Grant makes sure Christmas is a time for all in Dalyellup

A $15,000 grant by Lotterywest to the Dalyellup Collective will help fund its 2023 Christmas Festival, including new inclusive initiatives. A sensory room will be one of the inclusions in the Chill Zone tents for neurodivergent people wanting to take a break from the action. The festival takes place on International Day of People with Disability — December 3 — creating the chance to shine a spotlight on how events can be made more accommodating. There will be a wheelchair basketball competition and a Cycling Without Age tryout, showcasing the programs to help people keep active and social. There will also be plenty of other activities on the day to enjoy such as market stalls, parkour, a water slide, and live performances. Dalyellup Collective chairperson Lisa O’Neill said the event had been planned in conjunction with community groups to ensure it was an inclusive event. “We’ve been working with Advocacy WA, and some of their clients have been helping us down at the park come up with suggestions of things that we can improve on for our event,” she said. “My daughter and I also have ADHD, so we are working with occupational therapists and stuff like that to know what helps her, what helps me, but also these guys have given me great feedback for what we can do at events.” Bunbury MLA Don Punch said making the event more inclusive would be good for the community. “Equipment such as chill tents, crash mats, mobile swings, projector and headphones will be purchased to create the inclusive zone, with this equipment being available for loan by other event organisers and businesses in the future,” he said. “This is a fantastic initiative by the Dalyellup Collective in that it will make their event more inclusive and an option for many families with neurodiverse children who otherwise may not have considered attending.“ The Dalyellup Community Christmas Festival will take place at Central Lakes Park, Dalyellup.