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From fun in the park to beach walks, family time and work... a local photographer has captured the lives of islanders with Down’s Syndrome for a new book aiming to “shift perspectives away from outdated and inaccurate stereotypes”.
Published by the Down’s Syndrome Jersey Group, the ‘This Is Me’ booklet includes photographs by Dasa Wharton alongside a collection of personal experiences written by islanders with Down's Syndrome of all ages, and also includes the insights of their friends and their families.
Down's Syndrome Jersey spokesperson Dr Alice Bennion said that the organisation hoped the stories included within the booklet would help to "raise awareness, inspire and show the reality of life with Down’s Syndrome".
The group also hopes it will help to shift islanders' perspectives away from “outdated and inaccurate stereotypes” to ensure people living with Down's Syndrome are given the same life chances as the general population.
“We hope these stories raise awareness, inspire and show the reality of life with Down’s Syndrome,” Dr Bennion said. “The stories are written honestly from experience and we are so grateful to all the families and individuals who got involved and shared their stories with us.
The collection is accompanied by photos of the participants from baby Boe Wilson to 44-year-old Darren Renouf, taken by professional photographer Dasa Wharton.
Dasa met Dr Bennion through her work with the Jersey Child Care Trust, which she has been supporting for many years. “I was really pleased when she approached me with the request to photograph a number of children, adults and families who live with Down’s Syndrome,” Dasa said.
“We knew each other, and she saw my work and knew how I approach assignments like this, so there was an immediate connection and trust between us, and I think that was really important for the success of this project.”
Dasa explained that each participant picked the location for their photographs, from St. Peters Primary School to Jersey Zoo, Beresford Street Kitchen, Jersey War Tunnels, Wheatlands Golf Club and other “places of beauty” in the island.
Pictuted: Each participant picked the location for their photograph, for Hattie and her sisters, it was St. Brelade's beach.
“I like to involve people who I photograph, it is always a partnership, and it shows in the images,” she said.
“I absolutely loved photographing every single person. First of all, it was a treat to be able to meet new people - we did all the work in a safe and mainly outdoor spaces, following all the social distancing rules. It was so interesting to talk to the parents and families about their stories and experiences.
“Secondly, I loved the energy that I get when I photograph people, it is such a privilege to be let in someone else’s world and to try to capture some of it with my camera.”
Dasa said her favourite part of the project had been to concentrate on the participants’ “personalities, what they enjoy, what they like, what is important to them and their families”.
Pictured: Baby Boe is the youngest islander featured in the booklet.
“The fact that they have Down’s Syndrome didn’t change anything for me as a photographer, I did not do anything different to what I would normally do,” she added. “We just talked, played, ran on beaches and in parks, and while doing this, I took some photos.
“I am incredibly grateful that I could be a little part of this project, and wanted to thank all the children, adults and families who were photographed for the project, as well as everyone in the Down’s Syndrome Jersey Group.
“It was fantastic to do something positive like this in an otherwise worrying and uncertain times of lockdown.”
The ‘This is Me’ booklet, which was launched on World Down's Syndrome Awareness Day last week, is part of wider efforts to raise awareness about the lives of islanders with Down's Syndrome, which include #LotsofSocks, an annual campaign which aims to encourage islanders to recognise that difference is something to be celebrated.
As part of the campaign, which is run annually by Les Amis, a charity which supports islanders with learning disabilities, islanders were asked to share photos of their odd socks and make a donation.
This year, De Gruchy teamed up with the charity to give away pairs of 'Happy socks' to those who share the best pictures tagging the charity.
Speaking about the importance of raising awareness of Down's Syndrome and supporting Islanders who live with the condition, Jason Loveless, Head of Support Services at Les Amis, emphasised the message of inclusion within the campaign.
"While this is a great bit of fun, we hope it will make people think about those with Down's Syndrome and how we can advocate for their rights, inclusion and well-being within our community.
“We want everyone who takes part to recognise that we really are all the same on the inside."
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