Bird's eye view as DAD comes of age (From Warrington Guardian)

New picture released from 2012 Warrington Disability Awarenss Day at Walton Gardens

4:00pm Saturday 11th August 2012 in News

FOR the first time ever, visitors at Disability Awareness Day (DAD) can have a bird’s eye view of what the event looked like as it marked its 21st anniversary.

For event founder and co-ordinator Dave Thompson, the flight marked the realisation of a dream of more than 10 years.

He said: “For the past 23 years I have had a wheelchair-users view of life which is very different as there are restrictions on what you can see.

“But for the past 10 years I have had the ambition of seeing DAD from a different angle.”

Dave hoped to get a higher view after boom cameras 20 to 30 feet in the air took a selection of shots of the crowd.

Since then he has tried many ways to see the site from above including a cherry picker and asking the Fire Service to provide a lift.

He thought he was in luck last year when someone from South Wales flew over to take aerial shots but unfortunately they missed the event and took pictures of the nearby Steam Fair instead.

Attempts to see the site in a hot air balloon also failed until Dave was offered the chance to take flight in a helicopter this year.

He said: “It was a dream come true and an honour to see the event from above with all the people and marquees.

“It made me very proud of the event and certainly was one of the top DAD milestones.”