Picnic & Parade in the Park: Three Organisations, One Community, One Incredible Day
For the first time, three Harborne organisations came together with one shared goal: to create an inclusive community event where disabled people could celebrate, connect and truly belong.
On Saturday 19th September, Cerebral Palsy Midlands, Queen Alexandra College (QAC) and Focus Birmingham joined forces for the first Picnic & Parade in the Park – bringing disabled people, families, carers, staff, volunteers, local organisations and businesses together to celebrate Disability Pride, inclusion and community.
The original idea for Picnic & Parade in the Park came from Queen Alexandra College, who created the event concept and name and secured Queen's Park as its home. From there, the three Harborne organisations worked collaboratively to develop the event, bringing together their communities, contacts, resources and supporters to make the day possible.
For Cerebral Palsy Midlands, it was wonderful to see around 60 people from our own CPM community join the event, including our citizens, families, staff and volunteers. Alongside Queen Alexandra Charity and Focus Birmingham, we also worked with local businesses, funders and community partners to secure sponsorship, donations, raffle prizes and contributions towards the participant goodie bags.
Together, those contributions helped transform Queen's Park into an accessible community celebration filled with walking and wheeling, entertainment, stalls, games, food, music and friendship.
Most importantly, the day created an opportunity for disabled people to be visible, included and celebrated within their local community - and that was what Picnic & Parade in the Park was all about. Check out just a few of the images taken from our event that demonstrate just that!
Pictured above: Right to left - Sam and Mom Lorraine.
Pictured above: Right - left - Poppy, Vicky & Laura.
Pictured above: Right to left - Colin pushed by Sophie.
Pictured above: Right to left - Darren, Gary, Clifford & Kat & more people walking behind.
Walking and Wheeling
At the heart of the day was the Picnic & Parade in the Park walk around Queen’s Park, where citizens, families, carers, staff, and members of the public walked and wheeled together to celebrate Disability Pride, inclusion, and community.
We are immensely proud of everyone who completed the walk. Some participants even completed an incredible four loops of the park!
Everyone who participated received a special Picnic & Parade goodie bag containing:
A branded Picnic & Parade tote bag.
A reusable Picnic & Parade water bottle.
Hand sanitiser.
Promotional goodies and information from CPM, Focus Birmingham and Queen Alexandra Charity.
Maped Helix stationery.
Eco Eco stationery.
A trolley token from Slater & Gordon Lawyers.
A delicious biscuit from Audelicious Treats.
Pictured above: Picnic & Parade in the Park tote bag & Audelicious Treats biscuit donations.
Pictured above: The Picnic & Parade in the Park contents.
Fun and Entertainment
There was something for everyone throughout the day. Visitors enjoyed Hook-a-Duck, Splat the Rat, the Human Fruit Machine, Name the Bear, face painting, tombola and a fantastic raffle.
Pictured above: An image of CPM's Louise having a go at 'Splat the Rat'.
Our local food and craft stalls brought even more colour and variety to the park. Visitors could discover delicious food, baked treats, milkshakes, jewellery, candles and handmade gifts from local businesses and independent traders.
A special shout-out goes to Ben Linstead, our talented DJ and music tutor from Cerebral Palsy Midlands. Ben provided a brilliant soundtrack and created a fun, welcoming atmosphere throughout the day.
Pictured above: Ben singing at the park
Pictured above: Right to left - Volunteer Pete and CPM's Vicky watching Ben perform.
Accessible for Everyone
Accessibility was at the heart of the event. Facilities included a Mobiloo Changing Places toilet, a Quiet Sensory Tent, accessible activities and a warm welcome for assistance dogs.
Creating genuinely inclusive community events matters. For many disabled people, attending an event requires careful consideration of transport, facilities, accessibility and support. Picnic & Parade in the Park was designed to give people opportunities to participate, connect and feel that they truly belonged.
Pictured above: Right to left - Alice's dad with Alice.
Pictured above: Right to left - Jack with mom Heidi
Pictured above: Right to left - Clifford & CPM's Sophie
Pictured above: Right to left - Margaret and CPM's John
Whether people were walking, wheeling, enjoying the entertainment or cheering from the sidelines, everyone was invited to take part in the celebration.
A special thank you goes to Harborne Pool and Fitness Centre for providing the first-aid operation from their tent and helping us keep everyone safe throughout the event.
Fundraising Together
We are delighted to share that the event generated a profit of £465.61 for each of the three organising charities: Cerebral Palsy Midlands, Queen Alexandra College and Focus Birmingham.
This money will help the charities continue supporting disabled people and their communities. The event was not only a celebration of inclusion but also an important opportunity to raise funds and awareness for three local disability-focused organisations.
Raffle and Donations
Our raffle was made possible by the generosity of local businesses, organisations and community supporters.
A huge thank you to the Asda Foundation for providing raffle prizes, the Co-op for donating a £30 voucher, and Tesco for supplying water and fruit for everyone to enjoy during the day.
We are also grateful to all the other businesses and individuals who donated prizes, food, refreshments and goods. Every contribution helped make the event more enjoyable while supporting the work of the three charities.
Image above: Focus volunteers on helping on the Tombola stand.
Sponsors and Supporters
We could not have hosted this event without the generosity and dedication of our sponsors, supporters and contributors.
Our heartfelt thanks go to:
Northfield Neighbourhood Network Scheme for contributing £500 towards event costs
Edgbaston Neighbourhood Network Scheme for contributing £500 towards event costs
Glenpark Midlands Limited for the wonderful, branded tote bags
Premier Catering & Events for the medals
Ways for Wellbeing UK CIC and Birmingham Disability Festival & Inclusive Walk for supporting the inclusive games, sensory tent, marquees, signage, tables and chairs
Irwin Mitchell for the printed materials and the fantastic volunteers who supported the event
Harborne Pool and Fitness Centre for supporting the inclusive warm-up and providing first-aid cover
The Court Oak for making additional toilet facilities available.
Ben Linstead for providing music and entertainment.
Slater and Gordon, Veolia UK, Maped Helix, Eco Eco and Audelicious Treats for contributing items to the goodie bags.
Thank you also to every local business and organisation that donated raffle prizes, provided food, hosted a stall or supported the event in another way.
Volunteers Made It Possible
A huge thank you goes to Birmingham City Mission for providing volunteers who helped set up the stalls and marquees. Their practical support during the preparation was greatly appreciated and helped the event get off to a smooth start.
We also want to thank every single volunteer who gave their time and energy before, during and after the event. From setting up the park and welcoming visitors to supporting participants, operating stalls, marshalling the parade and clearing away afterwards, your contribution was invaluable.
Pictured above: CPM Trustee and Volunteer helping on the 'name the bear' stand.
We simply could not have made the day happen without you.
Our Community Came Together
Our thanks also go to our wonderful carers, dedicated staff and Trustees, as well as every information stall, entertainer, food provider, visitor and member of the public who joined us. Your enthusiasm, kindness and support helped make Queen’s Park come alive.
Picnic & Parade in the Park showed what can happen when local organisations, businesses, volunteers and communities work together with a shared commitment to inclusion. For the first time, Cerebral Palsy Midlands, Queen Alexandra Charity and Focus Birmingham came together to deliver this community event, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who played a part. Most of all, thank you to every disabled person, family member, carer and supporter who joined us and made Queen’s Park come alive.
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