‘This is the people speaking’ - campaigner says carnival will send powerful message with flowers

Maura's spearheading the Disability Action 'Remove the Label' campaign in the city.

Young mum and recently qualified social worker, Maura McNeill, will be among hundreds of people taking part in a carnival parade from Ebrington to the Guildhall this Saturday, in what promises to be civil rights celebration for the 21st century.

Maura’s spearheading Disability Action’s ‘Remove the Label’ campaign, which is designed to send a strong message to the powers-that-be on the new Derry and Strabane District Council, that people living with disabilities need to be at the forefront of policy makers’ thinking following the full devolution and transfer of powers next April.

As part of the campaign, people throughout Londonderry and Strabane have been filling out specially commissioned postcards as well as an online survey outlining what changes they’d like to see across society in relation to disability.

Maura and officers from Disability action have also been taking part in a series of community workshops, where people have been attaching these powerful messages to flowers, which on Saturday will be presented at the seat of civic power in Londonderry.

Maura McNeill with her daughter Éilis upon her graduation at Magee College, the University of Ulster.

Speaking to the Sentinel in advance, Maura explains: “It starts over in Ebrington Square. It’s a carnival in connection with the postcard we’ve had out now for the past couple of weeks.

“We’ll have a carnival atmosphere organised for Ebrington. We have DJs from the Tuned In project. We tried our best to use all the disability projects in the Derry and Strabane District so it’s everyone coming together to celebrate differences and diversity.”

As well as DJ sets from Tuned In - an innovative community based project that facilitates young adults with learning disabilities to reach their potential through music - there will also be performances from local singer songwriters at a specially erected marquee in the former military barracks.

A Samba band will then lead a parade across the Peace Bridge to the Guildhall, where the powerful floral petitions will be handed in, followed by more music and celebrations until 5pm.

Flowers with powerful messages attached, penned by people at the Foyle Disability Resource Centre, will be delivered to the Guildhall on Saturday.

Local pop and rock band, The Plantin, will be amongst the performers fresh from the release of their debut EP ‘Blaze,’ earlier this year.

Whilst Maura has had an interest in the rights and needs of individuals living with disabilities it’s only really over the past year she’s got involved in volunteering and campaigning.

“I only started in August,” she tells the paper. “But it’s a continuation of something I did a bit of last year during the City of Culture.”

Carey-Anne Clarke, who is an engagement officer with Disability Action in the North West, says the floral messages will hopefully plant seeds in the heads of not only policy makers but the wider public as well.

Amy McCallion, makes her foam petal flower for the forthcoming Removing the Label carnival and parade.

She explains: “One of the things the workshops have been doing is that everybody’s been mass producing these flowers and they’re being asked: what thing would you like to see changed?

“One of the key messages of the carnival is that we’ll be carrying these flowers, which are very pretty, but will be carrying these very important messages about the things that will make a difference to people with disabilities’ lives, right into the heart of the Guildhall as well.”

Maura says the campaign has embraced a wide range of groups and organisations with a common interest in breaking down prejudice that still persists within the community and within some institutions.

“We are working with people with all kinds of disabilities from physical to sensory and learning disabilities,” says Maura. “We are even working with a group that’s for carers.”

Preparations underway for Saturday's parade at a workshop last week.

“We are trying to branch out to everyone and bring them all together,” she adds.

The response to the Disability Action campaign to date has been extremely encouraging.

Carey-Anne says: “People are really getting their say. The predominant themes are people’s attitudes to disability, awareness of disability, and access.

“Along with another range like car parking, blue badges, access to benefits, access to different supports as well.

“These are all key themes that are coming across.”

What’s most powerful about the campaign, according to Maura, is that the messages are coming in, not from families, carers or advocacy organisations, but from individuals who have had experience of living with a disability themselves.

One of the messages to be delivered on Saturday.

“When we are in the workshops the children or the participants do a wee label, which will be tied to the flowers at the end and they say what they want to change,” she says.

“And the big thing is that this is coming from the horse’s mouth. This isn’t families filling out the postcards. This is the people speaking. This is the children [and adult participants] saying that they want to be listened to and they want to be involved in the community.