40th celebrations for members of Down's Syndrome Scotland's central branch

The group is for all ages and held a party to mark the landmark occasion in the Abbotsinch restaurant in Grangemouth.

To make this even more of a landmark year and raise money for the branch, two members of the committee, Lynsey Bayne-Yetre and Donna Smith, will be taking part in an abseil off the Forth Bridge on June 16.

The branch is open to anyone in the council areas of Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire. The birth to 12 years group regularly meets on the first Saturday of every month in the Bowhouse Community Centre in Grangemouth, while the group for 13 years plus meets in the Elgin Park centre in Falkirk on the first Friday in every month.

It aims to support people and families with Down’s syndrome by providing these social groups every month, as well as organising several outings annually where everyone comes together, whatever age they might be.

Find out more by emailing [email protected].

Approximately one in every 1000 babies is born with Down’s syndrome and in Scotland it is estimated that there are 70 babies born with Down’s syndrome each year with the total number of people living with Down’s syndrome in Scotland estimated to be 4500.

It is is a genetic condition caused by the presence of a full or partial third copy of chromosome 21 in the body’s cells.