All Together NOW! December-January 2022

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MIKE McCARTNEY JOINS OUR TEAM Everyone should be doing all they can to keep this great newspaper ALIVE AND KICKING

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

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What’s inside NEWS

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NEWS

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STEVE MORGAN FOUNDATION

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TO GO BOLDLY . . .

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CONTACT BOARD

HEALTHZONE

THEATREZONE

HOROSCOPE

GARDENING

PUZZLEZONE SPORT

Autistic man’s sex plea denied

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MOTORZONE

INDEPENDENT LIVING

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UNITED UTILITIES

NEW STROKE CENTRE

NEWS

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Can YOU help? n All Together NOW! is a registered charity set up to provide a tip top news service for anyone whose life is affected by disability, long-term health condtions or age. n The charity – the only one of its kind in the UK – relies entirely on support from its sponsors, advertisers, subscriptions and donations.

0151 230 0307

Editor: Tom Dowling 0151 230 0307

email: news@alltogethernow.org.uk

Editorial Support: Gerry Corner

Strictly for fun . . . and charity!

THE dancing stars of a TV-inspired contest waltzed their way to a small fortune – Strictly for charity!

Eight supporters of a Merseyside hospice performed live before an audience at Liverpool’s Titanic Hotel, helping raise £11,000 in the process.

It was the first major

THE woman who helped transform adult services in her last job has taken on another challenging role on Merseyside.

Anne Marie Lubanski has been appointed director of adult services and health at Liverpool City Council.

She has more than 35 years’ experience in social care, including as assistant director of Social Care Operations for North Yorkshire County Council, and in her role at Rotherham council.

Anne Marie said: “I am proud of the role I have played alongside some fantastic colleagues in delivering the Adult Care

transformation programme in Rotherham.

“I hope to be able to use that knowledge and experience for the benefit of the council, employees, partners and residents of Liverpool.”

Cllr Frazer Lake, cabinet member for adults’ and children’s social care, said: “Anne Marie will join us at a time when we are facing some of the greatest challenges we have seen in social care.

“But Liverpool’s response to the pandemic has shown the commitment we have in the city to supporting and improving the lives of our most vulnerable citizens.”

Social care ‘cowards’

email: helen@alltogethernow.org.uk IT Support: Ken Almond Website: Pharos Design

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NEXT EDITION Tuesday February 7

Registered Charity No.1106387 Company No. 5096931

The title of Strictly St Joseph’s Champions 2021 went to Ellie Williams, 24, and her professional partner Lauren Dean for their show dance to Fireball.

The Audience Award went to Liam Marshall, 26, and his professional partner Eleanor Woods for their Rumba to Wicked Game.

Anne Marie at the helm

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All Together NOW! is published by All Together Now! Ltd, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP

participation event organised

by St Joseph’s Hospice, in Thornton, following the Covid pandemic.

Strictly St Joseph’s, based on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing show, was supported

by Marshside School of Dance in Southport which provided the professional dance partners and training sessions.

CALL: Burnham

ONLY the cowardice of politicians is stopping them from solving the social care crisis, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has claimed.

And he insisted the British public would “absolutely buy in” to the idea of social care being “there for you in the way the NHS is there for you”.

The former Labour Health Secretary has called on his party to back a policy of providing free social care that he says would ensure independent living for disabled people.

PROUD: Lubanski

Mr Burnham said a “National Care Service” would “massively enhance the lives of disabled people in this country, as long as it was personalised and it was individual and there was control there.

“It could hugely support independent living. It could give individuals and their families much greater peace of mind about the quality of what’s being provided,” he told a meeting organised by the cross-party Future Social Care Coalition.

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A LEGAL ruling that found it would be lawful for a care worker to enable a young disabled man to pay for a sex worker has been overruled by the Court of Appeal.

A Court of Protection judge concluded in April that a care worker would not be breaching the Sexual Offences Act if they supported the man, known as C, to contact, visit and pay a sex worker.

But three court of appeal justices, including the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, have unanimously ruled that this was wrong.

Lord Burnett said that if the care worker acted in this way it would place them at risk of breaching section 39 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Section 39 of the act says it is unlawful for a care worker to cause or incite someone they are caring for to engage in sexual activity if that person has a “mental disorder”, with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

C, who is autistic and has learning difficulties, told his advocate in 2018 that although he wanted a girlfriend, he “considered his prospects of finding one to be very limited” and “wanted to be able to have sex and wished to know whether he could have contact with a sex worker”.

The case was brought to the Court of Protection by C’s local authority, after C’s advocate told his social worker about his request.

A Government spokesperson said: “We welcome this judgement which accepts our concerns that the original ruling could have had significant unintended consequences on how we tackle sexual crime.”

Mike McCartney joins our team

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E’RE delighted to announce acclaimed Merseyside photographer and community campaigner Mike McCartney has become the first Patron of All Together NOW!

Mike, also a renowned artist and musician, said: “I’ve been a big fan of All Together NOW! from the beginning, as its heart is in the right place.

“Everyone should be doing what they possibly can to keep this great, original newspaper alive and kicking as too many people out there are digitally excluded – despite all the technology!”

The younger brother of Beatles legend Paul, added: “Without All Together NOW! – the only newspaper of its kind in Britain – people wouldn’t get to know what’s going on in the world to help them!

Mike knows only too well the challenges that disability brings.

Four years ago, his youngest son Sonny, then aged 26 – also an internationally acclaimed photographer – had his left leg amputated below the

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

knee, following a motorbike accident.

“That was a particularly tough time for all of us,” Mike recalls. “But Sonny bounced back and is now doing all kinds of great things with his ‘I CAN do that!’ attitude.”

Two years ago, Mike, 77, was awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s birthday honours for his services to the community.

Under the name Mike McGear, he shot to fame in 1960s pop group the Scaffold, alongside poet Roger McGough and John Gorman, having chart success with tracks such as Thank U Very Much, Liverpool Lou and Lily the Pink.

In the 1970s Mike – full name Peter Michael McCartney – collaborated with his brother Paul’s band Wings before embarking on a career as a successful photographer and artist.

Now he is spending more time helping local communities.

“It’s an honour and I’m chuffed to join the All Together NOW! team,” he said. “I’ll be singing the paper’s praises every chance I get ... try and stop me!”

Thank U Very Much!

OUR ongoing thanks to the Steve Morgan Foundation, United Utilities, all our advertisers, and to Bosus Engineering for their £2,000 Christmas gift. Our appreciation, too, goes to the Arnold Clark Community Fund for their £1,000 present.

Here’s wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a better year ahead!

TOM DOWLING, editor

All Together NOW!

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Views wanted for new stroke centre

PATRON: Mike McCartney Picture by Sonny McCartney

All Together NOW! readers are being urged to express their views about plans to set up a highly specialised stroke centre at Aintree hospital, Liverpool.

Currently, there are hyper-acute stroke services at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Aintree University Hospital, and Southport Hospital.

But with expertise and resources spread across three sites, it can be difficult to ensure that patients get the access they need to specialist staff, tests, equipment and procedures – especially in the critical three days following a stroke.

Two online sessions are planned for December. n Tuesday December 7, 1pm-3pm n Thursday December 9, 6pm-8pm You can sign up at: www.liverpoolccg.nhs.uk/stroke You can also have your say by calling (0151) 247 6406 (Mon to Fri 9am – 5pm), texting 07920 206 386 or emailing: csc.consultation@nhs.net Paper versions of the questionnaire, or information in a different language or format can also be provided.

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TV skin show call

PEOPLE with various skin conditions are wanted to appear on Channel 5’s Skin A+E which returns for its third series.

Successful applicants must be willing to talk openly and frankly about their condition and be available for filming for one day during December and January. n Apply by Friday, December 17 via skin@boom-tv.co.uk

Labour’s access pledge

THE Labour Party’s general secretary has vowed to end years of discrimination experienced by disabled members.

David Evans said he will personally ensure the party deals with the issues repeatedly raised by disabled members.

His vow comes after deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner was accused of failing to act on pledges made to tackle the problem.

The issue was heightened at Labour’s annual conference when disabled members attending a fringe meeting about ableism arrived to find a stage with no access for wheelchair-users.

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WHY ARE WE IGNORED?

NEWS

Future disability plans given an icy welcome

NEW disabled people’s minister Chloe Smith has received a frosty welcome from 21 of the country’s leading disabled people’s organisations, including Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, and Disability Positive in Cheshire.

They say the Government’s proposals – set out in a new Green Paper – totally fail to address the inadequacy of the financial support available to disabled people facing multiple and complex barriers to employment.

The DPO Forum England’s official response to the Green Paper – a consultation document entitled Shaping Future Support – says repeated references to “affordability” and rising spending on disability benefits is a major concern.

We’re watching you

DISABLED people’s organisations (DPOs) have launched a fresh bid to hold the Government to account over its implementation of the UN disability convention, four years after their previous efforts helped lead to ministers being accused of causing a “human catastrophe”.

A partnership of DPOs from across England are leading work to collect evidence which is likely to include repeated and continuing breaches of many of the convention rights.

Benefit merger threat

THE possible merging of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) with Universal Credit is “on the table”, Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey has admitted.

Responding to questions at the Conservative party conference in Manchester, she said: “Everything is on the table is the best way of saying it”.

PIP is paid to disabled people both in and out of work, is not means-tested, and is supposed to contribute towards the extra impairment-related costs .

The minister also appeared to suggest that reducing the number of young people in mental distress claiming PIP would help more people think of the benefit system as fair.

Ms Coffey said targeting PIP at “people who really need that support” may improve the public perception. But James Kirkup, director of the Social Market Foundation think tank, blamed the media and its use of words such as “feckless, idle, workshy” to describe benefit claimants.

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INE out of ten blind people are denied access to health information, says a new study.

Research by Sight Loss Councils has found that hundreds of thousands of blind people are also not receiving essential information about appointments, medical treatment and medications in an accessible format.

The Accessible Information Standard, introduced by NHS England in 2016, states that people who need healthcare information in an alternative format, such as large print, braille or easy read, should be provided with it.

However, five years on, 90% of

Blind denied vital health info

blind and partially sighted people still do not receive information in the format they need and more than half of local NHS bodies have not developed policies to deliver on the standard’s requirements.

Mike Bell, Sight Loss Councils’ National Public Affairs and Campaigns Lead, said: “It is shocking that so many people still do not get medical

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information in accessible formats.

“Barely half of NHS trusts have policies in place and many have implemented no training for staff on how to meet the needs of blind patients.

“More than two-thirds of NHS bodies are not recording whether or not they successfully meet the needs of their blind and partially sighted patients, so how can they even know if their policies are implemented or not?” n Only 45% of NHS bodies have policies in place for applying the Accessible Information Standard. n 51% reported they had never engaged people with disabilities as part of AIS implementation. n 70% also said they had no means of recording numbers of accessible materials issued.

The internet is NOT the answer for huge numbers of people

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N OUR sumer edition we highlighted how half a million people in Merseyside and Cheshire are denied health information that could make a vital difference to their lives – because they are not on the internet.

While more and more services go online, one in five of the population who are not connected are more likely to suffer poorer health outcomes and will continue to miss out on wide-ranging social and work opportunities.

Research shows 20% of the region’s population lack basic digital skills to go online due to age, poor long-term health and/or disability, unemployment, and education.

According to Lloyds Bank Consumer Digital Index 2020, age remains the most significant indicator of whether an individual is online, with 77% of over-70s being considered to have very

low digital engagement and only 7% likely to have the capability to shop and manage their money online.

A report by Liverpool City Region warns: “Data over the last decade demonstrates that the share of non-users aged over-65 is rising.

“Across all age groups, disabled adults make up a large proportion of adult internet non-users.

“In 2017, 56% of adult internet non-users were disabled, much more than two and a half times the 22% proportion of disabled adults in the UK population as a whole.

“Similar non-use is seen among people who are economically inactive, including those on longterm sick leave.” n THE NHS says high levels of digital exclusion among disabled people, older people and those from BAME communities puts them at greater risk of poorer health.

To advertise, contact . . . helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

‘Austerity kills extra 58,000’

CUTS TO social care, health and public health caused 57,550 more deaths in England than would have been expected if spending had continued on pre2010 trends, according to new research.

The research shows the number of deaths due to austerity was even higher than suggested by previous research, which had linked about 45,000 deaths to health and social care funding cuts between 2010 and 2014.

The researchers at the University of York also found that extra funding on social care is more than twice as productive in terms of preventing deaths as the same amount of funding spent on healthcare.

Professor Peter Beresford, co-chair of the disabled people’s and service-user network Shaping Our Lives, said: “We see the deaths caused by the austerity cuts as appallingly unnecessary.”

Million more staff needed

OVER a million more health and care staff will be needed in the next decade to meet growing demand for care, according to a new report.

The Health Foundation’s REAL Centre research found that by 2030/31, up to an extra 488,000 health care staff would be needed to meet demand pressures and recover from the pandemic – the equivalent of a 40% increase in the workforce, double the growth seen in the last decade.

Alongside this, up to 627,000 extra social care staff would be needed to improve services and meet need – a 53% growth over the next decade and four times greater than the increases of the last 10 years.

The projected gap in the workforce is in addition to current vacancies across the health and care system – with the NHS 94,000 short of staff and social care at 112,000.

Tel. 07511 839397

FESTIVE TIME CRACKER!

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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

Two sensational watches to be won . . .

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IMES are tough. But we’ve got something up our sleeves that will get your pulses racing!

Appreciate Group, one of our longest supporters, are again donating TWO sensational watches for a special Festive competition.

What a fabulous present they would make for the special man or woman in your life – or maybe even for yourself!

The Emporio Armani gents

START THE NEW YEAR IN STYLE

watch features a durable stainless-steel bracelet strap with an unconventional brushed steel-effect blue dial.

The beautiful Michael Kors ladies watch has a high quality metal bracelet with a gold dial and a triple chronograph with date

HERS

HIS

function.

Together, they make for one of our best ever competitions.

All you have to do to stand a chance of wining one of the watches is to tell us: 1) Where you picked up your

copy of All Together NOW! 2) What you like about the paper.

3) Your name, address, and phone number.

We promise we won’t share your dteails with any third arty for marketing purposes.

n Send your answers to: Watches Competition, All Together NOW! The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP

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Discrimination cases facing collapse

THE collapse of a law firm that had hundreds of active disability discrimination cases has caused confusion and anger among former clients.

Fry Law – and founder Chris Fry, – had taken on a string of ground-breaking cases before the company was placed into administration.

But there are concerns that mounting financial problems may have led to significant administrative failings – meaning many of Fry Law’s former clients will be unable to continue with discrimination cases.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has already confirmed it is investigating Fry Law and Mr Fry. Mr Fry said the SRA investigation was a result of his “self-notifications made regarding the financial position of the business”.

He added: “I am in regular contact with the SRA and yes, they have had loads of complaints from people that we have not been replying to emails and messages quickly enough and we have accepted that that’s the case.”

Promote your services in our new company / charity spotlight series

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We reach ion g e r e h t s s o r ac readers right

Call Helen NOW! . . . 07511 839397

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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

EMPLOYMENT

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Fears over disabled people forced to work

A NEW attempt to push more disabled people with high support needs into work is feared after a speech by Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey.

She told a meeting organised by a right-wing think tank she wanted to focus on those people seen as not being able to do any work.

Ms Coffey said she wished to concentrate on “what people can do rather than the benefit system being driven currently by what you cannot do”.

She said she saw this approach as “a positive, an escalator, trying to help people”, which would leave the out-ofwork disability benefits system as “a welfare net rather than a welfare trap”.

The minister referred to the need to cut spending on disability benefits, particularly personal independence payment.

The focus on those currently in the support group of employment and support allowance – and its universal credit equivalent – appears to be a return towards controversial reforms suggested five years ago, which included telling ESA claimants with the greatest needs to stay in regular touch with their local job centre or risk having their benefits sanctioned.

Labour of love?

PEOPLE who have a disability are the unhappiest at work, according to a review of the state of the nation’s workplaces.

Lord Mark Price, founder of WorkL, an organisation that helps businesses globally to improve happiness at work, said: “Our report shows there is a stark difference in happiness between people who are registered as disabled and those who are not.

Businesses must ask themselves what more they could be doing to help those who are disabled.”

Make it your business

TWO free guides to help all employers promote worker wellbeing and resilience are available from Business Disability Forum.

The guides offer advice to managers, HR teams, and senior leaders on talking about mental health in the workplace and the impact of physical health on mental health.

Diane Lightfoot, CEO, Business Disability Forum, said: “Our new resources offer practical and clear advice to help everyone thrive at work.”

Employee wellbeing and resilience – Talking about mental health and Physical health and mental health are available at: n www.business disabilityforum. org.uk

TOO SCARED TO SPEAK UP A

SUFFER IN SILENCE: Workers fear being overlooked or losing their job over a health issue

N ALARMING number of workers would not talk to their boss if they had a problem with their health.

Two out of five said they would not feel confident discussing a health issue with their employer, with many worried what it would mean for their career and relationships in the workplace.

Perhaps no wonder when almost a third of businesses surveyed admitted they would have concerns about offering support to those in need.

And a fifth of employers revealed they have previously hired someone with pre-existing health conditions but wouldn’t do so again.

Just over half of workers

To advertise, contact . . .

revealed they have a health issue, long-term condition or disability in a poll by Benenden Health, who warn fear and stigma mean millions of us may not egt the necessary – or indeed any – support from their employers.

This could lead to absences, lower productivity and employees leaving their job.

The company’s survey of 2,000 employees and 500 business owners revealed the most common ailments that workers have not disclosed to their employer to be poor mental health, high blood pressure and arthritis – all conditions that could get worse in the workplace.

One in three employees also disclosed that they have lied to an employer about taking time off for an appointment, with almost half of

16 to 24-year-olds doing so, making it difficult for businesses to ensure workers get appropriate support.

The reasons why employees would be reticent to discuss their wellbeing at work were also revealed, with a third saying they would worry that people would think they couldn’t do their job, more than a quarter believing they might lose their job, a fifth concerned that they would be talked about and one in 10 worrying that people wouldn’t want to be their friend.

For some, these concerns were based on experience, with 15% of employees believing that they have been overlooked for a job in the past due to a health issue, long-term condition or disability. n www.benenden.co.uk

New jobs and new stories in museums

A GROUND-BREAKING new project aims to bring more workers with disabilities into museums.

And it aims to transform the way disability history is told by museums, with the help of almost £1m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

More than 20 English museums – including the Museum of Liverpool – will take part in Accentuate’s Curating for Change work placement programme.

Eight 18-month fellowships – and the same number of 40-day trainee places – will be offered to disabled people who want to pursue careers within the museum sector.

Each of the fellows will research a museum’s collection, with the aim of “uncovering hidden narratives relating to disabled people”.

Only 4% of the museum workforce currently selfidentifies as disabled.

Accentuate says disabled people’s history is rarely exhibited in museums, and there are few objects in collections that reflect that history.

It hopes its project will embed change within the museums taking part, with lessons that can be shared across the sector, and provide a “much-needed platform” for disabled curators to demonstrate their skills and insights. n Accentuate, the organisation that challenges perceptions of disability: Tel. 01303 259777

Home working works

AN OVERWHELMING majority of disabled workers who worked from home during the pandemic want to continue doing so permanently.

Nine in 10 workers told the TUC they wanted bosses to make reasonable adjustments to enable them to work more flexibly.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “During the pandemic, many disabled people were able to work flexibly or from home for the first time – often after

helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

being previously told that it was not possible in their job.

“We must not go back.

Employers must offer all disabled people the right to continue working from home, as a reasonable adjustment.”

She added: “Ministers must change the law so that all jobs are advertised with flexible options clearly stated, and all workers have the legal right to work flexibly from their first day in a job.”

Tel. 07511 839397

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

Making a difference . . .

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HE Steve Morgan Foundation aims to make a real difference by changing the lives of thousands of people across the region.

Founded by Steve Morgan CBE in 2001, the Foundation supports projects that help children and families, people with physical or learning disabilities, the elderly, and the socially disadvantaged across North Wales, Merseyside and Cheshire.

More than £50m has so far been awarded to over 650 charities and organisations, and this number will increase dramatically over the coming years

after Steve committed £250m additional funding to the Foundation in 2017.

Enable Funding for individuals was also introduced to provide grants for adults and children with disabilities in financial hardship, who require specialised equipment.

There are three types of funding available for organisations which fit the application criteria: n Major grants and one-off capital funding for large projects; n Regional grant funding; n Enable Funding for specialised equipment, which includes the brand new Smiley Buses.

If you need help, contact us – details below

Happy 90th!

All Together NOW!

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It’s been a long and happy road since we gave away our first Smiley Bus in 2006 . . .

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SMF 90

HRISTMAS has come early for thousands of people across the region, thanks to the Steve Morgan Foundation’s fantastic Smiley Bus scheme.

Three brand new wheelchair accessible buses are set to make life so much easier for children in Southport and Winsford, and for older people in Wrexham.

And it means there are now 90 Smiley Buses – including several delivery vans and a blood bank bike – serving organisations across Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales.

Celebrating their successful applications for Smiley Buses are:

Hebden Green School, Winsford. The special school for children aged 2-19 did not have a minibus and had to pay costly fees to hire wheelchair adapted vehicles to transport pupils to and from educational and leisure events. Half of the pupils are wheelchair users.

Friends of Merefield School, Southport. The school supports children and young people aged 3-19 with severe and complex learning difficulties.

Our new wheelchair accessible Smiley Bus will replace the school’s 17-year-old vehicle which has become unreliable and expensive to run.

It will be used to transport the children

to sporting events such as swimming galas, horse riding, table tennis competitions, and Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme adventures.

Penley Rainbow Centre, Wrexham helps older people to access support services and reduce loneliness and isolation. They provide a community transport service that brings people into the centre and takes them on weekend outings.

All clients have multiple disabilities, half have dementia and without support would be at risk of hospitalisation.

The centre currently has two wheelchair accessible vehicles.

Our new Smiley Bus will replace one of the buses that was awarded to them by the National Lottery in 2010.

www.stevemorganfoundation.org.uk Tel 01928 706555

FLASHBACK to 2018: Jane Harris, Director of Regional Grants at the Steve Morgan Foundation, hands the keys of a Smiley Bus to students at Kilgarth School, Birkenhead

stevemorganfoundation

Steve Morgan Foundation

FLASHBACK to 2015: First class delivery . . .

Steve Morgan CBE, chairman of the Steve Morgan Foundation, handing over the Smile Bus delivery vehicle to Tom Dowling, editor of All Together NOW!

@stevemorganfdn

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The huge costs of caring NEWS

Help for the victims of childhood abuse

MULTIPLE studies conducted over the past 10 years have shown children with a disability to be at a higher risk of being abused.

Now, the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) has launched an online booklet for adult survivors of childhood abuse with a disability.

The VERA Institute of Justice suggests that children with a disability are three times more likely to experience sexual abuse than other children, a number which increases to 4.6 times more likely if the disability is mental or intellectual.

A review conducted by The Centre for Public Health also concluded that “children with disabilities are more likely to be victims of violence than their peers who are not disabled”. n Support line: 0808 801 0331.

CHARITY SPOTLIGHT . . .

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

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EARLY a quarter of all unpaid carers don’t have enough money to cover their monthly outgoings.

And many are now wondering how they will cope this winter as they face rising energy prices and increases in the cost of living.

A survey by the Carers UK charity of more than 8,000 people currently caring unpaid for family or friends – the majority of whom provide well over 50 hours of care every week – reveals the huge personal and financial cost of caring for a loved one.

The research shows the situation has further deteriorated during the Covid-19 pandemic, with over one in three carers saying their financial situation has got worse.

As a result many are struggling financially and unable to save for their own retirement – almost two-thirds say they are worried about their ability to save and plan for the future.

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To make things worse, many have to take on more hours of care, with 55% having reduced or no access to day services and a third reporting reduced or no access to paid care workers.

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said: “We are seeing unprecedented levels of stress where financial worry is piling yet more pressure on carers.

“With low levels of services, carers are going to be facing an extremely difficult winter with the rising costs of living, increased energy prices, a social care staffing crisis and a chronically underfunded system.”

The survey showed that as well as providing significant levels of care, almost two thirds of carers are using their own income or savings to help the person they look after. On average

Find YOUR local Carers Centre – p19

carers are spending an estimated £1,370 a year on services or equipment.

Ms Walker added: “For years carers have been propping up our health and care system at a huge cost to their own personal health, finances and ability to stay in work.

“Throughout the pandemic they carried a huge load, with 81% taking on more care for relatives and 72% unable to take any breaks at all from their caring role. They desperately need support to regain quality of life and enable them to continue caring.

“As it stands, providing unpaid care is pushing thousands of families into poverty and will have a lasting impact on their finances and quality of life. Carer’s Allowance must be reviewed.” n Carer’s Allowance (£67.60 weekly) is the main benefit for people providing at least 35 hours of unpaid care a week. The earnings limit is currently £128 per week. If £1 is exceeded, carers lose their benefit n Carers Helpline: 0808 808 7777

. . . The Mersey Forest / Nature4Health

LEFT: Hope Community Garden, St Margaret’s, Toxteth, where horticultural therapy sessions are held every Friday between 9am and 2pm.

RIGHT: Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle: St Michaels-in-theCity Community Garden.

Their sessions are held every Tuesday between 9am and 2pm, and are run by Nature4Health’s partners at Faiths4Change

Time to sample nature’s powers?

T

HE MERSEY Forest is opening up all sorts of opportunities for people.

And here’s the perfect way for you to experience nature’s beauty – and reap its many benefits.

The Nature4Health project recognises the link between the natural environment and our wellbeing by improving physical activity, boosting mental health, and reducing social isolation.

And it all takes place within The Mersey Forest, one of England’s Community Forests where nearly

10 million trees have been planted in the past 25 years cross Merseyside and Cheshire.

Not everyone will be at the same skill level or have the same interests surrounding the natural environment.

However, whether you’re a complete beginner or an absolute natural, there’s a range of

activities to engage a wide variety of people, no matter your age, ethnicity, gender, or size.

One example activity is the “Gardening for All” sessions, which are mostly hosted at community gardens throughout our targeted locations. These allow participants to meet new people and learn gardening skills, as well as adopt a more selfsufficient lifestyle by growing your own fruit and veg!

Other activities include group health walks, healthy conservation workouts, mindful

contact within nature, and forest schools for our younger members.

Despite many of our locations being located in towns and city centres, the access to even a small area of greenery greatly improves our health and wellbeing.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the funding we receive by the National Lottery.

However, it is also our committed volunteers and participants that make our aims of reducing climate change and

social vulnerabilities achievable!

All sessions are completely free and require no gardening or conservation experience needed – just a passion for nature, a need for a new hobby, or a wish to make new friends is all it takes to join one of our groups.

We aim to be as inclusive and welcoming as possible, so if you are interested for whatever the reason, please get in touch by calling 01925 816217 or e-mail Elizabeth or Clare at mail@merseyforest.org.uk n www.nature4ealth.org.uk

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

All Together NOW! !

This winter, think I is for

E is for

Insulate P is for

Prepare

Easy!

P is for

Protect

Prepare for winter; insulate your pipes; protect them with lagging. It’s easy!

As the temperature drops and nights draw in, it’s time to wrap up – winter’s here!

Getting your home ready for the cold weather and all it brings means you’re more likely to stay warm and happy and enjoy a hassle free winter.

Rose Francis from United Utilities says: “Insulating your water pipes to protect them from the cold will save the hassle and expense if they freeze and burst. We want our customers to enjoy a carefree Christmas. The good news is it’s really easy to prevent this from happening.”

Go to unitedutilities.com/winterwise for great tips on how to keep warm and protected this winter including how-to guides and videos.

Support when you need it most We can all benefit from a bit of extra help at some stage in our lives. This could be due to age, ill health, disability, mental health problems, financial worries or language barriers. Registering for our Priority Services means you’ll benefit from a range of additional services so we can respond quickly to your specific needs. Register now at unitedutilities.com/priorityservices or call us on 0345 072 6093.

Steps to prevent frozen, burst pipes Step 1. Lag your pipes Pay extra attention to the pipes in the garage, loft or outside your home as these are the ones most likely to freeze when the temperature drops. Your local DIY shop should have everything you need; just remember to use waterproof lagging for any outdoor pipes. Pipe lagging is cheap and easy to fit.

Step 2. Find your stop tap Your stop tap controls the flow of water into your home. It’s usually found under the kitchen sink, or sometimes in the cellar or garage. It’s handy to know where it is so you can turn the water off quickly if your pipes freeze or burst.

Found it? Make sure your stop tap is working.

It’s also worth checking if your household insurance covers burst pipes.

Step 3. Keep your heating on low Keeping your central heating on low during a cold spell will prevent your pipes from freezing. Make sure the heating comes on when you’re away too; you don’t want to come back to a flooded home after a relaxing winter break.

Lots of modern boilers have a frost setting.

Handy for preventing frozen pipes when your central heating is not in full use.

9

10

NEWS

Access to internet ‘too often an afterthought’

BARRIERS continue to prevent blind people from fully using digital services, says a new report.

Accessibility features are often treated as add-ons to “fix” any potential problems, resulting in incompatibility in operating systems, web browsers, mobile devices, and platforms, say researchers at Swansea Univeristy.

Dr Yan Wu said: “Our society is increasingly relying on connected digital devices to get services, fulfil job requirements, and manage daily necessities.

“However, our research found that a lack of participation in the technology development process, poor web and app accessibility, as well as the lack of integration and standardisation across devices and platforms has hindered sight-impaired people from fully benefiting from the digital transformations experienced by the rest of society.”

Susan Thomas is sight impaired and her experience of using technology contributed to the report.

She says that she wouldn’t be without her smartphone and tablet and uses them often to shop for food and clothes.

However, some websites don’t allow users to enlarge text or images and are difficult to use.

The good lighting guide

AN UPDATED version of a popular home lighting guide for blind people is available from the Thomas Pocklington Trust.

Charles Colquhoun, CEO at the Trust, said: “Good lighting makes a huge difference to the lives of visually impaired people. It improves comfort and safety and can contribute to partially sighted people maintaining their independence.

“But lighting technology is evolving all the time. We want to ensure visually impaired people, their families, and professionals that support them, have the latest information on lighting. This is why we have again supported this update.”

Endorsed by the Institution of Lighting Professionals, the guide covers every part of the home and includes guidance on external lighting for safer access to and from the property. It is relevant to individual homes as well as shared and cluster type accommodation. n The guide is available at: https://www.pocklingtontrust.org.uk/sector-resources/a-guideto-better-lighting-for-people-with-visual -impairment/ n Free hard copies are available by contacting info@pocklington-

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

FOCUS ON SIGHT LOSS

Quiet threat to blind pedestrians

DANGER AHEAD ELECTRIC SHOCK: Vehicles like e-scooters are hazards for people with sight loss

P

EOPLE with sight loss are finding it more and more difficult to avoid accidents when walking around streets.

An increase in quiet vehicles like electric cars, bikes and e-scooters on streets are among their main concerns, says a new report from the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB).

A lack of vital street landmarks such as detectable kerbs and pelican crossings also make walking journeys increasingly risky.

Pavement parking, bins and overhanging shrubbery have always been a concern but now rental bikes and e-scooters are making things worse.

The easing of lockdown measures has also made independent travel more difficult, with many bars and cafes taking up vital pavement space which impacts on cane

users and those with guide dogs.

Lindsay Coyle, RNIB regional campaigns manager, said: “We need everyone to understand how riding bikes or e-scooters on pavements and pedestrian spaces can be dangerous and intimidating for people with sight loss.

“Rental bikes and e-scooters left parked on pavements are a trip hazard which can cause injuries and damage confidence.

“Parking cars on pavements makes my life as a partially sighted person just plain difficult, and bins left in the middle of the pavement after collection is also a major trip hazard which we can all help to avoid.”

The report’s key findings found: n Four out of five blind and partially sighted people said walking journeys were their only, or main, form ofl exercise.

n A similar number said bikes affected their ability to make walking journeys, with many saying they had been run into. n Cycling on pavements or other pedestrian spaces was specifically mentioned by just over one in three respondents. n One in four specifically mentioned pavement parking as a barrier.

Lindsay Coyle added: “We need kerbs separating pedestrians from all vehicles including cycles and cycleways, and pelican and puffin crossings across roads and cycleways.

“We need local authorities, transport operators, designers and the Department of Transport to play a part and work with us to protect our pavements so everyone can use our streets independently.”

Over 2m people live with sight loss and this number is set to rise to four million by 2050.

Bad retail websites are losers

BUSINESSES lost out on more than £400m during the pandemic because their websites are inaccessible to disabled people.

That’s the bottom line from a study by Purple, an organisation that brings disabled people and businesses together to improve their customer experience.

More than one in three disabled people had trouble using websites during the peak of Covid-19 – a time when the economy increasingly relied on online sales and many disabled people were asked to shield.

Purple’s research found 15% had problems reading websites, and 18% simply gave up using a site.

More than half (54%) of those who had difficulties then did not spend money they had planned to, leaving millions in the pockets of disabled people instead of in the economy.

It wasn’t just websites that caused frustration during the pandemic – 40% of disabled people had difficulties interacting with organisations in person.

Cash blow

ONE in 10 charities could be forced to close completely in the next year due to a fall in income.

During the pandemic, charities have seen a huge drop in their income as fund-raising events have had to be cancelled and many have had to take drastic steps to adjust their services in order to survive.

Over half (55%) of senior charity executives surveyed believe they will have to consider selling assets such as property to generate cash.

Of those charities polled, over half have seen their income fall by over 30% since the pandemic started.

Only 2% say they have seen their income remain unchanged or rise.

Nicola Barber, from James Hambro & Partners, who carried out the research, said: “Our research shows the drastic steps many have had to take to continue to offer the vital services they provide, and in some cases survive.”

. . . . reaching people who are digitally excluded . . .

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

Share your views on stroke services The NHS in Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton and West Lancashire has launched a 12-week public consultation about the creation of a Comprehensive Stroke Centre at Aintree University Hospital. The proposal aims to help improve hyper-acute stroke services, which is the hospital care provided in the 72-hour period immediately after someone has a stroke.

Currently, people in the areas named above use hyperacute stroke services at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Aintree University Hospital, and Southport Hospital. But with local expertise and resources spread across three sites, it can be difficult to ensure that patients get access to the specialist staff, tests, equipment and procedures they need - especially in the critical three days following a stroke.

That’s why local clinicians have developed plans for a single, Comprehensive Stroke Centre at Aintree University Hospital which would bring together local hyper-acute services onto a single hospital site, alongside The Walton Centre which provides a specialist stroke treatment called thrombectomy.

At the moment, people in Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton and West Lancashire tend to be taken to the closest hospital

that offers emergency stroke care, which could be Aintree, the Royal Liverpool or Southport hospital. If this change went ahead, it would mean that *all patients believed to have had a stroke would be taken to Aintree for the first 72-hours of care – even those who may have previously been treated at the Royal Liverpool or Southport.

Afterwards, up to half of patients would leave hospital to continue their recovery in their own homes with an early supported discharge team. Those not ready for discharge, would transfer one of three acute stroke rehabilitation units at either Aintree, Broadgreen, or Southport hospitals to continue their recovery. *Please note: Only the hospitals named above are involved in these proposals. If you would be taken to a different hospital now – and not one of the three named above – this would still happen if this change went ahead.

Get involved between 22 November 2021 - 14 February 2022 Further information about this consultation, and an online questionnaire are available at: www.liverpoolccg.nhs.uk/stroke Those who would prefer to talk through their feedback, can also call (0151) 247 6406 (Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm). People can also use this number to request a paper version of the questionnaire, or information in a different language or format, or they can text: 07920 206 386 or email: csc.consultation@nhs.net

11

12 All Together NOW!

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Independence – the best gift of all

L

OOKING for something to help you with your mobility needs? Or a Christmas gift for someone close to you?

A walking aid, a wheelchair, a powered scooter or a handcycle – manually propelled or a powered variety . . ?

Or do you need your car adapting with hand controls, or something to help you getting in and out of a vehicle?

If so, then make sure you check out the team at Da Vinci Mobility, one of the most innovative wheelchair manufacturers in the UK – and they are based in Liverpool!

Set up 16 years ago by wheelchair user Vincent Ross, the company provides a wide range of mobility solutions for people with all sorts of needs.

“We love helping people retain or regain their independence,” says Vin. No task is too small, too big, or too

challenging for the team.

And it’s not all about hi-tech solutions . . .

Co partner Steve Curran says: “We can provide simple solutions to make life so much easier for everyone with a mobility issue – whatever their age and whatever their situation.

“We’re here to help.

Just give us a call, or drop in at our showrooms and take a look at what’s available.You won’t be disappointed!”

Manual & Powered Wheelchairs Power Trikes & Hand Bikes Spare and replacement parts

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DaVinci Mobility Ltd. 6 Carraway Road, Liverpool L11 0EE. Tel: 0151 548 1999 Email: sales@davincimobility.co.uk

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

Parking abuse just gets worse

A

Used Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles

STAGGERING 96% of disabled motorists say local authorities do not do enough to stop Blue Badge parking abuse.

3

The annual Baywatch survey, conducted by Disabled Motoring UK, also found that four out of five disabled people had never had their Blue Badge inspected by an official.

When it comes to finding suitable parking bays at supermarkets, 56% of respondents said they very often see bays being abused. This is 5% more thanrecorded in last year’s survey.

And only 35% of respondents said that they either saw signage about enforcement or someone monitoring the bays.

Last year’s figure was 55%.

Of people who had reported parking abuse to a member of staff, 90% said that no action was taken.

Almost nine out of ten also reported abuse of bays in other locations.

And nearly half expressed concerns about the varying sizes and specifications of bays.

Graham Footer, CEO of Disabled Motoring UK, said: “The poor state of the nation’s disabled parking provision and enforcement continues to prevent disabled people from living independent lives.”

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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

A PERFECT FIT

‘

THEY say necessity is the mother of invention …. That’s true of mum Caron McLuckie, who found a solution to her son’s clothing needs – and who turned it into a business. Here’s her story:

DURING January 2016 my life changed. It was a Saturday afternoon and I had been watching the film Everest with my son Emile and daughter Esther.

At the end of the movie I had an errand to run and Emile wanted to come with me.

Little did I know we were about to face our own Everest.

Five minutes into the drive Emile let out a shout and started to squirm in his seat.

His feet were turned inwards, and he couldn’t lift his legs. We went straight to A&E and it took three people to get him out of the car and into a wheelchair.

Emile had suffered a spinal cord stroke which had left him paralysed from the chest down.

I was amazed at how well he coped with this traumatic event; his resilience was astounding.

Because Emile has no bladder control,

Caron’s unique fashions making life easier

we have to catheterise to empty his bladder.

It soon became clear, once we got into our daily routine, that clothes did not fit him properly when he sat in his wheelchair.

More importantly, even the comfortable joggers that Emile likes to wear did not provide easy access to catheterise.

I sought advice from wheelchair-users,

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

SMARTY PANTS: Emile, seated, with mum Caron, sister Esther, and brother Theo

carers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and finally approached the Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University.

They have been researching, with the Stroke Foundation, the difficulties stroke survivors face when trying to find suitable clothes when they return to work.

Students Rebecca and Melissa Everett

were excited by my idea of “fly front opening joggers” and made a prototype. They added a polo top with magnetic openings, resulting in a smart, casual tracksuit that is comfortable and practical.

I have now designed bespoke joggers and trousers with a unique opening to enable comfortable catheterising.

They are higher at the back and available in various waist sizes and leg lengths.

I’m also hoping to produce adaptive shorts, longline t-shirts and unisex pieces in order to be more inclusive for all disabled people.

I have not done anything like this before. For over 20 years I worked as a mental health social worker, but I feel there is a real gap in the market and it’s something I want to fill.

Esther’s nickname for Emile is Bealie so we’ve named the business Bealies adaptivewear. Keep an eye out for us. n Bealies: Tel. 07789 963162

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Lifehouse Liverpool, 0151 709 0121

‘

14 All Together NOW!

TO BOLDLY GO!

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All aboard!

C

ALLING all would-be sailors. The Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST) has 80 fully-paid for places onboard its tall ship SV Tenacious – the only tall ship in the world designed to be sailed by a mixedability crew.

And one of the nine voyages taking place in 2022 is a Liverpool to Dublin adventure.

The places have been given as part of the JST’s partnership with the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation – a charity that offers various opportunities to young people, including scholarships to schools and universities and opportunities to support entrepreneurship.

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Chairman of The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and Commodore of The Gustavia Yacht Club, said: “Disability should not act as a barrier to those seeking the adventure of life at sea with all its potential for exciting self-improvement.

“I am very pleased to be working with the JST so that as many as possible can share in the rewards that these experiences can bring to beneficiaries from our supported causes in the UK.” n JST: Tel. 023 8044 9108

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

. . . but is space travel a step too far for older people?

AFTER Star Trek legend William Shatner became the oldest astronaut at 90, Professor Nick Caplan, of Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Professor Chris Newman, of Space Law and Policy at Northumbria University, consider how well space tourism’s older travellers can expect to fare.

M

ORE than half a century after William Shatner hit our screens as Captain James T Kirk, he has boldly gone where no nonagenarian has gone before.

Aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard for a 10-minute sub-orbital flight, he broke the record set only recently by 82-yearold Wally Funk. She travelled on the New Shepard’s first crewed spaceflight in July.

Wally was one of the Mercury 13 women who qualified for spaceflight in the 1960s but never flew. With commercial spaceflight companies now taking older people to space, what is the potential physical and mental impact on them?

In just a few days in space, the human body starts to adapt. Astronauts’ bones start to lose density and their muscles become smaller and weaker.

While these changes aren’t much of a problem in microgravity, they can lead to increased risk of injury, such as back

All Together NOW!

15

STARMAN: Shatner’s brief flight posed few health risks

pain or bone fracture, when returning to Earth. Astronauts spend considerable time exercising in space to minimise these adaptations, which are similar to age-related changes affecting people on Earth, but happen much more quickly.

A 90-year-old might arrive in space with their muscles and bones already deconditioned. This could present additional risks as their body adapts further when deprived of gravity. While we can speculate, not nearly enough older people have gone to space for us to know for sure how their bodies will cope.

Anyone like Shatner, who only spends a few minutes in microgravity, won’t need to worry about this too much. The greatest risks to their health are the mental and physical stresses experienced during launch, re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, and landing.

During launch, Shatner and his three co-passengers would have experienced vibrations resulting from the thrust generated by New Shepard’s BE-3 engine, equivalent to more than one million horsepower.

This would lead them to experience an acceleration or g-force of 3g.

Essentially, this feels like three people the same size as you sitting on your chest, pushing you into your seat.

During re-entry into the atmosphere, the g-force reaches 6g.

High g-forces can have profound effects on the human body. At high g-

forces, blood can be pulled away from the head, which can starve the brain of oxygen. This can lead to visual changes including tunnel vision, loss of colour (greyout) or complete loss of vision (blackout), and in some cases, a g-force-induced loss of consciousness.

This can occur at as little as 3g.

However, during simulations of suborbital flights in people aged 20-78, older people were actually found to better tolerate the high g-forces during re-entry through the atmosphere.

When New Shepard’s engines switch off towards the end of its ascent, allowing it to slow down and start falling back to Earth, the high G-forces abruptly disappear and passengers feel weightless. Even in trained astronauts, this often leads to space sickness.

The lack of gravity means the position sensors in the ears (called our vestibular system) get confused and can’t tell if you’re moving, or which way is up or down. Older, untrained space tourists, who could already have vestibular impairments, may be more susceptible to space sickness.

Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic – the spaceflight companies founded by Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson – are providing only brief glimpses of space.

Nonetheless, they will make valuable contributions to our understanding of the health effects of human spaceflight among increasingly diverse groups of people.

16

Twelve disabled ‘astronauts’ All Together NOW!

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

www.alltogether

MISSION POS

COUNTDOWN: The 12 Ambassadors of AstroAccess’ Flight 1 in front of Zero G Corporation’s G-Force One aircraft on the tarmac of Long Beach Airport. Below, playtime for the crew

FREEDOM FLIGHT: US army veteran and former Paralympian Centra Mazyck and, inset, Mona Minkara, assistant professor of bioengineering at Northeastern University, enjoying life without gravity

T

HE RACE is on to launch the first disabled astronaut into space.

Last year the European Space Agency started its mission to find a future disabled astronaut.

Now the Americans have gone one step better by sending a crew of 12 people with mobility, vision, and hearing disabilities 32,000 feet above the earth to experience the weightlessness of space in a zero gravity aircraft.

“This represents an historic step in the mission to open space for all,” said George Whitesides, co-project lead of AstroAccess, an organisation dedicated to disability inclusion in space exploration for the benefit of all mankind.

Their ultimate goal is to fly one or more team members to space in the coming years.

“Each of our ambassadors brings incredible

experience and a wealth of expertise to our team, added Mr Whiteside, who is also chair of the Space Advisory Board for Virgin Galactic.

“We are only at the beginning of this journey, but I am already excited to see what can be achieved by removing barriers to space, inspiring the future generations to pursue careers in aerospace and other STEM (Science, technology, engineering and math) industries, and the benefit this will have on humankind.”

The crew comprised disabled scientists, veterans, engineers, and artists who all experienced weightlessness and carried out a variety of experiments that looked at how space vessels could be modified so that all astronauts and explorers, regardless of disability on earth, can live, work, and thrive in space.

Computer scientist Sina Bahram said: “Floating in microgravity was the truest physical

manifestation of pure joy and delight that I have ever felt in my life.”

Anna Voelker, co-project lead of AstroAccess, said: “Space removes the barriers between people; now is the time to remove the barriers to space itself.

“AstroAccess is sending a message to people who have historically been excluded from STEM that not only is there room for you in space, there is a need for you.”

George Whitesides, co-project lead of AstroAccess, added: “This successful flight was an important milestone in our mission to open space for all.

“The tasks and demonstrations carried out by our ambassadors will have a profound effect on the space industry at large, inform the design of future space vehicles, and pave the way for future astronauts with disabilities.”

THE CREW

Sina Bahram is an accessibility consulta scientist, researcher, public speaker, entr founder of Prime Access Consulting. He in 2012 as a White House Champion of C doctoral research work enabling users w succeed in STEM fields.

Dana Bolles is a science communication previous payload safety engineer at NAS an advocate for the importance of inclusi equity, and accessibility.

Mary Cooper is an academic, champion below-the-knee amputee. She is currentl Stanford University pursuing a degree in Engineering & Computer Science.

Eric Ingram is the founder and CEO of S company de-risking space operations wit

return from epic voyage . . .

rnow.org.uk

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

SSIBLE!

ant, computer repreneur, and was recognised Change for his ith disabilities to

ns expert and SA. She is also on, diversity, athlete, and y a senior at Aerospace

SCOUT Inc., a th sensor

suitesthat enable spacecraft to see and understand the area around them. Eric previously served as the President of the United States Wheelchair Rugby Association and has competed in the sport for over 15 years.

Centra (Ce-Ce) Mazyck is an Army Veteran Jumpmaster. After a spinal cord injury during a routine jump, Ce-Ce became a public speaker for Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and a Paralympic athlete competing for the US Track & Field Team in javelin during the London 2012 games.

Mona Minkara is an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at Northeastern University and leads the Minkara Computational Modeling for BioINterface Engineering Lab. Mona also documents her travels around the world through her YouTube channel “Planes, Trains, and Canes”.

Viktoria Modesta is a bionic pop artist and creative director and performed at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics.

Zuby Onwuta is a Harvard-MIT trained innovator. He is the patented inventor of Brain control for Blind Assistive Tech, a solution that reads and responds to human brain waves and provides hands-free vision augmentation and reading assistance

Sawyer Rosenstein is a news producer at WPBF 25 in West Palm Beach and host of the Talking Space Podcast. He was the youngest ever member of the NASA press corps and covered the final space shuttle launch in 2011. He continues to cover Commercial Crew Program launches including the most recent Inspiration 4 launch.

Eric Shear is a current graduate student in chemical

All Together NOW!

engineering at the University of Florida. In 2011, following in the footsteps of the Gallaudet Eleven, he was one of the first modern day Deaf NASA researchers to participate in a Zero-G research flight as part of the Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program.

Apurva Varia is a Mission Operation Director for three spacecrafts – Parker Solar Probe, Interstellar Boundary Explorer, and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter – and was the first Deaf mission director for an uncrewed mission at NASA.

Sheri Wells-Jensen is an Associate Professor of Linguistics at Bowling Green State University, where her research focuses on social aspects of human colonisation, astrobiology, disability, and the relationship between language and thought. She is currently writing a book about disability and space.

17

18 All Together NOW!

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

Tyred? Let’s do it all again!

SHOPMOBILITY

n ALTRINCHAM . Tel 0161 929 1714 n ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. Tel 0161 339 9500 n BARROW. Tel 01229 434039 n BIRKENHEAD. Tel 0151 647 6162 n BLACKBURN AND DARWEN. Tel 01254 690566 or 07757 502217 n BLACKPOOL. Tel 01253 349427 n BOLTON. Tel 01204 392946 n CARLISLE. Tel 01228 631564 n CHESTER. Tel 01244 312626 n CHORLEY. Tel 01257 260 888 n COLWYN BAY. Tel 01492 533822 n CREWE. Tel 01270 580 031 n ELLESMERE PORT. Tel 0151 355 1420 n KENDAL. Tel 01539 740 933 n LEIGH, Wigan.

Tel 01942 777 985 n LIVERPOOL. Tel 0151 707 0877 n MANCHESTER Trafford Centre. Tel 0161 747 2684 n MANCHESTER Arndale Centre. Tel 0161 839 4060 n NELSON. Tel 01282 692 502 n NORTHWICH, Vale Royal Tel 01606 288820 n OSWESTRY. Tel 01691 656882 n PENRITH. Tel 01768 895 438 n PRESTON. Tel 01772 204 667 n RHYL. Tel 01745 350665 n ROCHDALE. Tel 01706 865 986 n RUNCORN, Halton Lea Tel 01928 710144 n SHREWSBURY. Tel 01743 236900 SKELMERSDALE. Tel 01695 550066 n ST HELENS. Tel 01744 613 388 n STOCKPORT. Tel 0161 666 1100 n WARRINGTON. Tel 01925 240064 n WARRINGTON. Birchwood Tel 01925 822 411 WIDNES: 0151 511 8833 n WIGAN. Tel 01942 776 070 n WINSFORD Tel 01606 557550 n WREXHAM. Tel 01978 312390 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM. Snow Hill Railway Station. Tel 0121 236 8980. Level 2, Centre Car Park, Bullring. Tel 0121 616 2942 n STAFFORD. Tel 01785 619456 n STOKE ON TRENT. Tel 01782 233333 n SUTTON COLDFIELD. Tel 0121 355 1112 n TAMWORTH. Tel, 01827

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HOW’S this for positive thinking?

Riders taking part in the Cycle of Hope were no sooner over the finishing line than organisers were planning next summer’s event.

Pencil in your diaries June 26, 2022 if you want to follow in the tyres of the 140 cyclists who pedaled the 60km or 60mile loop of Merseyside and Lancashire, starting and finishing at Southport Rugby Club.

Alastair Richards, head of North West Cancer Research, said: “I’m delighted the ride was a great success. The fact we were able to raise over £40,000 says so much about the fantastic local community.” n Contact Cara: Tel. 0151 709 2919 or cara@nwcr.org www.nwcr.org/getinvolved/events/cycling/cycle-of-hope

Nobel hero honoured WHAT A RIDE: Martin Knowles and Tim Peacock at the finishing line

how living things THE life of a work. pioneering scientist Dame Janet said: and Nobel Prize “We are proud that winner is being Sherrington, who celebrated in the city contributed so much where his work took to the discipline of shape. physiology, began Sir Charles Scott his academic career Sherrington and here.” colleague Edgar Professor David Adrian were the first Paterson, President to show how neurons of The Physiological – the basic units of Society, added: the nervous system – “We’re delighted to work. be recognising the The pair won the tremendous Nobel prize for achievements of a physiology in 1932, PRIZE GUY: Prof Dame Jane Beer and Prof David Paterson unveil the plaque celebrated and more than a celebrating Sir Charles at the University of Liverpool’s Sherrington Building neurophysiologist and century on a blue Nobel Laureate who plaque was unveiled in Sir Charles came to Liverpool In 1895 shaped the understanding of the Sherrington’s honour by Professor to work as a professor in his chosen central nervous system”.

Dame Janet Beer, Vice-Chancellor of subject of physiology – the study of the University of Liverpool.

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Ayaz tackles hunger

CARERS’ CENTRES

series of inspirational PARALYMPIAN Ayaz and motivational Bhuta helped GB’s talks to school wheelchair students on rugby team to personal gold in Tokyo. challenges Now the 32he’s faced – year-old from and sporting Bolton has his achievements. sights firmly Ayaz will also fixed on helping promote the children all over charity’s work in the UK and the world countries such as to get the food INSPIRING: Ayaz, right, with Sajad Ethiopia and they need.

Mahmood, CEO of Charity Right Bangladesh.

Born with He said: “I’m excited to work with Roberts Syndrome, a genetic Charity Right,and very much disorder that affects growth in the looking forward to inspiring schools arms and legs, Ayaz has always around the UK and fundraising to faced adversity. help feed underdeveloped In his role as Brand Ambassador of communities.”

Charity Right, Ayaz is planning a

Let’s get moving

G

ET moving! That’s the message from Strictly Come Dancing star Joanne Clifton.

Professional dancer Joanne is helping spread the word that sitting for long periods is bad for your body.

Joanne, who has osteoarthritis, said: “My condition can be painful if I spend too much time sitting at home.”

Indeed, experts say home working during the pandemic has led to a surge in cases of back, neck and shoulder pain.

One in four people in the UK – a staggering 18.8 million – are now living with arthritis and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, and things are likely to get much worse unless action is taken now.

Joanne, who was diagnosed with the most common type of arthritis, is

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STEP TO IT: Joanne spreading the word

passionate about educating the nation that both young and older people can be at risk of developing musculoskeletal health problems.

“Lockdown made life tough for me as I was forced to spend time idle and undistracted. It’s important for me to find ways to keep on working, moving and doing what I love without letting my condition rule my life.”

Joanne has teamed up with the Versus Arthritis charity to help spread the word and put an end to what’s being termed the Home Office Hunch.

“It’s necessary that we remember to move our bodies often to support our

musculoskeletal health,” she said. “We should all look for solutions to make everyday tasks easier on our joints.

“For me, I love to swim and also take time to rest and unwind with a knee pillow on the sofa after a busy day.”

Versus Arthritis charity found the lockdown caused four in five of desk workers who switched to remote working in lockdown to experience upper body pain.

The charity has a range of products through its www.arthr.com website that can make life easier for people living with arthritis. n Helpline: 0800 5200 520

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20 All Together NOW!

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

MEDICAL NOTES

Guide to the foods for a better snooze NOT sleeping well? It could be down to your gut! Nutritional therapist CAMILLA GRAY discusses the ways that dietary changes can positively impact sleep quality.

n How does your gut affect your sleep?

Good quality sleep is linked to a larger amount of bacterial diversity in our guts. Generally, those with a high diversity of microbes in the gut are considered the healthiest. So, if you have low diversity, it may mean you are at risk of experiencing poor sleep.

Factors in modern-day living such as stress, travel, medications, and western diets can all reduce the diversity of gut bacteria but it’s also believed that our gut bacteria, just like their host (us!), have their own circadian rhythm.

The circadian rhythm is our body clock and regulates different organs depending on the time of day. So if you are eating very late at night, your gut bacteria might be winding down and not ready to digest a whole meal! n How can improving your diet help you sleep?

To get a wider diversity of gut bacteria, which is associated with better sleep, it’s generally considered wise to eat as many plant-based foods as possible.

Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, pulses, herbs, and spices – they all count.

These all contain polyphenols and prebiotics, which are food for your good gut bacteria, while at the same time fending off the bad ones.

Think of your gut like the Amazon rainforest with tons of different variations of flora and fauna living there. The wider the diversity of natural foods you consume, the more different variations of good gut bacteria you are feeding.

n What specific food can help you sleep?

Serotonin is important to the production of melatonin, the main hormone involved in sleep, so it’s a good idea to eat foods that can help manufacture it.

Serotonin is made from a constituent of protein called tryptophan, found in foods like fish, turkey, chicken, cottage cheese, beans, avocados and bananas.

Foods rich in magnesium for dinner can help too. This mineral is known to be mother nature’s relaxant. Think green plant foods like spinach, kale and broccoli which are all high in magnesium.

Alternatively, a nice relaxing Epsom salt bath can do the trick!

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Breast milk could fight coronavirus BREAST milk could help protect us against Covid-19 and other respiratory tract infections.

The antiviral properties of lactoferrin – a protein naturally found in human milk – makes it a great natural supplement, a new study has found.

Lactoferrin is also found in cow’s milk, as well as the eye, nose, respiratory tract, intestine, and elsewhere, and a

team of researchers led by the University of Huddersfield found it was promisingly effective in reducing the risk of respiratory tract infections.

Dr Hamid Merchant, from the University’s Department of Pharmacy, said: “This is a very promising molecule which can be adopted as an adjunct therapy for Covid-19 and could be part of a daily routine for people to take, along with

vitamin C, D and Zinc supplements to keep our immune system healthy.

“Particularly now winter is upon us we need this extra protection.” n Leapfrog IMMUNE is a chewable immune support supplement of Lactoferrin, Zinc and Vitamin C. It is currently available in Selfridges, Next, TheDrug.Store, Revital and Amrita Nutrition.

SLEEP CURE

M

EDICATIONS previously used to treat other conditions could now help relieve a disorder that causes sufferers to wake repeatedly.

Scientists have successfully repurposed two existing drugs to reduce the severity of sleep apnoea by at least 30%.

Affecting around 1.5 million adults in the UK, sleep apnoea is a condition where the upper airway from the back of the nose to the throat closes repetitively during sleep, restricting oxygen intake and causing people to wake up to 100 times in an hour.

Those with untreated sleep apnoea are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, dementia and depression, and up to four times more likely to crash a car.

Despite almost 30 years of research, there are still no approved drug therapies to treat the condition. But now the work of sleep health expert Professor Danny Eckert and his team has brought scientists one step closer.

Previous research showed two

classes of medication – reboxetine and butylbromide – were able to keep muscles active during sleep in people without sleep apnoea, and assist their ability to breathe.

Professor Eckert said: “We were thrilled because the current treatment options for people with sleep apnoea are limited and can be a painful journey for many.

“Almost everyone we studied had some improvement.”

By repurposing the medications, researchers used a multitude of recording instruments to measure whether reboxetine and butylbromide could successfully target the main causes of sleep apnoea.

This included balancing the electrical activity of muscles around the airway, preventing the throat from collapsing while people were sleeping, and improving the regulation of carbon dioxide and breathing during sleep.

Results from the study showed these medications did in fact increase the muscle activity

around participants’ airways, with the drugs reducing the severity of participants’ sleep apnoea by up to one third.

Until now, the main therapy for sleep apnoea has involved wearing a mask to bed, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy, which benefits millions. However, many people find it uncomfortable and half the people that try it find it hard to tolerate.

Other therapies, such as mouthguards fitted by dentists, can be unpredictable and expensive.

Professor Eckert, Director of Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, said: “Next, we will look at the effects of these and similar medications over the longer term.

We will assess whether we can harness the benefits of one drug without needing to use them both.”

“Equally, we will test whether these treatments can be combined with other existing medications to see if we can improve their efficacy even more.”

. . . reaching people who are digitally excluded . . .

Covid link to fears of diabetes epidemic

DIABETES will be the next epidemic to sweep the UK, and Covid may be triggering more cases, says a leading health expert.

Dr Quinton Fivelman, chief scientific officer at London Medical Laboratory, says diabetes is escalating rapidly, usually linked to factors such as weight, lifestyle, age and family history.

But he said: “New research has revealed Covid could be triggering the disease in previously healthy people, and potentially significantly worsening cases for some preexisting diabetics.”

Dr Fivelman added: “The first signs that you may have diabetes are that you urinate more often, are frequently thirsty, are often tired, have unexpected weight loss or suddenly suffer from blurry eyesight.

“Keeping your blood sugar levels normal requires the proper balance of glucagon and insulin secretion at the appropriate times. A lack of insulin secretion can result in Type 1 diabetes. This may be triggered by Covid-19 attacking pancreatic cells.

“The SARS-CoV-2 virus can spread beyond patient’s respiratory tract and lungs. Two recent U.S. studies have shown Covid-19 in pancreatic cells from patients who died from Covid-19.

“Additional experiments revealed that Covid-19 selectively infected human islet cells in experiments.

“This suggests that Covid-19 infection of the pancreatic cells can lead to diabetes similar to Type 1 diabetes in previously healthy patients.”

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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

All Together NOW!

MEDICAL NOTES

Get Smart about urinary infections

BURNING ISSUE

POINTLESS EXERCISE? Study says weight loss advice may need a major rethink

P

EOPLE who take part in regular exercise actually burn fewer calories than those not doing any strenuous activity, new research claims.

The results of the study has led to calls for a major rethink about exercise and diet.

National guidelines across the globe generally recommend burning 500-600 calories more than you consume (known as a calories deficit) through exercise and diet in order to lose weight, said Professor Lewis Halsey.

But he said his team’s research showed that the body compensates for calories lost in exercise by using up fewer calories on basic functions like sleeping.

And the number of calories burned on those functions varies between people with different levels of body fat, they found.

“Not only should these guidelines be revised, but there is also a need for greater personalisation of exercise plans depending upon body mass,” added Prof Halsey, from the University of Roehampton, who led the research.

The calories the body burns to keep ticking over decreases by 28% during

Contact . . .

Exercise may not shed as many calories as you think

periods when daily exercise levels are consistently high, according to their research.

This means the more we exercise over the long-term, the less calories our bodies burn for the most rudimentary activities, therefore reducing the overall calories we burn per day.

The study also found that adults with the highest body mass index (BMI) burned even fewer calories in the background after an increase in activity.

The results show that only 54% of the calories burned by exercise or activity

among people with the highest BMI actually translated into calories burned at the end of the day, due to their bodies reducing the energy spent on the most basic of functions.

In contrast, 70% of calories burned during activity by those with the lowest body mass translated into more calories burned at the end of the day.

Overall, calories lost were no different when comparing age and sex, meaning the energy lost during activity applies equally to men and women, young and old, once their BMI is accounted for.

The research suggests that people who have a higher BMI, and thus greater fat levels, may burn less calories per day in response to long-term hikes in activity.

With many current weight loss programmes using additive models to calculate how many calories should be burned to reduce fat loss, and the rise of digital exercise trackers such as Fitbit and Apple Watch highlighting people’s calories burned during a day, this study contradicts the belief that the calories burned from exercise easily translate into extra calories burned overall for the day.

helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

MASS confusion around the symptoms of common Urinary Tract Infections is causing people to fear they have cancer, diabetes and other conditions.

And many women are using social media and online forums as an “outof-hours diagnosis service”, asking questions and looking for reassurance and advice, research has revealed.

A study of 28,000 posts about UTIs from 16,000 women showed fear was expressed in almost a third of them.

UTIs such as cystitis can make life miserable for many and it is estimated half of all women in the UK will have a UTI at least once in their lifetime.

They can cause uncomfortable and painful symptoms such as burning when urinating, frequency of urination without passing much urine, bloody or cloudy urine and pelvic pain. Yet once diagnosed, they are usually easy to treat.

The research was carried out by TestCard, which has launched an athome, non-invasive, UTI testing kit that turns a smart phone camera into a clinical grade scanner.

TestCard’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Andrew Vallance-Owen said: “It’s natural to go online and ask others what they think it could be to try and self-diagnose, but this approach should be treated with real caution.

“It could be a common UTI causing the symptoms people are experiencing, and the beauty of TestCard is that it provides people with a potentially faster route to the right treatment with results they can send straight to their doctor.”

Nuts boost thinking

EATING nuts could boost brain power in older adults, a new study suggests.

Researchers found the lowest cognitive performance was found in older adults who did not consume any nuts, while the highest scores were found in those who consumed between 15g and 30g.

Lead investigator, Dr Sze-Yen Tan, at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin University, Australia, said the findings confirmed the benefits of adhering to the current nut intake recommendation of 30g a day.

“Eating a handful of nuts each day is a simple dietary strategy that improves cognitive performance in older adults, among many other already wellestablished health benefits,” he said.

Tel. 07511 839937

21

22 All Together NOW!

KEN PYE’s latest book, Liverpool Murders and Misdemeanours, features some of the city’s grimmest and most unusual crimes

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

and their perpetrators.

It’s available in all good bookshops or from Ken directly – as are all of his books, DVDs, and CDs.

FEAST OR FAMISHED Tel. 0151 427 2717 email – ken@discoverliverpool.com www.discover-liverpool.com

W

E ALL all love getting together at Christmas . . . especially with friends old and new. This is even more important this year, as we begin to rebuild our lives after the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the heart of this special time is the celebration feast of Christmas dinner. This has been the case since the annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ began, almost 2,000 years ago.

In the days of Anglo-Saxon England, early Christians celebrated as village communities, all feasting, drinking, and dancing together.

But, following the Norman PAST AND TIME PRESENTS: Christmas shopping in Victorian England Conquest of 1066, and with the Freyr, the Norse God of harvest and suppressed Christmas celebrations. imposition of the Feudal System and fertility, who was also associated with Worse still, from 1647 and until 1659, its much more unequal society, the wild boars.

Christmas was banned altogether. This peasants and the poor would eat Royal Christmas banquets soon included all traditions, singing, dancing whatever they could get. However, reached amazing levels of excess. In and, especially, feasting. they might slaughter a chicken or a pig 1386, over the 12 days of Christmas, But the celebrations all came back for their Christmas Dinner—if the Lord King Richard II entertained King Leon again, and with a vengeance, with the of The Manor wasn’t looking that is! of Armenia at the Royal Palace in restoration of the monarchy in 1660, If you were rich or aristocratic, Eltham. when King Charles II regained the though, then venison, peacocks, and He fed his 10,000 guests with 28 throne. swans would be on your menu, with a oxen, 300 sheep, thousands of game He certainly knew how to party, and roasted boar’s head being a very the rest of the country followed suit! birds and fowl; all washed down with special main course.

By the 18th century though, boars, hogsheads of ale and great vats of This was a tradition that had been peacocks, and swans were very hard wine. passed down to come by in England – at least for During the reign of the Tudor from the most people – so roast beef and turkey monarchs, boisterous celebrations Vikings. They were the order of the day at Christmas. became the main course, but still served this mostly for the wealthy and new But, during the English Civil Wars and delicacy in middle-classes. from 1644, the ruling Puritans honour of

To advertise, contact . . .

How turkey came to rule the roost

SEASON’S EATINGS: Medieval aristocrats feast while the poor ate what they could get

FOR MOST of us, Christmas dinner is incomplete without a turkey! But how did the turkey connection all come about?

Well, they originally came from Mexico and North America where, from as early as 1000AD, native Indians hunted the wild birds for their sweet, juicy meat.

The name “turkey” seems to have its origins connected to the early 16th century and the first merchants to bring the birds into Britain.

These came here from the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly Turkey.

The sailors were known as “Turkey Merchants” because of their country of origin, but this name soon transferred to the birds they were selling.

In fact, though, the first of these birds to be imported into England were shipped into Bristol in 1526 by a

helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

young entrepreneur named William Strickland.

His consignment consisted of just six birds but, because of the amount of tasty meat on them, and the fact that they fattened quickly, the birds quickly became popular – although initially only among the wealthy.

By the late 17th century the birds were being bred at home, and turkey farms were well established in East Anglia and Lincolnshire.

By the late 18th and early 19th centuries there were turkey farms in Lancashire and Cheshire.

Turkey or goose became the order of the day for now rich and poor alike.

By the end of the 19th Century, and the early decades of the 20th, turkey had mostly replaced goose, at least in the towns and cities. This was because goose is very fatty and you can get more meat off a turkey.

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250,000

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READERS . . . BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

“WE HAD a brilliant response to your article about our Atrial Fibrillation Ambassador programme – and lots of people phoned us to find out how they could become an AF Ambassador.

Thanks to All Together NOW! many more people with an irregular heart rhythm will now be detected, get the right medication and this will prevent them from having strokes.”

— NHS Innovation Agency

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“WE’VE advertised in All Together NOW! for the past 14 years – and haven't missed a single issue. It's a fantastic publication that does a brilliant job of presenting disability interests and issues in a positive and inclusive manner. We get a great respons to our advertising – and the team is always great to deal with.”

Donald Pow, MD, Allied Mobility “WE HAVE proudly advertised in All Together NOW! for over 12 years. It is an excellent newspaper, with endless, interesting and helpful facts for all readers. We have always received great responses to our advertisements. The newspaper is freely available to so many people throughout the North West and is appreciated by so many. Heather Maddox, A-Line Mobility

“All Together NOW! is a valuable link to hundreds of thousands of disabled people.

We have used this free charity newspaper to promote the services of our mobility shops and the annual Disability Awareness Day and know that it is reaching huge numbers of people who otherwise would go uniformed.”

— Dave Thompson Warrington Disability Partnership

COST-EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING More than a newspaper – the key to independence

All Together NOW! has been a real help to us. We’ve been involved with the paper since its launch in 2004 and always get a great response to our adverts. Here’s wishing the paper every success — Steve Curran, co-director, DaVinci Mobility “OF ALL the marketing that United Utilities puts into the community, nothing generates as much feedback and response as All Together NOW! It is a great platform that’s helping us to get our messages to our vulnerable customers.”

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“WE HAVE supported All Together NOW! for the past 13 years and are proud to be one of the charity’s main sponsors – recognition for the way in which the newspaper helps bring together so many people and organisations. There is no doubting the importance of this excellent publication. All Together NOW! makes a unique contribution to improving the quality of life of disabled people and their families. We are delighted with the huge progress the paper has made, and we know from the number of telephone calls we receive from people who have read the paper that distribution is on the increase and is reaching the right audience.”

— Steve Morgan OBE, chairman Steve Morgan

www.alltogethernow.org.uk Registered Charity: 1106387

24 All Together NOW!

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

Until Dec 4: White Christmas. Palace, Manchester. The toe-tappin’ musical.

Until Jan 9: Peter Pan. Bolton Octagon.

Fly to Neverland and join Peter Pan, Wendy and the Lost Boys in this warm retelling of J.M Barrie’s classic tale.

Until Jan 9: Stick Man. The Lowry. Awardwinning production featuring a trio of top actors and packed full of puppetry, songs, live music and funky moves. Relaxed, Thur 9 Dec, 1.30pm; audio described, Sat 18 Dec, 2pm; signed, 19 Dec, 2pm.

(Tel. 0161 876 2183) Until Jan 15: Robin Hood. Everyman, Liverpool. The rock ‘n’ roll panto. Audio described. Tue Jan 4, 1.30pm, 7pm; Captioned, Sat Jan 8, 1.30pm.

Until Jan 15: The Scouse Sleeping Beauty. Royal Court, Liverpool. Packed with stupid jokes, loads of live music and utterly inappropriate content.

Nov 30-Dec 1: WNO: Madam Butterfly.

Venue Cymru.

Dec 1: Glyndenbourne: Stravinksy’s The Rake Progress. Liverpool Empire.

Dec 1: The Bon Jovi Experience. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Tribute show.

Dec 1-4: The Birthday Party. Theatr Clwyd. Harold Pinter’s masterpiece. Two apparently casual visitors check in at a seaside boarding house and turn Stanley Webber’s humdrum life into a nightmare.

This is the birthday party from hell.

Dec 2: Glyndenbourne: Handel’s Messiah. Liverpool Empire.

Dec 2: WNO: The Barber of Seville.

Venue Cymru.

Dec 3: Christmas Party Night – Take on Take That. Floral Pavilion.

Dec 3: Glyndenbourne: Donizetti’s Don Pasquale. Liverpool Empire.

Dec 3: The Chicago Blues Brothers – A Night at the Movies.

Opera House, Manchester. Dig out those trilbys, shades and polish your dancing shoes for this two-hour spectacular of non–stop music and laughter.

Dec 4: Let Me Entertain You. Opera House, Manchester. Celebrating the music of Robbie Williams.

Dec 4: Christmas Party Night – ABBA Forever. Floral Pavilion.

Dec 4-Jan 2: Beauty & The Beast. Floral Pavilon. Melanie Walters (Gwen in Gavin & Stacey) and Sean Jones, well-known for his award-winning role as Mickey in Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, all set to give you a welcome lift!

Dec 6: Eric & Ern. The Lowry. Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens as Eric and Ern at Christmas Dec 7: ABBA Mania. Opera House, Manchester. Tribute show.

Dec 8-31: Cinderella. Rhyl Pavilion. Hayley Tamaddon (Emmerdale/Coronation Street) stars as the Fairy Godmother.

Dec 8-Jan 1: The Book of Mormon.

Palace Theatre Manchester.

Outrageous musical comedy from the creators of South Park, Avenue Q and

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BOX OFFICE CONTACTS

BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre: 01253 290190 BOLTON Octagon: 01204 520661 CREWE Lyceum: 01270 368 242 LIVERPOOL Empire: 08444 999 999 Everyman & Playhouse: 0151 709 4776 Royal Court: 0870 787 1866 Unity 0151 709 4988 LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru: 01492 872000 MOLD: Theatr Clwyd: 0845 3303565 MANCHESTER Opera House: 0870 401 9000

Palace: 0870 401 3000 SALFORD The Lowry: 0843 208 6000 NEW BRIGHTON Floral Pavilion: 0151 666 0000 PRESTON: Charter Theatre: 0845 344 2012 RHYL: Pavilion: 01745 330 000 RUNCORN The Brindley: 0151 907 8360 SOUTHPORT: Floral Hall: 0844 847 2380 ST HELENS: Theatre Royal: 01744 756000 STOKE: Regent Theatre: 0844 871 7627

Time travelling

FANCY a spot of time travelling? Well, book your seats for a very interesting trip that’s launching at The Lowry.

The year is 2065 so prepare for a futuristic sensory extravaganza that’s especially suited for adventurers with profound and multiple learning disabilities.

The show follows a group of rebels who live outside an oppressive regime made up of all-powerful corporations – and who believe things can change for the better.

How can they remind people of a time when things were different? Can they bring music back to a city where it is needed more than ever? n Frozen Light: The Lowry, Jan 18-22:

TAKE YOUR SEAT Frozen, follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries.

Dec 8-Jan 9: Cinderella. The Brindley, Runcorn. X Factor’s Sam Callahan (Dandini) joins the Brindley Panto favourites Rebecca Lake, Andrew Curphey, and Charlie Griffiths as the Baroness. Signed Weds Dec 29, 5pm. Relaxed, Thurs Dec 30, 2.30pm.

Dec 8-Jan 2: Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World. Playhouse, Liverpool. The Playhouse stage bursts into life with this brand new kickass-pirational adaptation of suffragette descendent Kate Pankhurst’s award-winning picture book Dec 8-Jan 15: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Lowry. Step through the wardrobe into the enchanted kingdom of Narnia. Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and embark on the most magical of adventures in a frozen, faraway land. Audio described, Sat 11 Dec, 2pm - touch tour, 1pm; Sat 23 Dec, 7pm; captioned, Thur 16 Dec, 7pm; signed, Sat 18 Dec, 2pm. (Tel. 0161 876 2183) Dec 9: Bootleg Blondie. Floral Pavilion.

Dec 9-24: Outside The Igloo. Unity, Liverpool. Interactive icy adventure for all the family. Pixel, Crash and Click are not your normal penguins. Safe in their igloo, they play their way through life until one day, the power goes off! Signed performances.

Dec 10-11: Alternative Radio. Floral Pavilion.

Dec 10-Jan 9: Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Join Goldilocks, who, with the help of the Three Bears tries to save her Big Top from a rival circus owner! Get ready for a whole lot of family fun - it promises to be panto gold!

Dec 10-Jan 2: Sleeping Beauty. Crewe Lyceum. Bobby Davro, X Factor finalist Amelia Lily and Cheshire’s best-loved panto dame Malcolm Lord team up for this magical Christmas panto.

Dec 10-Jan 2: Cinderella. Regent, Stoke.

Join Cinders as she goes from rags to riches, outwits her very ugly sisters and meets her dashing Prince Charming.

Dec 11-Jan 2: Aladdin. Venue Cymru. The Venue Cymru panto is back and bigger than ever before. Audio described, Sat 11 Dec.

Relaxed, Sat 18 Dec, 10am and Tues 21 Dec, 1pm. Captioned, Wed 22 Dec, 10am Dec 11-Jan 2: Aladdin. Manchester Opera House. Alexandra Burke and Ben Nickless hoping to make your wishes come true.

Follow Aladdin on a spectacular adventure he’ll never forget, with flying carpets, a wishgranting genie, an evil sorcerer and plenty of festive magic.

Dec 12: Pauline Daniels and Friends. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Dec 14-Jan 9: Six. The Lowry. The international hit musical is back.

Audio described, Fri Dec 17, 8pm; signed, Sat Dec 18.

Dec 14-Jan 1: Dreamgirls. Liverpool Empire. Direct from the West End with an extraordinary story and unforgettable, spinetingling vocals.

Dec 16: More Ghost Stories for Christmas. The Brindley, Runcorn. Alfred St John Merrimoon with more Christmas time horrors.

Dec 17: Have Yourself a Merry Little Murder. Everyman, Liverpool. The ultimate murder mystery-themed night. It’s Christmas,

. . . reaching people who are digitally excluded . . .

Relax . . . signs are good for Cinders C

INDERS is about to hit town – several towns, in fact, as panto season swings into action.

And there are a couple of special shows being lined up at The Brindley, Runcorn.

A British Sign Language performances goes ahead on Wednesday December 29 at 5pm, and

Chicago, 1929. Al Capone and the Southside gang are on the verge of re-claiming the city from George ‘Bugs’ Moran. Fancy dress encouraged!

Dec 17: Roy Orbison and the Travelling Wilburys. The Brindley, Runcorn. Tribute show.

Dec 18-22: Filla Crack’s Christmas Drag Cabaret. Everyman, Liverpool.

Dec 18-31: Little Penguin’s First Christmas: a Snowbabie’s Story. The Lowry.

Jan 4: McCartney – The Songbook.

Lyceum, Crewe.

Jan 4-15: School of Rock. Palace, Manchester. Global hit musical based on the iconic movie.

Jan 5-22: Les Miserables. Liverpool Empire.

Captioned Jan 12, 7.30pm; audio described Jan 19, 7.30pm; signed Jan 19, 7.30pm Jan 6-9: Jack and the Beanstalk. Floral Pavilion. The Chrysanth’s Panto Society.

Jan 7. Romeo and Juliet. The Grand, Blackpool. Russia’s acclaimed ballet company.

All Together NOW!

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

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there’s an adapted and relaxed performance for people with sensory disorders/learning difficulties on Thursday December 30 at 2.30pm Halton Borough Council’s Executive Board Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Paul Nolan said: “The relaxed performance creates a welcoming, less formal atmosphere to help reduce anxiety levels.

Jan 7-9: Jack and the Beanstalk. The Lowry. Salford’s own Barton Theatre Company panto.

Jan 7: 80s Live. Lyceum, Crewe.

Jan 8: Big Girls Don’t Cry. Lyceum, Crewe.

Jan 8: Nina Conti – The Dating Show.

Opera House, Manchester.

Jan 8: Swan Lake. The Grand, Blackpool.

Russia’s acclaimed ballet company.

Jan 9: A Vision of Elvis. Lyceum, Crewe.

Jan 9: The Nutcracker. The Grand, Blackpool. Russia’s acclaimed ballet company.

Jan 13: Elkie Brooks. The Grand, Blackpool.

Jan 13: Fastlove. Floral Pavilion. George Michael tribute show.

Jan 13: Circus of Horrors. Lyceum, Crewe.

Jan 14: The Magic of Motown. Lyceum, Crewe.

Jan 14: Liverpool Legends in Conversation. Floral Pavilion. Phil Thompson and John Aldridge.

Jan 14: Stephen K Amos: Before and Laughter. The Lowry.

Jan 15: Totally Tina. Lyceum,

To advertise, contact . . .

“Some of the loud, bright elements will be reduced and strobe lighting and pyrotechnics will be removed.

“Music levels will be minimised and there will be no sections of complete darkness. Audience members will be able to come and go as they please throughout the show.” n The show runs from 8 December until 9 January.

Crewe. Tina Turner tribute show.

Jan 15: Myra Dubois: Dead Funny. The Lowry.

Jan 16: John Bishop – Right Here Right Now. The Lowry.

Jan 16: Carlos Pons – Mariposa. The Lowry.

Jan 15: McCartney – The Songbook. Floral Pavilion. Tribute show.

Jan 15: Lost in Music. The Grand, Blackpool. Music from the magical 70s.

Jan 16. Supreme Queen. Floral Pavilion.

Tribute show.

Jan 16: Kevin Clifton – Burn The Floor.

Regent, Stoke. A mix of eclectic live music, jaw-dropping choreography and groundbreaking moves, Jan 17-18: Swan Lake. Regent, Stoke.

Moscow City Ballet.

Jan 17-18: The Grand Old Lady. The Brindley, Runcorn. The play that celebrates over 125 years of the Club’s life at Goodison Park.

Jan 17-18: Handbagged. The Brindley, Runcorn. Comedy about what might have happened when

the Queen and Margaret Thatcher came face-to-face.

Jan 18-22: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Lyceum, Crewe. Nothing explores the dark heart of American Gothic better than this classic tale of love, revenge and bonechilling evil Jan 18-22: Frozen Light. The Lowry.

Futuristic sensory extravaganza for audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities. All performances audio described, signed, and relaxed.

Jan 18-22: Peter James’ Looking Good Dead. The Lowry. Adam Woodyatt (Emmerdale) and Gaynor Faye (The Syndicate) star in the acclaimed thriller.

Jan 18-19: Thick and Tight – Short and Sweet. Variety show that mixes dance, drag, lip-syncing and satire.?

Jan 19: Truly, Jack the Ripper. The Brindley, Runcorn. Be prepared for some scary stuff!

Jan 19: The Nutcracker. Regent, Stoke.

Moscow City Ballet.

Jan 20: Swan Lake. Opera House, Manchester. Moscow City Ballet.

Jan 20: You Win Again. The Grand, Blackpool. The music of the Bee Gees.

Jan 21: Bowie Experience. Floral Pavilion.

Tribute show.

Jan 21: The Grand Old Lady. Theatre Roya, St Helens. The play that celebrates over 125 years of the Club’s life at Goodison Park.

Jan 23: Celine – The Vegas Years. Tribute show.

Jan 22-29: 022 Dance – Celebration.

Regent, Stoke.

Jan 22: Fanny Galore’s Big Bingo Party.

Lyceum, Crewe.

Jan 23: Johnny Cash Roadshow. The Grand, Blackpool. Clive John’s tribute show.

Jan 25: Ed Byrne. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Jan 26: Round the Horne.

Lyceum, Crewe. Step back in time to the mid-60s and BBC’s Paris Studios.

Jan 26-Feb 5. Jersey Boys. Empire, Liverpool. Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Olivier Award-winning, original Broadway sensation, Jersey Boys.

Jan 27: The Story of Guitar Heroes. Floral Pavilion. Presented by Phil Walker.

Jan 27: Fastlove. Lyceum, Crewe. George Michael tribute show.

Jan 27: Here Comes The Girls. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Celebrating five decades of superb music from female artists.

Jan 29: Lost in Music. Rhyl Pavilion.

Turning back the clock to the music of Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sister Sledge and Chic.

Jan 28-Feb 26: Macca & Beth.

Royal Court, Liverpool. Madcap caper about family secrets from the writer of Ellen & Rigby, Yellow Breck Road and The Menlove Avenue Murder Mystery.

Gerry Linford’s brand new comedy will have you howlin’ like a wee scunner.

helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

25

YOUR SAY

26 All Together NOW!

FORMER psychology lecturer Lynn Burman knows quite a lot about caring – and being cared for.

She lives with a cerebral epidermoid cyst, is a rare form of brain tumour, and has been a patient at the Walton Centre for 25 years.

As a result of hydrocephalus three years ago, Lynne was unconscious for two months, and in all spent six months in intensive care, on a high dependency unit and in a rehab centre.

“I lost my ability to walk unaided and now rely on a wheelchair or rollator,” she says. “In addition, I had a tracheotomy and a feeding tube.

“I am now using my personal experience to improve the patient pathway and the communication between health and social care.”

Lynn is also turning her hand to writing.

She’s currently working on an idea based around a fictional character called Lady Esmerelda, who is unwittingly comical, and the trials of her longsuffering carer . . .

“MORNING,” called Bertha cheerily.

What a lovely way to start the day, thought Lady Esmerelda. She knew that carers work gruelling schedules, with very difficult clients.

But Lady Esmerelda prided herself on being an absolute pleasure.

Bertha set about her tasks, grateful for such a wonderful client as Lady E. It was impossible for her not to burst into spontaneous song, so joyous was she in her work.

Lady E was already contemplating a task she dreaded: she needed to cancel her lunchtime call. She was so caring about others that even the thought of the look of disappointment on her carer’s face when she announced this saddened her deeply. To deny a carer of her company, even for a short time, seemed almost too cruel.

With a heavy heart, she broke the news to Bertha.

What happened next was a bit awkward.

Bertha let out a noise that sounded strangely like a cheer. Lady E did not comment as she knew it was a stifled sob.

Lady E was always aware of how difficult the hours between her visits must be for her carers.

She would therefore assist them by compiling long lists of chores ready for their return.

She knew she was spoiling them but couldn’t help herself. The faces they pulled were so funny. She knew they would feign horror just to make her laugh. They are so funny, she giggled to herself.

LADY E was thinking ahead to Christmas.

She had a rather lovely cat and had recently bought him a new toy. It was a torch and he had to chase the light, which he loved doing.

She had hours of fun herself with it. So did the carers. She would shine the light on Bertha’s back, and the cat would jump on her and cling on with his claws. Bertha would run round squealing with joy while Lady E clapped gleefully.

Lady E was so proud of herself. I really am the best client, she mused.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)

Turning your dreams into reality will be easy at the beginning of December. The New Moon on the 4th could attract an opportunity to write, study or travel; a prestigious organisation will be happy to cover the bill. Don’t be intimidated by a long application; you’ll get the funding you need. Business discussions could take up a great deal of time during the middle of the month; emphasise your leadership ability when applying for a job or negotiating a raise. Good news will reach your ears on or directly after the 19th, courtesy of an uplifting Full Moon.

JANUARY: Don’t be in a rush to make important decisions about love and close relationships. Spending some time talking about your future as having a mutual goal to work towards will strengthen loving ties. Be honest about your feelings. They may even feel compelled to reveal a secret they’ve been keeping to themselves..

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)

Work will become much more rewarding in December, when you’re given a chance to interview for your dream job in the opening days of the month. On the 4th, the New Moon opens the door to an enticing partnership.

Giving your heart to an adventurous flirt or entering an alliance with a seasoned expert .

The second half of December warns against getting embroiled in legal battles.

JANUARY: Sit tight as the year begins. When it comes to partnership concerns, this isn’t the time to rush things. Your patience will pay off beautifully when later in the month joint matters will improve dramatically.

If there is anything in a friendship or love affair that needs to be cured, this is a good month to do what you can to restore your relationship to good health. Keep your longterm goals a secret and it won’t be long before you gain the recognition you deserve. Focusing on your spiritual development will be rewarding as January ends.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)

The New Moon on the 4th could pave the way to a passionate romance or rewarding creative project. An experienced partner will give you the courage to take some risks that are incredibly fulfilling. Hard work will be a theme in the middle of December; you could be putting in long hours for the sake of a demanding project. If you’re unemployed, you may plunge into a rigorous interview process.

JANUARY: Take good care of your health.

Make it a resolution to get plenty of rest, prepare nourishing meals and exercise regularly. Keep an eye on a colleague who can’t be trusted to work on their own. It will be easy to fix any blunders they make if you notice the problem immediately as it will be a case of a stitch in time saves nine. If you are in a position of leadership, insist on being kept informed of all new developments as they happen.

towards the middle of the month. Be patient and supplement proposals with reliable facts and figures. The second half of December could be stressful, due to a business or romantic partner’s erratic behaviour.

JANUARY: A testing situation could cause tension in the home or workplace. If a rift develops between you and some friends, by the 19th you will be ready to offer an olive branch. Rather than leaving it to someone else to make the first move, you might encourage everyone to let bygones be bygones.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)

A stalled dream could be revived in the opening days of the month. On the 4th, the New Moon will deposit some additional money in your account from an inheritance, royalty payment or legal settlement. Use this windfall to advance your career or professional profile.

The Full Moon on the 19th brings more good news on the financial front; don’t be surprised if you’re awarded a lucrative job after a lengthy interview process. Your social life will burst into flower in the final days of December.

JANUARY: Don’t jump to conclusions midJanuary when you’re introduced to a person who has a strange and unusual background.

There will be more to them than meets the eye.

You’re tired of being stuck in an oppressive rut.

Think about agreeing to new routines being suggested by an inventive friend or colleague who isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo.

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RUSSELL GRANT CALLING

VIRGO (August 24thSeptember 23rd)

A dream relationship could take off like a kite in the opening days of December. Whether you are single or attached, this should be a delightfully romantic time. The New Moon on the 4th finds you devoting more energy to domestic pursuits. If you’ve been thinking of moving, this is an ideal to time to search for a place to live. Beware of confusing passion with love in the second half of the month; the two are not interchangeable.

JANUARY: If you’re unhappy with a present romance don’t be too quick to break off this relationship. It may be that you have reached a stage where you need to spice things up and find exciting things to do together. Suggesting fun ideas will keep boredom at bay. A strong need to make a difference will prompt you to put your personal stamp on all that you do during the latter half of the month, no matter how big or small.

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)

Sharing your expertise with an appreciative audience will be a welcome trend at the beginning of December. Starting on the 4th, the New Moon could find you teaching an online course or record some instructional videos. The pleasures of home will call your name at the middle of the month; take time out of your busy schedule to connect with friends, relatives and neighbours. Hosting a big party will be very rewarding. Get a jump start on New Year’s resolutions by starting a fitness program in the final days of December.

JANUARY: Trust your intuition when it comes to your relationships. Facial expressions and body language will say more to you than words. If you sense someone is saying one thing but thinking something else, be wary.

An emotional encounter around the 18th will help you air your feelings. Someone has been taking your kindness far too much for granted and there is no reason, in any relationship or situation, why you should have to shoulder the main responsibility.

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)

An additional source of income could arrive on or around the 4th, courtesy of an enriching New Moon. Any job that allows you to work from home will be fulfilling, stable and lucrative.

Lengthy business negotiations could begin

Spending more time at home can soothe your fiery energy during the first of the month. You’ll be back in the public eye on the 4th, thanks to a fame enhancing New Moon. Don’t be surprised if you are put in charge of a community or educational project; people respond well to your upbeat energy.

JANUARY: With Mars in your sign for most of the month, working with an innovative and energetic team will be a welcome change of pace. An opportunity to take the helm of an important project will fall into your lap.

Through some frank talks with loved ones around the 21st, you could discover some profound truths. Self-care should be your priority as January ends.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)

You should use the power of your increased magnetism to promote your personal and professional agendas before the year ends.

The Full Moon on the 19th may find you reaching a personal best regarding your health; give yourself a handsome reward for having worked so hard. Don’t let a financial shortage cause you to panic in the second half of December; you can find some creative and inexpensive ways to have fun at year’s end.

JANUARY: The new moon in your sign as the year begins makes this a great time to gain a greater understanding of where you are at in life. Whether you are thinking of relocating or making a fresh start in your career, the important thing is to express your feelings, state your intentions and then make a plan on how to bring this goal about.

You’re more in touch with your imagination, emotions and feelings. Family relationships will benefit through your sensitivity and kindness.

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)

On the 19th, the Full Moon will bring news of an engagement, marriage, or creative achievement. Enjoy the round of parties that ensue from this happy event. Don’t discourage a relative from pursuing their dreams as the holidays approach; your approval will pave the way to their success. The final days of the year will bring at least one extraordinary earning opportunity. Ring out 2021 in style.

JANUARY: Strengthening your spiritual and emotional foundations will be a priority as the year begins. News you hear as the month ends will change the way you see an important person in your life. Some quiet contemplation will help you build a vision of the life you want for yourself in 2022.

PISCES (February20th-March20th)

Put your creative talent on display at work towards the middle of the month; it’s a great way to gain distinction. Beware of making angry outbursts in the second half of December or you could regret it. You’ll command the spotlight in the final days of the year.

JANUARY: By mid-January there will be a refreshing degree of honesty apparent in all your relationships. As the month ends you will be getting together with close friends and family to consider new arrangements. Some interesting ideas will be discussed and a money-making proposition is worth considering. Ask to sleep on it before making a firm decision especially if you will be committing your time to a big venture.

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All Together NOW!

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

27

Pots of ideas to brighten your home

H

OUSEPLANTS make great Yuletide gifts and if the word “Christmas” is in the name it is a sure sign the colours will last.

CHRISTMAS CHEER is a succulent of the sedum or stonecrop type called Sedum rubrotinctum. It has yellow, star-shaped flowers but its long-term appeal comes from the red tints on the fleshy leaves which develop after a long period in bright sunlight.

AFTER-CARE: It should last forever. Just water when the compost is nearly dry and feed the plant with a liquid general fertiliser monthly It is best to buy houseplants from a florist or garden centre where houseplants are displayed indoors, in a fairly warm, humid atmosphere, never outdoors where cold weather will affect the plants.

Each plant should have its own label giving its name and cultural advice. Once the plant is on display at home, don’t water it too much or too often. Over-watering kills more houseplants than anything else.

flowers 2.5cm (1in) wide. Keep it bushy by pinching out the tips when it is young.

AFTER-CARE: It is not worth keeping after flowering but young shoots can be used for taking cuttings.

CHRISTMAS HEATHER: Erica canaliculata, bears long-lasting, tiny white blooms, sometimes tinged pink, with black centres.

AFTER-CARE: Either scrap the plant after flowering or trim back the shoots, water and feed with lime-free fertiliser regularly, and stand the pot outdoors in summer, still watering thoroughly.

LONG-LASTING: Christmas Cactus (left) and Christmas Cheer

CHRISTMAS PEPPER, Capsicum annuum, is one of the most attractive in the Yuletide bunch. It is a small, shrubby plant with white flowers in summer and then – more significantly – long, upward-pointing fruits, starting green and then turning yellow, purple or more often red. One variety has even been named Christmas Greeting.

AFTER-CARE: Discard the plant when the fruits drop. Seeds taken from the fruits, dried and kept in a cool place will germinate easily in early spring but growing good specimens can be difficult.

FROSTY FAVOURITES CHRISTMAS CACTUS is an obvious place to start. It is best bought with the flowers in

D

bud a couple of weeks before Christmas – the trailing red or rose-pink flowers with long anthers will then appear at the right time and remain for two or three weeks afterwards.

It is sold under two Latin names, Schlumbergera truncata and Zygocactus truncatus.

AFTER-CARE: Water, feed and keep in a sunny place and it will grow bigger and better

for years. If the plant is threatening to grow too big, take cuttings. A section of two or three of the flat, fleshy leaves will root easily in gritty compost.

CHRISTMAS BEGONIA: Begonia cheimantha, is a pretty plant which needs some support to keep it upright. It grows to 45cm (18in) and produces white or pink

SNOW WHITE: Winter weather lends added beauty to the likes of the silk-tassle bush Garrya Elliptic, left, and the attractive evrgreen leaves of Cotoneaster conspicuous

ON’T frown at frost or sneer at snow. When those delicate white decorations descend, dull foliage starts to sparkle.

The spotted laurel, Aucuba japonica, has large, pale evergreen leaves flecked with gold. It is attractive throughout the year but, during the short days and frosty nights of deep winter, it looks even more attractive.

Despite its name, it is not a laurel at all but a member of the dogwood family and among the toughest shrubs in cultivation.

It is very hardy, tolerant of shade, salt winds, urban pollution and dry soil, and apparently immune to pests and diseases.

To advertise, contact . . .

If buying one, look for floppy, rather than erect, branches that will show off the leaves best. The flowers are insignificant but female versions bear scarlet berries from autumn if a male form is nearby.

Don’t eat the berries – they are slightly poisonous and can cause diarrhoea.

Cotoneasters are the scarlet ladies of autumn with berries that linger into winter and look even prettier dusted with frost.

As well as scarlet, the berries come in other

shades of red as well as purple and, in some, the leaves turn red or bronze. They are hardy and will tolerate poor or dry soil and partial shade.

In spring or early summer cotoneasters produce pink flower buds which open to small white blooms. Many species are smothered with them, filling the air around with their almond scent and attracting bees.

The silk-tassel bush, Garrya elliptica, is a large, glossy evergreen shrub that hardly gets noticed from spring to autumn.

helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

Then, as Christmas shopping starts and most other plants hibernate, the garrya sprouts numerous clusters of silver-green, dangling catkins, silky at first and later fluffy.

As the weeks pass they grow longer, often becoming yellowish-green, until they reach several inches in length.

Come frost, come snow, the catkins sway in the breeze looking delightful well into the new year. Among varieties with the best catkins are James Roof and Evie.

Tel. 07511 839397

28 All Together NOW!

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

The Accumulator Quiz

STARSPOT CROSSWORD Can you find the celebrity name hidden in this Starspot Crossword? Complete the crossword in the normal way then make a note of the letters contained in all the squares which are marked with shaded stars. These letters will make an anagram of the name you are looking for.

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Front (6) Upward slope (6) Invertebrate (6) Sell door to door (6) Large stream (5) Paddled (6) Clandestine (6) Follow orders (4) Ripped (4) Catch sight of (4) Pace (4) Very strict (6) Boredom (6) Later (anag.) (5) Stimulus, boost (6) Threefold (6) German songs (6) Pal (6)

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Each question has four possible answers and is worth from one to 15 points. Circle your chosen answers and keep a record of your points total. Maximum total points 120.

QUESTION 1 – for 1 point: What territory did the Russians sell to America for two cents an acre in 1867?

A Alaska B The Virgin Islands C Hawaii D New Mexico

QUESTION 10 – for 10 points: In which country was Pilsener lager first brewed?

QUESTION 2 – for 2 points: What does a philatelist collect?

A Books B Medals C Railway memorabilia D Postage stamps

QUESTION 11 – for 11 points: Which disease is transmitted by the tsetse fly?

QUESTION 3 – for 3 points: Which spice adds a yellow colour to Indian curry dishes?

A Cardamom B Turmeric C Cumin D Chilli

QUESTION 12 – for 12 points: Who was the first castaway on Desert Island Discs?

A B C D

A B C D

QUESTION 4 – for 4 points: In which London square is the TV soap EastEnders set?

A Albert B Victoria C Hanover D Leicester

Wince (6) Gambling room (6) Edict (6) Three-dimensional (6) Tolerate (6) Score (6) Neat (4) Nuisance (4) Abnormally fat (5) Wept (5) Helpful (6) Develop, disclose (6) Commend (6) Sharp cry (4) Let it stand (4) Great fear (6) Inflamed spot (6) Threaten (6)

A B C D

Actress Geraldine McEwan. See Question 15

A B C D

QUESTION 5 – for 5 points: In which of these continents is the Appalachian mountain range?

A Europe B Asia C North America D Australasia

A B C D

Air vice marshal Group captain Air commodore Wing commander

QUESTION 6 – for 6 points: Which of these services is monitored by the body known as Ofsted?

A Consumer protection B Water C Police D Education

Malaria Sleeping sickness Yellow fever Legionnaire’s disease

Arthur Askey Gracie Fields George Formby Vic Oliver

Madagascar Borneo Sri Lanka Easter Island

QUESTION 14 – for 14 points: On which Shakespeare play was the film The Boys From Syracuse based?

QUESTION 8 – for 8 points: Who wrote an autobiography about his early years entitled Boy? A B C D

Switzerland Germany Czech Republic Belgium

QUESTION 13 – for 13 points: Through which of these islands does the equator pass?

QUESTION 7 – for 7 points: Which of these posts ranks highest in the Royal Air Force?

SUDOKU

A B C D

Roald Dahl Ian Fleming Christopher Fry Roddy Doyle

As You Like It Love’s Labours Lost The Comedy Of Errors Twelfth Night

QUESTION 9 – for 9 points: The metal used to make the Victoria Cross is taken from guns used in which battle?

QUESTION 15 – for 15 points: Actress Geraldine McEwan was married for 49 years to Hugh Cruttwell, principal of which arts organisation?

A B C D

A B C D

Waterloo The Somme Sebastopol Rorke’s Drift

Royal Academy of Music Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts Royal Ballet Royal Academy of Arts

KAKURO

THERE is just one simple rule in Sudoku. Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box. This is a logic puzzle, and you should not have to guess.

EASY

DIFFICULT

4 6 1

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2

6

3 5

7 5 8 4 6 4 2

2 7

3 7

2 5 4 3 6

1 9 8

1

7

5 1 4 5 6 8

7 9

9 5 1

1

8 4 2 6

1 7 5 6 1 4

9 7

9

3

FILL in the blank squares in the grid with numbers so that each horizontal or vertical line adds up to the total given in the box either to the left or above it.

Horizontal totals are given in the top right corners of the shaded boxes; vertical totals in the bottom left corners.

You can use the numbers 1 to 9, but may not use the same number more than once in any run. The number may be used again, however, in the same row or column but as part of another run.

MEDIUM 13

11

30

17

11

16 23

16 17 14 16

7

17

28

14 8

11

6 13 35 10

15

DIALLING CODES

CROSS CODE 7

4

24

6

25

6 2

3

5

24

23 19

13

5

9

4

7

5

24

16 20

23

13

20

24

7

23 4

9

4

6

4

10

24

5

26

24 7

13

6

6

5

4

13

24 25

19 5

25

25

17

5

8

24

5

11

9 26

20

19

13

6

21

6

5

13

6

3 11

6

4

3

3

5

24

25 19

3

12

23

26

7

5

24

6

25 6

7

6

13

3 1

6

6

24

11 4

6

24

Telephone dialling pads combine several letters on one key. Here we have encoded several sets of words or items by using numbers rather than letters. Then we have divided them into groups of three characters and run all the names one after another to make your task a little more difficult. Can you crack the codes?

2

6

1 []’–

3 3

19

19

15

20 25

3 25

7

7

7 10

23

23

22 2

5

13 11

14

18 5

15

EACH number in our Cross Code grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. You have three letters in the control grid to start you off.

Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares.

As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check off the alphabetical list of letters as you identify them.

1

2

3

4

5

14

15

16

17

18

A

6

7

19

20

N

8

9

10

11

12

13

21

22

23

24

25

26

R

4 GHI

5 JKL

6 MNO

7 PQRS

8 TUV

9 WXYZ

––––

MOTHER

–––––

CIRCUS

––––

TRUE

MARBLE

––––

DUKE

WHITE

––––

HEART

––––

GRIEF WORM

WIND

4. Watch brands 847 768 173 566 321 446 371 367 745 134 519 364 841 276 264 639 182 414 383 717 241 663 421 248 493 228 747 8

273 337 518 633 423

2. Film actors 326 691 338 486 194 764 841 276 653 172 793 634 437 132 643 724 414 844 147 268 669 153 315 663 715 164 246 576 6

551 492 512 186 225

3. Types of pasta 622 276 641 736 631 666 353 713 273 255 317 724 438 841 728 465 413 874 554 122 735 541 527 246 318 376 423 554 186 783 554 641 744 286 64

566 373 184 928 612

5. Desserts 252 626 264 316 687 922 245 466 312 786 142 312 732 617 672 795 522 821 428 328 337 322 531 535 591 568 218 278

731 253 381 124 728

6. Book genres 246 472 749 173 544 164 548 279 123 836 314 677 671 763 879 284 661 447 867 917 736 231 735 314 357 626 231 274 63

PATHWORDS

SPOT CHECK

Starting from the central shaded letter, move one letter at a time (up, down, right or left, but not diagonally) to find the surnames of 18 English footballers.

Can you place the six dominoes (right) into the grid below in such a way that the number of spots in all four rows across and all four rows down totals 9?

K

H

A M N

S

O

T

E

H

E

C

E

B

C

N

A

L

Y

S

L

E

R P

I O

B

A

H

G

A

E

P

A

N M T

U M P

A

O

E

D

K

O

R

R S

S

M E M

Y

P R

B

T

E

S L

D L

3

4

5

6

Here is an unusual word with three definitions, only one of which is correct. Can you identify the right definition?

C B

E D

PATONCE 1) In heraldry, a cross having four arms expanding in curves from the centre;

F

O W

I

R

E

I

V

E

N

MAKE A DATE

E

A

J

H

T

E

L

L

E

Y

O N

In which year did all three of these significant historical events take place?

E

L

R

A

H

V

E

N

F

O

R

1. The Hubble telescope is placed into earth orbit by the space shuttle Discovery.

C O G

R

E

A

S

D

E

R

D

G N

A

N

I

D R A R R E TRANSFORMER

2) A French sailing vessel with an arched keel and a steeply raked stem and stern;

2. Conservative MP Ian Gow is killed by an IRA car bomb.

3) A wooden sole, mounted on an iron ring, to raise the shoe above the mud.

3. Customs officers on Teesside seize parts of a suspected ‘supergun’ destined for Iraq.

Add the given letter to the first word to make a new word.

Clue: Destiny forms the outline of the story.

WAS IT? a) 1987; b) 1988; c) 1989; d) 1990; e) 1991.

___ +P=P___

466 887 134 333 176

WORD WIZARD

2

A

K

W R F

FOR

3 DEF

1. Stoneware items 227 737 653 158 418 192 551 752 783 124 313 474 176 871 269 873 361 752 683 712 331 768 183 217 378 174 331 752 83

1

MISSING LINK Each pair of words has a missing word between them that acts as a link to both (e.g. FRONT – DOOR – MAT). The initial letters of the six answers (reading downwards) will spell out a man’s name.

2 ABC

Spaces and any punctuation marks are represented by 1.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

BREAK

All Together NOW! 29

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022

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ALL THE ANSWERS Pathwords: Terry; Smith; James; Fowler; Redknapp; Beckham; Robinson; Campbell; Southgate; Heskey; Lampard; Owen; Rooney; Ferdinand; Neville; Hargreaves; Gerrard; Cole.

8 6 1 3 2 5 7 9 4

4 2 3 1 7 9 8 6 5

7 9 5 4 6 8 2 1 3

2 5 8 9 3 7 1 4 6

SUDOKU EASY

9 7 4 6 5 1 3 2 8

3 1 6 8 4 2 9 5 7

5 4 9 2 8 3 6 7 1

6 8 2 7 1 4 5 3 9

1 3 7 5 9 6 4 8 2

4 5 7 9 8 2 1 3 6

6 8 2 5 3 1 9 7 4

3 9 1 4 6 7 5 2 8

9 1 3 2 5 8 4 6 7

U P W

B

X

Y Q K

D

N V G M H

E

C S O A

J

14 1

15 2

16 3

17 4

18 5

19 6

21

20

8

7

22

23 10

9

7

2

I

T

24 11

R

25

Z

12

F

26

L

13

CROSS CODE

5 4 6 7 1 3 2 8 9

7 2 8 6 9 4 3 1 5

SUDOKU DIFFICULT

2 7 5 1 4 6 8 9 3

1 3 4 8 7 9 6 5 2

8 6 9 3 2 5 7 4 1

10 35 11 28

9 1

7

7

9 16

17 14

16 17

3

4

8

9 13

11

8 3 4 5 1 23 16

1

6

5

13

2

6

8 7 30

KAKURO MEDIUM

4

8 14

9 6

7 7

2 9 11

5 1 17

9 6 15

Accumulator Quiz 1 – A; 2 – D; 3 – B; 4 – A; 5 – C; 6 – D; 7 – A; 8 – A; 9 – C; 10 – C; 11 – B; 12 – D; 13 – B; 14 – C; 15 – B. Starspot Crossword Across – 1 Façade; 4 Ascent; 8 Insect; 10 Peddle; 11 River; 12 Canoed; 14 Secret; 16 Obey; 17 Tore; 19 Espy; 22 Step; 26 Severe; 27 Tedium; 28 Alter; 29 Fillip; 30 Triple; 31 Lieder; 32 Friend.

Down – 1 Flinch; 2 Casino; 3 Decree; 5 Stereo; 6 Endure; 7 Twenty; 9 Tidy; 10 Pest; 13 Obese; 15 Cried; 18 Useful; 19 Evolve; 20 Praise; 21 Yelp; 22 Stet; 23 Terror; 24 Pimple; 25 Impend.

Star Name: SOPHIA LOREN

Word Wizard No 1 is correct. A patonce is a heraldic cross.

Dialling Codes 1. casserole; jug; vase; wall plaque; cheese dish; soup bowl; tureen; planter; coffee pot; tea service; side plate.

2. Danny DeVito; Will Smith; Arnold Schwarzenegger; Daniel Craig; Hugh Grant; Tommy Lee Jones; Jack Nicholson.

3. macaroni; penne; noodles; farfalle; spaghetti; ravioli; fusilli; capelli; lasagne; vermicelli; tortellini; rigatoni.

4. Tissot; Sekonda; Longines; Fossil; Diesel; Zenith; Armani; Timex; TAG Heuer; Swatch; Omega; Citizen;

Accurist.

5. blancmange; mousse; zabaglione; crumble; ice cream; sorbet; syllabub; gateau; cheesecake; jelly; pavlova; tart.

6. biography; religion; military; adventure; horror; poetry; fiction; history; reference; self-help; romance; crime.

Spot Check A = 1; B = 4; C = 6; D = 3; E = 2; F = 5.

Missing Link good; earth; ring; arch; lion; down.

Name: Gerald.

Make a Date The year was 1990.

Transformer Lot + P = Plot.

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RACING INTO THE RECORDS

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DRIVING AMBITION: Aaron Morgan, left, and Bobby Trundley with the new McLaren 570S GT4

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T

EAM BRIT’s goal of making motorsport history at the Le Mans 24-hour race is moving closer as it unveils its car for 2022 – a brand new McLaren 570S GT4.

The team aims to be the first ever alldisabled team to compete in the iconic endurance race and earlier this year announced plans to enter the British GT Championship in 2022.

World-leading racing hand controls have been fitted to the car to give paraplegic driver Aaron Morgan the best possible chance of victory.

Featuring fly-by-wire technology with paddles mounted behind the steering wheel for accelerator and brake, and gears controlled by rocker switches activated by the driver’s thumbs, the technology moves away from standard push/pull controls seen in adaptive cars.

This means drivers can keep both hands on the wheel at all times, in common with able-bodied competitors and removing any disadvantage.

Aaron, who broke his back in a motocross accident at the age of 15, will team up with the world’s fastest autistic racing driver, 22-year-old Bobby

stay ahead of the game . . .

It’s bold but we know we will reach our goal – Le Mans 24

Trundley for the British GT in 2022.

Bobby and Aaron have stunned competitors on the track this year in the Britcar Endurance Championship with multiple podiums and an overall championship finish position of 3rd in class.

Meanwhile, Andy Tucker and Luke Pound, who both sustained limb disabilities following motorbike accidents, will step up to driving the team’s Aston Martin GT4 in the Britcar Endurance Championship. New rookies will begin their racing journey in the team’s bespoke-build BMWs. Team Founder Dave Player said: “This

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is a milestone moment for our team and something we have worked tirelessly to achieve.

“Our plans have always been bold, ambitious and beyond belief for many, but we know we will achieve our goal of reaching Le Mans. On top of that, we are making changes to motorsport that are crucial for true accessibility.

“Our entry into British GT means we’re racing in the highest level of endurance racing in the UK and the most iconic British championship.

“Next year (2022) we aim to acquire our GT3 car which we will race in British GT and European Le Mans in 2023 before aiming for Le Mans in 2024.

“The strength of our intent should not be underestimated. We will do this and we will make history. Our work does not end there, we’re welcoming more and more disabled drivers into motorsport through our racing academy and through entry level racing.

“This is something we will continue for years to come – building a truly accessible ladder of opportunity for disabled drivers. This is the Team BRIT legacy we’re so proud to have created.” n www.teambrit.co.uk

Tel. 0151 230 0307

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All Together NOW! 31

Snooker ace Tony is hot pot super HEAD OF THE CUE: Tony Southern receives his award from Simon Berrisford, WDBS vice chairman

RIVALS: Mohammed Faisal Butt and Alan Reynolds

L

IVERPOOL’s snooker king Tony Southern clinched his fourth World Disability Billiards and Snooker title at Hazel Grove, Stockport.

Southern defeated 2019 champion John Teasdale (Lancaster) 3-0 in a deceptively close final to clinch gold in the combined Groups 2+3 tournament.

Previously a winner of the Belgian Open and UK Championship, Southern did not drop a frame during his five matches as he made it back-to-back titles on the circuit for the first time following success in Bruges last March.

The Stockport Open was the first WDBS event to be held since the onset of the pandemic.

There was also a special victory in the Group 6B category for Leroy Williams (Runcorn), who defeated first-time finalist Matthew Haslam (Runcorn) 3-1 to claim his seventh title and his first since becoming a father just five months ago.

Williams, who was also defending his title first won in 2020, made the highest overall break of the weekend with a run of 61 – his new personal best on the WDBS Tour to date.

Gold medals also went to Preston’s Mickey Chambers and Daniel Blunn (Sutton

GOLDEN SHOT: Preston’s Mickey Chambers is yet to taste defeat on the WDBS circuit Coldfield).Chambers was maintaining his incredible unbeaten run in Group 5 by claiming his seventh WDBS title following a 3-0 success over Dean Simmons (Boston).

Since his 2018 debut at his home tournament in Preston, Chambers is yet to taste defeat on the regular WDBS circuit, losing only to Blunn at the invitational Tour Championship at the Crucible Theatre in 2019.

Blunn, meanwhile, made it a recordextending 12th WDBS success and his second at Hazel Grove, as he defeated

stay ahead of the game . . .

David Church 3-1 to win the Group 4 tournament. He lost just two frames during the tournament, while opponent Church had the consolation of having equalled his personal highest WDBS break of 52, previously made three years ago in Northampton.

There was a new champion crowned in Group 6A as Scotland’s Alan Reynolds claimed gold on debut following a 3-1 win over defending champion Mohammed Faisal Butt.

Paired within the same round robin group,

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BAIZE OF GLORY: First final for Matthew Haslam, left, but for Leroy Williams it was his seventh title – and he also recorded the highest break at the tournament it was Butt who won their initial meeting as both progressed to the semi-finals, but Dunfermline’s Reynolds gained swift revenge on his way to the title.

Finally, there was victory for Peter Geronimo (London) in the Challenge Cup tournament for players who had not made it through the knock-out rounds, as he defeated Steve Cartwright (Farnborough) 2-1 to claim his third WDBS gold medal. n www.wpbsa.com

Tel. 0151 230 0307

32 All Together NOW!

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