Down's Syndrome Association

Down's Syndrome Association
AbbreviationDSA
Formation1970
Legal statusregistered charity (registered in England No. 1061474) and company (no. 3310024)[1]
HeadquartersLondon
Location
Region served
United Kingdom
Chief Executive
Carol Boys[2]
Main organ
DSA Journal (twice a year)[2]
Budget
£2.2 million[1]
Websitewww.downs-syndrome.org.uk

The Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) is a British charity which describes itself as being the only organisation in the United Kingdom that focuses solely on all aspects of living successfully with Down's syndrome.[3]

The Association states its mission as being: to provide information and support for people with Down's syndrome, their families and carers, and the professionals who work with them; to strive to improve knowledge of the condition; and to champion the rights of people with Down's syndrome.[3]

The Association was founded in 1970 by Rex Brinkworth[citation needed] as a local group and now has 20,000 members and about 126 local groups.[3] Its headquarters is at the Langdon Down Centre, formerly Normansfield Hospital, built as a private hospital by John Langdon Down, the "Father of Down's Syndrome".[4]

The Langdon Down Centre includes the Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability about the history of treating people with learning disabilities, and the Normansfield Theatre.

Former footballer Kevin Kilbane, whose elder daughter has Down's syndrome, is a patron of the charity.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "Down's Syndrome Association Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2013" (PDF). Down's Syndrome Association. 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ a b Boys, Carol (Spring–Summer 2013). "Letter from the Chief Executive" (PDF). DSA Journal (127): 2.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b c "About us". Down's Syndrome Association. Archived from the original on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  4. ^ Brain (née Langdon Down), Stella. "Normansfield". Langdon Down Centre. Archived from the original on 22 March 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  5. ^ "Kevin Kilbane complains over West Ham chant". BBC Sport. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.