Cover Story: Introducing our new member Sandy from Aberdeen

March newsletter is on its way and on the cover this month is Sandy from Aberdeen. He recently joined get2gether and is loving the opportunities that are available here at get2gether.

How did you hear about get2gether and why did you join?

I learned about get2gether through SCLD, it was a video invitation for a Wild Night In and I watched it and then went on your website and looked for what get2gether was about.

As I don’t come from Edinburgh – I wasn’t sure if I would be able to join, but I thought to myself if I don’t submit my membership, I will never find out. 

When your admin team came back saying my membership had been accepted, then I joined a health & wellbeing event, Stephan’s thoughts and feelings, and that was my first ever get2gether event. There I also found out about the monday meetings.

What was your first impression, when you joined the Monday Meeting?

I think Monday meetings are fantastic. The meeting gives a chance for all members to come together and be creative, working together, learning new skills, bouncing off each other, sharing and creating a weekly programme for get2gether at home. I have never seen anything like it.

What skills are you bringing to the team?

I am a radio presenter up here in Aberdeen, at SHMU FM and I was involved with their AGM where I found out that they wanted to focus on ways to work with other organisations and more people – so I think the connection between SHMU and get2gether is something I would like to work towards to. Watch this space!

Amazing Sandy! How did you become a radio presenter?

When I was 5 years old at a wedding a DJ took me up and I pressed some buttons, it was then that I knew DJing was my path. 

I have good knowledge of music – I listen to the radio, and my parents are great music fants, we have CDs from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s. When you are a DJ you have to be multi talented and creative. But, it was through a neighbour that I became a SHMU presenter, starting with presenting every Saturday morning. We have a weekly topic to speak about. On Tuesday we would get a topic, and we would have some time to research, and then it was about presenting on air on saturday.

After hearing my local DJ on the local community radio in Aberdeen, I started going to a lot of events for people with additional support needs, and this local DJ was a host of the events. One day I went up to him and said to him, I want to be a DJ and gave me the opportunity to try out DJ. And it grew up from there…. I then started to volunteer at a local community centre every Friday night as a DJ.

I am now working towards radio qualification with the support of SHMU at my own pace. Skills I developed over time were about making connections, making friends and gaining in confidence.

You recently came along to the DJ Masterclass that get2gether’s DJs were hosting, how was that?

Masterclass was absolutely amazing, we all bounced of each other, there were people there and some of them never DJed before, and some of us like me, who had some Djing experience and there were 2 different levels people could choose from – beginners and advanced class.

DJ Dylan, who was teaching the Masterclass was very very knowledgeable, explained things clearly, did not rush things, he made sure everyone who was part taking in the class knew what he was speaking about. It was great. I had no idea that for a DJ with a disability DJing could be a career and it just shows that if we stick at our passion, that is something we can grow up to be!

What else would you like other people to know about?

I have a big passion for football. I support my local club and I am also a big campaigner for people with additional support needs and LD, because I feel if I can do something I want to be able to pass my knowledge on about the barriers I had to overcome to  make things happen. I think this is so important for people to know what is possible, but it comes down to the opportunity that they are given.

When I  had seen that at get2gether – even the name talks about it – is all about relationships, I thought to myself there is no harm in giving it a go. You know, years ago I was a very shy person, and it was through opportunities that my confidence had grown and it’s been through the things I had learned as a result of taking the opportunities that stuck with me. And yes, I am still single and looking to meet someone…

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope that I could work up to be an Ambassador, one day maybe, and I must say how excited I was to get the phone call from Digital Ambassador to work together to deliver a Skillshare and troubleshooting event for our members.

Thanks to everybody at get2gether that encouraged me to show my skills off, now you guys are taking on board what skills I got already, I just gotta keep going and keep positive!

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