Adam has helped the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign to produce a manifesto for change and a DVD, in which he also features. The DVD will be presented to the Liberal Democrats, Labour and Conservatives party conferences. Adam will be part of the panel presenting the film at the Conservative conference in Manchester.
Wed 12 Aug 2009
Adam’s merit
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Today Adam received notification from York College of his course results. He has passed his BTEC First Diploma in media studies with a merit grade!
Well done Adam.
Mon 3 Aug 2009
Adam at the Special Olympics
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The York Special Olympic team’s return to the city on Saturday was reported by the local newspaper:
Here are three short video clips from our week at the Special Olympics:
Adam came fourth in his group in the boccia singles competion.
Adam and his team members Jeremy and Paul won gold medals in the boccia team event.
Adam, Eleanor and Penny enjoyed the closing party held in Abbey Park.
Sun 2 Aug 2009
My exciting week
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The Special Olympics was awesome. The opening ceremony was unbelievable. All us athletes from all over the country paraded round the stadium with thousands and thousands of people watching and cheering.
Then Gordon and Sarah Brown came and shook hands with some of the athletes but I didn’t get to meet them. But guess who I met on the Wednesday – Gary Lineker!! and dad took a photo of me and him together.
The boccia venue was really good, and every time the team arrived we got cheered in by the volunteers.
It was at a Hindu centre, and everyone was really friendly and welcoming. After the award ceremony when I got my gold medal the centre volunteers gave us all a special memento postcard from the centre and tied a special wrist band on all of us which is a Hindu custom for their festival this week when sisters tie a thread on their brothers wrist to wish them a good future. When the team arrived back in York none of us knew but it had been arranged for the 19 athletes and the coaches from York to parade the city centre on a open top bus it was a big surprise for us all and people in the town were cheering us.
It was a very special week and I am very proud of being part of the team and of course my gold medal.
You can see more pictures from the Special Olympics on the gallery.
Tue 28 Jul 2009
Special Olympics 2009 – Day 5
Posted by Gordon under Friends and family, General
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Today Adam has been spending time at the Games Village. The highlight has been a chance meeting with Gary Lineker. Adam bumped into Gary as he was leaving the village adn we got Gary to pose for a photograph – we will post it later.
The opening ceremony on Saturday was “awesome” says Adam. As well as the atheltes entrance it included fireworks, a carnival of fabulas animals and the lighting of the olympic flame after the torch was carried in. Pictures and news of the event are on the official Special Olympics web site http://www.sol2009.com
Adam says he is having a wonderful time. He has completed his single boccia matches and is looking forward to the team matches later in the week. We will post more news when we can.
Sat 18 Jul 2009
Penny’s 10k triumph
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Sat 4 Jul 2009
Ed Balls interview – The movie
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Adam has posted his interview with Ed on YouTube:
Wed 1 Jul 2009
Another trophy for Adam
Posted by Gordon under Friends and family, York/Yorkshire
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Wed 24 Jun 2009
My interview with Ed Balls
Posted by Adam under Friends and family, General
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On Monday I went to the House of Commons in London. I interviewed Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, in his office. I felt very nervous to start off with whilst I was sitting in the waiting area.
I went outside the Department to film my introduction and while we were filming his car drew up. Ed Balls came over and shook my hand. I felt excited. I then went back to the waiting area. One of Ed’s assistants came down to collect us and we went in the elevator to the top floor where his office was. We then waited in another waiting area.
Whilst I was in the waiting area I got talking to a woman who wanted to involve me in making a film in Hollywood. She is connected to the National Childrens Bureau and her name is Emma Rodwell. Emma has a connection with someone in Hollywood and she emailed him about what I was doing interviewing Ed Balls and suggested it would be good to involve me in making a Hollywood film about disabled people. I should receive some minutes from the meeting. Emma then helped me to prepare for my interview with Ed.
Suddenly I heard Ed ask “Where’s Adam?” A woman came and escorted my mum, me and Emma into Ed’s office. Ed introduced me to a Times newspaper Political Editor: Francis Elliott, the Chief Political Correspondent for the Times. He shook my hand and said “hello.” He then asked me if he could take some pictures of me interviewing Ed. I agreed to have the pictures taken. I then prepared myself for the interview.
I stated talking before Emma pressed the record button so I had to start again. Once we got going I asked how the department was involving young disabled people in making decisions and listening to their experiences. He told me that an organisation called Wizz Kids comes into his department on Thursdays and provides training on safety, wheelchair users, provision of wheelchairs for the disabled.
I cannot remember my next question but I do remember asking him about how a disabled person should have fun and have access to sport. We discussed disability access for playgrounds and the importance of them having disabled access and making sure that disabled people have access to sport in schools.
This interviews was very interactive because Ed asked me questions and let me talk and listened. This was unlike my interiew with Hugh Bayley who just talked to me rather than being interactive. As a disabled person it is very important that people are interactive with you.
Ed had an appointment at Downing Street but he said “Oh, I can leave Gordon until later.” That made me feel SO important. Then he also said that I could put the interview up on YouTube. I felt excited that I had Ed’s permission to put his interview on the internet.
I then travelled down in the lift with Ed Balls. I felt quite honoured. He talked to me about meeting my mum’s schoolfriend and having lunch with her as we left the department. I couldn’t believe that, after all this time, I got to interview the real Ed Balls!
Sun 31 May 2009
Adam gets hands-on martial arts
Posted by Gordon under Friends and family, York/Yorkshire
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While we were at a picnic by York’s Millenium Bridge organised by the York in Transition initiative, Adam had the chance to try out a few martial arts techniques thanks to a local ju-jitsu club:
Also present and looking for volunteers was the World Naked Bike Ride organisation. They have organised a naked bike ride in York on Friday 12 June to protest against oil dependency and the car culture. We haven’t made up our minds about that as yet.