamed up with WDP with a supported internships programme for young disabled people located at the Beaufort Street site.

Tony Brown, CEO at Expanse Learning said at the launch “Last year it was absolutely amazing to see the passion of people talking about what DAD is all about” he then continued to say, “It’s something that we’re really pleased to be involved in”.

“Without their support Disability Awareness Day just couldn’t take place. We feel honored and humbled that DAD continues to receive the support from all of our sponsors, and the exhibitors and thousands of visitors each year”. Dave Thompson, MBE DL, Co-founder and Chief Executive at WDP said.

Karen Mundry, Mayor of Warrington, who had chosen WDP as one of her charities this year said “the DAD day is fantastic” She then continued to say “It's not just in Warrington, that’s where it started but it’s all over the world in ten countries and its brilliant that it started here in Warrington”

Published: 11/04/2019