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The world’s best bouncers
BOUNCING with ideas and big hopes of helping more people affected by autism this year. That’s the team at Autistic Together, who entered the Guinness World Record Book with an amazing 25-hour trampoline event which raised funds for the Merseyside-based charity. During the challenge the team bounced a total height of 49km, or 5.5 times the height of Mount Everest, at an average of 46 bounces per minute! The Wirral charity’s activity manager Emma Crabb said: “It really does show what you can do when you put your mind to it.”
Wirral mayor Ann McLachlan, who presented the team with their Guinness World Record certificate, said: “I think it’s a fantastic achievement to raise both awareness and funds and I’m so happy they managed to get the world record after all their hard work.” Autism Together supports more than 400 people across Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. Services include residential care, respite care and supported living. The charity also runs a garden centre, park, farm, canal boat, and has its own rock-rap band and choir. n Autism Together: Tel. 0151 334 7510
Politicians show they flipping DO care!
MPs, Lords and members of the media were in good spirits for the annual Rehab Parliamentary Pancake Race.
Among the well-known TV faces showing off their pancake-flipping prowess on Shrove Tuesday were the BBC’s James Landale and Will Boden, Channel 4’s Michael Crick, and ITV News’ Romilly Weeks. Pancake race veteran, newcaster Alastair Stewart (pictured) was hanging up his apron this year to be the official starter. He said: “I
have been jostled by peers, tripped by MPs, sledged by Parliamentary supporters, and flirted with a coronary. But enough is enough!” Ruth Cadbury, MP for Brentford and Isleworth, added: “So often in Parliament, we MPs are at each other’s throats, but this is an opportunity to show that we can come together for the right cause.” n Rehab is a charity that champions the value of diversity and inclusion for people with a disability or disadvantage in their communities.
HALF A MILLION READERS . . .
Dementia: High tech dectection is now vital
MORE than three quarters of British adults would be willing to use hi-tech ways to detect early signs of dementia as part of regular health checks, a new survey has found. Of those willing to access emerging technologies, 87% would be willing to use eye tests, and 72% would wear a device that tracks movement patterns in everyday life. By contrast, only 30% would be willing to undergo a spinal tap test to take a fluid sample with a needle into the base of the spine, despite this method currently being used in research studies to identify early markers of diseases like Alzheimer’s. Dr Carol Routledge, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We desperately need new and better treatments for people with dementia. “But research so far suggests that future treatments will be most beneficial when given at the early stages of the diseases that cause dementia.” The survey also shows that, of those who knew someone with dementia and felt that there was a delay in the diagnosis, the main reason for the delay was because the early signs were too gradual to notice. If health tech had been available to accurately detect the signs of dementia, almost half (48%) felt they would have encouraged this person to visit a doctor at an earlier stage. More than a third of young people (18-24) also expressed concerns about them developing dementia. The findings of the YouGov online survey of over 2,000 adults, conducted by AXA PPP healthcare, coincides with the launch of the ‘Innovations in the Early Diagnosis of Dementia Award’ – a new category in AXA PPP’s annual awards programme, rwhich is run in partnership with Alzheimer’s Research UK. Closing date March 1. n www.healthtechandyou.com
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February/March 2018
Top praise for All Together NOW! at United Utilities first Affordability Summit
‘THIS FANTASTIC CHARITY PAPER’
T
OP praise was heaped upon your FREE and favourite All Together NOW! newspaper.
Louise Beardmore, customer service director at United Utilities, said: “This is a really, really great FREE newspaper – one that’s helping hundreds of thousands of people across the North West – and beyond. “Of all the material United Utilities puts out 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 out, and I would urge anyone who is not familiar with the paper to get hold of a copy now. It’s fantastic!” Mrs Beardmore was welcoming more than 100 representatives from organisations across the region to the water company’s first ever Affordability Summit, which looked at what more can be done to support people struggling to make ends meet. She said: “From our point of view, if customers are struggling with water bills,
LOUISE BEARDMORE, customer servoices director at United Utilities
UNITED UTILITIES used the event, at St George’s Hall, Liverpool, to launch two new financial support schemes, one of which guarantees to help customers behind with their water bills to be debt free within two years. In response to the roll-out of Universal Credit, the company is
they are likely to be struggling to pay most of their household bills, so this is collective challenge to see what more we could all be doing to help and support people. “We already offer a wide range of financial assistance schemes to support our most vulnerable customers, but we are challenging ourselves to improve the scale and effectiveness of the support we offer. We also know lots of customers may be unaware of what we do or feel unable to reach out for the help. “Coming together with others who can likewise support customers and encourage them to access the help available is
also offering a suspension or delay in payments for up to eight weeks, giving people time to manage their budgets in the event of a short-term reduction in their household income due to the transition over to the new benefit. n www.unitedutilities.com/difficultypaying-bill See Page 11
important for getting people out of poverty and back on track.” Over half of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK are in the North West. Angela Eagle, MP for Wallasey, said: “Many people across the North West are struggling to stay up to date with their bills and any additional help that can be given is so important. It can make all the difference between having money to buy food or requiring help from a food bank.” Also supporting the event was Lord John Bird, founder of the Big Issue.
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Good ideas wanted
THE search is on top find the brightest and best new innovations to help people with disabilities. High tech devices and more simple ideas are equally welcome, say the organisers of the annual Blackwood Design Awards.Past entries include a design for a wheelchair that allows users to control its direction with their eyes, as well as the ‘S’up Spoon, which helps people with shaky hands to eat more easily. Deadline, Friday March 30. n Tel, 0131 317 7227
Get well soon, Sir Ken!
ALL the team at All Together NOW! send their best wishes to Sir Ken Dodd, who is recovering at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital from a chest infection. Sir Ken, who celebrated his 90th birthday in November, is already looking forward to organising a big show for the Lord Mayor’s supported charities – which includes All Together NOW! – in the spring. “I WILL be there! I SHALL return,” he says. Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal – p14
Countdown to DAD27 THE COUNTDOWN has started for DAD27 – the North West’s 27th annual Disability Awareness Day, taking place at Walton Hall Gardens on Sunday 15 July. DAD27 will be the finale of a week of events that will be launched on Saturday 30 June with an Arts Showcase in Warrington Town Centre. n WDP, tel 01925 240064.
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All Together NOW!
Would you like to live healthily to age 200?
LIVING healthily to an average of 200 years old may well be a reality in future, according to stem cell experts. Specialists say through the advanced technology of stem cell storage and renewal, our bodies can be repaired and restored no matter what health problems we face – effectively reversing or at least stalling the ageing process. Mark Hall, spokesman for the UK stem cell bank, StemProtect.co.uk, said: “In just the same way as we might replace a joint such as a hip with a specially made synthetic device, we can now replace cells in the body with new cells which are healthy and younger versions of the ones they’re replacing. “That means we can replace diseased or ageing cells – and parts of the body – with entirely new ones which are completely natural and healthy.” At new trials in Miami, 15 elderly and frail patients were reported to have improved breathing and movement after just a single infusion of stem cells taken from younger and healthier donors. More studies with a group of 30 people produced the same result in patients with an average age of 78.
Meningitis alert
DESPITE pressures on the NHS, the UK’s largest meningitis charity is urging people to seek medical help if they suspect a family member has it. Dr Tom Nutt, CEO of Meningitis Now, said: “If you suspect meningitis seek medical help immediately – please do not hesitate or be put off by recent stories of a struggling NHS. “It is vital to seek help as quickly as possible.” Common signs and symptoms of meningitis include; fever, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, severe muscle pain, severe headache, stiff neck, dislike of bright lights, convulsions/seizures, pale/blotchy skin, spots /rash.
Don’t forget 999 staff
THE people who deal with our 999 calls might be damaging their long-term health Examining 16 studies from across the world, researchers identified key factors that cause stress and potentially impact on their psychological health. In one study, participants reported experiencing fear, helplessness or horror in reaction to 32% of the different types of calls that they received. Mark Cropley, Professor in Health Psychology at the University of Surrey, said: “Although handlers are not experiencing trauma first-hand the stress that they experience when responding to such calls should not be overlooked.”
February/March 2018
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‘Parents told to teach their kids’ NEWS
PARENTS are being pressured to educate their disabled children at home because their schools cannot meet their needs, the education watchdog warned. Some disabled children and young people who need support were having a very poor experience of the education system, said Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman in her annual report. And some parents are being urged to keep their children at home, she said. Her report also says that there are now about 1,000 state-funded special schools, three-quarters of which are maintained by local authorities, while a quarter are academies.
The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or a new education, health and care plan attending a state-funded special school, rather than mainstream provision, has risen from 40% in 2010 – when the coalition Government pledged to remove the bias towards inclusion – to 45% of pupils. Tara Flood, director of The Alliance For Inclusive Education (ALLFIE), said: “The Government is in complete denial that there is a crisis in the support that disabled children and young people should be receiving. And Ms Flood added: “The alarm bells are ringing everywhere apart from in the Department for Education.”
MINISTRY OF LONELINESS n More than 9 million people always or often feel lonely n Around 200,000 older people have not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month n Up to 85% of disabled 18 to 34 year olds feel lonely
T
HE UK’s first minister for loneliness says she’s determined to help the millions who are on their own and rarely talk to anyone.
MP Tracey Crouch said: “It is really important that we understand what isolation means, what loneliness means and what measures we can take to try and tackle those important issues. “I am sure that with the support of volunteers, campaigners, businesses and my fellow MPs from all sides of the House, we can make significant progress in defeating loneliness, added the Tory MP for Chatham and Aylesford. Miss Couch, who is also Minister for Sport and Civil Society, was appointed ‘Loneliness Minister’ by the Prime Minister at a Downing Street reception celebrating the legacy of former Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered last year. The Prime Minister said: “For far too many people, loneliness is the sad reality of modern life. “I want to confront this challenge for our society and for all of us to take action to address the loneliness endured by the elderly, by carers, by those who have lost loved ones – people who have no one to talk to or share their thoughts and experiences with. “Jo Cox recognised the scale of loneliness across the country and dedicated herself to doing all she could to help those affected. “So I am pleased that Government can build on her legacy with a ministerial lead for loneliness who will work with the Commission, businesses and charities to shine a light on the issue and pull together all strands of government to create the first ever strategy. “We should all do everything we can to see that, in Jo’s memory, we bring an end to the acceptance of loneliness for good.”
TRACEY CROUCH: First loneliness minister
Attending the reception was Phil Burton, from Leyland, who received a Point of Light Award for his work on tackling loneliness. Mr Burton, a former Royal Artillery Lance Bombardier, founded the Veterans’ Café, which brings former members of the armed forces together, to talk, share experiences and access support from charities and the NHS. He said: “When I first started the venture with the Veterans’ Café, I never thought it would grow into something this big. But it would never have been possible without the help of South Ribble Council, and the veterans that support the café on a fortnightly basis.” Disability charity Sense welcomed the plans. Richard Kramer, the charity’s deputy CEO, said: “Loneliness is disproportionately high among disabled people. “We want loneliness to be part of everyone’s business, so we look forward to working with the minister to develop practical solutions that can make a difference”
HALF A MILLION READERS . . .
Disability charities ‘need to be united’
DISABILITY charities must do more to support the activists who are fighting austerity through direct action protests. That was the call from a leading figure in the disabled people’s movement. Jackie Driver, who has chaired the Manchesterbased disability organisation Breakthrough UK for the last 13 years, said that grassroots organisations like Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) had received negligible support from the wider movement. Driver was delivering the third annual Edward Rushton Social Justice Lecture at the Museum of Liverpool, an event organised by the userled disability arts organisation DaDaFest. She said there was a risk that the resistance to crushing Government cuts would remain “fractured and ineffective” unless there was solidarity with groups like DPAC. “Until that changes, and people stand in solidarity with organisations like DPAC, using direct action and civil disobedience, putting their bodies in front of their convictions, then the UK movement risks remaining fragmented, ineffective and easily dismissed or ignored.” She pointed to the advances that had come about because of Disabled People’s Direct Action Network (DAN) and the Campaign for Accessible Transport. And she paid tribute to organisations, including the Manchester branch of the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation, Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds, DaDaFest, and her own organisation, Breakthrough UK. Together, she said, they were the “northern powerhouse of the disability rights movement”.
www.alltogethernow.org.uk
February/March 2018
NEWS
ON SONG: The Choir with No Name Liverpool is one organisation that knows all about the benefits of singing. The charity, which provides singing opportunities for homeless and marginalised people, say that three out of four of their members have reported improvements in their mental health. n www.choirwithnoname.org/choirs/liverpool-choir
SING YOUR WAY TO HAPPINESS S
INGING is a brilliant way to raise your spirits, according to new research.
People who took part in a community singing group maintained or improved their mental health, a study shows. And that the combination of singing and socialising was an essential part of recovery because it promoted an on-going feeling of belonging and wellbeing. Professor Tom Shakespeare and Dr Alice Whieldon worked in collaboration with the Sing Your Heart Out (SYHO) project, based in Norfolk. Lead researcher Prof Shakespeare said: “We found that singing as part of a group contributes to people’s recovery from mental health problems.
All Together NOW!
Retirement the key to happy marriage!
“The main way that Sing Your Heart Out differs from a choir is that anyone can join in regardless of ability. “There’s also very little pressure because participants are not rehearsing towards a performance. It’s very inclusive and just for fun. “The format is also different to a therapy group because there’s no pressure for anyone to discuss their condition. “We heard the participants calling the initiative a ‘life saver’ and that it ‘saved their sanity’. Others said they simply wouldn’t be here without it, they wouldn’t have managed – so we quickly began to see the massive impact it was having. “All of the participants we spoke to reported positive effects on their mental health as a
direct result of taking part in the singing workshops. “For some it represented one component of a wider progamme of support. For others it stood out as key to their recovery or maintenance of health. “But the key thing for everyone was that the Sing Your Heart Out model induced fun and happiness.” The report shows how a combination of singing and social engagement gave participants a feeling of belonging and wellbeing that often lasted a day or more, as well as improved social skills and confidence. Taking part on a weekly basis provided structure, support and contact that helped people improve their mood, feel good, and function better in day-to-day life.
THE secret to a happy marriage is retirement, according to new survey. More than two-thirds of couples in their golden years claim they are happier now than they ever have been. Over half (52%) of the 1,500 pensioners questioned said their relationship had flourished since giving up work as they no longer have to endure the stresses of office life – or the pressures of running a family home. The study showed that ironing school uniforms on a Sunday night, cooking family meals every evening and hosting the family Christmas were things older people were glad to see the back of. Of the pensioners polled, 28% have already downsized. A quarter went as far to say it’s the best thing they ever did and they wish they had done it sooner. A spokesperson for retirement housebuilder, McCarthy & Stone, who commissioned the survey, said: “The research shows that leaving behind the stresses and strains of working, bringing up a family and maintaining a home can give older couples a whole new lease of life.”
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Top MP puts boot into Tory 10-year jobs plan A TEN-YEAR plan aimed at getting a million more disabled people into work has been slammed by veteran MP Frank Field, head of the powerful Work and Pensions Select Committee. The Government says the measures, contained in their Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability document, demonstrate how they are taking significant steps to ensure everyone can reach their potential. But Field, the respected MP for Birkenhead in Merseyside, said: FRANK FIELD MP “Progress on reducing the disability employment gap in the last decade has been glacial, and the measures announced offer little prospect of picking up the pace. “What is needed is a radical new system to incentivise employers to take on and retain disabled workers. “This is but a first step in the marathon distance the Government will need to travel to give a million more disabled people a better opportunity to get into and progress in work.” SKILLZONE – Page 20
Autistism taskforce
A NEW taskforce led by autistic people has vowed to address the “hypocrisy and injustice” facing those with the condition. The National Autistic Taskforce (NAT) is being funded for two years through a £100,000 grant from the Shirley Foundation. Dame Stephanie Shirley, the charity’s founder and whose late son was autistic, said: “This is a hugely exciting project. It takes us to the next level – a group of independent autistic people determining what they will focus on, who they will bring in and how they will work
Charities need help
NINE out of 10 leaders of small and medium sized disability charities are spending little or no time on long-term planning and strategy, say organisers of the Weston Charity Awards. Three quarters indicate that lack of budget is preventing them from bringing in additional resources. The research coincides with the start of the application period for the Weston Charity Awards, which create more resilient small to medium sized charities by providing leadership and organisational strategy support. Gillian Murray, chief executive of Pilotlight, which manages the coaching and mentoring of the awards, said: “The benefits of focusing organisational strategy are overwhelming.” n Tel. 020 7283 7022.
February/March 2018
www.alltogethernow.org.uk
Remarkable tale of a blind pioneer NEWS
THE fascinating, 200 year story of the UK’s first school for blind people is being told in a new exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool. The Blind School: Pioneering People and Places delves into the school’s remarkable history, which was founded by the blind abolitionist and human rights campaigner Edward Rushton. Rushton had first hand experience of slavery through working on slave ships. His compassion for, and proximity to, enslaved people led him to contract a disease that cost him his sight. As a result of his experiences of blindness and poverty and realising the poor treatment and life chances of many less wealthy blind people, he founded the school to offer training and skills. The exhibition gives a moving insight into
Unique objects from the museum’s collection alongside loans from individuals, personal stories and a film made in partnership with students from St Vincent’s School for Sensory Impairment, Liverpool, are among the exhibits. The exhibition is run in partnership with Accentuate’s History of Place project, which explores 800 years in the lives of deaf and disabled people. Esther Fox, head of the Accentuate Programme, said: “Our History of Place project has been working with communities across the country to shine a spotlight on 800 years of history, specifically telling the stories of deaf and disabled people.” n The exhibition, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, runs until April 15.
ALL ABOARD? YOU MUST BE JOKING! the daily lives of the pupils, the strict rules that they had to follow, how they crafted superb objects for sale, their leisure pursuits, and how some went on to earn a living.
New taxi laws are ignored by half of country
O
NLY about a third of councils have taken action to protect wheelchair users from discrimination by taxi and private hire drivers.
The news comes almost a year after the Government gave local authorities the power to do so. Figures compiled by transport access campaigner Doug Paulley, also show that nearly half of local authorities across England, Wales and Scotland have no firm plans in place to apply the new laws. Since last April fines of up to £1,000 could be handed out to drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles who refuse to accept wheelchair-users, try to charge them extra, or fail to provide them with appropriate assistance. But the new laws only apply in those areas of England, Scotland and Wales where the local authority has drawn up a list – under section 167 of the Equality Act – of all the wheelchair-accessible taxis and private hire vehicles in their area. The Government had already been encouraging councils to start drawing up such lists for seven years before the law was brought into force.
by JOHN PRING
The Department for Transport (DfT) also said that it should have taken no more than six months to bring in the new measures. But, says Mr Paulley, responses to freedom of information requests have painted a bleak picture of progress since the law was finally implemented. He already has information from more than 300 of the 347 local authorities that could use the new powers – if they choose to do so – and just 37% have created a section 167 list; while another 15% intend to do so by the end of March. A further 21% say they intend to create a list but have no timescale; 15% have not made a decision on whether they will do so yet; and
HALF A MILLION READERS . . .
12% – nearly one in eight – have no current intention to draw one up. A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: “Disabled people must have the same opportunities as everyone else. “In April we implemented legislation to ensure wheelchair users travelling by taxi or private hire vehicle receive the assistance they require. “We strongly encourage councils that have not already done so to use these powers.” She said the department was “encouraged” by the response from those local authorities that had already created section 167 lists but “would like to see more authorities making the most of these powers”.
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All Together NOW!
February/March 2018
£300m giveaway!
T
HE Steve Morgan Foundation has broken through the £300 million barrier in funding commitments as it aims to change 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, Cheshire and North Shropshire. More than 650 charities have been supported so far, and this number will increase dramatically over the coming years after Steve committed over
£200 million additional funding to the Foundation in 2017. 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; and n Enable funding for specialist equipment which includes the brand new Smiley Buses.
Our bike BOOST T HE Steve Morgan Foundation is funding a new Yamaha motorbike for a charity that provides vital transport for medical supplies across the North West.
Volunteer bikers from Merseyside & Cheshire Blood Bikes deliver urgently needed blood, donor breast milk, drugs, and human tissues to hospitals, hospices and blood transfusion units. Simon Dennett, events and fundraising manager at the charity, said: “We are all ecstatic and delighted with news of the funding. “The new bike from the Steve Morgan Foundation will be more reliable, more economical, and one which our volunteers will enjoy riding as they make their important journeys.” Demand for their services is increasing. Last year the bikers carried out 6,500 jobs. By the middle of this January they had already completed 400. Simon added: “People often think we are paramedics or others working for the NHS. “Far from it – usually you will see us doing this work on our days off! But everyone enjoys doing their bit to help!”
PARTY TIME ALMOST 300 children, many with disabilities or life-changing conditions, enjoyed a fabulous Christmas party put on by the Steve Morgan Foundation. Many of the young guests had received specialist disability equipment from the Foundation’s Enable programme, while 15 other organisations, which have also
been supported, were also represented. Steve Morgan, chairman of the Foundation, said: “This is one of my favourite afternoons of the year. Seeing the children enjoying themselves is fantastic. “All of them face difficulties and disadvantages on a daily basis and our funding makes a real difference to their lives.”
www.stevemorganfoundation.org.uk Tel 01829 782808
Steve Morgan Foundation
Enabling Matt MEET Matt, who has been able to continue his studies at university and maintain an independent life – thanks to funding from the Steve Morgan Foundation’s Enable programme. We welcome applications for specialist equipment for people of all ages, from wheelchairs to mobility aids, sensory equipment, communications aids and medical equipment and support wear. More than 50 awards have already been made from the Enable fund, which was set up last year. n Visit the Enable section on our website – address below
@stevemorganfdn
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February/March 2018
www.alltogethernow.org.uk
Register your appliances
MERSEYSIDE Fire & Rescue Service is urging everyone to improve their home safety by registering their fridges, freezers and washing machines. By taking just a few minutes to register domestic appliances directly with the manufacturer, householders can be contacted quickly if a recall or free safety repair is ever needed. Mark Thomas, Group Manager for Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, said: “Registering appliances is so important. It takes just minutes but it will mean a manufacturer can contact you quickly if your product needs to be recalled for safety reasons.” To register, visit www.registermyappliance.org.uk You will need the brand name and model of your product, plus the serial number (printed on the safety plate attached to your product) and approximate date of purchase. TALK TIME: Staff at the Time to Talk stand at the MFRS headquarters
Is it time to talk? MFRS supported Time to Talk Day by providing advice and information about mental health issues at a special stand set up at our headquarters in Bootle. Time to Talk Day is a chance for us all to be more open about mental health – to talk and to listen. The message is: no matter where you are – at home, at work or even at the top of a mountain! – you can have a conversation about mental health. n www.time-to-change.org.uk
BE A GOOD NEIGHBOUR I
F YOU hear a neighbour’s smoke alarm sounding – act on it! It could save lives.
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is committed to delivering a quality home safety service to our local communities – and the most valuable resource we have are you! Contact us if you have safety concerns about a relative, friend or neighbour. If you know someone who may benefit from our help, phone 0800 731 5958 or email us at fireservicedirect@merseyfire.gov.uk (quoting reference 218). This particularly applies for anyone who: n Is over 65 years old, as the risk of dying in a fire is more than twice as high as the average for all other ages. n Is vulnerable or may require additional assistance or support. n Lives somewhere that is unsuitable or unsafe. n May have extreme mobility issues that would impede them escaping in the event of a fire. n May have a sensory impairment resulting from Alzheimer’s, dementia, strong medication, alcohol or drug issues or may be hard of hearing, which would
Your fast action can save lives
stop them hearing or reacting to a fire or the smoke alarm in their property. n Does not have working smoke alarms in their property. We are able to offer fire safety advice and can help improve conditions for them. For people who are hard of hearing, strobe light alarms and vibrating pads can be installed by MFRS. A flashing strobe and accompanying vibrating pad, which is placed under an occupier’s pillow or mattress, is triggered by smoke alarms to alert someone who may not be able to hear an audible alarm. Any information shared with MFRS will be treated in the strictest confidence and only used to prevent serious injury or death. Our aim is to ensure people are safe in their homes and, as such, we adopt a nonjudgmental approach in respect of an individual’s personal circumstances.
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Top tips for safe cooking n If you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking, take pans off the heat or turn down the heat. n Double check the hob is off when you’ve finished cooking. n Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob. n Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing. n Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking. Keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach. n Take care with electrics – keep leads and appliances away from water, and place grills and toasters away from curtains and kitchen rolls. n Keep equipment clean and in good working order. A build-
up of fat and grease can ignite a fire. n Don’t cook after drinking alcohol. n Hot oil can catch fire easily – make sure it doesn’t overheat. n If a pan catches fire, don’t tackle it yourself. Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so. Don’t throw water over it. n Never throw water on a chip pan fire. n Make sure you have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home and test them regularly. n Have an escape plan in place. In the event of fire – get out, stay out, and call 999.
DON’T THROW WATER . . .
Friendly advice
FIRE crews and advocates from MFRS visited residents in and around Ben Nevis Road, Birkenhead, as part of a “reassurance” campaign, following a serious house fire in the area. Staff spent time talking with residents, providing free safety checks in their homes, and replacing smoke alarms where needed. Leaflets promoting smoke alarms and the safe use of heating appliances around the home were also handed out.
February/March 2018
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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Electricity North West and we own, operate and maintain the power network from rural Cumbria to urban Manchester. Our customers may sometimes experience a power cut due to a fault on the electricity network. Being without power can cause extra difficulties but we can offer extra support to you through our Priority Services Register, a free and easy to use service that can help you when you may need it the most.
Where we operate:
Cumbria
Benefits of being on our Priority Services Register: Regular updates
Receive updates about the services we offer and updates if there is a power cut in your area. Lancashire
We can provide practical items such as blankets, hot flasks and torches to help support you during a power cut.
Nominated contact
Nominate a friend or family member for us to keep updated in the event of a power cut.
Weather updates
Receive text message weather alerts.
Password sign up
Register a unique password so if we ever need to visit you at home you feel safe knowing we are who we say we are.
Stay connected...
Greater Manchester
SHK0989
Welfare packs
You can sign up online at: www.enwl.co.uk/priority or call us on 0800 195 4141
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Charities welcome new plan of action
MOVES to bring forward an action plan that could improve help for carers have been welcomed by charities. In a joint statement Heléna Herklots, chief executive of Carers UK and Giles Meyer, interim chief executive of Carers Trust, said: “We welcome the announcement that the Government will bring forward a cross-Government action plan to improve support for carers – informed by evidence from carers. “Carers have been waiting a long time for the Government to respond.” A recent survey revealed that most people drastically underestimate the number of carers in their friendship circles and families, leading to a lack of support for those who need it.
nFROM April, the earnings threshold for Carer’s Allowance will be raised from £116 to £120 a week. The weekly Carer’s Allowance will also rise to £64.60. Emily Holzhausen, director of policy and public affairs at Carers UK, said: “This still falls around £5 short of what is needed for carers to retain working tax credits.” n Carers UK Helpline, 0808 808 7777 (Mon-Tues, 10am-4pm)
February/March 2018
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Little pony making a big impression...
D
OGS and guinea pigs are among the friendly therapy pets bringing comfort and joy to residents of care homes across the country.
to people including those with co-ordination and mobility challenges, learning difficulties, depression, anxiety and dementia. Braeside’s Barrie Simcock said: “It was a fantastic experience for all of us. The residents were absolutely delighted to meet Wilson. “He was very calm and well natured and there were happy smiling faces all around.” n Therapy Ponies Scotland: Tel. 01786 812286.
Care home crisis And now a Shetland pony named Wilson is muscling in on the act. Wilson trotted in to Braeside House, a care home for blind and partially sighted older people in Edinburgh, and was an instant hit. Wilson is a key member of Therapy Ponies Scotland, which provide therapeutic benefits
A
N urgent overhaul of Britain’s care homes is being called for after a year-long investigation.
The Competition and Markets Authority’s study found that – as things stand – the UK’s homes are £1billion short of what they need to operate. That’s simply because councils are paying less for the residents they fund than the costs incurred by the care homes. This has led to care homes propping up their finances by charging higher prices to those who pay for their own care – the so-called self-funders. As a result, the CMA says the current system is unsustainable without more funding. The Authority, which investigates consumer issues, carried out an extensive review of whether the residential care homes sector is working well for older people and their families. They also found that: n The sector must grow substantially as the population ages. But uncertainty about future funding means there is not enough investment in new accommodation. n Many people choose care homes during an emotionally traumatic time, but the information and support needed is often not available to help them navigate the system. n Greater protection is needed for people in care
Find your local Carers Centre – Page 20
homes. Residents and their families often find it difficult to raise concerns, and the systems for redress and feedback need improving. After publishing its findings, the CMA announced it is taking direct action under the law, and making recommendations to the Government and others. These include: n Taking enforcement action requiring some care homes to change their business practices where they are charging large upfront fees that are not fair or transparent, and charging families for up to four weeks after a resident has died. n The CMA will be consulting on new guidance for care homes on the standards of behaviour they should be meeting. All care homes will be expected to make changes where necessary or risk enforcement action. n For sufficient new care homes to be built,
planning and commissioning by councils must improve to give investors greater confidence. The CMA is calling for an independent body to oversee and support planning at council level. n Care homes will be expected to provide better information for prospective residents. The CMA says the Government should work with the NHS, councils, care homes and charities to provide more support for families. n More effective consumer protections for residents and easier complaints processes. Regulators should ensure care homes meet their obligations and hold them to account where necessary. CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli said: “Care homes provide a vital service to some of the most vulnerable people in our society. However, the simple truth is that the system cannot continue to provide the essential care people need with the current levels of funding.” He added: “Of all people, it is especially important that care homes residents are treated fairly and have the full protections of consumer law. “We will be taking steps to assist care homes in understanding their obligations, but we are also taking enforcement action now where we believe the law is being broken.”
reaching half a million readers . . . tel 0151 230 0307
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February/March 2018
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Learn to drive – aged 10! Y
OUNG Driver, the UK’s driving school for anyone over the age of 10, has welcomed a new fleet of hand controlled vehicles.
Five brand new Vauxhall Corsas are now available for lessons at more than 50 venues across the country. Because lessons take place on private property, normal rules of the road do not apply. The scheme regularly works with people who have disabilities including those who are blind, deaf, have prosthetic limbs, are in wheelchairs, or have learning disabilities, or development or neurological disorders. There is no upper age limit – the lessons aren’t restricted to under 17s. All vehicles are dual controlled, ensuring an instructor is always
able to take charge of the vehicle quickly and easily if needed. Laura White, at Young Driver, said: “We aim to be as inclusive as possible, so we want to allow those who may not otherwise get a chance to try driving the opportunity to get behind a wheel. “Sometimes this can be a precursor to having on-the-road lessons and getting a licence, and sometimes just a chance to experience driving as an activity.” nNorth West venues – Tranmere Rovers FC, Birkenhead; Queensferry Makro, Chester; MMU Chechire Crewe; Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool; Haydock Racecourse; Trafford Centre, Manchester; Etihad Campus, Manchester; DW Stadium, Wigan. n Tel. 0844 371 9010, www.youngdriver.com
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All Together NOW!
February/March 2018
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES VAUXHALL COMBO
THE UK’s largest display of cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs for disabled people, The Big Event, will take place for the first time at the NEC in Birmingham in July. Visitors will be able to test drive adapted and non-adapted cars with a professional instructor to find out which vehicles are best suited to their individual needs. Alison Beasley, from Motability Operations Ltd, said: “There will be opportunities to gather information and advice, see a wide range of vehicles, and take a test drive, all in one place.” Free admission and with free parking, The Big Event takes place on Friday July 6 and Saturday July 7.
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February/March 2018
THE Lord Mayor’s supported charities are:
All Together NOW! The only FREE charity newsaper of its kind in the UK
The Owen McVeigh Foundation, which supports children, and their families, who are affected by cancer.
The ADHD Foundation, created by the council and a charity for 10 years
The Choir With No Name, which runs choirs for people who have experienced homelessness
Lord Mayor’s Charity Gala concert
www.alltogethernow.org.uk
I want to raise lots of money for my charities – and raise the profile of the excellent work they do . . .
Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Malcolm Kennedy
Lord Mayor’s Supper Club Presents
Lord Mayor of Liverpool
@TownHallLpool
The City of Liverpool
Chung Ku Chinese Restaurant
2 Columbus Quay, Riverside Drive L3 4DB
saturday 12th may 2018 Doors open 6.30pm • Tickets £15
Contact Sylvia Lewis for tickets 0151 426 1065, or mobile 07999 952 628
A STAR STUDDED PROGRAMME FEATURING Wales top harpist Dylan Cernyw, The Cheshire Chord Choir,
Manchester Police Band, the fantastic top violinist Adam Smith, singers Sarah Chidlow and Chris Simmons. Plus surprise artists and celebrity compère Registered Charity Number 223485
3 Course Chinese Set Meal
Traditional Fire Cracker Display Traditional Lion Dance & Martial Art Display - Hung Kar Kung Fu Club Traditional Chinese Dancing • Raffle Prize Draw Book via TicketQuarter or Charalene 07455 028 148 / charalenelee@gmail.com
www.alltogethernow.org.uk NEWS
February/March 2018
Brit Floyd tickets up for grabs
T
HEY’RE billed as the “World’s greatest Pink Floyd act” – and, having played to hundreds of thousands of music fans over the past seven years, few would disagree.
Brit Floyd, formed in Liverpool in 2011, are back in action with a very special ‘45th Anniversary’ retrospective of Pink Floyd’s iconic 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon. And we have £300 worth of tickets to be won for their Liverpool and Manchester Eclipse tour gigs.
Having sold more than 45 million copies and judged by many as the greatest rock album of all time, The Dark Side of the Moon was an ambitious psychedelic masterpiece that redefined rock itself. We have THREE pairs of tickets for the Liverpool Arena show (Fri Mar 2), and two
Brothers’ double double act act makes Sense T
IM and Stu Mather have their sights firmly set on the London Marathon in April when they will be striding out for deafblind charity Sense.
But before then the brothers, from Widnes, have another big gig in store – hosting a comedy night in London featuring top talent, including Jon Richardson, Josh Widdicombe and Chris McCausland. TV comedy producer Stu, 38, said: “It’s going to be a great night, and to know it’s for such a great cause makes it even more special.” Tim, 43, was inspired to support the charity after his daughter was born
pairs for the gig at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester (Fri Mar 16). To stand a chance of winning just tell us the year Dark Side of the Moon was released in the UK. Answers, please, on a postcard to Brit Floyd Comp, All Together NOW! The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP. Remember to include your full name and address and telephone number. You can also enter online at competition@alltogethernow.org.uk. Please put Brit Floyd in the subject line. n Deadlines: Liverpool Arena (Fri Feb 23) Bridgewater Hall (Fri Mar 2)
with hearing and sight impairment. Two years ago he raised £5,000 for Sense in the London Marathon. Now he’s persuaded Stu to join him for the race. Tim said: “Sense provides vital support to children and adults with complex communication needs, including those who are deafblind. “The work they do struck a chord with us, and we’re delighted to be able to raise money for such a fantastic cause.” n The comedy gig takes place on Thursday February 22 at 2 Northdown in Kings Cross, London.
BROTHERS IN ARMS: Tim, left, and Stu
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House of Lords pays tributes to Sir Bert MPs, peers and friends celebrated the “wise counsel, charm and achievements” of the “remarkable” Sir Bert Massie, the former chair of the Disability Rights Commission (DRC), who died in October, aged 67. The memorial event in the House of Lords heard from a string of leading figures and disabled friends and colleagues of Sir Bert. Many spoke of his work on the DRC, while others remembered his role in helping to secure civil rights for disabled people through the first Disability Discrimination Act in 1995. The disabled crossbench peer Baroness Jane Campbell, who hosted the reception, said they had not been able to find a room large enough for everyone who wanted to attend. Baroness Campbell said Sir Bert had taught her “a great SIR BERT MASSIE deal about how to survive in the corridors of power and make positive changes”. She said: “Negotiating and toying with ministers and prime ministers was his favourite sport. “What’s more remarkable was that they became his greatest admirers.” Sir Bert’s wife, Lady Massie, said her husband had never wavered fighting for the rights of disabled people. Ann Frye, former head of the Department for Transport’s mobility and inclusion unit, and one of the event’s organisers, said Sir Bert had almost completed his memoirs, which she and Bob Niven – DRC’s former chief executive – had promised to complete and ensure were published. She said it was a funny and emotionally moving book and she promised to “make it a best-seller”. n For the past five years, Sir Bert was the chief columnist of All Together NOW!
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www.alltogethern
We must learn from Anne’s experiences TALKING POINTS
I AM pleased to hear that our ambassador Anne Wafula-Strike finally has received some financial redress, almost a year on from the indignity endured when forced to wet herself on a train. Whilst a financial settlement is welcomed, rail companies and all organisations and venues must use this disgraceful episode as a catalyst for massive change. It is alarming to read that more than 50% of disabled passengers who use rail services are not even aware that assisted travel service is available, and not all trains yet have basic facilities that enable the disabled to use the toilet. In our own YouGov research last year, 72% of the population were concerned that many of the UK’s top tourist attractions do not come up
to scratch on general disability access. Anne’s experience represented a failure to make “reasonable adjustment”, to take care of her individual needs. “I know Anne personally, and I know she has been energetic in driving this campaign for the benefit of the millions of other people in the UK affected by poor accessibility and a lack of disabled facilities. The Government and the train companies have thankfully responded positively to Anne’s demands for action, and a public consultation is now complete. That is a great achievement of Anne’s and she should be applauded for this. We watch with keen interest to see how the Government’s findings are implemented and monitored this year. Ted Hill, CEO, The British Polio Fellowship
Police nick Blue Badge bay
OVER THE T HEY’RE over the moon down at the children’s holiday charity Over The Wall…
IT’S GREAT that the Government is finally considering amending Blue Badge parking laws to help people affected by autism and other learning/hidden disabilities. This will bring the scheme into line with what’s already happening in Scotland and Wales. Now we need more disabled bays – and more enforcement.
Abuse of the scheme is rife. Some nondisabled people just look after themselves. And, as my picture taken from the recent ITV cop series Bancroft shows, it seems that even TV producers (and actors) are now following suit. Come one now, fair play guv. Let’s set a better example – on and off screen! Elaine Jones, Stockport
Pavement parking is a real pain I ALWAYS enjoy reading All Together NOW! Regarding the late Sir Bert Massie’s Sounding Off section on pavement parking, I would like to say how this is affecting me. Where I live, the police no longer ask people to remove the cars from the pavement. They simply ask that the whole pavement is not blocked and/or there are not four wheels on the pavement. Living in the country means that most pavements are narrow and thus most often blocked. I cannot go to my
father’s house on the pavement because it is always covered in cars. I thus need to get my car out and drive to his house – he only lives 100yds away! I have asked more than one member of the force and they have said the same – they will not target cars parking on pavements It seems to me that the battle has been lost before it has started. If the enforcers of our laws will not enforce them, then what hope do we have? Mike Brown, North Lancs http://mikeeaa6.myportfolio.com/disabledphotographer
The charity, founded by the late Oscar winning Hollywood actor Paul Newman, has been given £865,000 from the Kentown Wizard Foundation to help them to DOUBLE the number of children they can help. For almost 20 years Over the Wall has provided free residential activity camps throughout the UK for children living with serious health challenges, their siblings and families. Last year more than 660 children and family members attended 13 camps throughout the UK. Kevin Mathieson, CEO of Over the Wall,
OVER THE WALL recently received an OFSTE board, following inspections at the charity’s The OFSTED report stated: “Children and y complex medical needs as they become enth “They feel relaxed because their medical ca effectively. They exude confidence and self-b leaders provide inspirational opportunities a achievements are constantly celebrated.”
said: “The wonderful support from the Kentown Wizard Foundation will allow us to grow our charity so we can run many more additional camps and provide the opportunity to other UK children’s charities to use these camps. “Last year we trialled charity partnership camps with Crohn’s & Colitis UK and the Anaphylaxis Campaign and received
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DISABLED passengers are promised a better service a Heathrow airport. The airport is investing £2 million with their special assistance partner, Omnise and has also set up an acc advisory group. The moves follow a scath report by the Civil Aviation Authority which found that 260 million passengers tha and out the UK in 2016, onl million passengers used sp assistance services. This makes up only 1.5% passengers, suggesting th
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ED ‘Outstanding’ rating across the residential camps. young people forget about their hralled in a range of activities. are is managed extremely belief, motivational volunteers and and new challenges and
redible feedback from these camps. We know this is a service other dren’s charities – and more importantly, milies who have children living with ious illness – really want and need.” he Kentown Wizard Foundation helps dren and young adults living with ious illness or disability. It was set up Blackpool entrepreneur and
philanthropist Ken Townsley, who has donated or pledged in the region of £100 million to the Foundation since its launch in 2015. Margaret Ingram, chief executive of the Kentown Wizard Foundation, said: “Over The Wall’s residential camps have already had a huge impact on the children and families affected by serious illness. “We are delighted to be able to facilitate its expansion and broaden its reach, allowing it to work with other important charities. This will allow so many more children to experience the wonder of their residential camps.” n Over The Wall: Tel. 02392 477110, Kentown Wizard Foundation: Tel. 01253 446923.
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All Together NOW!
February/March 2018
barriers for people with disabilities remain. Roberto Castiglioni, chair of the Heathrow Access Advisory Group, said: “The HAAG’s vision is to improve the passenger’s journey by keeping accessibility and inclusion at the forefront of thinking.” Joining the group is accessible aviation expert Graham Race, who runs the Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People’s Tryb4uFly service. The service provides free information to people thinking about flying with a disability.
The perfect guide
TOUCH TOUR:Kelvingrove Gallery and Museum,Glasgow
TOURISM bosses in England and Scotland have launched a website to help venues produce simple access guides for disabled visitors. The move follows a study that found more than half of people with access requirements avoid going to new places if they can’t find information about accessibility. Research shows that one in five people in the UK have access requirements. This includes wheelchair users, people with hearing loss, visual impairments, older people, families with young children and many more. In 2015, £12 billion was spent in England, and £1.3 billion in Scotland, on trips where a member of the party had an impairment. As part of the Equality Act
2010, a service provider has a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure disabled people are not put at a substantial disadvantage compared to those who are not disabled. Malcolm Roughead, chief Executive at VisitScotland, said: “It is our aim to make tourism inclusive and accessible for all, so that every single person can benefit from all that Scotland has to offer. “Our new website, created in partnership with VisitEngland, will help businesses produce informative guides in a userfriendly format, that will promote inclusion and enable all our customers to have the opportunity to achieve, to have fun, to live life in the same way as anybody else.” nwww.accessibilityguides.org
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Heaven scent!
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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 349 427 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 716971 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 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 709392 n WALSALL. Tel 01922 650781 n WEST BROMWICH: Sandwell. Tel 0121 553 1943 n WOLVERHAMPTON. Tel 01902 556021
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SCENT-SATIONAL : Brian Talman, seeds trials manager at Fothergill’s
ONGRATULATIONS to the TEN lucky winners of our super Christmas gardening competition.
All winners receive a set of five flower and vegetable varieties of verbena from Mr Fothergill’s Seeds. Margaret McAnerney, Saville Road, Gatley, Cheshire (“I picked up my copy of All Together NOW! at Wythenshawe Hospital”) Mrs P Kelly, Coronation Drive, Crosby, Liverpool (Litherland Walk-In Centre) Activities Coordinator, Elm House Nursing Home, Cambridge Road. Southport (Southport Hospital) Mr Ralph James, Gardner Avenue, Bootle, Merseyside (Breeze Hill Health Centre) Mrs D Bailey, Valley Gardens, Hapton (Burnley Library) Mr J R Shard, Abbey Lane, Leigh, Lancs (Asda Superstore, Leigh) Ivy Parry, Kent Grove, Failsworth, Manchester (Asda Harpurhey) Mrs Bailey, Briggs Fold Road, Bolton Ken Taylor, Leigh Way, Weaverham, Northwich, Cheshire (Asda Runcorn) Mrs Barbara Smith, Cunliffe Close, Blackburn (Blackburn Library) n For the full range of Mr Fothergill’s products, visit www.mr-fothergills.co.uk
HELP AT THE END OF A PHONE
n ANGLESEY: TARAN Tel 01407 721933 n BLACKPOOL Disability Information and Support. Tel 01253 472 202. Textphone 01253 476 450 n CHESHIRE CIL Tel 01606 331853 n CHESTER Dial House Tel 01244 345655 n DENBIGHSHIRE Tel 01745 354445 n ELLESMERE PORT DICE Tel 0151 355 1420 n HALTON Disability Service Tel 01928 717222 n KNOWSLEY DISABILITY CONCERN. 0151 480 4090 n LANCASTER DISC Tel 01524 34411 n LIVERPOOL Association of Disabled People. Tel 0151 263 8366. Text 0151 260 4076 n MERSEYSIDE Coalition of Inclusive Living. Tel 0151 260 4001 n THE BRAIN CHARITY Tel 0151 298 2999 n MANCHESTER (GTR) Coalition of Disabled People Tel 0161-273 5154 n MOLD Flintshire Disability Tel 01352 755546 n NELSON: Pendle Pakistan Welfare Association. Tel 01282 603 616 n PRESTON DISC: Tel 01772 558 863. Textphone 01772 204 787 n RHYL Tel 01745 350665 n STOCKPORT: Disability Stockport. 0161 480 7248 n WARRINGTON Disability Partnership. 01925 240064
n WIRRAL WIRED Tel 0151 670 1500 n WEST LANCS HELPLINE Freefone 0800 220676 n ST HELENS DASH Tel 01744 453053
MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM Disability Resource Centre Tel 0121 789 7365 n Disabled People’s Network Solihull Tel 0121 788 1544 n STOKE: Disability Solutions Tel 01782 683800 n WOLVERHAMPTON Elder and Disabled Group Tel 01902 448552
ORGANISATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND n ACCRINGTON Tel 01254 233332 n BARROW Tel 01229 820698 n BIRMINGHAM Action for Blind Tel 0121 665 4200 n BLACKBURN Tel 0125 554143 n BLACKPOOL: N-Vision Tel 01253 362696 n BURY Tel 0161 763 7014 n BURNLEY Tel 01282 438507 n CARLISLE: Action for Blind People Tel 01228 595121 CHESHIRE & N WALES: Vision Support. Tel 01244 381515 n CUMBRIA (West) Tel 01946 592474 n CUMBRIA (Sth Lakeland) Tel 01539 726613 n GUIDE DOGS Tel 0118 983 5555
n HENSHAW’S 0161 872 234 Tel 0151 708 7055 n LIVERPOOL: Bradbury Fields.Tel 0151 221 0888: Action for Bind Tel 0151 298 3222 n MANCHESTER: Action for Blind Tel 0161 787 9252 n PRESTON: Action for Blind People Tel 01772 320550 n OLDHAM Tel 0161 682 8019 n ROSSENDALE Tel 01706 873256 n SIGHTLINE (North West) Tel 0800 587 2252 n WIGAN Tel 01942 242891 n WIRRAL Tel 0151 652 8877
ORGANISATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF n BIRMINGHAM Institute for Deaf Tel 0121 246 6101 n CHESHIRE Deaf Society Tel 01606 47831 n CUMBRIA Deaf Society Tel 01228 606434 n LANCASHIRE (EAST) Deaf Society Tel 01282 839180 n MANCHESTER Deaf Centre Tel 0161 273 3415 Genie Networks. Tel 0161 941 4549. Text 18001 0161 941 4549 n MERSEYSIDE Society for Deaf Tel 0151 228 0888 n ST HELENS: Deafness Resource Centre Tel 01744 23887 n WOLVERHAMPTON Centre for Deaf Tel 01902 420904 n N WALES Deaf Association, Tel 01492 542235
CARERS’ CENTRES
n ACCRINGTON Tel 01254 387 444 n BLACKBURN with DARWEN Tel 01254 688 www.bwdcarers.org n BLACKPOOL Blackpool Borough Council, Tel 01253 477 716 nCUMBRIA Carlisle. Tel 01228 542 156 Penrith. Tel 01768 890 280 Barrow-in-Furness. Tel 01229 822 822 Kendal. Tel 01539 732 927 Whitehaven, Tel 01946 592 223 n CHESHIRE & WARRINGTON Helpline:0300 102 0008 n KNOWSLEY Tel 0151 549 1412 n LANCASTER Tel 01524 66475 nLIVERPOOL Tel 0151 705 2307 n MANCHESTER Tel 0161 835 2995 n MORECAMBE Tel 01524 833456 n PRESTON Tel 01772 200173 n RUNCORN Tel 01928 580182 n WIDNES Tel 0151 257 9673 n SALFORD Tel 0161 833 0217 n SEFTON Tel 0151 288 6060 n ST HELENS Tel 01744 675 615 n STOCKPORT Tel 0161 442 0442 n WARRINGTON (WIRED) Tel 01925 633 492 n WEST LANCS Tel 01695 711243 n WIGAN & LEIGH Tel 01942 683711 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM Tel 0121 675 8000 n SOLIHULL Tel 0121 788 1143 n WALSALL Tel 01922 610 810 NORTH WALES n ANGLESEY Tel 01248 722828 n BANGOR Tel 01248 370 797 n CONWY Tel 01492 533714 n DENBIGHSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 0845 603 3187 nDOLGELLAU Tel 01341 421167 n FLINTSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 01352 751436 n WREXHAM CARERS SERVICE
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February/March 2018
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Battle over disabled workers’ cash cut
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DEAF boss has begun a legal battle against the cap on cash to help disabled people with work expenses.
David Buxton, head of Action on Disability, is one of many British Sign Language users hit by the limit on payments made by the Government’s Access to Work scheme. AtW funding provides disabled people with money to pay for some of the extra disabilityrelated expenses they face at work – including travel, personal assistants or the use of BSL interpreters. The payments reduce the costs organisations have to meet when taking on disabled employees. A Department of Work and Pensions cap was introduced for new AtW claimants in 2015 and is due to affect existing claimants from April 2018.
Activists all set for day of action
DISABLED activists are organising a national day of action to push for the Government’s new universal credit benefit system to be scrapped. Part of the aim of the day of action, being organised by Disabled People Against Cuts on March 1 is to press the Labour Party to adopt a “stop and scrap” policy. The day of action will include a protest in Westminster. Among the impacts of universal credit on disabled people that have alarmed DPAC are: n The introduction of mandatory health and work conversations for all disabled claimants. n The difficulty of an onlineonly system that makes it difficult or impossible for some disabled people to claim. n The possibility that disabled people with parttime jobs that suit their support needs will be forced into unsuitable full-time jobs. A key concern is over the scrapping of severe (£62.45 per week) and enhanced (£15.90 per week) disability premiums, which are currently added to some means-tested disability benefits to help with the costs of disability.
Campaigners have been warning for two years that the cap – limiting annual AtW awards to one and a half times the average salary – would hit deaf users of BSL and people with high support needs the hardest. But they also claim the cap discriminates against those in senior positions, like Mr Buxton. Mr Buxton’s legal papers were served on DWP just days after the Government launched its 10-year work, health and disability strategy, which aims to increase the number of disabled people in work by one million by 2027. There was no suggestion in the strategy that the Government would remove the cap. Mr Buxton, whose case is being funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “This case is being brought because the Government has made the decision to limit my career by denying me the funds to pay for the
linguistic access I need to be able to fulfil my job. “Access to Work is a fantastic grant which allows deaf and disabled people to remain in employment and doesn’t make the disabled employee a ‘no-no’ on the grounds of cost. “For me as a deaf person, and a chief executive, this means using professional sign language interpreters at high-level meetings with various authorities, policy-makers, staff and members. “The impact of AtW is far-reaching and extremely positive. Awarding AtW makes sense, a cap on AtW awards doesn’t.” Mr Buxton argues that he has been discriminated against under the Equality Act and that DWP breached its public sector equality duty when drawing up the cap policy. A DWP spokeswoman said the department could not comment on an ongoing legal case.
BREXIT FEARS We must protect our rights
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WARNING: Baroness Tanni-Grey Thompson
least matching current funding for OP politicians have called on By JOHN PRING disabled people’s organisations. the Government to ensure Baroness Campbell said: “I worry for the future of the disabled people’s rights are protected after one in five UK citizens who are disabled. Brexit.
Two disabled peers raised fears that those rights could suffer as a result of the UK leaving the European Union. Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Baroness Jane Campbell were speaking in a House of Lord debate on human rights and Brexit, secured by the Labour peer Lord Cashman. The debate took place as MPs continued to discuss the European Union (withdrawal) bill, which will move to the House of Lords this year. Baroness Grey-Thompson said the impact of Brexit on disabled people had barely been discussed in the public arena, and she asked for Government guarantees that their rights would be protected. She raised fears that the Government could inadvertently discard disability equality rules and regulations and just call them “red tape” as a reason to get rid of them. And she said there had to be continued Government commitment to the UK being ahead of the curve on disability rights, including fully committing to implementing standards equivalent to the new European Accessibility Act when that becomes EU law. She also called on the Government to commit to at
“Arguably, they have benefited from the best equality and human rights legislation in the world. “The UK has both influenced and been influenced by EU law on disability rights. Under EU law, international treaties have a stronger impact than they do under UK law.” But she added: “The Government must ensure there is no regression, so that disabled people continue to benefit from the convention and see progress in the UK.” Baroness Campbell said one of her major areas of concerns was over disabled people’s right to independent living. She called on the Government to carry out a rigorous assessment of the impact of Brexit on the right to independent living, including on the thousands of disabled people who each employ between two and six EU nationals as personal assistants. Lord Keen, the advocate general for Scotland, on behalf of the Government, insisted that the Brexit process does not change the Government’s commitment to human rights and that those rights will be retained and protected.
‘Darkest hour yet for Tories’
FIRING LINE: Esther McVey
CAMPAIGNERS have reacted furiously over the appointment of Cheshire MP Esther McVey as the new secretary of state for work and pensions, calling it a “heartsink moment”. McVey served as both minister for disabled people and employment minister between 2012 and 2015, and is blamed for many of the welfare reforms that had the harshest impact on disabled people under the coalition government. Now Tory MP for Tatton, for the three years before she lost her Wirral West seat at the 2015 election, she faced repeated attacks for her attitude towards disabled people and other benefit claimants. They included severe criticism from court of appeal judges over her decision to close the Independent Living Fund. Disabled researcher and campaigner Catherine Hale said McVey’s appointment had been “a heartsink moment”. She said: “The appointment of McVey as secretary of state for work and pensions must be the Tories’ darkest hour yet.” Anne McGuire, a former Labour minister for disabled people, said: “This is an unbelievably worrying decision. “Esther McVey will be treated with justifiable suspicion after her tough, uncompromising and insensitive approach when last a DWP minister. “Her lack of understanding of the severe problems facing those at the sharp end of benefit cuts means her appointment will fuel the fear that disabled people and other benefit recipients will continue to bear the brunt of Government austerity policies.” But McGuire also condemned the “vile abuse being thrown at Esther McVey” by some critics on social media. She said: “It is totally unacceptable and should not be tolerated.”
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MEDICAL NOTES
Liver disease – the new silent killer
LIVER disease in the UK is set to overtake ischaemic heart disease as the leading cause of premature death in the next two years, warns a new report. Experts argue insufficient measures are being taken to control the main lifestyle risk factors – alcohol consumption, obesity and viral hepatitis. The findings are presented in the fourth report of the Lancet Standing Commission on Liver Disease in the UK. Figures show that death rates from liver disease are higher amongst middle-aged and lower income groups. Professor Roger Williams, chairman of the commission, said: “For too long the diagnosis and care of patients with liver disease has been hampered by the stigma associated with the illness. “But the reality now is that this is not a disease of the few but of wide sections of the population.” Liver disease is a notoriously silent killer. Three quarter of cases are only diagnosed at a late stage when treatment options are limited. Judi Rhys, chief executive of the British Liver Trust, said: “This report suggests that over 18 million people in the UK could potentially have nonalcohol related fatty liver disease but only around 600,000 of these are currently recorded on GP records. “In addition, many of us are putting our livers at risk from drinking too much alcohol. The shocking numbers highlighted show that we are facing a liver disease crisis.”
Helping eyes . . .
PATIENTS at a North-West health centre diagnosed with sight conditions are being offered special help from the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Volunteers at the Rochdale centre will support Eye Clinic Liaison Officers, who work closely with medical and nursing staff to bridge the gap between medical, wellbeing and social care support. One in four people newly diagnosed with a sight condition leave hospital unsure of what condition they have, and are not told about the ECLO service. Sally Harvey, chief executive of RNIB, said: “We know receiving a diagnosis can be very scary for some patients, especially if they don’t understand the implications of their sight condition on their lives. “Our volunteers will be vital in providing much needed information and acting as a gateway for patients to access support from an ECLO.” n For more details or to get involved, call the Group Volunteering Team on 01733 375450.
February/March 2018
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Early detection vital to beat skin cancer
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NEW research highlights the importance of detecting and treating melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – as early as possible. Around 132,000 cases of melanoma occur globally each year, as well as between two and three million non-melanoma skin cancers. One in every three cancers diagnosed is a skin cancer, and melanoma rates are on the rise. Now researchers from the Cleveland Clinic in the United States have found a four-month delay in treatment can increase death rates by around 40%, compared with those treated within one month. The research, published online in the
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, indicates that the sooner patients are treated, the better their survival, particularly for stage I melanoma. The team studied 153,218 adult patients diagnosed with stage I-III melanoma from 2004 to 2012. They found that overall survival decreased in patients waiting longer than 90 days for surgical treatment, regardless of stage. The delay of surgery beyond the first 29 days negatively affected overall survival for stage I melanoma, but not for stages II or III. Compared to patients who were treated within 30 days, patients with stage I melanoma were 5% more likely to die when treated between 30 and 59 days; 16% more
likely to die when treated between 60 and 89 days; 29% more likely to die when treated between 91 and 120 days; and 41% more likely to die when treated after 120 days. In early-stage cases, early diagnosis allows for the opportunity to improve the chances of survival with a prompt surgery. Brian Gastman, director of melanoma surgery at Cleveland Clinic, said: “We saw significantly worse prognoses and outcomes for those surgically treated after 30 days of stage I melanoma diagnosis. “Knowing for certain that a more expedient time to surgery to remove an early melanoma improves the chances of survival is a game-changer in treating this lifethreatening skin cancer.”
JULIE’S STORY
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RANDMOTHER Julie Royle is starring in a new video that aims to help people living with a rare disease that leaves them struggling to breathe.
Five years ago Julie, 58, was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH), a condition that causes high blood pressure in the blood vessels connecting the heart and lungs. Julie, from Blackley, Manchester, said: “Breathlessness has affected me psychologically in a massive way. It’s all encompassing. Every minute and every second of every day, I’m thinking about being breathless. “I used to focus my life on my family and my work, but now my life is focused on my breathing. “I’m consciously anxious because of it. It takes over. I’m not as independent as I used to be. I feel very vulnerable, and unsafe in my own body, because I don’t really know what’s going to happen next.” Breathlessness is one of the main symptoms of PH, resulting in the condition often being mistaken for asthma. Many people also experience fatigue, blackouts and swelling around the ankles, arms and stomach. The disease can put increasing strain on the heart and lead to irreversible damage and heart failure. Iain Armstrong, chair of the PH Association, said: “Pulmonary hypertension has a massive effect on people’s lives but so few people know what it is. “We want people to understand not only what PH is, but also what it’s like to live with such a serious, little-known condition. It’s time to bring pulmonary hypertension out of the shadows.” People can be born with PH or develop it at any time – and it can affect anyone, regardless of age or ethnic background. It affects more women than men. There is no cure, but a range of highly
Every second of every day, I’m thinking about being breathless
FIGHTING FOR OTHERS: Julie Rogers starring in the new PH video
advanced treatments developed over the last 16 years has seen quality of life improve and life expectancy double to around six to seven years on average, with many living longer. A few people with PH undergo heart and lung transplants. There are nine NHS specialist PH centres in the UK, based within hospitals in Sheffield, London, Glasgow, Cambridge and Newcastle. Julie, who is treated at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, added: “My treatment is an integral part of me being here today. The specialist centres are vital to us
feeling safe as patients as they are the only places where we know we will get the right treatment, quickly, which sometimes is the difference between life and death for us. “Despite the fact that I do have PH, and I do have breathlessness, I wake up every morning knowing my family and friends are around me. “Some days I’m well enough to play with my grandson; some days I’m not. But along with my medication, he helps keep me going. I really didn’t think, at the stage I was diagnosed, that I would still be here five years later.”
The perfect tonic . . . for HALF A MILLION people . . .
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February/March 2018
A £35m beam of delight WORK has started on the region’s second proton beam therapy centre. The £35 million Rutherford Cancer Centre North West will offer conventional treatments this year and high energy proton beam therapy will be available from 2019. Treatment will be available to medically-insured private patients, selfpaying patients and patients referred by the NHS at the centre in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter. Mike Moran, chief executive officer of Proton Partners International, said: “As someone born, raised and schooled in
Liverpool, I’m genuinely thrilled Proton Partners International will be part of this exciting new chapter in the city’s history, which will put the whole region at the vanguard of innovative cancer treatment. “There is a growing need for proton beam therapy treatment, as it has been shown to deliver significant results for patients. “Its effectiveness at lowering side effects compared with traditional radiation treatment, is transforming the lives of many thousands of cancer patients.”
HOME HELP!
“EXCITING”: Therapy will be available in 2019
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HE parents of a girl who – aged only two – went to the US for pioneering proton beam therapy, have welcomed a specialist NHS centre offering the same treatment in the UK.
A state of the art facility at The Christie in Manchester is the UK’s first NHS high energy proton beam therapy centre and will treat 750 people every year. Charlotte Muir and Jamie Smith, from Arnside in Cumbria, spent three months in the US with their daughter, Lily, now five, while she was treated for a brain tumour at the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute. While Charlotte and Jamie are full of praise for the treatment their daughter received in America, funded by the NHS, they know that for families in a similar position, having access to NHS treatment in the North West will be make an enormous difference. Charlotte, 31, said: “We were
The first NHS proton centre in UK opens
lucky that we are self-employed and only have one child so could move our lives to Florida and that our family were able to spend time with us. “For many people that isn’t an option so being able to be treated so close to home on the NHS will be better for a lot of people in our position.” Lily’s dad, Jamie, 33, aded: “Everything the NHS has done for us has been wonderful. “We can’t fault a thing. You don’t appreciate the NHS until you need to. We certainly do now.” The Christie proton beam therapy centre will treat its first patient at the end of August.
MEDICAL NOTES Relax – new stroke room is a winner
STROKE patients are benefiting from a new relaxation room designed to help combat the psychological effects of a stroke. The room at Liverpool’s Aintree University Hospital includes sensory lighting, relaxing music and essential oils, such as frankincense and ylang ylang, which are known for their calming and therapeutic properties. Dr Claire Cullen, clinical director for stroke at Aintree, said: “I believe Aintree is one of the first NHS hospitals with a dedicated room such as this. “A stroke affects your brain, which is what controls your emotions and behaviours, so having the space to address any psychological issues alongside the medical care offered on our stroke unit is fantastic news for our patients and really enhances the psychology services provided on the ward.” Dr Mark Griffiths, lead consultant clinical psychologist at Aintree, added: “There is an increasing recognition that stroke patients need to be cared for in a way which addresses their medical and psychological needs at the same time. “A typical hospital ward is a bright, busy and noisy environment. “If you’re a stroke patient experiencing cognitive, emotional or behavioural problems then having a separate space where you can take some time out, and also have confidential conversations with your clinical team, is invaluable.”
Take That for a scan!
Time to get on the ball, say footy stars
PREMIER League football stars are backing a new campaign that could save lives. They are throwing their support behind a new app that encourages men to check themselves for testicular cancer. Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Stephen Harper, patron of the Oddballs Foundation, said: “This is the most common cancer for males aged 18 to 35 and unless we get a reminder, most of us
All Together NOW!
HAPPY FAMILY: Lily with Charlotte and Jamie
don’t think about it. Download the app now. It’s so simple. “You even get a reminder to check yourself once a month. This could save your life, your son’s life, your father or grandson’s life.” Each month a celebrity will encourage men to check themselves, via a video on the app. Ex-England and Newcastle striker Alan Shearer was the first. With 16,000 new cases diagnosed in the UK every year, early detection means 95% of
males will make a complete recovery. The charity has a legion of supporters including International rugby teams, Premier League football clubs, cricket clubs and celebrities around the world including Ant & Dec, Mark Wright, Jimmy Bullard, Olly Murs, Dame Kelly Holmes, Ronaldinho, and many more. n To download the app go to the Apple or Andriod App Store. Search for “Oddballs Check Yourself’”.
MOOD music and lighting are helping to ease the stress of hospital scans. Patients at two North West hospitals are among the first in the country to benefit from the latest technology that halves the time they need to spend in the scanning machine – and makes the whole experience more comfortable for them. Gill Holroyd, radiology manager for St Helens and Whiston hospitals, said: “Having an MR scan can be very frightening for people, especially those who are very sick, confused and in pain. “Mood lighting helps with anxiety. The music is also a massive benefit, so whether a Take That or Dolly Parton fan, our staff can tune the machine to play the patient’s favourite tunes.” The new GE scanners have a magnet double the strength of those previously available and produce highly detailed images. n You can watch a video about the technology at: https://youtube/ CPNFw-rFhTU
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Ministers agree major PIP review
ALMOST a quarter of a million disabled people are to get more money, following the Department of Work and Pensions decision to review all 1.6 million claims for the new Personal Independence Payments. The move comes after the DWP decided not to challenge a Hgh Court court ruling that said last year’s changes to PIP were unfair to people with mental health conditions. As a result of the changes, people who were unable to travel independently on the grounds of psychological distress – as opposed to other conditions – were not entitled to the enhanced mobility rate of the benefit. The Government pressed ahead with the proposals, despite criticism from an independent tribunal in 2016. In December, a High Court judge ruled the alterations “blatantly discriminate” against people with psychiatric problems and were a breach of their human rights. Richard Kramer, deputy CEO at disability charity Sense, said: “We would like Government to now seize the moment and use this opportunity to review the assessment process that oversees PIP. “We want a system that promotes people’s dignity rather than overwhelming people with anxiety and worry for those that rely on this essential support.”
February/March 2018
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Appy Hannah lifts £30k Stelios prize A
WOMAN who has developed a new app that helps people with mental health issues has won the prestigious £30,000 Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs.
Hannah Chamberlain is the founder of MentalSnapp (www.mentalsnapp.com), a video diary app that helps people proactively manage their mental health. Users can record short video diaries, rate their mood and voice their feelings. Hannah, who is planning to launch an updated version of her app later this year, said: “This means we can make MentalSnapp even better –- we’ve got plans for intelligent responses to the videos, tailored to what our users want, all designed to help people manage their mental health with private video diaries.” easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou
said: “For far too long mental health issues have been virtually ignored and swept under the carpet. “I think this app has excellent growth prospects.” Neil Heslop, chief executive of Leonard Cheshire Disability, which helped run the awards, said: “Sir Stelios and Leonard Cheshire Disability know the contribution of disabled people in business is too often ignored so we are delighted that this year’s finalists again shine a light on the fantastic calibre of untapped talent out there.” The four other business ideas showcased at the awards ceremony were a wheelchair review website, a specialist online job board, a ceramic home-ware company, and a mobile toilet and changing facility for disabled people. All finalists received £10,000. WINNER: Hannah and Sir Stelios with her cheque
Bosses may get cash for generating jobs
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ASH incentives could be offered to employers in return for taking on more disabled people, says the Government.
The move is being considered as part of a 10-year strategy whose aim is to find jobs for a million more disabled people by 2027. Long-awaited, the Improving Lives strategy includes proposals across social security, the workplace and healthcare, in response to a consultation that produced about 6,000 comments, including more than 3,000 emails. The Government says it is considering offering employers a temporary holiday on national insurance contributions, alongside other employer obligations and incentives to take on disabled employees. It says that any measures must avoid creating excessive burdens on employers that could discourage recruitment and must be appropriately targeted. The strategy aims to increase the number of disabled people in work from 3.5 million to 4.5 million by 2027.
Tax relief on travel expenses?
TAX deductible travel to work expenses for disabled workers are among the calls from the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group. Responding to the Government’s Improving Lives strategy, the group says some disabled workers are unable to use public transport and need a specialist taxi service. Some employers meet these costs and are taxfree, but disabled workers cannot claim tax relief if they meet these costs personally. LITRG Chair Anne Fairpo said: “We are disappointed that tax has largely been omitted from the Government’s disability work strategy. “We think that more generous employment expenses relief and other changes to tax rules, could really help influence behaviour in this area. “Encouraging disability employment will bring also more disabled people into contact with HMRC, and another of our concerns is that people who Labour MP Frank Field, chair of the Commons work and pensions select committee and a former work and pensions minister, was critical of the strategy. He said the Government needed a radical new system to incentivise
have additional needs may not be adequately catered for by HMRC. “Having to interact with systems such as telephone voice recognition software and dealing with communications and information that may not be readily available in an accessible or understandable format may go some way to explaining why 26% of the complaints the Adjudicator dealt with in the last year were from people who consider themselves disabled. “At the moment, there are pockets of support for disabled people, but it does not appear to be well coordinated or consistent. “More needs to be done so nobody is left feeling disenfranchised – or worse, non–compliant – as this will only serve to work against wider policy drives like getting more disabled people working.” n The LITRG has been set up by the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) to give a voice to the unrepresented.
employers to take on and retain disabled workers, while the strategy was just “a first step in the marathon distance” the Government would need to travel if it wanted one million more disabled people in work. A DWP spokeswoman said that
almost 600,000 disabled people had entered work in the last four years. She said: “The manifesto commitment to get one million more disabled people in work over the next 10 years now gives us a clear, ambitious, and time-bound goal.”
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All Together NOW!
FLASHBACK
KEN PYE tells of the rise and demise of the world’s first elevated electric railway
The late great ‘Dockers Umbrella’
1891: Laying the track for the Overhead Railway that was to run for seven and a half miles along Liverpool’s Dock Road
T
RAFFIC jams along the Liverpool riverfront are a constant headache to thousands of motorists and town planners.
But similar problems also existed back in the 19th century – and it was hundreds of horse-drawn carts and men pulling barrows that caused the chaos! By 1853 the traffic at the entrances to each of the docks and around the surrounding roads, along the full length of the working riverfront, had reached such a state that terrible congestion occurred on a regular basis. The idea of an overhead railway had been proposed as early as 1853, but it wasn’t until 1878 that The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board revived the plans and, a year later, ‘The Overhead Railway Company’ was formed. Construction began the following year and it was built to run directly above and following the route of the existing steam railway. Beginning at Herculaneum Dock, at the southernmost end of the docks system, the railway carried specially designed engines and carriages along what had now grown to seven and a half miles of the Liverpool docks system. It had been intended to use steam locomotives, but this idea was rejected once it was also realised that falling sparks could ignite the timbers of the hundreds of wooden ships moored at the docksides. Consequently, in 1891, a system of electric
n KEN has just completed his 13th book, ‘Liverpool at Work’, which is now available in the shops. n His new DVD documentary series – Discover Liverpool – is also now available, consisting of eight, halfhour programmes about the history of the city.
traction was commissioned from the newly formed ‘Electric Construction Company’. The first overhead train ran in 1892, carrying all the company directors and their friends and families. The following February, the world’s first elevated electric railway was officially opened to the public, by Lord Salisbury. With trains running in opposite directions on two parallel tracks this was also the first electric elevated railway in the world to use an automatic signalling system. What soon became locally known as ‘The Dockers’ Umbrella’ ran to Seaforth Sands at the north of the city where a purpose-built elevated station was constructed. In 1921, Britain’s first escalator was installed here. This consisted of a narrow conveyor belt with wooden slats on which the passengers stood. The
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handrail was fixed though, so using this was a bit of a challenge! The railway track ran 16 feet above the Dock Road and the journey took 25 minutes serving 17 stations. The new system was an instant hit, and very soon it was carrying more than four million passengers every year. But after being badly bombed during the Second World War, and suffering severe acid corrosion from pollution, and salt corrosion from the river, by the late 1940s the railway was dilapidated. By the beginning of the 1950s, its condition was giving cause for grave concern, and funds were not available to repair the system – despite the fact that it was, by this time, still carrying almost nine million passengers every year. Consequently, following 60 years of successful operation, the ‘Overhead’ was closed on the 30th December 1956.
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My magical memories of a unique train ride . . .
IN ITS final year, when I was five years old, my mother took me for a trip along the full length of the Overhead Railway. She was determined that I should travel on the Dockers’ Umbrella before it disappeared forever. I can still picture what appeared to be hundreds of ships sailing on the river and berthed in all the docks. I remember crowds of people, of all shapes and sizes and skin colours, walking the length of the Dock Road. I remember, too, the masculine smells of oil, sweat, and Capstan Full Strength cigarettes, from all the men who filled the carriage in which Mum and I sat, reassuringly reminding me of my Dad. I also recall the sounds of the strange accents of the sailors and workers from all over the world, and of the rattling and shaking as the wooden carriages trundled along the clanking and ringing metal track. All that now remains of the Overhead Railway are some of the lower track-support girders, set in concrete mounds standing against some stretches of the dock road wall. However, the complete underground station area at The Dingle still remains – deep inside the cliff under the streets of houses. But the platforms, ticket office, and signal box have long gone, as have the tracks and the trains, and the whole station area became the workshop for a large car repair company.
n Contact Ken on: 0151 427 2717 or 07808 870 614 or at ken.pye@discoverliverpool.com
Tel 0151 230 0307
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Until Feb 10: Jane Eyre. Octagon Bolton. Until Feb 10: Birdsong. Lyceum, Crewe. . Feb 7-17: Dead and Breathing. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. (See story right) Feb 10: Lipstick on Your Collar. Grand Theatre. Feb 10: Showstopper! Palace Theatre, Manchester. Musical comedy. Feb 10: Rebecca Ferguson. Preston Guild Hall. Feb 11: Showaddywaddy. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Feb 11: Britain’s Got Talent’s Big Celebration. Liverpool Empire. In aid of Alder Hey hospital. Feb 11: An Audience with Michael Bolton. Opera House, Manchester. Feb 12-17: The Rat Pack - Live from Las Vegas. Liverpool Empire. Feb 12-17: Flashdance the Musical. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Audio described & BSL, Wed Feb 5.30pm. Feb13-16: The Jungle Book. Playhouse Liverpool. Feb 13-17: Teddy. The Lowry. New musical that races through the dark and damaged world of post-war London Feb 13-17: Gallowglass. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. World stage premiere from the pen of Ruth Rendell. Feb 13-18: The Wizard of Oz. Theatre Royal, Feb 14: Bill Bailey - Larks in Transit. Venue Cymru. Feb 15-Mar 10: Hamlet. Octagon Bolton. Audio described Mar 5, 7.30. BSL Mar 6, 7.30. Captioned, Mar 7, 7.30 Feb 15: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra: Boléro. Preston Guild Hall Feb 15: Paul Young and special guests China Crisis: Charter Theatre Preston. Feb 16: The Rolling Stones Story. Lyceum, Crewe. Feb 16: Hello Again Neil Diamond. Southport Theatre. Tribute show. Feb 17: Money for Nothing – Dire Straits. Southport Theatre. Tribute show. Feb 17: Let’s Hang On. Lyceum, Crewe. The story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. Feb 17: Joe Brown: Just Joe. Venue Cymru. Joe’s first solo nationwide tour! Feb 17: Whitney: Queen of the Night. Charter Theatre Preston. Tribute show. Feb 18: Joe Brown: Just Joe. Charter Theatre, Preston. Feb 19: Joe Brown: Just Joe. The Brindley. Feb 19-24: Sunset Boulevard. Liverpool Empire. BSL Feb 22, 7.30pm. Audio Description, Feb 24, 2.30pm. Feb 19-24: Thriller Live. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Michael Jackson tribute show. Feb 20-21: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Venue Cymru. Feb 20-24: The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas. Opera House, Manchester. Feb 20-24: George’s Marvellous Medicine. The Lowry. Audio described, Feb 24, 2.30pm, Touch tour, 1.30pm Feb 20: The Little Mix Experience. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Tribute show. Feb 20: Howie Payne with guests Marvin Powell, and Zuzu. Unity Theatre Liverpool. Feb 20: La Traviata. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Feb 21: Madama Butterfly. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Feb 21-24: The Wedding. Playhouse Liverpool. Feb 21: Menopause the Musical. Southport Theatre. Feb 22-23: The
February/March 2018
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BOX OFFICE CONTACTS
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To die or not to die
THE first UK performance of an acclaimed dark comedy is being staged at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre. Dead and Breathing tells the story of Carolyn Whitlock, spoiled, spiteful and judgemental, who wants to end her life but in order to do so has to convince her very Christian nurse. It won’t be easy – Carolyn is repulsed by transsexuals and Veronika happens to be one. Running from February 7 to 17, Dead and Breathing stars multi-award winning film and stage actor Lizan Mitchell as Carolyn. Nurse Veronika is played by Kim Tatum, a trans woman actor, model and – as Mzz Kimberley – award-winning solo cabaret artist.
GO ON, TREAT
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Charter Theatre Preston. Feb 22: The Rocket Man - A Tribute to Sir Elton John. Southport Theatre. Feb 22: Menopause the Musical. Pavilion, Rhyl. Feb 23-Mar 24: Council Depot Blues. Royal Court, Liverpool. Feb 23-Mar 3: Crazy for You. Theatre Cymru. Feelgood musical. Feb 23: The Rolling Stones Story. Southport Theatre. Feb 23: The King is Back. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Elvis tribute with Ben Portsmouth. Feb 23: Beyond the Barricade. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Recreating original West End/Broadway musical hit songs. Feb 23: Russell Watson - Canzoni d’Amore. Lyceum, Crewe. Feb 23: Best of BE Festival. Unity Theatre Liverpool. Feb 24: Russell Watson - Canzoni d Amore Southport Theatre. Feb 24: The Vagina Monologues. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. Feb 24: Menopause the Musical. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Feb 24: The Counterfeit Stones - Fake It, Black. Regent Theatre Stoke. Rolling Stones tribute band. Feb 24: Roy Orbison and the Travelling
Compiled by CHRIS GROVES
Wilburys Tribute. Pavilion, Rhyl. Tribute show. Feb 25: Menopause: The Musical. Liverpool Empire. Feb 25: The Johnny Cash Roadshow. Opera House, Manchester. Tribute show. Feb 25: Icons of the 80s. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Feb 26-28: Tango Moderno. Liverpool Empire. New stage spectacular. Feb 26-28: A Spoonful of Sherman. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Feb 26: Flamenco Festival. The Lowry. Jesús Carmona. Feb 27-Mar 3: Once Upon a Dance! Regent Theatre, Stoke. Feb 27-Mar 3: The Kite Runner. Playhouse, Liverpool. Unforgettable theatrical tour de force returns to the Playhouse. Feb 27-Mar 3: Great Expectations. Theatr Clwyd. Nichola McAuliffe leads the cast. Feb 27-28: Tim Vine, Sunset Milk Idiot. Lyceum, Crewe. Feb 27: Halfway to Paradise. Palace Theatre, Manchester. The Billy Fury Story. Feb 27: Luca Rutherford’s Political Party. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.
Feb 28-Mar 3: Those Two Weeks. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. Feb 28-Mar 3: Birmingham Royal Ballet Sleeping Beauty. Audio described, Mar 3, 2pm. Touch tour at 10.30 am Feb 28: Circus of Horrors: Voodoo. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Feb 28: Back to Bacharach. Opera House, Manchester. Feb 28: Tenors Unlimited. The Brindley. Feb 28-Mar 1: Flowers of Manhattan. Charter Theatre, Preston. Musical memoir of nostalgia and unanswered questions on the streets of New York. Mar 1: Dave Spikey, Juggling on a Motorbike Tour. Lyceum, Crewe. Mar 1: Bowie Experience - The Golden Years Tour. Liverpool Empire. Tribute act. Mar 1: Motown’s Greatest Hits. Opera House, Manchester. Mar 1: Moscow City Ballet presents Swan Lake. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Mar 1: Russell Watson - Canzoni d’Amore. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Mar 1: MACCA: The Concert. Southport Theatre. Tribute show. Mar 2-3: Moscow City Ballet presents Sleeping Beauty. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Mar 2: Back to Bacharach. Southport Theatre. Celebrating the music of Burt Bacharach.
HOW YOU CAN PLAY A STARRING ROLE IN THE FUTURE OF THIS
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February/March 2018
EVERYONE FOR RUGBY T
HE ground-breaking Fingersmiths theatre company has helped form a unique partnership between the arts and sport.
A cast of deaf and hearing actors will use British Sign Language and spoken English to bring their exciting visual and physical theatre style to John Godber’s classic comedy Up ’n’ Under to The Lowry, Salford, on March 6 and 7. Up ’n’ Under tells of a rugby coach’s battle to prepare a laughing stock pub team for the game of their lives. Jean Draper, artistic director of Fingersmiths, said: “The combination of the two languages on stage accentuates the visual humour in the everyday banter of the characters and the physical storytelling sections become bolder. “Our performance style has been
likened to watching HD television. The pictures are sharper and you see the detail with greater clarity! “I’m very excited about directing Up ’n’ Under, staying true to all the characteristics expected and loved in a Godber play but adding a soupçon of deaf culture and language to make this a fingersmiths production” Fingersmiths’ partnership with England Deaf Rugby Union, headed by EDRU and World Deaf Rugby Chairman Tony Stoyles, is a first time collaboration to promote the awareness of, and develop deaf participation in, sport and the arts across the country. Tony said: “All rugby clubs should be encouraged to join forces with their local theatres, it’s definitely a pathway to associate the arts with sports, which may
YOURSELVES
Mar 2: The Merseybeats and special guests The Swinging Blue Jeans. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Mar 2: That’ll Be The Day. Lyceum. Fifties musical. Mar 2: Rigoletto. Liverpool Empire. Mar 3-31: Paint Your Wagon. Everyman, Liverpool. In California the glint of gold sets pulses racing. Mar 3: Madama Butterfly. Liverpool Empire. Mar 3-4: Peppa Pig’s Adventure! Opera House, Manchester. New live show Mar 3: The Illegal Eagles. Southport Theatre. Mar 4: David Baddiel My Family: Not The Sitcom. The Lowry. Mar 4: Some Guys Have All The Luck. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Musical about Rod Stewart. Mar 4: ARRIVAL: The hits of ABBA. Charter Theatre, Preston. Mar 6-8: Opera North’s Madama Butterfly. Audio described, Mar 8, 7.30pm, Touch Tour at 6.15pm Mar 6-10: Birdsong. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Marking the 100th anniversary of the First World War. Mar 6: Suggs. Charter Theatre, Preston. Mar 6: You’ve Got a Friend. Opera House, Manchester. The music of James Taylor and Carole King. Mar 6: David Gest’s Soul Legends – The
create opportunities within the local communities. Already England Deaf Rugby are seeing the benefits on a national scale.”
Legacy Tour. Pavilion, Rhyl. Mar 7-31: Wicked. Liverpool Empire. Musical. Mar 7-10: Fame. The Brindley. Musical. Mar 7-9: Opera North’s Don Giovanni. The Lowry. Mar 7: Menopause the Musical. Opera House, Manchester. Mar 7: Sing-a-Long-a Beauty and the Beast. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Mar 7: Rob Brydon: I Am Standing Up. Lyceum, Crewe. Mar 7: Ellen Kent: La Traviata. Regent Theatre, Stoke. Mar 8-11: Cirque Berserk! Palace Theatre. Manchester. Mar 8-10: Mark Thomas: Showtime from the Frontline. Playhouse, Liverpool. Mar 8: Islands In the Stream. Lyceum, Crewe. Tribute to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Mar 8: Ellen Kent: Madama Butterfly. Regent Theatre, Stoke. Mar 8: Faith -The George Michael Legacy. Charter Theatre, Preston. Wayne Dilks tribute show. Mar 9: Champions of Rock - The Supreme Queen Concert Show. Lyceum, Crewe. Tribute act. Mar 9: Ellen Kent’s La Traviata. Opera House, Manchester. Mar 9: The Illegal Eagles. Theatre Royal, St
UNIQUE CHARITY NEWSPAPER
Helens. Tribute band. Mar 10: Ellen Kent’s Madama Butterfly. Opera House, Manchester.. Mar 10: Menopause the Musical. Charter Theatre, Preston. Mar 11: Ellen Kent’s Rigoletto. Opera House, Manchester. Mar 11: Swan Lake. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Vienna Festival Ballet. Mar 12-17: Legally Blonde. Regent Theatre, Stoke. Musical starring Rita Simons. Mar 12-13: The Scary Bilkers. Charter Theatre, Preston. New comedy. Mar 13-17: The Importance Being Earnest. Opera House, Manchester. Mar 13-17: 20th Century Boy – The Musical. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Mar 13-17: The Sound of Music. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Mar 13-17: Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella. The Lowry. Love story set in London during the Second World War. Audio described, Sat 17 Mar, 2pm. Touch Tour, 12.30pm Mar 13: Thank ABBA for the Music. The Brindley. Mar 13-17: The Little Matchgirl (and Other Happier Tales). Playhouse, Liverpool. Mar 13: Cornermen. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. Mickey and his team of cornermen never seem to have much luck in the boxing world. Mar 14: Jimmy Osmond – Moon River and
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Me. Charter Theatre, Preston. Mar 15-Apr 24: East is East. Octagon, Bolton. For the seven kids of George Khan – proud Pakistani and chip shop owner – life is one long compromise. BSL Apr 3, 7.30pm. captioned, Apr 4, 7.30. Audio described, April 5, 7.30pm Mar 16: The ELO Experience. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Mar 16: Purple Rain - a Celebration of Prince. Southport Theatre. Mar 16: Be Bop a Lula. Charter Theatre, Preston. The West End smash hit. Mar 17-24: Nina - A Story About Me and Nina Simone. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. Mar 17: The Hollies. Southport Theatre. Mar 18: Seven Drunken Nights – The Story of The Dubliners. Opera House, Manchester. Mar 18: The Hollies - A Highway of Hits Tour. The Lowry. Mar 18: The Dublin Legends. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Mar 18: Brian Conley. Charter Theatre Preston. Mar 19-24: Blood Brothers. Pavilion, Rhyl. Mar 19: You’ve Got a Friend. Southport Theatre.The Music of James Taylor and Carole King. Mar 19-24: Fat Friends - The Musical. Opera House, Manchester. Mar 19-24: The Case of the Frightened Lady. Regent Theatre, Stoke. Agatha Christie classic. Mar 20-24: Son of a Preacher Man. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Musical. Mar 20-24: Private Lives. Theatr Clwyd. Noel Coward’s comedy. Mar 20-23: Ballet British Columbia. The Lowry. Mar 20: Jackson Live in Concert - Who’s Bad. Southport Theatre. Mar 21-May 12: Miss Saigon. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Audio described, Apr 12, 7.30pm. BSL, Apr 10, 7.30pm. Captioned, Apr 23 7.30pm Mar 21-24: Awful Auntie. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. World premiere of David Walliams’ tale of frights, fights and friendship. Mar 21: Smokie. Southport Theatre. Mar 22: Circus of Horrors. Charter Theatre Preston Mar 22: Joe Longthorn. Southport Theatre. Mar 24-Apr 15: Cinderella. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Mar 24: Bridget Christie: What Now? Playhouse, Liverpool. Mar 25: Buddy Holly and the Cricketers. Opera House, Manchester. Tribute show. Mar 26-Apr 7: Hairspray. Opera House, Manchester. The smash hit musical comedy. Mar 26: Only Fools and Boycie. The Brindley. Secrets from the TV series. Mar 27-31: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Mar 27-31: The Kite Runner. Theatr Clwyd. ‘The best page-to-stage show since War Horse…. a spellbinding production’ The Stage Mar 27-31: Hard Times. Playhouse, Liverpool. Charles Dickens’ great northern novel. Mar 29: The Bee Gee’s Story - Nights on Broadway. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Tribute show. Mar 29: Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers. The Brindley. Mar 30: The Illegal Eagles. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Mar 31: The Story of the Beach Boys. The Brindley. Apr 3-7 Derren Brown Underground. Royal Court, Liverpool.
. . . SEE BACK PAGE FOR DETAILS
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Books
The positive way to beat cancer Nipples to Kneecaps by Steve and Mandy Brown, £7.99, Amazon
THE heart-warming story of Steve and Mandy Brown, who defied Steve’s death sentence of terminal cancer in January of 1986. By making positive changes to their habits and daily lives, Steve is alive to tell his story today through the words of Mandy and her perspective on the events that miraculously cured her husband. Laughing, socialising with only positive friends and family, changing the use of certain words in conversation, and cutting out any negativity in their lives meant that laughter and happiness became the norm.
Mother’s heartache Justice for Laughing Boy: Connor Sparrowhawk - A Death by Indifference, by Sara Ryan, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, £12.99
On 4 July 2013, Connor Sparrowhawk, also known as Laughing Boy or LB, was found dead in a specialist NHS unit. Connor, who had autism and epilepsy, had a seizure while in the bath and no member of staff was on hand to stop him from drowning. An entirely preventable death. Sara Ryan presents a frank, sometimes funny and touching account of her son’s early life and preventable death and the unfolding #JusticeforLB campaign. This hard-hitting story serves as a wakeup call to all of us and asks: can we really claim that we respect the life and dignity of learning disabled people?
A shining light...
A Guide to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, by Janet Hoskin, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, £14.99 THE prognosis for people living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is improving, with some men living into their 30s and 40s. This guide provides everything teachers and parents need to know to support a child or young person with DMD at school and home. Medical experts and practitioners give advice on learning and behavioural concerns, physical management and the transition to adulthood.
February/March 2018
ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)
February will be highly romantic. If you’re looking for love, you’ll have a much better chance for finding it on March 17th. That’s when the New Moon will put you in the path of someone who excites your imagination. Are you already in a relationship? Seize a chance to showcase your creative ability.
A friendly relationship could turn romantic on Valentine’s Day when someone you’ve known for years confesses a crush on you. MidFebruary could mark big changes on the social front for you, thanks to a Solar Eclipse on the 15th. The second half the month should be quiet, calm and reflective. Connecting with your spiritual side can help you deal with some old traumas that you experienced years ago. Work will be stressful at the beginning of March, with too many responsibilities being heaped on your plate. Stay away from annoying distractions like social media, 24-hour news cycles and phone calls from needy friends. The Full Moon on the 31st urges you to recommit to a partner or break up altogether.
SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)
TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)
Don’t turn down an invitation to attend a glamorous Valentine’s Day party. On the 15th, a Solar Eclipse marks an exciting opportunity. The later part of February will find you spending quality time with friends. Talking with other likeminded innovative individuals will inspire you to launch a creative project of your own. A romance will meet a turning point. Don’t let your practical approach to life undermine your love. A group activity leads to the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Make sure you attend a festive party towards the middle of March. A flirtatious conversation will give you an attractive glow. On the 31st, a second Full Moon urges you to clear out clutter and tidy your work space.
GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)
You’ll have a lovely Valentine’s Day, whether single or attached. The Solar Eclipse on the 15th could find you taking a trip that changes the course of your life. February’s final days may find you basking in the spotlight. Those you live and work with will be impressed with your ability. Assuming leadership of a creative department will be rewarding. Your kind and caring approach brings out the best. Your living situation will be difficult at the start of March. The New Moon on the 17th marks an exciting opportunity. Be open to learning advanced techniques from colleagues. The skills you acquire will serve you well and contribute to further career success. The Full Moon on the 31st warns against rushing things with a love affair or creative project.
CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)
Valentine’s Day presents a wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal with your amour. The Solar Eclipse on the 15th could mark a handsome windfall from an insurance policy, legal settlement or inheritance. As February draws to a close, you’ll yearn to expand your horizons. The New Moon on March 17th will excite your spirit of adventure. Launching a business, going back to college or going an overseas trip are among the possibilities. You’re tired of following the rules. Stepping out of your familiar routine will be liberating. If you’re single, you’ll meet someone special as a result of taking a gamble. On the 31st, a second Full Moon will cause disruptions on the home front. Prepare for a family quarrel.
LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)
A wildly romantic Valentine’s Day is in the cards for you. A Solar Eclipse on the 15th marks an exciting turning point in a partnership. The second half of February is brimming with excitement. If you’re in a serious relationship, your partner could get a windfall that allows you to travel in style together. Money from a job will be less than expected on March 2nd, due to a tense Full Moon. It may be better to cut your losses and leave this disappointment behind you. On the 17th, the New Moon helps you
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RUSSELL GRANT CALLING . . .
draw closer to someone you love. Being the recipient of unconditional love has made you a better person. A second Full Moon on the 31st urges you to be on the alert for someone who is taking credit for your ideas.
VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)
You’ll be looking especially nice on Valentine’s Day. On the 15th, a Solar Eclipse will inspire you to adopt a new health regime. Changing your diet, taking more exercise and getting more sleep will make you feel years younger. It will also increase your productivity and enhance your natural good looks. It will be difficult to talk sense to a friend, romantic partner or business colleague at the beginning of March. The Full Moon on the 2nd has you working at cross purposes. Although it pains you to do so, it may be necessary to step aside and allow them to make a terrible mistake. The New Moon on the 17th finds you making a fresh start with someone special. On the 31st, you may be tempted to make a big change in your life.
LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)
Valentine’s Day will be especially romantic for you. Whether you’re single or attached, you’re sure to have a lovely time with someone who greatly admires you. The Solar Eclipse on the 15th could bring surprising news. The second half of February finds you doing what you love and loving what you do. The Full Moon on March 2nd brings a painful secret to light. You feel betrayed by someone who kept their motives hidden from you. This manipulator will try to get back into your good graces. Don’t be fooled by their apparent apologies. This would be a good time to start a fitness regime. Improving your diet, taking regular exercise and getting more sleep will make you feel better.
SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)
Treat yourself like royalty on Valentine’s Day. This is a golden opportunity to break out of a rut. When you treat yourself well, others will do the same. On the 15th, a Solar Eclipse could mark an unexpected change in your home life. Any addition to your household is destined to enhance it in a wonderful way. The final days of
Valentine’s Day will be fun and flirtatious. A Solar Eclipse on the 15th marks a big change in your daily routine. Having more time for creative hobbies and sports will make your eyes sparkle with excitement. Late February invites you to take care of domestic matters. Finding a new place to live or making space for a relative or friend are among the possibilities. An embarrassing situation could occur on March 2nd, due to a tense Full Moon. Someone will try to blame you for their mistakes. Have you been arguing with a relative? Take this opportunity to extend an olive branch. The Full Moon on the 31st urges you to monitor the company you keep. Break ties with a shady manipulator who pretends to be your friend.
CAPRICOR (December 22nd-January 20th) Don’t be surprised when this Valentine’s Day is especially fulfilling. Someone who understands your deep desire to have a vibrant family life will make your dream come true. On the 15th, a Solar Eclipse will attract an unexpected moneymaking opportunity. The second half of February finds you reading, studying and learning. A The New Moon on March 17 prompts you to launch a new project. Discussing a subject that is close to your heart will pave the way to strong friendships. It’s reassuring to realise others feel as passionately as you about certain things. A second Full Moon on the 31st urges you to conserve your energy. Don’t let a person flatter you into accepting a thankless job. Protect your interests. AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th) You’ll have no trouble attracting admirers this Valentine’s Day. On the 15th, a Solar Eclipse will prompt you to revamp your appearance. Getting a different hairstyle, undergoing a cosmetic procedure or overhauling your wardrobe will be lots of fun. Everyone will treat you differently as a result of this change. Doors that were once closed to you will suddenly fly open. The Full Moon on March 2nd will bring some troubling information to light but the New Moon on the 17th presents an exciting opportunity. There are many people like you who are working hard to make the world a better place. Join forces; you won’t be sorry.
PISCES (February 20th-March 20th) Instead of having a lavish Valentine’s Day at a public place, you will prefer a candlelit dinner for two. Are you single? You could meet someone special at a charitable organisation or spiritual group. The Solar Eclipse on the 15th is ideal for listening to your intuition. It’s wise to pay careful attention to your dreams. Your charisma will be at an all-time high during the second half of the month. March’s New Moon on the 17th invites you to do something nice for yourself. Changing your hairstyle, revamping your wardrobe and undergoing a cosmetic procedure are among the possibilities. The important thing is to put your needs first. A large payment or financial gain will be delayed on the 31st, when a second Full Moon cultivates greedy behaviour.
HALF A MILLION PEOPLE ARE READING THESE PAGES
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February/March 2018
All Together NOW!
WIN WIN THE THE FULL FULL MONTY! MONTY!
T
HE latest book by Gardener’s World favourite Monty Don is an inspiration – and we have FIVE copies worth £17.99 each for All Together NOW! readers to win. The 272-page book, Down to Earth, published by Dorling Kindersley, is a distillation of Monty’s 50 years’ gardening experience. Written in his intimate and lyrical style, and illustrated by superb photographs of the author’s garden, it covers a wide range of subjects from nature, seasons, colour, design and pests to flowering shrubs, containers, compost, fruit, vegetables and herbs. A month-by-month guide gives practical pointers on what to do all year round.
This is Monty Don right beside you in the garden, delivering advice, ideas and an underlying message that gardening is the secret to living well. To enter the competition, answer this question: How many years has Monty Don been gardening? Send your entry with your name and address on a postcard or sealed envelope, stating where you picked up your copy of All Together NOW!, to Monty Don Competition, All Together NOW!, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP, to arrive by Friday January 26, or enter online at www.alltogethernow.org.uk n For the full range of Dorling Kindersley’s publications – including other top-class gardening books – go to www.dk.com
READY STEADY GROW CHECK THESE OUT: Houseplant gloxinia, brussels sprouts from the garden and scarlet berries of skimmia shrub
H
OW was it for you? The festive season, that is. Think back and award yourself a point for each on this list.
1. You sent off your seed order before Christmas Eve. 2. Your winter houseplants were all blooming beautifully. 3. By the time your Christmas guests arrived, your garden was immaculate – tidy lawn, winter shrubs in bloom or berry and not a weed or a fallen leaf in sight. 4. You supplied flowers and foliage from the garden for table arrangements (add a bonus point if you also created the arrangements). 5. At least some of the vegetables served with the turkey came fresh from your garden. Three points prove you are a good gardener. Five and you’re a great one! But whatever your marks, it’s time to look forward to the new season and make a few resolutions. First, let battle commence against the summer’s
pests by attracting birds to your garden now with a range of food. Before breakfast every day put out a bowl of clean water, breadcrumbs, unsalted nuts, sunflower and other bird seeds and, if you can spare them, a few raisins and pieces of apple (or apple cores). Birds will get into the habit of visiting your garden and will eat aphids, slugs and other pests as well as those titbits. Next, take a hard-headed look at your garden tools. They will fall into one of three categories: efficient and used regularly; not used or broken; and important but not adequate for the job. Clean and sharpen the efficient ones in the first group, throw out the second lot and treat yourself to replacements for the inadequate gear in the third.
Then declare a border war on plants that look unattractive or do not flower well. Replace them with different kinds more suitable for the conditions. Before planting, rejuvenate the soil with a general fertiliser and any organic material available – garden compost, leafmould or wellrotted manure. With the recent gales in mind, be prepared by firming the soil round shrubs’ stems and plantsupporting stakes, and checking ties on climbing plants, tightening and renewing them as necessary. Two points to help you make the most of next winter: take a few photos of your garden on the first of every month and build up a collection to bring good cheer to the year’s end – and make a note to plant bulbs of winter flowers in pots for indoor scent and colour. Plant hyacinth bulbs in late August for Christmas bloom – look for “prepared” bulbs which will have been temperature-treated to flower early. Then try crocuses and daffodils such as Narcissus ‘Paperwhite’.
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CHECKLIST
FLOWERS: Trim back some of the leaves of hellebores so the flowers can be seen clearly. One of the most attractive hellebores, the pure white ‘Christmas rose,’ can be spoiled by drips from overhead trees after rain so protect blooms, especially for cutting, with a sheet of glass or plastic. SHRUBS AND TREES: Prune clematis, apart from evergreen kinds. Those that bloom in spring can be lightly trimmed for tidiness and to remove dead wood. On summer or autumn flowering types, cut down last year’s stems to two buds at the bottom of each stem. LAWNS: Keep lawns clear of twigs, wormcasts and other debris by brushing them off. Do not walk on lawns when frost is on the ground. If new growth is beginning, give a light trim towards the end of March. PONDS: If your pond freezes over, carbon dioxide can build up in the water and harm fish and wildlife. Ideally, install an electric floating pond heater. Alternatively, float a large ball on the water to impede icing-over. If the entire surface becomes frozen, melt a hole with the base of a saucepan of hot water. Don’t crack the ice – the shock waves are distressing to fish. VEGETABLES: When the soil is reasonably dry, plant shallot bulbs firmly in wellraked soil with just the tips of the shoots showing. In March, sow broad beans and early peas such as Kelvedon Wonder and Cavalier. FRUIT: Prune gooseberries and redcurrants if you missed them in the autumn, aiming to produce a goblet shaped bush. HERBS: Sow chives and tarragon under glass, and tender herbs like basil and coriander with heat in a greenhouse, a conservatory or on a bright windowsill. GLASS: Reduce the risk of plants rotting by opening greenhouses and cold frames on sunny days but close them by mid-afternoon. HOUSEPLANTS: Stop feeding plants that have flowered in winter but continue to feed those due to flower in spring. When cyclamen flowers fade, remove them by grasping the flower stem firmly and pulling it sharply away from the base.
All Together NOW!
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February/March 2018
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. 1
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QUESTION 10 – for 10 points: What was the name of Gandalf’s horse in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings?
A B C D
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 11. 12. 13. 14. 20. 21. 23. 24. 25.
Rabbit Mule Donkey Hare
Labrador Bloodhound Collie Spaniel
A B C D
Grain (4) Written material (4) Imitate (5) Metric weight (5) Unlucky influence (4) Temporary suspension (8) National treasury (9) Thanks (9) Having weapons (5) Chaos (5) Midlands city (5) Dismayed (8) Throw out of house (5) Of the kidneys (5) Dismal (4) Flair (4) Female servant (4)
Backgammon Chess Mah-jong Draughts
QUESTION 5 – for 5 points: Which English county was once divided into areas known as Ridings? A B C D
Kent Norfolk Yorkshire Hampshire
QUESTION 6 – for 6 points: In the Northern Hemisphere which month contains the longest day? A B C D
May June July August
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Saturn Mars Uranus Jupiter
QUESTION 12 – for 12 points: In which island group is the town of Stromness? A B C D
English actor Dev Patel. See Question 8
QUESTION 7 – for 7 points: Which product was first sold as ‘the esteemed brain tonic and intellectual beverage’? A B C D
QUESTION 13 – for 13 points: Which of the following was designed by the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott? A B C D
Coca-Cola Horlicks Guinness Ribena
The red telephone kiosk London’s tube map The zebra crossing Nelson’s Column
QUESTION 14 – for 14 points: In the Wizard of Oz, what was Dorothy’s surname?
QUESTION 8 – for 8 points: English actor Dev Patel made his screen debut in which TV teenage drama? A B C D
Outer Hebrides Shetlands Faroes Orkneys
A B C D
The Inbetweeners Grange Hill Misfits Skins
Stratten Lamour Parker Gale
QUESTION 9 – for 9 points: Who had the nickname The Iron Duke?
QUESTION 15 – for 15 points: Where was the artist Pablo Picasso born?
A B C D
A B C D
The Duke of Marlborough The Duke of Devonshire The Duke of Wellington The Duke of Gloucester
Málaga Barcelona Seville Bilbao
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.
2 8 6 4
A B C D
Basketball Football Netball Baseball
QUESTION 4 – for 4 points: In which board game can a player ‘huff’ the other as a form of forfeit?
Hedwig Shadowfax Shardik Aslan
QUESTION 11 – for 11 points: Which planet in Gustav Holst’s The Planets Suite is described as ‘the bringer of jollity’?
QUESTION 3 – for 3 points: The position of wing attack is played in which sport? A B C D
ACROSS Scorn (8) Indonesian island (4) Testing (9) Subsequent (4) Medical photograph (1-3) Was in continued pain (5) Loathe (5) Consumed (5) Progressive person (5) Equip (anag.) (5) Take a dip (5) Condemn (5) Was dishonest (4) Dutch cheese (4) Logical basis (9) Twilight (4) Gifted (8)
chosen answers and keep a record of your points total. Maximum total points 120. QUESTION 1 – for 1 point: What type of female animal is referred to as a jenny?
A B C D
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Each question has four possible answers and is worth from one to 15 points. Circle your
QUESTION 2 – for 2 points: What type of dog was Walt Disney’s Pluto?
15
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REACH 500,000 READERS
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.
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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?
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.
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CROSS CODE
All Together NOW!
February/March 2018
www.alltogethernow.org.uk
2. geographical features 268 317 421 825 539 122 696 617 663 122 915 253 122 831 485 591 386 314 455 163 721 467 431 254 331 748 371 865 226 612 262 512 724 162 326
3. presidential candidates 436 743 162 468 376 192 583 716 663 253 156 461 537 791 642 423 513 852 547 184 662 713 393 914 672 231 473 353 915 646 162 224 612 514 673
4. fictional islands 638 375 263 154 554 788 129 522 261 786 637 475 316 282 766 318 722 917 444 912 722 153 917 585 518 732 787 317 488 837 122 765 661 272 449
5. novels by Dick Francis 787 244 481 861 843 144 581 747 512 663 186 147 433 138 361 666 391 266 322 251 265 812 767 734 731 863 371 673 377 174 557 144 441 782 537
6. Game of Thrones 635 472 637 317 267 217 827 518 436 614 739 569 127 921 782 751 566 176 691 897 466 152 664 783 717 826 647 122 728 436 615 672 416 676 668
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 19 articles of clothing.
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Here is an unusual word with three definitions, only one of which is correct. Can you identify the right definition?
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SPHENE 1) A headband or fillet worn by women in ancient Greece; 2) The hazy halo of light surrounding the moon when it is covered by light cloud; 3) The mineral titanite, occurring as wedgeshaped crystals in igneous and metamorphic rocks.
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MAKE A DATE In which year did all three of these significant historical events take place?
1. Wilhelm Röntgen discovers electromagnetic waves which he calls X-rays. 2. Oscar Wildeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last play The Importance of Being Earnest is first shown at St. Jamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Theatre in London.
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3. Sigmund Freud publishes his paper on Studies In Hysteria, marking the beginnings of psychoanalysis.
Add the given letter to the first word to make a new word. Clue: No matter which can be amusingly eccentric.
WAS IT? a) 1890; b) 1895; c) 1900; d) 1905; e) 1910.
___ +Z=Z___
ALL THE ANSWERS Pathwords pyjamas; shorts; blouse; kimono; tabard; coat; trousers; bikini; jacket; sweatshirt; blazer; gown; cardigan; poncho; vest; dress; stockings; underpants; cape.
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SUDOKU EASY
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Word Wizard No 3 is correct. Sphene is a mineral. Dialling Codes 1. Basildon Park; Lismore Castle; Highclere Castle; Duncombe Park; Castle Howard; Ingatestone Hall; Holdenby House. 2. cove; ria; valley; canyon; pond; bay; lake; cave; gully; dune; hill; mesa; gorge; cliff; river; volcano; canal; arch; ocean. 3. George McGovern; Walter Mondale; John Kerry; Michael Dukakis; Thomas Dewey; Horace Greeley; John McCain; Al Gore. 4. Neverland; Lilliput; Azkaban; Summerisle; Navarone; Tracy; Piggy; Crab Key; Skull; Treasure; Shutter; Absolom; Craggy.
5. Straight; To The Hilt; Risk; Come to Grief; Even Money; Comeback; Bolt; Crossfire; Under Orders; Silks; High Stakes. 6. Melisandre; Sansa Stark; Theon Greyjoy; Arya Stark; Jon Snow; Tyrion Lannister; Stannis Baratheon; Jorah Mormont. Spot Check A = 5; B = 3; C = 1; D = 6; E = 4; F = 2. Missing Link skin; hard; idiot; extension; look; draw. Armour: shield. Make a Date The year was 1895. Transformer Any + Z = Zany.
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All Together NOW!
February/March 2018
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Freedom of City for Prem club’s charity
E
VERTON in the Community has been given the Freedom of the City of Liverpool for its “pioneering” charity work.
All Together NOW! is helping and inspiring tens of thousands of people whose lives are affected by disability. But the charity needs to find ways to balance the books. You can help in a big way by becoming one of our loyal subscribers. For a suggested £15 donation (more, if you can afford it!) we will send you the next SIX editions. NAME
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Please send this coupon and a cheque payable to All Together NOW! to: Subscriptions Dept., All Together NOW! The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP — THANKS!
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson nominated the charity as it celebrates its 30 years of tackling key social issues and helping some of the most vulnerable in the Merseyside region. It improves the lives of 20,000 people every year, supports more than 1,100 children through their school sports programme, and more than 1,000 residents have been helped into work thanks to their employment support. The charity also runs a range of football teams for TOP HONOUR: Denise Barrett-Baxendale, chair of Everton in the Community disabled players, and is committed to tackling mental health issues. Mayor Anderson said: “Admitting an organisation to the Freedom Roll of Associations is the highest accolade we can bestow, and is reserved for only the most deserving of recipients. “In 30 years, Everton in the Community has made a huge, tangible difference to the local community and is widely recognised as one of the UK’s top sporting charities. “The list of achievements is outstanding. Whether it’s working with people with autism, raising funds to tackle homelessness, engaging with people of all ages or simply ensuring their community is clean and litter-free – their work and dedication has touched the lives of thousands. “I’m delighted this important charity is set to be added to the Roll, and I’m sure whether you’re a OBSESSION: Harry Caygill, 11, plays golf every day of his life Red or a Blue you will applaud the exceptional, life-changing work Everton in the Community is involved with each day.” Professor Denise BarrettBaxendale, executive chair of Everton in the Community and deputy chief executive of Everton shows that getting out on the course has ARRY Caygill is 11 years old, has FC, said: “For our charity to receive never been better for everyone. the Freedom of the City of Liverpool autism spectrum disorder, and is Harry’s interest in golf started with a Tiger is the most wonderful accolade and making a big name for himself on Woods Xbox game. He then had a session on it is testament to the hard work of the fairways. the driving range, and his parents arranged all of our staff and volunteers. He plays every day, works constantly with for him to have lessons with PGA professional “For almost 30 years we have his PGA coach, competes regularly – and Ross Jackson, based at Ingelby Barwick Golf been committed to helping those he’s made new friends, improved his school Academy. most in need across our city and work and wants to make a career in the It’s turned into a great partnership. year-on-year we continue to game. Harry has already had lots of success, both develop our programmes to ensure “I know that my brain is wired up a bit on the Durham Junior Tour and in the Wee that we are tackling the most different to other children and I do find some Wonders competition. common social issues that exist in things a bit tricky, but I think it helps my golf “It’s helped me because now I’ve played in our city.” because golf is my obsession!” said Harry. lots of competitions and feel more confident in Sixty-nine organisations have His experience echoes the findings of a been admitted to the Freedom Roll report commissioned by England Golf and the my abilities,” said Harry. “In school, I have used my golf in literacy of Associations and Institutions PGA which shows that people who are since it began in 1962. These regularly involved in the sport are happier and when I have researched golfers and written biographies. I’ve written lots of stories about include The King’s Regiment, feel the benefits across their everyday lives. golf and think I’m better at concentrating in Liverpool and Everton Football The research, conducted by the school as I know how to focus.” Clubs, National Museums Sport Industry Research Centre n To find out more about golfing Liverpool, Merseyside Army Cadet (SIRC) at Sheffield Hallam University, opportunities visit: www.getintogolf.org Force, Cancer Research UK, looks at golf’s benefits for society and Cream and Bradbury Fields.
‘I know my brain is wired up a bit differently – but it helps my golf’
Happy Harry
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February/March 2018
All Together NOW!
Honour for football access campaigner
J
OYCE Cook, the woman who has done so much to make football stadia accessible for disabled supporters, received a CBE in the New Year’s honours list.
As chair of Level Playing Field, she played a significant role in highlighting the problem of poor access for disabled fans, particularly among Premier League clubs. Cook, now chief member associations officer for football’s world governing body FIFA, said: “It’s a very proud moment for me and my loved ones. “The World Health Organisation considers more than 20% of the global population to be disabled, yet there are very few disabled people in senior positions at this time, ON THE BALL: Joyce Cook, chair of the Level Playing Field charity especially in the sports sector. “The award recognises the work I’ve been involved in for more than 15 years, but it also underlines the important work still being pursued by Centre for Access to Football in Europe and Level Playing Field. “As a disabled person working for FIFA, and a member of the senior management board, I have a responsibility as a role model and I’m proud that FIFA is showing its commitment to diversity and inclusion. “I hope that I can continue to play my part in the years ahead by using my personal and professional experiences within FIFA to continue to build more inclusive programmes and to ensure that football is truly welcoming to the many RECOGNITION: Paralympian Stef Reid received an MBE in the New Year Honours list disabled people.”
ALSO recognised with an MBE was Paralympian Stef Reid. Reid won her first world title in the T44 long jump at last summer’s World Para Athletics Championships in London, a year after winning a second successive Paralympic silver medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. Reid was also a board member of the organising committee of the championships in London last summer, and has campaigned to challenge media perceptions of disability and how women feel about their bodies. She said: “It had already been a great year, and this news left me completely stunned.” Former Paralympian Craig Carscadden, head of development at the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association, received an MBE was for services to disabled athletes and the Paralympics.
Golden chances
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HREE of the North West’s top disabled athletes have been selected for Team England’s Para Athletics Squad for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia in April.
Triple world champion Kadeena Cox, Nathan Maguire and Simon Lawson are included in the squad, which will compete in 38 para medal events. Cox starred at last summer’s World Para Athletics Championships in London, winning the T38 400m title along with grabbing two further medals. The 26-year-old from Manchester said: “I am delighted. I’ve been lucky enough to compete at Paralympic and World Para Athletics Championships so to get a chance to compete at these Games as well is very special and I can’t wait to race in the Gold Coast. “It is fantastic that the para programme has grown at the Commonwealth Games. We have a really strong team. After the success of last year’s World Para Athletics Championships, it is great to have the opportunity to compete on the big stage again and
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hopefully inspire new fans to the sport.” Chester’s Nathan Maguire, 20, will join Richard Chiassaro (Harlow) in the 1500m event, and Simon Lawson, 35, from Maryport, Cumbria, will be competing in the men’s T54 marathon. Katrina Hart (Redditch) and Jade Jones (Stockton on Tees) will also be looking to add to their previous Commonwealth Games experiences on the Gold Coast. Jones won a bronze medal in Glasgow 2014, while Hart claimed the gold medal in the women’s 100m T37 event in Delhi 2010. Team England will send a team of around 600 athletes and staff in what will be England’s largest ever team to represent the nation in an overseas sporting event. Martin Rush, England’s Athletics Team Leader, said: “What was already a strong team is now even stronger, with the addition of a number of Paralympic and World Para Athletics Championships medallists. “The Games afford us a welcome opportunity to send a team that combines the talents of both para and non-disability athletes and we cannot wait to see them in action.”
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‘How sport helped me through the worst’
O
NE of the world’s top disabled sportsmen is urging people with disabilities to realise the positive impact sport can have on their lives.
Graeme Stewart, captain of Scotland’s wheelchair rugby league team, told a sporting-themed annual meeting of specialist housing and care provider Blackwood how sport helped him overcome challenges associated with his injury. Graeme was just 16 when a tragic accident left him paralysed from the waist. The 50-yearold is now not only the proud captain of his country at rugby league, he has also been cox of a rowing team, regularly plays basketball – and has climbed Ben Nevis. Graeme said: “I was training to compete for Scotland at POSITIVE: Graeme rowing. “Everything changed but sport really helped me through.” The Blackwood AGM was held at the National Sports Centre in Largs, North Ayrshire, and offered people the chance to try various sports and activities such as wheelchair basketball, dance and archery. The centre – designed to be inclusive for users of all physical and sensory ability - also allowed people to sample various machines in the gym as well as watch and participate in displays. Graeme, from Balloch, West Dunbartonshire, added: “It’s so important what Blackwood are doing because people need to know what their options are as I’ve experienced first-hand the positive impact sport can have.”
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WILL YOU FUNDRAISE FOR US? All Together NOW!
Y
OUR FREE and favourite All Together NOW! charity newspaper is helping hundreds of thousands of people. But we could do with a bit of help, too . . . If you are taking part in a fun run – or ANY fundraiser – please consider doing it for All Together NOW! and we’ll feature your efforts. You can also help by making a charitable a donation to All Together NOW! You can either send us a cheque, text a donation on your mobile phone (DONATE ATNOW 88802), or commit to a regular monthly donation via the Charity Checkout link on our website www.alltogethernow.org.uk All Together NOW! is the only paper of its kind in the UK. Together we can secure the newspaper’s future – and make it even bigger and better for EVERYONE! Thank you TOM DOWLING, EDITOR All Together NOW! The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP Registered Charity No: 1106387 n Tel 0151 230 0307 n info@alltogethernow.org.uk
February/March 2018
www.alltogethernow.org.uk