The Flamingo Lounge: Inclusive Dancefloor Events for Learning Disabled, Neuro-divergent People, & People with Varying Abilities, as Producers, Performers & Partygoers.
Here at The Flamingo Lounge Our vision is to create positive social impact through great dancefloor events, activities and culture made by and for learning disabled people, neurodivergent people and people with varying abilities, to come together, connect, contribute, be seen, heard and feel better in safe places.
It all started in 2019 when a learning disabled person encouraged Louisa, the founder, to create a dance party for learning disabled people, and so The Flamingo Lounge was born! The first ever club night was launched in August 2019 and about 14 people came and were subjected to Louisa’s rudimentary DJ skills. Miraculously, those OG partygoers not only return every month since but some have gone on to form our advisory panel!
Since dinky little beginnings in North Shropshire, our following and reach has really grown and our nights have become a popular and well known brand, supported by a loyal and hard-working team of volunteers and met with enormous generosity from the community.
In 2021 we broadened our reach into DJ and event workshop activities and were delighted that this led us to bring DJ Callum on board who serves as our resident DJ, serving up a fun, pop-based set that the people love!
Inclusivity, well-being, representation and fun show up on The Flamingo Lounge dancefloors and activities, which are reaching beyond offering a great night out to making real opportunities for learning disabled and neurodivergent people and people with varying abilities to DJ, perform and produce events too.
Our key Features
We're positively impacting people with disabilities & neurodiversity on the dancefloor via:
#1
DJ Skills Workshops
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#2
Make Your Own Party' Event Workshops
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#3
DJ/Karaoke/Open Mic Activity Session Hire
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#4
Mobile Disco Hire
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Testimonials
Happy Clients
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Amazing Experience
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ROY MARSHALL
FOUNDER, PICASSO
The Flamingo Lounge Aims
We aim to create inclusion, representation, meaningful opportunities, positive social impact and better access to recreational and cultural life through the dancefloor, via:
- The Flamingo Lounge nightclub events
- DJ Skills workshops and activities sessions
- ‘Make Your Own Party’ workshops and activity sessions
- Mobile Disco Hire
The Flamingo Lounge Mission
Our mission is to tackle social isolation for disabled people caused by disability, disempowerment and specific or structural discrimination in the dancefloor culture and industry, and in wider society.
We seek to raise awareness within the community of the experiences of disabled people, have much-needed conversations and challenge unhelpful beliefs and approaches, to collaborate and find solutions.
Specifically our mission is to:
- Make dancefloor culture that empowers, connects and is representational.
- Break down barriers to inclusion.
- Create meaningful opportunities and participation for disabled people in dancefloor culture and economy as performers, producers and partygoers.
- Frame the dancefloor as a concept and therapeutic vehicle for wellbeing and community cohesion.
- Raise awareness of the experiences of learning disabled people, neurodivergent people and people with varying abilities within communities.
- Showcase the contributions and achievements of learning disabled people, neurodivergent people and people with varying abilities as they shape and define culture.
- Give disabled people a voice
We became The Flamingo Lounge Inclusive Events CIC in July 2022 which was quite knackering and we had to fill in a lot of forms. But as a social enterprise community interest company, we are now proud to say that the majority of our board are people with lived experienced of learning and other disability.
As a non-profit where our returns are dedicated to the benefit of the community we serve, we are further strengthened by the input and voice of our special advisors. The Flamingo Gang is our advisory panel of learning disabled and neurodivergent people, people with varying abilities and carers who steer us in all we do.
About the Founder of The Flamingo Lounge
Louisa Bottomley is Founder and Director of The Flamingo Lounge Inclusive Events CIC since 2019, producing inclusive events and projects with people in the community and in partnership with organisations.
Her background as a Social Worker brings over 30 years professional experience in social care with vulnerable people within statutory and third sector services.
As DJ and community arts activist, Louisa blends her passion for the arts for social change with robust, professional social care knowledge, skills and experience.
We work with partygoers, individuals, communities, groups, organisations big and small, and venues to deliver great nights out, workshops and activities that weave inclusion, representation and wellbeing into the dancefloor.
Use #wearethisparty to share your dancefloor experiences and join the conversation. Get in touch!