PosAbility – Oct / Nov 2021

OCT/NOV 2021

MAGAZINE THEATRE ACCESS

HALLOWEEN

TOKYO 2020

Actors are back on our stages, but so are the access issues surrounding venues

The spooktacular season is here for adults and kids alike

A round-up of the medals and moments from ParalympicsGB

*Code expires 31/12/2021

Editor: Rosalind Tulloch Staff Writers: Katie Campbell Designer: Fionnlagh Ballantine Sales: Danny McGonigle

Welcome OCT/NOV 21

the little ghouls and ghosts in your life. Halloween is the perfect time for a bit of escapism so why not don your witch or wizard hat, look out some Halloween treats and get the scary movies lined up.

Ros EDITOR

I

s anyone else unsure how we managed to end up in October already? Did the pandemic steal 2021 too? It certainly feels that way as this year seems to have passed by in a blur, even summer feels like a distant memory, and suddenly we find ourselves with Halloween creeping up on us.

We are not complaining though, because at PosAbility we love the spooky season and this issue is packed with ideas for Halloween parties for the adults and spooktacular fun for Like us on Facebook Search for ‘PosAbility Magazine’

As the country has opened back up, albeit with some trepidation for many, Sarah Rennie is highlighting the accessibility improvements to rail travel, encouraging more disabled people to try out the train as their chosen mode of transport. She offers some important guidance on page 14.

Shona Louise discusses access to the theatre on page 35 and Sally Callow explores the unexpected pause in the publication of new NICE guidelines for ME/CFS patients and the damage this is causing on page 48.

We also have a round-up of the highlights of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games so you can relive some of the greatest moments from ParalympicsGB.

CONTRIBUTORS

Samantha Renke, Mik Scarlet, Dan White, Tammy Harman, Ian Taverner, Sarah Rennie, Shona Louise, Sophie Buck, Carrie-Ann Lightley, Sally Callow, Osayuki Igbinoba, Mikey Erdhart

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 2021 ©2A Publishing Limited.

All Rights Reserved. ISSN 2049-2251

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We hope you enjoy this issue, if you would like to get in touch don’t hesitate to contact me on ros@2apublishing.co.uk.

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OCT/NOV 2021 | ISSUE 63

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ED O M

S EA News, stories, and updates

13 DISMISSIVE LANGUAGE Columnist Sam Renke discusses the power and gravity of language

19 COOKFULNESS Ian Taverner teaches us how to make pan caramelised spiced pears

20 AUTUMN SOUPS FOR THE SOUL It’s autumn: it’s cold, it’s dark, and it’s time for some soup

23 PAIN AND I Mik Scarlet discusses his relationship with pain and pain management

25 TOKYO 2020 Everything that happened at the long-awaited Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

32 EERIE EVENINGS All the essentials you might need in advance of the spooky season

35 (NO) EXIT STAGE LEFT Theatres are back and so are the accessibility issues, explains Shona Louise

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BY THE

07 FYI

38 SICK OF IT Sophie Buck examines the harm caused by a new BBC documentary about chronic illness

42 HOT STUFF The latest must-have products on the market

44 FREEDOM BY THE SEA Carrie-Ann Lightly takes us along on a trip to the seaside

46 DISABLED ACCESS IN A POST-LOCKDOWN WORLD Charity Euan’s Guide are looking for your help with a survey on post-pandemic accessibility

48 AN UNPRECEDENTED PAUSE Patient advocate Sally Callow explains the implications of delaying the revised NICE guidelines for ME/CFS

51 KIDS’ CORNER Hear from regular columnist Dan White, this issue’s Future Voices writer Osayuki Igbinoba, and get some ideas for a great at-home Halloween party

62 TIRED OF WAITING Co-production is the key to accessible activities and sport, writes Mikey Erdhart of Get Yourself Active

65 JOB SEARCH WELLBEING Tammy Harman teaches us how to recognise when the job hunt becomes too overwhelming

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Image: Krysten Coombs, imagecomms

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That’s why we are constantly enabling change so everyone can contribute equally. Our people with disabilities have access to the latest technology, tools and training to create a barrier-free workplace, supported by over 36,000 Persons with Disabilities Champions in 52 countries.

We believe in the power of inclusion: to change lives, to create better results… and to deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity.

Become a part of our team. Discover our current career opportunities at accenture.com/ukgraduates.

Copyright © 2021 Accenture. All rights reserved.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION News and stories from around the world

COLOURFUL CROSSINGS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN FOR DISABILITY CAMPAIGNERS

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isability campaigners in Leicester have raised concerns about intricately designed pedestrian crossings that have been unveiled in the city’s cultural quarter.

The pedestrian crossings feature delicate floral designs from artist Phil Blake instead of the standard blackand-white bar pattern that many would expect. After announcing the project to brighten the crossings on Charles Street 12 months ago, the new crossings have been created at a cost of over £20,000.

However, the Access Association worry that the crossings may confuse guide dogs, who are trained to recognise the conventional design. In a letter to the council, they said: “There is a growing trend of installing art on road crossings, often referred to as ‘colourful crossings’.

“Our membership believes this form of public art poses risks to disabled people, older people and children, and will impact their ability to make safer active travel journeys for a variety of reasons…The inconsistency of design will make training very difficult, and the appearance of colourful crossings overnight is likely to have immediate impacts on a dog’s willingness to cross the road.”

However, in a statement to the Metro, the council’s director of planning, development, and transportation, Andrew Smith, said that the crossings still provided full facilities for “users with a mobility or visual impairment and meet all national regulations,” including dropped crossings, tactile paving, and crossing points with “push-button facilities that are sited to cater for those with guide dogs.”

ROSE STORMS STRICTLY DANCE FLOOR

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astenders actor Rose AylingEllis is competing in Strictly Come Dancing, making her the first d/Deaf contestant to appear on the show.

Rose was the bookie’s favourite to win before the competition started, and she’s been partnered with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice, who has reached the final several times since his first appearance in the show’s 13th series.

Strictly producers have made a number of adaptions to ensure Rose can fully participate in the competition, including ensuring that there is an interpreter for her at all times, including during training and in segments with the other contestants, and having members of the team learn some sign language to ensure they can properly communicate with Rose, per the Radio Times.

Rose is the first d/Deaf contestant on Strictly, but across the pond, its sister show Dancing with the Stars has already seen both two d/Deaf contestants and a winner, with model and actor Nyle DiMarco winning season 22 of the show in 2016.

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FUTURE VOICE WRITER RHYS EMBRACED BY FULHAM STARS

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hys Porter, who wrote last month for PosAbility’s Future Voices column, has made headlines after being made an honorary member of Fulham FC, and listed as the club’s first team goalkeeper.

Rhys, who lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, wrote about his experiences of being bullied after starting a TikTok account where he shared videos of himself making saves, but the videos started to attract a deluge of negative comments. This motivated the young footballer, who currently plays for London’s Feltham Bees to begin fundraising for Scope’s Make It Count campaign, which caught the attention of his favourite club.

Setting a £5000 fundraising goal, but at time of writing, Rhys has raised almost £20,000 for the campaign, which ran in tandem with the

Paralympics and sought to call out inequality in access to sports and physical activities for disabled people.

At the Championship draw game against Bristol City, the team celebrated a goal from Aleksandar Mitrovic by tearing across the pitch to find Rhys and include him in their revelry. After the game finished in a draw, Tim Ream, one of Rhys’ heroes, tweeted: “Not the result Rhys Porter asked for but another cool moment shared and experienced.”

On their website, Fulham FC wrote: “Rhys, you are Fulham Football Club, and we are all so proud of you.”

ANDROID ADDS NEW ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES

A

new update to Android will allow people to operate their smartphones using gestures via two new features - Camera Switches, and Project Activate.

Camera Switches will allow people to use their faces in place of swipes and taps to interact with their smartphones, instead using six different facial gestures like raising their eyebrows or smiling, removing the requirement to use their hands or voice. This can be used in tandem with the Project Activate app, which will allow Android users to assign these facial gestures to custom actions - for example, making a phonecall or playing audio.

Alongside this, Google has updated the preexisting Lookout feature, which allows users to utilise their smartphone camera to identify objects and text in the world around them. The app is now better able to read handwritten text, and has been expanded to recognise more currencies, including Euros and Indian Rupees.

The apps are available now via the Play Store at play. google.com.

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SEX EDUCATION PRAISED FOR INTIMATE SCENE

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etflix’s hit show Sex Education has been praised for its positive and realistic portrayal of inter-abled intimacy in an episode of the show’s third season.

The scene sees a frank discussion of sexual intimacy between Isaac - played

by George Robinson, who himself is paraplegic - and the rebellious Maeve (Emma Mackey), addressing the stigma attached to disability and sex.

Both actors worked with intimacy coordinators and a number of disabled people in advance of filming the scene, and George was also consulted, allowing him to weave in his lived experiences to help inform Isaac’s wider storyline.

Speaking to the BBC, George said that he hoped scenes like these would help break down wider taboos relating to disability, adding: “Often people don’t necessarily know what to say just because they haven’t got that experience. But if they see it on screen that changes. More and more these days we learn about society from TV and media.

“I hope that through Isaac, people see how to treat someone with disability as if they were treating anyone else, regardless of it.”

GRAEAE TAKE NEW INITIATIVE ONLINE

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heatre company Graeae has taken their Graeae Beyond initiative online to remove barriers, transform careers, and increase their reach to even more d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists across the UK. Graeae Beyond Online is a digital library of resources designed to offer help to artists at any stage of their careers, but aimed primarily at young artists trying to break into the industry, showing them routes and resources for doing so. As part of the initiative, Graeae has filmed a number of case studies with artists presented by Deaf actor and comedian Rinkoo Barpaga, including Sonny Nwachukwu and Chisato Minamimura.

Jenny Sealey artistic director of Graeae says: “In a year of so much uncertainty and anxiety in the arts and theatre sector, I am so happy that we’ve been able to work with a cohort of 48 glorious d/Deaf and disabled artists through our Beyond programme, mentoring and supporting their talent with our seven brilliant partner theatres across the North of England and West Midlands. A year on since the scheme started, it’s brilliant that we can now launch the next phase of Beyond with our new digital library full of insightful case-study videos and useful resources, to enable us to reach and support even more artists.”

LATEST

TWEETS

Chloe Bellerby @ChloeBellerbyMH Having a mental illness is NOT a personal failure.

Read that again.

Tom Shakespeare @TommyShakes Cleaner is in Brazil, so I have to change my own duvet cover. Tough for a little guy in a chair, but needs must. I’m going in: send help if I never report back (I’ll be the one trussed like a turkey in my own bed linen).

Dr Amy Kavanagh @BlondeHistorian Priority seating & wheelchair spaces are not your luggage rack.

Say it louder in the back.

(Yes, we all know there aren’t enough luggage spaces, but your bag has other options wheelchair users don’t.)

Sam Bosworth @_SamBosworth We talk so much about the lack of jobs for disabled people but like, the noises I make, as a disabled person, when I try to stand up or am in pain, could easily be repurposed as monster or dinosaur voices for movies. Entertainment industry, step up. @HijaDe2Madre I know ableism exists but it’s always jarring to see how many ppl think someone in a wheelchair getting hurt (hit by a car, falls, etc) is actually comedy material Naoise Dolan @NaoiseDolan My latest autistic armchair realisation is that neurotypicals think we withdraw socially because we’re natural hermits.

It’s actually that long-term masking makes us people-pleasers, and relationships aren’t as fulfilling when you think people only like you because you’re useful

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CHARITY CALLS OUT BOND MOVIE ON ABLEISM

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hanging Faces, the UK’s leading charity for people who live with facial differences, has called on the producers of the new James Bond movie, No Time To Die, to feature a positive character with a visible facial difference in the blockbuster series.

The 25th film in the James Bond series, No Time To Die sees the titular spy, played by Daniel Craig, on the hunt for a villain, Lyutsifer Safin armed with dangerous new technology that once again threatens the world. Safin is played

by Rami Malek, and has a visible facial difference - following in the footsteps of a multitude of other villains in the series, including Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva in Skyfall and Donald Pleasance as Blofeld in You

Only Live Twice.

The charity have written an open letter to Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, who jointly control Bond production company EON, asking if they would include a positive character with a visible facial difference in their next film as a means to improve these portrayals in cinema. This would give people who live with facial differences the opportunity to see more positive portrayals of people who look like them.

Catherine Deakin, the deputy CEO at Changing Faces, said: “When you have a visible difference, you’re unlikely to see yourself represented in popular culture. That’s why we’re calling on the creative industries, from film makers to TV script writers, as well as brands, to join our Pledge To Be Seen movement.

It’s important we all see more diverse and inclusive images and representations of people, including those who have visible differences, whether that be in a film, our favourite TV shows or in a fashion brand campaign.”

To get involved with the campaign, visit changing faces.org.uk.

PARALYMPIC LEGENDS ANNOUNCE RETIREMENTS

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aralympians Ellie Simmonds and Libby Clegg have announced that Tokyo was to be the last Paralympic Games in which they would compete.

Libby has been competing in track and field events on the international stage since 2006, and won her first Paralympic medal at Beijing in 2008 in the T12 100m. She won two Paralympic gold medals and three silver overall, adding to the five golds, three silvers and two bronze medals she won at Worlds, European Championships and the Commonwealth Games. Libby has been Scottish Athletics’ Athlete of the Year seven times, a record, and was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 New Year Honours list.

Swimmer Ellie participated in her first Games at 13, taking home two gold medals, a silver and a bronze to add to the astonishing collection of medals she had amassed at both the World and European Championships. She finishes her Paralympic career with five gold medals, one silver and two bronze. For her services to Paralympic sport, Ellie was awarded an MBE in 2009, which was then elevated to an OBE in the 2013 New Year Honours.

In a statement on Twitter, Ellie said: “Being a Paralympian has changed my life. I’ve made the best of friends, travelled the world and met the most amazing and inspirational of people all while having the time of my life. To all my GB teammates past, and those currently on the team, thank you! I’ll still be found in the pool, but now I’ll be able to do it without the 04:30 alarm!”

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it known that disabled people are targeted daily.

The tweet generated a substantial amount of attention online and bar one or two trolls who had nothing nice to say, the majority of the comments were seemingly supportive. Now, I said seemingly because many people simply wrote, “just ignore them, you are better than them,” or words to that effect.

SAM RENKE

Another example of dismissive language was when I found myself at the receiving end of the word ‘brave’. I am due a couple of operations and this has meant a number of hospital trips, not to mention pain and sleepless nights. I’ve been going through the motions and trying to maintain a normal routine at work and home.

I’ve been told how brave I am all my life, but truth be told, for me the way I react to these situations has nothing to do with bravery, I feel scared, angry, frustrated, isolated, and most days want to scream, and all I want to do is get on with the life I’ve built for myself.

COLUMNIST

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

DISMISSIVE LANGUAGE e can all agree that language is incredibly powerful: it can empower us, antagonise us, make us feel worthy or worthless, it can be divisive and cruel at times. It can misinform and it can fuel stereotypes or equally spark a revolution.

As a disability trainer, a large part of my work is educating others on the importance of understanding disability language and how to use it correctly, and to feel comfortable and confident when using it. I also highlight its history, how our unconscious mind impacts the language we use and how it can also be internalised, sometimes resulting in a self-fulfilling prophecy.

In all honesty, it is a minefield, and I don’t always get it right. Ironically, although I am often teaching good practice and the cause and effect language has on d/Deaf and disabled people, I rarely sit back and reflect on how ableist language impacts me directly. That is until recently when I found myself at the receiving end of what I describe as dismissive ableist language.

Now being dismissed as a disabled woman is no new phenomenon, but

dismissive language can be a little more insidious in the sense that it is often masked in seemingly harmless sentiment, or more often than not meant as a compliment or words of encouragement. However, being at the receiving end of these comments can leave d/Deaf and disabled people feeling less than comforted or supported, instead feeling a little like chopped liver.

Dismissive language often plays the impact versus intent game, which makes it at times difficult to challenge or call out.

Ok, so what do I mean by dismissive language?

The other week I tweeted about a rather traumatic experience whereby I found myself enjoying a meal with a friend and being heckled and mocked by a group of drunken individuals.

Let’s call it what it was: a disability hate crime. I wanted to shed light on the event because it came as a huge shock, as like many disabled people I had been in my oddly ‘safe’ shielding bubble for almost two years and coming out of that bubble has re-highlighted the systemic ableism all around us. I wanted to shout and make

So, what’s so wrong with both of these scenarios? On both occasions people have meant well, but in doing so they are overlooking the gravity of the situation at hand. Simply telling me to ignore disability hate crime and rise above it won’t stop others from experiencing hate crime or discrimination or ableism.

Telling me I’m brave instead of allowing me to really feel my emotions will only add to my feelings of being ostracised and lonely.

What I would have liked to have heard from people in these two situations are “I hear you Samantha, how can I help challenge and raise awareness of disability hate crime, how can I be an advocate?” Or simply “Samantha, I can only sympathise with what you’re going through but I’m here if you need me, if you want to yell or swear or have a glass of wine because even though I see you as brave I recognise you are a human being.”

I urge you all to challenge dismissive language and explain to the wellmeaning individuals that you find what they have said dismissive and not very helpful, and educate them on what they could say to make you feel heard next time. posabilitymagazine.co.uk

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GETTING BACK ON THE TRACKS

BY SARAH RENNIE

Sarah Rennie explores the reality of travelling by train as a wheelchair user and highlights the strides being made in accessible rail travel

ublic transport is a big part of my life. I am a wheelchair user and do not drive or own a car.

Aside from the fact I can’t afford a parking space in Birmingham city centre, I think it’s a shame that a lot of disabled people avoid public transport. I enjoy being with everyone else (not segregated on my own) and it’s easier having my personal assistant sitting next to me to support me on a long journey. There are other perks too, like not worrying about the sat nav or finding a Blue Badge space, being able to get some work done or enjoy a podcast and a can of G&T after a long day!

I work as a freelance accessibility specialist, mainly in rail. Of course, this means I’m lucky to know how things work and what my rights are. But it wasn’t always that way. When applying to university my parents advised me to go somewhere within a two-hour drive of home for easy access. I had no idea that trains were accessible - if I had, I would have probably ventured further afield (sorry Mum!) Of course, sometimes things go wrong with my journey, but it’s no different from having a bad day as a disabled person in a shop, restaurant or GP surgery. In fact, I work in transport so I can use my lived experience to push for improvements.

Like thousands of disabled people, I was shielding during the pandemic and found myself a little nervous about venturing out, but it’s been brilliant to be out on the train again. If you don’t use the train or haven’t for a while, here are some bits of news on accessibility...

1

N~o.

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STAFF TRAINING

Train companies must now provide staff with disability equality training. By the end of this year, almost 30,000 passenger-facing staff will have been through the training programme.

Many train companies have commissioned disabled trainers - including me and my team - to deliver the sessions. This allows us to support staff to offer assistance in a dignified way and explain why phrases like “I’ve got a wheelchair in Coach C” are not cool!

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By the end of this year, almost 30,000 passenger-facing staff will have been through the training programme

2 PASSENGER ASSISTANCE APP

N~o.

The Passenger Assistance app launched in May is a free app that allows disabled and older customers to request assistance for their journeys. Your profile allows you to record your assistance needs, which means we no longer have to phone up to book. Now I can book my assistance on my mobile app in a few clicks, whilst still watching my favourite Netflix show. You can still phone up if you prefer, but personally I don’t want to spend 15 minutes on the phone to Colin in the call centre every night.

I sit on the app developer’s Accessibility Panel with other disabled people and have had loads of successful trips using the app. You can find out more at passengerassistance.com.

4 LEVEL BOARDING

N~o.

Frustratingly, not all stations in the UK are step-free. Where a station isn’t accessible, the train companies must provide a taxi at no extra charge. Where a station is step-free, this will usually mean there is a lift and a boarding ramp onto the train. It would be great to see more stations become level-boarding where there is no gap between the platform and train. In 2019, Greater Anglia introduced a fleet of trains with lower level floors and a retractable step at each door which bridges the platform gap. You can follow the Campaign for Level Boarding at levelboarding.org.uk.

5 CHANGING PLACES

N~o.

I cannot use accessible toilets so I need to use Changing Places (CP) facilities that have a hoist.

A CP at a station allows me to use the loo before a trip and enjoy a coffee without worrying about bladder space! A few years ago only 3% of train stations had a CP but new ones seem to open every month now. Not all Changing Places are located at the big stations, for example there’s a lovely one at Bridgend station. Looking ahead, the Government’s National Disability Strategy has promised £450,000 to specifically fund CPs in transport hubs so we can expect more to come.

Almost all train companies now employ an Accessibility Manager which is good news. However, crucially for access and inclusion, I also notice that more disabled experts are being employed within the industry. If you would like to get more involved, each train company usually has its own Accessibility Panel for d/Deaf and disabled people to have a voice in decision-making. If they don’t have one, ask why.

I personally enjoy rail travel - taking a break, listening to my audiobook, watching the world go by, usually with a mini wine bottle in hand after a day’s work! Next time you’ve got a meeting or appointment or are having a day out with friends, why not give the train a go and see what you think?

3 TRAIN UPGRADES

N~o.

If you haven’t travelled for many years, you will be pleased to see that older trains have been replaced or upgraded due to a change in the law. Now trains must have audio-visual passenger information screens, priority seats, tactile door controls, colour contrasting handles and carpets, and onboard toilets must be accessible.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sarah Rennie is an accessibility specialist and former solicitor. She works as a consultant for several train operators. Sarah is a member of Transport for London’s Independent Disability Advisory Group, is Chair of Transreport’s Accessibility Panel, and sits on Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games’ Legacy and Benefits Committee. You can find her on Twitter @SarahPRennie.

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THISTLE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME The Thistle Assistance programme is all about helping to relieve travel anxiety, we want people to feel confident when using all forms of public transport across Scotland ur research has highlighted that there is a need to improve the door to door journey for people with mobility challenges allowing them to access the public transport network more easily and with confidence – combining journey planning, wayfinding, and disability awareness into one easy to use and versatile platform. The platform would deliver in two key areas which respond to passengers needs as identified by the Campaign for Better Transport.

The South East of Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran) and Sentireal are excited to announce a project that will look to meet this challenge, Thistle Assistance VoyagAR. Tom Houston CEO of Sentireal says: “Sentireal are absolutely delighted to be awarded the contract to deliver Thistle Assistance VoyagAR. Being part of the solution to help the most vulnerable in our community gain independence in travel is both a professional and personal win. We look forward to working with the team at SEStran to deliver a world class application. Financially this is a significant contract and further validation of our investment in local talent in software development, web development, content creation, and Artificial Intelligence.

VoyagAR will be the first wayfinding application to consider the individual needs of the user and create a journey most suitable to their circumstances. We will be reaching out to charities and community groups to gain input and guidance as we move forward with development.”

The Thistle Assistance is a key component of transport strategy in Scotland and delivers on the Scottish Governments ambition to have an inclusive and accessible transport system. People rely on public transport to access jobs, services, facilities, family, and friends. While many of

If we want people to make different travel choices, we must think more clearly about their whole journey the barriers identified by disabled people and non-disabled people in undertaking journeys are the same, the impact can be different.

Councillor Gordon Edgar, Chair SEStran says: “If we want people to make different travel choices, we must think more clearly about their whole journey, how each part of it connects, and how we can better integrate those parts. This applies to all citizens but is perhaps even more relevant to those members of our communities that have a disability.”

SEStran and the other six Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs), Scottish Enterprise, Disability Equality Scotland, Transport Scotland and Transport Operators are all working towards this ambition.

Thistle Assistance VoyagAR is being funded by the Scottish Enterprise Can Do Innovation fund, so, whether you are popping to the shops, going to see a friend, or travelling somewhere far away, the Thistle Assistance Programme is always there to help, because “A Little Help Goes A Long Way”.

To find out more visit thistleassistance.com

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

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.

HINTS & TIPS

1

Only use pears that are still firm, ripe but still firm, otherwise they will go to mush

2

Be careful with the ground cloves as they can be very strong

3

Serve them warm

4

You can freeze, let them cool completely then freeze.

When reheating you may need to add a splash of water if too dry

PAN CARAMELISED SPICED PEARS

WAYS TO CHANGE

Give Yourself Time – take extra time to take a step back, breathe and re-Cookfulness yourself

Add a pinch of chilli to the dry ingredient sugar mix for a bit of background heat

Key – steps are marked for when something really important is needed

Try using lime or orange juice and zest for a real citrus kick

Hints & Tips – to help you throughout and after Cookfulness Playlists – get your best tracks going!

Difficulty rating: *** Serves: 4 Cooking time: 20mins

Preparation time: 20 mins Give yourself time: 45-55 mins

YOU WILL NEED Deep flat based frying pan with lid Large heat resistant mixing spoon Knife Chopping board Zester Tablespoon Teaspoon Small bowl Larger bowl

INGREDIENTS 3 large pears (firm, not soft but ripe) 1 lemon zested ½ lemon juice Handful mixed dried raisins 2 tbsp unsalted butter (vegan works same) 2 tbsp light brown sugar (or white sugar) 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger Small pinch ground cloves Pinch of salt Splash cold water (as required) Mascarpone, single cream, vegan cream, ice cream or Greek yoghurt for serving

A little splash of cider or perry added to the pan at the beginning adds real depth A pinch of ground black pepper sprinkled on at the end adds heat

METHOD Slice pears into halves, then quarters, then eighths (if pears are very large) Place pears into larger bowl, pour over lemon juice and half the zest, combine well Melt the butter in the pan over a medium heat until starting to bubble Add the pear mix and stir to coat in butter Reduce heat to medium low, put on lid and leave for 5 minutes KEY Set timer for 5 mins In the smaller bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt and set aside After 5 mins stir the pears once, replace lid and leave for another 5 mins KEY Set timer for 5 mins After 5 mins add the sugar mix, stir well and increase the heat to medium (keeping lid off) Stir frequently for 6-7 mins KEY Set timer for 6 mins Add the remaining lemon zest and dried sultanas for the last minute KEY You may need to add a splash of water if the sauce starts to reduce too quickly Leave to cool slightly, serve warm with your choice of accompaniment Serve - you did It! You can follow Ian’s Cookfulness journey on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook – @Cookfulness Cookfulness is also available in hard copy and e-book at Amazon, BookshopUK and Waterstones. posabilitymagazine.co.uk

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Soups Soul AUTUMN

FOR THE

When the nights are drawing in faster, sometimes all we want at the end of the day is an easy and comforting meal - and that’s where soup steps in. osiness is a priority for many of us at this time of year: gathering up blankets and nesting with a good book and a hot drink, sitting by a roaring fire (or a YouTube video showing a roaring fire), and enjoying the change of the seasons. Yes, it’s damp outside, grey and altogether unappealing, but inside, you are the master of your own domain, and that domain must be cosy. There is no alternative.

What meal says “I am basking in the glow of cosiness” more than a great, big, steaming hot bowl of soup? It’s a hug in a bowl. Pair it with the crustiest of breads and a lovely salty butter and you’re on to a winning meal. Best of all, soup is both easy to make and comparatively inexpensive to a lot of other meals, and can be made in advance (and sometimes, frozen) making it a convenient homemade meal for people who may find themselves short on energy some days. Soups can also be easily adapted to suit dietary requirements, so are good options for people who are vegan, or may have food intolerances.

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SEASONAL SENSATIONS

When we think of pumpkins, we usually think of carving them and sticking candles inside, but what do we do with those glorious innards once we’ve scooped them out to make space? If you’re American, you’d probably get the pie dish ready for some pumpkin pie action, but we’d highly recommend making some pumpkin soup the best thing about this is that it’s actually better to have a small pumpkin on hand for soup, as their larger siblings are quite often less flavourful and carry more water.

It’s a soup that can be made as fancy as you desire, but like many soups made from vegetables, it does require the presence of a blender to really bring everything together and get a good texture. If you’re not keen on pumpkins, butternut squash soup is a lovely alternative, and similar to the pumpkin soup, it doesn’t take much to get going. If your supermarket is low on these veg - which it may well be - there’s always sweet potato soup, which is, again, incredibly simple but still an absolute treat for the soul. The BBC’s recipe can be frozen in individual portions for up to three months, and can be re-heated in the microwave or on the hob after defrosting.

LENTIL: KING OF SOUPS

As ever, not to be dramatic, but lentil soup is truly the king of soups. What other soups are mentioned in the Bible? We don’t know as we’re not religious scholars, but if they’re in there, they have to be good, right? That’s a soup that has stood the test of time. Lentil soup has been a staple food throughout the ages across the world; a lentil soup from the Middle East may be different to that of one from Latin America, or even the lentil soups we’re used to from Heinz. Regardless of what style of lentil soup you like, it’s a food that’s very good for you, as it’s full of protein, fibre, iron and potassium. Lentil soup can easily be made vegan or vegetarian, but if you want to push the boat out and live a little, it’s also a wonderful vehicle for adding meat, with the addition of bacon making for a champion meal on a cold, rainy day.

What other soups are mentioned in the Bible?

Sally’s Baking Addiction is fantastic for those with the gift of patience

TAKE A DIP

Soup always tastes better with a wee hunk of bread. Be it a noble sourdough or a humble piece of white bread salvaged from the bottom of the bread bin, having a little something to mop up the remainder of your soup at the end of the meal is an absolute treat. Consider, however, the bread bowl: a bowl, formed of bread, which acts as the vessel for the soup. A bit larger than a roll but smaller than a full boule, they can carry a thick soup and are eaten once the liquid portion of the meal is done. There are great recipes for bread bowls online - Sally’s Baking Addiction is fantastic for those with the gift of patience - so those who have found themselves baking through the lockdown might dare to try making a few themselves. For the rest of us, however, there is always Warburton’s.

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FORD HYBRID FORD KUGA PLUG -IN HYBRID GET THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE WITH THE FORD MOTABILITY SCHEME

Use your Mobility allowance to choose from a wide range of Ford vehicles at our network of participating Ford dealers across the UK. Dedicated specialists will listen to your needs and help you through every step of the process to find your perfect Ford vehicle. To find out more, visit ford.co.uk/motability or call 0345 60 40 019.

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Available on selected dealer stock only. Please contact a participating Ford dealer for more information. Model shown is an Kuga ST-Line X Edition, 5 Door, 2.5L Duratec 225PS PHEV, Automatic, PHEV with optional ‘Lucid Red’ Exclusive Body Paint. Weighted fuel economy mpg (l/100km) (Combined): 256.8 Weighted combined electricity consumption: 26.9 Weighted CO2 emissions: 25g/km. Equivalent All-Electric Range: 37 miles.

These figures were obtained using a combination of battery power and fuel. The Kuga is a plug-in hybrid vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. Figures shown are for comparability purposes.

Only compare fuel consumption, CO 2 and electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including, accessories fitted, variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. This programme is subject to the standard conditions of the Motability Scheme hire agreement. Full written details and quotations available on request from a Ford Authorised participating Dealer of Motability Operations Limited. Motability Scheme vehicles are leased to customers by Motability Operations. Motability Operations Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under reference number 735390. To qualify, you must be in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS) or the Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) and applications must be made with participating dealers between 1st October and 31st December 2021.

MIK SCARLET COLUMNIST

Follow Mik on Twitter

PAIN AND I ver the last six weeks, I have experienced pain spikes - one after another. These are where my usual level of pain - which I have lived well with for over forty years goes up to eleven. Usually, I have a three to five day period where my pain becomes the worst that I experience, but it fades and I return to normal; my normal. Recently I have had wave after wave of these spikes, meaning I only had one week out of six that was my normal. The rest I spent struggling to cope with a level of pain that had me screaming as the waves hit, unable to sleep, eat or even think. It’s a level of pain that most people cannot imagine, let alone experience - most non-disabled people, that is. For many disabled people, pain is something we live with, struggle to get treatment for, and feel alone when it gets too much.

It’s important not to let our own experiences with pain become a game of Top Trumps. I live with arthritic pain in my shoulders, a permanently dislocated right hip, a spine that is held together with metal and hope, and the day-to-day injuries caused by using a wheelchair. However, the breakthrough pain spikes are so much worse, and I am lucky enough to have found a way of living well with them. I have learned at various pain clinics and support groups that every individual’s worst pain and agony is different. We are too quick to poohpooh people who scream in agony at a knee problem while we sit quietly with similar pain in every joint: each individual’s unbearable pain is just that.

Recently, I have found myself at a low point because when the pain gets too much physically, it strains my mental health. As the spikes just kept coming, it wore me down to the point where I

@MikScarlet

was worried about my ability to carry on. I know some people don’t like the term “fighting” when talking about getting through illness, but when I’m in that much pain, it’s a battle to keep going.

Most of the people around you have no idea. You can see how worried they are and how much they want to help you, but you also know that they cannot imagine just how much it hurts and how hard you’re fighting to make your way through. I found that sharing my thoughts and feelings on social media helped, but of course, you get annoying “have you tried yoga” rubbish or the “oh I have something so much worse” replies, but most are supportive.

I have also found that getting angry allows me to carry on fighting. Angry at biology; angry at my body, but mostly angry at the medical profession

“Whatever level of pain you live with, however bad it gets and no matter if, occasionally, you want to give up on the fight, you are strong and should know that”

for seeing pain as something not worth the investment in research, for being more obsessed with addiction and overdose than effective treatment and for underplaying how much pain can ruin your life. I was part of a trial for mindfulness focused on pain, and while it helps, it only helps alongside the medication I take. The same goes for all the other alternative therapies: I do yoga twice a day, more when I’m in a spike, and it helps. As do taking things like Valerian pills and CBT oil.

But without the medication, I couldn’t get through. I have had to find my way through, combining way too many pills with other methods of coping. My methods would make most doctors scream in panic, but one, it works for me and two, what else can I do?

I co-present a chat show on the Disability Horizons TV channel, and recently we covered pain. When I said, “do whatever gets you through,” we had complaints from people who didn’t live with chronic pain. It’s the same attitude we face from doctors and the public: we’re either addicts or exaggerating. But when the pain gets too much, I have to get through it without worrying about the outcome.

I expect many of you share this experience.

How do I end such a grim article? With the affirmation that you are amazing.

Whatever level of pain you live with, however bad it gets and no matter if, occasionally, you want to give up on the fight, you are strong and should know that. My advice to you is this: be open with your loved ones about how much it takes to struggle through the pain. Be gentle on yourself when that struggle gets too much, and know that so many share your experiences. Lean on them; join support groups, and speak on social media. Write articles and blogs like this. Just know you will get through.

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Expert Hand. Human Touch.

Proud supporters of Hannah Cockroft MBE since 2015

We provide legal and financial support for you and your family. Whether you need help writing a Will, are considering moving home, or have been in an accident or suffered an injury or illness that wasn’t your fault, we’re here to help.

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PARALYMPIC GAMES TOKYO 2020

BY ROSALIND TULLOCH One year on from when these Games were supposed to take place, it is fair to say that the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will go down in history for being the most unusual Games to date. No crowds, constant testing, taking your own medals, wearing masks, socially distancing – there was no end to the list of obstacles surrounding these Games. However, they went ahead and they were a great success. ParalympicsGB gave us more than just something to watch on TV, their performances were epic, the emotions were high, you could feel every inch of nervous energy, empathise with the losses, and be elevated by the historic performances many of our athletes put in. It was a hugely successful year for Great Britain, so here’s a run-down of all the medals and moments you want to remember from the Paralympic Games that took place in the middle of a pandemic.

ARCHERY Phoebe Paterson Pine took gold in the Women’s Individual Compound, defeating her Chilean opponent Mariana Zuniga Varela. At her first ever performance at a Paralympic Games Paterson Pine rose to the challenge, held her nerve and won gold by just one point. She posted on Instagram saying: “These games have been a real baptism by fire for me, my first one ever and I couldn’t have dreamed of this moment more. The idea of winning a medal has always swamped my mind and here I am. Through anxiety and depression, through therapy and days laying in bed because I don’t feel like I can do anything else, I’ve made it here.”

Victoria Rumary was also making her debut appearance at a Paralympic Games and she secured bronze in the Women’s Individual W1.

Gold – 1

Silver – 0

Bronze – 1

Image: Jonathan Broom-Edwards, imagecomms

ATHLETICS Where do we begin? Hannah Cockroft showed the world that she is only getting better as she scooped two gold medals in the T34 100m and 800m with teammate Kare Adenegan hot on her heels taking silver in both races. Jonnie Peacock had to settle for sharing bronze with Johannes Floors in the T64 100m and the first Universal 4x100m Relay saw GB take silver. Sophie Hahn and Thomas Young took golds in their respective T38 100m races, Andrew Small joined them with a gold in the T33 100m and Owen Miller stormed to gold in the T20 1500m too. Scotland’s Sammi Kinghorn came away with silver and bronze medals too.

The field events saw Dan Greaves win a bronze in the F64 discus throw making him the first track and field athlete to win medals at six consecutive Games. Jonathan Broom-Edwards took an incredible gold in the high jump and Welsh shot putter Aled Davies achieved a career hat-trick with his third gold medal at a Paralympic Games in the F42 shot put.

Gold – 9

Silver – 5

Bronze – 10

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BADMINTON Daniel Bethell succeeded in making history as the firstever Paralympic athlete to win a medal for Great Britain in badminton. Competing in the SL3 category Daniel put on an incredible show in the final against his rival Pramod Bhagat of India who took the win. The last day of the Games saw another medal won in badminton as Krysten Coombs scooped bronze in his SH6 match against Vitor Goncalves Tavares of Brazil. That secured GB’s last medal of the Games and ended our performance on a real high.

Gold – 0

Silver – 1

Bronze – 1

BOCCIA The inimitable David Smith retained his Paralympic champion status in one of the tightest fought matches of his career. The epic gold was won in true champion fashion as David held his nerve to defeat Malaysia’s Chew Wei Lun in the Individual BC1 match. Elsewhere on the court GB’s Scott McCowan sadly missed out on the bronze as he battled against Australia’s Daniel Michel.

Gold – 1

Silver – 0

Bronze – 0

CANOEING The last Friday of the Paralympics saw the beginning of a two-day medal haul in canoeing as we woke to the news that Emma Wiggs had stormed to victory in the Va’a Single 200m VL2 to claim gold with teammate Jeanette Chippington soaring to take the bronze in the same race.

Shortly after this, Robert Oliver also scooped a bronze medal in the Kayak Single 200m KL3 race. As if that was not enough, the following day brought us a glorious gold and silver from Charlotte Henshaw and Emma Wiggs respectively in the Kayak Single 200m KL2, another gold from Laura Sugar in the KL3 and a bronze in the Va’a Single 200m VL3 from Stuart Wood.

Gold – 3

Silver – 1

Image: Krysten Coombs, imagecomms

Bronze – 3

CYCLING Dame Sarah Storey opened the Games on the first day with an incredible gold medal in the C5 3000m Individual Pursuit, taking Image: Emma Wiggs, imagecomms her personal tally to 15. The Games saw her surpass Mike Kenny’s record of 16 Paralympic medals as she ended the Games as the most successful British Paralympian of all time following her performances in the road race. Sarah’s teammate Crystal Lane-Wright took home three silver medals as she made it a GB 1-2 in each of their races.

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Image: David Smith, imagecomms

Jaco van Gass and Kadeena Cox added to the gold medal haul on the track, as did Lora and Neil Fachie – the golden couple of cycling. Jody Cundy snatched a silver in the time trial C4-5 before joining forces with Jaco van Gass and Kadeena Cox to race to an impressive gold in the mixed team sprint C1-5. Silver medals were also racked up by Steve Bate and pilot Adam Duggleby, Aileen McGlynn and pilot Helen Scott, as well as James Ball and pilot Lewis Stewart, and Finlay Graham snatched up a silver in the Individual Pursuit C3 too.

Bronze medals on the track came from Jaco van Gass, and Sophie Unwin and pilot Jenny Holl.

Taking to the road our ParalympicsGB cycling team did not disappoint either.

Following Dame Sarah Storey and Crystal Lane-Wright’s consistent 1-2 performances in both the road time trial C5 and road race C4-5, Ben Watson took two golds in the road time trial C3 and the road race C1-3. Finlay Graham took another silver in the road race C1-3, and Lora Fachie with pilot Corrine Hall secured a silver in the road time trial B, as did Sophie Unwin with pilot Jenny Holl in the road race B. George Peasgood managed to secure a bronze medal in the road time trial C4 in his first appearance in cycling at a Paralympic Games – he also took silver in the triathlon in Tokyo.

Image: Sarah Storey, imagecomms

Overall, cycling seems to be one of our strengths.

Gold – 10 Silver – 11 Bronze - 3

Image: Jaco van Gass, imagecomms

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EQUESTRIAN Lee Pearson kicked things off with a gold in the individual championship test grade II, before leading his team Natasha Baker and Sophie Wells to glory claiming gold in the team event. Lee then went on to win another gold in the individual freestyle test grade II as well. These accolades, which brought his gold tally to 14, were even more impressive as he was competing on his horse Breezer, who he has personally reared and trained since birth. Sophie Wells and Natasha Baker went on to achieve silver medals in their respective individual championship test grade events and Natasha claimed another silver in her freestyle event. Newest member of the team, Georgia Wilson, who was drafted in when Sophie Christiansen’s horse was injured, rose to the occasion and claimed two bronze medals with her impressive first Games performance.

Gold – 3

Silver – 3

Image: Lauren Rowles and Laurance Whiteley, imagecomms

Bronze – 2

JUDO

Chris Skelley settled a personal score this year in Tokyo by fighting his way to the gold medal in champion style.

Having missed out on a podium place in Rio in 2016, Chris was fuelled by passion and determination and it paid off in his emotional win in the -100kg match that led to his first Paralympic medal. Elliot Stewart also earned his place on the podium as he took silver in the -90kg event.

Gold – 1

Silver – 1

Bronze – 0

POWERLIFTING

Image: Natasha Baker, imagecomms

In her debut Paralympic performance, Olivia Broome scored a bronze with a lift of 107kg in the women’s under 50kg event, she shared her delight on Instagram saying: “Words cannot describe how happy I am to have achieved one of my biggest dreams, I’m still in shock.” Her medal seemed to spark a bronze revolution as Micky Yule followed to claim a bronze in the men’s 72kg category, and Louise Sugden joined in by claiming her bronze in the women’s 86kg category too.

Gold – 0

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Silver – 0

Bronze – 3

SWIMMING Reece Dunn started the swimming medal haul on day one with a silver in the S14 100m butterfly. We don’t think he realised he would leave his first Games as the most successful member of ParalympicsGB in Tokyo, as he went on to win three gold medals (S14 200m freestyle, SM14 200m individual medley and S14 mixed team 4x100m freestyle) and a bronze in the S14 100m backstroke. Not bad for a debut performance. Bethany Firth was not far behind him as she claimed two golds in the S14 freestyle and backstroke and two silvers in the S14 200m freestyle and the SM14 200m individual medley.

Image: Micky Yule, imagecomms

19-year-old Maisie Summers-Newton won our hearts as she earned two gold medals in the SM6 200m medley and the SB6 100m breaststroke, swimming against her role model and mentor Ellie Simmonds. Tully Kearney took home a gold and silver medal in her S5 100m and 200m freestyle events respectively, Jessica-Jane Applegate took home a gold in the S14 mixed team freestyle event and two individual bronze medals, and Hannah Russell nailed a gold in the S12 100m backstroke and a bronze in the S12 100m freestyle. Stephen Clegg snagged a silver and two bronze medals in his S12 events, and Louise Fiddes scored a silver in the SB14 100m breaststroke and bronze in her SM14 200m individual medley.

Other silver medals came from Grace Harvey in the SB5 100m breaststroke, Ellie Challis in the S3 50m backstroke, and Rebecca Redfern in the SB13 100m breaststroke. More bronze medals rushed in from Toni Shaw in the S9 400m freestyle, and Scott Quinn in the SB14 100m breaststroke.

ROWING The rowing team brought a double gold whammy as they sailed to victory. Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whiteley retained their Paralympic champion title in the PR2 mixed double sculls. This was swiftly followed by a gold in the PR3 mixed coxed four that consisted of Ellen Buttrick, Giedrè Rakauskaitè, James Fox, Oliver Stanthorpe and Erin Kennedy. This was ParalympicsGB’s 50th medal of the Games.

Gold – 2

Silver – 0

Bronze – 0

The biggest news from the pool was the announcement of retirement from Paralympic golden girl Ellie Simmonds.

Following a stellar career that saw her achieve her first gold medal at the tender age of 13 in Beijing, Ellie has taken the decision to hang up her goggles. She stated in a post on social media: “Being part of the Paralympic movement and able to contribute in some small way to the progression of para-sport means an enormous amount to me and is something that I shall continue to be involved in.

“Being a Paralympian has changed my life. I’ve made the best of friends, travelled the world and met the most amazing and inspirational of people – all while having the time of my life.”

Gold – 8

Silver – 9

Bronze – 9

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TABLE TENNIS One of our favourite characters to watch, Will Bayley had to settle for silver in the men’s individual class 7 this time around.

Alongside his best friend Paul Karabardak the duo managed to battle through some fiercely tough matches to take an impressive silver in the men’s team class 6-7. Three individual bronze medals were also won by Paul Karabardak, Thomas Matthews and Jack Hunter-Spivey, and two team bronze medals were racked up in the men’s team class 8 event and the women’s team class 4-5 event.

Gold – 0

Silver – 2

Bronze – 5

TAEKWONDO This was the first time Taekwondo was being included on the Summer Paralympic Games roster, so we were all eagerly anticipating what this event would hold for the athletes of Great Britain. We were delighted when Beth Munro produced a silver medal-winning performance in the women’s 58kg K44 category to claim our first ever Paralympic medal in Taekwondo.

This was followed up by a bronze medal from Amy Truesdale in the women’s +58kg category.

Gold – 0

Silver – 1

Bronze – 1

TRIATHLON

Image: Laura Steadman, ParalympicsGB

Laura Steadman succeeded in upgrading her silver medal from Rio to a welldeserved gold in Tokyo this year. She put on a phenomenal performance to sprint to the finish 41 seconds ahead of her closest rival in the women’s PTS5 classification, and teammate Claire Cashmore took the bronze in this race too. George Peasgood added a silver to this medal haul in the men’s PTS5.

Gold – 1

Silver – 1

Bronze – 1

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL

Image: Stuart Robinson, ParalympicsGB

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Following an emotional rollercoaster of matches the men’s wheelchair basketball team made it into a semi-final match against the home nation Japan. Despite their power and passion in this tightly contested game, it was Japan that emerged victorious to go onto the final to play USA. A heartbroken GB team who had the whole nation behind them, then had to pick themselves up and go on to play Spain in the bronze medal match, accepting that their dreams of a Paralympic gold medal

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match were once again thwarted. In their true lion spirit they did rally and they went on to win their match against Spain, bringing home a bronze.

Gold – 0

Silver – 0

Bronze – 1

WHEELCHAIR FENCING The first day of the wheelchair fencing events saw Dimitri Coutya come away with a bronze medal in his debut performance at a Paralympic Games and he followed this up by winning another bronze in the men’s foil B. Piers Gilliver succeeded in winning his first Paralympic gold medal in the men’s épée A, improving on his silver from Rio. Joining forces with Oliver Lam-Watson for their team events they went on to fight their way to bronze in the men’s team épée and a silver in the men’s team foil.

Gold – 1

Silver – 1

Bronze – 3

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY One of the highlights of the Games was watching the GB wheelchair rugby team make history by winning their first Paralympic medal ever, and they made it a gold. They are in fact the first European team to ever win a Paralympic gold medal in wheelchair rugby. Playing favourites USA in the final made for an incredibly close and tense match, they had the whole nation on the edge of their seats, holding their breath as they battled it out on the court to win 54-49. What a moment.

Gold – 1

Silver – 0

Bronze – 0

WHEELCHAIR TENNIS Dynamic duo Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid were on a mission in the men’s doubles as they were determined to upgrade their silver medal from Rio. The final proved heartbreaking though as the third set ended in favour of Houdet and Peifer of France. The emotion of the defeat was compounded by the fact that Alfie Hewett may not be able to play in a Paralympic Games again due to classification changes. The duo then had to take to the court the next day to play against each other in the bronze medal match in the men’s singles, where Reid took the win. Lucy Shuker and Jordanne Whiley also brought home doubles success as they secured a silver medal and Whiley went on to win her bronze medal match with an emotional display of shock and pride when she won.

Gold – 0

Silver – 2

Bronze – 2

WHAT CAN YOU ACHIEVE TODAY?

W

essex have been so proud this year to support some incredible athletic ability who have been striving for more.

privilege but this time because you’re competing against fewer athletes, it makes you a little more nervous as there’s more expectation to do well.”

Sophie Carrigill, our brand ambassador, is a hugely inspirational young woman who has summoned incredible strength since her accident in 2010. She competed at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and more recently played for the ParalympicsGB wheelchair basketball team again in Tokyo.

With Sophie’s wheelchair basketball event spanning almost the entire competition, it was a lot easier to keep up with it all. Ian’s event however, lasted for one weekend!

As such, it was harder to keep up with it from here, especially given the time difference.

“Growing up I always wanted to compete at the Olympics, I always watched them and wondered what sport I could get really good at that would give me that chance. I am so very fortunate to be given the opportunity to represent my country on an international stage.”

Ian Marsden our sponsored athlete who we have been supporting for over seven years now, was representing the GB team in paracanoe this year. Ian has had an incredible career from powerlifting to hand cycling to air rifle.

Ian commented: “Going to the Games is always a

Great Britain came 2nd overall winning 124 medals in total, with 41 of them gold. Women’s wheelchair basketball unfortunately were defeated with the Netherlands taking the gold spot, however they are much looking forward to get backing back in the game at the European Championships in December 2021.

Ian Marsden finished 8th in Tokyo in the 200m sprint and then went on to Copenhagen to compete in the Worlds and achieved 5th place.

To find out more about Sophie and Ian please visit www.wessexlifts.co.uk.

"Wessex put you at the centre of the lift design and really care about your needs above anything else"

Sophie Carrigill

GB Paralympian Wheelchair Basketball Team

Visit our website today www.wessexlifts.co.uk 01794 830303

British Manufacture BS5900 Compliant No requirement for a load bearing wall No pit required Full turnkey service Life time warranty available

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Eerie Evenings

BY ROSALIND TULLOCH

Halloween is just around the corner and we are getting more than a little excited about the spooky celebrations. Despite what you may think, Halloween is certainly not just for kids, we never truly grow out of ghost stories, scary movies and eating lots of sweets do we? Whether you like to adorn your house with cobwebs and pumpkins and await mini witches and ghouls at your door to shower in treats, or you prefer to host a sleek and spooky party for the grownups with boozy witch’s blood cocktails, we have got you covered.

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Pumpkin Stickers

Carving pumpkins, while a worthy tradition, is not the easiest task. You have to have some pretty decent strength and dexterity to dig out the insides of a pumpkin, and precision and care is needed when using a very sharp knife to try to make spooky facial features. Why not conserve your energy this year and opt for some effective Halloween stickers on your pumpkin, they look great and are far easier to deal with.

Etsy – All Her Glory | £5.95

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Hanging Ghost

Illuminated ghosts are fun for all the family, and none come in a better package than aptly-named Spooky Spencer. He is perfect for hanging from the ceiling or in doorways to creep out your friends and family as they edge past him! Or hang him in your window at night to scare the trick or treaters as they approach your door.

Lights 4 Fun | £11.99

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Day of the Dead Face Mask

The latest craze in our new world is decorative face masks, and Halloween is sure to bring about some gruesome, funny and probably slightly disturbing looks on 31 October. We have found a very effective and inoffensive face mask that could be used as part of a Day of the Dead costume, while keeping you safe at the same time. What more could you possibly need?

Etsy – Pet Frames | £13

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Crow Lights

Decorations are key to creating the perfect eerie setting in your home. Pumpkins, spiders, bats, witches and black cats are standard at this time of year, but if you are looking for something more sinister and off the wall then we suggest you invest in these slightly disturbing black crow lights with gleaming eyes. They will elevate your Halloween to another level.

Lights 4 Fun | £14.99

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Skeleton Face Gems

This classic skeleton design will be sure to make everyone turn their heads when you glitter into the party with spooky skeleton-style gems all over your face. Add a touch of dark spooky make-up and you will be the scariest and most glamorous skeleton at the party.

Claire’s | £5.50

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Skull T-shirt Dress

If you are keeping it casual this year, but still want to feel a little spooky spirit, try this skull t-shirt dress from the Plus range at boohoo. It gives you the perfect look for either curling up on the sofa to watch your favourite scary movies or it can be dressed up for a casual chic look for a party. Whatever your plans, this is a must-have for your Halloween wardrobe.

BooHoo | £18

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Skeleton Earrings

Got a Halloween party to go to? What could possibly look better with literally any outfit you are wearing than these adorable sterling silver skeleton earrings? These clever little earrings have the head as the stud and the body dangling from the back. They are the perfect nod to Halloween for even the most sedate celebrator.

Not on the High Street - Ellie Ellie | £19

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Halloween Bag

If you know someone who would appreciate a personalised Halloween bag to collect their sweetie haul in, this would be the perfect gift. A sinister-looking ghost should keep potential treat stealers away and having your name printed clearly at the top should ensure there are no accidental household mix-ups.

Etsy – DecorDora | £22.56

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Vegan Pick ‘n’ Mix

Make sure you are catering for all dietary requirements at your Halloween party or for those little trick or treaters that venture to your door. Grab some vegan treats to ensure everyone can enjoy the tasty indulgence of this sugar-filled night. Yumbles do a great vegan Halloween pick ‘n’ mix, filled with chewy ghosts, skulls and teeth.

Yumbles | £11.25

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Skull Vodka

If you are going all out for your Halloween party then Halloween-inspired food and drink will be high on your list.

Setting up your drinks table with a clear skull bottle will certainly add something extra to your party as you offer your guests a vodka from this unusual, yet inspired drinks bottle from Fortnums.

Fortnum and Mason | £55

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(NO)EXIT STAGE LEFT

BY SHONA LOUISE

Theatre is back, but so are the accessibility issues that plague its venues

s an avid theatre fan, I was over the moon when the industry fully opened back up this year after our stages were dark for so long. I missed the excitement before a show, the community environment, and the euphoric feeling at the end of a show after you’ve shared something special and unique with a room full of strangers. Live theatre is an experience like no other.

However, as a disabled person who uses an electric wheelchair, there is also a side of theatre that continues to disappoint me: the accessibility. Theatres had been closed for so long that I’d almost forgotten just how bad the access can be, so when I did start booking shows again, I fell back down to Earth with a thud.

First came the problems with simply trying to book tickets.

Access tickets often must be booked over the phone, which is not only an inaccessible form of contact for many people but also time-consuming. My friends can book their tickets in a matter of minutes online, whereas it’s not uncommon for me to have to wait on hold for upwards of an hour to book mine.

As shows began to announce their reopening dates I was reminded quickly of how many theatres I simply cannot get in though. The situation in the West End in particular is pretty poor for disabled people. Side entrances, steep ramps and poor views of the stage are standard for me, with a lack of accessible performances and suitable accessible toilets also being major problems.

© Shona Louise

All these barriers were highlighted recently for me when the popular musical, Six, announced its move to a different West End theatre. The show is a pop concert retelling of the lives of Henry VIII’s six wives; I first saw the show in 2018 and have since seen its success skyrocket. I recently saw the show for the 50th time, so it’s safe to say I’m a big fan. It’s bounced around theatres over the last couple of years, with its most recent home being the Lyric Theatre.

Whilst the theatre’s accessibility isn’t perfect, for once the wheelchair spaces were close to the stage finally giving me the same experience that many of my friends get on front row. From the perspective of a wheelchair user, it was the most accessible West End theatre the show has made its home in so far, so when it was announced they were moving, I was nervous.

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Since then we’ve spoken about where changes can be made, including testing of a new stairclimbing lift that can accommodate electric wheelchair users. Some problems like a lack of an accessible toilet are longer-term ones, but in the short-term, there are also things we can do to improve the language used in their accessibility information. I was able to point out flaws that only a disabled person would notice, confirming exactly the reason why we must hire more disabled people across the industry.

So many of the accessibility issues I point out could be solved before customers are even made aware they exist if we simply employed more disabled people. We need a seat at the table. These recent conversations that I’ve had are finally giving me hope that we are moving closer to that goal.

This goes to show how powerful activism can be. One simple tweet has led to physical accessibility changes that will enable more people to visit the Vaudeville Theatre. Of course, there are still barriers we need to remove, but the door is open for conversation now and anyone who knows me knows that I won’t stop until the arts are accessible to everyone.

© Shona Louise

Rumours went around the theatre community as they so often do, with the Vaudeville Theatre coming up time and time again. I knew of the theatre after I wanted to see a show there a few years ago, but found out that it is not accessible to me as an electric wheelchair user, as well as there being no accessible toilet. It’s safe to say that I felt nervous about the prospect of Six moving there long term.

When the news finally broke it didn’t feel real. The show markets itself as being inclusive and welcoming to all, a place where everyone can feel safe and seen, so it made no sense to me that they would move to such an inaccessible theatre.

A lot of my activism happens across social media, so I started tweeting to try and highlight this issue to the theatre community. Accessibility in theatres is something I’ve been discussing for several years now, but up until recently I found it difficult to engage people in the conversation. This time though, people were listening. For several days, my notifications didn’t stop whilst people had their eyes opened to the poor standard of accessibility across our theatres. People had no idea just how bad things were.

The social media buzz also meant that I was finally able to have conversations with those who have the power to change things. The Vaudeville Theatre is owned by Nimax Theatres and soon I found myself having conversations with Nica Burns, the chief executive and co-owner of Nimax. This was my chance to hopefully make some physical change.

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© Shona Louise

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Sickof It

BY SOPHIE BUCK

Chronically ill influencer and writer Sophie Buck gives her perspective on the recent BBC documentary Sickness and Lies

O

n 5 August, the BBC launched its documentary Sickness and Lies on its social media channels with the question: “are some chronic illness influencers faking it on social media for fame and money?”

The documentary highlights Reddit forums that, drawing parallels with witch hunting, ridicule and harass chronic illness influencers, who are mainly young women, that they believe to be “illness faking” for fame and money, given the supposedly suspicious rise of sick influencers. But, apart from its slightly redeeming end-note (“nobody, not even experts, can really know what’s going on with someone just by looking at their social media”), the documentary reinforces rather than debunks the harmful disability myths that drive this traumatising scrutinisation culture. As a small influencer with CFS/ME, I want to unpick the documentary’s harmful, misleading message and highlight why, especially given the rise of long COVID, society must finally believe rather than continue to invalidate already exhausted chronically ill people.

How harmful is the documentary? It names and inadvertently publicises hateful forums and encourages their suspicions of chronically ill influencers. It platforms a doctor, who, rather than highlighting the rarity of Munchausen’s syndrome (a complex psychological disorder where someone pretends to be ill or induces illness, supposedly for attention), argues the “vast majority” of cases are undetected before encouraging viewers to find fakers through spotting “inconsistencies,” when inconsistencies are inherent to our often dynamic, fluctuating illnesses. Suspicion is raised of chronically ill influencers in other ways, from those using similar mobility aids (“it’s like seeing clones, copycats,” a voice warns), as if this wasn’t a reflection of the few designs available that are aimed at young people; to talking too much about their illnesses, as if illnesses weren’t all-affecting; or amassing multiple illnesses, despite co-occurrences being common.

Producers also included influencers’ profiles without consent, and falsely “assured” influencer @TheChronicIconic, who they interviewed, that the show would “berate the Reddit forums” (which she’d personally been harassed by to the point of developing psychosis and attempting suicide), causing her to feel “sick” and spiral mentally. Instead of providing the awareness chronically ill people need, the show dismisses and undermines us, reinforcing the impossible binary society presents us with: if we’re too sick, we’re annoying and burdensome, or not sick enough and we’re faking and don’t deserve support. We only gain momentary acceptance when we inspirationally

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...if we’re too sick, we’re annoying and burdensome, or not sick enough and we’re faking and don’t deserve support

overcome our illness or disability and don’t seem sick at all.

In 2018, over 15 million people in England alone (over a fifth of the population) had chronic conditions for which no cure currently exists

Rather than surprising or suspicious, the rise of the socalled “chronic illness influencer” (or, rather, “advocate”) is expected given how common, yet widely misunderstood and under-supported, chronic illnesses are. In 2018, over 15 million people in England alone (over a fifth of the population) had chronic conditions for which no cure currently exists. A report released in June 2021 estimated a further two million people in the UK have long COVID. Many chronic illnesses, like my CFS/ME, primarily affect women and AFAB (assigned female at birth) people and are under-researched and dismissed due to medical misogyny. Women are four times more likely than men to develop CFS/ME; a study recently named it the “most neglected disease relative to its needs” and, in the absence of effective treatments available, actively harmful treatments like exercise continue to be prescribed.

Given lacking medical knowledge on chronic illness, it’s unsurprising that public education and, subsequently, knowledge is practically non-existent, meaning people need to personally research their illnesses and educate those around them: this is where social media comes in.

Chronically ill people, frustrated by the lack of support, turn to social media to connect from our sick beds over relatable experiences. Many of us inadvertently become educators and advocates in the hope that raising awareness might make our lives easier, and, in doing so, we are forced to reductively “brand” ourselves as sick.

Unlike talking about a fun hobby, this (often unpaid) work is exhausting, often involving entitled demands that we share traumatic experiences, personal medical information and debunk the same myths. It’s frustrating that instead of seeing our calls for acceptance, support and understanding met, we’re dismissed as attention-seeking, with large followings not countering but rather reaffirming this.

While some chronically ill people manage to amass sizeable followings and generate income via social media, these are relatively small compared to healthy equivalents. Our sick, unreliable bodies exist in antithesis to capitalism, which rewards productivity and consistency. We’re unable to keep up with fast-changing online trends, post consistently, or make ourselves aesthetic. Social media algorithms directly suppress our disobedient body-minds, and we have to tone down our negativity. If anything, we fake being well, not sick. Wellness sells, not sickness.

Our followers are also mainly chronically ill, meaning they’re often low-income, seeking free content, and less able to tip or afford products we share. While often not our initial intention, influencing, even if sporadic, can be a rare flexible and remote opportunity for us to generate income. As Jess (@TheChronicIconic) highlights in the documentary, influencing is “the only way [she] can really work and network and generate people to have dialogues with”. Being disabled is expensive and chronically ill people, with our fluctuating “invisible” conditions, are often excluded from accessing disability benefits due to criteria biased against us, so freelance work is a lifeline. Again, chronically ill people find themselves in

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an impossible situation: either we’re lazy for not doing anything or invalidated for struggling attempts to speak up and survive.

Rather than people faking illnesses to make money, the real scam is people selling fake quack remedies to chronically ill people who are desperate for possible treatments in the absence of alternatives. Even in the “illness faker” case of Belle Gibson cited by the documentary, it was only after Belle’s miraculous cancer recovery that she amassed fame and wealth through becoming a “wellness” blogger and selling a supposedly cancer-curing cookbook. Users of Instagram’s #ChronicIllness hashtag are frequently flooded with scammers advertising “miracle” herbal remedies and trying to sell treatment services. Why is the focus continually on discrediting chronically ill people, rather than discussing how we’re continually invalidated, ignored, and exploited?

This widespread scrutinisation that sick and disabled people are put through - from Reddit discussions to benefits assessments or questioned access to accessible toilets and seating - are diversions from the problems sick and disabled people face and act as suppression tactics both via the harassment and self-policing they cause. A story poll of my chronically ill Instagram followers found 98% (of the 232 that responded) had experienced either of these, yet mainstream media skews perceptions by giving headline press to rare “faking” cases and studies that suggest people “aren’t really sick” but just lazy or inactive, which we’re too exhausted to counter. The public is emboldened to feel like sickness experts - despite unawareness of how chronic illnesses “look” (most are invisible) and how effects can vary between individuals and from moment to moment. Further, they’re made to feel that they must assess the veracity of supposed sickness, which is especially impossible via social media snippets, and that they’re entitled to personal medical information and people’s labour to prove this.

Inconsistencies with stereotypes are considered evidence of faking rather than a need for further education. Even sick and disabled people, internalising ableism and misdirecting their frustrations, participate in this, as with the Reddit forums. This culture traumatises chronically ill people and causes us, on- and off-line, to avoid seeking support, sharing their achievements or even going outside to avoid faking accusations - yet if we instead only share continual sickness evidence that’s too much sickness.

Meanwhile, the healthy are praised for sharing their best angles. Instead of encouraging this double standard and scrutinisation, society must actively condemn it and foster a better understanding of chronic illnesses.

Ultimately, concerns around “illness faking” that the BBC documentary and society at large focuses on are unfounded and sweep people up in the thrill of the chase, regardless of whether these accusations were true and if “fakers” even exist. These “faking” accusations don’t benefit the UK’s growing chronically ill community, but rather are used to silence us and the gaps in Western medicine we expose and the resources we require. More

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pressing issues are the harassment we experience as a result of this scrutiny, underfunding of research and scarce resources, and continued exploitation of our desperation to heal. As cases of long COVID continue to rise, it’s chronically ill advocates or “influencers”, not the medical sector, that were there to educate and support their new community members and society, and who are essential for the journey to finding effective treatments, even cures. It’s essential society stops perpetuating myths that chronically ill people are either lazy or faking, and starts listening to us.

Please, we’re tired.

You can follow Sophie Buck on Instagram at @BusyBeingDisabled

...it’s chronically ill advocates or “influencers”, not the medical sector, that were there to educate and support their new community members and society

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VM HOMELIFT The VM Homelift from Wessex Lifts gives you the freedom to move around your home without any restrictions. Internal controls are easy to use, it has a wide range of safety features and comes in a range of sizes and colours. You can also check out the closed cab version (VE) on their website.

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MERA CARE SHOWER TOILET Specifically designed to put the user in control, the toilet is smart, stylish and easy to use. Its advanced technology enables users with increased bathroom independence. With adaptations available, it can accommodate individual needs to leave users feeling cleaner and fresher with a comfortable, convenient and hygienic bathroom experience.

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SUPPORT PILLOW This shaped pillow is designed to provide a supportive and comfortable solution for sitting up in bed or for extra support on a chair or sofa. It is filled with polyester microfibre supportive memory foam and includes armrests and an adjustable neck support that can be removed if not needed.

An ideal solution for sitting up to read, study or converse.

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Thanks to the fat tyres and front suspension that this trike boasts you will be able to tackle uneven paths, mud, sand or snow safely and easily. The JMT3 also has a unique rear differential for stability and it comes with a cargo bag on the back for storage.

Prices from £2,449.99 01904 405 338 jorviktricycles.com

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MUSIC PLAYER Designed for those living with dementia, this simple music player will bring nostalgia and comfort to its listeners. It is operated very easily by lifting a small lid on top to start the music, the song can be skipped by pressing the only visible button on the player and it is turned off by pushing the lid on top down again. Volume buttons are also hidden so the user can’t accidentally change it.

Prices from £109.95 03300 101 418 techsilver.co.uk

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Freedom

BY THE SEA

BY CARRIE-ANN LIGHTLEY Carrie-Ann Lightley recently took a trip to the seaside to discover the accessibility on offer for wheelchair users in Sunderland’s hidden gem, Seaburn ’m cruising along the most beautiful beach, the wet sand is bumpy under my wheels and the seagulls squawk loudly overhead. The smell of the sea and the sound of the waves calm me, as they always do, and I look over to see my little dog Poppy running in big circles, loving the freedom of the beach. I realise that’s exactly how I’m feeling in this moment - free.

determined to soak up every moment of this trip. Glorious weather, the friendliest welcome, cosy, accessible accommodation, and a stunning accessible coastline all combined to make me fall in love with Seaburn, Sunderland’s hidden gem.

If 2020 taught me anything, it was the importance of appreciating the privilege of travel. When The Inn Collection Group got in touch offering a two-night stay for me to review the accessible facilities at their brand new Seaburn Inn, I happily accepted and extended our stay to truly appreciate everything that this beautiful corner of the North East coast had to offer.

I won’t pretend that accessible travel is ever easy, and travelling as a disabled person during a pandemic certainly brings an extra level of things to worry about.

However, after an eightmonth travel hiatus, I was

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THE SEABURN INN

The Seaburn Inn is one of The Inn Collection Group’s newest properties – a contemporary seafront pub with rooms, opened in July 2021. The Inn is accessible, family friendly – with a children’s play area – and dogs are welcome in designated areas and rooms.

There’s free on-site parking, including designated blue badge bays.

BEDROOMS Cosy yet contemporary, the Seaburn Inn’s accessible rooms look and feel gorgeous. They’re seriously spacious, with twin or king size comfy beds. Tea and coffee, hairdryer, TV, desk and free WiFi are all available.

The beds are all divan, which is not ideal for those travelling with a mobile hoist. I’ve fed this back to the Inn’s management, and they will be purchasing bed raisers.

EATING OUT IN SEABURN

As well as some tasty meals at The Seaburn Inn, and the obligatory takeaway fish and chips on the promenade, we enjoyed street food at Seaburn’s trendy new social hub, and a gorgeous surprise cake delivery.

STACK SEABURN

ACCESSIBLE BATHROOM As with the bedroom, the bathrooms are really spacious and tastefully decorated. All accessible bathrooms at The Seaburn Inn have a bathtub with grab bars and a transfer point (regular readers will know that I can manage a tub with assistance, and as I don’t have one at home it’s a bit of a treat) however there are other Inns with wet room showers available.

RESTAURANT The Seaburn Inn serves food every day from 7.30am to 9pm. From hearty breakfasts, which are delicious (I loved the eggs benedict), to light bites, classic mains and a Sunday roast. Taking advantage of its location, the Inn also serves a number of local fish and seafood dishes. Everything we ate at the Inn was seriously tasty, well cooked and generous.

The Inn’s stunning outdoor terrace overlooks the beach, and has ample seating too.

This buzzing social hub has street-food style outlets and bars, surrounding benches and booths in an open air setting. There’s so much choice of food; we went for Greek and Mexican.

PLACES TO VISIT IN SEABURN, SUNDERLAND ROKER AND SEABURN BEACHES Sunderland’s twin beaches at Roker and Seaburn are the perfect place to unwind. The golden sands are a sandcastle builders paradise, and with lifeguards on duty, they are great for paddling.

There are miles of beautiful coastline to explore, and the wet, compacted sand is perfect for beach wheelchairs.

The wide-open promenade and landscaped seafront make for a perfect stroll in the sea air. Seaburn Promenade has ramp access, and a Changing Places accessible toilet is available, as well as wheelchair accessible picnic benches. Dogs are restricted to certain areas during the summer months.

ROKER PARK

STACK is dog-friendly and has an accessible toilet, and it’s right next door to The Seaburn Inn.

A beautiful park with direct access from the beach, with lots to see and do for the whole family - children’s play T H E L I T T L E areas, a sensory garden, CAKERY BY a train track, a bandstand, THE SEA basketball courts, football The Little Cakery By The Sea pitches, a boating lake and at STACK Seaburn serves a a bowling green. vast array of delicious treats The park also plays host ranging from homemade to a variety of seasonal cakes and traybakes though theatre productions and to fresh cream scones, family events and is home to the picnic boxes and drinks to ‘smuggler’s caves’. There go, including milkshakes are some lovely floral and ice frappes to satisfy displays and water features everyone’s sweet tooth. to enjoy, and during the We were gifted a surprise winter there is a wonderful delivery of cakes to our hotel display of lights. room. A seriously tasty treat!

There’s on-street Blue Badge parking nearby, FIND OUT ramped access, tarmac MORE paths, and plenty of benches, as well as To read Carrie-Ann’s full accessible toilets. Dogs are in-depth review of her welcome but must be kept trip to Seaburn visit: on a lead. carrieannlightley.com.

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DISABLED ACCESS

IN THE POST-LOCKDOWN WORLD Have your say Have your say and take part today in the Euan’s Guide Access Survey t’s here! The Euan’s Guide Access Survey is the UK’s largest and longest running survey of its kind and we are delighted it has a bit of help this time round, thanks to support from Motability Operations.

Since 2014, Euan’s Guide has asked questions to establish what is good and what could be improved about accessibility at the venues disabled people, their friends, families and carers visit. The survey is for anybody who has ever had to consider disabled access before going somewhere, from restaurants to theatres among many more public places. It’s perhaps more crucial than ever that we want you to take part this year.

The results will tell us not just whether disabled access has improved or not, but specifically how people are finding information on venue accessibility, which types of venues are delivering the best disabled access and what the barriers are to good accessibility.

Support from Motability Operations this year will introduce the Access Survey to a fresh audience. They’re the company behind the Motability Scheme, supporting disabled people to achieve greater independence and everyday freedom through access to affordable, worry-free mobility.

As many of the restrictions have come to an end, many disabled people remain shielding and dubious about visiting places again. But while some precautions remain in place and the world is much different than before, it is exciting to discover new places. Even re-discovering existing places shows that nothing is the same anymore and there is a need to relearn the landscapes of our towns and villages.

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WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TOLD US BEFORE

WHAT DOES THIS ACCESS SURVEY WANT TO KNOW?

Key findings in 2019 found that 93% of people seek information on disabled access at a particular venue before considering a visit and that 77% have found access information on a venue’s website to be misleading or inaccurate. More damning, however, is that 79% of people have experienced a disappointing trip or had to abruptly change plans because of poor accessibility.

Many disabled people remain sceptical about going out to places again and some will continue to shield. The world has changed and going about your day has become a different experience. The new Euan’s Guide Access Survey will get a wider picture of the quickly evolving times by considering accessibility as we know it but also the extra layer of complexity that COVID has put on accessibility.

Results also told us that only 2% of respondents were very confident about visiting new places and that 50% of people didn’t have access to a toilet that suited their requirements when out and about. Two of the top ten requested changes were creating more accessible toilets and improving existing ones while having more Changing Places toilets.

This year’s Access Survey will take you about 15 minutes to complete but it will make an enormous difference to know what accessibility is truly like across the UK. With COVID still prevalent, we want to know what concerns you have and what would make your visits easier and safer in the post-lockdown world. We also ask which precautions you would like to remain in place and how travelling to venues has felt recently.

In 2020 there was no Access Survey. Instead, we asked people about the impact of COVID on accessibility and what precautions and services venues could put in place to make visits safer and easier. People told us that they were concerned about individuals not honouring or respecting social distancing and many spoke about problems caused by public toilets not being in use. Respondents were also concerned about how venues would adapt, including layouts, manoeuvring and not having access to sanitising stations at an appropriate height. We are also asking people to share their experiences of life post-lockdown in this year’s survey.

Museums and galleries were rated the most accessible venues in the previous Access Survey, with historic attractions, outdoor places and pubs generally having poor access. With a large chunk of respondents still finding information confusing on websites, it will be interesting to find out how COVID has impacted the accessibility of types of venues.

EUAN’S GUIDE Euan’s Guide is the award-winning charity making it easier for disabled people to find great places to go. EuansGuide. com is the disabled access review website where disabled people, their families, friends and carers can find and share reviews on the accessibility of places around the UK and beyond. Euan’s Guide hopes to make the world more accessible one review at a time.

The Access Survey will explore the usual questions about whether you feel there has been a change to disabled access, if you have had to change plans because of poor accessibility and how likely you are to share information about good or bad accessibility with others.

Paul Ralph, access and inclusion director, Euan’s Guide commented: “The world for many disabled people has changed as we begin to once again get out and about.

Much of what we knew is different as places and spaces have coronavirus precautions in place, environments have changed and how we do day-to-day things are a new experience. It feels like we have to relearn how to navigate those old favourites we all love to visit. Hopefully, if we all share what we find as we venture out we can once again enjoy the freedom of exploring new places and rekindle the enjoyment we once had.”

HAVE YOUR SAY

Is disabled access better or worse in the post-lockdown world? We want to hear your thoughts. Take part today and share your experiences about disabled access in the UK at euansguide.com/ access-survey.

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AN UNPRECEDENTED PAUSE

Patient advocate Sally Callow explores the implications of the delay of the revised NICE guidelines being published in relation to treating patients living with ME/CFS n the 20 September 2021, members of the ME/ CFS patient community and allies protested outside of the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence in Stratford, London and many hundreds more took part in a virtual protest against NICE’s ‘unprecedented’ delay of the publication of the ME/CFS guidelines.

Central to this ongoing issue is a research study called the PACE trial. This research study has been referred to as “one of the biggest medical scandals of the 21st century”.

Part funded by the DWP and health insurance companies looking to reduce the welfare bill and insurance payouts, and it has been debunked as flawed research by scientists around the world, yet its outcomes and recommended treatments for ME/CFS remain within NICE guidelines today. The ME/CFS patient community, including patients, advocates, charities, researchers and scientists have been campaigning for well over a decade against this research study that recommended graded exercise therapy (GET) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as treatments for ME/CFS patients. Although NICE is based in the UK, their guidelines have a ripple effect worldwide.

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NICE will now explore if this support can be achieved.”

By delaying the publication, NICE has breached their own regulations and protocols. After reviewing scientific evidence for over three years, NICE has allowed the process to be halted by a few Royal Colleges who have vested interests in this issue.

If doctors treating ME/ CFS patients do not agree with evidence-based guidelines, they should not be treating these patients

NICE has spent well over three years reviewing all scientific data available to update their guidelines and determine the best treatments for ME/CFS. In their draft guidelines published in November 2020, NICE said no treatments based on exercise were to be recommended to ME/ CFS patients and CBT should not be recommended as a treatment. Between the draft and final guidelines publication date there was a period of consultation. The final guidelines were due to be published on 18 August 2021. However, nine hours before they were due to be published NICE ‘paused’ publication. An excerpt from the announcement stated: “We want to thank everyone who has contributed to this guideline and particularly the committee and the patient groups who have worked so diligently. However, unless the recommendations in the guideline are supported and implemented by professionals and the NHS, people with ME/CFS may not get the care and help they need.

“In order to have the desired impact, the recommendations must be supported by those who will implement them and

As Ron Davis, Director of the Stanford Genome Technology Centre and Professor of Biochemistry and Genetics, Stanford University stated: “NICE has abruptly paused the publication of its new guidelines for ME/CFS, arguing that those who are treating patients need to agree with the guidelines. This is a false argument. Medical advice must follow the evidence and not personal beliefs or political positions. If doctors treating ME/CFS patients do not agree with evidence-based guidelines, they should not be treating these patients. This is why we have guidelines.”

Patients, myself included, are angry that the opinions of a few eminent medical professionals have been put ahead of scientific evidence. Worryingly, not only have the new guidelines been halted but the 2007 outdated and harmful guidelines have not been withdrawn. This means that any patients newly diagnosed with ME/CFS or long COVID (similarities mean the same treatments are being recommended) will be advised to take part in graded exercise therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy in ME/ CFS and long COVID clinics.

For those readers who are unfamiliar with the disease, ME/CFS bodies do not create or use energy effectively and any kind of increased activity (physical, cognitive or emotional) negatively impacts our symptoms and causes post-exertion malaise (PEM) - the key defining characteristic of ME/CFS (now also shared with a subset of long COVID). PEM can cause a deterioration immediately after exertion and 24-72 hours later. Overexertion can also cause patients to deteriorate significantly to become confined to their house or bed for months or years on end.

The NICE guidelines delay is the latest example of poor decision-making and governance where our disease is concerned. ME/CFS is not simply a health issue, the surrounding political issues make it a human rights abuse issue too. There is a scientific consensus as to what ME/CFS is and yet the UK medical establishments do not adhere to it. I, and many others, believe that by not doing so they are behaving unlawfully.

Finally, few were able to attend the in-person protest outside NICE HQ because of ME/CFS patients’ very limited energy. Even those protesting virtually will have experienced PEM, such is the cruel nature of the disease.

Unfortunately, many thousands are too sick and deficient of energy to even protest on social media from their beds.

Yet, some medical professionals wrongly and dangerously believe increasing our activity and exercising is the way to make us ‘better’.

You can follow Sally on Twitter @MEFoggyDog.

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Kids’

CORNER Y es, the nights are getting longer; it’s getting colder and more grey as we crawl towards the end of the year, and it’s grim. On the other hand, it is almost Halloween, and surely that’s worth celebrating?

Here in the PosAbility office, we are huge fans of the spooky season - as is likely apparent through our articles this issue - and we love any opportunity to get dressed up and watch a scary movie.

For some children this will be another year that going house-to-house trick or treating is just too dangerous, but we would hate for them to miss out on a Halloween spooktacular, which is why we’ve tried to come up with some indoor activities you can take part in on page 53 - the spooky biscuits are delicious and therefore a must.

As well as that, we have the latest from columnist Dan White on page 61, and this issue’s Future Voices contributor Osayuki Igbinoba on page 59. As ever, if there’s anything you’d like to see included in our Kids’ Corner, don’t hesitate to send an email over to ros@2apublishing.co.uk.

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BY KATIE CAMPBELL Halloween is almost upon us once more, and even if you can’t go out trick or treating, there’s lots of fun to be had at home Sweet, sweet Halloween - ’tis the season to be spooky, and a time for ghouls and goblins alike to don their disguises, take to the streets and entertain neighbours in exchange for the hallowed seasonal currency of fun-sized sweeties and the occasional peanut. For some kids, the opportunity to dress up and go trick or treating (or guising as it’s known in Scotland, where you’re expected to perform before you get sweets), but with the pandemic still looming over us like a spectre, it may not be safe for your children to head out with their friends, much like last year.

Fear not, however, as Halloween is as much an indoor sport as an outdoor one, and there are many ways to get into spooky season while keeping your family as safe as you can…outwith the occasional haunting, of course.

DO YOU LIKE SCARY MOVIES? Horror movies and Halloween were made for each other, and there’s something nice about watching a movie that gets you in a spooky mood, just like you’d do at Christmastime. Of course, the standard Halloween fare may be inappropriate for younger viewers, so picking a movie for Halloween can seem like a bit of a daunting task.

Fear not, for younger people needn’t worry about missing out with some of our favourite festive picks to get you into the spooky spirit.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY (1991) Based on the New Yorker comic series

by Charles Addams, The Addams Family movie stars Anjelica Huston and Raúl Juliá as Morticia and Gomez Addams respectively, the heads of a macabre and gothic family who are powerfully, irrevocably in love with each other. A black comedy, the movie sees Gomez’s brother Fester played by Christopher Lloyd - return after getting lost in the Bermuda Triangle, brainwashed and duped into stealing his family’s fortune for a con artist. The movie is ideal for older children, but the jokes that go over their heads will land with adults.

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HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (2012)

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1986)

The Hotel Transylvania series sees classic Universal Monsters (like Frankenstein and Dracula) take a more light-hearted approach to cinema than traditional monster movies you might see them in. There are three Hotel Transylvania movies available across streaming services for you to sink your teeth into, with a fourth coming out (hopefully) this year. The first movie sees us visit Hotel Transylvania, a hotel run by Count Dracula for monsters to holiday at without fear of being sighted by humans, which comes under jeopardy as a human stumbles upon it and falls for his daughter, Mavis.

Feed me Seymour, feed me! Despite this schlocky 1986 horror-comedy-musical being rated PG, it might be worth taking a little time to see how appropriate it is for your kids as there’s a bit of comic violence and some sex references that may not sit well with some kids - you know what’s best for your offspring. In this classic movie, Seymour Krelborn works as a florist and pines after co-worker Audrey; one day he discovers a strange new plant that revitalises the wilting flower shop, but he soon discovers that Audrey II wants more than soil and sunlight, and craves foodstuff a little more…human.

DRACULA (1931) Hear us out: it might be a long shot, but 1931’s Dracula is the OG horror movie and stars horror icon, Bella Lugosi, as the Count himself. By modern standards, the movie (and many other Universal Monster movies, like Frankenstein or The Invisible Man) aren’t particularly terrifying as a lot of the action happens off-screen, but will certainly still put a healthy fear into older children and teenagers. It’s based, of course, on the Bram Stoker novel of the same name, and sees main character Renfield travel to the Count’s castle in Transylvania on matters of business, only to find himself embroiled in matters supernatural, and needing the help of one Van Helsing to save him.

TRICK OR TREAT YOURSELF

If going door-to-door is not something your family can do this year, why not try making your own treats for Halloween? Around this time of year, you’re able to pick up Halloween-themed sweets very easily, so there’s nothing to stop you from grabbing some fancy sweets and having your own Halloween talent show with the family where the reward for a good tall tale or a tight five-minute stand-up set. Alternatively, if you’re feeling fancy, you might like to try making your own! You can buy biscuit cutters in the traditional spooky shapes (ghost, tombstone, bat, maybe a skull) for under £5 on cake decorating websites and Amazon, making spooky cookies can be a fun family activity for Halloween. If you don’t already have one, here’s a basic recipe for you to get started:

SUGAR COOKIES (Adapted from Mari Williams’ recipe on BBC Food) 250g butter

Royal Icing

250g caster sugar

2 egg whites

2 eggs

1tsp lemon juice

½ tsp vanilla extract

1tsp glycerine

500g plain flour

450g icing sugar

1tsp baking powder

Food colouring

A pinch of salt

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Method: Beat the butter and sugar in a big bowl, using an electric mixer if you have one (it can get very tiring to do by hand). Once the butter has changed in colour from a bright yellow to very pale and almost white, add in the eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of the flour, then mix again until they’re all well-combined.

In a separate bowl, sift your flour, salt and baking powder to make sure there are no lumps in it.

Spread some additional flour down on a clean work surface, and add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing them until they’re combined.

Tip the mixture onto the floured surface, then cover your hands in flour and begin kneading the dough until it’s completely combined - don’t be afraid to add a little more flour to the work surface if the dough is sticking! It should start quite wet, but more kneading will bring into a shiny, smooth ball. Once it gets to that stage, cut the dough ball into two, wrap it up in clingfilm, and pop it in the fridge for an hour. This prevents the dough from spreading too much when you eventually get it into the oven.

Preheat your oven to 170°C/150°C fan, and line two baking trays using greaseproof paper.

Roll the dough out using a rolling pin, one dough ball at a time (leaving the other in the fridge when you’re not using it) until it’s about half a centimetre in thickness, then use your fancy Halloween cutters to cut shapes out of the dough. Place them on the baking trays with lots of space in between to stop your cookies from spreading into each other.

Cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Let them cool for 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack if you have one, and let them sit until they are cool to the touch and have no heat in them.

To make the icing, separate the yolks from two eggs. Whip them up until they form soft peaks, then sift in the icing sugar a little at a time, whisking until it all disappears into the egg whites. Add the glycerine and the lemon juice too.

Once everything is incorporated, whisk it again until the mixture is smooth and shiny, and holds stiff peaks when you lift the beaters out. Divide into different bowls and add food colouring as desired, before putting into icing bags and using to decorate cooled cookies.

COSTUME CHANGE

Halloween is the same date every year, but you’d think it changed given how many people seem to be shocked by it sneaking up on them, leaving them in no way dressed up, but with somewhere to go. Then again, people have busy lives, and not everyone is a dedicated lover of spooky season. If you or your child find themselves in need of a costume but unable to get one late in the game, fear not: we have ideas that will save you from an Elle Woods

style “I’ve turned up at the party in the wrong ensemble” mishap, even if the party is in your own home.

MUMMY This probably would have started a small riot if suggested at this time last year, but there’s a lot that can be done with the white gold that is loo roll when you’re in a Halloween pinch. Wear a white t-shirt and light-coloured trousers, wrap yourself in toilet roll, and you’ll be ready for the monster’s ball. For longevity, use bandages, but toilet roll might be more widely available in your home.

PUMPKIN This requires you to have two things: an orange t-shirt (or a Primark close-by) and black tape, be it gaffer or electrical.

Cut the tape into small strips, overlap them, then cut them into the shapes traditionally carved into a pumpkin and stick them to the chest of the t-shirt. Carry a batteryoperated candle for additional fun.

POP ART Channel your inner Roy Lichtenstein and get the face paints (or makeup) out for this one: turn yourself or your child into a pop art masterpiece by drawing dots and lines on their faces to give them that “straight out of The Tate Modern” look. Using bright colours and bold lines is a must for this fast costume.

SKULL Another classic “I have no costume but my parents did well in art at school” outfit for those who have access to black and white makeup or face paint. If you have the artistic wherewithal, take a look at Google images before laying down the paint, but it’s a skull - you’ve got one, you probably have a good idea of what it looks like, honestly.

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Kids’ PRODUCTS

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STANDZ 2 The new Standz 2 has been scaled up from Jenx’s original Standz product. The new version will accommodate children who are older, taller, heavier and stronger to stand. It offers all the versatility of the original product and allows more children to benefit from the act of standing, as it improves blood circulation and pressure, digestion, and bone and muscle development. jenx.com

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HUGGAROO PUPPY This long, weighted stuffed puppy is the perfect comfort toy for your child. It’s soft, long shape is ideal to wrap around or lie across your child’s body to provide them with a reassuring pressure to bring about a sense of calm. This cute puppy can be used all around the home, taken when travelling or used in the classroom to help your child focus. It is fully machine washable too. huggaroo.co.uk

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SPECIAL TOMATO JOGGER This versatile stroller is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre. It provides children with supportive positioning and has a thick padded seat for comfort.

The back reclines and there is a deep footwell at the front that includes a reversible fleece/canvas insert. The stroller folds away simply and has quick-release rear tyres, and a height-adjustable push handle too. uksmobility.co.uk

SMIGGLE FIDGET PEN Ease restless minds in the class with this fun and colourful fidget pen. It comes in a variety of colours and is stacked with lots of movable parts to spin and twist into different patterns and shapes. An ideal sensory tool to help kids keep focus at home or school. smiggle.co.uk

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RUBIK’S MAGIC STAR A slightly different take on the original Rubik’s cube, this star-shaped toy will provide just as many hours of fun and fidgeting. This small toy allows little hands to twist it, spin it and solve the patterns, keeping minds relaxed and focused. It’s a great size to be carried in a pocket or pencil case too. thetoyshop.com

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FUTURE VOICES

be paid in advance. This was too expensive for me, so I did not proceed with driving lessons. I would like to learn how to drive.

Hand controls are detachable, so it is wrong that driving schools do not have this option available - other people will be able to use the same car for lessons without the hand controls attached. Driving schools should cater to everyone in society.

Since I cannot drive, I use public transport or taxis to travel, which can be expensive.

Travelling on public transport as a wheelchair user is far from easy, and is often anxiety Each issue we will be shining a light on a young disabled inducing. On buses, some drivers do not person who is blazing their own trail. Whether that be want to deploy the ramp for me to get off the campaigning for access, giving up their time to help their bus, even though I have pressed the disabled community, achieving success in the sporting or arts arena, bell. I have experienced this recently three or educating their peers on disability. times in the space of three weeks. One bus driver began to drive away after he had let other passengers off - I shouted that I was getting off, and other passengers did too, before he deployed the ramp. Also, many bus drivers do not lower the bus, so it is harder for me to propel myself up the ramp in my wheelchair. I also find that other passengers will not move out of the designated wheelchair area or move their Osayuki Igbinoba is a recent graduate of baggage out of the way until I ask them to.

Kingston University, where she earned a masters in pharmacy. She is a wheelchair user, and a I also find taking trains challenging. There is ramp double above-knee amputee. Osayuki is about to assistance for me to board the train, but on many begin her foundation year as a trainee pharmacist occasions, the staff at the station I am arriving at do not at Croydon University Hospital, and is working show up with the ramp for me to get off the train, despite towards making the profession more accessible. the station being notified ahead of time. This is frustrating.

She is also a disability campaigner who has I often have to ask others to help me find the platform. previously campaigned and advocated for better Furthermore, there are still many tube and train stations accessibility for disabled passengers on trains that do not have step-free access. This poses additional during the pandemic, and has previously worked barriers to disabled passengers. with Scope.

OSAYUKI IGBINOBA

n 2021, there are still many obstacles that prevent disabled people from living freely. There is still much work to be done to ensure that disabled people have the same rights and access in society as non-disabled people.

As disabled people face many barriers to access public transport, there should be a wealth of options for disabled driving lessons, however, this is not the case. I have not been able to learn how to drive yet due to a lack of driving schools with hand controls in my area, which I need as a double above-the-knee amputee. When I started looking for instructors in my area a few years ago, I found one that had an instructor who had hand controls available. After two lessons, everything did not go well from the instructor’s side, so I called the driving school to change instructor, but they were not able to provide me with another who had hand controls. I was shocked and disheartened.

I called other driving schools and searched online to try and locate another instructor local to me, but the only options that came up were very far away from my home, and offered double lessons at around £80 which had to

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According to this charity’s “selling point”, the burden of disability is unending; life with a disabled child is a life of constant sorrow and agony, and that the non-disabled audience stands under a continual obligation to help them through montages of ill-picked celebrity voices accompanied by nauseating sad piano soundtracks.

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.

NOT IN NEED e live in a media society where we are desensitized to violence, gore and so much more, that it would take a great deal of visual and language insensitivity to appal or offend anyone, especially a well-socialised teenager like mine. It’s not often that I see my daughter wheel out of the lounge in disgust and tears of frustration as to what she has just witnessed on the television.

For context, I say wheel because she is a wheelchair user, a proud and confident one at that, a disabled person who wants and deserves to be thought of as equal. The reason for her sudden and brutal departure from the living room was a video montage of children with disabilities accompanied by a song, a cover of Coldplay’s “Fix you’’. The implication given that our children are not like everyone else, they are in need of repair, they are broken. The stereotypes that hold back her and the entire community of disabled children were being paraded around again on national television, but this time, for her and me, it reached a peak.

I thought it was time to address this again, especially as the behemoth of charity fundraising appears again.

BBC’s Children In Need is a bastion of broadcasting, but its decision to show such a crass film with a crass soundtrack upset her dearly. For decades this show has changed the lives of families countrywide, muchneeded sums of money have been raised, changing and saving lives, and for that, nothing other than a huge thank you will suffice. However, there is an undercurrent, a troubling and regressive stereotype beneath the surface of fun and finance, one that, as the pinnacle of fundraising, is guilty of perpetuating and maintaining as the community it assists continues to try and leave it in the past where it belongs, the stereotype of pity.

As good and thankfully received as the money raised is, the view the show portrays of disability is outdated and breeds the continuation of our children being “unable”, “unlike” and “needy”. The stereotype that disability is a personal tragedy and so disabled children deserve to be pitied.

I am fully aware that in order to stimulate the public into parting with their money that you need to appeal to their hearts, but you must also appeal to their minds. The time to appeal to the pockets of the population has never mattered more than now, the funding gap left by successive cuts grows wider and darker, however, the emphasis portrayed that children with disabilities are helpless and dependent has never been further from the truth. Disabled children, like my child, are every bit equal in passion, play, and grit as any other child. They can be just as frustrating, petulant, and infuriating!

There needs to be a narrative change because it is not just my daughter and I feeling this frustration, there are thousands of us. Contrary to what many BBC executives might think, disability does not mean a poor quality of life for either of us.

The way forward, to drag the show into reality and to be less community offensive is to become humorous, creative, or both, without the issues and also showing the structural and political reasons behind poverty.

That is the way forward. Involvement and creative reality-based input from disabled children, adults, and families are imperative, to stop the anger, but also to engage and guide content that often people without disabilities or experience dictate. It feels as if it is a closed shop to us, only there once a year to open, but not there to let us in to help.

I don’t want to keep writing these same words, as grateful as we are for the BBC stepping in, the show must realise its faults; that times are trying to change, that disabled children with all the new tools around them are dictating and showing their obvious powers and capabilities, they are not just “in need” of money, they are “in need” of respect and a media rebranding.

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Tired Waiting of

BY MIKEY ERDHART

Mikey Erdhart, communications officer at Get Yourself Active, explains why we need more co-production in sport to allow disabled people to overcome barriers to entry

We need to push for a renewed emphasis on disabled sports and physical activity at all levels

he summer that just passed might have been the most sporting we have ever had. From Euros Fever to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and even more recently the US Open, there has been an absolute deluge of sporting inspiration.

We all know the feeling of watching athletes perform at the highest level and feeling inspired to go out and try to get stuck in too. However, a big question remains: why, in the face of more disabled sport being on TV than ever before, with broadcasters like Channel 4 setting a new benchmark for the broadcast of disabled sports, are so few disabled people getting active?

The statistics demonstrate a harsh reality: Scope reported that 40% of disabled people say that they never do sport or physical activity. Why are so many of us missing out on all the benefits that exercise and physical activity can bring,

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and what can be done to ensure that everyone can get active in a way that suits them?

Scope’s survey showed that more than a third (35%) of disabled people felt excluded from sport. They pointed to barriers such as negative attitudes, inaccessible sporting venues, and a lack of trained staff to support them, which prevents them from getting active.

Additionally, local sports centres are often inaccessible, as accessibility was not considered while they were being designed. Just picture the disappointment we feel when we make the effort to travel to a facility only to discover the lack of an adequate ramp or changing facilities. It shouldn’t be this way; things need to change.

There is also the issue of cost. Why don’t we look at wheelchair racing as an example? The equivalent of perhaps the most accessible sport of all – running. Running

as a non-disabled person is simple and almost always costfree. Perhaps you might need the latest shiny trainers, but really, you could do it for free.

Well, if you enjoy wheelchair racing, your experience is very different. You’ll need access to a running track or similar facility unless you want to risk the road and pavement of your local area. You’ll need gloves, perhaps a helmet, and maybe you’ll need a specialist chair of your own - an additional cost which can run up into the thousands.

We know that activities can cost more if you’re a disabled person, and sport is no different. These, along with so many other barriers, contribute to an overall belief within large parts of the disabled community that sport and physical activity are simply not for them; that a world in which we can all take part and get active doesn’t exist.

For many disabled people, no matter how athletes inspire them to get active or participate, they can’t do what they want. However, the problem is not theirs to own; it’s the world around us, and this needs to change. Recently the Government issued a “rallying cry” by making £100m of funding available to make sport “more accessible” for disabled people following ParalympicsGB’s achievements in Tokyo.

Representation and the presentation of disabled sport is just a starting point. For real change to happen, we need to accept that elite level sport is not the only way that disabled people can get active. We need to push for a

renewed emphasis on disabled sports and physical activity at all levels – not just elite.

We think that one answer to these issues may come in the form of co-production. This is a way of working where service providers and disabled people work together to reach a positive collective outcome. Co-production would allow disabled people to use their own experiences and capacity to change things. This creates a whole new dynamic between professionals and people who use services, so that power is shared more equally – what’s not to love?

Want an example of this in practice? You can look at the work of our friends at Dance Syndrome, an inclusive dance charity based in Lancashire with a focus on including everyone, regardless of ability in the art of dance.

Co-production methods mean that disabled people have a real opportunity to occupy leadership positions within the organisation. The chance to lead, choreograph, and perform in a way that is often rare, is perhaps the most inspiring part of the organisation, and there are loads of others like it across the country.

Scope reported that 91% of disabled people want to be more active, so why don’t decision-makers hear us? A new focus on co-production across the entire sport and physical activity sector would keep disabled people at the heart of everything. It would open a new world of activity for disabled people – one we have all been waiting too long for.

...what can be done to ensure that everyone can get active in a way that suits them? posabilitymagazine.co.uk

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Job Search WELLBEING When you’re looking for a job, it can be easy to lose yourself in the grind. Application processes can be intense, and there’s no guarantee you’ll even get the job at the end.

BY TAMMY HARMAN

aving a work/life balance applies to job searching just as it does to everything else. Here’s a few things you can do to stay on track whilst maintaining your job search wellbeing.

TRY NOT TO TAKE REJECTION PERSONALLY

Rejection is painful. It’s also an inevitable part of the job search. If you’ve submitted an application and not heard anything back, contact them to find out why. Sometimes your application goes missing, the interview date gets put back, or the job gets withdrawn. If you’re interviewed and told you didn’t get the job, ask for feedback on how you can do better next time.

REWARD GOOD WORK When you spend two hours looking for suitable vacancies, reward yourself. When you’ve tailored your CV for a job and submitted it, reward yourself. When you get invited to interview, reward yourself.

They don’t have to be extravagant rewards – you might go to the park with a friend, or buy a new audio book – but give yourself a moment to reflect on and recognise your effort.

DON’T BE TEMPTED TO SCATTERGUN Get rejected enough, and desperation starts knocking. Thinking, “I’ll do any job if someone will give me a chance”, you focus on getting as many applications out as possible, even if they’re for jobs you don’t want. If you submit more and more applications but they’re to less and less suitable vacancies, you’re even more likely to be rejected. That reinforces feelings of hopelessness. Instead, focus more sharply on your experience and skills. If you find you’re missing skills and experience required on job specs, work on ways to get them.

BE KIND TO YOURSELF So you didn’t get the job you applied for.

It’s okay. Maybe you need to tweak your job search strategy, or get a career coach to help set some career goals. Maybe you weren’t selling yourself at your best for that interview, or needed somebody to look over your application before submission.

Don’t beat yourself up – give yourself a hug (or get a real one), dust yourself down, and move on to the next application.

Remember, you can still do this.

VISUALISE Think about how you’ll feel when you finally get that job. Are you excited? What kind of work do you do? What’s your boss like, and do you enjoy working with them? Is there room for you to grow, or are you already looking for the next big opportunity?

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU’LL ACHIEVE WHEN YOU DO GET THAT JOB. YOU’VE GOT LOTS TO OFFER. 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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