International Day of Disabled People (IDODP)
Celebrated globally every year on 3 December and recognised by the British Government as an important part of UK Disability Policy. The aim of the celebration day is to promote greater understanding of disability issues and mobilise support for the rights and wellbeing of Disabled people. It supports the recognition of all the learning, optimism and action that takes place annually throughout communities.
Forum Central has celebrated IDODP since 2019 in collaboration with The Equality Hub at Leeds City Council and our strong third sector partners in the city, with the Leeds for All working group being set up in 2021 to coordinate a city-wide event.
Our annual event brings together disability led organisations and advocacy groups to network and showcase their services to individuals, other professionals in the sector and the public, helping to pave the way towards a pan-disability community in Leeds.
The overall aims of the events are to bring people together to make new connections and strengthen existing relationships and also more importantly to raise awareness and collaboration around disability challenges and solutions.
Our IDODP events help to give recognition to the on-going work of organisations in making Leeds a more inclusive place for everyone and give an opportunity for people to hear what each other are doing in the sector, especially people with lived experience.
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2025
Leeds For All – Small Grants Fund 2025
Last year instead of our usual Marketplace event we ran a Small Grants Fund for disability organisations in the city to bid for grants of £400 and £600.The IDODP theme for 2025 and grant applications was ‘Amplifying the Leadership of Disabled People for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future’.
After a successful round of applications in September from a number of Leeds based organisations, the IDODP Panel awarded 5 Leeds based organisations grant monies to run activities in December 2025 and January 2026. All activities successfully took place. and a short pictoral review with resources has been produced.
IDODP 2024: Advocating for Accessibility
A Marketplace event was held at Leeds City Museum on 3 December 2024 11am–3pm.
Five hundred people attended with pan disability representation – their families and carers were all welcomed.
Twenty-six organisations held well visited stalls.
Forty people used the Quiet Sensory Room, run by Leeds Autism.
Approximately seventy people took part in the Art Zone run by Pyramid of Arts.
For more information and photos go to the IDODP 2024 event page.
For more information and photos go to the IDODP 2024 event page.
2023: Transformation, Inclusion and Innovation
A Marketplace event was held at Leeds City Museum on 30 November 2024 11am–3pm.
Three hundred and eighty people attended the event with carers and family members.
Twenty-eight stallholders represented a wide variety of organisations who support people with learning disabilities, autism and physical impairments and sensory.
The event supported organisations to reach new audiences, network, build new partnerships and strengthen existing ones.
A Leeds for All Small Grant Fund was distributed to 12 organisations.
Their activities involved 511 people.
Evaluations: Showed that the small grants fund had sparked new activity, connection, ideas and partnership working across the city.
For more information and photos go to the IDODP 2023 event page.
Marketplace Event – Highlights Video
Audio Described – Marketplace Event Highlights Video
IDODP Grant Funded Activities – Highlights Video
Audio Described – Grant Funded Activities Highlights Video
2022
IDODP 2022 was the first marketplace event since before the pandemic to take place in person.
Forum Central members, worked with and for people with physical disabilities, sensory impairments and learning disabilities. There were over 20 stalls on the day. It was a really lively and informal day where people were able to meet and mingle and share useful information about the services, activities, groups and support options that their organisations offer.
IDODP 2022 Highlights Video
2021
Due to Covi-19 restrictions, IDODP 2021 was held virtually and was based on the theme of ‘Recovery from Covid -19′.
There was an array of week long events consisting of face to face, online and hybrid activities were planned commencing Monday 29 November to Thursday 2 December throughout the City of Leeds, with a celebratory event on 3 December at Leeds City Museum.
Events and activities were either online, in person and in a hybrid format.
242 people attend the events and activities from Monday 29 November to Thursday 2 December.
IDODP 2021 Highlights Video
2020
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a face-to-face event was replaced with a week of accessible, online, live, on demand and at home activities to celebrate the event and help keep people connected.
Leeds for All gave organisations and individuals the opportunity to showcase and celebrate. It included films, performances, workshops and exhibitions. 300 people attended the live events, 1,144 people viewed our films, activities and workshops on YouTube and 612 individuals engaged in the offline/website activities.
2019
This was the first Leeds For All IDODP celebration event to take place. The theme focussed on ‘The Future Is Accessible’.
The event gave organisations and individuals the opportunity to showcase and celebrate. It included films, performances, artwork and stalls. There was a ‘comfy corner’, to encourage people to stay awhile and socialise with others and a creative feedback space, with a message tree and post box where people could write comments and thoughts: both on the event itself and wider thoughts on what it’s liketo be a person with a disability living in Leeds.