The annual Purple Parade, this year held on 31 October at Hong Lim Park, is the collective effort of the social service sector and its partners coming together to spread the message of inclusion, and a reminder to us all that the rights of people with special needs should not be forgotten.

More than 50 staff and clients from SPD’s Day Activity Centre and Sheltered Workshop lent their voices to the cause by joining 7,000 others at the Purple Parade 2015. Showing their support for the event was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching who gamely put on purple spectacle frames, the ‘official eyewear’ for the day.

We took the opportunity to set up simple games with toys connected to various alternative switches to demonstrate how such simple assistive technology devices can make play inclusive to all.

Big thanks to our volunteers for manning the booth and accompanying our clients that day, and the parade-goers who showed much support at our booth. This was our third year participating in the Purple Parade and we hope that our involvement in this movement have helped create greater visibility for the special needs community.

“This is a fun event where everyone in the family can join in, and a great opportunity to spread the message of inclusion, promote greater understanding of disability issues and push for integration of people with disabilities into mainstream society,” said Ms Joyce Wong, Director for Inclusion Advancement, SPD.

As organisers of the parade aptly summarised, “the Purple Parade 2015 may be over but the spirit of inclusion lives on. Let’s all continue to build an inclusive society that recognises and celebrate each and everyone’s abilities. A society that ensures no one gets left behind.”