MEET THE TEAM
Partner Organisations
As our links with both the theatre/arts and disability awareness/patient communities grow, we find our ideals and ambitions sometimes align with some brilliant organisations within the city of Plymouth and surrounding areas.
Sometimes we form a special kind of bond with the founders and creatives within them, and this relationship builds into a kind of informal, mutually beneficial partnership; where we all agree to support and enhance the offerings of the partnership organisations, often teaming up to attend events or festivals, or adding additional dimensions to each other's work in schools, hospices and the wider community.
The organisations on this page have become a part of our extended creative family, and we include them here with an invitation for you to jump over to their own Facebook pages and websites to decide for yourself if you'd like to support them too! :)
Campaign For Disability Awareness Lessons
Founder: Sharon Tiday
Campaign For Disability Awareness was founded by Sharon Tiday, who believed that disability awareness needs to be part of society to educate the next generations for a better future for all.
With children of her own who have a variety of disabilities and illnesses, Sharon is dedicated to raising awareness for this cause and is keen to support other organisations with similar aims.
The Campaign raises awareness through social media, workshops and public events, through their interactive 'awareness challenge' stall, that both educates and entertains, to give the public a real insight into the world of disabilities.
By using a wide variety of disability aids to complete cognitive and physical challenges, participants of all ages are able to gain a practical understanding of some of the daily challenges faced by those with disabilities.
This work has allowed CFDA to work with a great range of people from Plymouth, including the Diversity Police, numerous schools, and Dartmoor Zoo among many others.
CFDA continues to build upon its reputation as an authentic source for disability awareness lessons, and has received some great media responses to its work so far.
CFDA will continue to work tirelessly to raise awareness for those with physical disabilities and invisible/chronic illnesses and develop unique ways to carry their message further too.
How we work with CFDA...
Our first major project working in partnership with CFDA was the launch of what we hope will become an annual event in Plymouth City Centre - M.E Awareness Day.
International M.E Awareness Day is gathering momentum on a global scale as the internet opens up communication between patients and researchers affected by this multi-systemic nuero-immune condition that affects around 17 million people worldwide.
We felt very strongly that Plymouth should be a part of this movement to drive forward the much needed biomedical research for a treatment of the disease, and to demonstrate to those in Plymouth suffering in silence that they are not alone, and that there are organisations in Plymouth who are here to support them.
Together with CFDA, we created this short film that played throughout May on the BBC Big Screen in Plymouth City Centre.
We also chose ME Day as the launch date for our new project 'Ephelant!' and introduced the unsuspecting public to our lovable giant - a metaphorical elephant who got his letters in a muddle!
Click here for more info on this project for children with chronic illnesses.
Sharon's awesome three children - Shannon, who has M.E (just like our creative director Clare), mirror twin sister Stacey and their big brother Jack, who has Autism, are all huge fans of puppets and were our first ever 'Puppeteenies' - taking part in lots of activities with us and our puppet friends, such as workshops and making films, these three inspired us to create the Puppeteenies programme so that more young puppeteers could join in the fun!