The last 12 months have been a year like no other with the Covid-19 pandemic and repeated lockdowns being tough on everyone. For many people in Northern Ireland living with brain injury this has been a particular challenging time and the ABI Working Group, which brings together statutory and voluntary sector representatives from within the field of Brain Injury are this year marking ABI Week in line with the Headway UK theme, ‘A Life of Lockdown?’.
ABI Week runs from 17th – 23rd May and the partners in the ABI Working Group, which includes Brain Injury Matters, The Cedar Foundation, Child Brain Injury Trust and Headway UK in partnership with the Health and Social Care Board and Public Health Agency, are hoping that the many other organisations in NI supporting survivors of brain injury and their families will use the opportunity to raise awareness of the issues.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of hidden disability and support survivors and carers to better explain to their friends and families the challenges they face as a result of brain injury. As well as having an awareness-raising focus, it will also have positive messages and tools to help people make a difference, such as guides and top tips for friends of brain injury survivors and carers. The campaign will also be an opportunity for service providers to highlight the supports available to individuals and families affected by brain injury.
The week will kick off with a fun afternoon tea event on Monday 17th May at 3pm via Zoom, featuring comedian and musician Emer Maguire, further details on how to participate to follow.
Organisations and groups supporting people with acquired brain injury are encouraged to organise events with their own service users and to promote activity and share information across their social media platforms using the hashtags: #abiweek and #abiweekni.
For further information please contact the ABI Working Group via Cedar (communications@cedar-foundation.org).
