Sunflowers and Hidden Disabilities Have you ever seen someone wearing one of those sunflower lanyards when out and about and wondered what it’s for?
disabling condition. This represents 16% of the world’s population or 1 in 6 of us and, for the majority, these conditions are not visible.
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower also known as the sunflower lanyard scheme came about in 2016 after staff at Gatwick Airport realised that there wasn’t enough awareness of hidden disabilities among staff or passengers at airports.
Hidden disabilities can make daily life more challenging for those who have one.
To tackle this, staff at Gatwick teamed up with national and local charities to design a lanyard, which would indicate that its wearer might need some extra assistance in certain situations. This simple idea had a big impact, and soon other companies and organisations caught on, so Gatwick gave permission for anyone and everyone to use it. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme is now a global initiative aimed to support inclusive practices. An estimated 1.3 billion people experience some form of disability or
There is no qualifying list of invisible disabilities – you simply choose to wear the Sunflower to indicate that you may need additional support, help or simply a little more time. In practice how can we as a Church help and use Sunflower Lanyard wearers? The Sunflower symbol doesn’t focus on the invisible but is designed to trigger the simple question ‘How can I help you?’ to focus on the support or understanding you need. Simply by wearing the Sunflower, you’re letting everyone know that you might need extra help, understanding, or just more time. Angela Clarke is Church Warden for St Fagan’s Church, Trecynon. She said, “For me as a Church Warden I feel confident
and permissioned to be able to approach the wearer, to serve them with that simple question, I don’t feel that I am intruding. Sometimes my question has been answered with a request for a gluten free wafer, for sacrament to be brought to them in their seat, for help with knowing what to do when in a service and for the toilet access to be pointed out. “Some people already have their own lanyards, but I think it would be good if all churches had some available to borrow for services, as we don’t always know when we will need that little bit more of assistance to be included.”
The Sunflower Café: Promoting Inclusion, Reducing Isolation According to the charity Dementia UK, by 2025 it’s estimated that over one million people in the UK will be living with dementia – and almost all of us will know someone living with the condition. This is why it’s becoming increasingly important for our churches to be properly prepared to support people with dementia and their families. ‘Dementia’ is an umbrella term given to a range of over 200 different conditions which cause a deterioration in brain function. It is more common in people over the age of 65, and affects memory, thought and speech.
People living with dementia may feel worried, anxious, lonely, or isolated. Many just want a listening ear or a friendly chat over a cup of tea to share experiences and seek reassurance. Their families may also be struggling to support their loved one. This is where several of our churches have stepped in to run Dementia Cafes, meeting a real community need to provide safe spaces for people with dementia. St Theodore’s Church in Port Talbot hosts the Taibach Sunflower Café in their parish hall every Tuesday between 2:30pm and 4:30pm. The informal support group, established by Empower Inspire CIC in October 2022, offers inclusive activities such as light exercise, wreath making, painting, and jigsaws for people living with dementia and their families. Fr Ben Andrews, Vicar for St Theodore & St David in the Ministry Area of Port Talbot, said, “From a conversation with
parishioners I discovered there was a real need to support people with dementia and their carers. “After a conversation with Jonne Juliff from Empower, we very quickly set up the Sunflower Café of which we are very proud to be part of. We have a wonderful group who come each week for support, friendship, and fun. “Recently I had the pleasure of celebrating a simple service with one couple on their 50th wedding anniversary. It was lovely to celebrate with them and their family as well as members of the dementia café. “Tuesday is one of my highlights of the week and we, as a church, are pleased to able to help offer this vital service in our community .”
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