PosAbility – Aug / Sep 2022

Aug/SEP 2022

MAGAZINE ACCESSERCISE Discover the exercise app created specifically for disabled people

KIDS EAT FREE Check out the meal deals on offer to help feed the family this summer

SAMANTHA RENKE Samantha bares all in an interview about her debut book

www.motomed.com

Welcome AUG/SEP 22

Ros EDITOR

What a summer we have had so far, we hope you are all surviving the heat and have not melted yet! Keeping cool through these heatwaves is becoming a priority, so you will find some great tips for cooling down on page 26 and page 45 highlights the signs of dehydration to ensure you can keep an eye on friends and family in these uncomfortable conditions.

Our wonderful columnist Samantha Renke has just released her first book, You Are The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread. We caught up with her to find out what to expect from her debut Like us on Facebook Search for ‘PosAbility Magazine’

book, and how hard it was to actually put pen to paper. You can read our full interview on page 28.

Wheelchair tennis took centre stage this summer as Wimbledon got underway in July and, while the Championship titles eluded our talented British cohort on grass, they were finally afforded the chance to showcase their sport on No.1 court to an amazing British crowd.

Andy Lapthorne then went on to the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships to win the men’s quad singles title for the first time. If all this tennis success has you motivated to pick up a racket, check out the LTA Wheelchair Tennis Initiative Talent Spot days taking place throughout the country this year – you can find all the information on page 62.

We have lots of recipe content this issue too as Lydia Wilkins prepares to launch her debut recipe book, The Autism Friendly Cookbook, as well as our regular instalment from Mr Cookfulness and we look at frozen treats for those hot summer days.

We hope you enjoy this issue, as always we love to hear from you so drop us email at Ros@2APublishing. co.uk with any thoughts or ideas.

Follow us on Twitter @ PosAbilityMag

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Editor: Rosalind Tulloch Staff Writers: Katie Campbell Designer: Fionnlagh Ballantine Staff Writers: Donna Deakin Sales team: 0141 465 2960 sales@2apublishing.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Sam Renke, Mik Scarlet, Dan White, Jane Hatton, Ian Taverner, Lydia Wilkins, Mark Davidson, Carrie-Ann Lightley, Courtney Reeve

DISCLAIMER

PosAbility Magazine is published by 2A Publishing Limited.

The views expressed in PosAbility Magazine are not necessarily the views of the editor or the publisher. Reproduction in part or in whole is strictly prohibited without the explicit written consent of the publisher.

Copyright 2022 ©2A Publishing Limited.

All Rights Reserved. ISSN 2049-2251

Contact Details: 2A Publishing Ltd, 20- 23 Woodside Place, Glasgow, G3 7QL Tel: 0141 465 2960 Fax: 0141 258 7783 enquiries@2apublishing.co.uk posabilitymagazine.co.uk Aug/SEP 2022

MAGAZINE KIDS EAT FREE Check out the meal deals on offer to help feed the family this summer

ACCESSERCISE

SAMANTHA RENKE

Discover the exercise app created specifically for disabled people

Samantha bares all in an interview about her debut book

Follow us on Instagram @ posabilitymagazine

To find out more about subscribing to PosAbility Magazine turn to p66

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AUG/SEP 2022 | ISSUE 68

07 FYI

36 HOT STUFF

News, stories and updates

The latest must-have products

12 FLYING THE FLAG

39 HOTEL BROOKLYN MANCHESTER

Exploring the origins of the Disability Pride Flag

15 LET’S TALK PERIODS Samantha Renke discusses why it’s so important for disabled people to talk about their periods

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16 FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Hewinson are making jeans designed with wheelchair users in mind

20 SUMMER DESSERTS Sunshine brings out the ice cream lover in all of us

23 COOKFULNESS

16 26

Euan’s Guide are helping open up the world to disabled people with users’ access reviews

45 STAYING HYDRATED Know what dehydration looks like, and how to fix it

46 ACCESSERCISE We speak to Paralympic powerlifter Ali Jawad about his new fitness app designed for disabled users

48 THE AUTISM FRIENDLY COOKBOOK

25 LEST THEY (AND WE) FORGET

Lydia Wilkins explains what led her to write her first cookbook, plus an extract teaching how to make a beautiful beef hotpot

Milk Scarlet explains what makes him proud in light of July’s Disability Pride Month

53 KIDS’ CORNER

26 STAYING COOL Essential products to combat the heat of British Summertime

28 SAMANTHA RENKE BARES ALL Our longstanding columnist speaks to editor Ros about her debut book, You Are The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

Mark Davidson brings us the highs and lows of the world renowned tennis tournament

posabilitymagazine.co.uk

42 VISITING WITH CONFIDENCE

Resident chef Ian Taverner’s recipe for a delicious summer seared spring onion, feta and lemon salad

34 WIMBLEDON 2022

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Take a trip to Manchester’s latest accessible hotel with Carrie-Ann Lightley

A non-exhaustive list of places kids can eat for free this summer, more from columnist Dan White, and Courtney Reeve writes why Pride should be accessible to disabled people in this issue’s Future Voices column

62 LTA WHEELCHAIR TENNIS INITIATIVE Could you be the next Wimbledon wheelchair tennis champion?

65 THE ROLE OF CAREER COACHING Career coaches could be the key to landing your dream job

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34

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54 it comes to recipes, the language that is so often used is tricky to interpret - and I am not the only person to write this out in my own words. Timings are tricky to master, and executive functioning issues can quickly become paralysing. Googling disability-related cookbooks left me disheartened, as the emphasis was so often on the ‘junk science’ that if you eat better, you can ‘cure’ yourself.

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Around the same kind of time, my mentor died suddenly.

The last thing he’d ever said to me acted as something of a spark to the fuse of an idea. We’d spoken about conversations about me ghostwriting the book of someone we both knew at the time - and the excitement on that was almost child-like, immediately instructing me how to write this, who to talk to, why, and what questions to ask. The

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We can put you in touch with our clinical team to see if our orthoses could help in managing your condition. www.dmorthotics.com admin@dmorthotics.com +44 (0) 1209 219 205 Designed and constructed in the UK

NEW ACCESSIBILITY APP FOR YOUR INFORMATION News and stories from around the world

BAYWATCH 2022

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isabled Motoring UK is looking to build on last year’s record-breaking Baywatch campaign when in August they ask disabled motorists from across the country to report on issues they’ve faced with parking over the last 12 months.

The Baywatch campaign survey is held every year, and its results are taken to the parking industry to encourage problems faced by disabled motorists to be taken seriously. Simultaneously, the campaign also seeks to change the attitudes of the general public, and bring wider attention to how abuse of disabled parking bays can have a significant, negative impact on disabled drivers.

Heidi Turner, campaigns and communications director at Disabled Motoring UK said: “Disabled bay

abuse is still one of the main concerns expressed to us by our members and the public. Our annual Baywatch campaign is an opportunity to focus the parking industry on the problems faced by disabled motorists when parking and sends the message that these bays need to be enforced and managed correctly.”

Last year, the campaign gained over 850 responses, the most that Baywatch has ever received. This year’s survey will be printed in the August edition of Disabled Motoring, so if you receive a copy of this you are encouraged to fill it in and send it back to Disabled Motoring UK using the Freepost address. Alternatively, the Baywatch survey can be completed online through Disabled Motoring UK’s website: DisabledMotoring.org/ Baywatch.

The survey will ask people to think back over the last year about their general parking experiences in supermarkets and other car parks, which will then be used to improve or tackle disabled parking policies.

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nowball, a brand new app for disabled people that asks them to review and rate how disabilityfriendly businesses and services are, has been launched.

Created by wheelchair user and co-host of the popular podcast The Grumpy Gits, Simon Sansome, the app allows users to find restaurants, shops, tourist attractions, coffee shops and much more, regardless of where they are in the world. As more places are reviewed and suggested, the app will grow larger and gain more momentum, hence its name, Snowball.

Simon said: “Snowball will have a significant impact in giving people with physical disabilities, mental health issues and learning disabilities successful journeys and great days out.

“In the last few weeks we have seen BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner stranded on a plane at Heathrow, a Guide Dog charity executive asked to leave a supermarket because of his guide dog, and disabled children unable to access playgrounds.

“The app will give people the confidence to socialise with ease as they will be able to see what facilities and venues are available in their immediate location.

They will also be able to plan days out, giving people more freedom to access their communities, explore and travel with confidence.”

Paralympians Hannah Cockroft OBE and Aaron Phipps MBE have hailed the app as a “long time coming”, with Hannah saying: “I am repeatedly told that disability access in the UK has improved out of sight, and whilst things are getting better, they are still not accessible.

Snowball will change the everyday lives of many disabled people.

“We will no longer have to turn up and pray we can get in, do hours of online research just to find out if we will be able to enter, or phone up and be told a venue is accessible, when it really, really isn’t – one step doesn’t make a huge difference, right? Snowball will give people back their time, freedom and independence and create an accessible space for all.”

You can download the app from the Play Store or App Store by searching ‘Snowball Community’ to start reviewing today. posabilitymagazine.co.uk

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SEATING MATTERS LAUNCH SYDNEY GOFLAT™ CHAIR

“Time and again we were asked for a lie flat chair but built to the high Seating Matters clinical standard. The Sydney GoFlat was designed and refined in direct response to clinician feedback. We wanted to help advance early mobilisation, enabling patients to be discharged earlier from the ICU and ultimately from hospital.”

S

“Feedback we have heard during the fieldtesting phase of this exciting new chair is that in addition to the many significant physical and functional benefits there have been untold mental and emotional benefits for patients. Our very first patient was in an ICU unit in Australia and her occupational therapist thought the Sydney GoFlat was a game changer in her patient’s treatment.”

eating Matters have launched a new seating solution to help transfer critical care patients at home or in a care setting.

The Sydney GoFlat™ has been designed to enable the safe and efficient transfer of critical care patients from lying in bed to a fully seated, clinically optimised position offering care professionals new options in early patient mobilisation.

Speaking at the launch of the new model, Seating Matters director Jonathan Tierney said: “We are very proud to launch this new addition to the Seating Matters range. The Sydney GoFlat combines the traditional Seating Matters principles of seating with the benefits of our advanced GoFlat technology allowing lateral transfers.”

Clinical director Martin Tierney added: “Extensive research demonstrates the many benefits of getting patients out of bed as rapidly as tolerated and the negative impact that long term bed rest can have on muscle mass, bone mineral density and impairment in other body systems.

Seating Matters specialists are providing free demonstrations of the Sydney GoFlat across the UK and Ireland, details can be found on SeatingMatters.com.

GET YOUR SUPERHERO CAPE ON!

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t’s time to get ready for the largest mass participation sports series in the UK, dedicated to disabled people and their families, Superhero Tri! Taking place on 20 August at Dorney Lake, Windsor, the event encourages disabled kids and adults to get involved alongside family, friends and carers. You can choose from three different distances to suit any ability, and you can choose to fly solo or share the fun as part of a team.

You are allowed to use any equipment you need to enable you to complete the course, whether that be flippers or a float for the swim section, or you need to be towed in a vessel across the water. All types of adapted bikes and wheelchairs are welcome for the cycling stage, and for the run/push stage everything from buggies, race runners, and powerchairs are actively encouraged.

It truly is the most inclusive, fun and exciting sporting event for families and friends to take part in this summer. They even have some great Paralympians and celebrities involved as Team Captains, and you must not forget to look out your superhero outfit!

You can sign up to take part at SuperheroSeries.co.uk.

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LAPTHORNE LIFTS FIRST BRITISH OPEN QUAD SINGLES TROPHY

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heelchair tennis number four Andy Lapthorne has claimed his first quad singles title after beating Australian third seed Heath Davidson at the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships in July.

Lapthorne had a point to prove after losing to Davidson at Wimbledon, beating the Australian 6-4 6-3 in his sixth attempt at the title.

“After losing here five times in the final, that was needed,” Lapthorne said. “It’s just amazing to win here, I know what it’s like to lose here. I’ve lost finals from match point up and I’ve obviously lost to Heath in the last two tournaments. He’s been playing great tennis so congratulations on a great summer mate, you’ve done great things.

“I knew I was going to have to play well out here today. One of my great friends from home, Pistol Pete, who used to play here a lot, he’s not great at home at the moment and just tried

to use that to inspire me and push me on and he got me through. Thanks to everyone for the support in the crowd this week, you’ve been amazing for an ITF one. It’s probably the best in the world so thank you to everyone for coming.”

British number one Lucy Shuker’s first British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championship singles final did not end on such a happy note, seeing her lose out on the title to the Netherlands’ Aniek van Koot. The Dutch top seed won 6-2 6-3 in her sixth attempt at securing the British Open women’s singles title.

Shuker said: “I’m really happy to get to the final this week. It’s a shame I couldn’t go one further and win but Aniek you were pretty awesome today.

Your backhand slice is ridiculous. I’m really happy overall to get to the final, it’s been a good week. I’d like to thank the LTA for all their support and it has been great to play in front of a British crowd again.”

LATEST

TWEETS

Katie Bennett-Hogg @npo_speechie Today I was tutted at when parking in a disabled space. I had all these tubes hidden under my clothes, so I looked like a young, healthy person.

But in reality, I still have a disability, despite choosing to hide my tubes. Friendly reminder that most disabilities are invisible!

Jonathan (Jono) Greenwood (IT’S TIME) @JonathanGwood Disability is a spectrum. Some disabilities are visible. Others are invisible. But what do they all have in common? They’re all worthy of respect. Ableism has no place in modern society; let’s get to know others and stop assuming things about people with disabilities.

㰦�䓘�

Charlie Park @MeanderingPark Things I want people to say about my chronic illness: - What can I do to help?

- What’s the best way for us to stay in touch?

- That sounds challenging.

- What things have you found help you?

- What have you been working on with your health?

- Wishing you spoons and less pain.

Katie Jameson @Katie__Jameson Im just a mom, over here reminding you that kids with #disabilites don’t have the opportunity to attend summer camps with their siblings or peers, because support is not built into those programs.

My kid wants to play, too. #DisabilityTwitter #DisabilityRights

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FUNDING FOR INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

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eWALK has been awarded £1.7million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), to use for their Designed for Ageing project.

WeWALK are the organisation behind the Smart Cane – a walking cane for people living with a visual impairment that uses a front-mounted ultrasonic sensor that detects obstacles and warns users with vibration feedback. It has transformed the lives of many blind and visually impaired people, and the team at WeWALK are dedicated to continuing the creation of software-enabled products to aid independent living.

Their new project Designed for Ageing, sees them partnering with Imperial College London and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), and aims to develop a new computer vision-aided solution to help people facing mobility challenges, from catching the right bus to navigating the busiest streets.

The £1.7million of funding will be used to focus on promoting the widespread use of computer visionaided navigation, including environmental mapping and situational awareness. The project team aims to build on existing WeWALK architecture while also developing new technology that is accessible and easier to use for key target groups. The project has the potential to enhance the lives of up to 253 million visually impaired and 700 million older people globally by improving access to the spaces where we live, work, and play.

WeWALK co-founder Kürşat Ceylan said: “We are delighted and excited to be embarking on this new project with our partners, thanks to the support of UKRI. “Computer vision has limitless potential in solving mobility problems experienced by visually impaired and older people, from identifying landmarks to navigating complex spaces. Our specialist knowledge and that of our partners, which have an in-depth understanding of overcoming the barriers to using mobility technology, provide an ideal platform in developing new and effective solutions.”

Robin Spinks, principal manager of digital accessibility at RNIB, said: “We’re delighted to be working with WeWALK and Imperial College London on this exciting project which gives us an immense opportunity to enhance navigation for people with sight loss.

“We will be heavily involved in user testing working with a large group of blind and partially sighted people to harness their day to day lived experience. We will also be working with our user experience team to develop a game-changing product that will improve the lives of visually impaired individuals worldwide.”

DOUBLE PODIUM FOR TEAM BRIT eam BRIT, the world’s only competitive all-disabled racing team, have taken a double podium in the British GT Championship.

The race, held on Sunday 24 July at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium, was the 7th in this year’s championship, in which the team has made history as the first ever all-disabled team entry.

Drivers Aaron Morgan and Bobby Trundley raced the team’s Mclaren 570S GT4 in the Pro-Am category and qualified P2 in class and 10th overall in GT4. Following this, after some initial problems with a tyre failure in warmup, the team and crew put in a flawless performance to secure their biggest ever victory.

The crew, under the leadership of engineering director Al Locke have been praised by commentators and teams alike for their incredible efforts in what has been a major step up. They were completing top-class pitstops in just 0.9 seconds over the minimum time requirement, whilst also running the team’s pioneering hand control technology which enables Aaron, who is a paraplegic to race in the same car as Bobby.

31-year-old Aaron Morgan broke his back in a motocross accident when he was 15 and was the youngest ever disabled person to achieve a national ‘B’ race licence when he got back into motorsport following his accident. Aaron took the first stint of the day, delivering some of his best ever driving before handing over to 22-year-old Bobby.

Bobby was diagnosed with severe autism as a child and went on to become a five time national karting champion before joining Team BRIT in 2019.

This race saw their first class win in the championship and first ever GT4 podium finish. Last year, Aaron and Bobby competed in the Britcar Endurance Championship and 2022 has seen them step up to British GT, racing at their highest ever level.

Engineer director Al Locke said: “This is a real milestone moment in our history. Today’s victory is down to the efforts of every crew member and both drivers. We gave absolutely everything we could to ensure the car was as competitive as it could be and that our drivers were as prepared as possible. It worked. I couldn’t be prouder of every one of my crew and of Bobby and Aaron.

“Both drivers gave the performances of their lives and these trophies are so thoroughly deserved. Stepping up to British GT has been a massive learning curve for every one of us and we’re growing and improving with every race.”

We all welcome a little extra assistance now and again, particularly when travelling alone. Thistle Assistance is an initiative to help you feel safer and more comfortable when using public transport.

thistleassistance.com

Flying THE FLAG

BY KATIE CAMPBELL

Exploring the origins of the Disability Pride flag, and its deeply meaningful design

uly was Disability Pride Month, an opportunity like many other Pride celebrations to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions and identities of some one billion disabled people worldwide, as well as recognising the continued struggle against stigma and ableism that disabled people continue to be subjected to.

The celebrations began in America to celebrate the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in July 1990, which finally afforded disabled Americans legal protection against discrimination in all areas of public life, including employment, schooling and much more. The first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston, Massachusetts, on 6 October 1990, and saw a turnout of over 400 people march from the City Hall to the Boston Common public park,

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setting the scene for the parades that would be held annually in Chicago, New York City, and a host of other American towns and cities beginning in the early 00s. The festivities have even made their way over to the United Kingdom, where Disability Pride Brighton held their Pride parade for three consecutive years beginning in 2017; unfortunately, it seems to have been limited by the current global pandemic.

With all of this in mind, you may have seen people posting the Disability Pride Flag on their Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook: a lightning bolt of several stripes tearing through a black background. The flag was designed by Ann Magill, a disabled New Yorker who noticed that no flag existed at the time to express disability pride.

On her blog - where she kindly waives all copyright claims to her design, meaning anyone can use its public domain design - she explained that she had attended a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but was disappointed to find that the celebration was a short, generic affair that was confined to the basement of an office building, not a joy-filled party as she had been expecting and hoping for. Six years later, in 2016, she woke to the breaking news of the Sagamihara stabbings in the Tsukui Yamayuri En care home, Japan, where 19 disabled people were killed and 26 injured in an act of ableist barbarism.

At this point, she decided that instead of wishing there was a flag, she would create one herself.

The first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston, Massachusetts, on 6 October 1990, and saw a turnout of over 400 people march from the City Hall to the Boston Common public park

Ann’s original flag featured a zig-zag of five colours, each separated by a strip of black, cutting across the flag diagonally. She posted it online, and before long, tens of thousands of people on social media sites Reddit and Tumblr had seen the flag.

Unbeknownst to Ann, this original design had a slight problem: its heavily saturated colours and zigzag shape could cause a strobing effect when it was seen while scrolling, which posed a risk for people living with epilepsy and those who experience migraines. Knowing that this worked in contrary to the inclusive nature of the flag, Ann and a group of anonymous helpers worked to make the flag more accessible. In October 2021, she released the updated version of the flag - again, into the public domain - with desaturated colours and straight diagonal bars in place of the zig-zag pattern, and asked that people move only to use the latest version of the flag, which has been redesigned with people’s safety in mind.

In her own words, from the post she used on Reddit to reveal the redesign of her now widely-recognised Disability Pride Flag, here’s Ann’s own breakdown of the flag’s symbolism: “Having All Six "Standard" Flag Colours: signifying that Disability Community is pan-national, spanning borders between states and nations.

“The Black Field: Mourning and rage for victims of ableist violence and abuse “The Diagonal Band: ‘Cutting across’ the walls and barriers that separate the disabled from normate society, also light and creativity cutting through the darkness “The White Stripe: Invisible and Undiagnosed Disabilities “The Red Stripe: Physical Disabilities “The Gold Stripe: Neurodivergence “The Blue Stripe: Psychiatric Disabilities “The Green Stripe: Sensory Disabilities” If you’d like to learn more about Ann Magill’s design process, or what inspired her to create the Disability Pride Flag, she was recently featured on a fantastic episode of The Accessible Stall podcast, which we cannot recommend highly enough. Find out more at theaccessiblestall.com.

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See My Voice Parasports Festival As part of the See My Voice programme, British Blind Sport, UK Deaf Sport and Sport Birmingham will host an exciting Parasports Festival. The free event will allow young people with a disability aged 10-20 and their families to try a variety of sports featured at the Commonwealth Games in a welcoming environment and help them feel a part of the Birmingham 2022 legacy.

Date: Friday 19th August 2022 Time: 11am - 4pm Venue: Nechells Wellbeing Centre, Rupert Street, Birmingham, B7 4AR For more information please contact our See My Voice Delivery Officer at connor@britishblindsport.org.uk or call 07983497787.

To register your interest in this event, please visit: https://britishblindsport.wufoo.com/forms/mzwk7tz0d0kj19/

Registered Charity Number: 1168093 Company Limited by Guarantee Number 10009918

awkward these interactions need to be, and remember disabled people have a voice and deserve respect at all times.

SAM RENKE

Getting dressed from a seated position as a wheelchair user is not an easy task so pulling up knickers with a sanitary pad in them can often leave them crumpled and it feels like you are sitting on a butt plug all day - and not in a good way! If you are assisting someone with this, double and triple check it hasn’t crumpled, because it is so uncomfortable.

COLUMNIST

Our favourite teacher-turnedactress, Sam Renke, brings you her take on life and the colourful experiences it throws her way.

Having short limbs means wiping my tushy can be a challenge, never mind inserting a tampon, that’s why I really love period pants. They are an investment, and are notably much more expensive than sanitary pads, but in the long term I think they are better for the environment and they actually give me a little bit more independence.

LET’S TALK PERIODS

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rigger warning for any of you with a squeamish disposition: I will be taking about my period.

Yes, that’s right: the blob, the crimson wave, the monthly monster - whatever you want to call it.

disabled woman my periods seem to be even more of a stressful experience, but I never really hear anyone talk about it. So, I thought I’d just share some of my own disability-related period barriers.

I guess some of you may be wondering what prompted this rather taboo and obscure subject? Well, the fact is half of the world’s population bleeds once a month and like many topics associated with women or people with a cervix, we rarely have the space to talk openly and honestly about it. Shut up and put up is often the narrative when it comes to periods.

I was a late bloomer and didn’t even think I would get my period. Why? Because disabled people are often infantilised and not seen as sexual beings with the same reproductive organs as everyone else. Whilst all my mates got theirs, I became more and more anxious and scared that having a period was just another milestone as a disabled kid I’d miss out on and worse, this meant I’d not be able to become a mother (in the conventional sense). Like a lot of my childhood and adolescence I was left with many unanswered questions and feelings of otherness. So, if you are a parent or caregiver please, please, educate yourself and have an open conversation with your teens, because we already have enough to deal with as a disabled kid. I think it’s also important to discuss boundaries when assisting someone who needs it when using sanitary products as early on as possible. The more we talk, the less

My most recent period lasted almost two weeks. I was moody and irritable, tired, sad, paranoid, dizzy, bloated and doped up on paracetamol for the most part. To top it off we had a heatwave.

I was so heavy that even with my heavy flow period pants on, a towel in my bed, my sheets were still ruined. I’ve not even checked to see what damage has been done to my mattress! As someone who struggles to change my own bedding - tried it once and it took me the best part of two hours - it occurred to me that as a physically

I’ve not been on my contraceptive pill for over ten years now as I was advised to stop taking them because of my limited mobility, and also a history of aneurysms in my family. However, it appears that many GPs are not very knowledgeable when it comes to giving good advice on contraception for disabled people. I think this is something that we should be pushing to educate ourselves on and perhaps urge our affiliated charities and organisations to lead the way in this research and in starting conversations.

Finally, as any wheelchair user is already aware, chairs are notorious for getting hot. Black leather and island seats with metal work means that when you’re on your period you will be even more uncomfortable and sticky.

Here’s a few tips to reduce chafing and skin rubbing: Wear cycling or bike shorts Use a little bit of petroleum jelly or anti-chafing gel Cover your wheelchair seat with a pillowcase temporarily Periods are hard bloody work (excuse the pun), but having a disability can add to that stress. Let’s talk more and share more tips and tricks on periods, and destigmatize something that is part of being human.

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FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS

BY KATIE CAMPBELL

Hewinson is a new, UK-based fashion brand specialising in jeans that were created with wheelchair users in mind from the very beginning he push to make fashionable clothing accessible to disabled people has seen some of fashion’s biggest names - Tommy Hilfiger and Nike to name but two - come around to the idea that everybody needs accessible clothing that can be adapted to the needs of every body. Shoes that can be stepped into as opposed to laced up; trousers with magnetic buttons and wide legs to accommodate orthotics and casts; the list thankfully goes on!

Hewinson are a brand-new UK-based fashion brand, specialising in producing clothing for wheelchair users that offers both style and function. They pride themselves on being “original, not adapted” - that is, their clothes are designed from the ground up with the user in mind, ensuring that all of their needs are met from the word go. The company specialises in creating denim jeans specifically designed to meet the needs of wheelchair users, offering customers a wardrobe staple that’s stylish, well-designed, and comfortable.

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denim, they’re tailored specifically to be well-fitting when the wearer is in a seated position, and don’t feature any back pockets, which they say mitigates the risk of the wearer developing pressure-related sores while they’re wearing the jeans - as do the jeans’ unique flat seams. They also have an extra-long zip, elasticated waist and reinforced belt loops, so the wearer can pull them on and off easily without worrying about compromising the integrity of their jeans.

Founder of The Wheel Life on YouTube and Instagram George Dowell praised the brand for offering a “fashionconscious solution” to the issue of fashion brands providing adaptive clothing options. He said: “As a wheelchair user, I know first-hand how difficult it is to find comfortable, styleconscious clothes that take the unique needs of someone in a seated position into account; something I don’t think the wider fashion industry has really managed to grasp as yet. It’s really refreshing to see a brand like Hewinson not only thrust this issue into the spotlight, but offer a fashionconscious solution to what is a real need for more adaptive designs on the market.”

The brand has launched their signature jeans in a few styles, with more colours planned for release later in the year. At the moment, the classic stonewash jeans are available for men and women in a regular, straight-cut fit. They also offer trackies for men and women in two colours - these trousers are designed for everyday wear, and the ultra-soft brushed cotton lining makes them ideal loungewear. Hewinson are planning on expanding their brand to offer hoodies and jackets - which will of course be designed with the needs of wheelchair users in mind - in early 2023.

Hewinson jeans can be purchased from their website, hewinson.com. Men’s and women’s jeans are priced at £65 with sizes ranging from 30-52”, and two leg lengths.

Men’s and women’s trackies are available for £52, available in sizes XS-XXL, in two leg lengths, and two colours, black or grey.

Paul Haidon, the brains behind Hewinson, said: “In our 25 years of experience in adaptive fashion, what we’ve heard time and time again from wheelchair users is the fact that they seem to be able to find functional or stylish jeans; never the two together. We desperately wanted to solve that problem by designing a pair of jeans that not only looked great, but offered unparalleled comfort by taking into account the specific needs of wheelchair users who remain in seated positions for long periods of time.

“We pored over the prototypes for a very long time to ensure we had every element of the design just right, and we’re pleased to say that that’s exactly what we’ve achieved; a stylish, comfortable pair of jeans, that just so happen to be specifically tailored for wheelchair users. We believe firmly that ‘adapted’ needn’t sacrifice style and style needn’t sacrifice comfort. We’ve married the two.”

Manufactured in the UK, Hewinson jeans are designed to be comfortable and functional. Made of stretchy, soft

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NEW

The truth is:

Using a catheter should be gentle, hygienic and easy – home or away

Request your free samples today and our product specialist will support you through your trial

That’s why we took SpeediCath® Flex and turned it into a set. You get Triple Action Coating Technology, our unique hydrophilic coating, which helps reduce your risk of UTI and injury to your urethra.* Its flexible tip and dry-sleeve design make insertion gentle and hygienic. And the SpeediCath Flex Set features an all-new bag. It’s dry to the touch and easy to open and empty so your hands and clothes stay dry. So now you can catheterise with no mess wherever you like – and get on with your day.

For your FREE SpeediCath® Flex Set Sample Pack, fill out the form below, pop in an envelope and post to FREEPOST COLOPLAST (that’s all, no stamp required).

Title

First name

I’ve been assessed and prescribed catheters by a Healthcare Professional

Surname Address

Please send me a free sample of SpeediCath Flex Set

Postcode Telephone

OR

Email

I’m unsure if a new catheter is right for me, can a product specialist call me

Signature

How your information will be used - By providing your personal and sensitive personal data on this form, you are consenting to Coloplast and Charter using it for administration and analysis purposes and to process your order. We may share this information with healthcare professionals and other companies required for the delivery of your products or as required by law.

We may also contact you to ask you to clarify your requirements and to ask you to complete customer satisfaction or other surveys, and may use 3rd parties to handle this as outlined in our Privacy Policy which can be found at Coloplast.co.uk/privacy. We often keep customers up to date with the latest information on the products and services we offer.

Please indicate if you would like to be kept informed by: Post

Email

Phone

Text

* Compared to uncoated catheters The Coloplast logo is a registered trademark of Coloplast A/S. © 2022-07. All rights reserved Coloplast A/S, 3050 Humlebaek, Denmark. PM-19484

IC_FLEXSET_POSABILITY

LIFE-CHANGING DESIGN Discover the impact that selfcatheterisation can have on independence

oloplast are a globally-renowned company that cater for people with intimate healthcare needs.

They develop products and services that help make life easier for anyone requiring ostomy care, continence care, wound and skin care, or intervention urology.

They produce an innovative range of products to aid people who live with bladder and bowel problems. It may sound like a daunting and near impossible task for anyone who requires a catheter to manage their bladder, however, we recently spoke to Tracey Murphy, Coloplast senior specialist nurse to find out more about the impact self-catheterisation can have on people’s lives, and she enlightened us on how easy this process can be and how life-changing it can be.

There are many reasons that a person may need to use a catheter, which include, spinal cord injury, MS, or damage to the bladder or bowel. The problem with indwelling catheters is that they are quite restrictive on a person’s freedom and independence. Indwelling catheters are permanent fixtures that serve a very important purpose but mean the user must use a bag to collect the urine in throughout the day and night. This method, while it serves an important purpose, is often not the only option, but few people realise that there are other choices out there.

SELF-CATHETERISATION The concept of self-catheterisation is not a new idea, however, many people are still not aware of the benefits of this practice. When speaking with Tracey, it became immediately clear how passionate the team at Coloplast were about raising awareness of, not only the ease of selfcatheterising, but also the life-changing impact it can have on a person’s confidence and mental health.

Tracey highlighted how important it was to educate health professionals as well as patients to the benefits that self-catheterisation can have for most people. For young people in their teens who are living with a catheter and bag, which is usually strapped to their leg, this can adversely affect their mental health and confidence to enjoy the same experiences as their peers. Living with a catheter and bag can put young people off sleepovers, swimming activities, holidays with friends, and much more. If a person is a candidate for self-catheterisation, this can transform their life and give them back some real independence in their intimate healthcare needs.

Coloplast have developed an incredible range of selfcatheterisation products to suit any user. These products allow users to visit the bathroom and self-catheterise throughout the day in any venue or situation, without having a catheter inserted on a permanent basis.

The main concern over self-catheterisation is the ability to be able to insert the catheter on their own and the risk of infection. However, Coloplast have prioritised infection control, ease-of-use and discreet packaging throughout their range of products, and their team of specialist nurses are there to support customers to ensure every user can self-catheterise properly, safely and confidently. They even have a catheter that is designed to look at home in any make-up bag, SpeediCath Compact Eve is designed with a triangular shape to offer secure grip and easy handling, but it has also been designed to be very discreet and would be easily mistaken for a lip gloss or mascara. And the new SpeediCath Flex Set which is a dry sleeved catheter with drainage bag attached for gentle, easy and hygienic catheterisation – home or away.

Coloplast know the difference using selfcatheterisation can have on people’s daily lives, and they are passionate about raising awareness of this.

To find out more about the products and services they offer, please visit coloplast.co.uk.

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Desserts SUMMER

BY KATIE CAMPBELL

What is it about summer that makes dessert seem like such a wonderful idea? Ice cream on a hot day feels like such a treat, strawberries and meringue with lashings of cream, or cloud-like cakes loaded with berries and citrus fruits make for the perfect ending to any summertime meal with family or friends.

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FROZEN TREATS The high king of dessert is ice cream: truly, all other desserts are just vehicles to get ice cream on your plate, and that’s a beautiful thing. Over the years, the supermarkets have begun stocking more and more in the way of ice creams: you can splurge on a tub of Ben and Jerry’s or Häagen-Dazs if you’re in the market for something luxurious, absolutely, but offerings for people whose diets are dairy-free or those who opt for reduced sugar options are now much easier to come by in supermarkets, with the aforementioned luxury brands even offering their own dairy-free options! If you’re up to the challenge - and seriously, it is a bit of a challenge - you could even try making your own ice cream this summer.

Ice cream makers do take a significant portion of the work out of the proceedings, and are available for less than £20 if you do decide to take it up as a new hobby, but they’re not entirely necessary to create lush ice cream. Melissa Clark’s recipe in the New York Times, aptly called The Only Ice Cream Recipe You’ll Ever Need, is a phenomenal base for making just about any flavour of ice cream you can dream up, but it does require a little bit of cooking know-how to get the custard base right. If that sounds a bit much, BBC Good Food’s No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream recipe takes five minutes to cobble together with a couple of low-cost, easy to find ingredients, and produces the most luxurious condensed milk ice cream after a few hours of freezing. If you want to keep things dairy-free, Olive Magazine has brilliant recipes for super easy sorbet in any flavour you could possibly imagine - including whisky sour sorbet for the discerning adults amongst us!

THROW IT IN

BAKE IT PRETTY

Meringues don’t get the hype that they deserve. Inexpensive to buy, unbelievably easy to make and the basis of many a classic British dessert, they’re the foundation of many a good “chuck it in a bowl and see if it turns out ok” evening treat for many of us with a sweet tooth.

Throw together meringues, berries and whipped cream and you have yourself an Eton mess. In fact, throwing almost any fruit and a little cream on top makes for an absolutely indulgent dessert that’s relatively inexpensive to make. Little meringue kisses can be purchased from supermarkets (where you can even get flavoured ones) that make for perfect decoration or the finishing touches for cakes and sundaes.

If you’re confident - which you should be - you can try making your own meringues.

It’s just egg whites and granulated sugar mixed together. That’s it. If you have eggs about to go out of date and can’t face the thought of an omelette, this is a nice way to use them up! Whisk up the egg whites and sugar until they reach stiff peaks, then you can either pipe them onto a lined baking tray or spoon them on, before baking until they’re firm. Now that you have the secret to making meringues, you’re unstoppable.

Baking is fun, relaxing, and at the end of it all, you have cake. That’s reason enough for most to get in the kitchen and get the apron on, honestly. Fruity or citrusy cakes are great ways of using up leftover fruit, as the great Banana Bread Baking Craze of 2020 rightly taught us. Raspberry ripple cakes or blueberry muffins are sure to go down well, and make for a lovely treat of a warm summer evening. There are loads of recipes out there which will cater to the specific fruits or citrus you have on hand, but don’t be afraid to get experimental: lime drizzle cakes are amazing, and work in exactly the same way as lemon drizzle cakes. Can you make an orange drizzle cake? We have never tried, but you might!

A good bit of advice before you bring the Great British Bake Off into your own home: freezing your fruit then covering it in a very light layer of flour before putting it in your mixture usually helps prevent it from sinking to the bottom when it goes in the oven. Now: on your marks, get set, bake!

on your marks, get set, bake! posabilitymagazine.co.uk

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Rental plan available: Regular exercise at a low price? With THERA-Trainer UK you can choose whether to rent or buy.

Choose the right bike that suits both your needs and your budget - Contact us for a free and no-obligation demonstration at home or request a brochure.

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THERA-Trainer UK Ltd. T. 01908 564100 | info.uk@thera-trainer.com | www.thera-trainer.co.uk

Cookfulness

BY IAN TAVERNER

Ian Taverner is the author of Cookfulness, the cookbook designed for those living with chronic illness and pain. Every issue Ian will be contributing an exclusive new recipe, complete with his unique cooking format and hints and tips to allow everyone to make tasty, nutritious meals in their own kitchen, and in their own time.

SEARED SPRING ONION, FETA AND LEMON SALAD Give Yourself Time – when you need to take extra time, take a step back, breathe and re-Cookfulness yourself KEY – steps marked for when something really important is needed Hints & Tips – to help you throughout and after

METHOD

Prepare the spring onions by removing any dirty outer layers and cutting off the root Add the lettuce, radish, tomatoes and feta to your serving bowl and gently mix with your hands to combine Add the dressing ingredients (lemon juice/zest, olive oil, mustard, salt) to your jam jar, lid on and shake to combine, or to the small bowl and whisk to combine, set aside Put your griddle/frying pan onto a medium/high heat KEY do not use any oil on the pan, it will be dry fried Carefully (using the tongs) lay the spring onions across the griddle bars, or straight into the frying pan KEY set a timer for 1 minute After 1 minute, carefully turn the onions over and repeat KEY set timer for 1 minute You are looking for nice charred spring onions Carefully remove the spring onions and place onto the plate Drizzle olive oil and add a pinch of salt to the spring onions whilst hot, then lay them onto your chopped salad Add the dressing or keep for people to add themselves!

Cookfulness Playlists – get your best tracks going!

Difficulty rating: ***

Cooking time: 5 mins Preparation time: 20 mins Give yourself time: 40 mins

YOU WILL NEED Knife Chopping board Weighing scales and bowl

Serves: 4

Large oven proof flat bottomed pan with lid (same size hob pan and lid if not) Measuring jug Tablespoon Teaspoon Large spatula

HINTS & TIPS

1 2

Dry fry the spring onions, don’t add any oil

3

You can make the dressing well in advance and keep in the fridge

Keep an eye on the spring onions in case they start to catch, then turn if a minute not yet completed

WAYS TO CHANGE Try lime instead of lemon for the dressing Experiment with different leaves, tomatoes etc.

Griddle the radishes too, delicious!

Follow Ian’s Cookfulness journey on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook all @Cookfulness

INGREDIENTS 8 spring onions (scallions) 3 – 4 radishes roughly sliced Handful/cup baby plum or rainbow tomatoes, halved 1 romaine heart or iceberg lettuce roughly chopped Feta/vegan feta style – 3 rows cut into 1cm cubes Olive oil for sprinkling (not frying) Pinch of salt DRESSING 1 lemon – juice and zest 3 tbsp olive oil 1 teaspoon dijon mustard Pinch of salt

Cookfulness is available in hard copy & e-book on Amazon / BookshopUK / Waterstones

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Automatic Pill Dispensers and Medication Reminders Our products are widely used by Health and Social Care professionals for vulnerable older people and those with learning difficulties who need to be reminded of essential daily tasks such as taking their medication.

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MIK SCARLET COLUMNIST

Follow Mik on Twitter

LEST THEY (AND WE) FORGET ’m writing this in the throes of Disability Pride Month (yes, I had no idea that July was Disability Pride Month either and wouldn’t have known without social media) and I have heard many people - disabled and non-disabled - ask, “what is there to be proud of?” Well, if I highlighted all the reasons why we should be proud of being disabled this article would become a book (publishers, take note) so I thought I’d focus on a couple of things that I think all disabled people should be proud of.

In the news over the last few weeks, there has been story after story telling the public of the nightmares faced by many disabled people when flying.

Big-name disabled celebs have been trapped on planes for hours; we’ve seen wheelchair users crawl through an airport trying to reclaim their chair; wheelchairs costing thousands of pounds being smashed, and the tragic death of someone classed as a PRM (person of reduced mobility) in an airport after he became separated from the assistance. The media has jumped on these stories as if this is something new faced by disabled people.

I first flew in 1986, for a lads’ holiday to Ibiza. I arrived and found myself trapped on the plane while baggage tried to find my wheelchair. When I was taken off in the very uncomfortable aisle chair - that is still the type in use today - I found my wheelchair had been snapped in two during the flight.

Luckily, my mate Trev spent a few days wandering the streets of Ibiza town searching for someone who could help. He found a Scottish bloke who had a motorbike repair shop and soon

@MikScarlet

my folding wheelchair was welded solid. I spent the next two weeks having a great time, but I could feel the concern over the flight home rising in my heart. I can still see the baggage handlers out of the aeroplane window, jumping on my chair trying to fold it to put in the hold. On arrival, I was left without a functioning chair for six weeks. Ever since, I would say that out of every three flights, one would end in either a broken chair, being left on the plane for so long I was there when boarding for the next flight began, or both. I know so many disabled people with the same story. Yet it seems like the media wants to treat this as a new thing, not something endemic in the air industry.

As disabled people, we have become used to our experiences being ignored or twisted to suit whatever the government or media see as the current big story. We have just got on with living, fighting for it to get better but still trying to live as best as we can. In lockdown, we saw so many non-disabled people crumble at being made to stay at home, but many disabled people face this exclusion and isolation on a daily basis. Again, they have found ways of getting on with life, despite the stress on their physical and mental health.

For many of us, it’s so much part of our lives we almost forget that this isn’t normal. Most non-disabled people don’t live this way and can’t even imagine someone else might. We fight

“We fight for change while knowing we will have to make do with a substandard quality of life”

for change while knowing we will have to make do with a substandard quality of life, all due to the rubbish provisions we face around accessibility.

We’ve also been written out of history, both recent and the kind taught in schools. I watch the media pat itself on the back for increasing its disability representation while forgetting that it started this journey in the 1970s. If they had really been committed to change, they would be far further forward now. However, if it acknowledged things like the Disability Programmes Unit at the BBC and the fact that there were senior disabled people making TV shows in the 80s and 90s, let alone the army of forgotten on-screen talent, it would also have to face how little it has really done. There are as many disabled people on screen today as there were when I started on TV in 1989.

This goes for older history, too. So many historic figures were disabled, but do our history books tell us of this? No, although there is a growing number of disabled historians reclaiming our history. You’d think from the way history is discussed that there were no disabled people at all.

We’ve been erased from the past. Are our kids even taught about the recent struggle for disability rights? Or asked what being disabled actually means?

Many disabled people don’t even know our history. Yet again, we go on living, fighting to enjoy our day-to-day lives.

Just these two reasons alone prove to me that we are amazing. We have qualities and strengths that many non-disabled people could only dream of. I really feel we have so much to be proud of. It’s one of the things I think all disabled people share: we have proved we are strong, resilient and adaptable. We’re great!

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Staying Cool

BY ROSALIND TULLOCH

In Britain we are notorious for complaining about the British weather. British summertime is filled with rainy days and we bask in the glory of the sunshine when it occasionally arrives. However, recent heatwaves have seen most of the population struggling to stay cool, to avoid sunburn, to sleep at night, and to generally go about their day-today activities without melting. This heat brings a whole host of additional problems for disabled people of course, as many have medication to keep cool, body temperatures to regulate and hot wheelchairs or mobility aids to contend with. Here are some great products that will hopefully help keep you cool this summer.

1

Parrot bay Frozen Cocktails

It wouldn’t feel like summer if you weren’t basking in the sun sipping a frozen cocktail, right? Parrot Bay offer a great range of different cocktails, from margaritas and mojitos, to daiquiris and pina coladas. No one has the energy to mix up cocktails even in cooler weather, so being able to just pop these in the freezer and pull them out when you fancy a cold tipple is perfect.

DrinkSupermarket.com | £2.99

2

2

Picnic Cooler Bag

Voted the best overall cool bag for 2022 by the Independent, this Eleanor Bowmer cool bag not only keeps everything super cool thanks to its insulated lining, but it looks great too. With plenty of storage pockets and a removable shoulder strap and carry handle, you can’t go wrong when using this bag for a picnic in the park.

JohnLewis.com | £29.95

3

Ice Towel

This clever towel is small and lightweight, and easy to carry around in your bag. To activate its cooling temperature you simply need to get it wet and it will stay cool for up to two hours. The perfect companion to wrap around your shoulders or mop your brow on a hot summer’s day.

FindMeAGift.co.uk | £8.99

4

Peppermint Cooling Foot Lotion

This lotion is infused with peppermint essence oil from Norfolk to offer a cooling and softening lotion that will keep your tootsies much more comfortable in the heat.

This lotion is a real treat for your feet as it will also have them smelling great and feeling soft and supple too.

BodyShop.com | £9

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Ice Lolly Moulds

Keep the kids and the adults happy on sunny days by making your own ice lollies at home with Eddingtons Fab Lolly Mould. Simply choose your favourite flavour of juice, pour it into the mould and leave them to freeze. Make sure you make a few, because as soon as the sun is out these will be devoured. Fill up these six moulds and pop them in the freezer for a cooling treat.

Amazon.co.uk | £8.99

6

Hand Fan

Look effortlessly stylish while keeping yourself cool with this beautiful blue silk butterfly fan. Hark back to the old days before electric fans were around and bring some elegance to any sweaty situation. Perfect for carrying around in your bag and whipping out to fan yourself on any occasion to keep you cool.

Fans Of Fan on Etsy.com | £14.99

7

FRIO wallet

For anyone who has temperature sensitive medication that they need to keep cool in the home or out and about, this cooling wallet is just the ticket. Using patented crystal technology it will keep your medication between 18-26C for a minimum of 45 hours. Simply get the wallet wet with cold water to activate the cooling technology and you are good to go.

FrioUK.com | £17.95

8

Portable Neck fan

This unusual neck accessory looks a bit like hanging headphones around your neck, but it’s actually a portable fan. Simply pop it round your neck and choose from the three air speed levels that will use the 78 holes to ventilate your neck and face. It’s like having your own portable air conditioning unit, but for your neck.

OnBuy.com | £62.66

9

Cooling Pillow

Sleepless nights are the worst, and heat plays a major part in the quality of your sleep. These pillows incorporate bamboo covers with a fancy cooling gel fibre filling to help keep your head cool throughout the night. They are also memory foam pillows so they shape to your head and neck to provide good support and comfort. £44.99 | Amazon.co.uk

10

Mobile Phone Fan

These dinky little fans are designed to be plugged into your smartphone so you can cool yourself down when you are on the go. Whether you are commuting, travelling or out shopping, this handy little plug-in fan will cool you down on the move. It will run down your battery though, so make sure you are charged up.

Amazon.co.uk | £10.99

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BARES ALL

BY ROSALIND TULLOCH

person you want to gravitate towards at a party, because you know that the conversation will never be dull and the drinks will always be flowing.

Samantha Renke is not only one of PosAbility’s beloved longstanding columnists: she is also a successful media personality, presenter, actor, speaker, and inclusion and equality consultant, and she has just added author to her long list of talents and achievements.

Samantha’s new book, You Are The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread, is out now and we spoke to Samantha to find out what we can expect from her debut book and how she rose to the challenge of becoming an author. or anyone who is familiar with Samantha’s work or writings in PosAbility Magazine and beyond, you will know that she has character in abundance. Samantha calls it as she sees it; she is bold and confident, and draws people to her vivacious personality. She is the

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Samantha has written for PosAbility for a number of years (we tried to recollect how many, but neither of us are very good at dates, so we landed on six or seven), however we have rare face-to-face meetings as we live at opposite ends of the UK, instead we have occasional meet ups at events and plenty of emails. It was therefore, very refreshing to see her face over Zoom and have a chat about her book, and in true Samantha style she appeared on my screen with the line: “sorry I have no make-up on, I’m really f***ing hungover,” followed by her unmistakable and infectious laugh. Turns out Samantha was living it up at a red-carpet event celeb spotting and taking advantage of the free bar the night before. Who can blame her?

In the background, her Sphynx cats Lola and Bruno lazily stretch out in a hammock and occasionally attract my attention as they jump down, bored at our conversation or upset at the noise of too much laughter disturbing their peaceful existence. Samantha tells me she has now acquired a cat pram to enable her to proudly parade her two beauties around outside. She is a self-confessed cat mum and her book shares some very interesting insight into why she feels such an affinity with Sphynx cats, a breed that she describes as “marmite” for most people in her eyes are beautiful.

With our catch up and cat introductions out of the way, Samantha shares how she came to write her debut book that has been published by Ebury, part of Penguin Books, which she admits was exciting in itself as she remembers her first books at school being Penguin published books. I think most of us can relate to that.

“Before the pandemic,” said Samantha, “I was supposed to be doing Happy Place Festival and that’s how the book came about. I was supposed to be one of the speakers for Happy Place and it didn’t end up happening in the way I wanted, it all went virtual. I had really wanted to meet Fearne Cotton; I really wanted to be on stage, and then that didn’t happen, but I did became really good friends with Fearne and we were sending each other WhatsApps all the time and that’s when she told me she is doing this book imprint through the Happy Place brand. Every year she is aiming to publish four books through Happy Place and Ebury, and wants to get voices out there, then she said ‘do you want to be one of them?’ I was like, yeah!”

When asked to describe what the book is about, Samantha tells me: “It’s a funny one: because it is in conjunction with Happy Place they said it has to have that Happy Place feel, so I think a lot of disabled people will first of all be going, ‘oh my god I don’t want it to be an inspiration piece’ – because we all hate inspiration porn, right? I was

Photo: Nicky Johnstone posabilitymagazine.co.uk

29

about being a human, and yes I do talk about my disability identity a lot.

That was purposefully done because it is a big part of my life and I am proud of that part of my life.

“I have picked out significant moments in my life – big and small – talking about grief, talking about the loss of my father, talking about troubles at school and how I was bullied, talking about relationships, talking about breaking the world of entertainment, talking about my spinal surgery. I explore a lot of milestones in my life - the good and the bad - and I have just reflected on that and I have reflected on it in a way that shows my life experience, but you can probably take away something from this as well.”

DAUNTING TASK

Photo: Nicky Johnstone

really mindful of that, but then equally I would say while I hate inspiration porn and I hate being objectified, I actually do want to be a role model and I do want to be inspirational, but for all the right reasons and not the negative reasons. I guess that this book is inspirational because I have accomplished some amazing things, but I hope it doesn’t go down the inspiration porn route.

“I want it to be a book where nondisabled people will perhaps learn something new about disability and learn something new about life in general, about how you get from A to B and seize opportunity.

“As we know, if you have met one disabled person, you have only met one disabled person, so I am not at all saying that this book will resonate with every disabled person, but I think it is a book about life; it’s a book

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Writing a book is a daunting task, especially if it is your first time, but Samantha confides that she left London last November to move back into her mum’s house for a few months while the latest variant of coronavirus did the rounds. This not only kept her safe, but it allowed her a quiet place to lock herself away in her room and just write every day. This process took three months and when it was finally done the sense of relief must have been palpable, right?

“No! I’m a big worrier, so I knew that it then had to go on to people to read,” Samatha explained, “then it had to go on to people to read, then it had to go on to the legal team and I was terrified about the legal team because they were like ‘we want you to write a memoir but you can’t really talk about people,’ because you need to get their permission.

“I think I am in a good place now, but I am worried because to be honest my biggest critics are other disabled people, and I am worried because right when I first told a few disabled friends that I might be writing a book, straight away they were like ‘oh you’re not going to do an inspiration piece?’

So, I am a bit worried about that and I have been very mindful, I have said a number of times in the book that this

is my journey this is not a reflection on everyone, but I think to begin with that was maybe playing on my mind too much and I had to really shake that off, because I had to be true to my own experiences. Particularly when I’m talking about relationships: I have not had a good time with relationships, the worst discrimination I have faced has been from men, and I had to say that. I know that is not the same for every other disabled person but I would be dishonest if I was to say that wasn’t something I experienced and I had to be true to that.”

OPEN AND HONEST

Samantha was very concerned that everything about this book was to be an authentic representation of herself.

She has written the book herself in a very open and honest way, she also chose the title (thanks to a meaningful Boy George track), and she had great input on the cover which combines leopard print (Samantha’s favourite) with a touch of the beautiful art of Kintsugi.

Samantha admits it was hard writing about certain experiences, including the loss of her father when she was nine years old, and spinal surgery that didn’t go to plan, however she shares that it has been a cathartic experience: “Some of the challenging content floored me and I had to step away from it, that was a challenge.

It is very cathartic, but I dug up a memory that I had supressed, and it came to me when I was writing one of the chapters and I was like ‘wow’. It was like having a therapy session but actually not having anyone there to talk about it with. I’m really glad that I was with family though.”

Asking about any future book aspirations Samantha eagerly talks about plans for a series of children’s books featuring her Sphynx cats Lola and Bruno. Watch this space!

You can buy Samantha’s debut book You Are The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread at Amazon, Waterstones, WH Smith and most good book shops.

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MOUNTAIN TRIKE The Mountain Trike first took the market by storm in 2011, following five years of development by inventor Tim Morgan. The first model was a lever drive, self-propelled, all-terrain manual wheelchair that offered wheelchair users unparalleled off-road capabilities and performance.

Since 2011, the range of Mountain Trikes has grown and they have concentrated their developments on getting more disabled people out exploring their local areas, enjoying the countryside, keeping active and increasing their independence. We spoke to Tim Morgan, the creative mind behind these amazing recreational products, to find out more about their range of Mountain Trikes and the new ePush vehicle that they recently launched. he very first Mountain Trike was a lever drive, aimed at high performance, off-road capability, while being practical as well. That particular model was for the independent rider who was physically able to ride themselves and push themselves with the drive levers. In 2015, we launched the MTPush which used the same offroad chassis as our original lever drive trike, but it was for an attendant. That came from feedback from the National Trust, who loved the off-road capability of the Mountain Trikes, but they wanted a good off-road attendant wheelchair, because there really wasn’t something like that, that gave people that off-road performance, comfort and usability. That’s been a really popular model for us, not just with the National Trust who have 25 sites around the country with fleets of them, but also a lot of families who use it to take their youngster out into the countryside and do things with the family. Then as the child grows it’s possible to adapt and fit the drive system if they are able to. Those two core models; our lever drive and our MTPush attendant, have been really popular.

As technology progressed, I have developed new models.

The invention of the eTrike took the lever drive to the next stage because you could have the electric assist as well and go out and enjoy the countryside, and go further, or faster, or do more. The MTPush - that was also something that customers were asking about and saying if they had electric assist they would be able to go on longer walks, or up bigger hills, or for someone who is perhaps pushing someone in the chair who is a bit bigger than them – having electric assist really helps those people to use it more effectively and go off-road. It is something we have developed, like most of our models, through user feedback, and taking that on board.

It was exciting to launch the ePush at Naidex last month.

There was a really nice reaction from people, and it’s good to have this quite unique offering, as it has off-road performance but with the electric assist as well – there’s not much that combines those elements the way we do.

With all of our electric assists, I made sure they were all back-fittable, so if you have an existing MTPush or an existing lever drive trike, we can fit this eKit to it, so it makes all of our trikes a really good long-term purchase because you can adapt it as your needs might change, and for the thousands of trikes we have out there already they can benefit from the electric assist too.

Visit MountainTrike.com to find out more about the range of trikes on offer for adults and children. Mountain Trike also offer a try or hire facility to allow you to try out a Mountain Trike before committing to purchasing one, ensuring you are certain it is right for you. There are various locations throughout the UK where you can try out a Mountain Trike, you can find these locations on the website. They also offer a 0% finance option to support people to buy a Mountain Trike.

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Wimbledon 2022 WHEELCHAIR TENNIS

BY MARK DAVIDSON

Keenly contested as ever, the major rivalries in wheelchair tennis were once again battling to lift the most coveted grand slam title, with strong representation from around the globe.

For the first time since 2019, the Championships were back to full capacity with thousands watching events unfold on a daily basis. In addition, no less than 192,000 portions of strawberries along with 277,000 glasses of Pimm’s were purchased - underlining the fact that tennis would not be the same without traditional food and drink.

Nearly 28,000 Championship towels were also sold to spectators who hadn’t had a chance to fully enjoy the tournament since 2019.

The first match of the men’s wheelchair singles provided a great start with Alfie Hewett taking on his double’s partner Gordon Reid, with Hewett coming out the winner in three sets.

In the ladies’ event the number one seed and eventual winner Diedi De Groot began her campaign beating Wimbledon debutant Dana Mathewson of the USA 6-1, 6-1.

It is now a feature of the fortnight that many spectators are happy to soak up the atmosphere in designated picnic spots and dining areas rather than watch specific matches, all of which provide space for wheelchair users.

In addition, there are large screens provided at various vantage points around the complex, allowing all the action to be covered.

Alfie Hewett

Despite making his debut on grass, Brazil’s Ymanitu Silva lost in the quad singles to one of the eventual finalists, Netherland’s Niels Vink. This was also the first time Heath Davidson from Australia had competed on the surface and despite initially overcoming Britain’s Andy Lapthorne, he too lost to Niels Vink in the semi-finals. The pair of Silva and Davidson teamed up for the doubles but couldn’t progress further. They lost to the competition winners who happened to be Sam Schroder and Niels Vink once again.

There was also a debut for the competition’s youngest player, Japan’s sixteen-year-old Tokito Oda. Unfortunately he was not able to progress, losing in both the wheelchair singles and doubles events.

For the first time ever, matches were played on No. 1 court which saw Alfie Hewett defeat Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez in the semi-final of the singles 2-6, 7-6, 6-4. Later that evening, Hewett teamed up with his doubles partner Gordon Reid in the same location, making their way to the final by beating Tom Egberink of the Netherlands and Joachim Gerard of Belgium in three sets.

Deide De Groot

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As the events now reached the final stages, there was disappointment for the British pair who lost their doubles crown to Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina and Shingo Kunieda of Japan 3-6, 1-6 losing their first Grand Slam final since Wimbledon 2019.

Gordon Reid said: “Congratulations to Shingo and Gustavo. I thought they played a brilliant match today so they deserve to be the winners. We’re really proud of the run we’ve had. At the end of the day we gave it our best shot and just came second best to the better team.”

Hewett said: “Obviously yesterday was a massive day for myself and for us (referring to playing on court one).

In the evening it was unbelievable, an incredible day that I’ll always remember. For this number of spectators to come and watch us today, we really do appreciate it.

I hope you continue to follow our sport.”

After methodically progressing to the final, Diede de Groot of the Netherlands defeated Yui Kamiji of Japan 6-4, 6-2. When asked about her fourth Wimbledon title Diede replied: “Competing on grass for us is really tough. It’s a constant effort that you have to put in to keep pushing. That makes it physically very tough.”

In the first of two finals for Sam Schroder, he got the better of his Dutch compatriot, beating Niels Vink 7-6, 6-1 in the quad singles.

Despite his efforts in getting to the singles final, Alfie Hewett wasn’t able to reproduce his previous form and succumbed to Shingo Kuneida of Japan in three sets in very warm conditions. Afterwards he said: “It’s a tough defeat to take. I had chances in the second and third set to serve it out. Pretty disappointed not to step up to the occasion, but I think a lot of credit goes to Shingo who put up a massive effort to come back and not give up.”

When asked about achieving a career slam and where this title ranks amongst his others, Kunieda said “The best. I think this title is very hard because of the grass. I have a clay court record, but in the past I did not play well here. I think Wimbledon is the hardest title for me but this year I found a way to play on the surface.”

Elsewhere, the quad wheelchair doubles final was a fitting end to the whole tournament being played on court one to a large crowd, with the dutch pair of Sam Schroder and Niels Vink defeating Britain’s Andy Lapthorne and David Wagner of the USA 6-7, 6-2, 6-3.

Donald Ramphadi

In the ladies’ wheelchair doubles final, Yui Kamiji and Dana Mathewson defeated the Dutch pair of Diede de Groot and Aniek Van Koot 6-1, 7-5.

Sam Schroder

Yui Kamiji All images: Mark Davidson

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BY CARRIE-ANN LIGHTLEY

Manchester always feels like my home city.

It’s one of my favourite places to visit, just an hour away from where I live in the Lake District, perfect for an overnight stay. So, when I was invited to stay at Hotel Brooklyn, Manchester’s newest accessible hotel, I couldn’t wait to check it out. I’m now excited to share my review of Hotel Brooklyn Manchester after staying in one of its wheelchair accessible hotel rooms.

M A N C H E S T E R’S MOST ACCESSIBLE HOTEL

Award, which Hotel Brooklyn won in 2021. My first thought when I read their award submission was, “I can’t wait to stay there!”

Hotel Brookyln strives to be a leader in accessibility for all. It’s the first hotel in Manchester to have ceiling track hoists available in two of its accessible rooms - in fact, it’s one of only 11 hotels in the UK which have ceiling track hoists. Award-winning inclusive design specialists Motionspot worked with the hotel to create a stylish and beautiful space, without compromising on accessibility.

It’s important to note that the accessible rooms with ceiling track hoists, the Liberty Suites, are sold at a higher price point than the standard accessible rooms. However, the hotel is committed to providing an equal service to all, and will upgrade The hotel has 18 adapted any ceiling track hoist bedrooms: nine wheelchair user to the Liberty Suite accessible and nine ambulant free of charge, subject to accessible. Two of the availability. Mobile hoists wheelchair accessible rooms are also available for guests have ceiling track hoists. to borrow. For any hoist The ceiling track has been option, guests are required designed to hoist guests from to bring their own hoist the bed into a mobile shower slings. chair which can then access There are options for all areas of the bathroom accessible parking nearby, (toilet, basin and shower). both in the discounted Q Please note that there is not PARK Piazza and in ona ceiling track hoist in the street bays. bathroom although this is being reviewed for future Hotel Brooklyn projects.

Hotel Brooklyn first opened in early 2020, bringing New York flare to Manchester, and quickly began to win awards.

I first became aware of the hotel in my role as a judge for the Catey Accessibility

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Regular readers will know that we love a sharing steak, so when we spotted the tomahawk for two, we couldn’t resist! I can promise you that it tasted as good as it looks.

Runyon’s Bar and Restaurant, like the rest of Hotel Brooklyn, is stylish with a fun atmosphere. Accessible public toilets are available, and the staff are on hand to help with anything you might need. users can reach them easily. The position of the wardrobe and clothes rail can be adjusted and the desks have all been designed to be accessible for all guests.

As someone who isn’t a hoist user, but knows how vital they are for disabled people, I was delighted We stayed in a wheelchair accessible Liberty Suite, room to see the unobtrusive ceiling hoist track had been 405 on the 4th floor of the designed to look like a hotel. The room had plenty beautiful lighting feature. of circulation space and the When it is not in use, the ability to accommodate king size beds or split into zip and hoist motor can be stored away in the overhead link single beds. There really cabinet of the wardrobe. is no compromise on style: it’s probably one of the most My favourite type of beautiful accessible rooms I accessible bathroom – a have ever stayed in and felt beautiful one! Hotel luxurious as well as cosy.

Brooklyn have ticked a The rooms offer a good level lot of boxes here, stylish features, lots of space, of lighting and the curtains even the grab bars look are controlled from a panel good with their matte by the bed alongside a black finish. The tiles brass push button call alarm offer glare reduction and system. The safe and mini bar are positioned at a good slip-resistance, as well as looking great. height so that wheelchair

AN ACCESSIBLE STAY

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The wet room shower has a folding seat, grab bars and an overhead shower as well as an additional wall mounted handheld lower-level shower. I loved these options as I don’t always want to wash my hair – taming my curls is a big job! The sink is a good height to wheel under, with built in support handles, and the toilet has plenty of grab bars.

Hotel Brooklyn has an additional mobile shower and commode chair available to borrow, however many guests choose to bring their own to suit their size and functionality preferences.

RUNYON’S BAR AND RESTAURANT Level access from reception takes you to Hotel Brooklyn’s Runyon’s Bar and Restaurant, serving an authentic Brooklyn menu.

FINAL THOUGHTS Hotel Brooklyn Manchester is one of my favourite wheelchair accessible hotels.

I’d highly recommend it to anyone travelling to Manchester, so much so that I bought my family Hotel Brooklyn gift vouchers for Christmas!

It’s wonderful to be able to stay in a hotel that is equally as accessible as it is stylish.

Hotel Brooklyn provides an excellent example to the UK hotel industry, showing that accessibility doesn’t have to feel clinical, and that universal, beautiful design is a standard we should all expect when travelling as disabled people.

FIND OUT MORE To read my full in depth review of my stay at Hotel Brooklyn visit my blog at CarrieAnnLightley.com.

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VISITING WITH CONFIDENCE Euan’s Guide continue to help open up the world for disabled people, one review at a time

It’s the people behind the reviews who really make the magic happen ummer brought with it the opportunity to get back out and about and visit our local cafes, parks, and other attractions, but this didn’t mean there weren’t still serious concerns about COVID for many. Socialising outside has allowed people to enjoy something of a social life again as the risk of infection feels less of a threat, making it feel a much safer way to be around people again.

A post-lockdown, heavily vaccinated country has resulted in minimal restrictions in the UK which in turn has opened-up the summer to everyone as if there were never a pandemic in the first place. Of course, this isn’t the case, and disabled people are still being careful about initiating too much contact or putting themselves in a more vulnerable position by choosing a place to visit that doesn’t feel safe, particularly if it’s indoors.

Researching any type of activity, whether it’s indoors or outdoors, is a major part of a disabled person’s first steps in going out, meaning that the tools and methods used to find out about a venue’s accessibility and its information on how it deals with COVID are incredibly valuable.

One of those methods is searching EuansGuide.com, the disabled access review website where disabled people, their families, friends, and carers can find and share the accessibility of venues around the UK and beyond. The website shares thousands of experiences and is the go-to tool for many disabled people who are researching places they might want to visit.

There are thousands of people using the website every month. Just one review from someone with similar access requirements can give someone else enough confidence to visit somewhere new, from holiday homes and parks to bars and restaurants. Euan’s Guide is opening doors for disabled people to find great places to go – by breaking down barriers of exclusion, everyone has the freedom to explore.

More and more, Euan’s Guide reviewers are also leaving their experiences in terms of COVID safety, in addition to the access information.

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Which means the people who leave reviews are a number one priority for the charity: by sharing lived experiences, disabled people are helping to make the lives of other disabled people easier. Euan’s Guide believes in making the world more accessible one review at a time and it’s the people behind the reviews who really make the magic happen. The more people who feel they can contribute, the better.

Euan’s Guide hopes that more disabled people will help support them in their mission to provide access information on their website. If you’re someone who enjoys going out and about and you’d like to help make a positive difference to the lives of other disabled people, Euan’s Guide is a platform for you to share your thoughts on where you’ve been, because it’s those first-hand experiences that really count, whether you spend three minutes typing a review or three hours.

For example, in July, one reviewer who is a powerchair user left a 1400-word review of TRNSMT, an outdoor, heavily attended festival in Glasgow. Her review was incredibly detailed about her experience of arriving and parking at the festival site, the access to the festival, the crowds and atmosphere, the accessible viewing platform, toilets including Pamiloo the mobile Changing Places toilet - and the staff. The general feeling from the review was one of feeling safe enough, but mainly because it was outdoors, and the staff were helpful. Likewise, another reviewer left their experience in under 70 words; theirs was of a coffee shop in Stirling called Unorthodox Roasters and the overall feeling was positive with four and a half stars being given.

In the end, both the long and the short reviews are helpful because they provide people with a first-hand experience of somewhere new.

As we find ourselves heading back towards autumn and the colder months, reviews and experiences will continue to make an impact on the lives of disabled people by letting them know what they can expect from a place they might want to visit, especially if it’s indoors. If you want to help by submitting your own review, all you need to do is register online with Euan’s Guide which creates a log-in, allowing the user to leave a review. In just a few clicks, you can submit a review that will allow other people to find out what you think about a place you’ve been, helping them to decide whether they give it a go too – just one review can give someone else the confidence to visit somewhere new.

Visit EuansGuide.com to find out more about reading and submitting reviews.

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Hydrated STAYING

BY KATIE CAMPBELL

Keeping hydrated during a heatwave is incredibly important, but so is knowing what dehydration might look like in your friends and family his year, the UK experienced its hottest ever heatwave. When it comes to staying safe in the hot weather, keeping properly hydrated is one of the most important things to consider, along with protecting ourselves against UV rays. Remembering to keep hydrated while we go about our busy lives - whether we’re enjoying the heat or trying to get our daily workload done - is absolutely vital in helping us avoid heat-related illnesses, like heatstroke and heat exhaustion.

UP YOUR WATER INTAKE The NHS distinctly states that dehydration occurs when our bodies lose more fluids than they take in. When we spend time in high temperatures, our bodies produce sweat this sweat sits on top of the skin, and as it evaporates, the surface of the skin cools down. It’s our natural, inbuilt air conditioning that helps prevent our bodies from overheating in warm surroundings. When we’re sweating, that’s a sign from our bodies that we need to put more water into our system to keep everything ticking over properly, otherwise we run the risk of becoming dehydrated. With that in mind, if you’re spending time in the heat, it’s a good idea to drink more water than you normally would to compensate for the water your body is using to cool you down.

When you know what being dehydrated looks and feels like, you’ll be able to spot the warning signs much easier

WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T Water is, of course, the gold-standard for keeping hydrated - even if you’re not keen on the taste of water, adding a little diluting juice or switching to sparkling water is still helpful for ensuring you’re staying hydrated. The NHS doesn’t recommend you drink alcohol when you’re trying to rehydrate as it’s something called a diuretic - that is, something that can make you pee more often, which is of course, a bit counterproductive to trying to keep water in your body. Tea and coffee are also mild diuretics, but staying within your daily limits for their caffeinated varieties shouldn’t have much of an effect on your hydration levels, unless other factors are at play. Some food can also help get liquid into your body: fruit and vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes are around 95% water!

KNOW WHAT DEHYDRATION LOOKS LIKE One of the most important things you can do to combat dehydration is know its symptoms. When you know what being dehydrated looks and feels like, you’ll be able to spot the warning signs much easier. Some people are more susceptible to dehydration: people living with diabetes, anyone taking medicines that are diuretic, for example, may find that they are affected by dehydration more quickly than others. The NHS lists the main symptoms of dehydration in children and adults as: feeling thirsty, having dark and strong-smelling pee, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, feeling tired, having a dry mouth, lips or eyes, and not peeing often (fewer than four times in a day). For children who are under five, the situation has become urgent when they: seem drowsy, are breathing quickly, cry with few or no tears, have a sunken soft spot on their head (sunken fontanelle), have a dry mouth, have dark pee or have not peed in the last 12 hours, and have cold and blotchy hands and feet. At this point, the NHS recommends that they see a GP or visit A&E.

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Accessercise

BY ROSALIND TULLOCH

How do you use the app?

The app has three key features:

The first ever complete health and fitness app designed and created specifically for disabled people by Paralympic powerlifter Ali Jawad

A unique impairment specific video exercise library tailored to the user’s impairment. Video exercises are performed by exercise demonstrators of the user’s disability, allowing users to create their own training programmes that best suits them

You may know the name Ali Jawad from his career as a British Paralympic powerlifter. Ali has been powerlifting since he was 16 years old and his talent and determination has led him to securing World and European champion titles, breaking world records and, securing a silver medal in the -59kg category at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, as well as bronze medals in the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Ali is a double leg amputee and he also lives with Crohn’s disease, and as an athlete he has a keen interest in health and fitness. During the pandemic Ali recognised the lack of resources available for disabled people looking to workout independently in their homes. His research led him to identify this gap in the health and fitness market, and he decided to use his lockdown experience to develop an app to tackle the imbalance he discovered in this marketplace.

We caught up with Ali to find out more about the app and how it is transforming the lives of disabled people who are using it to keep fit at home.

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A Social Hub where users get to share, like, comment and follow user’s fitness journeys to create a real sense of community A unique accessibility rating scale where users get to rate the accessibility of gyms and local sports facilities in their local areas

Where did the idea of Accessercise come from?

Being born as a double leg amputee and becoming a Paralympian, I grew up in gyms. However, I never asked the question of why I was the only disabled person in the gym, or what barriers were stopping disabled people accessing gym facilities?

Also, there were no fitness tools for me to access to allow me to train independently, I had to rely on non-disabled people to guide me. I later found out that there are over 70,000 health and fitness apps available, but none fully catered specifically for disabled people.

So Accessercise is the world’s first complete integrated fitness app, especially designed for the disabled community.

JOIN ACCESSERCISE

How did you go about developing it?

To develop an app, it was important to think about what features would allow the app to achieve its aim of making exercise truly accessible.

However, thinking about features is only part of it, as you need to think about the design, flow, usability and efficiency too. We also needed app developers that understood our vision and aligned to our values. We were lucky to have outsourced the app development to a team that has produced a robust, fully functioning app with the tight deadlines we set for them. The app is constantly making improvements to make sure it’s adaptable and flexible too!

If you are looking for an app that will give you exercises tailored to your own specific impairment and allows you to create your own workouts, and take everything at your own pace, in the comfort of your own home, then this is the one for you.

You can download Accessercise from the App store or Google Play store, or visit Join.Accessercise.com. You can follow on Twitter @accessercise or follow Ali @AliJawad12.

How long did it take?

Incredibly, we managed to get the app live in the UK one year after the first initial idea, which we were so proud of, as we were in a lockdown due to COVID-19 and everything had to be done virtually.

What do you hope people get out of using the app?

The ultimate hope is that disabled people will finally be able to exercise and stay fit on their own terms without relying on other people to guide them. Also, I wanted to challenge the fitness app industry to become more accessible and stop neglecting a community that deserves as much attention as everyone else.

Aside from Accessercise, what’s next for you?

To grow Accessercise is my biggest aim, but I am studying a part time PhD at the University of Birmingham too! I like to keep busy!

Ali Jawad ©ParalympcsGB

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THE AUTISM FRIENDLY COOKBOOK Lydia Wilkins explains what led her to write her first cookbook, featuring recipes from over 30 autistic people o you laugh or cry? Anyone who has applied for Personal Independence Payment will know that feeling. During the first lockdown, I had been made aware that this was something I was eligible for, thanks to the Equality Act stipulating that, yes, autism is legally a disability, here was a method of support that I had gone without for so long. Had I placed a bet as to the eventual turnout, this would have made me a rich woman.

Articles litter the internet detailing how diabolically awful the service is, and how ableism is ingrained at a base level throughout. I have a degree of privilege in that I am able to speak and engage with people; this is so often reflected by the surprise people express when they find out I am autistic. You do not see the hours of preparation, planning, scripting to just be able to sit at the table with ordinary folk, let alone to even be a part of proceedings. You don’t see the frustration, the learning, the constant adjusting.

Character references had to be presented to the service.

A specialist in ‘autistic girls’ (I am over 18, therefore not a girl) assessed me initially. Ostensibly I just need prompting to talk to people, and show no sign of communication issues - which is arguably the definition of autism on a medical level! I can ostensibly read without assistance, despite being a full-time glasses wearer - with a pretty strong prescription for the lenses I have. Key skills such as cooking, despite my spiky profile and terrible motor skills limiting me in some aspects, can ‘just be learnt’. The strong implication under the spiky words of a stranger was that this was somehow a lifestyle choice I had willingly chosen.

In the end, I had to go all the way to a tribunal, which rounded off an extraordinarily stressful 16 months. That was arduous, in particular, and the whole process beyond humiliating and degrading.

The commentary around cooking and preparing a fresh meal particularly caught my eye, clicking something in my brain. I had always found this activity immensely difficult, but no one had ever suggested that being autistic may have had any kind of connection. Hypersensitivity to sound can become unbearable in a kitchen, along with smells - and that is before you actually start cooking or the consumption! Resources are lacking for putting together information on sensory issues and how to adapt, or even just the physical adaptations you can make in the kitchen, such as when it comes to using weighted cutlery. When

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it comes to recipes, the language that is so often used is tricky to interpret - and I am not the only person to write this out in my own words. Timings are tricky to master, and executive functioning issues can quickly become paralysing. Googling disability-related cookbooks left me disheartened, as the emphasis was so often on the ‘junk science’ that if you eat better, you can ‘cure’ yourself.

Around the same kind of time, my mentor died suddenly.

The last thing he’d ever said to me acted as something of a spark to the fuse of an idea. We’d had conversations about me ghostwriting the book of someone we both knew at the time - and the excitement on that was almost child-like, immediately instructing me how to write this, who to talk to, why, and what questions to ask. The voice whispered down the phone line, from thousands of miles away, if I was to ever be offered a contract, “send it to me”, it said.

Knowing that someone, somewhere, has faith in you is a powerful act. I never thought I’d put pen to paper as part of a long form project; that to me was what the ‘boy’s club’ of ‘proper journalists’ would do!

The Autism Friendly Cookbook has 100 recipes, with 30 coming from other autistic individuals. They are categorised with a key for sensory needs, as well as dietary requirements; most have some kind of story attached, too. I have also added a skills ‘band’ - so if you struggle, say, with timing, then you have more agency in tailoring your food to you. There is also an energy rank, too. Other chapters deal with sensory issues and how to adapt, as well as advice for parents, teachers, guardians, or relatives. It was important to me to put autistic and disabled voices front and centre; there is a tiny number of non-disabled people who have made this book happen, probably less than ten.

Not all autistic individuals will struggle - but I’d argue that those who don’t are extraordinarily lucky, and probably the product of a degree of privilege, such as if someone in a supporting role has had the time to teach and adapt to your specific needs. Research is suggesting more and more that eating disorders may potentially have an overlap in autistic women, for example. Those who use a food bank are more likely to be disabled, too. A conversation about this needs to start, desperately, especially given we now grapple at the coalface with the cost of living crisis.

The Autism Friendly Cookbook will be released on 21 November and is currently available to pre-order on Amazon.

The Autism Friendly Cookbook has 100 recipes, with 30 coming from other autistic individuals

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Beef Hotpot FOR FOUR PEOPLE

BY VICTORIA ELLEN

Try out this recipe from The Autism Friendly Cookbook

INGREDIENTS 3 large baking potatoes

Duration: 3 hours 20 minutes Energy rating: Moderate Skill level: Complex To make when: you need a quick and easy meal for your household and need something to ‘rustle up’ as soon as possible; when you need something hearty having been outside for a while or after a long day at work.

Victoria Ellen is the brains behind the Actually Aspling blog and is often active on Instagram. She is currently a PhD student exploring the different presentations of autism in adults.

A beef hotpot is fairly easy to make and can be adapted for a wide variety of needs; it is also fairly cheap to produce, and can be frozen and saved for another time, too. Victoria also pointed out that pre-prepared food can be bought to make this easier to construct; this has been noted in the ingredients.

Victoria is a sensory seeker by nature, and adaptations for seekers and avoiders are also noted below.

EQUIPMENT YOU WILL NEED 2 chopping knives (1 for the potatoes, 1 for the beef) 2 chopping boards 1 large frying pan or a skillet 1 silicone or wooden spoon for stirring 1 casserole dish or slow cooker 1 kettle 1 measuring jug

500 grams (17.5 ounces) of pre-prepared diced beef Salt and pepper 1 bag of pre-chopped casserole mix (carrots, celery, onions, leeks, swede, etc) 1 beef stockpot (sometimes known as cubes) Cornflour/corn starch

HOW TO MAKE PRE-PREPARATION Chop up the potatoes into very thin slices so they can sit on top of the casserole. Set them aside for later. Make sure the beef is properly diced up; if you decided to cook from scratch, make sure you dice it up into more manageable chunks. This will help especially if you struggle with your motor skills.

METHOD Note: there are two different ways to cook this depending on the facilities you have access to.

If you have access to an oven: 1. Switch on your oven to 180C fan/400F and allow to heat up.

2. Over a hob, add the oil to the frying pan and heat up.

It should start to sizzle audibly when it is warm enough.

Add in the beef to fry it up. Mix around to separate the pieces of beef.

3. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to bring out the flavour. If you are a sensory avoider, go without this.

4. Add the bag of pre-chopped casserole mix. Stir to cook with the beef.

5. Turn the heat down in the pan to its lowest setting before switching off; this is just to give you time while preparing the stock. Follow the instructions on the back of the stockpot packet; this usually involves adding water to dissolve. If you need to thicken it up – which it will also do while cooking – add a little cornflour. Once complete, add to the beef mix.

6. Stir all of this and allow to simmer for a while to make sure it is all cooked.

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7. Add the mix to a casserole dish. Put in the oven for three hours.

8. After one and a half hours, add the potatoes on top.

Cook for the remaining hour and a half.

If you plan to use a slow cooker: Follow steps 1–7. Then follow the settings on your slow cooker to slowly simmer the recipe; this usually means cooking it overnight on the lowest setting.

To tell if the hotpot is fully cooked, the potatoes should look brown and the gravy will be thick. The meat will also have a ‘fall apart easily’ quality.

EXPAND YOUR REPERTOIRE Sensory seekers may like to add spices to the hotpot; for a smoky flavour, add paprika before you put it in the oven. It would be worthwhile experimenting with other spices, too; sensory avoiders should avoid this. If you prefer to have a brown look to your meat, try using a brush to cover the beef with the rapeseed oil. Fry as usual. For extra flavour, when it comes to step 7, seal with a lid and allow to sit for up to seven or eight minutes on a low temperature.

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he summer holidays are finally here for our younger English and Welsh readers! Hopefully the six or so weeks of holiday fun will see them exploring, adventuring, and enjoying the time they have with family and friends. Of course, for parents and guardians, thinking of things to do that will keep our younger readers from descending into the horrors of boredom over all those weeks is imperative.

With that said, the summer holidays can get a bit pricey, and we know that for many people across the UK especially disabled people and their families who are disproportionally affected by the cost of living crisis money might be something weighing heavily on minds. That’s why on page 54 you can find our non-exhaustive but hopefully helpful list of all the places that have offers on that allow kids to eat for £1 or less.

Alongside that, you can read the latest from columnist Dan White on page 57, and this issue’s Future Voices contributor Courtney Reeve explains the importance of making Pride accessible on page 59.

Remember, if you’re a young person who’d like to contribute to our Future Voices column, our inbox is always open - email Katie@2APublishing. co.uk to get involved.

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SUMMER

Meal Deal

BY KATIE CAMPBELL

Supermarkets and restaurants across the country are offering deals which allow young people to eat for £1 or less throughout the summer holidays in response to the cost of living crisis. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of places you might like to take your children over the summer for an inexpensive and filling family meal out.

ASDA CAFE Children under 16 can eat for £1 at Asda Cafes across the country, and there’s no minimum adult spend required to take advantage of the offer. Asda are offering the Kids Eat for £1 as long as the store’s cafe is open, and will offer young people a hot or cold meal. Babies will be offered a free pouch of Ella’s Kitchen baby good (70g) in cafes.

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TESCO CAFES

The supermarket giants are offering free kids’ meals to anyone who purchases any item in a Tesco cafe between July 25 and August 26, with the only stipulation being that you must be signed up to its Clubcard loyalty scheme, which is free to use and gathers points on purchases in store. To get the offer, all you need to do is scan your Clubcard at the till of one of their 311 cafes.

MORRISONS CAFES

Children under 16 can eat for free when they’re accompanying an adult who purchases a meal worth at least £4.99. Young people can select anything from the children’s menu to have, and meals come with a piece of fruit and a drink.

M&S CAFE

Marks and Spencers are offering a free Kids’ Munch Menu breakfast or lunch to any child with an adult who spends £5 or more on food or drink for adults in a single transaction at their cafes until 12 August. The company says it’s expecting to give away over half a million meals to children for free this year!

YO! SUSHI

Kids can eat at the sushi chain for free Monday to Thursday, between 3pm and 5.30pm - the restaurant allows three children to eat for free per table. For every £10 of food an adult eats, one child can eat for free, with a drink included in the deal, and a dessert can be added on for an additional £1.50 per child!

BEEFEATER AND BREWERS FAYRE

SIZZLING PUB AND GRILL

Children can get a main meal for £1 at Sizzling Pub and Grills throughout the summer holidays, Monday to Friday between 3pm and 7pm, with the only stipulation being an adult must buy a main meal in the same transaction.

FARMHOUSE INNS

Two children can eat for £1 at Farmhouse Inns on Monday to Saturday throughout the summer, but in order to claim this offer, you have to sign up to their mailing list and register for the email-exclusive voucher, which can take a little while!

All information correct at time of writing. See restaurants’ individual terms and conditions for details on each offer.

Two children under 16 can enjoy a free breakfast for each adult who purchases an unlimited breakfast for £9.50.

Breakfast is served from 6.30am to 10.30am on weekdays, and from 7am to 11am on weekends.

IKEA

It’s easier to convince the family to take a day trip to the famed Swedish furniture store once you know they’re offering children’s meals for 95p - the cafe are also selling combo meals for £1.50, which is comprised of a hot meal, a soft drink, a piece of fruit and jelly.

BELLA ITALIA

Children can eat for £1 in the popular Italian restaurant chain between 4pm and 6pm, Monday to Thursday, so long as they’re with an adult who is buying a main course.

The offer is suitable for children aged two to 11, and comes with a drink. Other reduced price options are available for older children.

It’s easier to convince the family to take a day trip to the famed Swedish furniture store once you know they’re offering children’s meals for 95p

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AHEAD OF THE Centre of gravity is translated for easier tilting As the child grows, so does the Little Wave Arc Lightest folding tilt-in-space paediatric wheelchair

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sense for planners and builders to realise the need to make new build homes accessible and inclusive for all?

The reasons for such an inclusive move would mean families with disabled children like mine would move into a home where forward thinking has enabled that child to grow up independently, giving them a starting point for inclusion in community life, not to mention the removal of avoidable future stress for a parent carer. It would also mean the chance to move to a new home that is fit for purpose and brick dust free for those lucky enough to be on the property ladder.

DAN WHITE COLUMNIST

Follow Dan on Twitter @Danwhite1972 Dan White, creator of the amazing Department of Ability superheroes and dad to Emily, who is 15 years old and has spina bifida, is a regular face in PosAbility, as he shares his experiences of life as a family with a disabled child.

A DFG DUST DIARY o, after months of waiting, planning and apprehension it has finally begun. What has? I hear the assembled readership exclaim.

Well, our journey in brick dust hell as the process of building an accessible extension to our bungalow has begun.

This process, as many you of are probably aware, started with the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) application. A DFG helps to cover the cost of making essential improvements to your home, meaning children and adults with disabilities can continue to live in them as they are re-structured for any accessible need. A DFG does not affect your rights to benefits or allowances and a child with a disability can qualify without the inclusion of their parents’ income.

The sum offered by your local council here in the UK is £30,000 which is a reasonable amount of money and seems on paper like a good quantity of cash that would make a lot of adaptions to anyone’s home. These grants have been around for nearly 30 years; they’re delivered through 326 local authorities across England and help 50,000 people per year to

adapt their home. However, as every parent with a disabled child knows adaptations - due to the cost-ofliving crisis which has made building materials skyrocket - always cost more than £30,000, so there is a real funding issue to go through. It falls to the parent to set up either a GoFundMe or check on the health of an elderly rich relative.

DFG grants aside however, there is another issue here that needs addressing, why aren’t we building enough accessible homes in the UK as a matter of course? Why are parents of newly born disabled children being thrust into completely unsuitable council accommodation or buying a house which they know they will either make do in or go through the stress of a DFG application and subsequent appealing to people’s pockets?

There are 11.6 million disabled people in Britain and with a rapidly ageing society, children with disabilities being born and the unknown repercussions of long COVID, research shows that there is not a sufficient supply of accessible homes to meet this increasing demand. Surely it makes

It may shock you to know that in 2019 the government completed a consultation into accessible housing, it was called the “Raising accessibility standards for new homes”, and they ignored the findings with ministers imposing no requirement for any of the housing schemes across the UK to include any accessible homes. This means planners have a golden getout clause to not provide accessible homes. Basically, there is a failure to recognise the importance of the issue of disabled living. Only 23% of homes due to be built by 2030 are planned to meet basic accessibility criteria – an entrance-level toilet, or bathroom walls strong enough to bear the fitting of grab rails while only 1% will be wheelchair accessible, a national tragedy and seemingly final proof of how disabled people are viewed.

It would only take a bit of common sense, a bit of humanity, to readdress these issues. Disability isn’t going to vanish overnight, government and planners need their fingers out their ears and to overdose on the empathy.

So that’s where we are at with the most basic of human needs, a home fit for purpose. While the system repeatedly continues to fail disabled children, their parents, and disabled individuals over housing, it seems we as a community are left to manage with what’s available unless we plead and beg for grants and charity. As for us? Well, we continue to live amongst rubble and ruin, hoping our Crowdfunder will see us over the finish line, if not, we live in a half built, half useable shell of a home, and we are not alone. Homes for real heroes please, everywhere, now. posabilitymagazine.co.uk

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to see more online Pride events along with making sure the in person events are as inclusive as possible.

Pride is often seen as a celebration, but it was born out of protest. We have Pride as a reminder of how far we have come as a community, and as a reminder of the Stonewall Uprising. The Uprising was a series of community-led rebellions in response to consistent, targeted harassment by the police. This set in motion many protests and campaigns that ultimately led to important wins for the LGBTQ+ Each issue we will be shining a light on a young disabled community in the West. But in 2022, the person who is blazing their own trail. Whether that be fight is far from over. It’s important that campaigning for access, giving up their time to help their we continue to learn from each other’s community, achieving success in the sporting or arts arena, lived experiences so that we can see the or educating their peers on disability. needs in our community. We must keep listening, learning and changing to come closer together. Fully including disabled experiences and voices in Pride allows us to realise how much more work we have to do to make a more inclusive world for all LGBTQ+ people and we need to work together to do it.

Courtney Reeve is a disability inclusion campaigner from Suffolk who lives with cerebral palsy. She has worked with Scope, and talked with MPs to give them a better understanding of the lived experiences of disabled people. She is asexual and aromantic.

FUTURE VOICES

COURTNEY REEVE

magine that you are excited about coming to Pride for the first time, and you find it’s not accessible for you and your friends. You have come to an event that celebrates inclusion and found yourself excluded.

That’s the reality for one in five disabled people that live in the UK, especially the many disabled people who also identify as LGBTQ+. Pride should improve access for performers and workers, so that people attending Pride can see disabled people working and performing, which will improve representation.

It shouldn’t be just accessible for the audience: there should be opportunities for disabled people to work and perform, as well as making more of an effort to help make the LGBTQ+ space more accessible for all. I have been to Pride events that felt very inclusive, but my heart sometimes hurts when I don’t see things like BSL interpreters or quiet areas.

It can be hard to find your community when you are both disabled and LGBTQ+. There won’t necessarily be other disabled people in LGBTQ+ groups or LGBTQ+ people in disabled groups. Many people turn to the internet to find others like them. Going to Pride is a good way to meet people beyond the internet, especially as the internet is also not always an accessible space for some disabled people. However, we still need online events as some disabled people struggle with in person events or don’t feel safe going out, so I would love

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Kids’ PRODUCTS

SMART PEGBOARD This portable pegboard is designed to be used for anyone working on increasing hand eye coordination. It incorporates 15 different games that will keep little ones interested and it provides audio and visual feedback to keep kids motivated and enjoying the games. LED lights help indicate where the peg goes alongside audio prompts too.

Baffin.co.uk

THE JOEYY PROSTHETIC The Joeyy is a special prosthetic designed specifically for children under three years old who are living with an upper limb impairment.

This sleeve is custom made to fit the child and comes with a handle bar tool at the end to support the child to hold handle bars on bokes, scooters and other movement toys.

They come is a wide range of animal designs.

07501 866 959 YourKoalaa.com

Prices available on request

Prices from

£175

Prices available on request

QUADRO CLIMBING PYRAMID Encourage your little ones to play and climb on this colourful jungle gym. It can be set up in the garden or indoors and offers kids a great way to explore their climbing abilities, develop their gross motor skills and have hours of fun. The framework is durable and stable and with 236 parts to choose from you can create any climbing shapes to keep the kids happy and active.

QuadroPlay.co.uk

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KIDS SAFETY WRISTBAND These wristbands are designed for children aged 3-9 years old to wear discreetly in their wrists on case of a medical emergency or if they get lost or separated from their parents or carers. There is an ID card that is stored on the inside of the wristband and you can include information like your child’s name, your contact numbers, any medical or allergy information. It is waterproof and comfortable to wear.

0800 999 3669 TheIDBandCo.com

Prices from

£11.26

KIDDOSPACE STAMP Avoid using fiddly name labels that can often be felt by children who are sensitive to different materials by using this reliable stamp. These stamps can be customised to include an image alongside your child’s name and stamped straight onto clothes, socks, bags and other material items to stop them being lost. It must be initially left for 24 hours before washing, but it will not come off in the wash.

TheKiddoSpace.co.uk

Prices from

£14.99

GIANT DARK DEN This portable sensory room is made using a thick material to keep light out, ensuring a dark space is created inside. It comes with a large door area and window panel and it can be set up vertically and horizontally depending on what your child wants. It is a great portable sensory room that little ones can enjoy anywhere you travel.

0800 138 1370 TTS-Group.co.uk

Prices from

£109.99

posabilitymagazine.co.uk

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LTA WHEELCHAIR TENNIS INITIATIVE Could you be the next wheelchair tennis champion? resh off the back of some amazing Brit success in the British Open and on the courts at Wimbledon, the LTA Wheelchair Tennis Initiative has launched its endeavor to find the up and coming wheelchair tennis stars of the future.

Supported by The National Lottery, the LTA Wheelchair Tennis Initiative Talent Spot days will take place at ten venues across Great Britain, and will focus on inspiring and finding tennis champions.

These Talent Spot days aim to identify, nurture, and develop players who display the potential to enter the LTA Wheelchair Performance Pathway and go on to represent Great Britain at major international events, including the Grand Slams, the sport’s annual World Team Cup and the Summer Paralympic Games.

Among those to have followed a similar route is 16-yearold Ben Bartram, who started 2022 by becoming the latest British player to be crowned Wheelchair Tennis Junior Masters champion, having taken up wheelchair tennis at the age of 11. He also started 2021 by becoming world No.1 junior and made his senior Great Britain debut at this year’s World Team Cup, wheelchair tennis’ equivalent of the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup.

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Bartram, who has just won his first senior singles title and subsequently made his debut inside the men’s singles world top 30, said: “Wheelchair tennis has taken me on an incredible journey since I first attended a wheelchair tennis day when I was 11 and I’ll keep putting in all the hard work to reach my goals and win more medals for Great Britain.

My goal was to be top 30 by the end of this year, but now I’m already there.”

The Talent Spot days got underway in July in Nottingham during the British Open, where our very own Andy Lapthorne lifted the trophy, but they will be running until October across the country. The dates are as follows: Saturday 6 August: Easton Tennis Centre, Norwich Saturday 13 August: Wrexham Tennis Centre Sunday 14 August: Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis & Wellness Centre, Sunderland Sunday 27 August: Exeter Tennis Centre Saturday 10 September: John Charles Centre for Sport, Leeds Sunday 25 September: Edgbaston Priory Club, Birmingham Sunday 2 October: Scotstoun Leisure & Tennis Centre, Glasgow Sunday 9 October: Hills Road Sports & Tennis Centre, Cambridge Saturday 15 October: National Tennis Centre, Roehampton, London Each day is designed for those who have a physical disability and who are aged between 8-30 years – an age range most likely to identify players who have attributes to develop through the tiers of the LTA Wheelchair Performance Pathway and go on to achieve on the global stage.

Twelve-year-old Scarlett Walker, one of the participants in the last round of Wheelchair Tennis Initiative days in 2021, is now part of the LTA’s Wheelchair Tennis Development Programme. She said: “The Wheelchair Initiative was a great way to meet loads of other players of different ages and abilities. It was welcoming and friendly, with a bit of fun competition thrown in. It was great to meet current players on the Wheelchair Performance Pathway, they’re inspiring. Attending the Wheelchair Tennis Initiative was the start of my Wheelchair Tennis journey and I was over the moon to be selected onto the LTA’s Development Squad Programme. It’s so nice now going to tournaments and events, bumping into familiar faces. Everyone is so supportive.”

Wheelchair tennis provides a viable career pathway for a variety of disabled people, which is just one of the sport’s multiple benefits, alongside the unquestionable physical and mental health boost provided by playing sport.

The LTA already has a long history of producing elite level players, including Alfie Hewett, Gordon Reid, Lucy Shuker, Jordanne Whiley and Andy Lapthorne, with a vision to enhance its reputation as one of the leading nations for wheelchair player development.

The LTA Wheelchair Tennis Initiative is supported by The National Lottery, which became the Official Partner of the LTA’s Wheelchair Tennis Performance Pathway for a twoyear period early in 2021. The partnership provides crucial support to current elite players as they prepare for events such as the Paris 2024 Paralympics, while also looking to encourage more juniors, men, women and quad players to pick up a racket for the first time, feeding into one of the most successful disability sport programmes in the UK. For all enquiries related to the Wheelchair Tennis Initiative, email DisabilityTennis@lta.org.uk or visit LTA.org.uk/ wheelchair-tennis-initiative.

Each LTA Wheelchair Tennis Initiative Talent Spot day will give aspiring wheelchair athletes the opportunity to show off their tennis skills during four hours of on-court activity, while receiving advice from passionate performance coaches and staff to help teach chair and mobility skills, rackets skills and shot selection, all in a fun environment. All equipment, including sports wheelchairs, tennis rackets and balls will be provided by the LTA. With breaks for rest and refreshment during all the on-court activity, off court there will be the opportunity to learn more about the LTA’s Wheelchair Performance Pathway, future competitive opportunities and how to make the most of all that tennis has to offer as a sport for life.

Following each event, the LTA will direct each participant towards opportunities to continue playing that are most appropriate for their skill level. These could be local venues offering recreational wheelchair tennis activity through the LTA Open Court programme, or centres delivering elite training as part of the LTA Wheelchair Performance Pathway.

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CLASSIFIED Located on the stunning Exmoor Coast

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For booking and info visit www.woodcombelodges.co.uk call 01643 702789 or email woodcombelodges@outlook.com

www.hoegrangeholidays.co.uk tel: 01629 540262

Luxury sustainable

quality top-quality accessible in Devon • Eight 8 accessible luxury lakesideholiday lodges lodges in Devon • Touring caravan & tent pitches with electric hook up • Well stocked 1.5 acre coarse fishing lake • Heated indoor pool (Seasonal) • Games Room and Free WiFi • Orchard and woodland walk • Dogs welcome

01409 211140 info@blagdonfarm.co.uk www.blagdonfarm.co.uk

family holidays in Pembrokeshire

Renew yourself and the planet at these delightful 5-star cottages. Enjoy Pembrokeshire at its best, only 3 miles from Newgale!

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Dream JOB GET THAT

BY JANE HATTON

THE ROLE OF CAREER COACHING Looking for a new or better job can be tricky for anyone, and even more so if you face disabling barriers.

Often, we may know exactly the kind of role and organisation we would thrive in, and we may have a really impressive, up-to-date CV, and be confident in interviews. That’s a great position to be in, especially now, when employers are crying out for talent.

ut many of us may not be in that situation. We may not know which roles or sectors we are best suited for. Or our CV may not read well – perhaps we don’t have relevant work experience, or we have gaps in our work history. Or maybe we don’t have a CV at all. There may be many parts of the whole job search journey that we could do with a little advice on.

Career coaches are trained to support candidates with all of this. Some of the things they can offer support with may include: Identifying your strengths Helping to identify roles, sectors or careers that match your strengths Job search strategies Applications Creating an impressive CV Preparing for interview Creating a LinkedIn profile Gaining confidence Self-employment Starting a business There are many career coaches around – some work with charities, and don’t charge, and others are private and do charge.

Some specialise in particular areas, such as executive coaching, or in particular candidates, such as military veterans.

The key is to find a coach who offers the services you need, and who you trust.

For disabled candidates, we may need specific support on navigating around the additional barriers we may face, or on how to talk about our access needs or make requests for adjustments. Or we may need the support delivered in an accessible way, such as with a BSL interpreter or with a live captioner.

It can be helpful to have a career coach who has lived experience of the barriers that disabled people sometimes come up against, so they understand the situation.

Some social enterprises offer local face-toface career coaching, and some of those specialise in disabled candidates, and have disabled career coaches.

If you struggle to find a career coaching service that works for you, Evenbreak offers remote one-to-one career coaching, delivered by careers professionals with lived experience of disability: hive. evenbreak.co.uk.

They can support you with all of the areas listed above, and also disability-specific issues, such as: Do I mention I’m disabled, or not?

How do I talk about disability inclusion?

How do I ask for adjustments?

How do I convince an employer that I can do the job?

How do I create a CV that sells my skills well?

If you are actively looking for mainstream work, and you are struggling to find suitable or accessible careers support elsewhere, you can have up to three coaching sessions free of charge with Evenbreak’s team of career professionals.

To find jobs from inclusive employers who are looking to attract more disabled candidates, have a look on the Evenbreak website: evenbreak.co.uk. To find relevant and accessible careers support for disabled candidates have a look on Evenbreak’s Career Hive: hive.evenbreak.co.uk.

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