Independent Support Brokerage - Two day Introduction Course

People with Disability is offering a substantial course on Independent Support Brokerage:

27 April–28 April 2011
9:30am–4:30pm

Cost: $250

Venue: Offices of Gilbert & Tobin, Level 37, 2 Park Street, Sydney

Stronger Together 2 has made a commitment to person-centred approaches, with people with disability given the option to use individualised funding to control the supports they receive. This policy recognises the role that Support Brokers will play in assisting people with disability, and their families and carers, to manage these individualised supports.

Join international experts Alison Short and Steve Dowson for this two-day course, as they provide you with a clear explanation of the international history of individualised funding, its principles and benefits, and the role of the support broker.

Places are limited so you will need to register quickly. For more information, visit the PWD website Alternatively, phone PWD on 02 9370 3100 or Toll Free: 1800 422 015.


For more information/registration: click here to download the flyer and registration form (Word 268kb)

Enquiries: Emmie emmieh@pwd.org.au

Scrapheap Adventure: the video!

When too much Scrapheap Adventure is never enough ..... relive it on You Tube:

Scrapheap Adventure 2010: Trail Bikes Adventure Magazine article, Part 1

Will publicity like this just encourage them?

We sure hope so!

Scrapheap Adventure 2011 is already on the drawing board ....

Trail Bikes Adventure Magazine has published Part 1 of a two part article about chief Scrapheap Adventurer, Perry Gilsenan, the scrapheap bikes, and the event he organised to benefit Down Syndrome NSW last month - raising more than $20,000.

Click here to read Part 1, and to see the pictures up close.

The Big Scrapheap Adventure Report

17 riders made it to Wanaaring by Easter Saturday for the inaugural Scrapheap Adventure Ride 2010. Most successfully rode their ‘Scrapheaps’ (bikes which cost them less than $1000, but countless hours of searching for parts, assembly and reassembly, tinkering and more tinkering – true labours of love and perseverance). Accompanied by support crews of family and friends, around 30 people in all descended on this remote outpost, raising the town’s population (136 at last census) for the night by around 20% (that's the equivalent of just over a million extra people visiting Sydney on one day!).

Main Street, Wanaaring

Camping out at Wanaaring Pub

They came from all directions. Trevor rode down from Townsville (over 1500km). David L and Julian rode up from Melbourne. David P discovered the joys of ‘slow touring’, riding up from Sydney on a recently purchased 1980 Yamaha XT250, the same age as Down Syndrome NSW - a fitting tribute for our 30th anniversary year.

Breakfast, Wanaaring Pub, Easter Sunday morning

Alf rode in on his beloved ‘Voodoo Child’ (definitely no ‘chook chaser’) purchased from Glen Innes motorcycles in 1992, accompanied by Ned on the ‘ruggedly handsome’ Damien. Joe made it up from Vacy (over 900km) on his 1985 BMW, but left the ‘scare chair’ at home (to the relief of many).

Traffic - Bourke to Wanaaring Road

12 year old Liam rode the farm trails on his Honda XL with the support of his pop Graham - the only thing he smashed was his initial fundraising target of $100. Liam will have a few good yarns to tell back at school.

Graham and Liam

Andy and Team CT rode up from Cowra and got the whole town (including the Mayor) behind them. Meanwhile Matty drove more than 1200km from Port Lincoln in South Australia to lend his support, enthusiasm and good humour.

Floodwaters between Bourke and Wanaaring

A few were stymied by the motorcycling gods, and despite best endeavours ended up having to leave their scrapheaps at home and ride their more ‘sophisticated’ machines. They nevertheless made a mammoth effort, and they were very welcome at the Wanaaring Hotel.

Trevor, Bill and David, Wanaaring Pub

A number of adventurers took the ‘scenic route’, going the long way round via White Cliffs. Others like DS NSW member Rod braved the flood waters and took the direct route (a mere 950 km from Sydney) on his newly acquired ‘postie’, with his wonderful support crew, Fiona and Cassie, and made many new friends (and sponsors) along the way. The Kelly family have raised around $7500 to date, an amazing effort. (Read about their Adventure here).

It was not the motorcycling gods but the extravagance of Huey that almost stopped Down Syndrome NSW CEO, Steve Clarke and his family. They also took the direct route (by 2-wheel drive), and got to within 5 miles of the Wanaaring Hotel just before nightfall before seeing the dirt track in front of them disappear into a miniature lake. With no mobile coverage and not a single other vehicle sighted in the 3 hour drive along the 200km stretch from Bourke it looked like it was going to be a long night.

The Paroo River in flood at Wanaaring

Then after about 10 minutes, a distant rumbling of an engine could be heard, followed a short time later by local Susie in her 4 wheel drive. Susie’s vehicle was already packed but she kindly gave our stranded CEO a few extra bottles of water and promised to get an SOS to the Scrapheapers already assembled at the Pub, before driving on through the lake. Within about 20 minutes, Rod appeared on the other side of the floodwaters and led Steve out of the wilderness, around the flood waters on an unmarked detour.

Meanwhile, at the Wanaaring Hotel celebrations had long been underway. It seemed the whole town (note pop. above) had gathered to mingle and swap tales with the Adventurers. The hospitality of publicans Moc and Sheree was enjoyed by all. They had kindly donated some mouth-watering local produce to raffle and auction off. Bidding was fierce for the sumptuous hamper of local port, honey and other treats but congratulations go to Michael of Startrack Express (and brother-in-law of aforementioned Susie) for making the generous winning bid of $200. The next day is was universally agreed by locals and visitors alike to have been ‘a big night’.

Perry (Pezz), Rod, Joe and Steve ... at the Wanaaring Pub

All proceeds of course go to Down Syndrome NSW for support, services and programs for people with Down syndrome and their families. Congratulations and thanks to all our Adventurers and their crews who have now raised close to $20,000, and a huge thank you of course to DS NSW member Pezz, father of the beautiful Gracie, for turning what seemed like a crazy idea at the time (and still does to most of us) into a reality!

To congratulate our Adventurers and help them hit their collective target of $20,000 go to http://www.scrapheapadventure.com.au

A much more concise report from Alf on Voodoo Child…

‘The Dark Train rolled into Wanaaring in perfect tune, no dirt road, bulldust, *** or high water was going to stop us. We may not have raised the most money, but for a couple of country boys we were pretty sharp. The only road bikes amongst a convoy of chook chasers, we flew the scrapheap flag with pride and our arrival back home was so much sweeter........."THANK YOU" to all of our sponsors, everyone who helped in some way, and all of our well wishers, we done youse all proud!’ Alf (Congratulations Alf for raising over $1000 to date, pretty sharp indeed.)

Heading home ......

What an Adventure!

The Scrapheap Adventurers did it - they got to Wanaaring on Easter Saturday

The road was long, a bit wet and muddy here and there, and even closed in some places, but the intrepid Scrapheap Adventurers pushed on, and made it to Wanaaring, undeterred by floods and distance, 200 km past Bourke on Easter Saturday - and they had a ball!

Rod Kelly did 1,155 km on his reconstructed postie bike, and is the first in with photos:

Team Kelly (Rod, Cassie and Fiona) all packed up and ready to roll .....

Are you lookin' at me? Flat out burning up the road at 80 km/hr

The Outback Hilton .....

...came with all mod cons. Was Rod looking for Steve on an online GPS?

Well and truly in the Outback now.

Long straight road, big, big sky ......

A slight obstacle!

Made it!

And look who else was in outback NSW this Easter!

Rod is within a whisker of reaching his very ambitious fund-raising target of $7,500 - any takers? HIs own blog, a few more photos, and fund-raising page is here.

The inaugural Scrapheap Adventure has been a wonderful, fun, hard working way to raise awareness and funds for the work of Down Syndrome NSW with people with Down syndrome and their families - we thank Perry Gilsenan who dreamed it up, every rider, support team member, every donor, everyone who welcomed the adventurers along the way, the people of Wanaaring and far western NSW.

You can still support this wonderful adventure via the riders' fundraising pages:

www.scrapheapadventure.com.au

Scrapheap Adventure 2010 - the T shirt!

Next weekend, the inaugural Scrapheap Adventure will make its mark on the NSW calendar.
Scrapheap Adventure Ride Touring Shirts now on sale - great mementos of this unique event. Click here to purchase your shirt.

www.scrapheapadventure.com.au

Dural dad takes on the Scrapheap Challenge

Go the Kelly family! The Hills Shire Times tells the story .....

The Kelly family of Dural will be spending Easter on a big red dirt road heading west of Bourke.

For 14-year-old Cassie and her mum Fiona it will be a fairly comfortable ride in the Landcruiser while Cassie’s dad Rod will doing it tough on an old postie’s bike.

Read on for more, and a picture of the bike.

• Sponsor Rod Kelly here.
• More information on the event, other participants, and registrations - click here
  

World Down Syndrome Day: what's on, where and when

Celebrating the lives of people with Down syndrome all over the world.

More World Down Syndrome Day events around NSW


Vintage by the Sea - Shabby Chic Market
Sunday 21st March, Cronulla, 9am – 4pm
Cronulla Masonic Hall
43 The Kingsway, Cronulla
Inquiries: Robyn 0425 243 520

Penrith - World Down Syndrome Day Afternoon Tea 4 '321'
Sunday 21st March, 2pm
Church of Christ, 156 Stafford St, Penrith
All welcome – but please rsvp for catering (call Siena on 042 5207 916)

Narrabri: World DS Day Lakeside Picnic and Games

Cheer on ‘TEAM MOG’ in the Tuff Truck Challenge 2010
27th - 29th March: Hunter Valley
Attempting a top ten finish, raising funds for Down syndrome
nr Milbrodale in the Hunter Valley
Support Team Mog by clicking here or go to www.tufftruck.com.au for details of how to attend .

2nd - 4th April: Wanaaring
An adventurous outback World Down Syndrome Day event…
Cheer our 'Scrapheap Adventurers' as struggle to get to Wanaaring (200km back of Bourke) before the Easter bunny on their machines resurrected from the scrapheap.
Follow their journeys on ther blogs and give them your support at the Scrapheap website www.scrapheapadventure.com.au
Bike or no bike... everyone's welcome at the Wanaaring Pub on Saturday 3rd of April to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day in unique style...

Sunday 18th April: Five Dock
World Down Syndrome Day Morning Tea 4 '321'
All Hallows Catholic Church
Halley St Five dock
After the 10am Mass (approx 11am)
Special Guest: The Mayor, Angelo Tsirekas

Scrapheap Adventure 2010 registrations now open

You can register now for the 2010 Scrapheap Adventure via the link here.


And if the Scrapheap Adventure concept has captured your interest, you can follow this discussion thread for some inside information.

Scrapheap Adventure: Easter 2010

Do these images appeal to you and your sense of adventure?

Would you like to combine a love of motorbikes and the outback?

Then the 2010 Scrapheap Adventure is for you!

Raising money for Down Syndrome NSW

Ride to: Wanaaring - 200k’s west of Bourke, NSW

When: Easter Saturday - April 3, 2010

Rules:

• Have to buy a Bike for less than $1000
• Can be any road registered motorcycle
• You are allowed to spend additional sums on the bike to make it roadworthy, all machines participating must be registered

It costs $100.00 to enter paid directly to DS NSW.You can raise additional funds through sponsorship of your ride - pay cents per km

Award/trophy voted by the attendees for:

• Best bike
• Longest distance
• Hard Luck award

It will be good to see what weird bikes will turn up! From 1970’s 4’s to Old 2 stroke trailies - even postie bikes are allowed.

• Detailed flyer and online registration will be available shortly.