Woman with Down’s syndrome’s pride at setting new celebrity birthdays record
A woman with Down’s syndrome has spoken about how proud she is of setting a new world record.
Heidi Crowter has become a Guinness World Record holder for being able to recite 70 celebrity birth dates in under 180 seconds.
The 27-year-old, from Coventry in the West Midlands, said: ‘I am feeling very proud of myself.
‘I love sharing my joy of birthdays with people, and I have been writing a birthday list and practising a lot. Everyone knows that practice makes perfect.
‘Achieving a Guinness World Record means I can do anything I set my mind to.’
Heidi’s record was achieved in the intellectual impairment category, under the Guinness World Records’ new initiative to better include people with a disability.
The scheme, run in partnership with the charity Mencap, helps provide reasonable adjustments so disabled people have an opportunity at record attempts.
Heidi is one of several Mencap Myth Busters who are working to challenge misconceptions about those who live with learning disabilities, and campaign for change.
Katie Price’s 21-year-old son Harvey, who has autism, Prader-Willi syndrome, septo-optic dysplasia and a learning disability, is one of Heidi’s fellow ambassadors taking stereotypes on.
He is also hoping to secure a Guinness World Record and has made plans with 10 friends at his residential college in Cheltenham to become the world’s longest train-drawing team with a 20m-long and 1m-high illustration.
Media personality and model Katie said: ‘I’m unbelievably proud of Harvey for doing this Guinness World Records challenge.
‘He continues to defy the odds and amazes me every day. He absolutely loves drawing trains, so I know he’ll get so much enjoyment out of this experience.’
Mencap’s chief executive Edel Harris said it is ‘crucial’ to give people with a learning disability the chance to break world records.
She said: ‘It’s truly ground-breaking for Mencap to be working with Guinness World Records to ensure breaking records is something that’s accessible and achievable for people with a learning disability.
‘It is crucial to provide a platform for people with a learning disability to not only provide equal opportunities but also bust myths about what people can and can’t do.’
Today marks the start of Learning Disability Awareness Week which promotes educating the wider public to have a better understanding of the different conditions people are living with.
Around 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability – about 2.16% of the country’s adults and 2.5% of its children, according to calculations based on official figures.
People living with these disabilities, such as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia and dyscalculia, have a legal right to full and active participation and inclusion in society.
But they often face stigma and discrimination resulting in a lack of access to equal opportunities in healthcare, housing, education, employment and more, studies show.
The charity Scope conducted research on the ‘disability perception gap’ in 2018 – the British public’s attitudes towards disabled people.
It found that 60% underestimate the number of disabled people in the country, with 32% believing that they are not as productive as those who are non-disabled.
The theme of this year’s Learning Disability Week is challenging these types of misconceptions.
Edel said: ‘People with a learning disability, just like the wider population, have a range of amazing skills and talents.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE : Mattel releases first Barbie doll with Down’s syndrome in campaign with model Ellie Goldstein
MORE : Katie Price fears Harvey won’t get dream job due to stigma around disability