OVER 240 guests will attend an event celebrating Short Breaks for disabled children and young people today.

The event, entitled The Greatest Showman, will take place at Victoria Hall, Keighley. It has been put together with the help of young people aged 8-18 who have disabilities and who are part of the Short Breaks community. Guests include young people, parents and carers, providers and dignitaries.

The event will feature performances from Dance 21, a dance group for children and young adults with Down syndrome and their siblings, and Mind the Gap, one of Europe’s leading learning disability theatre companies.

Other performances will feature stilt walkers, fire breathers, singers and a life-size baby elephant. As well as entertainment, there will also be information and support for both families and practitioners.

The event has been organised by Bradford Council’s Specialist Inclusion Project, a team that specialise in running, finding and monitoring Short Breaks services for young people with disabilities throughout the Bradford District. The project has had the help and support of a range of partners including Ingleborough Hall and Buckden house.

Short Breaks provide families who have disabled children and/or health conditions with the benefit of a break from their caring responsibilities.

Claire Atkinson, Bradford Council’s Senior Leisure and Recreational Coordinator for the Specialist Inclusion Project, said: “This promises to be a fantastic event. We’re so proud of all the young people who have helped organise the day, and we’re very grateful to everyone who’s supported the event.”

Gladys Rhodes White, Interim Strategic Director of Children Services, said: “Short Breaks can bring much needed support for families and provide new experiences and confidence for young people. It’s fantastic for our district that young people are helping stage events like this.”