A child's birthday is usually an occasion for parents to rejoice. But for Jack Barr, director of the athletics programme at Bangkok's International Community School (ICS), that red-letter day was when he was told his daughter had been diagnosed with Down's syndrome.

Seeking to help special-needs children better connect with their communities and with organisations in the Bangkok area offering helpful resources, Barr, with assistance from friends and colleagues at ICS, has developed the Special Needs Awareness Programme (Snap), a non-profit, non-solicitation association which focuses on building relationships between families with and without special-needs children.

One of the activities initiated by Snap is a weekend festival to raise awareness of the issues involved as well as to celebrate special-needs kids as a blessing.

A Snap statement reads: "Are you tired of being told what your child will not do? The community at ICS is focused on giving you a day to learn what your child can do."

This year's event will consist of a fair to be held early next month in the grounds of ICS.

It will feature a variety of fun-filled activities involving music, games, sports, arts and crafts. There will also be face-painting sessions, a bouncy castle to allow the kids to let off steam, stalls selling food and booths representing various local hospitals, support and therapy centres.

The fair will run from 10am to 3pm on Dec 8. ICS is located on Parkland Road in Bang Na. Call 02-338-0751 for more details.