A nightclub event catering for people with a disability will soon launch in Wollongong.
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The club night, Ables, is a venture of Illawarra disability workers, aimed at giving people with a disability the confidence to go out on the town.
Launching at The Grand Hotel on August 8, organiser Beau Thatcher of House With No Steps said the monthly event was about supporting everyone to have a night out.
‘‘People with disabilities might not have had the chance or confidence to go out to a club or school dances,’’ Mr Thatcher said. ‘‘They might be anxious to go out themselves. It is about making the night as natural as possible, and treating them as normal.’’
Sean O’Neill of the Disability Trust said such an event, run regularly, could boost the confidence of people with disabilities.
‘‘There are a lot of people who might be lonely, and could benefit from something safe and suitable. There is an incredible need for this in the Illawarra,’’ he said.
Mr Thatcher said a chance meeting with Wollongong Nightlife manager Lu Ristov prompted the creation of Ables. Mr Ristov’s sister, Monika Ristova, uses a wheelchair, and she said the concept was one people with disabilities were crying out for.
‘‘Isolation can happen in people with disabilities, and it has an effect on confidence,’’ Ms Ristova said.
‘‘The club will give people a more social aspect to their lives. People with disabilities have the same needs and wants as anyone else.’’
Ables launches at The Grand Hotel on August 8.