Atn issue 72 feb mar 2017 web

HUGS, HEALTH ‘N’ HAPPINESS p27 INSIDE:

BRIT FLOYD TICKETS TO BE WON p29

FEBRUARY-MARCH, 2017

TOP DOG!

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PARKINSON’S MOVIE

The pooch that’s helping people to live again

p4

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WE NEED YOUR HELP BACK PAGE

to all our partners for their fantastic he past year. Without it, we just wouldn’t

DAVE’S MESSAGE

SPOON IT UP opening doors . . . broadening minds . . . . . . and reaching

500,000

readers . . .

p18

2

All Together NOW!

What’s inside p2-6

NEWS

p7

MORGAN FOUNDATION

p8

SIR BERT MASSIE

p10

CAREZONE

UNITED UTILITIES

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& RESCUE SERVICE

p12

SERVICE

p13

DA VINCI MOBILITY

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MERSEYSIDE FIRE

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February/March 2017

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FAB FOUR: Sir Ken and the late Walter Huntley (former associate editor of the Liverpool ECHO, and also a great ambassador of All Together NOW!) with Dicky Mint and Jimmy Turner

GTR MANCHESTER FIRE & RESCUE

INDEPENDENT LIVING

p16-19 p20

CONTACT BOARD

LEGALZONE

p21

SKILLZONE

p22-23

THEATREZONE

p28-29

HEALTH

BOOKS/HOROSCOPE GARDENING

PUZZLEZONE SPORT

THOUSANDS of people are still receiving undignified homecare in 15-minute slots, despite official guidance against such “flying visits”.

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MOTORZONE

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

0151 230 0307

Editor: Tom Dowling

email: news@alltogethernow.org.uk

Legal Affairs, Corporate Social Responsibility, Philanthropy editor: Steve McDermott

Editorial Support: Gerry Corner

Advertising/sponsorship 0151 230 0307

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

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15-minute ‘flying visits’ must stop

Congratulations, Congratulations, Sir Sir Ken Ken .. .. .. and all at the Jam Butty mines

ALL Together NOW! sends huge congratulations to Sir Ken Dodd for at long last getting the national recognition he so thoroughly deserves.

Newly-knighted Sir Ken is a big supporter of charities and a massive fan of this FREE charity newspaper.

“I think All Together NOW! is absolutely

plumptious,” he said in our special anniversary issue. This paper has one major objective — to help people.

“People who overcome disabilities are a strength to everyone else.

“And this newspaper brings strength, hope and happiness to everyone.”

MBE for Jill at Together Trust

JILL Sheldrake, the Together Trust’s service director, has been awarded an MBE in the 2017 New Year Honours List for services to looked-after children in the North West.

Jill has worked at the Cheadle-based charity for 20 years.

“I’m deeply honoured,” said Jill. ”Supporting disadvantaged young people to reach their potential and overcome their barriers has always been my priority.”

Mark Lee, Together Trust’s chief executive, added: “Jill has shown unwavering dedication to young people no matter what their circumstance. Her honour is richly deserved.”

Stars of sport among the honours

A WORLD-renowned solo percussionist, a mental health campaigner, a digital inclusion expert and the founder of a travel review website were also among the disabled people recognised in the New Year Honours list.

But the highest-ranking honour was awarded to Dame Evelyn Glennie, the solo percussionist who was made a Companion of Honour, for those who have made a lengthy and major contribution

to the arts, science, medicine, or government.

Dame Evelyn, who is profoundly deaf, was the first person to sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist, and has amassed more than 80 international awards, including two GRAMMYs. Mental health campaigner Jonny Benjamin, best-known for his successful social media quest to find the stranger who convinced him not to end his own life, received an MBE, alongside

Robin Christopherson, a founding member of the disability charity AbilityNet. Among 60 Paralympians recognised were Lee Pearson, who receives a knighthood; Sophie Christiansen and Sascha Kindred, who receive CBEs; and Anne Dunham and Jody Cundy, who receive OBEs. Meanwhile, Tim Reddish, chair of the British Paralympic Association was rewarded with a CBE.

HALF A MILLION READERS . . .

Leonard Cheshire Disability found at least 33,305 older and disabled people in England received 15-minute care visits in 2015/16.

Of these, 16,311 were in areas where councils admit to still using flying visits for personal care to support people with intimate needs such as washing, dressing and eating.

Freedom of Information responses revealed that 34 councils (22%) are still commissioning 15-minute visits for personal care, while another 60 gave unclear responses when asked or did not respond.

Intimate care

Short visits continue despite statutory guidance accompanying the Care Act 2014, which came into force in April 2015, stating: “Short home-care visits of 15 minutes or less are not appropriate for people who need support with intimate care needs.”

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) also advises that carers must spend a minimum of 30 minutes during visits to help keep people well.

Leonard Cheshire Disability has been campaigning to end flying care visits through its Make Care Fair campaign since 2013.

The charity’s chief executive, Neil Heslop, said: “No-one of us would want our family and friends to receive personal care visits as short as 15 minutes, so we should not accept this happening across the country to anyone else.”

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

February/March 2017

Let’s make it a year to remember!

NEWS

All Together NOW!

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A

VERY warm welcome to the first of another SIX info-packed editions for 2017.

It might be cold outside, but we’re certain that there’s plenty to warm you up inside this bumper issue!

Putting it all together has been another labour of love, especially as we know how important the paper is to so many readers, who are unable to get the kind of news and information provided in these pages from anywhere else.

Almost HALF A MILLION people are now reading All Together NOW!

But publishing newspapers is a hugely costly business – especially charity papers like ours.

That’s why we are so enormously proud and thankful to have such fantastic support from our partners, advertisers, and supporters, without which we just wouldn’t exist.

Looking to the year ahead, we know we are in for another tough ride.

But in All Together NOW! we have a unique – and FREE – community newspaper that’s helping so many people affected by disability, ill health and age.

SURF STAR!

M

EET Ricochet, the amazing American surfing pooch who is about to become a box office sensation.

The nine-year-old Golden Retriever has been on the crest of a wave since she was an eight-week old pup – and has gone on to win lots of awards and make a big name for herself on You Tube.

But it’s her unique, jaw-dropping work helping people with all sorts of health

issues and disabilities that’s really catching the attention.

In 2009 Ricochet jumped onto a surfboard with a 14-year-old boy who was unable to use his arms and legs – and she’s never looked back!

She’s also raised more than half a million dollars for disabled children, and is a familiar sight on the San Diego coast, teaming up with people with wide-ranging disabilities – including US veterans with post traumatic disorder syndrome – in her

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We remain optimistic, and are determined to help and inform even more people about opportunities they may be missing out on.

Our goal is to forge new partnerships with organisations – and philanthropists – who share our vision.

That has to be good for everyone.

And with more financial support there’s no telling just how many more people we can help. Let’s make it a year to remember!

TOM DOWLING, editor tel, 0151 230 0307 news@alltogethernow.org.uk

George ‘so generous to charities . . . ’ GEORGE Michael – who died on Christmas Day – financially supported some of the country’s leading disabled people’s organisations with secret donations for nearly two decades.

The singersongwriter provided grants through The Platinum Trust, which he set up in 1990, supporting organisations including Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, the British Council of Disabled People (BCODP), The Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE), and the LGBTQ disabled people’s organisation, Regard.

Tara Flood, ALLFIE’s director, said: “There is no doubt that George Michael’s quiet and long-lasting support work gave us the freedom to challenge the very worst that governments of all political flavours could throw at us.”

Julie Newman, former chair of the UK Disabled People’s Council and currently treasurer of Regard, said Michael had kept BCODP and then UKDPC afloat for many years, at a time when other funding was “falling away”, including grant funding from the Department of Health.

She said: “There would be no Regard today without The Platinum Trust.

“What George did was massively generous, at a time when other people were not.”

News service axed Waves of Empowerment programme.

Ricochet already has her own website, and has had a few bit parts in feature films (Marmaduke, Rina’s Magic Bracelet) and documentaries.

There’s more silver screen glory on the way – she’s starring in an IMAX film being produced by Daniel Ferguson about “super hero” dogs.

The film is expected to be released later this year. n SurfDogRicochet.com

Free Home Demonstrations

SALES, REPAIR & SERVICING OF ALL MOBILITY & DISABILITY PRODUCTS

DISABILITY charity Scope has closed its online news service Disability Now (DN) in a bid to cut costs, more than 30 years after it first appeared as a newspaper.

DN was first published, under a different name, in 1984, first as a newspaper, then as a magazine, and finally in an online-only format four years ago.

Richard Lane, Scope’s head of communications, said the charity had now decided that DN was no longer a viable business in its current format.

“At an incredibly difficult financial time for the charity sector, we have to look at all expenditure very carefully. This decision was not taken lightly.”

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Companies ignorant of disability scheme MORE than half the businesses in the North-West haven’t heard of the Government’s flagship “Disability Confident” scheme that aims to attract, retain and recruit disabled workers.

The scheme, set up four years ago and re-launched in November, supports the Government’s overall strategy to reduce the disability employment gap.

But research by Purple, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to reducing the levels of inequality between disabled and non-disabled people, says huge numbers of businesses remain ignorant of the scheme.

Mike Adams, chief executive of Purple, said: “It’s unacceptable that being disabled makes you twice as likely to live in poverty.

“Just 49% of the UK’s 11.5m disabled people are currently in work, compared to 82% of non-disabled people.

“This has a real impact on the quality of life of disabled people, as well as on the British economy, which is providing financial support rather than receiving incoming funds through taxable earnings.”

SKILLZONE – p22-23

Jolly good Fellowes

LORD Fellowes, creator of the hit TV series Downton Abbey, has been appointed a vice president of leading sight loss charity, RNIB. Julian Fellowes, pictured, has supported RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) for more than 10 years, hosting and supporting fundraising events for the charity’s much-loved Talking Books service and championing the need to make all books accessible for blind and partially sighted readers.

He said: “I’m a big believer in the power of a good story and have seen how RNIB’s Talking Books can transform the lives of blind and partially sighted people.” n RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999.

Become a trustee

AN easy-read guide to help people with learning disabilities to become charity trustees is now available.

Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, said: “By attracting more people with learning disabilities to become trustees, charities working in this area can make sure they have the right mix of skills, knowledge and experience on their boards so they can better meet the needs of their beneficiaries.” n Contact Daniela Wulf: Tel. 020 7520 2424 or email daniela.wulf@ncvo.org.uk

NEWS

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Parking your car – the easy way

A

WHEELCHAIR-user has successfully tested a system that allows an unoccupied car to be parked after its driver has left the vehicle, using technology that could be publicly available within a year, writes JOHN PRING

The organisations developing the system believe it could make life a lot easier for drivers who are wheelchair-users and often find it difficult to secure suitable parking spaces.

The system was tested by freelance mobility consultant Toby Veall, who was driving a Toyota Prius.

Mr Veall said the system had huge potential for increasing disabled people’s independence.

“The use of a simple app to remotely park the car would be warmly welcomed by myself and many others with mobility problems and help to remove parking anxieties and improve independence.”

The “teleoperated autonomous vehicle service for

people with reduced mobility” has been developed as part of the GATEway (Greenwich Automated Transport Environment) project. two-year, £8 million research programme is led by TRL (the formerly government-owned transport research laboratory) and funded by government and industry - including O2 and robotics specialists Gobotix.

Dr Ben Davis, technical director of Gobotix, said: “Everybody is waiting for the arrival of fully automated vehicles, but there’s a lot that vehicle manufacturers can be doing already with existing technology to help improve accessibility and mobility for older and disabled drivers.

“Many modern cars can be adapted so that they are driveable by a remote pilot and what we’ve demonstrated as part of GATEway is proof of that.

“If the appetite among the automotive manufacturers was there, there is no reason why this couldn’t be available to consumers within 12 months.”

War for equality, declares minister A

CAMPAIGN to make UK shops and services more accessible and inclusive has been launched by the Government.

Disability champions are being recruited to promote the benefits of being inclusive in the retail, hospitality, sport, manufacturing and building sectors.

The new champions will be demonstrating the business sense of making products and services available to a group of people who are regularly excluded from shops, restaurants, bars and other public places.

Disability minister Penny Mordaunt, pictured, said: “It’s completely unacceptable that disabled people often miss out.

“There are some great examples of inclusive businesses that are passionate about driving social change.

“That’s why I’m asking them to champion a war against inaccessibility, and encourage other businesses to benefit from the purple pound – the spending power of disabled people.”

n There are more than 11 million disabled people in the UK and the spending power of their households – ‘the purple pound’ – is £249 billion.

Paralympian starts the party

PARALYMPIAN and Invictus Games hero Dave Henson is helping to kick-start the celebrations of Round Table’s 90th year celebrations.

The ex-Royal Engineer, right, is taking time out from training for the 2017 World Para Athletic Games to appear at the showpiece event in Winchester’s Great Hall on Saturday, March 11.

Dave said: “The work that Round Tables do for communities across the United Kingdom and Ireland is incredible.”

Round Table President Mark House said: “Round Table changed my life as it is a fantastic organisation giving young men the chance to support their local communities as well as taking part in a wide-range of social activities with new friends for life.”

HALF A MILLION READERS . . .

Inquiry to focus on need for housing

AN INQUIRY into a chronic lack of accessible housing has been welcomed by campaigners.

But they warned it must also look at whether such housing is affordable for disabled people.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) inquiry will look at the impact of the shortage of accessible and adaptable housing on disabled people’s right to live independently, as laid out in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

EHRC launched the inquiry after research showed that 1.8 million disabled people in Britain do not have suitable housing, while 300,000 do not have the adaptations they need in their existing homes.

Part of the inquiry’s focus will be on how councils and social housing providers assess disabled people’s need for accessible housing and identify a suitable property, and on how the disabled facilities grants system – and equivalent grants in Scotland – are operating.

David Isaac, EHRC’s chair, said: “Living independently is one of the most important issues for disabled people across the UK, yet only a small percentage of local authorities have policies to deliver and monitor the number of accessible homes being built.

“We are using our unique legal powers to hold this inquiry into the chronic lack of accessible housing for disabled people as well as the many barriers faced by those who need to adapt homes to their specific needs.

“It is to society’s shame that rights of disabled people have stalled, and we need to ensure they are no longer left behind in all areas of life, including housing and independent living.”

The inquiry is due to report early in 2018.

Chester’s Euro accolade NEWS

C

HESTER has become the first British city to win the coveted European Access City Award – ahead of Rotterdam in The Netherlands and Jurmala, Latvia

The city beat off 42 other cities in 21 European Union countries.

Marianne Thyssen, the EC’s commissioner for employment, social affairs, skills and labour mobility, said: “Chester’s efforts to make its historical and cultural heritage fit for persons with disabilities deserve the highest praise.

“People with a disability should be able to participate in all aspects of life without limitations: social, cultural, economic, touristic, and more.”

Chester’s lord mayor, Cllr Angela Claydon, pictured, said: “This is great for our borough’s disabled community – many of whom live in or visit Chester regularly.

“Improved accessibility brings not only reassurance and the necessary support to those who struggle with mobility issues, but

All Together NOW!

February/March 2017

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They’re stepping it out, too, in London!

lasting economic and social benefits to the city and the borough and we will continue to place accessibility at the heart of everything we deliver.

“We appreciate that there is plenty of room for improvement but we are absolutely committed to working with disabled organisations to ensure that the whole of the borough is as accessible to all as it can be.” n Most of its Roman city walls are now wheelchair-accessible, while the medieval, double-level walkways, balconies and shops known as The Rows have ramps, lifts, level access and escalators. n All Hackney taxis operating within the city are fully accessible; all buses have fold-out ramp and designated wheelchair spaces; and 170 accessible parking bays are available in council car parks. n The Shopmobility scheme has 3,000 annual bookings, with Ability Angels available to help people shop.

SOUNDING OFF – p8

CHESTER FOR ALL: Shopping made easy

LONDON mayor Sadiq Khan has vowed to make at least 30 stations on the capital’s largely inaccessible tube network step-free.

At present, only 70 of 270 stations on the London Underground network are step-free to all platforms.

Mr Khan, pictured, said the decision to invest £200 million by 2021-22 would be the “biggest boost to step-free access on the Underground in the network’s 153-year history”.

The mayor added: “As part of making London’s transport system one of the very best in the world, we must ensure it is accessible for all.

“It’s simply not right that for people with disabilities, parents with young children and many older people, many of our stations are still very difficult to use.

“We’re also announcing plans to bring forward the delivery of step-free access at outer London stations at Harrow on the Hill and Newbury Park.”

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All Together NOW!

Fear for jobs as care costs rise, say Hft

AS MANY as 30,000 jobs in the learning disability sector could be at risk in the next four years, warns the national learning disabilities charity, Hft. Without additional funding to meet rising costs, the report indicates that 10% of the workforce could disappear.

Robert Longley-Cook, chief executive of Hft, said the need is greater than ever.

“Our report is the latest in a growing body of work warning of the dangers facing adult social care if the current funding climate remains unchanged.

“The 2% precept has proven to be an inefficient strategy for plugging the funding gap.

“At a time when demand continues to grow year on year, our research shows that based on current levels of service, at least a 5% uplift is needed just to keep the industry breaking even.

“Our research shows that without this, the providers across the sector simply cannot break even and will be forced to consider redundancies, which could result in a 10% loss in the workforce, or closing services.”

Say it with pictures

PICTURE books that discuss health issues could be a big help to people with learning disabilities and epilepsy, say experts.

A study by Dr Silvana Mengoni at Hertfordshire University found that using a simply illustrated book – ‘Getting on with Epilepsy’ – helped people to better understand their conditions and the importance of self-managing their health, as well as helping to improve communication with carers.

Dr Mengoni said: “Improvements in education, communication and collaboration between people with epilepsy and learning disabilities, their carers and their clinical teams is urgently needed.

“This booklet has the potential to provide people with learning disabilities with the skills and confidence to better manage their own epilepsy, empower them and generally improve their quality of life.”

Opening up the web

ORGANISERS of the ‘Make The Web Accessible’ campaign are delighted with the response from disabled people.

Paul Gooding, People for Research’s chief executive, said: “After running the campaign for nine months, we have more than doubled the amount of disabled people recruited by us to take part in accessibility testing, which is a great result for the industry.

“With one in five people of working age affected by disability in the UK, and with technology evolving so quickly, digital inclusion is now more relevant than ever.

“But only 30% to 40% of all websites are accessible for people who use assistive technology, according to one of our visually impaired participants in paid testing.” n People for Research: Tel. 0117 921 0008, www.peopleforresearch.co.uk

NEWS

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Blind painter opens people’s eyes to art

T

HREE years ago, Don Mulryan had never picked up a paint brush, let alone dare to think his treasured works of art would ever find their way into an exhibition.

that Blind Veterans UK supported veterans who had lost their sight after completing their service. Don attended an introductory week at the charity’s training and rehabilitation centre in Llandudno to find out more But Don, 83, and a number of about the support the charity other North West blind excould offer. servicemen have just had their “We tried out all sorts of works displayed at Liverpool’s things that first week and it St George’s Hall in an was absolutely brilliant. exhibition that challenged “I learnt that, in addition to people’s views of blindness. getting training in things such “I can’t tell you how happy the as IT, we could also receive painting course has made me,” support developing interests. said Don, NEW HORIZONS: Blind veteran Don Mulryan at the exhibition So I went back to Llandudno “I always wanted to have a go to try my hand at painting.

Don returned to his previous career in at painting but never had a chance before “Abstract painting is perfect for me as there banking, but aged just 33 his sight began to my sight condition developed. But with the is no need to focus on detail. fade as a result of macular dystrophy, a rare help of Blind Veterans UK I have created “The instructors taught me a blowing genetic eye-disorder causing loss of vision. paintings which have received favourable technique which has been perfect.

His sight deteriorated and he was no comments from all those who have seen “Using a brush can be tricky as my sight longer able to read documents. them.” condition makes it difficult for me to perceive He then qualified and worked as a Don began his military career as a National depth, meaning I don’t always know when technical officer for the blind, working as a Serviceman in 1952 with The Green the brush has met the canvas – although I contractor for many agencies including Howards. He was then transferred to Royal have now received a special magnifier which Bradbury Fields and the National Federation Army Ordinance Corps before a stint with allows me to add in more details when I want for the Blind. the Intelligence Corps TA until being to.”

It wasn’t until 2013 that he became aware discharged as a sergeant in 1958.

The force be with you Neil puts up his Star Wars

collection as a prize to help deafblind charity

S

TAR Wars fanatic Neil Ellis is giving away his star-studded collection of memorabilia from the iconic films for charity.

Neil has spent almost a year collecting celebrity signatures of the cast and crew of the epic films, including Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver and John Boyega – and now want to raise funds for national deafblind charity, Sense.

Neil, 43, landed his dream job in the film industry when he started work for Lucasfilm as a concept model maker and specialist in the costume FX department.

His work on the new films, including last year’s Episode VII, and Rogue One, sparked the autograph idea, and he decided that he wanted to do it to benefit people with sensory impairments, a specialist area for Sense.

Neil said: “It dawned on me that kids who

are deafblind will never be able to appreciate all the things that make Star Wars so amazing.

“I’m working in such a creatively rich environment, I couldn’t imagine not being able to appreciate the visuals of movies and their soundtracks.”

Rather than auction the book off to the highest bidder, Neil feels that every fan should have an equal chance to win it.

So if you want the opportunity to win the collection all you have to do is make a minimum donation of £5 to Sense through Neil’s fundraising page, with one lucky donor being selected at random to win the prize on May the Fourth: Star Wars Day.

n www.justgiving. com/fundraising/ AutographBook

HALF A MILLION READERS – AND GROWING

All Together NOW!

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Making a difference . . .

H

ERE at the Morgan Foundation we want to help organisations who share our philosophy – Making a Difference.

Over the past decade we have helped more than 500 organisations across the region,

committing over £35 million.

This year we will be giving away more than £2 million to good causes.

Created in 2001 by businessman Steve Morgan CBE – founder and chairman of Redrow plc, and chairman of the Bridgemere Group of Companies – The Morgan Foundation supports charities across North

Wales, Merseyside, West Cheshire and North Shropshire.

Our aim is to provide funding for small to medium-sized organisations who are addressing specific needs in these regions.

We are particularly keen to support those who have already begun to make an impact, but need a helping hand to expand their work and increase their effectiveness.

We focus our help mainly on those who work directly with children and families but we recognise that many wider issues may also affect their welfare, so we are interested in any project which contributes to the quality of life in our region.

A great bedtime story . . .

M

AKING a difference is what The Morgan Foundation is all about. So when we heard about the plight of the Kelso family from Northwich we just had to help.

The family have experienced more than their fair share of heartbreak, with eleven-year-old Cieran losing his legs to meningitis when he was just 13-months-old and youngest child Gabriel diagnosed with cystic fibrosis two weeks after he was born.

The boys share a bedroom on the first floor of their home but desperately need their own space.

The family managed to get a £30,000 Disabled Facilities Grant but still needed another £9,373, so mum, Gemma, and dad, Gary, launched an online appeal that raised about £600.

Morgan Foundation chairman Steve Morgan (and an anonymous donor) were so touched by the story that they made up the difference.

’Deeply moved’

Steve said: “I was deeply moved by the Kelso family’s story: both by the bravery of Cieran and Gabriel and by the strength and determination of the entire family.

“In the past, the Kelso family have raised money for both The Meningitis Trust and The Cystic Fibrosis Trust, finding time for others around hospital visits.

“It’s great to see them receive something back.”

Work on Cieran’s new bedroom and wet room can now begin, freeing up space in Gabriel’s room for a physio table. Additional funds mean the family’s driveway will be made wheelchair accessible too.

Gemma said: “We’re so grateful to The Morgan Foundation and to everyone else who has donated to the appeal.”

Farewell, Rachel

ALL OF us at The Morgan Foundation were saddened by the death of our much loved and respected former colleague, Baroness Rachael Heyhoe-Flint.

The Wolves vice-president and ex-England cricketer died at the age of 77.

Rachel was also a successful journalist – serving as sports editor of the Wolverhampton Chronicle in the 1960s.

She later headed up Wolves FC’s work in the community.

A kind and inspirational lady, Rachel leaves a big gap in our lives.

Raising the roof – and blowing their trumpets

BROTHERS IN ARMS: Gabriel, left, and Cieran Kelso

THE young musical maestros at Ysgol Maesgeirchen in Bangor put up a rousing performance when we called to see them in action.

The pupils are taking part in the Codi’r To project, which introduces children to musicianship and improves their concentration, team spirit and selfesteem. Not to mention nurturing a love of music!

The Morgan Foundation is supporting the running costs of the school’s ‘Raise the Roof’ project with three years funding totalling £52,839.

www.morganfoundation.co.uk Tel 01829

The Morgan Foundation

@Morganfound

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COMMENT . . .

#ImWithSam Together, we can tackle hate crime

“I HAVE been at the end of very serious threats to my life and been spat and laughed at in my home town.”

“MY SON was bullied repeatedly at school.

Not physical but verbal and mental abuse – he became suicidal age 10.”

H

ATE CRIME robs people of their confidence, their independence and sometimes, their lives.

As a support provider for people with learning disabilities and autism across the country, Dimensions has often seen the horror of hate, and heard accounts like the testimonies above. #ImWithSam is a campaign that aims to achieve eight specific goals.

The campaign is led by Dimensions but supported by 17 organisations across the sector including the major self-advocacy voices: Learning Disability England and the National Forum for People with Learning Disabilities.

The objectives are: 1. Separate disability hate statistics into learning disability/autism, and other disabilities.

2. Change the law to make disability hate a crime online.

3. The Department of Education to adapt resources to better support all primary and secondary schools with positive messages around difference.

4. Manufacturers, producers and authors to incorporate learning disability sensitivity into their products.

5. The Department of Health to develop simple guidance to help families and support workers identify, and manage, cases of hate crime.

6. The Crown Prosecution Service to improve investigation protocols within the criminal justice system in situations where there is a learning disabled or autistic victim.

7. The Home Office to improve resources and training for police officers and others to help them when receiving a report of hate crime from a person with a learning disability or autism, including funding self-advocates to provide specialist victim support.

8. Together, we and our campaign partners will evaluate the effectiveness of coercive behaviour and other legislation, leading to specific change, recommendations and/or a green paper on stronger legislation to protect vulnerable people from “mate crime”.

You can help in three easy ways: n Sign up as a campaign supporter at dimensions-uk.org/withsam and encourage your family and friends to do likewise. n Write to your MP and ask him/her to publicly support #ImWithSam. You can do this easily by visiting https://www.writetothem.com/ and pointing them to the campaign website n And if you would be happy to share your story with the campaign, email us at online@dimensions-uk.org.

Together, let’s stop people with learning disabilities and autism living in fear of hate.

February/March 2017 VIEWS . . .

www.alltogethernow.org.uk . . . OPINION

It’s not us bringing the NHS to a standstill!

E

very winter, and increasingly during the months in between, politicians and the media obsess about the crisis in hospitals. Elderly people are blocking beds because there is no social care provision. This narrative is harmful and misleading.

First, age is not the main issue.

Elderly people who are healthy and wealthy do not stay in hospital unnecessarily. People who need social care provision are either ill or disabled.

At one time people with low intensity medical needs who were in hospital could be moved to cottage hospitals or similar places much less expensive than our hightech hospitals. There they could be assessed for their social care needs and in a planned way moved back into the community.

But, of course, those hospitals were closed years ago to save money.

When George Osborne was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2010 he announced that he wished to reduce the size of the welfare state.

In pursuit of this vision he slashed central government funding to local authorities, which in turn meant those same local authorities had to reduce funding for social care.

The reason social care is in crisis is a direct result of the policy of the current government.

One reason people currently stay in hospital is because they are no longer able to get into or out of their own home as they have now become disabled.

From the 1980s onwards disability organisations have campaigned for all new housing to be accessible to disabled people.

SOUNDING OFF SIR BERT MASSIE

The concept of lifetime homes to help achieve this was introduced. Some progress was being made under the Blair government but the current Government thought it was wrong to dictate to housebuilders how they should design their homes and made the standards optional so builders could ignore them.

As a consequence we are now building homes that will be inaccessible to disabled people until the bricks crumble to dust.

Inaccessible homes need more adaptations made to them before the occupier can return home. In better designed homes people would have fewer falls and fewer would end up in hospital.

Again, much of the current crisis in health care is a direct result of the Government’s action.

The headlines should read: Government Blocks Hospital Beds!

Time to follow the Chester example

THE ROMAN city of Chester might be beautiful. But what did the Romans do for disabled people?

One thing they did not do was provide access for wheelchair users.

But all that has changed. So much, in fact, that the city has won a prestigious access award from the European Commission – and is the first UK city to do so.

The old Roman walls now provide access for wheelchair users.

And the many small shops on The Rows, parts of which date back to mediaeval times, although most are Victorian copies, now have ramps and lifts.

Not only is this good business to ensure that tourist attractions cater for disabled people but the excuse that it is impossible to do so without diminishing the attraction is a nonsense argument that should be dropped into the nearest bin.

My date with PIP I

N MY last coliumn, I outlined the process I had to go through to apply for the Personal Independence Payment, which is replacing the Disability Living Allowance.

I submitted the 40-page application form and towards the end of December, I received a letter from Atos Healthcare informing me that a “qualified health professional” (QHP) would visit me on January 9 for what they described as “a consultation”.

The letter said that if I wished I could change the appointment but added: “We are able to rearrange your appointment only once.”

It is not clear what happens to people who rearrange the appointment because they have to go to hospital and then do the same for the second appointment for the same reason. Surely more flexibility is needed.

The letter describes the role of the “QHP”

and stresses the final decision is not theirs but that of the DWP. Strictly speaking this is true but somewhat disingenuous. Following the consultation the QHP submits a report to DWP on which they make their decision so the consultation report becomes an extremely important document.

I have decided to apply for a copy of the report done on me and this is a right all people being assessed can exercise. Most of the four-page letter encourages people to be accompanied during the consultation and arrangements that can be made for people unable to represent themselves or have communication difficulties.

Atos have a reputation for writing consultation reports that have little relation to reality. The quality of their work when assessing people for the Work Capacity Assessment, where they frequently assessed somebody as fit to work but who died from the condition within a few weeks,

would not fill anybody with confidence.

On the due date and time the QHP arrived. He introduced himself and informed me he was a qualified nurse and had worked in an accident and emergency department on Merseyside. He explained that the final decision on whether I received PIP would not be his but the DWPs. He had with him a laptop computer on which he recorded his assessment as he was making it.

Knowing what I know about the history of Atos I would not have been surprised if the QHP had been an aggressive monster from the deep. However, he was polite and courteous while doing his probing. At no point was he aggressive or threatening. The consultation took just less than an hour. I will not learn the results for about six weeks.

As they say, to be continued . . .

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February/March 2017

All Together NOW!

CHARITY SPOTLIGHT . . . CALL US ON 0151 230 0307 or email sales@alltogethernow.org.uk HE UK’s largest charity provider of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness has kicked off the New Year with an important change.

Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children and its supporting business, Newlife Trading Ltd, have merged to become ‘Newlife, the Charity for Disabled Children’.

Newlife CEO Sheila Brown OBE said: “Working together as one charity we can concentrate on our mission to support more disabled and terminally ill children around the UK. Simply put, we want to change lives.”

Newlife has provided more than £17 million of specialist equipment for nearly 15,000 children around the UK. The charity offers a range of services including: n Equipment Grants make permanent provision of

Dedicated team on hand to take your calls

HERE TO HELP: Newlife’s nurses provide a fantastic service

N

EWLIFE’S practical support services are accessed through the charity’s Nurse Helpline – 0800 902 0095 (free from UK mobiles and landlines); email nurses@newlifecharity.co.uk However, the dedicated nursing team is also on hand to help guide families and carers through what can, at times, seem like a ‘maze’ of disability issues.

Mum Annmarie Briers, from Cheshire, said: “The nurse I spoke to was so understanding. Finding out about Newlife was a godsend.”

Being the parent of a vulnerable child is extremely challenging and our nurses are available to discuss anything and everything concerning disability.

That might be to de-mystify technical medical jargon, help a family access a local key worker, discuss benefits to which they are entitled, provide information about relevant support organisations – or just be a ‘listening ear’.

Newlife Care Services Lead Nurse Karen Dobson said: “Sometimes parents can feel lost, with no-one to talk to.

“We take dozens of enquiries each week and no two families will have the exact same needs.

“That’s why we concentrate on offering information and support tailored to each

individual child. Families and carers can talk to us about anything regarding a child’s condition.”

She added: “One of our main aims is to keep families plugged in to local services wherever possible, and we often act as a liaison between the two.

“Also, where a child doesn’t have a formal diagnosis and doesn’t fall within the remit of a specific support group parents can often feel isolated; we offer support and assistance and have connections with relevant professionals to get the information they need.”

Nurses play a pivotal role in Newlife, trusted by families when they feel they have no-one else to turn to.

Karen said: “We find ourselves working with families over many years as their children’s conditions change and they face different challenges and transitions.

It is important to us to keep in contact and offer support when it is needed.”

Mum Ruth Rankin, from Wigan, added: “The nurses are angels – always happy to take a call and chat through any problems we have.

“In recent years they have helped our family by providing a specialist car seat and sleep system for our gorgeous daughter, as well as loans of toys through the Play Therapy Pod service.”

items like wheelchairs and walking frames for mobility and specialist beds and car seats for safety; n Emergency Equipment Loans, often within 72 hours, provide a fast response for families of life-limited and terminally ill children and those sleeping in unsafe environments; n Play Therapy Pods offer loans of sensory toys for children with complex needs; n Comfort Capsules help families of terminally ill children make memories together.

To find out more about how Newlife supports local families in your area, go to: www.newlifecharity.co.uk and click on the County Map.

CALLING ALL CHARITIES Together, we can make a real difference Call us – 0151 230 0307

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All Together NOW!

Major care home study

A MAJOR new study into how care homes operate has been announced.

The review will look at whether people are treated fairly and how well the market works.

It will be carried out by the Competition and Markets Authority.

By its very nature, the need to find a care home can come at a distressing time, with decisions taken in challenging circumstances.

The study will assess how people find the experience of choosing a care home, explore whether the current regulation and complaints system gives residents adequate protection, and examine how well care homes are complying with their obligations under consumer law.

The CMA will look closely at reports of potentially unfair practices and contract terms being used by some care homes to assess how widespread these concerns are, how they are affecting residents, and whether they breach consumer law.

Andrea Coscelli, CMA acting chief executive, said: “Choosing a care home can be emotional and costly.

It’s therefore essential that elderly people and their families have all the information they need to make the best possible choice, and then feel secure in the knowledge they will be fairly treated throughout their time there.”

There are 430,000 older people in care and nursing homes in the UK.

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Mum’s film to help children

n IT’S NOT just older people who have to deal with Parkinson’s disease. n The disease also affects younger adults – and can cause huge emotional pressures for their children, especially at school. n A new film is now helping teachers and health professionals to better understand the issues that can affect children whose parents live with the disease. n Mum of two Lyn Fearn (featured below), who has Parkinson’s, led the project with help from Plymouth University and Parkinson’s UK. n Listen to my Thoughts follows the experiences of Jess, a primary school pupil whose mum has Parkinson’s.

‘

Parkinson’s: The movie P

LYN FEARN lives with her husband Eif and children Mael, 12, and Amy, seven. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s four years ago. Here’s her story

ARKINSON’s caught up with me gradually. It started with losing my sense of smell, and then, as a teacher, I was finding it hard to write on the blackboard.

I began to walk with a limp, and was having problems managing simple things like putting my feet into wellies or keys in locks and doing buttons for the children.

Like most people, and some of the health professionals I saw, Parkinson’s was the last thing in my mind as a reason for all this. Surely I was too young to have the condition?

It took three years to get a diagnosis, and when it came it was a bombshell – we had even been told before by a neurologist it was not a serious problem, certainly nothing such as Parkinson’s.

We couldn’t think of what to say to the children. All

SENIOR MOMENTS

FILM STARS: Lyn, Eif, Mael, and Amy. Listen to My Thoughts can be viewed at https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_MoJySrabBvWjVUWFNiMHYtZXM

they could see was us falling apart and we didn’t have the words. In fact, at the beginning we tried to hide it from them.

We got in touch with Parkinson’s UK who were brilliant and gave us some really use information and contacts. We were advised to tell the children, which we did.

Everyone makes plans and you think you’ll live forever and your future is bright, but it was like everything we were looking forward to had gone. I was a relatively young woman with children, which is unusual for Parkinson’s. Life had to go on. The children had to go to school and Eif had to go to work.

The children had a hard time at school, not through anyone’s fault but because the teachers had received no training or briefing on what to do in a situation like ours.

We told the school, but with staff changes the message just didn’t get passed on. Mael especially was struggling. He felt that he was responsible for me. He would go to school and worry all day and

. . . with FRANK HARRIS

not learn anything. He got into trouble at school because no one understood what he was going through. There was no official support for him or for Amy. As a teacher I realised that, at age four and eight, they simply didn’t have the language or the experience to explain how they felt or to process their feelings. Ours was a crisis for the children more than anyone – at that age they had no one in authority to turn to with the skills and expertise they needed.

There is little out there to explain Parkinson’s to young children, and what there is focuses on older relatives with the condition.

It was then that I got involved with the Peninsula Parkinson’s Excellence Network (PenPEN).

We decided that there was a need to develop resources not just for young children, but also for the professionals who interact with them. We wanted children to be heard, listened to and looked after. So, we developed the ‘Listen to my Thoughts’ film and leaflet (the name is actually something Mael said), with backing from Parkinson’s UK and invaluable input from PenPEN and Plymouth University.

As more young children are faced with this situation, it is not a problem that is going to go away. In some small way I hope that our film is the first step to ensuring that this is a problem of the past, and that there is a brighter future ahead for families touched by Parkinson’s.

n Parkinson’s is a degenerative neurological condition, for which there is no cure. n The main symptoms are tremor, slowness of movement and rigidity. n About 127,000 people in the UK. n Most people who get Parkinson’s are aged 50 or over but younger people can get it too. n Parkinson’s UK, tel 0808 800 0303 n Text relay: 18001 0808 800 0303

HALF A MILLION READERS – AND GROWING – 0151 230 0307

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

11

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• Text relay service

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• Free quarterly meter reading if you are unable to read your meter 09/16/SD/6959

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All Together NOW!

February/March 2017

PICTURED: From left, Jemma Jones, Knowsley Council; Cllr Eddie Connor; Jen Taylor, Knowsley District Prevention Manager; and Incident Commander during the rescue, Watch Manager Alan Fletcher

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Strobe light alarm saves couple’s lives

A

STROBE light alarm designed for people with hearing problems saved the lives of a middle-aged couple whose kitchen caught fire.

Firefighters were called to a house in Essex Road, Huyton, when a lit gas ring caused a fire after the couple, both aged 59, had gone to bed.

The wife was alerted to the fire by a hard-of-hearing strobe light that had previously been fitted by Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service’s Knowsley Prevention Team.

When unable to rouse her husband, who was drifting in and out of consciousness, she ran to her daughter’s home, which is next door, and called the fire service.

Firefighters arrived and rescued her husband from the smoke-logged

property and gave him oxygen and first aid while awaiting paramedics.

Both were taken to Whiston Hospital, where they have since made a full recovery.

Station Manager Alan Fletcher said: “This was a great rescue by our operation crews, following some excellent work by our prevention team.

“Had the alarms not been fitted we would most probably be looking at a very different outcome.

“The actions of all involved are commendable and demonstrates our ability to deliver the MFRS mission of safer, stronger communities to the highest level.”

Strobe light alarms and vibrating pads can be installed by MFRS at properties for people who are hard-ofhearing. n Call MFRS on 0800 731 5958.

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Major award for our work with city’s over 65s

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TOP TIPS: Our fire prevention team working in the community

ERSEYSIDE Fire & Rescue Service (MFRS) was recognised for its proactive work with older members of the community at an awards ceremony hosted by Liverpool Mutual Homes.

The Liverpool Older People’s Awards was held at The Devonshire House Hotel in Liverpool and compered by actor Ricky Tomlinson.

MFRS was presented with the Outstanding Agency Award for its fire safety prevention work with over 65s in Merseyside.

An initiative launched by Liverpool Older Housing and Wellbeing Forum has seen partner agencies working together to help Liverpool become an ‘Age-Friendly City for Older People.’

Members of the Community Risk Management Team from MFRS Headquarters and Belle Vale Community Fire Station attended the awards ceremony, where they

were presented with a certificate and £500 prize money, which was donated to The Whitechapel Centre, a homeless charity in Liverpool.

MFRS Station Manager Kevin Johnson said: “Since 1999 we’ve been delivering Home Fire Safety Checks to over 65s in Merseyside to ensure they get valuable fire safety advice and free smoke alarms.

“We engage with thousands of older people a year and are able to signpost them on to other services if they need help with anything else.

“We feel that the work we are doing is really contributing to the reduction in serious injuries and fatalities in Merseyside, and we will continue to work with partners such as housing providers and the NHS to ensure that older people are safe from fire in the home.” n Watch SM Johnson talk about MFRS prevention work at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcjYmiX4Peg

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

February/March 2017

All Together NOW!

Become a volunteer with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service THE public may think that Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) is simply made up of ÂżUHÂżJKWHUV DQG FRPPXQLW\ VDIHW\ VWDII :KDW SHRSOH do not see is the passionate and proactive network RI YROXQWHHUV ZRUNLQJ EHKLQG WKH VFHQHV WR HQVXUH FRPPXQLW\ DFWLYLWLHV WDNH SODFH HYHU\ ZHHN 7KH ÂżUH VHUYLFH LV DOZD\V ORRNLQJ IRU SHRSOH OLNH \RX WR MRLQ WKH VWURQJ WHDP RI HQWKXVLDVWLF DQG GHGLFDWHG YROXQWHHUV DQG EHFRPH D SDUW RI WKH ÂżUH VHUYLFH :KHWKHU \RX DUH ORRNLQJ WR JLYH VRPHWKLQJ EDFN WR \RXU FRPPXQLW\ JHW DFWLYH OHDUQ QHZ VNLOOV RU LPSURYH \RXU &9 \RXU WLPH ZLOO EH ZHOO VSHQW

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All Together NOW!

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Every little helps

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ESCO’S new scheme to stop non-disabled customers using disabled parking bays has been praised by the Disabled Motoring UK charity.

The scheme lets supermarket staff use a smartphone app to input details of vehicles not displaying a Blue Badge that are parked in disabled bays.

Owners are issued with a warning letter. Repeat offenders are then issued with a fixed penalty ticket.

The new scheme has already been installed at 300 stores and will be rolled out to the rest of their stores during the year.

Kate Maisey, Tesco Car Parks Operations Manager, said: “The new solution is designed to help protect our parking spaces for customer that need them. The results so far are very promising and we hope to have the solution in all stores that need it soon.

We are proud to be improving the shopping trip for our disabled customers.”

Graham Footer, chief executive of Disabled Motoring UK, said: “Tesco has shown a fantastic commitment to its disabled customers. Parking at supermarkets is a real issue for disabled motorists and we’ve had many people contact us to say that they often can’t find a free bay and have no option but to go home without doing their shopping.

“We encourages all parking operators, not just the supermarkets, to ensure that disabled bays are kept free for genuine Blue Badge holders.”

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A site for ALL eyes . . .

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Many of them also go away with solutions to their problems – or, at least, with some tip top advice on all kinds of mobility issues.

But we also know that visiting us can be difficult for lots of people – and for lots of reasons.

That’s one of the reasons why we are putting in lots of time to make our already popular website even better.

All Together NOW!

. . . getting – and keeping – you mobile . . .

www.davincimobility.co.uk

LL of the team here at Da Vinci Mobility love to see our customers coming into our showroom to see our wide range of products.

February/March 2017

Power up!

TOP DESIGNER: Jamie Leeming

Ace web designer Jamie Leeming has just revamped the site, which now tells the world about our fantastic equipment and how we can also help with adaptations to vehicles.

“Re-designing the Da Vinci website has been a labour of love,” says Jamie, who runs Leeming Design in Southport. “Vincent (Ross), Steve have a reputation for quality.”

Jamie, 42, has plenty of experience in web design. He says: “I was very lucky in landing my first dream job at just 20 years of age – as a graphic artist with computer games magazine, Mega.

“It was brilliant. In 2002 I moved onto the

Sunday Sport and things were going well.

But four years later it all changed.

“A surfing accident in Costa Rica left me paralysed on the ocean bed. I’d broken my neck and lost the use of my arms and legs.

“Luckily, I survived and have had lots of help. At least I’m able to straighten my fingers so I can still work at the computer.”

His creative skills also led to his second dream job . . . editing Rolling Reds, Manchester United’s disabled supporters club’s magazine. n www.davincimobility.co.uk n Tel, 0151 548 1999

15

REGULAR readers will be aware of Da Vinci’s specially designed powered Trail Riders, which make life so much easier for wheelchair users.

The attachments simply click onto manual chairs, transforming them into allterrain vehicles – and at speeds well above what an average cyclist can achieve!

One other big plus is they drastically reduce the amount of wear and tear on those wrist, elbow and shoulder joints.

Well, as good as our Trail Riders are – and they are very good! – we are also happy to announce that we are now also selling another attachment that’s made in Italy.

The Triride is perfect for attaching to folding type wheelchairs.

Weighing in at just 12 kilos, the attachment and 36 volt Ion-lithium battery (without ‘memory effect’) can easily be transported in a car, train or plane.

A full charge, which takes five hours, is capable of a achieving a range of about 30 miles.

And what makes this machine especially noteworthy is the fact that you can actually recharge the battery when in use: riding downhill and braking!

Call in for a demo at our showrooms in Carraway Road, Gillmoss.

16

All Together NOW!

Comfort and joy to our 12 winners!

IF YOU are getting on in years and unable to move around as you used to, it’s vital you find ways to stay warm in your home.

But how do you know whether your home is warm enough?

These stylish Comfort thermometers are the answer!

And here are the 12 winners of our Christmas competition who will soon be receiving a thermometer, courtesy of Electronic Temperature Instruments.

Mr James Fury, Dene Court, Stockport.

Mrs L Pyper, Ottawa Close, Wythenshawe.

Mr Brian Scane, Mere Close, Haslington.

Mrs A S Dutton, Blacklet Close, Latchford.

Mr Derek Lloyd, Barrington Road, Wavertree, Liverpool.

Mrs M O’Rourke, Spring Brook House, Claytonle-Moors.

Mrs E Hewison, Beech Drive, Longridge.

Mr David Allan, Eagles Way, Whitehaven.

Shirley Ross, Holly Road, Ellesmere Port.

Mr K B Taylor, Leigh Way, Weaverham.

Mr R Kilshaw, Wheatley Close, Burnley.

Miss Helen Liversedge, Silverwell Road, Croxteth, Liverpool. n Comfort thermometers cost £8.50 (excl VAT), www.etiltd.com ordering code 810-135.

February/March 2017

Hi-tech homes make life easier for EVERYONE

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Matthew uses his experience to help with everyday living

M

‘

ATTHEW Warnes was 24 when his life changed forever. A car crash led to both his legs being amputated. He also suffered third degree burns to twothirds of his body.

If dealing with all that wasn’t enough, he soon found there was little in the way of expert guidance on piecing his life back together – and virtually nothing on creating a better home environment.

With time on his hands – Matthew spent over a year in hospital following the car accident – he set about designing his own home and looking for technology that would help him on his road to recovery.

Matthew soon found that the design of his home played a crucial part in how the technology worked and how it could be adapted over time as his needs changed.

Using his experience and knowledge, he set up adaptive technology company, ATEL, helping property developers maximise the potential of specialist supported housing.

Matthew said: “In the two years ATEL has been operational, we’ve been able to change how specialist supported housing is developed by offering out our expertise and getting involved from the planning stage to make sure the right infrastructure is in from the start.

“We’re seeing a demand for ‘homes for life’ within the sector. People want a home that can easily adapt as and when their needs change, which is often the case with disabilities.

“A change in the thought process as to how these homes are built can make a huge difference as no one wants to have to retrofit or have clunky pieces of technology taking up valuable space, instead, putting structure and cabling in place at the start is a lifesaver down the line.

“The same can be said for the personal injury cases we’ve been involved with.

Matthew Warnes, founder of Altrincham-based ATEL

Ever since my accident I’ve wanted to find ways to use technology to help disabled people

“Already architects and builders have thought differently about how they design and build properties. Small but effective tweaks can make a significant impact as to how the property works for an individual now and in the future, and having gone through the process myself, I generally know what works and doesn’t work.”

Committed to changing not only the design and build of properties, Matthew is also passionate about assistive technology and how it has a central role in helping individuals.

Having experienced first-hand how people with a disability can be treated, often in an undignified manner, Matthew knew more needed to be done.

“At the time of my accident, there was little in the way of technology that would provide anyone with similar injuries any dignity or provide a platform to be able to carry out tasks for themselves.

“It would take another 10 years before I was able to find a product that would be a starting point for developing a basket of technologies that would work cohesively to help individuals with disabilities.”

Having found the product he was looking for in GrandCare, Matthew set about forming ATEL, drawing on his knowledge and experience to form a company with a difference. Waving goodbye to what is considered the norm within the industry, including reactive technology, the company has

instead focused on an all-round holistic approach to each individual.

“Ever since my accident, I’ve wanted to find ways to use technology to aid people who desperately needed people to stand up and make them count.

GrandCare very much does this and now acts as a central hub in which we’re able to plug in a multitude of other technology solutions, making sure they all work together to deliver on our promise to empower individuals to be able to complete everyday tasks.

“Our approach has meant we’ve moved on from traditional fall detectors and access controls, and instead moved to preventative and proactive technology.

“A key example of how effective GrandCare can be is the scheduling system. It can be used to prompt individuals to take medication or as a reminder to have lunch. It can help to teach individuals with a learning disability to cook, with a video upload function so they can watch themselves making a meal and follow the step-by-step process.”

Matthew’s aim over the next year is to continue to educate local authorities, and show individuals with disabilities that there is now another option which can positively impact their lives.

“Our team works with individuals over time to install technology that might allow them to close the blinds for themselves or make a cup of tea.

“Simple but effective technology such as U-drain means a carer doesn’t have to come in four times a night to change a urostomy bag. We have over 150 different pieces of technology we can pick from and over the course of a contract, we can save tens if not hundreds of thousands of pounds for local authorities, through a tailored approach to proactive technology.” n Atel: tel 0161 711 0930. n www.adaptivetechnology.eu

HALF A MILLION READERS – AND GROWING . . . 0151 230 0307

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

E B THE

February/March 2017

A E D ST I

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All Together NOW!

P M I S E H

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All Together NOW!

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February/March 2017

MONEY MATTERS GORDON VINER

Handy tips ...

W

E BRITISH are not renowned for tipping, unlike the Americans where tipping is a large part of their culture.

In the UK it is rumoured that the word tip came from the initials of “to insure promptness” but that doesn’t add up if you are tipping after the event!

In most eating establishments a tip of 10% is acceptable. However, over the years VAT has increased from low levels to 20%.

So if a bill for four people comes to £120 it is £100 for food and £20 for VAT. Does the VAT office deserve a tip of 10%?

If you give £10 instead of £12 the staff may think that you should have given 10% not 8%.

You can, of course, pay the bill by credit card and leave the tip in cash, which may well go direct to the staff depending on the arrangements within the restaurant.

At more upmarket eateries an amount could be added to your bill of 12.5% or even 15%.

Check before eating. It may be optional and if you feel that the service has not been tip-top, you can cross off and give what you feel is acceptable.

Watch out as some hotels and restaurants add 10% service and then leave a space for gratuities. To my way of thinking, this is one and the same, but in the USA they may well give extra as they are used to adding anything from 15% to over 20% to all restaurant bills. Often there is a guide on your bill showing 15%, 18% and 20%.

Tipping abroad varies so check on websites before you set off as some expect large tips, I e USA and others little if any.

Remember, if you are going to be served by the same staff on a future occasion, it is better to overtip as you’ll probably get better service next time.

Don’t do as Tommy Cooper did and pop a tea bag in their hand saying, “have a drink on me!”

Gordon Viner FCA CTA

www.alltogethe

Inventions that can make a big difference

ON THE UP AGAIN! G

VISIONARY: Operating computers with glasses

LASSES for computer users who don’t have the use of their arms, and a wheelchair that goes up and down steps, are just two of the shortlisted entries battling it out in a ‘Dragons’ Den’ inspired event to find the next rising star of design.

The Blackwood Design Awards discover, and champion, new and innovative ideas which aim to improve standards of living for those with physical or mental disabilities.

Nine inventions on the awards shortlist have now been

A

ROYAL Marine veteran and Paralympian who cannot lift a cup of coffee is developing a new type of allterrain wheelchair that lets users raise themselves up to eye level.

Corporal Philip Eaglesham contracted Q Fever on the last day of a six-month deployment in Afghanistan.

On his return, Phil customised a Segway by putting a seat on it in order to be at the same height as his wife and friends - but wasn’t strong to hold himself up, and also discovered that it wasn’t legal on roads and footpaths in the UK.

Irton House Farm

HAPPY HO LID AWARD 2 AY 012!

A warm welcome is waiting for you at our superbly scenic, fully accessible self catering cottages in the Lake District.

revealed, with a blink-controlled, hands free phone system and a body-temperature regulating cushion for wheelchair users making up the finalists.

The winner will receive a cash prize of £2,000 from sponsor Kingdom Gas, and invaluable backing from Blackwood to make their creative design into a working reality.

LAST YEAR’S winner, Grant Douglas, is delighted with the success of his S’up Spoon product – an unspillable spoon to aid

That led him to designing the elevating wheelchair and launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise £600,000 to build two fully working prototypes.

“In October 2010, Helmand Provence, Afghanistan my life changed forever,” he explains.

“Since then I’ve struggled with the why’s and what’s, as to the nature of ‘why me?!’

“With the support I’ve had, it became vital to find like minded people who had the foresight of giving disabled people the ability to live in an able bodied environment, rather than constantly trying to adapt or structurally change everything.

“With my partnership with Brian Meaden and

We’ll drink to this . . .

D

RINKING too little water can become a serious issue for older people.

Dehydration is a common condtion that affects health and well-being and can lead to long-term problems.

Most people are unaware that even a slight drop in their fluid level can have a big impact on them physically and mentally and may be used to living with symptoms of dehydration such as fatigue, constipation, nausea or headaches.

In care settings it is often assumed that dehydration is being managed in overall nutritional care.

Now a fun new board game aimed at care staff presents hydration as a vital

EASY DO

those with s Parkinson’s past nine m One’s Song “We’ve als helps disab buy in shop “It is fanta mealtimes f

then with the Advanced Manufacturing Researc Centre at The University of Sheffield, it became very clear that this was something we could do produce a device which is both innovative but a takes mobility into the modern ag.

“The whole team have worked endlessly to produce what we now call VICTOR. “I’m excited for my future using Victor, but mo excited about the possibilities that it will give others.

Brian Meaden’s business help and support ca after the father of Dragons’ Den Deborah Mead met Phil at a charity event.

“After a long career in business this has give

issue is in its own right.

The Hydration Game equips staff with the knowledge and confidence to support and encourage the people in their care to stay well hydrated. n Focus Games, tel 0141 554 5476. Price £60 plus VAT n www.hydrationgame.com

ADVERTISE WITH US AND WE’LL GET YOUR MESSAGE

www.irtonhousefarm.com 017687 76380

ernow.org.uk

!

February/March 2017

Play a big part in this paper’s future

OES IT: The S’up Spoon

shaky hands as a result of cerebral palsy and s. Grant, who has cerebral palsy, said: “Over the months, the S’up Spoon has been featured on BBC gs of Praise. so donated spoons to a voluntary organisation that bled people in South Africa, and it is now available to ps and is also available online via Amazon. astic to know that our product is now revolutionising for people around the world.”

ch e oalso

ore

ame den

en

Phil’s new chair could be the perfect boost

me the greatest level of satisfaction in that it brings together an exciting business investment opportunity with the satisfaction of knowing that our end product will change and improve countless lives.”

The new chair can mount kerbs and small steps and can turn on the spot.

Last year Phil represented Ireland in the Paralympics Games in Rio in air rifle shooting.

He’s hoping the new wheelchair will be ready in time for next year’s Invictus Games for disabled servicemen in Toronto. n Victor Mobility, tel 07544 848920 n www.victormobility.com

All Together NOW!

— BACK PAGE

EYE, EYE SIR: Phil in the hot seat with wife Julie and business partner Brian Meaden

ES TO HALF A MILLION READERS . . . 0151 230 0307

We need YOUR support

19

20

All Together NOW!

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 292065 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

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Do YOU want to get out and about?

D

O YOU or a loved one have a long-term health condition or disability, live in the Warrington area, and want to get out and meet more people?

Warrington Disability Partnership, with funding from Active Cheshire, has set up the Living Life Well Project, which offers four “Let’s Go Sessions” in Lymm, Culcheth, Burtonwood and Oakwood.

Brun Munslow, team leader at WDP, said: “The sessions are free (including drinks and biscuits) and are designed to encourage people to develop their own self-help groups.

“We can help in all sorts of ways, and can make

Our lucky winners CONGRATULATIONS to the TEN lucky winners of our Christmas gardening competition.

All winners will soon be receiving £30 vouchers to spend on flower or vegetable seeds from the new Thompson & Morgan catalogue.

Andrew Sproston, Parthenon Drive, Norris Green, Liverpool (“I picked up my copy of All Together NOW! at Aintree hospital”) Mrs M Jones, Bempton Road,

people feel more in control of their lives. Knowing what support options are available can make a big difference.”

Lymm Youth & Community Centre: Wednesdays (10am-noon) until 1 March.

Jackson Avenue Centre, Culcheth: Fridays (2pm4pm) until 3 March.

St Michael’s Parish Hall, Burtonwood: Thursdays (10am-noon) until 2 March.

Oakwood Centre, Birchwood: Tuesdays (1pm3pm) until 28 February. n Contact Brun on Tel 01925 240064 or email her at: Brun.Munslow@disabilitypartnership.org.uk

Aigburth, Liverpool (Whiston hospital) Mr T Kelly, Borough Road, St Helens (Asda St Helens) Mrs Adrienne Jones, Vale Lane, Woodhouses, Failsworth, Manchester (Asda Eastlands) Jennifer White, Daniels Lane, Digmoor, Skelmersdale (Ormskirk hospital) Miss C Judge, Bewley Drive, Southdene, Kirkby, Liverpool (email – Asda Breckfield Road South, Liverpool)

Kevin Martin, Castlerigg Drive, Burnley (Burnley library) Mrs H Wilkinson, Cranbourne Drive, Accrington (Accrington library) Helen Holdsworth, Plungington Road, Preston (email) Victoria Loftus, Harswell Close, Orrell, Wigan (email)

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 NEUROSUPPORT Centre 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

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

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 Helpline: 0800 085 0307 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 Tel 01925 644 212 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 Tel: 0800 276 1070

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

February/March 2017

All Together NOW!

Premier League clubs in the firing line

T

HE equality watchdog has threatened to take legal action against any Premier League football club that cannot prove it is complying with access laws.

Rebecca Hilsenrath, chief executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), has written to all 20 Premier League clubs, asking them to answer 18 questions about how they are complying with the Equality Act. In January, the Commons culture, media and sport committee published its report into the accessibility of sports grounds, which said “it is completely unacceptable that a number of Premier League clubs – some of the richest sporting organisations in the UK – have failed to carry out even basic adaptations in over 20 years”.

Damian Collins, the Tory MP who chairs the committee, said: “Sports fans with disabilities are

not asking for a large number of expensive changes – only to have their needs taken into account in the way sports stadia are designed and operated.”

He warned that clubs should consider it “a reputational risk – and one which sponsors would have to take seriously – if clubs continue to fail to engage with reasonable adjustments and are also therefore actually in breach of the law”.

David Isaac, EHRC’s chair, said: “Disabled fans have been patronised for decades with every excuse in the book: that there is no demand for disabled access tickets, old stadia cannot be adapted, and even new stadia and stands won’t be compliant for years.

“These clubs are not only breaking promises to their die-hard fans, they are breaking the law.”

Tony Taylor, chair of the disabled supporters’ charity Level Playing Field, said: “This hard hitting

A five-year journey for equality . . .

report confirms what we have been saying for many years – that all too often, disabled sports fans have an inequality of matchday experience.

In a statement, the Premier League said: “The clubs are working hard to enhance disabled fan access and facilities in their stadiums.

“The scale and scope of the commitment made by clubs in this area is unprecedented for a single sport or sector, and the timescale is ambitious.

“At the end of this month (January) we will present to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Work and Pensions, EHRC and the culture, media and sport select committee an interim report which details each club’s progress ahead of a final report due in August.”

The Premier League promised in 2015 that every one of its clubs would meet strict access standards

by August 2017.

BUS drivers must now do more than just ask people to vacate spaces reserved for wheelchair users

T

HE DISABLED man who won a major legal victory that protects the rights of wheelchair-users to travel on buses says he does not regret the five years he has spent fighting the case, writes JOHN PRING.

Doug Paulley said he hoped that the victory over public transport giant FirstGroup would be a “morale-booster” for disabled people across the country, who were living through “very dark and worrying” times.

“I think it’s been worth it in terms of the pressure for change and the potential for change; it has got a lot of people thinking and talking about it, which can only improve awareness.”

The Supreme Court ruled that First Bus had breached its duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people under the Equality Act through its “first come, first served” policy on the use of wheelchair spaces.

It was the first case of disability discrimination in service provision to be heard by the country’s highest court.

Mr Paulley had been planning to travel to Leeds to visit his parents in February 2012, but was prevented from entering a bus because the driver refused to insist that a mother with a sleeping child

in a pushchair should move from the vehicle’s only wheelchair space.

After he launched a legal case for discrimination, the county court ruled that wheelchair-users should have priority in the use of dedicated wheelchair spaces, and that First Bus’s policy breached the Equality Act. The court of appeal then overturned that ruling and said instead that a bus driver needed only to request – and not demand – that a non-disabled passenger should vacate the space if it was needed by a wheelchair-user.

But the Supreme Court ruled that disabled passengers have a right to priority access over the wheelchair space on a bus – although failing to award any damages to Paulley – and that a driver must do more than simply ask a non-disabled passenger to move.

Mr Paulley said he hoped the Government would now make changes to clarify and strengthen the rights of wheelchair-users through the bus services bill, which has just started its progress through the Commons.

Penny Mordaunt, the minister for disabled people, said on Twitter immediately after the ruling that she would be speaking to the Department for Transport

“re clarity, good practice & powers a transport operator has to ensure this ruling become a reality”.

Chris Fry, from Unity Law, who has represented Paulley throughout his legal battle, said the decision establishes what he called the “Paulley Principle”: that bus companies have to give priority use of the wheelchair space to disabled customers.

He said immediate changes needed to be made

by First Group and other transport companies.

Baroness Sal Brinton, the disabled Liberal Democrat peer, and herself a wheelchair-user, said: “In the detail of the judgement, the Supreme Court judges say that there need to be legislative changes to make this happen, not least to give bus drivers the power to require a passenger to move.

“Following the minister’s comments on my amendments in the bus service bill, saying he was waiting for the outcome of this case, I will now be asking him to ensure that the legislation is enacted as swiftly as possible.”

David Isaac, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which funded the appeal, said: “This is a victory for disabled people’s rights. The success of this case means bus companies will have to end ‘first come, first served’ polices, increasing peace of mind for disabled people.”

Let’s make this great paper even greater!

STEVE McDERMOTT

STEVE McDERMOTT, a former chairman and trustee of the Everton In The Community charity, wants to hear from North West legal firms wanting to team up with All Together NOW! A commercial and procurement lawyer for the Government Legal Department, Steve said: “My organisation encourages its lawyers to lend their expertise to not-forprofits and charitable organisations from a pro-bono perspective, and I couldn't think of a better charity to help.”

Steve, who has a keen interest in both corporate social responsibility and philanthropy, said: “This is an absolutely fantastic charity and community newspaper that’s helping and informing hundreds of thousands of people.

“I am sure there are many businesses and individuals who would want to be associated with this innovative and award-winning work.”

PROMOTE YOUR LEGAL SERVICES TO HALF A MILLION READERS . . . Tel 0151 230 0307

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February/March 2017

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Scholarships up for grabs

NEWS UPDATE

MPs call for law to close the jobs gap IT will take almost half a century for the Government to deliver on a vow to halve the disability employment gap.

That’s if the current slow rate of progress continues, a report by MPs and peers from seven political parties has concluded.

The only way to speed the process is to force employers to take action, says the all-party parliamentary group on disability.

A far tougher stance on dealing with companies that discriminate against disabled staff and applicants for jobs, is called for in the report – Ahead Of The Arc. And that means the Government dropping its opposition to regulatory action.

The report says: “It is time to consider abandoning a voluntary-only approach towards requiring employers to measure and to increase disability employment.”

Evidence suggests the failure of public and private employers to provide appropriate support to disabled people in the workplace and to offer fair access to start-up funds, business advice and business networks amounts to “institutional disablism”, the report says.

At current rates of progress, the report warns, the disability employment gap will not be halved until 2065.

Altering attitudes

CHANGING people’s attitudes to disability is the new ambition of a North West training provider.

Progress to Excellence, based in Merseyside, has pledged to offer work experience and internships, which could lead to permanent jobs, to unemployed disabled people locally.

The BIrkenhead company has registered to become a Disability DAMIAN BURDIN Confident employer.

And chief executive Damian Burdin said the initiative now forms part of the business’s recruitment strategy.

He added: “We hope to build a reputation as a Disability Confident employer, one that actively seeks out and hires local unemployed disabled people.

“In this way, we can hopefully help to change attitudes in a positive way not only in our own business but also in our networks and with partners.”

My fight for right to work

FLASHBACK: Declan pictured interviewing former Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen

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ROM early childhood I knew I faced some difficulties with manual co-ordination – the most obvious being my handwriting was illegible!

I had to get permission, at school and university, to type exams, getting a letter from my doctor as evidence.

I also had difficulties in areas like tying knots, folding paper, ironing, carrying heavy furniture, and when my time came to learn to drive, I had to drive an automatic car.

The precise nature of what caused this was never diagnosed in childhood - it was not until I was 54 that I was diagnosed as having mild cerebral palsy.

I do recall my late mother telling me how she had taken me to see a paediatrician in Dublin who considered this as a possibility, but nothing was put in writing. Without a written diagnosis, no proof could be provided to employers that I had the condition.

The 2013 diagnosis was confirmed by a brain scan.

I subsequently also got a dyspraxia diagnosis, something made possible only due to being referred by the Brain Charity in Liverpool, as the NHS does not fund expensive assessments for adults.

I worked most of my life in journalism, including more than 18 years with one Irish newspaper. I have also worked in London, with the Romford Recorder and as a sub editor with Associated Press.

An ill-fated return to Ireland saw me made redundant by another title in the collapse of the Irish economy. I had planned to return to London in 2011 but this did not work out, so I ended up in Liverpool. I retrained to work with the homeless and spent over three years in that sector. I have also worked in fundraising and currently in the retail sector.

However, I have been trying for nearly eight years

by DECLAN McSWEENEY

to return to journalism. Recently, I was offered a media role, to my delight, and I am waiting for a start date.

Having cerebral palsy has been an enormous barrier to getting work in the regional press, whereas it was never a barrier in London.

There is an insistence by most titles on having NCTJ qualification. I am studying part-time for this, but have been told by the college that it would not be possible to get the full qualification, as the shorthand test is required to do so.

Clearly, as my handwriting is illegible, shorthand would be out of the question. I have always had my own form of shorthand, and was never sued once in decades in journalism.

On the contrary, a solicitor provided a reference stating that he and his colleagues used my court reports as a basis for appeals.

It seems to me that the NCTJ requirement is merely an excuse. One editor told me that while others would cite various reasons for not employing me, they would not admit the real reason was age.

He said that if he was taking on anyone, he would take on a young person just out of college, as they could “run faster” after celebrities.

I am also disappointed that the National Union of Journalists is not showing any interest in challenging newspapers on this.

Neither the industry nor the union show any comprehension of how the entry requirements exclude those with neurological conditions.

All that aside, I am now looking forward to taking up my new media role and am glad that someone has seen fit to focus on my ability rather than disability.

DISABLED students taking Masters degrees are to get the chance of a scholarship at some of the UK’s greatest universities.

The opportunity is being provided by the disabled students charity Snowdon Trust.

Fee funding plus a stipend payment of £15,000 per year is included in the scholarship.

Lord Snowdon, who died recently aged 86, founded the charity in 1981.

The Royal College of Art will be Snowdon Trust’s partner for the first scholarship, to mark Lord Snowdon’s long association with the College. n Contact, Snowdon Trust – Paul Alexander (paul@snowdontrust.org ), 01403 732899.

Telly boost

CHANNEL 4 will advertise all future job vacancies on a specialist site run by and for disabled people, Evenbreak.

The TV company’s head of talent recruitment, Nichola Ivory-Chapman, said: “Diversity is in Channel 4’s DNA and we know that recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds encourages our workforce to be vibrant, creative and think differently.”

Jane Hatton, founder and director of Evenbreak, added: “Channel 4 has demonstrated a genuine commitment to inclusion and accessibility, and Evenbreak is delighted to be involved in their programme to positively attract disabled candidates.” n www.evenbreak.co.uk

MS work plea

MPs and peers have called for more to be done to support people with multiple sclerosis in work.

The move, by a cross party group of politicians, has been welcomed by the MS Society.

Charity chief executive Michelle Mitchell said: “Some people with MS absolutely won’t be able to work.

“But for those who can, simple adjustments and supportive employers can make a huge difference.

“We know that employment can help people with MS to remain independent and participate in society, so it’s crucial that this issue is addressed.”

REACH HALF A MILLION READERS . . . . 0151 230 0307

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Lucille’s all set to don her nurse’s uniform

February/March 2017

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IVE years ago, a career in nursing was all but a dream for Lucille Noone.

Aged 16, Lucille worked as a hospital domestic and linen assistant in the North West.

After stints at Southport Hospital on Merseyside, and Ormskirk Hospital in West Lancs, she went home to care for elderly relatives.

“I had my heart set on attending The University of Manchester, but the chances of me getting there were slim – I wouldn’t have been able to attend due to the cost of accommodation in halls or commuting from home every day,” said Lucille.

“But the university’s access programme and the scholarship that I received because of it changed all that.”

Now Lucille has graduated and is looking for nursing roles in neurosurgery, surgical oncology or cardiothoracic surgery.

SNAP HAPPY!

Top inventors develop the ideal camera for James

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LISA’S DIARY

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he last couple of months have been really busy for ‘Lisa Simpson Inclusive Dance’.

As part of an Arts Council grant I have been doing some research and development work for my next piece of work.

This involved me working in a studio with a group of 3rd year students from Edge Hill university for two days and then working with a Surrey-based Professional Intergrated Dance Company called StopGap. The next step is to put my creative ideas down on paper and look for the funding to make my dream come alive. This is just one of the many things I have been working on.

Also, I’m also delivering another Simpson Board Translator’s course on 24 of February at the Merseyside Dance Initiative studios on Hope Street in Liverpool so if any readers want to have a try at using the board or know someone who might be interested then just give me a call on 07525 442377 to book a place – or please visit my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LisaSimpsonIncl usiveDanceLtd to find out more.

Alphabet sheets

NEW TV show has come to the rescue of a young photographer unable to use his precious camera.

James, 23, lives with epidermolysis bullosa, which makes his skin fragile and prone to blistering and scarring.

At the age of 10, the skin between his fingers started to fuse together.

“I got a camera for my 18th birthday but could only take photographs for six months before my hands deteriorated.

“Eventually I couldn’t use them at all. And the last year has been quite tough I got skin cancer and I wasn’t just struggling physically but mentally as well. I found it hard to stay positive.”

Researchers on BBC2’s The Big Life Fix heard about James’s problem and straight away got to work.

After making a prototype which didn’t quite meet James’s needs, award-winning design engineer Jude Pullen had a eureka moment.

The breakthrough means James is now able to control his new camera – which he describes as “futuristic and techy” – via a computer, allowing him to zoom, focus and

All Together NOW!

ACTION, CAMERAS, ROLL: James with presenter Simon Reeve and Jude Pullen

take photographs by using his foot via a specially designed app!

“It’s amazing, life-changing,” James said.

“The best medicines in life are positive distractions, laughter and happiness,” says James Dunn.

“And photography can distract me to the extent that I can spend eight hours without medicine when I’m taking pictures.

“While I’m here I’m having fun, making memories and leaving something behind – making memories for other people to look at.

“I want people to remember that this is what I enjoyed and this is where I found happiness.

“I have the brain of a normal person, but I

wish I had the body of a normal person.”

James lives with his mum and dad, Kenny and Lesley, in Whiston.

“Me and my mum are like best mates. And my dad, to give me a great life, would work 12 hours a day, seven days a week – and when he wasn’t working he would take me on photography trips. I can’t thank them enough.”

He added: “I also want to thank Jack and Tony, from Wirral, who are volunteers for the Remap charity, which is in charge of the aftercare for the camera.

“They’re from an engineering background and it’s amazing seeing them work and the joy they get from helping people.”

REGULAR readers will know that Lisa communicates using an alphabet sheet. Lisa indicates with her eyes the letters to spell out what she wants to say.

Sharron, her personal assistant, spends hours producing the sheets – they are transparent and have the letters on both sides. The challenge was find someone to make the sheets.

Well, now we can announce that C A Design and Print, in Ellesmere Port, have come to the rescue!

They can provide 100 sheets for £295 (tel, 0151 356 5511. Email info@ca-design.co.uk) If anyone would like to try a sheet email Lynn McCann at liverpoolcitizensltd@gmail.com or ring her on 07711 381727 and she will post one out for you to try.

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MEDICAL NOTES Easy way to get a repeat prescription

IMAGINE no more waiting on hold to GP surgeries or standing around in pharmacies for a repeat prescription.

Instead, imagine you are able to order them any time, day or night.

Pharmacists Chris Turner and Andrew Bailey have launched a unique app that allows people to request repeat prescriptions – whenever and wherever –from their smartphone or tablet.

The DIMEC pharmacy app is free to download, easy to use with iPhone or Android, and prescriptions are delivered for free, within days.

“These days everything is online and mobile, and there’s no reason why repeat prescription ordering should be any different,” said Chris Turner, coowner of DIMEC Pharmacy, based at Keele University Science and Innovation Park.

The app is available to everyone, at www.dimec.me, whether or not you pay, pre-pay or are exempt from prescription charges. Prescriptions will be received in a matter of days to an address of your choice.

App cuts GP visits

A NEW health app has seen a dramatic drop in visits to the doctor by adults with learning disabilities.

Medical chiefs say the My Health Guide app has empowered men and women using it to take more control of their own health.

A year long trial resulted in a 30% drop in the number of times the app’s users needed to consult a healthcare professional Developed by London-based health focused tech firm Maldaba Ltd, The My Health Guide app is currently being trialed by Humber NHS Foundation Trust with 200 users taking part. n www.myhealthguideapp.com

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Fast tracking new medicines

THE North-West is to play a vital role in getting new medical treatments to patients more quickly.

Millions of pounds in new funding will help translate the latest science into new therapies, devices and tools for diagnosing disease.

The money has been made available to the Liverpool region which has a strong history of medical research.

A partnership involving the University of Liverpool and two local NHS Trusts secured £3.4m for experimental medicine, known as translational research.

The National Institute for Health Research is providing the cash to help speed up scientific advances for the benefit of patients.

The funding applications were made by the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals Trust, led by Dr Richard Fitzgerald, and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, led by Professor Michael Beresford, in partnership with the University of Liverpool.

The Clinical Research Unit at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, which carries out 30 research studies a year, received £1.4million enabling more early phase and experimental medicine research.

Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, Associate ProVice Chancellor for Clinical Research at the University of Liverpool, said: “Today’s health research is tomorrow’s healthcare so I am delighted that this funding will enable us to further progress more research and development in this exciting field.”

Reasons to be cheerful

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HERE is good news and bad news regarding dementia. But, all things considered, it looks like the positives outweigh the negatives by some distance.

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first – last year dementia accounted for more deaths in England and Wales than heart disease.

Dementia, including Alzheimer’s, made up 11.6% of all deaths in 2015 – a figure close to 62,000, according to the Office for National Statistics.

In the last five years, the mortality rate for the condition has more than doubled.

However, the ONS suggested improved detection and diagnosis, as well as an ageing population, played a part in the increase. A change in the rules for determining the underlying cause of deaths may also have been a factor.

So although the news is stark, numerous studies have shown that dementia is not untreatable.

One topic which represents a promising area of research concerns ketones.

In those suffering from cognitive decline, including dementia, the uptake of glucose by the brain is reduced. Because the human brain relies almost entirely on glucose for energy, this creates a major problem.

The solution, according to an increasing body of research, is to substitute glucose with ketone bodies.

Ketones are the brain’s primary alternative fuel, and unlike glucose, ketone uptake appears to be normal in those battling cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

Ketone bodies are typically produced from fat stores when glucose is in short supply, as in the case of prolonged fasting. This is just one reason for the continued popularity of low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diets.

Diet was a major factor in a 2014 trial, in which nine out of 10 participants suffering from cognitive problems showed an improvement in memory.

The news from the ONS is a concern – but there is cause for optimism given the current research and new functional approaches to treating dementia.

Saunas could help cut risk of dementia

WHO would have thought that taking a sauna could help you avoid dementia?

Well, scientists in Finland might. After all, the Finns, who invented the sauna 2,000 years ago, know all about the benefits of getting a good sweat on.

Now Professor Jari Laukkanen at the University of Eastern Finland says a study has shown frequent sauna bathing can reduce the risk of

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

The more often saunas were taken, the lower the risk, the research showed. Among those using a sauna four to seven times a week, the risk of any form of dementia was 66% lower and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease 65% lower than among those taking just one a week.

The findings were published recently in the Age and Ageing journal.

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A clinic you can carry around

A ‘wearable clinic’ for people with schizophrenia and chronic kidney disease is being developed in the North West.

Researchers have been given £1.6m to perfect the device which will allow users to better manage their health at home.

The wearable clinic consists of a range of software tools for smartphones and tablets that connect with doctors.

Scientists, led by Dr Niels Peel at the University of Manchester, will investigate how using wearable devices like sensors, smart watches, activity and heart rate monitors can help medics make the right choices and advise patients.

It is one of eight projects being funded by a £10m investment by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Professor Philip Nelson, chief executive of the EPSRC, said: “The UK has an aging population and the demands on our health services are growing.

“Monitoring chronic conditions through outpatients’ clinics is both costly and time-consuming for patients, surgeries and hospitals.

“Using these new technologies provides ways of gauging a patient’s health in real-time and detecting any deterioration quickly.

“This will help people remain in their homes for longer, avoid congestion and delay and mean treatment can be targeted quickly and when it can be most appropriate and effective.”

The other projects are taking place at University of Oxford; Queen Mary University of London; Imperial College London; City, University of London; King’s College London, and the Open University

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Equipment Amnesty: Please help . . .

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UR Community Equipment amnesty has seen a 40% increase in returns, saving the NHS thousands of pounds and even being featured on the BBC’s The One Show.

But now we need your help to keep the momentum going!

The Liverpool city-wide amnesty was launched last autumn to encourage staff, patients and members of the public to return any NHS community equipment such as wheelchairs, walking aids and mattresses that they no longer require so they can be cleaned, recycled and reused.

A jab well done!

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Do YOU have any unused items . . ?

Not returning items of NHS community equipment costs the local NHS over £500,000 every single year – money that could be re-invested into supporting other patients.

If you or a relative has NHS equipment you no longer require,

All Together NOW!

February/March 2017

Brrr!

Prepare for the cold

you can arrange for it to be collected free of cost at a time suitable for you by calling: 0151 295 9816.

Alternatively, you can return it to the NHS Community Equipment Service yourself during opening hours (Mon to Fri, 8am – 5pm)

n LCH Community Equipment Store, Units 4 -7 Graylaw Trading Estate, Aintree, L9 7AU n LCH Community Equipment Store, Lifehouse Centre, Summers Road, Brunswick Business Park, Liverpool, L3 4BL

FLU FREE: LCH’s flu team supported over three quarters of staff to get the jab

E ARE delighted to announce that LCH successfully achieved its Government target for ensuring that over 75% of all frontline staff received a voluntary flu vaccine by 31 December, to help protect patients from the flu this winter.

There are thousands of deaths from flu in England every year, but a simple flu vaccine can offer life-saving protection.

Rachael Gosling, Public Health Consultant for LCH, explains:

“Healthcare workers are far more likely to be exposed to various infections and illnesses such as flu during their day to day duties, and can easily pass it onto patients who it could cause serious or even life-threatening complications for.

“But this year the Trust saw more of our staff choosing to have the flu jab than ever before, making us one of the best immunised community health trusts in the country.

“This is fantastic news as it means that more patients in our care than ever before will be effectively protected from the risk of flu this winter.”

Are you eligible for a free flu jab?

The seasonal flu vaccine is offered free each winter to anyone who falls into one of the following risk categories.

You are eligible for a free flu jab if you: n Are 65 years of age or over. n Are pregnant. n Have a long-term medical condition. n Are living in a long-stay residential care home or facility. n Are a carer.

If this is you, please contact your GP to arrange for the vaccine.

AS COLDER weather conditions hit the region, Community Nurses from LCH have been urging residents to take extra precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe and well.

Moira Angel, Interim Director of Nursing for the Trust explains: “As colder weather creeps in, we want to encourage everyone in our local communities to be extra mindful of looking out for older family members, friends and neighbours who might be living alone.”

Keep Warm – Try to keep your home heated to at least 18C. Draw your curtains at dusk and keep doors closed. Wearing several light layers of clothes is more effective than one thick layer.

Eat Well – Have regular hot drinks, and eat at least one hot, healthy meal a day if possible.

Look out for others – If you have older neighbours and relatives, look out for them and call or visit them regularly.

Get prepared – Plan ahead by keeping a wellstocked medicine cabinet at home to help you fight off common winter coughs, colds and sore throats.

Use your pharmacist – If you start to feel unwell, seek advice from your local pharmacist.

Get a flu jab – You can have a free flu jab to from your GP if you are over 65, pregnant, or have a long-term health condition.

Be careful – If you have to go outside in icy conditions, wrap up and wear shoes with a good grip to reduce the risk of trips and falls. n www.nhs.uk/Livewell/ winterhealth

To find out more, visit . . . www.liverpoolcommunityhealth.nhs.uk

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MEDICAL NOTES

Stories taking pain out of the dentist

EVEN just thinking about going to the dentist is enough to make most of us feel stressed.

For children with autism, a dental appointment can be especially anxious.

But children’s books featuring “dental stories” make the experience a great deal less worrisome, a study has found.

The Oral Health Foundation is backing the use of children’s storybooks after the research showed they can be a highly effective way of preparing children with autism for a visit to the dentist.

Almost two thirds of carers felt dental stories were a useful tool for both them and their child, the study says.

The Foundation’s Dr Nigel Carter said: “We have found that activities like toothbrushing and dental visits can be particularly stressful for children with autism, as well as those with other learning difficulties, which can lead to increased levels of oral health disease.

“By using dental stories, we can help them achieve an improved level of care and from this there can be real benefits to their oral health for life.”

More help on way

THE UK’s only charity helpline for people with bladder and bowel issues says it has been inundated with enquiries since the Bladder and Bowel Foundation closed earlier this year.

Karen Irwin, manager of the newly named Bladder and Bowel UK service, said: “We have experienced a surge in visitors seeking advice, and are now enhancing our online and telephone support systems to improve the quality of the service” n Helpline: Tel. 0161 607 8219. n www.bladderandboweluk.co.uk

A big step forward

HUNDREDS of people with above-knee amputations could soon benefit from high-tech, life-changing prostheses funded via the NHS. The Government’s decision to approve the funding for Microprocessor Controlled Prosthetic Knees (MPKs) is a major victory for campaigners.

Kiera Roche, founder of the LimbPower charity, said: “This is a huge win for those living with aboveknee limb loss.

“It will be life-changing for hundreds of people. I have met so many who have been trapped by the limited capabilities of their current prosthesis.

“Giving them the possibility to be able to go out without the fear of falling and hurting themselves is priceless.”

February/March 2017

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‘Care the key’ to reducing limb loss

TOP AWARD: Barbara Watkinson with Tici Criddle, assistant director of eye screening at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, and Taher Qassim, public health neighbourhood manager at Liverpool City Council

Diabetes can’t stop Barbara

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GRANDMOTHER of four has enjoyed an action-packed life and raised a family – despite her having Type 1 diabetes for 60 years.

Now Barbara Watkinson, 70, has been awarded a leading UK charity’s highest accolade in honour of a life well lived.

Barbara was just nine when she was told she had diabetes. But it was while being treated at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool that she realised the condition need not hold her back.

She said, “Being a patient at Alder Hey gave me the chance to meet others with Type 1 diabetes. The nurse who looked after me and the other children had a relative with diabetes.

“She would let us out to play and would even make special batches of ice cream for us all, using diabetic friendly recipes.”

Barbara added, “This made me realise that I could enjoy certain things as long as I was aware of how to safely manage my blood sugar.”

Stuart Vaughan, Diabetes UK volunteer development manager, said: “It’s an honour to have presented Barbara with the Robert Lawrence medal, which recognises people who have lived with diabetes for 60 years.

“It’s testimony to both Barbara and the support she has received to help her manage her condition effectively and show that diabetes doesn’t have to be a barrier.”

From a young age Barbara wanted to pursue a career in the NHS, and she took up a variety of clerical positions at hospitals across Merseyside.

The perfect tonic . . .

‘I’ve lived with it for 60 fun-filled years’

Barbara said: “During my time at Sefton General I wrote to Edwina Currie, junior health minister at the time, asking for an improved needle exchange for diabetic patients. This was later realised and as a result diabetics were issued with disposable syringes.

“In 1970 I married my lovely husband, Stan, and almost a year after I left work to have my first baby. At the time diabetic patients that were pregnant would have to be carefully monitored as there were increased health risks to both myself and my baby.

“I was delighted when I gave birth to my first healthy baby boy, Paul, in 1971. Knowing I could safely deliver I went on to have my second son Ian in 1972.”

Barbara attended regular clinics at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and with support from clinicians and specialist nurses, she has never been hospitalised due to a diabetic complication.

“No one can look after you as good as yourself,” she said, “but the team at the Royal have helped educate me about my condition so I am in control and can safely manage my diabetes.”

Now retired, Barbara and Stan live in West Derby, Liverpool, and have four grandsons to keep them busy.

Barbara said: “It’s fantastic to have received this medal. As for my diabetes, I think you have to be positive about your life – and look after yourself.

There is lots of help out there.”

FOUR out of every five operations to remove limbs as a result of diabetes could be prevented, say campaigners.

Diabetes-related amputations in England have reached an all-time high of 20 a day, shocking new statistics show.

But using figures from Public Health England, the charity Diabetes UK have estimated that 80% of the amputations need not have been carried out.

Four out of five cases where amputations became necessary started as foot ulcers, which can generally be avoided with a good standard of care and are easier to treat if they are diagnosed early.

The alarming number of amputations – which cost the NHS over £600 million a year – calls for a new approach to be taken to ensure diabetics receive the healthcare and support that they deserve, says the Copper Clothing company.

Diabetes is shown to cause poorer blood circulation, resulting in sufferers losing feeling in their feet, making them more susceptible to wounds and infections.

Rory Donnelly, of Copper Clothing, said: “Along with more efficient diagnosis and effective treatment, copper compression socks could help reduce the number of diabetes sufferers needing to undergo life changing surgery” Mr Donnelly said for some diabetes sufferers, compression socks and hosiery can help improve their circulation and make associated risk, including foot ulcers, less likely.

Using copper infused compression socks could present even more benefits for wearers. Copper is known to have natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties helping to reduce infections and improve the healing process, he added.

HALF A MILLION people

Time for a hug!

February/March 2017

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– they are the key to making us all happy . . .

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HERE’S nothing like a good hug to warm the heart, put a smile on our faces, and make us feel good.

But it seems we are simply aren’t getting enough.

Research reveals hugs release oxytocin – a chemical which can make us happy – yet a third of us receive no hugs at all.

According to the research, commissioned by BBC Worldwide, a hug lasting seven seconds or longer can work the magic of releasing the happiness hormone, perking us up from gloomy blues.

The poll revealed that 3.2 million of us in Britain believe hugging relieves stress and helps us relax.

A minimum of six hugs a day is what we want – but most of us just get two.

It would seem that family is oxytocin central – 37% believe their partners give the best hugs, followed by daughters (13%) and sons (10%).

As a nation of pet lovers, one in ten women say that hugging their cats and dogs is better hugs with their male friends and colleagues!

Dogs were deemed the most huggable pet (44%); with cats in second place (19%); and rabbits hopping into third (7%).

If you’re single, fret not since female friends (9%) and mums (7%) are not too

BBC’S CBeebies’ Hey Duggee certainly knows the benefits of hugs

Family hugs are the tops – with partners, sons/daughters and mum making the top five favourite huggers.

Dogs were awarded the title of ‘most huggable’ followed by cat, rabbits, horses and… elephants!

far behind in giving good hugs.

You would think with a shortfall in hugs, we would take as many as we can get!

Women think otherwise with stats revealing that almost half are more likely to avoid hugs than their male friends!

Andy Cope, who has spent the last 10 years studying positive psychology, happiness and flourishing, culminating in a Loughborough University PhD thesis, has plenty to say about the humble hug.

Andy, who likes to be described as ‘Doctor of Happiness’, says: “Hugging stimulates the production of oxytocin, a neurotransmitter that acts on the brain’s emotional centre.

“It promotes feelings of contentment and reduces anxiety and stress as well as promoting feelings of devotion, trust and bonding.

“But there’s more. A mum’s touch even seems to mitigate pain – remember when you were a child and you fell down and grazed your knee? A loving hug made it all go away.

“There’s research that indicates hugging releases hormones that have a deep impact on the health of our immune systems.

“Hugging also releases dopamine, another wonderful chemical that can help stave off depression and, it’s believed, even Parkinson’s disease Dopamine changes how our bodies handle stress, both physical and social.

“Regardless of your touchy-feely preference level, hugging can convey a message that words often can’t, so be sure to give and get your quota of hugs.”

Why hugging is so vital as we get older

IT’S important to hug our elders too, says ‘Doctor of Hppiness’ Andy Cope.

A retirement home in New York found that residents who were hugged three or more times a day reported feeling more energetic, less depressed, better able to concentrate and got more restful sleep than their less-hugged counterparts.

Nine levels of hugging

1. Bro-hug. Technically, not quite a hug. Usually man-on-man when a proper embrace doesn’t seem right.

2. No frills. It lasts 2.1 seconds. Better than nothing. Good for friends, family, pets – almost any situation.

3. Selfie-hug. A thoroughly modern staged-managed hug that

often captures a fake moment of happiness.

4. Seven-second hug. It takes 7 seconds for love to properly transfer. Don’t count out loud, it ruins the effect.

5. Run-up hug. No frills, but longer. A proper lingering embrace with someone you adore.

6. A euphoric outburst of affection. Often seen at airports when long lost relatives come through the door.

7. 20-second hug. Advanced level, for experts only. A thing of wonder. It’s a full bear hug that lasts and lasts.

8. The pick-up-and-swing hug. Quite often grandparents do the pick-up-and-swing with their grandkids.

9. Group ‘Duggie’ hug. A true celebration of love, warmth, friendship, family or success, perfect for any occasion.

are reading these pages

tel 0151 230 0307

All Together NOW!

MEDICAL NOTES

Sleep treatment that may aid food addicts OVERWEIGHT people could benefit from a drug used for sleep disorders.

Many factors are involved in people becoming obese but there is growing evidence that many overweight people are physically addicted to foods rich in fat and sugar.

And in many cases they are addicted because they cannot control their powerful impulse to eat – which is where Modafinil comes in.

UK scientists have discovered that Modafinil, already on the market as a treatment for narcolepsy, shift work disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness, can also reduce impulsivity and therefore food addiction.

Professor Ivo Vlaev, of Warwick Business School, said: “Food addicts know they need to lose weight, but the desire for more food is overwhelming, leading to a spiral of depression that can lead to psychological issues as well as health problems.”

Modafinil – sold under a variety of brand names – had been shown to reduce impulsiveness in a variety of disorders such as alcohol dependence, schizophrenia and ADHD. The professor added: “This drug could be a real help to those people struggling to control their desire for food.”

A team from Imperial College, London, also took part in the research.

Epilepsy baby risk

DOCTORS and healthcare professionals are being urged to talk to women and girls with epilepsy about pregnancy and the risks involved before they conceive.

The move follows the results of a new survey that says almost half of women with epilepsy are unaware of the risks of taking epilepsy medicine sodium valproate.

One in five women currently taking the drug do not know it can, in a minority of cases, harm the development and physical health of their unborn child should they become pregnant.

More than 2,700 women with epilepsy took part in the survey, conducted by Epilepsy Action, Epilepsy Society and Young Epilepsy.

The survey revealed that just over a quarter of women who responded, and are currently taking sodium valproate, had not had a discussion led by their healthcare professional about the risks involved in pregnancy.

Sodium valproate is often known under brand names such as Epilim, Epival, Episenta, Convulex and Orlept. n Epilepsy Action Helpine: Tel. 0808 800 5050

27

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All Together NOW!

Until Feb 11: Educating Rita.

Octagon, Bolton. BSL, Thurs 2 Feb, 7.30pm. Captioned, Thurs 9 Mar, 7.30pm.

Until Feb 25: Brick Up 2 – The Wrath of Ann Twacky. Royal Court, Liverpool. The Kingsway Three are back.

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

BOX OFFICE CONTACTS

Feb 1: The Simon and Garfunkel Story. Palace Theatre, Manchester.

Feb 2-3: Show Us Yer Tips.

Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Feb 2: The Simon and Garfunkel Story. Liverpool Empire.

Feb 3: Motown’s Greatest Hits: How Sweet It Is. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Tribute show.

Feb 3: Beyond The Barricade.

Liverpool Empire. A concert of popular songs from West End shows performed by ex cast members of Les Miserables.

Feb 3: The Elvis Years. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Feb 4: Alexander O’Neal – 30 Years of Hearsay. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Feb 4: Showaddywaddy.

Manchester Palace Theatre. Forty years on and the band is as strong as ever.

Feb 4: Stand By Me. Liverpool Empire.

Feb 5: Rumours of Fleetwood Mac – Hits to Blues. Palace Theatre Manchester.

Feb 6: The Simon and Garfunkel Story. Lyceum, Crewe.

Feb 7-11: Sunny Afternoon.

Liverpool Empire. Musical about The Kinks.

Feb 7-11: Stepping Out. The Brindley, Runcorn. Comedy.

Feb 7-11: Pride and Prejudice.

Liverpool Playhouse. Matthew Kelly, Benjamin Dilloway, Felicity Montagu and Tafline Steen in Simon Reade’s adaptation of the Jane Austen classic.

Feb 8: Roy Wood. Palace Theatre, Manchester. The Seventies rocker is back in action.

Feb 8: You Win Again – The Story of the Bee Gees. Regent Theatre, Stoke.

Feb 9-11: Moscow City Ballet.

Swan Lake. Palace Theatre, Manchester.

Feb 9: You Win Again – The Story of the Bee Gees. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Feb 9: Halfway to Paradise – The Billy Fury Story. Regent Theatre, Stoke.

Feb 9: Omid Djalili.

Lyceum, Crewe.

Feb 9-Mar 4: Skylight.

Theatr Clwyd, Mold. Acclaimed drama about passionate love and private affairs. Audio described, 25 Feb, 2.30pm, and 2 Mar, 7.30pm.

Captioned, 18 Feb, 2.30pm.

Feb 9-11: Accidental Death of an Anarchist. Theatr Clwyd, Mold.

BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre: 01253 290190 BOLTON Octagon: 01204 520661 LIVERPOOL Empire: 08444 999 999 Everyman & Playhouse: 0151 709 4776 Royal Court: 0870 787 1866 Unity 0151 709 4988 LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru: 01492 872000 MOLD: Theatr Clwyd: 0845 3303565 MANCHESTER Opera House: 0870 401 9000 Palace Theatre: 0870 401 3000

Royal Exchange 0161 833 9833 SALFORD The Lowry: 0843 208 6000 NEW BRIGHTON Floral Pavillion: 0151 666 0000 PRESTON: Charter Theatre: 0845 344 2012 RHYL: Pavilion Theatre: 01745 330 000 RUNCORN The Brindley: 0151 907 8360 SOUTHPORT: Floral Hall: 0844 847 2380 ST HELENS: Theatre Royal: 01744 756000 STOKE: Regent Theatre: 0844 871 7627

MAKE A DATE OF IT

Feb 10: The Magic of Motown.

Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Feb 10 Let’s Hang On. Lyceum, Crewe. Music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

Feb 10: Stand By Me – The ben E King and Drifters Revue. Regent Theatre, Stoke.

Feb 10: Elkie Brooks – Live in Concert. The Grand, Blackpool.

Feb 11: The Enemies Project: North West Poetry Tour. Liverpool Everyman.

Feb 11: Vampires Rock Ghost Train. The Grand, Blackpool. Steve Steinman has ramped up the vamp in this spectacular sequel to the phenomenally successful Vampires Rock.

Feb 11: Bye By Baby. Charter, Preston. The story of Frankie Valli.

Feb 12: The Chicago Blues Brothers. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Feb 13: Black Magic – The Little Mix Show. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Feb 13: A Loverly Word. Liverpool Everyman. Eclectic poetry.

Feb 13-18: Million Dollar Quartet.

Liverpool Empire. Smash-hit musical, inspired by the famous recording session that brought together Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkinse.

Feb 13: Ellen Kent’s La Boheme.

The Grand, Blackpool.

Feb 13-18: Blood Brothers. Floral Hall, Southport.

Feb 14-18: Glasgow Girls. Liverpool Playhouse. Song-filled drama.

Feb 14-18: Sunny Afternoon.

Venue Cymru, Llandudno. The story of The Kinks.

Feb 14-Mar 3: Macbeth – Live.

Theatr Clwyd, Mold.

Feb 17-Apr 8: Bat Out of Hell.

Manchester Opera House. Romantic musical based on the most influential albums of Jim Steinman.

Feb 17-Mar 11: Fiddler on the Roof. Liverpool Everyman. Audio described, Thurs 9 Mar, 7.30pm.

Feb 18: Pinked Floyd Tribute Show. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Feb 18: Barry Steele and Friends – The Roy Orbison Story. The Grand, Blackpool.

Feb 18-25: Funny Girl. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Musical telling the story of Broadway star Fanny Brice.

Feb 19: A Feast of Gilbert and Sullivan. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Feb 20-25: Thoroughly Modern Millie. Liverpool Empire. Musical based on the 1967 film.

Feb 20-25: Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story. The Grand, Blackpool.

THE inspirational and trailblazing Graeae Theatre Company is back in the region with another thoughtprovoking piece of work. This time the integrated group of deaf and disabled actors are staging The House of Bernarda Alba – “a bold exploration of female identity, sexuality and power.”

All performances integrates British Sign Language, audio description and captioning. n Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester (Feb 3-25).

Feb 20: Rory Bremner – Party Political. Charter, Preston.

Feb 20-21: Narvik. Theatr Clwyd, Mold. A Liverpudlian man and a Norwegian woman are pulled together and then torn apart by war.

Feb 21-26: Roald Dahl’s The Twits.

Liverpool Playhouse. BSL, Thurs 23 Feb, 10am Feb 21: Professor Robert Winston - Modifying Humans: Where Dies Genetics Stop? Charter, Preston.

Feb 22: Celtic Fiddle Festival. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Feb 22: Tenors Unlimited – Venice to Vegas. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Feb 22-24: Take Away the Lady.

Theatr Clwyd, Mold. Returning home from prison after allegedly murdering his mother, Matthew finds his whole family waiting for him.

Feb 22: The Rat Pack Vegas Spectacular. Lyceum, Crewe.

Feb 23: Lee Hurst. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Feb 23: Gerry Cross The Mersey.

Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Feb 23-Mar 11: Ashes. Octagon, Bolton. It is the 1970’s and Anne and Colin desperately want a child, and are trying everything to achieve this dream. Audio described, post show talk, Mon 6 Mar, 5pm. BSL, Tues 6 Mar, 7.30pm. Captioned, Fri 10 Mar, 7.30pm.

Feb 24: Andy Fairweather Low & The Low Riders. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Feb 25: The Houghton Weavers.

The Brindley, Runcorn.

Feb 25: Met – Rusalka. Theatr Clwyd, Mold.

Feb 26: You Win Again – The Story of the Bee Gees. The Grand, Blackpool.

Feb 26: The Illegal Eagles. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Feb 27-Mar 4: Dreamboats and Petticoats. Palace Theatre, Manchester.

Feb 28: Sleeping Beauty Plus. The Brindley, Runcorn. Allegrodance Touring Company.

Feb 28-Mar 4: Rent The Musical.

Liverpool Empire.

Mar 1-Mar 4: The Verdict. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Stunning courtroom thriller.

Mar 2-18: Sinners Club. Theatr Clwyd, Mold. New play inspired by the life of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK. Audio described, 11 Mar, 2.45pm and 16 Mar, 7.45pm. Captioned, 11 Mar, 2.45pm.

Mar 2-3: That’ll Be The Day. Lyceum, Crewe. Musical.

Mar 3: Bridget Christie: Because You Demanded It. Liverpool Playhouse.

HOW YOU CAN PLAY A STARRING ROLE IN THE FUTURE OF THIS

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

TeenStar, the UK’s only singing and dancing competition exclusively for pre-teens and teenagers, want to hear from young All Together NOW! readers who think they’ve got what it takes to hit the big time!

Organisers Future Music are on the lookout for the region’s best young movers and shakers, and have planned two auditions in Liverpool (Sunday 5 March) and Manchester (Saturday 18 March).

There’s a prize pool worth thousands of pounds.

Contestants also have the chance to win prizes throughout the competition, such as recording studio time with some of the UK’s top producers, singing lessons and extensive promotion on YouTube.

So what are you waiting for? n Enter now at: www.teenstarcompetition.co.uk Mar 3: You’ve Got a Friend: Music of James Taylor and Carole King.

Floral Hall, Southport.

Mar 3: Stand By Me. Charter, Preston. Celebration of Ben E King and The Drifters.

Mar 5: Ruby Wax: Frazzled. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 5: Cinderela – Vienna Festival Ballet. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Mar 6: Ruby Wax – Frazzled. Charter, Preston.

Mar 6: Michael Portillo – Life: A Game of Two Halves.

Lyceum, Crewe.

Mar 6-11: Ghost The Musical.

Venue Cymru, Llandudno. New production.

Mar 7-11: Pygmalion. Liverpool Playhouse. One flower girl. Two experts. Free lessons. Six months.

Duchess required.

Mar 7-11: Funny Girl. Liverpool Empire. Musical telling the story of Broadway star Fanny Brice.

Mar 7-11: Anita and Me. The Grand, Blackpool. Shobna Gulati stars in a poignant coming-of-age tale about a young girl growing up in in a 1970s Black Country mining village.

Captioned, Wed 8 Mar, 7.30pm.

Audio described, Fri 10 Mar, 7.30pm.

All Together NOW!

February/March 2017

BRIT FLOYD TICKETS TO BE WON

S

TAND by for another spectacular music and lighting show . . . Brit Floyd are back, bringing the music of Pink Floyd to life once again with their lavish new stage show, ‘Immersion World Tour 2017’.

As well as performing the favourite moments from The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, The Wall and The Division Bell, Brit Floyd will also pay special tribute to the Animals album, in its 40th anniversary year, with a show stopping rendition of Dogs, as well as a host of other Floyd musical gems.

It’s going to be a fabulous show and All Together NOW! has TWO PAIRS of tickets to be won for each of the gigs at The Lowry, Salford Mar 8-11: The Wiz. The Brindley, Runcorn. A modern spin on the original L.Frank Baum story.

Mar 8-11: Opera North – Hansel and Gretel. Lowry, Salford. BSL, Wed 8 Mar, 7.30pm Mar 9: That’ll Be The Day. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. New line-up of sensational classic gold hits.

Mar 9-11: Opera North – Cinderella.

Lowry, Salford. Audio described, Sat 11 Mar, 2pm.

Mar 10-25: Grease. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Musical.

Mar 10: Frankly Sinatra. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 10: Opera North – The Snow Maiden. Lowry, Salford.

Mar 10. The Illegal Eagles. Floral Hall, Southport.

Mar 10: That’ll Be The Day. Theatre Royal, St Helens. 60s musical.

Mar 10-Apr 8: Lost Soul. Dave King’s record-breaking comedy is back – along with great Motown music.

Mar 11: Mothership – Tribute to Led Zeppelin. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 11: The Take That Experience and Special Guests. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 11: Zero for the Young Dudes.

The Grand, Blackpool. The inmates of a bizarre summer camp are

UNIQUE CHARITY NEWSPAPER

(Tuesday 21 February) and the Liverpool ECHO Arena (Friday 3 March).

To stand a chance of winning the tickets all you have to do is tell us where you picked up this copy of All Together NOW! Please state preferred venue – and if you require a wheelchair space.

Entries please to: Brit Floyd Competition, All Together NOW! The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP. You can also enter online at www.alltogethernow, or by emailing us at: competition@alltogethernow.org.uk (inserting Brit Floyd in the subject line). n Closing date: The Lowry – Tuesday 14 February; ECHO Arena – Friday 24 February.

plotting a revolution. Ot has it already happened?

Mar 11: Abbamania. Lyceum, Crewe.

Mar 12: Mudibu & The Jezebel Sextet – Celebrate Otis Redding.

Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 14: The Fureys. The Brindley, Runcorn. Irish folk heroes.

Mar 14-25: Cyrano. Liverpool Playhouse. Swashbuckling tale of unrequited love. Audio described, Thurs 6 Apr, 7.30pm Mar 14-18: Down Our Street. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Musical centred around Cammell Laird.

Mar 14-18: Evita. Lowry, Salford. The story of Eva Peron.

Mar 15: Chamber Philharmonic Europe. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Mar 15-18: Killing Time. Lowry, Salford. New comedy exploring the right to die.

Mar 16: The Singular Exploits of Sherlock Holmes. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Mar 16: You Win Again – The Story of the Bee Gees. Charter, Preston.

Mar 17: Patsy Cline & Friends. The Brindley, Runcorn. Tribute show.

Mar 17: Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers. Charter, Preston.

Mar 17: Elle Kent’s Nabucco.

Regent Theatre, Stoke.

Mar 18: The Red Shoes: Our Kate

Bush Story. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Tribute show.

Mar 18: Jean Genie – The Best of David Bowie. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Mar 18: Jackson Live. Liverpool Empire. Ben and his band’s special tribute to Michael Jackson.

Mar 18: Ellen Kent’s Aida. Regent Theatre, Stoke.

Mar 19: Foden’s Band. The Brindley, Runcorn. Music from stage and screen.

Mar 19: Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 19: Sunday Night at The Grand AGAIN. The Grand, Blackpool. Ray Quinn tops the bill.

Mar 19: You Win Again – The Story of the Bee Gees. Lyceum, Crewe.

Mar 20: Halfway to Paradise: The Billy Fury Story. Liverpool Empire.

Mar 20: David Starkey – Henry VIII. Charter, Preston.

Mar 20-25: Ghost. Regent Theatre, Stoke. New production, new music.

Mar 20-25. Woman in Black. Lowry, Salford. Not for those with a nervous disposition!

Mar 20-25: Dreamcoats and Petticoats. Floral Hall, Southport.

Musical set in the 60s.

Mar 21: Circus of Horrors. Liverpool Empire. Prepare to be shocked!

Mar 21-22: Matthew Bourne’s Early

Adventures. The Grand, Blackpool.

Mar 21: Menopause The Musical.

Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

Mar 21: Halfway to Paradise. The Builly Fury Story. Charter, Preston.

Mar 22: Menopause The Musical.

Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 23: These Smiths. The Brindley, Runcorn. Tribute show.

Mar 23: Someone Like You. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 23: Sam Bailey – Sing My Heart Out. Liverpool Empire. The X Factor star back on stage.

Mar 23: Omid Djalili. Charter, Preston.

Mar 24: The Edwin Starr Band. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Mar 24: Arrival – The Hits of Abba.

Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 24: Ellen Kent’s La Boheme.

Liverpool Empire. Romantic opera.

Mar 24-Apr 8: The Conquest of the South Pole. Liverpool Everyman.

Mar 24: Menopause The Musical.

The Grand, Blackpool.

Mar 24: The Circus of Horrors.

Charter, Preston.

Mar 25: The Manfreds. The Brindley, Runcorn. Paul Jones and the band ready to take you back to the 60s.

Mar 25: The Elvis Years. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 25: Ellen Kent’s Aida. Liverpool Empire. Stunning new production.

Mar 26: Pasha Kovalev – Let’s Dance The Night Away. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 26: Steve Steinman’s ICONIC. The Grand, Blackpool. New hit show.

Mar 27-Apr 8: The Commitments.

Palace Theatre, Manchester. Musical.

Mar 27-Apr 1: The Full Monty. Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

Mar 28-Apr 1: 9 to 5 The Musical. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Mar 28-Apr 1: Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures. Liverpool Playhouse. Mar 28-Apr 1: Funny Girl. Regent Theatre, Stoke. Musical.

Mar 30: The Illegal Eagles. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Mar 30: Bowie Experience.

Liverpool Empire. Celebration of David Bowie’s music.

Mar 30-Apr 22: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Octagon, Bolton. In 19th century Yorkshire, a mysterious young widow and her son arrive at a desolate estate. BSL, Tues 11 Apr, 7.30pm. Captiuoned, Thurs 13 Apr, 7.30pm. Audio described, Tues 18 SApr, 7.30pm.

Mar 31: Abba Mania. Liverpool Empire.

Mar 31: Macca: The Concert. The Grand, Blackpool. Paul McCartney’s solo career.

Apr 1: Rick Astley. Liverpool Empire.

Apr 2: Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Apr 3-8: Grease. Liverpool Empire.

Apr 4-5: Beauty and the Beast. The Brindley, Runcorn. Keith Chegwin and Basil Brush in a special Easter panto.

. . . SEE BACK PAGE FOR DETAILS

29

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All Together NOW!

Books

Diabetes: don’t let it take over

n Diabetes? Keep Calm and Take Control by Dr Val Wilson. £10, Amazon

ONE in four people now live with either type 1 or 2 diabetes and, while the wonders of modern medicine can make the disease easier to manage, people with the condition are responsible for 95% of their own care.

It’s certainly not easy.

Nobody knows this better than Dr Val Wilson, who shares the rare dual role of providing diabetes information, education and support to those who needs it, but also living with Type 1 herself.

“I’ve had Type 1 diabetes that’s extremely difficult to manage for 40 years,” she says, “and have faced all the problems readers are also likely to face.

“I’ve seen the value of diligent diabetes self-management and am now sharing this knowledge.”

Since its release, readers have left a string of five-star reviews.

Christine B. Plant comments: “This is a superb book full of information and it gives all the facts in clear understandable language.”

Let’s be mindful

n The Mindfulness Playbook How to Bring Calm and Happiness into your Daily Life, Dr Barbara Mariposa, published by John Murray (Hodder), £12.99

IN OUR busy modern world there has never been a greater need to learn the art of mindfulness and understand how slowing down to live and breathe into the present moment can enrich our every day existence.

This is not easy to achieve but expert in the field, and medical doctor, Barbara Mariposa aims to teach us how.

Dr Mariposa started practicing Mindfulness over 30 years ago, long before it became a trend and shares all her knowledge and wisdom of the what the teachings really are and how to apply them.

Her book is rich in science but low in jargon. It teaches a model that Dr Mariposa devised, which provides proven solutions for combatting stress, anxiety and burnout and how to deal effectively with the pace and pressure of 21st century living.

The mindfulness techniques are aimed to enable the reader to rewire their brain to achieve clarity, focus and balance.

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

ARIES March 21st - April 20th

resources during the first half of March. Trust the advice of your best friend, romantic partner or business associate. The New Moon on the 28th could mark the first day of an exciting new role. Your ability to think on your feet will serve you well in this position. It will be a relief to escape the boring routines that have dogged you at previous companies. Working with unusual situations and offbeat people will bring out the best in you.

Your charisma will be burning brightly at the start of the month. Take this opportunity to enhance your appearance. Getting engaged or married on Valentine’s Day is a distinct possibility. If you’re already in a committed relationship, take this opportunity to celebrate in style with your amour. On the 26th, a Solar Eclipse could trigger a powerful dream. Try not to make unfair demands on your nearest and dearest in early March. Temperamental behaviour could drive a wedge between you and your best friend, romantic partner or business partner. You’ll have difficulty balancing your personal and professional lives at the end of the month. No matter how much you ask for understanding, your partner will be irritated by all the time you spend at work.

SAGITTARIUS November 23rd - December 21st

TAURUS April 21st - May 21st

Take time out of your busy schedule during early February to enjoy the activities you love most. The Lunar Eclipse on February 11th will bring the end of a professional role. After this milestone, you’ll go on to more creative assignments, which will appeal to your artistic nature. The Solar Eclipse on 26th is perfect for attending a social occasion; you’ll meet some interesting people at this gathering. A lifelong friendship could take root. Overindulging in food and drink will be give you cause for regret at the start of March. The Full Moon on the 12th marks an exciting turning point in your love life. On the 28th, the New Moon could land you a lucrative opportunity that allows you to repay a debt.

GEMINI May 22nd - June 21st

A romantic interest from your past will reconnect with you during the first half of the month; this could be your chance to redeem a damaged relationship. On the 11th, a Lunar Eclipse will bring the successful conclusion to a legal matter. A Solar Eclipse on the 26th will attract a remarkable professional opportunity.

At the start March, friends will try to pressure you to do something irresponsible with your hard earned cash. Keep your money safe in the bank, where it will be protected from chancers and opportunists. Toward the middle of the month, your social life will be abuzz with excitement. The New Moon on the 28th will mark the beginning of a group association that is very stimulating. Join a book club or volunteer organisation.

CANCER June 22nd - July 23rd

You’ll make a fabulous impression at work in the early days of the month. A family reunion could take place during the first half of February; this will be a good time to reconnect with people who love you unconditionally. A Lunar Eclipse on the 11th may deliver a big windfall to your bank account. The Solar Eclipse on the 26th may usher in a period of travel that will be tremendously enlightening.

An erratic boss or manager will put too many demands on you in the early days of March.

The Full Moon on the 12th could find you graduating from a class or making some other kind of step forward professionally.

LEO July 24th - August 23rd

Travel and adventure will colour your world in the early part of February. Good news will come your way during the first half of the month; a disappointing decision could be overturned. On the 11th, a Lunar Eclipse could mark the successful conclusion of a course of study. A Solar Eclipse on the 26th will bring passion and intimacy to your life. Your partner will help you break a bad habit or embark on a healthier lifestyle. Money from an inheritance, insurance refund or legal settlement will help

RUSSELL GRANT CALLING . . .

tide you over during the first half March. A big pay cheque could arrive near the 12th. Don’t let a loved one pressure you into buying something you can’t afford in the middle of the month.

VIRG August 24th - September 23rd

A passionate relationship will spice up your life in early February. Pay close attention to the days surrounding the 11th, when a Lunar Eclipse will bring an end to a steady job, opening up even better opportunities for you.

Valentine’s Day will bring some stability to your domestic life. On the 26th, a Solar Eclipse will start a new chapter in your personal life. You will need to have a difficult conversation with someone close to you in early March. The Full Moon on the 12th will find you reaping the benefits of a self-improvement program.

Splash out on a new outfit, tablet computer or smart phone; you’ve earned a reward. A brilliant idea for an invention could occur to you in the middle of the month.

LIBRA September 24th - October 23rd

Love, romance and friendship will be your top priority in the opening days of February. A Lunar Eclipse on the 11th will allow you to put the finishing touches to a creative project.

Valentine’s Day could be especially stimulating.

Toward the end of February, a Solar Eclipse may attract a thrilling job offer. This is also a good time to launch a health enhancing programme. An angry outburst could occur at the beginning of March, making you worried about the future of this relationship.

SCORPIO October 24th - November 22nd

Devote yourself to work that you truly enjoy at the beginning of February. On the 11th, a Lunar Eclipse will find you wrapping up a real estate deal or family matter. You could get a fabulous gift on Valentine’s Day. On the 26th, a Solar Eclipse will usher in a highly romantic phase.

Do everything in your power to conserve your

If you’re looking for love, you will find it in the early part of the month. A Lunar Eclipse on the 11th will bring the successful conclusion to a course of study. On the 26th, a Solar Eclipse will give you a chance to find your dream home. A generous relative could be about to offer you the money for a down payment.

Friends probably won’t approve of a romantic relationship at the beginning of March. The Full Moon on the 12th will mark an exciting staging post in your career. Don’t be surprised if you’re given a rise, promotion or both. Landing a new job is another possibility during the middle of the month. Your love life will heat up near the 28th, thanks to an energising New Moon.

CAPRICORN December 22nd - January 20th

Home is where the heart is in early February.

On the 11th, a Lunar Eclipse will bring an end to a moneymaking venture, leaving you free to accept other potential packed opportunities.

Your professional star will be on the rise. As the month winds down, you’ll get some surprising news about a creative venture. Throwing your weight around will be a big mistake in the early days of March. Having a reputation for honesty, fairness and generosity will open more doors than pulling power plays. Near the 12th, the Full Moon could mark a legal decision being given in your favour. This will strengthen your position and give you a greater measure of control over your personal life decisions.

AQUARIUS January 21st - February 19th

Acquiring a new skill will be lots of fun at the beginning of February. A Lunar Eclipse on the 11th will prompt you to look at things from a different point of view. This fresh beginning will help you discover hidden talents. Valentine’s Day promises to be a special time, prompting you and your partner to pursue a cherished dream. A home repair project will be completed faster than you expect during the first half of March. By the 12th, the Full Moon could send a nice windfall. The New Moon on the 28th may prompt a passionate declaration of love. It’s a great time to propose, get engaged or exchange marriage vows.

PISCES February 20th - March 20th

More money for luxuries will become available in the opening days of the month. A Lunar Eclipse on the 11th will bring an end to a period of seclusion. Valentine’s Day could be especially sweet, highlighting your professional achievements. All the work you have done in secret will be acknowledged and celebrated. A Solar Eclipse on the 26th ushers in an exciting new beginning for you. Embarking on a different lifestyle, adopting a new look and assuming a fresh role are all possibilities.

Dream big during this fateful period, when wishes can come true. March’s Full Moon on the 12th will signal a turning point in a relationship.

HALF A MILLION PEOPLE ARE READING THESE PAGES

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February/March 2017

All Together NOW!

Win these beauties picked with YOU in mind

SAINTPAULIAS were one of the first popular houseplants decades ago but were restricted to the purple “African violet”.

Now there are numerous beautiful forms of many colours and we have six of the best from houseplant specialists Dibleys of North Wales as prizes for six readers.

PRIZE SPECIMENS: Saintpaulias Delft and Bob Serbin These collections, each worth £21.55, give a wonderful, balanced double pink flowers. mixture of colours to brighten up any house. n Bob Serbin, semi-double wine-red blooms They have been chosen specially for edged in white.

All Together NOW! readers from Dibleys’ n Alan’s White Feather, a miniature variety range of 64 saintpaulia varieties. with bell-like blooms.

The six saintpaulia varieties are: n Delft, semi-double cornflower-blue flowers. n Beatrice Trail, a trailing form with delicate

n Dibleys Kaarina, dark red starshaped flowers and ruffled foliage. n Tiger, dark blue semi-double blooms and variegated foliage.

To enter the competition, answer this question: How many saintpaulia varieties in Dibleys’ range?

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 Saintpaulia Competition, All Together NOW!, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP, to arrive by Friday 24 March, or enter online at www.alltogethernow.org.uk n For the full range of Dibleys houseplants go to www.dibleys.com

Berried treasure T DELICIOUS . . . there’s nothing better than a basket of strawberries

TLC TIME: Peter Surridge checks standard gooseberry Rokula

REAT yourself to a delicious new experience this year – grow your own fruit. A lot can be produced in small beds, big patio pots or narrow borders.

There are tricks to it. Try these . . . they have all worked for me.

TRICK NO 1: Starting with a young plant, prune and train gooseberries, black- and red-currants, and even supposedly exotic figs so they grow fairly flat and roughly fan-shaped against a fence or wall. They need little space, are easy to inspect for pests and make harvesting a cinch. The same can apply to cherries but, in that case, it is best to spend more on a pre-trained fan.

TRICK NO 2: Buy pre-trained standard plants, especially of gooseberries, effectively a small bush on top of a 1.2m (4ft) stem, which must be supported with a sturdy stake throughout its life.

Harvesting is easy on your back – no bending – and there is space beneath for lower-growing fruits such as strawberries.

TRICK NO 3: Plant columnar or dwarf fruit trees.

Both produce reasonable amounts of fruit.

Columnar trees have a single stem with short spurs – a real space-saver – and are sometimes

sold as ‘minarette’ or ‘ballerina’ trees. The best dwarf trees are standards on 60cm (2ft) stems, needing a permanent supporting stake, on which the roundish fruiting head will spread to a metre.

With both types, apples, pears, plums and other kinds of fruit are available.

Choose a bright position for fruit, though gooseberries and currants will tolerate part-shade.

Before planting, add plenty of organic matter to the soil – garden compost, leafmould, manure or a commercial equivalent (not peat or peat-based composts). If the soil is dry, drench it thoroughly in advance. Water and give a general fertiliser regularly, especially in the first two years. After that, apply a high-potash feed each spring. Give extra feed and water to fruit plants in pots.

Be sure to buy proven varieties. Those which

have been consistently successful for me include standard gooseberry Rokula with ruby-red fruits; cherry Summer Sun (remember to net ripening cherries before the birds get there); pears Conference for early October picking and the renowned French kind Doyenne du Comice for later in the month; and the old fig variety Brown Turkey, which is worth growing for its screen of shapely leaves as well as fruit.

There are numerous fine types of strawberry. I grow Sallybright, a scrumptious early variety, and Albion, a repeat-fruiting type. Both thrive in the grounds and in large pots.

For my garden on the Wirral coast, I chose dessert apples with good credentials for northern cultivation, Greensleeves, Red Devil and Fiesta, plus the cooking apple Keswick Codlin, originally found as a seedling on an Ulverston rubbish heap more than 200 years ago, plus dwarf forms of the early variety Discovery and Katy, with small, sweet red fruits.

Raspberries are also easy to grow, though not in pots. Good summer varieties (fruiting on stems produced the year before) include Malling Jewel and, for later in the season, Autumn Bliss (fruiting on stems produced the same year).

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31

CHECKLIST

FLOWERS: If your snowdrops or winter aconites have grown into congested clumps, wait until their flowers fade then divide the clumps while the leaves are still green.

SHRUBS: Prune winter jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum, when the yellow star-like flowers die. Cut back all the side shoots which have flowered, leaving just 3cm4cm (about 1.5in) of shoot.

Towards the end of March, prune the butterfly bush, buddleia, down to 30cm (12in) from the ground. Strong new shoots will flower this year.

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: Check electrical equipment and cables.

Remove slippery algae from paths and decking. As the weather becomes milder try fish with a little food but if they ignore it remove the food and wait another fortnight.

VEGETABLES: Sow broad beans and plant onion and shallot sets if there is a mild spell in February; otherwise wait a few weeks. Sow peas, carrots and beetroots in March.

FRUIT: Prune gooseberries and redcurrants if you missed them in the autumn, aiming to produce a goblet shaped bush.

HERBS: In March, sow a few herb seeds in pots in a greenhouse or indoors on a windowsill. Start with chives and tarragon.

GLASS: Greenhouses and cold frames containing plants need a good airing on sunny days but make sure they are closed by late afternoon. The temperature can zoom up very quickly yet the nights are still cold and, if you don’t trap the warmth of day, plants could rot.

HOUSEPLANTS: Remove fading flowers and dying leaves. Give plants as much light as possible but in most cases only water when the compost surface is starting to dry out. Exceptions are azalea, cyclamen and maidenhair fern, which prefer more moisture.

All Together NOW!

32

February/March 2017

The Accumulator Quiz

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

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End of the line (8) Entrance (4) Be in debt (3) Attributed (8) Land forces (4) Verbose (5) Booth (5) Black bird (4) Young (8) Eased (8) Motion picture (4) Military chaplain (5) Milky sap (5) Stupefy (4) Recovered (8) Flightless bird (3) Network (4) Parading (8)

Otherwise (4) Soft bone tissue (6) No one (6) Fizzy water (4) Paucity (6) Gold leaf (6) Steep slope (5) Earth (5) Country bumpkin (5) Swelling on eyelid (3) Attach (5) South American animal (5) Perceive (3) Church festival (6) Pressed clothes (6) Short sword (6) Obsession (6) Percussion instrument (4) Blood vessel (4)

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

QUESTION 1 – for 1 point: In advertising terms, what type of animal is Aleksandr Orlov?

QUESTION 10 – for 10 points: Which is the last day of the pheasant shooting season in England?

A Mole B Meerkat C Mouse D Muntjac QUESTION 2 – for 2 points: In which sport might a traverse be performed?

A B C D

A Swimming B Athletics C Mountaineering D Cycling QUESTION 3 – for 3 points: Which of the following plants is attacked by the Colorado beetle?

A B C D

A Cotton B Maize C Potato D Celery QUESTION 4 – for 4 points: Which singer was known as Ol’ Blue Eyes?

A B C D

A Dean Martin B Elvis Presley C Frank Sinatra D Bing Crosby QUESTION 5 – for 5 points: What is Norfolk reed mainly used for?

A Rush matting B Thatching C Making brooms D Paper pulp QUESTION 6 – for 6 points: Jon Snow is a long-serving news presenter on which TV channel?

A B C D

January 1 January 31 February 1 The last day in February

QUESTION 11 – for 11 points: In 2015 which viral infection developed into a pandemic centred in Brazil?

BBC2 Sky News Channel 4 BBC World Service

SUDOKU

Epstein-Barr SARS Zika Norwalk

QUESTION 12 – for 12 points: Who wrote the patriotic song God Bless America?

Broadcaster Jon Snow. See Question 6

Richard Rodgers Irving Berlin Jerome Kern George Gershwin

QUESTION 7 – for 7 points: What kind of trophy is awarded to the winner of the British Open golf championship?

QUESTION 13 – for 13 points: Who created the comic strip character Barry McKenzie?

A B C D

A B C D

Claret jug Rose bowl Punch bowl Stirrup cup

Barry Humphries Peter Cook Spike Milligan Barry Took

QUESTION 8 – for 8 points: What type of people in the USA are protected by the ‘lemon laws’?

QUESTION 14 – for 14 points: Charlotte Edwards was sacked in 2016 as England women’s captain in which sport?

A B C D

A B C D

Buyers of faulty cars Fruit growers Mexican immigrants Illegitimate children

Rugby union Hockey Cricket Football

QUESTION 9 – for 9 points: Who was the father of King John?

QUESTION 15 – for 15 points: In which country is the Dasht-e Loot desert?

A B C D

A B C D

Henry I Henry II Henry III Henry IV

Iran Iraq Jordan Syria

KAKURO

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

EASY

2

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DIFFICULT

5

9 4 3 9 5 8 6 6 4 8 3 2 3 7 2 8 2 5 1 3

6 2 7 1 3

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1 9 5 8 4 5 1 7 8 9 9 6

8 1 6 8 7 7 9 3 2 8 1 5 4

REACH 500,000 READERS

9

5 9

9 3

4 7 6 9

6 3

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

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

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

MEDIUM 9

39

7

6

16

4

10 10

37 12 4 7

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6 20

8 5

3

18 4

28 4

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

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

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

1 8

2 ABC

3 DEF

4 GHI

5 JKL

6 MNO

7 PQRS

8 TUV

9 WXYZ

2. common allergens 347 414 673 281 248 316 455 134 419 327 819 432 817 692 173 726 317 333 176 553 612 331 784 641 528 391 736 424 554 617 326 881 743 553 474

4. Indian restaurant dishes 623 727 152 537 394 162 882 717 263 371 256 614 624 176 426 156 741 247 926 415 676 218 463 256 617 241 256 618 263 667 412 442 536 122 584

5. table 526 716 253 187 166 478 874 737 126 651 624 518 276 474 142 474 747 142 477 772 914 247 278 741 539 355 379 164 776 713 363 672 681 226 353

SPOT CHECK

Starting from the central shaded letter, move one letter at a time (up, down, right or left, but not diagonally) to find 11 types of lizard.

Can you place the six dominoes (right) into the grid below in such a way that the number of spots in all four rows across and all four rows down totals 10?

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Each pair of words has a missing word between them that acts as a link to both (e.g. FRONT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; DOOR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MAT). The initial letters of the six answers (reading downwards) will spell out the surname of rock star.

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WORD WIZARD

2

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

FONTINALIS

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1) The depression

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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?

33

DIALLING CODES

CROSS CODE

All Together NOW!

February/March 2017

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

MAKE A DATE

just over the

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

breastbone;

1. The First Duke of Buckingham assassinated at Portsmouth by discontented subaltern.

top of the

2) The pedestal

is a

on which the baptismal font stands;

2. King Charles I is presented with the Petition of Rights by Parliament.

A

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

Clue: Make the beginning fresh and unusual.

______+AL=______AL

3) An aquatic

3. William Harvey publishes his treatise on the motion of the heart and blood in animals, the first paper on blood circulation.

moss, related

WAS IT? a) 1608; b) 1618; c) 1628; d) 1638; e) 1648.

genus.

to the hypnum

ALL THE ANSWERS Pathwords: komodo dragon; horned lizard; common iguana; chuckwalla; common basilisk; gila monster; skink; thorny devil; central bearded dragon; chameleon; gecko.

2 6 9 5 3 1 8 4 7

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SUDOKU EASY

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Accumulator Quiz 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 13 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A. Starspot Crossword Across â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 Terminus; 6 Door; 8 Owe; 9 Ascribed; 10 Army; 12 Wordy; 14 Stall; 17 Crow; 18 Youthful; 20 Relieved; 24 Film; 25 Padre; 26 Latex; 29 Stun; 30 Regained; 31 Emu; 32 Grid; 33 Marching.

Down â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 Else; 3 Marrow; 4 Nobody; 5 Soda; 6 Dearth; 7 Ormolu; 11 Scarp; 12 World; 13 Yokel; 14 Sty; 15 Affix; 16 Llama; 19 See; 21 Easter; 22 Ironed; 23 Dagger; 24 Fetish; 27 Drum; 28 Vein.

Star Name: PRINCE CHARLES

Word Wizard No 3 is correct. Fontinalis is a moss.

Dialling Codes 1. Roy Walker; Dale Winton; Bruce Forsyth; Stephen Fry; Phillip Schofield; Chris Tarrant; Vernon Kay; Anne Robinson.

2. fish; insect bite; milk; egg; yeast; wheat; soya; sesame seed; pollen; bee sting; latex; penicillin; peanut; shellfish.

3. Hammers; Black Cats; Hornets; Magpies; Saints; Yellows; Canaries; Tigers; Blades; Whites; Robins; Gunners; Reds; Lions.

4. madras; jalfrezi; mattar paneer; aloo gobi; rogan josh; Biryani; korma; vindaloo; sag aloo; tandoori chicken; balti.

5. lamp; make-up; moisturiser; book; nail varnish; hairgrip; hairspray; hairbrush; jewellery; mirror; deodorant; candle.

6. Hamm; Bullseye; Woody; Bo Peep; Etch; Jessie; Lotso; Andy; Emperor Zurg; Rex; Molly; Buzz Lightyear; Slinky Dog; Lenny.

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

Missing Link chest; office; cover; knot; ever; royal. Rock star: Cocker.

Make a Date The year was 1628.

Transformer Origin + AL = Original.

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34

All Together NOW!

February/March 2017

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SUBSCRIBE!

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

ADDRESS

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!

A BLACK tie ball at Brook Hall Inn, Childer Thornton, raised more than £3,000 for the North West Special Olympic equestrian team who will be competing in the Summer Games in Sheffield (August 7-12).

Malcom Jones, organiser, said:“The Special Olympics is an amazing organisation which has made a huge difference to the competitors and their families.”

The Special Olympics is the country’s largest provider of yearround coaching and competition for all people with learning disabilities through its network of clubs across the UK and offers 26 sports ranging from athletics, swimming and football to equestrian, judo and figure skating.

TEE UP TIME!

Ex-marine Aaron set to rewrite world’s record books

L

ANCASHIRE golfer Aaron Moon is set to be one of the world’s first amputees to gain PGA professional status.

Aaron lost his right leg serving with the Royal Marines in Afghanistan seven years ago.

But he is making huge progress towards achieving his ambition after signing on as an assistant at his home town club, Bolton.

“I am part-way through my degree course and confident of making the grade,” enthused Aaron, 29, who has already landed sponsorship deals and played in his first PGA pro-am.

“It wasn’t the most memorable debut,” he admitted as he reflected on his

Aaron receiving a donation from Brian Woodhead, captain of Oak Royal, Chorley

professional debut at Fleetwood last November.

“The weather was so dreadful that the competition was reduced to nine-holes.

One professional broke his leg after slipping and had to be air-lifted to hospital.”

Aaron was just 22 when he received his catastrophic injuries.

“I was in a vehicle which was blown up,” he said. “I lost my right leg below the knee and dislocated my left one. I also broke my femur, back and pelvis.

“Until then I used to play rugby with the Marines, so I went back to golf where I’d learned the game as a youngster at Bolton Old Links.”

His quest for fully-fledged professional status is being helped by Welshman

David Llewellyn.

The former European Tour player runs the On Course Foundation charity, which supports the recovery of wounded, injured and sick Service personnel and veterans through golf.

“I’ve had several lessons with him and he’s a phenomenal coach,” said Aaron.

“I’m now under the tutelage of Ian Orrell, head PGA professional at Bolton.

“Eventually I plan to coach disabled people and become the first amputee professional golfer in the UK,” he added.

n Aaron is now an ambassador for the On Course Foundation. He was rcent;y handed £1,017 for the cause at Oak Royal Golf Hotel and Country Club near Chorley.

stay ahead of the game . . . .

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

February/March 2017

Shooting guide

BRITISH Blind Sport has launched a new online guide to help coaches understand the needs of people with visual impairment who want to take part in archery or shooting.

The charity’s chief executive, Alaina MacGregor, said: “The Target Sports guide is a fantastic tool for coaches and teachers who want to help blind and visually impaired people achieve their sporting goals.”

Dr Sinclair Rogers, chair of Agincourt 600, which funded the guide, said: “The Agincourt 600 charity was set up to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt, one of the most famous battles in English history.

“The key part that longbows and archery played in the battle led the committee to pledge support for the advancement of archery, fencing and shooting for disabled people.”

BBS have also produced guides for football, swimming, athletics, judo and general sport. n www.britishblindsport.org.uk/education

BLADERUNNERS!

On your marks, kids . . . hi-tech limbs are sure fire winners

C

HILDREN needing leg prostheses are starting to get hi-tech running blades from the NHS, thanks to a £1.5 million fund set up by the

Department of Health.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Every child should be able to participate in sport.

“Team GB surpassed everyone’s expectations at last year’s Paralympics and this investment will ensure the next generation of children who have either been born without a limb or who have lost a limb will be able to lead an active life.

“It’s wonderful that the first children are now receiving their blades and that they will be able to reach their sporting potential – I hope some may even be selected in the future as members of Team GB.” Richard Whitehead MBE, double leg amputee and double Paralympic champion in T42 200m, said: “Having run thousands of miles on prosthetics I’m delighted to see the next generation take their first steps in experiencing the freedom of running – whether just for general enjoyment or towards achieving their own Paralympic ambitions.”

Kiera Roche, chief executive of LimbPower, the National Disability Sports Organisation for people with limb impairments, said: “This is a really positive step in supporting children to be more confident and providing them with the equipment to participate fully in school P.E. and community activities”.

Funding for the prostheses (up to £5,000 per child) will be provided through NHS limb centres across the country. Limb centres will be given the money to source the prosthetic limbs from suppliers and fit them. n LimbPower, tel 07824992689 n www.limbpower.com

Running blades similar to those used by Paralympian Richard Whitehead are now being given to children

. . . www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

No funding for goalball

GOALBALL UK, the governing body of the only Paralympic sport specifically designed for blind and visually impaired players, has expressed its disappointment at a lack of support for the development of its athletes in the new wave of UK Sport funding announcements.

Despite its most successful two years to date, the sport will receive no financial support for elite performance training and travel to competitions in the run-up to Tokyo 2020.

Mike Reilly, CEO of Goalball UK, said: “This is a major blow to our plans to continue our progress through to Tokyo.

“We are shocked by the decision by UK Sport not to support either our men’s or women’s teams.

“Once again, team sports have been dealt a poor hand by UK Sport whose priorities seem to be in direct conflict with the Government’s ‘Towards an Active Nation’ strategy.”

n Goalball is played by two teams of three players with a maximum of three substitutes on each team. n The aim is to score a goal by bowling the ball along the floor so that it crosses the goal line of the opposing team. n All players wear eyeshades so that they are totally blind n Goalball is played on an indoor court that is 18m long and 9m wide. n The court has tactile markings (string that is taped to the floor), which helps players determine where they are. n The ball contains internal bells.

Owzat, Andy?

Tel 0151 230 0307

FORMER England blind cricketer Andy Dalby-Welsh has been appointed deputy chief executive of The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS).

Andy joins EFDS from The Change Foundation, where he has been their director of operations and partnerships for over two years. In 2004, he set up his own project, Sport for Choice, creating sporting opportunities for blind and visually impaired young people. Five years later he was recognised at the Pride of Britain Awards for this work with disabled people.

Andy said: “I am really excited to be joining EFDS. I am incredibly passionate about the importance of disabled people being active.

“I have experienced first-hand the increase in friendships, confidence, independence and aspirations that participating in sport can bring.

“I look forward to creating a step change in the number of disabled people benefitting from their participation in sport and recreational activities.”

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February/March 2017

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