Mackay Disability Expo provides community with vital contacts

The Mackay Disability Expo, coming up next Friday (August 4), from 9am until noon, will feature a range of both local and out-of-town specialist exhibitors and will be a one-stop-shop for everyone with an interest in disability services.

Mayor Greg Williamson said the expo would be held in the Mackay Showgrounds big shed and would be free and easily accessible to all.

“This event has gone from strength to strength over the last three years,” Mayor Williamson said.

“It’s been tremendous to see it expand from a minor expo held in a community hall to a regional drawcard event,” he said.

“Last year, this event had an amazing atmosphere – everyone was having such a great time.

“There was a real buzz – people were getting some great info from the exhibitors but also taking part and watching some really lively classes from both Crossroad Arts and Groove Movers.”

Crossroad Arts will once again be hosting their ROAR program at the expo, which will be about exploring untapped imaginings through movement, sound and theatre making.

Groove Movers will also be putting on a display of movement and dance for people of all abilities and the Choir of Unheard Voices will be hosting a singing workshop.

Mayor Greg Williamson said the expo started as a way of offering local providers an inexpensive way to showcase themselves while also providing an opportunity for service providers and businesses to network and connect with each other.

“More than 19 per cent of Queenslanders live with some form of disability and more than 10 per cent act as carers, so there was a very real call for an expo of this nature,” he said.

“If you crunch the numbers, that means, in our region, more than 34,000 people could potentially require some level of assistance from the disability sector.”

Coffee and food will be available for purchase at the expo and parking is close, plentiful and disability friendly.

Demonstrations and activities will be held at the following times:

• Groove Movers – 9.30am to 10am
• Choir of Unheard Voices Workshop from 10am
• Crossroad Arts Roar Program – 10.30am to 11.30am

For more information on the event, residents are encouraged to follow Mackay Disability Expo on Facebook or head to council’s website.