Stunning 150 umbrella neurodiversity project in Stoke-on-Trent

The stunning display has been set up in the Piccadilly and Smithfield area of the city centre

A vibrant display of 150 colourful umbrellas has been put up in Stoke-on-Trent to highlight neurodiversity.

The Neurodiversity Umbrella Project was designed to celebrate and raise awareness of cognitive and learning differences such as autism and dyspraxia.

The display is around the Piccadilly and Smithfield area of the city centre.

Poetry written by The Crescent Academy students has also been turned into a peace garden mural due to open in July.

Stoke-on-Trent is the first location to host the Arts Council England-funded display, which will be touring UK.

The uplifting national scheme has been designed to represent one in five people who are neurodiverse and recognise the strengths and abilities that comes with learning and thinking differently.

What is Neurodiversity?

• The term was first introduced in the 1980s by Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist who spent many years studying cognitive behaviour

• It describes a range of neurological differences including dyslexia, dyspraxia (also called Developmental Coordination Disorder, or DCD), Dyscalculia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)

• These conditions often co-occur and many symptoms may overlap

Source: Royal College of Nursing

The Word Art mural, made up of poems written by pupils, was creatively designed by We Are Culla, a team of Stoke-on-Trent artists and printers.

The artwork is being developed and is located in Marsh Street.

An augmented reality and spoken word poetry trail has also been set up across three floors of the Potteries Shopping Centre.