150127 Cubs
Tonight 40 Cubs from our Pack descended on the Town Hall at Crawley ……………………………………
We had a really interesting and informative meeting tonight when we met with Cllr Chris Cheshire, the Deputy Mayor of Crawley, who is herself wheelchair bound, at the Town Hall as part of the Cub Disability Awareness Badge.
We learnt how the Council has adapted the Town Hall to allow Chris access to the meeting rooms and council chamber where all the important decisions of Local Government are discussed and made. Temporary/ removable ramps were manhandled into place in one instance, provision of an easy access toilet and special adaptations to the public lift all make access that little bit easier for her to serve the Town in her position as Councillor for the Bewbush Ward. A very enjoyable question and answer session then ensued in the main chamber with the cubs sitting where the councillors normally discuss the business of our Borough. Who knows? ………………tommorrows local and National Governments could be made up of some of the young people who were sitting in the chamber!
We also learnt that there are other Councillors that have to cope with hearing or sight impairments are what they do to help them with their disabilities.
Chris explained about the special parking regulations concerning the size of disabled bays and the fact that a much larger area is required for those using the bays so that they can more easily get into their wheelchairs etc. Some of the cubs then measured an ordinary parking bay and a disabled bay outside the Town Hall to see exactly what differences there were. The Cubs also noticed the hatchings on either side of the disabled bays.
The Cubs behaved impeccably throughout the evening and were a credit to their Group and the Scout Association.
My thanks to parents Mrs Cordery, Mrs McDonald, Mr White and Mrs Njuguna for helping with tonight and, of course, to Chris herself for giving up her evening and for being such a wonderful host.