Spectrum for 17 February 2013

Every parent wants to see their child grow up and achieve their own independence. For parents of children with a disability this can seem an impossible aspiration. But John and Jane Taylor have found a way for their 24-year-old son Lawrence, who was born with Down syndrome. A furniture-maker by trade, John refined the design of a Cape Cod style chair and then worked out a production system that would allow Lawrence to assemble a chair from scratch, with only minor assistance. Try21 chairs, which refers to trisomy 21 (another name for Down Syndrome),were born. Lisa Thompson takes a tour of Lawrence's workshop and learns about crafting not just furniture but a future.