As a university, we will celebrate Disability Recognition Month during the month of May 2022.

There is a rich programme of local events with a central keynote event focusing on mental health and hidden disabilities.

We invite our community to take part in these events organised by students and colleagues across the university. Find out more about each event in the information below:

4 May

2pm – Support dogs visit the vet school at Sutton Bonington, Room A30, Vet School
3pm –  Darren Edwards – Disabled Adventurer and World First Expedition Leader

10 May

1pm – Making the invisible visible: mental health and hidden disabilities
Please book here

13,14,17 May

1pm – School of Education and Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences: Deaf Awareness & Basics of British Sign Language

25 May

2pm – Film screening a Hallward Library

Overview of event dates:

Resilience: From Falling to Thriving

Darren Edwards – Disabled Adventurer and World First Expedition Leader
Wednesday 4 May , 3pm – 4pm,  A03 Monica Partridge Building, University Park
Followed by a food and drink reception in the Atrium.

Darren Edwards is a former mountaineer and Army Reservist who sustained a life-changing injury in the summer of 2016. The near-fatal climbing accident would leave Darren permanently paralysed from the chest down. With determination, grit and positivity, Darren has overcome adversity to become a Disabled Adventurer, World First Expedition Leader and Motivational Speaker.

Open to staff and students. Limited number of funded places available.
Book your place here

Disability Recognition month at Sutton Bonnington

Support Dogs visit the Vet school
Wednesday 4 May, 2pm, in person at the vet school, no booking required

Ambassador for Support Dogs charity will speak at the vet school about the charity, the dogs, and the training. This is an opportunity for the vet school to give some recognition to disability and mobility aids.

Making the invisible visible: mental health and hidden disabilities

Tuesday, 10 May, 1- 2:30pm
See a recording of the event here.

We invite the university community to join this event where a panel of our Disabled staff and students will join Katherine Linehan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and People, in a conversation about their lived experience of invisible disabilities and mental health awareness in the university.

School of Education and Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences: Deaf Awareness & Basics of British Sign Language

Sessions will be hosted by Nottinghamshire Deaf Society. The trainer will be profoundly deaf and will use BSL as their first language. They will of course be accompanied by an interpreter. Please bear in mind we’d expect most attendees to have their cameras on for these events.

Deaf Awareness
Friday 13 May, 13.00-14.00, virtual event
Please book here
Covering topics such as: deaf culture and language, types of deafness, ‘live example’ of learning to communicate with a deaf person and making yourself understood.

Introduction to British Sign Language part one
Tuesday 17 May, 13.00-14.00, virtual event
Please book here
Basic signs and expressions

Introduction to British Sign Language part two
Tuesday 24th May, 13.00-14.00, virtual event
Please book here
Further signs and expressions

‘Then Barbara Met Alan’ film screening at Hallward Library

Wednesday 25 May, 2-4pm at Hallward library, Screening Room (level 1)

Book via this link.

Join our Libraries team for a screening of the 2022 BBC Drama, Then Barbara Met Alan.

Written by Jack Thorne and Genevieve Barr, the film tells the untold love story of two cabaret performers, Barbara and Alan who meet at a gig, fall in love, and become the driving force behind an unprecedented campaign of direct action that ultimately led to the passing of the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act.

This event is open to all staff and students, including allies.

Student voices:  improving access in teaching for disabled students

Throughout the month of May, School of Health Sciences is creating videos with students about the importance of using resources to help make teaching more accessible.

Focussing particularly on those students who have a specific learning disability or neurodiversity, the short films will be used to persuade teaching and learning staff to engage with the student body and the resources available to them, to help provide teaching materials that meet the needs of disabled students.