Heidi, 27 from Coventry, became a Guinness World Records title holder after recalling an astonishing 70 celebrity birthdays, from Queen Victoria and Margaret Thatcher to Brad Pitt and Shakira, without hesitation. As well as spending her time honing her impressive memory skills, Heidi is a passionate disability rights campaigner and is married to her husband James who also has Down's syndrome.
The record was achieved under Guinness World Records' new impairments initiative, developed alongside learning disability charity Mencap. The initiative allows reasonable adjustments to be made for record attempts in order to better include people with a learning disability.
If that wasn't enough, fellow Mencap Myth Buster Harvey Price, 21, will also begin his own record attempt during Learning Disability Week. Harvey has autism, Prader-Willi Syndrome, Septo-Optic Dysplasia and a learning disability. He lives at a residential college in Cheltenham. Harvey has a love of trains and will be taking on the Guinness World Records title for the world's longest train drawing (team). Harvey, alongside ten friends from the college who also have learning disabilities, have begun their attempt to draw a 20m long and 1m high train and aim to complete it in over one month.
This Learning Disability Week is all about challenging misconceptions about life with a learning disability, with people across the country busting myths and showing what they can achieve – including becoming Guinness World Records title holders. There are 1.5 million people in the UK with a learning disability. Mencap Myth Busters are a team of ambassadors championed by Mencap to show the world what having a learning disability means today, and include athletes, activists, business owners, actors, a model, a dancer, a football coach and more.
Mencap Myth Buster, Heidi Crowter, said: "I am feeling very proud of myself for achieving a Guinness World Record! I love sharing my joy of birthdays with people, and I have been writing a birthday list and practising a lot; everyone knows that practice makes perfect! Achieving a Guinness World Record means I can do anything I set my mind to! I am proud to be a Mencap Myth Buster and keep challenging perceptions about what I can achieve."
Katie Price, Harvey Price's mum said: "I'm unbelievably proud of Harvey for doing this Guinness World Records challenge! He continues to defy the odds and amazes me every day. He absolutely loves drawing trains, so I know he'll get so much enjoyment out of this experience."
Mencap's CEO, Edel Harris OBE, said: "It's truly groundbreaking for Mencap to be working with Guinness World Records to ensure breaking records is something that's acessible and achievable for people with a learning disability. People with a learning disability just like the wider population have a range of amazing skills and talents. It is crucial to provide a platform for people with a learning disability to not only provide equal opportunities but also bust myths about what people can and can't do. We're so proud of our Mencap Myth Busters Heidi and Harvey for paving the way and taking on the amazing challenge of setting a Guinness World Record!"
Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday said: "The opportunity to become a record holder and be the best in the world at something must be open to absolutely everyone. We're proud to be working with Mencap to spread this message far and wide: we want to celebrate people of all abilities and showcase them in a book that offers a true snapshot of our gloriously diverse world."
REHACARE.com; Source: Mencap
