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

JULY-AUGUST 2023

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You can reserve jobs for disabled

United Utilities want YOUR views

PIPE UP! W ATER giant United Utilities is inviting readers to its second Customer Vulnerability Summit.

Taking place during Disability Awareness Week, it’s a perfect chance to find out how the water company are supporting people living with additional needs – and discuss way to improve the help available.

And there will be the opportunity to register yourself or someone you know for Priority Services.

United Utilities’ Amanda Phillips said: “We want to share future plans of how we’ll be there for those that need that little bit of extra help, which could be due to illness, disabilities, mental

health, life events or language barriers.

“You will once again hear direct from our customer vulnerability managers, offering lots of opportunity to have your say, plus, share your own lived experiences to help us to highlight the difficulties many people have.”

The week of events and activities at Walton Hall Gardens, Warrington, ends with the biggest disability event in the North West.

The 32nd annual Disability Awareness Day – affectionately known as DAD – is set to be the best yet. n The Customer Vulnerability Summit, Thurs July 13, Marquee 5. n Disability Awareness Day, Sun Jul 16.

SUPPORT SERVICES

ON THE DAY INCLUDE: n Blue badge parking (300 spaces in main car park, plus another 700 spaces on grass). n Free accessible Park and Ride service. n Free accessible buses from Warrington Town Centre. n Free scooter and wheelchair loan service with trained enablers. n British Sign Language interpreters.

HEALTHY FUTURE: Sue Weir, centre, with Emma Whitby and Paul Winter, from the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity

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

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Medicash donate £2.1m to hospitals

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EALTH cash plan provider Medicash is giving £2.1m to support NHS hospitals and facilities across the North West over the next four years.

The pledge comes after the Liverpool-based company’s reported its best year on record, which saw it record its 500,000th policy holder.

All Together NOW! is published by All Helping to pay for a new Trainee Research Advanced Together Now! Ltd, Nurse Practitioner (ANP) at Liverpool’s Clatterbridge The Bradbury Centre, Cancer Centre is the first project to benefit.

Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP Sue Weir, chief executive of Medicash and trustee of

NEXT EDITION Monday September 4

Registered Charity No.1106387 Company No. 5096931

‘Too few OTs overwhelmed’

A SHORTAGE of occupational therapists means those who are practising feel overwhelmed by the pressure.

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email: news@alltogethernow.org.uk

NEW guidance that stresses employers ARE allowed to reserve jobs for disabled people should help narrow the disability employment gap, say campaigners.

The guidance, published by independent employment advice and conciliation service, Acas, says bosses can “specifically advertise for and recruit a disabled person without the risk of disability discrimination”.

Acas adviser Gary Wedderburn said: “The law allows recruiters to treat a disabled person more favourably compared to a nondisabled person for any type of job role.

“However, if an employer wants to recruit a person with a specific disability then they would have to justify that there’s an occupational requirement for that specific disability in the role, otherwise a job applicant with a different disability could claim disability discrimination under the law.”

the Medicash Foundation, said: “The phenomenal growth that Medicash has seen in recent years is the direct result of just how much we value good health and wellbeing in the modern world. ”Our goal is to provide as many people as possible with easy, affordable access to the healthcare they and their families need.” n In 2017, Medicash was honoured with the Freedom of the City of Liverpool in recognition of its long-standing contribution to healthcare and commitment to charitable giving since 1871.

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A report from the Royal College of Occupational Therapists found nine of ouf 10 OTs reported an increase in demand for their services over the past year,.

The College’s director of practice and innovation, Karin Orman, said: “We want to see more investment in the workforce, including more occupational therapists in leadership roles.

“And we want the Government and NHS to recognise that investment in health and social care will not only benefit everyone’s health, but could ultimately help boost the economy.”

JULY-AUGUST 2023

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NO WONDER HARI’S FEELING TOP OF THE WORLD

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SEASIDE SPECIAL ARI Budha Magar has become the first double above-the-knee amputee to scale Everest.

As reported in our spring edition, it was a boyhood dream for the former Gurkha corporal, who served 15 years with the British Army, until a bomb took both his legs in 2010.

Thirteen years later, having overturned a Nepalese law banning disabled climbers from the mountain, Hari has achieved what many thought impossible.

On reaching the summit, he said: “That was tough. Harder than I could have ever

imagined. If I can climb to the top of the world then anyone, regardless of their disability, can achieve their dream.”

Hari added: “The whole aim of this expedition was to change perceptions: the huge amount of support we have had has shown that we are doing just that.”

Can you help two great charities?

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LL TOGETHER NOW! has teamed up with Wirral Mencap for the annual Seaside Walk.

In a joint fundraising initiative that celebrates this newspaper’s 18th and Wirral Mencap’s 60th anniversaries, we want to get as many readers as possible striding out – or wheeling – along the Wirral coastline on Saturday September 9.

Two routes are being planned – a two-mile stretch along the promenade from Seacombe to the Floral Pavlion, New Brighton; and a 10-miler that ends at the FLASHBACK: Striding out along the New Brighton promenade last year Green Lodge pub in Hoylake.

Debbie Green, fundraiser for Wirral Mencap, said: “We want to use this year’s People taking part in the walk are asked to Jane Harris, pictured, who is Seaside walk as a special double celebration raise about £60 in sponsorships. retiring as grants director for both charities. at the Steve Morgan n Registration fees, £6 adults, £3 children.

Contact Wirral Mencap, Market Street, “We are absolutely delighted to say we Foundation.

Birkenhead, Mon-Fri. Tel. 0151 666 1829. have secured two amazing sponsors – For almost as long as Chester-based law firm Elysium Law and this newspaper has n You can also register online at United Utilities North West, who are both www.wirralmencap.org.uk or by emailing been running, Jane has impressed by the work we do and the Debbie at dgreen@mencapwirral.org.uk been a fantastic impact it has on people’s lives. supporter of our work.

“They both recognise how important MEANWHILE, the It’s no exaggeration to support from local businesses is in helping Big Lottery’s say that without the help us raise vital funds, and are keen to help us Community Fund we’ve had from her and the continue to ensure that families with loved has awarded us £10K for the printing Steve Morgan Foundation, this paper would ones with a learning disability can live and costs of the next two issues. have ceased to exist long ago. lead fulfilled and happy lives through not We send her all our best wishes for a long It’s very much appreciated by our small only the fabulous courses we run, but also team – and I’m certain by all our readers. and happy retirement. See Page 7 the advocacy service we offer.”

Finally, another massive thanks to TOM DOWLING, editor

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School eye tests will save sight of so many

THE sight of thousands of children with learning disabilities will potentially be saved, thanks to a £10m roll-out of free eye tests at special schools.

The Government’s go-ahead for the scheme next year follows research from sight loss charity SeeAbility that found that children with learning disabilities are 28 times more likely to have serious sight issues.

SeeAbility’s chief Lisa Hopkins said: “Thousands of children who would have no other way of getting sight tests and glasses will now get a service in their school.

“Sight will be saved and lives will be transformed. This is such a significant and wonderful step forward in improving eye care for people with learning disabilities.”

Parent Alyson Farrell added: “This announcement means everything to us, and I’m sure to thousands more parents, to definitively know the scheme will roll out to all special schools at last.”

Carers get a break!

WORKERS across the UK have finally won the legal right to take unpaid leave to care for loved ones.

After a long passage through Parliament the Carers Leave Bill received Royal Assent, meaning it will now become law.

The earliest date the legislation will come into force is next April.

BSL to be a GCSE

A BRITISH Sign Language GCSE is one step closer to being taught in schools as the Government launches a consultation on the content of the subject.

The Government is aiming for the British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE to be first taught to pupils in England from September 2025.

Views on the qualification – including the language skills to be studied and the role of history – are being sought from teachers, employers and the deaf and hearing communities in a 12-week consultation.

In 2018, the Government said it would consider introducing a GCSE in BSL after deaf schoolboy Daniel Jillings campaigned for the new qualification.

Last year, BSL was recognised in law as a language of Great Britain.

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The BIG switch off

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JULY-AUGUST 2023

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NE million people closed their internet accounts in the last year as the cost of living crisis left them unable to afford it.

Hundreds complain over ‘toxic’ newspaper report

A WATCHDOG has received hundreds of complaints about a national newspaper inviting readers to calculate how much people on out-of-work benefits was costing them.

The Daily Telegraph said millions were claiming benefits “without ever having to look for work” and it produced an automatic calculator that allowed readers to discover “just how much of our hardwon salaries are spent on the benefits of those who do not work”.

More than 600 people have so far complained about the article to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).

Dr Jay Watts, a disabled activist and consultant clinical psychologist, drafted a letter to the Telegraph that has been signed by nearly 300 mental health professionals and describes the distress the “divisive” story has caused.

Natasha Hirst, President of the National Union of Journalists, said: “There is no place for toxic reporting that undermines and further marginalises a significant proportion of the population.”

MPs hear benefits’ plea

BENEFIT levels are too low to meet disabled people’s needs, MPs have been told.

An annual independent assessment is what is needed, says national charity Disability Rights UK. The Commons work and pensions committee was hearing evidence on the adequacy of benefit levels in the UK. Ken Butler, welfare rights and policy adviser for DRUK, said he believed most disability organisations would agree that such a test was essential and that benefits are inadequate to pay for the essentials of life for sick and disabled people.

Debbie Abrahams, a Labour member of the committee, said the biggest cuts had fallen on sick and disabled people in recent years.

Carers win pay battle

A GROUP of 1,000 care workers will receive up to £25,000 each in back pay in a landmark equality victory.

The local authority that employed the domestic carers has accepted they were underpaid by £3 per hour, compared to care staff in residential care homes.

The pay claim is being backdated from October 2020, meaning a carer working 35 hours a week will now receive £17,000 and those working more hours up to £25,000.

Previously, South Lanarkshire council had argued that the “home help” staff had distinct jobs with fewer responsibilities – but in recent years carers in private homes have increasingly taken on more complex tasks including medication and assisting with medical procedures.

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And people receiving Universal Credit are six times more likely to have switched off their connection compared to non-claimants, according to new research from Citizens Advice.

The charity is concerned the problem could get worse, with people claiming the benefit four times more likely to be behind on broadband bills.

People on Universal Credit are among customers who should be eligible for discounted social tariffs to help them stay connected.

However, as uptake of these tariffs is currently just 5%, the charity claims these important discounts aren’t reaching those who need it.

The latest figures from Ofcom show 95% of the 4.3m eligible households are missing out on saving £200 on broadband costs each year – equivalent to £824m of support going unclaimed.

Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “People are being priced out of internet access at a worrying rate.

“As providers continue to drag their feet in making social tariffs a success, it’s clear that Ofcom needs to hold firms’ feet to the fire.”

UNPAID CARE ‘SIZE OF A SECOND NHS’

‘System would collapse without unwaged army’

MISSING OUT: Millions could claim discount

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AMILY and other loved ones are carrying out more than £160 billion worth of unpaid care every year in England and Wales.

The staggering value of the care they provide would be enough to fund a second NHS in the two countries.

New findings show those looking after relatives or friends with a disability, illness, mental health condition, or needing extra help as they grow older, contribute £446 million to the economy every day.

Professor Matt Bennett, from the centre for care at the University of Sheffield, said: “Without unpaid carers, our health and social care systems would collapse.”

Despite increases to NHS funding over the last 10 years, increases to social care funding have not kept pace and the care system is now relying ever more heavily on unpaid carers to prop it up.

Providing increasing hours of unpaid care, family members have no choice but to give up work or reduce their hours to do so, also putting their physical and mental health needs to one side.

The findings show unpaid carers are providing more hours of care than they were 10 years ago. While the latest 2021 census shows there are fewer carers in England and

Find YOUR local Carers Centre Wales, the number of hours they provide has shot – p17 upof–care leading to their higher

economic contribution.

Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, said the situation was deeply concerning.

“The ever-declining availability of social care means there is shrinking support for families to pull on, and they are left without a choice but to put other areas of their life on hold and provide more care.

“The Government must show that it values and supports unpaid

carers by investing in and delivering quality care services for families in the longer-term.

“Carers need a funded National Carers Strategy and recognition within the NHS. Hundreds of thousands of carers on low incomes are desperate to see their financial support urgently reviewed.”

Professor Bennett added: “We hope policy makers see the urgent need to act to support unpaid carers.” n Carers UK Helpline: 0808 808 7777.

The extra costs of disability rockets

DISABLED households are now facing an average extra cost of £1,122 per month to pay for essential products and services.

Two years ago the average extra cost was £583 a month, says national disability charity Scope.

The extra costs involved are the additional amount of money a disabled household would need to have the same standard of living as a non-disabled household.

The charity’s report also shows how disability benefit payments like Personal Independence Payment (PIP), are failing to keep pace with extra costs.

Between 2016 and 2020, the poorest 20% of households saw their income fall by 11% in real terms.

Many disabled households now have some of the lowest income levels in the country, with 33% of disabled people in the lowest household income group.

A Scope spokesperson said: “As disabled households’ extra costs have dramatically increased since 2016/17, it is vital the Government targets support for extra costs to those who most need it.

“Tackling the extra cost of disability must be seen as a political priority, so that every disabled person can participate in society and reach their potential. “

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Public transport ‘vital for poorest’

THE TUC is calling for a big increase in funding for bus and rail services after a report revealed their crucial role in getting people to work.

Research by the body that represents most trade unions found one in 10 bus users would be forced to either look for another job or give up work altogether if they could not travel by public transport.

Their report also found: n In 2020, one fifth of all households did not have access to a car, rising to 35% of households on the lowest incomes. n Households with the lowest incomes have the greatest dependency on buses for their travel, with disabled people concentrated in this group. n A survey of unemployed people found 57% did not have a full car or motorcycle driving licence and depended heavily on public transport for access to employment.

Help shape plans for future of our buses

JULY-AUGUST 2023

All Together NOW!

GET ON ABOARD P EOPLE across Merseyside are being asked for their views on plans totransform the region’s bus services.

Residents, businesses, trade unions and stakeholders can have their say on a new bus franchising scheme proposed

by Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram.

Currently, private operators decide the routes, timetables, fares and standards.

There is also limited coordination between private bus operators and other forms of public transport.

Bus franchising would give the Combined Authority greater control over fares, routes and timetables, allowing

the services to be operated in the interests of local bus users with private operators running them under a contract with authority.

Reform of the region’s bus network is a key part of Mayor Rotheram’s wider ambition to build a London-style transport system that makes getting about faster, cheaper, cleaner, more reliable.

Mayor Rotheram said: “For far too long, people in our communities have been forced to contend with a secondclass bus service that’s too confusing, too unreliable, and too expensive.

“I want this to become a thing of the past – because we simply can no longer

afford to accept a public transport service that leaves behind the very people who need it most.

“I want our residents to have their say on our plans. So, whether you regularly take the bus or not, I’m encouraging everyone to get involved in this consultation and make their voice heard.” n To take part in the survey visit liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk /movingbusesforward n The consultation team can also be contacted with questions via email at movingbusesforward@ liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk or phone 0151 330 1249.

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‘Practise what we preach’

A BEST practice guide for bus and rail companies could make using public transport less of an ordeal for those with sight loss.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People’s latest report highlights the numerous accessibility issues that make bus and rail journeys a daunting prospect for blind and partially sighted people.

The charity is calling for transport providers to use its checklist – based on extensive research – to make their services more accessible and enable visual impairment people travel independently.

The availability and consistency of important physical features and services varies greatly across transport types and regions, and is especially poor in rural areas.

They include things like tactile paving; detectible curbs; handrails; step-free access; clear signage and markings; and accurate, frequent, and clear audio announcements. n Helpline: 0303 123 9999.

OCEANS APART

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Mainstream schools ‘failing autistic pupils’

SUPPORT for autistic students at mainstream school has been condemned as “woeful”.

Classroom places for children with autism are both inappropriate and in short supply, says the National Autistic Society.

The charity is now calling on the Government to create a special taskforce to deal with the situation.

Head of influencing Tim Nicholls said: “Every child should be able to get the education they need. But as our new report reveals, many autistic students are being failed and denied the most basic support.”

The study shows that seven in 10 autistic students are in mainstream schools, but only four in 10 teachers have received more than half a day’s training in autism.

Mr Nicholls said: “The Government has a long way to go – every autistic child needs to get the right support at school. “ We won’t accept a world where autistic children miss out on an education, and families are left exhausted and on the brink of crisis.”

DWP websites ‘illegal’

NEARLY all of the Department for Work and Pensions’ high-profile websites were rated as being inaccessible to many disabled people and potentially breaking the law.

A Freedom of Information request by Disability News Service found that only two out of 18 DWP websites were said to comply with the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018, with the other 16 all seen as “very high risk”.

In all, of the 56 public-facing DWP digital services that were not due to be decommissioned, only 24 were said to be compliant with the regulations.

Cabinet Office guidance warns that public sector bodies like DWP that do not ensure their websites or apps meet accessibility requirements “may be breaking the law”.

Fire fighter cancer tests

A BIG step forward to protect firefighters from the deadly effects of toxic chemicals is under way in the North West.

Recent research found cancer among firefighters aged 35-39 is up to more than three times higher than in the general population at the same age, and that firefighters are significantly more likely to die from rare cancers, heart attacks and stroke, and several other diseases.

Anna Stec, professor in fire toxicity at the University of Central Lancashire, said: “Firefighters are dying from rare cancers up to 15-20 years earlier than the general public.”

Blood and urine samples from 100 firefighters across Greater Manchester are now being analysed .

The tests are the first of their kind for firefighters in the UK following the World Health Organisation announcement that occupational exposure as a firefighter is carcinogenic.

AMBITION: TOM PURSGLOVE

Minister tells world, UK will be best for access

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“FAILURE”: BARONESS GREY-THOMPSON

We’re bored with strategies . . . we want action and investment

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RITAIN still has a long way to go to just securing access right for disabled travellers, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson told MPs. A crossbench peer, wheelchairuser and accessible transport campaigner, Baroness Grey-Thompson said there was “a complete failure to enforce” laws on accessible travel.

She added: “We’re constantly told, ‘It will never happen again, it’s just you [this is happening to], we’re really sorry,’ and we’re expected to go away.”

The Baroness said the Disability

Discrimination Act had promised accessible rail travel by 2020, but the Government was now suggesting it would be 100 years before there was step-free access.

He told an international conference on disability She tole the House of Commons rights: “The global context of numerous humanitarian Transport Select Committee: “So in and economic crises, plus the continuing impact of the pandemic, means disability inclusion risks falling my lifetime I will not be able to get further down the agenda. on a train without the permission or “The UK remains committed to championing support of a non-disabled person.” disability rights and inclusion globally.”

She also highlighted concerns Addressing the 16th Conference of States Parties to that Network Rail was building new the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with inaccessible footbridges.

Disabilities (COSP16), he added: “Following the “How can Network Rail build a launch of our international Disability Inclusion and footbridge that has steps, in this Rights Strategy last year, the UK is focussed on day and age? How did it get embedding its principles.” through?”

Baroness GreyThompson said the Government’s Inclusive Transport Strategy was “just another strategy, and disabled people are slightly bored by strategies.

“For me, the Government needs to take equal access seriously.

We need action and investment.”

Christiane Link, a consultant and adviser on accessibility to the aviation and transport industry for more than 20 years, said: “We have to change the culture in the industry from the top down.

“The Department for Transport must give a clear message that this is Ratings would include the level of access around IRLINES are to be rated on the service not acceptable anymore requesting assistance, onboard facilities including they provide to passengers with a and that there will be seating and toilets, as well as boarding and disability in a bid to drag up standards. severe issues if this disembarking.

The body that regulates the industry is calling for doesn’t stop.”

The framework also sets standards for bringing views on a proposed framework aimed at improving Activist Alan Benson, assistance dogs onto flights, along with providing the experience of disabled and less mobile flyers. said: “Until we treat guidance on how airlines should handle mobility Assessments will then be carried out on all UK and accessibility like we treat equipment and provide compensation when it is lost or non-UK airlines operating in the UK – and the results health and safety, it’s not damaged. made public. going to change.”

In developing their proposals, the regulator engaged Anna Bowles, head of consumer policy at the UK And campaigner extensively with disabled people and major airlines.

Civil Aviation Authority, said the move was about Stephen Anderson said he Ms Bowles added: “We’re asking for feedback from “holding airlines to account in meeting their obligations has been refused service individuals, disability rights groups and the industry to to disabled and less mobile passengers across all by private hire vehicles 43 help shape our plans.” aspects of their journey. times because he was n The consultation runs until July 21.

“Consumers should have confidence that the travelling with his guide consultations.caa.co.uk/corporatestandard of support they receive when flying will meet dog. communications/performance-framework-fortheir needs.” airline- accessibility/ He said: “The problem is The regulator’s framework will rank the performance n You can also write to: Consumer Protection, with these regulators of each airline’s service – from booking flight tickets Consumer & Markets Group, Civil Aviation there’s no teeth, there’s and assistance at the airport, through to their onboard Authority, 11 Westferry Circus, London E14 4HD experience and complaints handling. absolutely no teeth.”

ISABILITY minister Tom Pursglove told a UN conference of his ambition to make the UK the most accessible place in the world for disabled people to live and work.

Airlines to be named and shamed in new shake-up

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Connecting with 250,000 people across the region . . .

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Change lives – that’s what we do www.stevemorganfoundation.org.uk Tel 01928 706555

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All Together NOW!

JULY-AUGUST 2023

HE Steve Morgan Foundation has been changing people’s lives ever since it was founded by entrepreneur Steve Morgan CBE in 2001.

The philanthropist has committed assets of £300m, and the Foundation has funded everything from the purpose-built Maggie’s Wirral, cuttingedge research into type1 diabetes, as well as helping charities struggling with the impact of Covid-19.

However, one of the biggest changes the Foundation has consistently made to the lives of

stevemorganfoundation

Steve Morgan Foundation

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@stevemorganfdn

individuals and their families has been through the Enable Fund.

The Enable Fund supports people of all ages in financial hardship, who are in need of specialised equipment, including mobility aids, wheelchairs and trikes.

The list also includes sleep systems, car seats, sensory equipment and communication aids.

Mr Morgan explained: “The Enable Fund was set up to support people to do the things most of us take for granted. It helps them to lead more fulfilling lives.”

THANKS, JANE J

Retirement beckons, but it’s far from the end of her links with the Foundation

ANE HARRIS, the Director of Grants at The Steve Morgan Foundation, is retiring from her role at the end of July.

Following a 17-year tenure at the charity, Jane will continue her longstanding association by immediately joining the Board of Trustees.

Jane has been integral to the development of the Foundation, starting as the sole employee and managing its growth into one of the UK’s leading foundations today.

She has built lasting relationships with many charities and organisations across the UK and was also behind the annual conference and awards events, which have seen numerous charities recognised for their excellent work.

Commenting on Jane’s service to the charity, founder and chairman Steve Morgan CBE, said: “When the history of

‘For 17 years, she has been at the absolute centre of our work’

“Jane has also played a key role in the Cradle to Career scheme, which has cumulatively been awarded over £6m for improving children’s literacy standards across North Birkenhead and the Liverpool City Region.

“We can’t thank Jane enough for her commitment over the years and we are delighted that ,she will continue to support us Steve Morgan CBE, founder/chairman, by joining our Board of Trustees.” the Steve Morgan Foundation Jane said: “Through my work at the Foundation, I have been the Foundation is written, it will largely lucky enough to meet many people doing consist of the history of Jane Harris and her extraordinary things that truly change lives. leadership. She has been at the absolute “It has been an honour and a privilege to centre of the work of the Foundation for the work with so many incredible charities over past 17 years and has been responsible for the years, to help them grow and make a developing and maintaining our exceptional real difference to our local communities. network.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to work “During her tenure, some of Jane’s most with the dedicated team at the Foundation, notable achievements include the as a member of the Board, and seeing our Community Match Challenge, where £20m CEO Liam Eaglestone continue to steer the was awarded to over 120 organisations charity towards an even brighter, more and individuals across Merseyside and promising future.”

Cheshire within a period of just 59 days.

HAPPY, LASTING MEMORIES: Jane with the team at Knowsley Dementia Care Support; with Liam Eaglestone; with the late Amy from Amy & Friends, and with Walton Youth Project

Enable grants info .... Contact: enable@stevemorganfoundation.org.uk

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hello@stevemorganfoundation.org.uk

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JULY-AUGUST 2023

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GOOD INNINGS: Ten years of Mel’s dulcet tones Covid shielders denied vote at poling stations

THOUSANDS of people with long-term health conditions are likely to have lost the right to vote in May’s local elections, it is claimed.

Scores of people with compromised or suppressed immune systems contacted a campaign group to say they had not been able to vote because of the new voter identification laws.

They wear masks because they are still shielding from Covid-19, but as voters in England must now show photographic identification, they were required to remove them.

Some reported distressing arguments with polling station staff – with some being turned away and denied a vote.

The experiences were related to Evusheld for the UK, which campaigns for the drug Evusheld – said to offer protection from Covid-19 – to be funded in the UK. Co-leader, Mark Oakley, said: “To stand in front of someone in an enclosed space, you don’t know if they are Covid-positive or not, and to take your mask off is something a lot of people are not willing to do because of the increased risk if they contract Covid.”

What d’you say . . ?

KNOCKED FOR SIX .W. . BUT I’M SO LUCKY HEN Mel Smith woke one morning 23 years ago, he was to find his life drastically and permanently altered.

TAKING steps to tackle hearing loss could significantly reduce your chances of developing dementia.

Alzheimer’s UK has joined forces with hearing aid makers to urge people to have regular tests and get any concerns checked out with GPs. The call comes after a study found use of hearing instruments was associated with a 32% lower prevalence of dementia.

Dr Susan Mitchell, from Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “While there’s no sure-fire way to prevent dementia, which is caused by a complex mix of our age, genes, and lifestyle, we know there are steps we can take to reduce our risk.

“Research has shown that people with unaddressed hearing loss are FIVE TIMES more likely to develop dementia than those without hearing loss.”

Dr Mitchell added: “It is essential that any perceived barriers to getting a hearing check are minimised.

“We believe that integrating a hearing check within the NHS Health Check, freely available for over 40s in England, is one potential way to do this.”

OWZAT! Mel at work and “living life to the full”

Overnight, the former military man had gone profoundly deaf.

Coming without warning – “I had a slight cold in the week preceding, but nothing drastic” – it was a huge blow.

Yet within a day or so, cricket-mad Mel had vowed he would not allow his disability to stop him pursuing his passion.

And now, celebrating a decade as a county cricket club scorer, he says: “Every day is like Christmas.”

Mel, 75, recalls: “I was on the 2nd XI umpiring panel for 25 years, umpiring county 2nd XI and club games and player pathway games and youth Tests.

“Then, out of the blue one morning early in January 2000, I woke up and couldn’t hear a word. I’d gone profoundly deaf overnight.”

Doctors told Mel it was the result of contracting a virus, but there was worse news to come.

Mel said: “Once it had been made clear to me that my hearing loss was irrevocable, I was completely floored for 24 hours.

“I was probably not a very nice person for that time. I then just picked myself up, realising that there were and are many people far worse off than me.”

Losing his hearing crushed Mel’s dream of becoming a first-class umpire but he refused to accept it was the end of his association with a game he had been involved with since the age of eight.

“I had always taken it upon myself, as an

‘Going deaf floored me but I played the cards I was dealt’

umpire, to learn exactly what scorers do and I was also a qualified scorer.

“When I saw that Warwickshire were looking for a scorer, I applied and the rest, as they say, is history.”

“So, it was off with one hat and on with another,” added Mel, with an astonishing matter-of-factness. “With hearing aids in place, I can score perfectly well – even in the hubbub of a Twenty20.

“Now I have scored Ashes Tests and Champions Trophy finals and Lord’s finals…I would never have been involved in those as an umpire! I am a firm believer that when one door shuts, another one opens.”

High up in his scorebox on Level Three at the Hollies Stand end of the South Stand, every dot, every boundary, every wicket and every leg-bye in every game is recorded by Mel – twice.

“We use the ECB’s preferred scoring programme, PCS Pro,” he said. “But computers sometimes fail, so I score on paper at the same time and keep those records in the scorebox, so that if in five, 10, 50 years’ time, people want to research games, the information is there.

“My computer runs both scoreboards at the ground and also the livestream, so if somebody in Australia wants to know how the Bears (Warwickshire’s nickname) are doing, they just have to log on. It’s all pumping out from me.

“During championship and 50-over matches the spectators also have the pleasure – or not! – of hearing my dulcet tones on the public address.”

This season is Mel’s 11th in a role that the lifelong cricket enthusiast loves. He well remembers his debut, on a freezing morning at the ground of Oxford University.

“It was bitterly cold,” Mel said. So cold that at one point it was suggested the game should be called off. “I was sitting there shivering in the scorebox thinking, ‘what the bloody hell have I let myself in for?’

“But it was the best thing I’ve ever done. I am so fortunate to do what I do. I work at an amazing stadium with some great people and I know and appreciate that. From the middle of March to the end of September, every day is like Christmas for me!”

“I love my job. I look back to a rainy day in 2012 when I was on the internet and saw that Warwickshire were looking for a firstteam scorer. I phoned my good lady wife and said, ‘what do you reckon?’ and Jean said ‘go for it’.

“How glad am I that I did!”

And of the loss of hearing that stopped him in his tracks 23 years ago, he adds: “You just have to play the cards you’re dealt and get on with living life to the full.” n Watch the video about Mel at: /www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5RsVaDDIL

Connecting with 250,000 people across the region . . .

JULY-AUGUST 2023

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

Keep your garden blooming lovely 6XPPHU LV D ZRQGHUIXO DQG H[FLWLQJ WLPH IRU JDUGHQLQJ ZLWK EHDXWLIXO LjRZHUV FRPLQJ LQWR EORRP Follow our water saving tips to keep your garden looking lovely and vibrant all summer long.

Plan your garden TOP Try planting drought-resistant plants, such as lavender.

TIP It looks fabulous and requires a lot less water.

Water out of hours

TOP TIP

Water your garden in the early morning or late evening, when less water is lost through evaporation. Aim for the plant roots, not the leaves.

Use mulch for moisture

TOP TIP

Add a layer of mulch (e.g. bark chips, manure) over your soil to help retain moisture and keep weeds at bay.

Ditch the hosepipe A watering can uses far less water than a hosepipe or sprinkler, and it’s easier to direct the water at the roots, where your plants need it most. If possible, invest in a water butt so you can use all that lovely rainwater in the garden.

TOP TIP

We’ve got 10 water butts to give away. To be in with a chance of winning, simply send your name, address and phone number to Water butt competition, All Together Now, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool, L14 2EP or email your entry to competition@ DOOWRJHWKHUQRZ RUJ XN with “water butt” in the subject line. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day on 18th August 2023.

Terms and conditions apply, see unitedutilities.com for details.

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9

10 All Together NOW!

JULY-AUGUST 2023

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Allied hand £240K to good causes

ALLIED Vehicles are more than doubling their charitable donations.

Last year, the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust gave more than £80,000 to charities.

Now, they are committing £20,000 a month to good causes.

The company, which has premises in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Coventry, employs more than 600 people, mostly at its Possilpark HQ, where it was co-founded 30 years ago by Gerry Facenna.

Gerry, pictured, said: “Possilpark is one of the poorest parts of Glasgow and our charitable trust was set up to try and do something positive for the whole community.

“I’m well aware that we’ll never be able to solve all the problems that are brought to us, but I hope that doubling our donations to £240,000 a year will have even more of an impact on our local community – and beyond.

“We want as many people as possible to have a positive impact from the Trust and are inviting anyone involved in charity and community organisations who are needing support to apply on our website or email charity@alliedvehicles.co.uk.”

Do EV charge points really help us?

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

M

ORE charging points for electric vehicles is something we should all welcome in the drive to combat climate change.

But a new investigation reveals that in many cases charge points are a major obstacle for disabled people – and undermining other efforts to help the planet.

Climate charity Possible has found electric vehicle (EV) charge points are “invading pavements” with significant impacts on anyone making walking or wheeling trips, especially those with a disability.

A report from Possible, with support from disabled cycling charity Wheels for Wellbeing,

JULY-AUGUST 2023

shows while London has made the most progress on public charge points in the UK, 2,500 have been installed on pavements – despite this being explicitly recommended against in the Government’s national EV strategy.

The charities are now calling on Active Travel England and the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles to agree on a country-wide set of common principles to ensure charge points do not obstruct walking and wheeling, and are accessible to all road users.

Leo Murray, co-director at Possible, said: “Our investigation reveals that space is being taken from pedestrians and given to private

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cars instead of the other way around. It is right that drivers without off-street parking are supported to switch to electric vehicles.

“However, it is deeply ironic that we are paying councils to enable private cars to invade precious pavement space in the name of the environment.

“Ensuring active travel is a viable option for all is just as important for meeting climate targets as changing the way cars are fuelled, but to do that, we need to be removing clutter from footways, not adding to it.”

The Government has said that around half a million public EV charge points will need to be installed by 2030 in order to meet demand

All Together NOW!

11

from drivers under net zero plans. But they also want half of all short trips in towns and cities to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2030, with de-cluttering pavements officially recognised as an essential part of enabling more trips to be made by active travel.

Possible also points out that for disabled people who do not use private vehicles, electric vehicle charge points are just a new obstacle on the street.

And even disabled people who do have access to cars, and would like to switch to EVs, have found the overwhelming majority of public charge points totally inaccessible.

12 All Together NOW!

Job site offers more breaks

AN ONLINE employment agency matching disabled jobseekers with inclusive employers has launched a new improved service.

Evenbreak first set up their job board in 2011 and it now has more than 700,000 inclusive jobs posted each year.

The upgraded job board will allow more job seekers to access and find positions and help employers better target candidates.

Jane Hatton, head of Evenbreak said: “We are thrilled that our new job board can give a better experience for everyone.”

People can search more effectively, set up job alerts so they are informed of those matching their criteria as soon as they are posted, and complete profiles and upload CVs. Employers can be seen as inclusive employers of choice, and target specific types of candidate (e.g. regionally, or by skill set). n www.evenbreak.co.uk

JULY-AUGUST 2023

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

We’re being let down at the first hurdle

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ISABLED jobseekers are being let down by the one place they should be able to rely on for support – their local Jobcentre.

A new report – focusing on the experience of people living with complex disabilities – lays bare the barriers preventing many from finding work.

Eight out of every 10 people with complex disabilities are unemployed, according to national disability charity Sense, who produced the report.

One in two of those say a lack of adequate assistance and equipment means they are not receiving help they need.

Crucially, Sense’s research found Jobcentres across the country are without specialist assistive technology on their computers, making it more difficult for those who rely on it to look and apply for work.

Zoe Bates, Sense employment co-ordinator, said: “There are many people with complex

disabilities who want to work, and with the right support will thrive, but sadly they’re being denied at the first hurdle – the job search.

“Jobcentres are the frontline tool the Government use for supporting people to find work, but they aren’t being provided with the equipment and training they need to do this.”

Assistive technology can include text to speech screen readers, dictation software and braille displays, making it possible for some disabled people – such as those with sight and hearing impairments – to use computers.

But the Department for Work and Pensions

only funds this equipment once someone is in work. Jobseekers often can’t afford to buy it for themselves, meaning they need support from external services.

Currently, the computers in Jobcentres only offer Microsoft’s “standard accessibility features”, which Sense says is inadequate.

The charity is calling on the Government to provide specialist assistive technology in its Jobcentres through an assistive technology fund, which it says would be a relatively lowcost change that will make a huge difference.

The report also found more than half of jobseekers with complex disabilities did not feel supported by their Jobcentre work coach, who should help identify skills, assist with applications and interview techniques.

And as fewer than a quarter of those who had seen a work coach said they received one to one support, Sense revealed that initial training for work coaches does not include disability equality training.

Read All Together NOW! on PressReader with enhanced accessibility features.

Enlarge the font, listen on-demand, and browse with just a few taps.

SUNDAY 16 JULY WALTON HALL GARDENS, nr WARRINGTON Come and visit us – Marquee 4

Lifehouse Liverpool, 0151 709 0121

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Students log on to a whole new world

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NEW kind of college is creating opportunities for young people with learning disabilities who have a passion for all things digital.

DISC (Digital Independent Specialist College) offers young people aged 16 – 24 across Manchester the chance to learn web development, videography, photography, graphic design, coding, animation and project management.

The college was set up by Digital Advantage, a charity that has delivered digital work experiences to over 5,000 young people of all ages and abilities across the North West.

The Supported Internship is a year-

long, full-time programme for young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Andy Lovatt, CEO of Digital Advantage, said: “It’s shocking that only 29% of autistic adults in the UK are in paid employment, and that figure is just 4.8% for adults with learning disabilities.

“Young people with disabilities are still guided towards traditional supported internships in retail, hospitality or healthcare and for some people this is right, but for many, these roles limit their aspirations.

“DISC helps young people with a passion for digital get their dream job.”

JULY-AUGUST 2023

All Together NOW!

New card could be a winner for footy fans

Dylan O’Brien, 19, who has autism and dyspraxia, said: “I left school in Year 8 because I got no support, it was overwhelming, and I struggled to get in on time.

“When I went to a mainstream college it was the same: no support, the work was too easy, and I ended up not going in. Things are different with Digital Advantage.

“There aren’t big classrooms or hundreds of students. Every day I go to their studio and make websites, edit videos and take photos. I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made.” n Tel. 07568 116 353. n www.disc.ac.uk

DISABLED Tranmere Rovers fans will be able to register their requirements and book tickets, coach travel and parking quickly and easily.

It’s thanks to sports venue ticketing platform Alloc8 teaming up with social enterprise Nimbus Disability to incorporate Nimbus’s awardwinning Access Card software – which is operated at Tranmere – into its own system.

Pete Hewison, of Alloc8, said their partnership with Nimbus “is a natural step in our commitment to transforming the way clubs, venues and fans interact.

“The Access Card allows holders to complete online registration and access tickets within seconds. Alloc8 will apply venue specific adjustments to support and

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enhance the fan experience, based on the individual.

“These include the assignment of accessible entrances to tickets, the autoselection of adjacent seats for personal assistants, granting access to easy access seats and wheelchair accommodation, and access to services such as audio descriptive commentary, sensory rooms, and meet and greet car park transfers.”

Nimbus’ Access Card translates its holder’s disability/impairment/access requirements into symbols highlighting the barriers they face.

Then, when cardholders book tickets online, the booking system is automatically informed about the individual’s access requirements.

MAKE IT A SUMME

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All Together NOW!

www.alltogetherno

JULY-AUGUST 2023

A dip into the past and thrills a’plenty!

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UR friends at VisitEngland have come up with some of the best accessible travel experiences including outdoor adventures and award-winning attractions.

Roman Baths, Bath, Somerset The Roman Baths is one of the finest historic sites in northern Europe and its many accolades include being named the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award Gold winner at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2018. The site is 90% accessible to wheelchair users.

Visitors with hearing or visual impairments can enjoy the site using the British Sign Language or fully descriptive audio tour and tactile models. The venue also provides information for visitors with autism and potential claustrophobia.

Tel. 01225 477786 www.romanbaths.co.uk/accessibility LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, Berkshire The resort offers a Ride Access Pass, which is a virtual queuing system designed to help guests who need extra assistance or are unable to queue due to a condition or disability. There’s also a Total Sensory Space, the first dedicated sensory facility of its kind in a theme park. n Tel. 01753 626416 www.legoland.co.uk/plan-your-day/ before-you-visit/accessibility

Bear Grylls Adventure, Birmingham The attraction uses a variety of sensory effects including audio, visual, touch and smell designed to enhance the overall experience of each area. In the last year, the venue has been recognised twice for its accessibility facilities. The attraction’s event days (supported by Bear and his team) welcome guests of a variety of ability levels, many achieving things they may not have thought possible. n Tel. 0121 725 2616 www.beargryllsadventure.com/plan-yourvisit/before-you-visit/accessibility-guide

Eden Project, Cornwall Eden has a dedicated Access Team. You can pre-book an Access Guide to help you get around. The site offers a range of complimentary mobility aids including wheelchairs, powered chairs and an all- terrain Tramper mobility scooter, as well as electric

The Magnificent Seven . . . the UK

WE’VE some fine beaches across Merseyside – but it seems we have some way to go to impress the experts at Go Outdoors, who have come up with their magnificent seven . . .

Brighton and Hove, Sussex

One of the most accessible in the country. Ramps to the promenade, Changing Places toilets (with equipment such as hoists, curtains, adult-sized changing benches and space for carers) and accessible walkways.

Bournemouth

This southern beach has fully accessible cliff lifts and land golf buggies driven by volunteer stewards.

Braille guide book available on site and a text reader that can be borrowed to read and interpret signs. n Tel. 01726 811911 www.edenproject.com

Alton Towers Resort, near Stoke, Staffordshire Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award Silver winner at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence last June. This year, working with

trains, providing access to both the pier and beach, which you can also access along the promenade. You can get sand wheelchairs at the Beach Office.

Summerleaze, Cornwall

Conveniently situated close to the town centre, with direct wheelchair access to the beach and toilets via a level tarmac path. Sand wheelchairs available.

Skegness, Lincolnshire

A very accessible beach, thanks to flat walkways from the main car park to the sand. The toilets, which are adjacent to the beach, have good disabled access – a standard now for the majority of the Lincolnshire coast.

AccessAble and the Business Disability Forum, the team has overhauled and improved services in many areas including Changing Places facilities, Ride Access Passes, wheelchair hire, hearing loops/ear defender hire, mobility scooters, accessibility maps and installation of quiet spaces to support those with sensory issues. Also, there’s a new online Accessibility Guide. n Tel. 01538 704671 www.altontowers.com/plan-yourvisit/before-you-visit/accessibilit

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All Together NOW!

Surf the sands in hottest seats on Merseyside

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IX beach wheelchairs are proving to be a red-hot attraction at New Brighton and West Kirby beaches for people with mobility difficulties.

Cllr Yvonne Nolan, chair of the Wirral Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee, said: “We know that this is something which many people have been asking about for some time, so it is great that we have been able to provide the funding to not only purchase the equipment, but to also make them free to hire.

“This specialist equipment gives access to the beach and to the water for people who had previously been denied it due to their disability or mobility issues and their use will bring so much enjoyment.”

There are three different types of wheelchair available – two that need pushing and a powered one, available only at the Floral Pavilion.

All chairs are equipped with support straps, cushions and harnesses.

You can book the chairs through the Floral Pavilion website or the Wirral Leisure booking system (www.activewirral.com/leisurehub) for chairs from the Watersports Centre. n Tel. 0151 666 0000 www.floralpavilion.com

K’s most accessible beaches

Roseisle Forest, Burghead, Scotland

Wheelchair users can access the forest on a flat tarmac path. ’s then an easy trek along a wooden boardwalk to an ccessible look-out, where you can enjoy the coastline cenery without getting sand stuck in your wheels.

Poppit sands, Pembrokeshire, Wales

or those wanting an active beach day out, Pembrokeshire’s Adventure Wheelchair Walk at Poppit Sands could be the lace for you – a 380m walkway with spectacular views. owever, if you prefer a more leisurely pace, nearby Aberporth beach is an excellent choice too, with both having The Blackpool Tower and Sandcastle Waterpark, Lancashire The Tower has good accessibility for visitors with reduced mobility. Carers also go free. Having won multiple VisitEngland access awards, Sandcastle Waterpark welcomes guests with a wide variety of access needs with all staff having received accessibility and autism awareness training. Facilities include pool accessible wheelchairs, wide access gangways, four poolside wet rooms, poolside lockers,

wheelchairs available to hire. There’s also an accessible luxury Safari Tent with a campfire nearby, just five minutes drive from Aberaeron, situated between three Welsh national parks.

Whitley Bay, Newcastle

A stunning coastline with a picturesque lighthouse, minutes from an accessible car park.

What makes this beach so accessible, however, is its all-terrain wheelchair called a ‘Hippocampe’ which you can rent to access this stunning part of the North East.

private treatment room and there’s extra help for people with assistance dogs. n Tel.01253 622242 www.theblackpooltower.com/plan/informati on/accessibility n Tel.01253 343602 www.sandcastle-waterpark.co.uk/accessfor-all

The Deep in Hull, East Yorkshire One of the most spectacular aquariums in the world, The Deep is committed to accessibility

for all visitors. Free use of mobility aids, including electric scooters, wheelchairs and walking aids. Sensory packs are available.

Each week (during term time).

The Deep holds Tranquil Tuesdays, where lights and sounds are subdued from 3pm until closing time. There are also two Quiet Day events a year with British Sign Language interpretation. n Tel. 01482 381000 www.thedeep.co.uk/plan-your-visit/ access-for-all

Make it a heavenly holiday – not hellish

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OING abroad with a wheelchair or mobility scooter? Here are some tips to stop that dream holiday turning into a nightmare …

1. Make your airline aware of your accessibility needs: Tell your airline in advance about the mobility equipment you are bringing. This includes the make, model, weight and size of your wheelchair or scooter. It is also worth taking the operating manual of the equipment as this will be useful for airline employees.

2. Check the accessibility of your destination: Unfortunately, when it comes to accessibility, not all destinations are created equal. Use websites such as Tripadvisor or Trustpilot to find out if your desired holiday destination and lodgings are accessibility friendly for wheelchair and mobility scooter users.

3. Booking accessible accommodation: Be sure to specify that you need a wheelchair or mobility scooter-accessible room. This can be done through a holiday booking site like Jet 2 Holidays or TUI, or you can contact the hotel directly via phone or email. Using email means you can have a written record of evidence in case the hotel fails to deliver on its promise.

4. Hire a wheelchair accessible vehicle: By hiring a wheelchair or mobility scooterfriendly taxi service to take you to and from the airport, you will be able to carry all of your luggage and mobility aids in one trip, offering comfort and a stress-free journey.

5. Take a portable ramp: They can be very useful! You can carry up to two mobility items free of charge. It is also worth telling your airline you need to take these mobility aids.

6. Get travel insurance that covers pre-existing medical conditions: Make sure you are covered for medical expenses and getting you home if you’re injured or fall ill.

7. Insurance can cover lost or damaged items: Airlines hold responsibility for any damage to mobility equipment, although the compensation may be limited to around £1,300. Consider taking extra insurance coverage. n Our thanks to Mobility Solutions Direct for these wise words …

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16 All Together NOW!

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JULY-AUGUST 2023

SHOPMOBILITY

n ALTRINCHAM . Tel 0161 929 1714 n ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. Tel 0161 339 9500 n BARROW. Tel 01229 434039 n BIRKENHEAD. Tel 0151 647 6162 n BLACKBURN AND DARWEN. Tel 01254 690566 or 07757 502217 n BLACKPOOL. Tel 01253 349427 n BOLTON. Tel 01204 392946 n CARLISLE. Tel 01228 631564 n CHESTER. Tel 01244 312626 n CHORLEY. Tel 01257 260 888 n COLWYN BAY. Tel 01492 533822 n ELLESMERE PORT. Tel 01244 312626 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 01244 312626 n OSWESTRY. Tel 01691 656882 n PENRITH. Tel 01768 895 438 n PRESTON. Tel 01772 204 667 n RHYL. Tel 01745 350665 n ROCHDALE. Tel 01706 865 986 n RUNCORN, Halton Lea Tel 01928 710144 n SHREWSBURY. Tel 01743 236900 SKELMERSDALE. Tel 01695 550066 n STOCKPORT. Tel 0161 666 1100 n WARRINGTON. Tel 01925 240064 n WARRINGTON. Birchwood Tel 01925 822 411 WIDNES: 0151 511 8833 n WIGAN. Tel 01942 776 070 n WINSFORD Tel 01244 312626 n WREXHAM. Tel 01978 312390 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM. Snow Hill Railway Station. Tel 0121 236 8980. Level 2, Centre Car Park, Bullring. Tel 0121 616 2942 n STAFFORD. Tel 01785 619456 n STOKE ON TRENT. Tel 01782 233333 n SUTTON COLDFIELD. Tel 0121 355 1112 n TAMWORTH. Tel, 01827 709392 n WALSALL. Tel 01922 650781

HELPLINES

LOTS TO LOVE TAKE A TOUR: Audio described guide to key locations

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IT TV show Love Island’s next series will be the most accessible yet.

Hopefuls taking part in the 10th series will record self-descriptions for blind and partially-sighted viewers.

Producers of the ITV programme will also be audio-describing a tour of the Love Island villa, giving audiences an understanding of the visual geography of the key locations.

The self-descriptions will be available on the ITVX YouTube page. And as part of a package of accessibility improvements, ITV has worked closely with Monterosa, creators of the Love Island app, to make several design upgrades.

All episodes of the next series, which launches this summer on ITVX and ITV2, will be subtitled.

Specialist teams across the broadcaster work closely with Lifted Entertainment (part of ITV Studios),

who produce the show, to secure access to episodes as early as possible to prepare subtitles in advance of transmission.

ITV’s director of accessibility David Padmore said: “We’re always looking for ways to make our shows more accessible to our audiences.

“We hope that having these islander self-descriptions and villa tours available alongside the show will really help bring this summer’s Love Island to life for our audience.”

Sonali Rai, RNIB’s broadcast and audio-description manager, said: “By embracing self-descriptions, ITV is demonstrating a great understanding of the importance of providing equal access to content.

“This proactive initiative sets a remarkable example for the industry, highlighting the power of alternative solutions in creating an inclusive viewing experience.”

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 ACSIL (Amputees and Carers), Tel, 0151 261 1166 n THE BRAIN CHARITY Tel 0151 298 2999 n MANCHESTER (GTR) Coalition of Disabled

n Disabled Students Helpline Tel. 0330 995 0414 Opening hours: 11am-1pm on Tues and Thurs students@disabilityrightsuk.org n Scope’s Disabilty Information and Advice Line (DIAL) Freephone 0808 800 3333

E

LIGIBILITY to benefits and the ways they can be claimed are changing.

The pandemic and the cost of living crisis has put more pressure on a social security system already battered by years of cuts.

Keeping up with the changing rules is more crucial than ever.

The new Disability Rights Handbook, at a cost of £20 for individuals, £43 for organisations and advisers, might seem a lot to have to fork out. But it could also be the best investment you’ve made for ages.

Full of tips to help you make a successful claim, the guide has top advice for: n Anyone with an illness, injury or disability. n Carers, children and young people. n People in education or work, looking for work, not in work or in retirement. n People injured at work or serving in the Armed Forces. n Disability Rights UK, Plexal, 14 East Bay Lane, Here East, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 3BS. Tel. 020 3687 0790.

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

n Personal Budgets Helpline Tel. 0330 995 0404 Opening hours: 9.30am-1.30pm, Tues and Thurs personalbudgets@ disabilityrightsuk.org

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.

Text 01772 204 787 n RHYL Tel 01745 350665 n STOCKPORT: Disability Stockport. 0161 480 7248

n WARRINGTON Disability Partnership. 01925 240064 n WIRRAL WIRED Tel 0151 670 1500 n WEST LANCS HELPLINE Freefone 0800 220676 n ST HELENS DASH Tel 01744 453053 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM Disability Resource Centre Tel 0121 789 7365

n Disabled People’s Network Solihull Tel 0121 788 1544 n STOKE: Disability Solutions Tel 01782 683800 n WOLVERHAMPTON Elder and Disabled Group Tel 01902 448552 n WEST MIDS Amputee

Group. 07891 794733; 07585 958322; 07557 228154

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

JULY-AUGUST 2023

SINGING FOR OTHERS Ellie strikes all the right chords

Y

OU may have seen Ellie Burke busking on the streets of her home city Liverpool.

Now, the singer-songwriter is set to raise mental health awareness with her university music dissertation-turnedmusic video, Filtered Reality.

The video takes you into Ellie’s world of social media insecurities, with accounts of individuals who have suffered mental health problems due to cyber bullying and self-comparison to the filtered realities portrayed online.

Ellie, 24, said: “One girl spoke about how social media exacerbated her eating disorder due to the negative content surrounding her disorder.

“Another account discussed how cyber bullying ruined their mental health and wellbeing.

“One influencer spoke about how she suffered with anxiety due to Instagram because she was sharing her life in unhealthy ways, ways that weren’t the real her, and people were influenced by her unrealistic lifestyle. This is where my idea for Filtered Reality came from.” n Check out her video – https://youtu.be/s0DL3ALd0bw

Hospital role for Covid chief

PROFESSOR Carolyn Wilkins has been appointed as the new chair of Mid Cheshire Hospitals.

As Director of Contain with Test & Trace, Prof Wilkins supported local authorities across the country with their Covid response.

She takes over at the NHS Foundation Trust from Dennis Dunn, now High Sheriff of Cheshire.

Previously chief executive of Oldham Council and accountable officer for NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group, Prof Wilkins was awarded an OBE in June 2016 for her services to local government and public service reform.

Deaf actors sign up for Shakespeare STAGE and TV star Charlotte Arrowsmith is helping deaf children fall in love with Shakespeare.

Charlotte, the first deaf actor to star in a mainstream Royal Shakespeare Company production, is filming scenes from one of the Bard’s best-loved plays, Macbeth, in British Sign Language.

She and fellow deaf actors are part of a pioneering project from the RSC and University of Birmingham academics to make Shakespeare more accessible to deaf children in schools.

VISUAL PROBLEMS 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

There currently aren’t any standardised BSL signs for many character names in Shakespeare’s plays, so the experts created signs which could be integrated into the BSL performance.

For example, the sign name for Macbeth uses a combination of the sign for ‘ruler’, the BSL sign for the letter M and a claw-like hand-shape – which alludes to the dragon that one of the actors found on the crest for the Macbeth clan.

Dr Abigail Rokison-Woodall, who co-led the Signing Shakespeare project and is the

parent of a deaf child, said: “Shakespeare, as well as being a compulsory part of the curriculum in England, is part of our national identity, so it is wrong that for so many young people they can’t be as involved with Shakespeare as other students, simply because the resources aren’t there.

“It was important that we made Signing Shakespeare engaging and exciting so that students would enjoy the experience of learning about the play.” n www.rsc.org.uk

HELP AT THE END OF A PHONE

n CARLISLE: Action for Blind People Tel 01228 595121 n 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 or 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 HEARING ISSUES 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 SOUTHPORT Centre for the Deaf Tel 01704 537001 n ST HELENS: Deafness Resource Centre Tel 01744 23887 n WOLVERHAMPTON Centre for Deaf Tel 01902

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CARERS’ CENTRES

n ACCRINGTON Tel 01254 387 444 n BLACKBURN with DARWEN Tel 01254 688 www.bwdcarers.org n BLACKPOOL Blackpool Borough Council, Tel 01253 477 716 nCUMBRIA Carlisle.

Tel 01228 542 156 Penrith.

Tel 01768 890 280 Barrow-in-Furness.

Tel 01229 822 822 Kendal.

Tel 01539 732 927 Whitehaven, Tel 01946 592 223 n CHESHIRE & WARRINGTON Helpline:0300 102 0008 n KNOWSLEY Tel 0151 549 1412 n LANCASTER Tel 01524 66475 nLIVERPOOL Tel 0151 705 2307 n MANCHESTER Tel 0161 835 2995 n MORECAMBE Tel 01524 833456 n PRESTON Tel 01772 200173 n RUNCORN Tel 01928 580182 n WIDNES Tel 0151 257 9673 n SALFORD Tel 0161 833 0217 n SEFTON Tel 0151 288 6060 n ST HELENS Tel 01744 675 615 n STOCKPORT Tel 0161 442 0442 n WARRINGTON (WIRED) Tel 01925 633 492 n WEST LANCS Tel 01695 711243 n WIGAN & LEIGH Tel 01942 705959 / 486923 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM Tel 0121 675 8000 n SOLIHULL Tel 0121 788 1143 n WALSALL Tel 01922 610 810 NORTH WALES n ANGLESEY Tel 01248 722828 n BANGOR Tel 01248 370 797 n CONWY Tel 01492 533714 n DENBIGHSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 0845 603 3187 nDOLGELLAU Tel 01341 421167 n FLINTSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 01352 751436 n WREXHAM CARERS SERVICE

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2 50, 000

18 All Together NOW!

READERS . . . BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER JULY-AUGUST 2023

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

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

– Donald Pow, MD, Allied Mobility

“WE HAD a brilliant response to your article about our Atrial Fibrillation Ambassador programme – and lots of people phoned us to find out how they could become an AF Ambassador. Thanks to All Together NOW! many more people with an irregular heart rhythm will now be detected, get the right medication and this will prevent them from having strokes.”

— NHS Innovation Agency

“WE HAVE proudly advertised in All Together NOW! for over 12 years. It is an excellent newspaper, with endless, interesting and helpful facts for all readers.

We have always received great responses to our advertisements.

The newspaper is freely available to so many people throughout the North West and is appreciated by so many.

Heather Maddox, A-Line Mobility

“All Together NOW! is a valuable link to hundreds of thousands of disabled people. We have used this free charity newspaper to promote the services of our mobility shops and the annual Disability Awareness Day and know that it is reaching huge numbers of people who otherwise would go uniformed.”

— Dave Thompson Warrington Disability Partnership

REACHING PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ONLINE

More than a newspaper – the key to independence

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

— Louise Beardmore, Customer Services Director United Utilities

facebook.com/ AllTogetherNews/

@ATNnews

You can benefit from our in-paper and online audiences with cost-effective advertising and sponsorship.

Your advertisement will be

250,000

local, seen by and highly relevant readers – don't let your business miss out on our huge audience!

Contact me now

Helen McLoughlin Tel 0151 929 3912 07511 839397 helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

“WE HAVE supported All Together NOW! for the past 15 years and are proud to be one of the charity’s main sponsors – recognition for the way in which the newspaper helps bring together so many people and organisations. There is no doubting the importance of this excellent publication. All Together NOW! makes a unique contribution to improving the quality of life of disabled people and their families. We are delighted with the huge progress the paper has made, and we know from the number of telephone calls we receive from people who have read the paper that distribution is on the increase and is reaching the right audience.”

Steve Morgan CBE, chairman Steve Morgan Foundation

www.alltogethernow.org.uk Registered Charity: 1106387

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

JULY-AUGUST 2023

Scientists mimic hit fantasy in battle with Parkinsons

Bid to stop damage by misdiagnosis

ON THE BUTTON!

A

They are turning skin cells donated by people with the condition back into stem cells using a combination of “reprogramming factors”.

This will allow a team at Cardiff University to investigate how cells in the brain deteriorate in those with the condition – information that could lead to earlier and better targeted treatments.

Stem cells have the potential to become almost any other cell in the body, making them a good tool for studying conditions like Parkinson’s, as they can make the brain more accessible.

This method of producing stem cells has been likened to something out of the 2008 fantasy movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, in which Brad Pitt plays a character who ages in reverse.

Explaining how they are created, Dr Beccano-Kelly, who is leading the study, said: “In essence they regress to their original form before starting to develop again. You’re taking the skin cells and you’re pushing them all the way back to that stem cell state in a way that’s Benjamin Button-esque. You’ve pushed them all the way to their origin.

“You’ve reset the computer effectively. It’s a fantastic piece of technology and it’s really useful because it’s giving us human cells to

Feelgood fitness videos whatever your symptoms A NEW series of fitness videos are designed to help people with Parkinson’s be as active as possible.

The Parkinson’s UK charity has joined forces with digital workout creator, 1FitLife, to produce the online videos, featuring specialist physiotherapists, as well as people living with Parkinson’s.

With high intensity, moderate and low impact

workouts, they are suitable for people with mild symptoms and those for whom the disease has progressed, as well as those with complex severe symptoms.

All the videos are designed to be upbeat and positive, and each includes modifications and seated exercise options.

Tim Morton, of Parkinson’s UK said: “Evidence shows being active for two and a

work with a human disease. It can’t be used to turn back time in the people with Parkinson’s. But what it does allow is for us to reset the cells and assess them as they age!”

The three-year study is being funded by a £325,000 grant from Parkinson’s UK. Dr Beccano-Kelly, added: “The communication between cells and how the cells get rid of old proteins within the cells are both things that are known to be affected in Parkinson’s. But we don’t know how they interact with one another.

19

MEDICAL NOTES

PIONEERING: “Benjamin Button-esque” hope for treatments

TEAM of top scientists is aiming to develop better treatments for Parkinson’s with a pioneering study that uses a “Benjamin Button” reverse ageing technique.

All Together NOW!

half hours a week or more can help manage Parkinson’s symptoms.

“And the community are increasingly telling us that physical activity, especially vigorous workouts, are helping them temporarily alleviate symptoms.

“We are excited to see what future research reveals, but it is clear that physical activity has a positive impact.” www.fitlife.com

“We think that those two functions actually directly relate to one another so we’ll be looking at that using some really cool wonderful techniques that will allow us to see if there is a direct link between those two things.

“I’m optimistic that a cure for Parkinson’s will be found eventually. I think that the work that we’re doing brings us ever closer to understanding the different aspects of the condition.”

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

A NEW organisation has been created support people with autoimmune diseases.

The Autoimmune Support and Awareness Foundation UK aims to “support, transform and save” the lives of those affected.

It was set up by Asal Shirazi – who has nine different autoimmune conditions – as a direct response to the lack of information available for sufferers, combined with the limited training provided for medical professionals.

An autoimmune disorder occurs when a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks their own body.

There are nearly 100 identified autoimmune diseases, and they include MS, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, endometriosis, asthma, autism, Parkinson’s, Crohn’s, eczema and psoriasis.

In the UK, 7% of the population, or four million people, are known to live with at least one autoimmune condition.

There is generally no cure, but the symptoms can be managed.

Asal was initially misdiagnosed which led to more internal damage, affecting her physical and mental health.

She said: “It’s all down to awareness and education. We need everyone to be able to spot the signs and be able to access the right kind of tests quickly.” n Tel. 0800 804 7142 n www.asafoundation.org.uk

A second chance

SCIENTISTS have received new funding to improve survival rates for secondary breast cancer in the brain.

Patients from six cancer centres across the UK, including Liverpool and Manchester, are being recruited for a study co-funded by secondary breast cancer charity Make 2nds Count.

The £220K grant will enable researchers to investigate asymptomatic patients for brain metastases in the hope that early detection will improve survival rates.

Secondary breast cancer claims 1,000 lives each month in the UK. Professor David Cameron, chairman of the Make 2nds Count board of trustees, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to fund this initial research which we believe could lead to more positive outcomes for greater numbers of patients.”

The study is expected to last for up to three years and led by Professor Carlo Palmieri, Professor of translational oncology at The University of Liverpool and a consultant at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, and Dr Sara Meade, consultant oncologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust.

20 All Together NOW!

JULY-AUGUST 2023

BOX OFFICE CONTACTS

Until Aug 27: The Great Gatsby.

Dolphin Pub, Mold. Here’s your invitation to the best roaring 1920s party ever! Theatr Clwyd’s hit show returns and this is going to be the afterparty of the century. Cocktails are flowing in an era of bootleg liquor and red-hot jazz. 1920s dress code encouraged; dancing shoes recommended! Signed, July 22, Aug 23; audio described, Jul 28, Aug 25.

Until Aug 27: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre. Storyhouse, Chester.

Jul 4-22: Alice in Wonderland.

Playhouse, Liverpool. A funked-up remix of Lewis Carroll’s classic, where musical streams and digital dreams collide in a riotous adventure for all the family!

Jul 4-8: Heathers the Musical.

Empire, Liverpool. Westerberg High’s Veronica Sawyer is just another nobody dreaming of a better day. But when she joins the beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers and her dreams of popularity may finally come true, mysterious teen rebel JD teaches her that it might kill to be a nobody, but it is murder being a somebody. Also at Palace, Manchester, Aug 8-12.

Jul 4-8: Titanic the Musical. The Lowry, Salford. In the final hours of 14 April 1912, the RMS Titanic, on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, collided with an iceberg.

The “unsinkable ship” slowly sank.

1,517 men, women and children lost their lives. Also at Empire, Liverpool, Jul 24-29.

Jul 7: Steve Steinman’s Anything for Love. Grand, Blackpool. The Meat Loaf story.

Jul 8: Arabs Are Not Funny.

Royal Court, Liverpool. One of the hottest comedy nights among the Arab community and beyond!

Jul 8: Oh, What a Night. Venue Cymru, Llandudno. A musical journey through the incredible career of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

Jul 10-15: The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Lyceum, Crewe.

Jul 10-15: Greatest Days. Empire, Liverpool.

The Take That musical following five boy band obsessed best friends in the 1990s, who reunite over 20 years later to see their heartthrobs one last time in what could be the greatest days of their lives.

Jul 11-30: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Palace, Manchester. Escape to a world of pure imagination. Based on the iconic story, this spectacular stage show combines the memorable songs from the original 1970s film (The Candy Man and Pure Imagination) with all new numbers from the multi award-winning songwriters of Hairspray.

Jul 11-15: TONY! (The Tony Blair Rock Opera). Storyhouse, Chester.

Jul 11-15: Matthew Bourne’s Romeo & Juliet. The Lowry, Salford.

Jul 12-15: Abigail’s Party. Venue Cymru, Llandudno. In her suburban living room, Beverly prepares for the arrival of her guests. She and husband, Laurence, are playing host to neighbours Angela,

BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre: 01253 290190 BOLTON Octagon: 01204 520661 CHESTER Storyhouse: 01244 409 113 CREWE Lyceum: 01270 368 242 LIVERPOOL Empire: 08444 999 999 Everyman & Playhouse: 0151 709 4776 Philharmonic Hall: 0151 709 3789 Royal Court: 0870 787 1866 Unity 0151 709 4988 LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru: 01492 872000 MOLD: Theatr Clwyd: 0845 3303565

MANCHESTER Opera House: 0870 401 9000 Palace: 0870 401 3000 SALFORD The Lowry: 0843 208 6000 Access line: 0333 320 2838 NEW BRIGHTON Floral Pavilion: 0151 666 0000 RHYL: Pavilion: 01745 330 000 RUNCORN The Brindley: 0151 907 8360 ST HELENS: Theatre Royal: 01744 756000 STOKE: Regent Theatre: 0844 871 7627 CHESTER: Storyhouse: 01244 409 113

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Strictly for fun

THOSE WONDERFUL Tony, and Sue. As the alcohol flows and the nibbles are handed around, Mike Leigh’s ruthless, achingly funny examination of 1970s British life begins…

Jul 13-14: Seussical JR. Regent, Stoke.

Jul 13-14: Scousewives: Susan and Nessa Movin’ On. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Jul 13: The Very Best of Tommy Cooper. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Daniel Taylor wearing the big man’s Fez. Also at Grand, Blackpool, Jul 23.

Jul 14: Simon & Garfunkel – Through the Years. Octagon, Bolton. Tribute show.

Jul 12-16: Waterloo and Crosby Theatre Company present School of Rock. Merchant Taylors Boys School, Crosby. Matinees, Jul 15/16. Tel .0151 318 0833. www.theatreco.org.uk Jul 15: Don’t Stop Queen Now. Octagon, Bolton. Tribute show.

Jul 15: Him & Me: Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice. Regent, Stoke.

Jul 16: Him & Me. Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice. The Lowry, Salford. Also at Empire, Liverpool, Jul 20.

Jul 16: The Elvis Tribute Artist World Tour.

Empire, Liverpool.

Jul 18-13: Six. Opera House, Manchester.

To advertise, contact . . .

BBC TV’s Strictly Come Dancing celebs Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice have teamed up for their spectacular tour – Him & Me! Joined by a cast of dancers and singers, the Ballroom King and the Jive Master have put together a show that’s guaranteed to lift your spirits.

Jul 15: Regent, Stoke.

Jul 16: The Lowry, Salford.

Jul 19: Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

Jul 20: Empire, Liverpool.

Musical. From Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing 500 years of historical heartbreak into an 80-minute celebration of 21st century girl power.

Jul 18: Morrisey. Empire, Liverpool. A night to remember with the former Smiths’ legend.

Jul 19: Him & Me. Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice. Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

Jul 19: When You’re Smiling. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Neil Sands and his West End cast back with a nostalgic afternoon of music.

Jul 20: An Evening of Burlesque. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Jul 20: Him & Me. Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice. Empire, Liverpool.

Jul 21-25: Faulty Towers Dining Experience.

Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Jul 21: Divas. The Brindley, Runcorn.Tribute show.

Jul 21: Totally Tina. Pavilion, Rhyl. Tribute show.

Jul 21: 80s Live. Empire, Liverpool.

Jul 21: Legend: The Music of Bob Marley.

Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

Jul 21: Calling Planet Earth. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. New romantic symphony that goes on a journey through one of the greatest

musical eras of all time – the electrifying ‘80s.

July 22: Summer of Love: Bee Gees.

Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. Dust off your disco gear, dig out those sunglasses and boogie as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and a team of star West End vocalists celebrate the groove, the era and the legend that was the Bee Gees.

Jul 22: Jurassic Live. Empire, Liverpool.

Beware – dinosaurs are on the march – and in flight – in Lime Street.

Jul 22: Gary & Robbie. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Tribute show.

July 22: Romeo and Macbeth. Theatr Clwyd, Mold. Both shows performed by four actors.

(2pm and 7.30pm).

Jul 23: Luther. Empire, Liverpool. Luther Vandross celebration.

Jul 23: Fanny Galore’s Big Bingo Party.

Lyceum, Crewe.

Jul 24-29: Titanic the Musical. Empire, Liverpool.

Jul 24-26: Winnie the Pooh. Opera House, Manchester.

Jul 25-26: Time Vine – Breeep! The Lowry, Salford. Also, Lyceum, Crewe, Jul 27.

Jul 27-29: Message in a Bottle. The Lowry, Salford. Extraordinary new dance show.

helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

JULY-AUGUST 2023

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Beatles tributes at the double

B

EATLES fans from all over the world will be flocking to Liverpool for the annual International Beatleweek.

Two highlights of the week are topping the bill at the Philharmonic Hall.

On Aug 25, Dutch band The Analogues take to the stage. No wigs, no costumes, but an obsessive attention to authentic musical detail.

Next day, it’s the turn of The Fab Four.

Deemed America’s finest Beatles’ tribute band, you can expect uncanny note-for-note live renditions.

International Beatleweek, August 23-29

Boss is toast

DEVILISHLY Good Food is just your average, everyday, normal caff. Regular staff and regular hours for Mandy and Shannon.

Browned off

AFTER hearing a plot by her children to have her put into a home, Agnes decides to prove them wrong by displaying a new lease of life.

However, this is not as easy as it seems.

Aug 30: Mrs Brown’s Boys – Mrs Brown Rides Again.

Opera House, Manchester. Also at Empire, Liverpool, Sep 20-23.

SUMMER NIGHTS They need to get the doors open for the customers but there is a bit of cleaning up to do first. Well, a lot of cleaning up, really. They’ve just murdered their boss . . .

Jul 28-Aug 26: Greasy Spoon, Royal Court, Liverpool

Jul 28-Aug 26: A Greasy Spoon.

Royal Court, Liverpool. Quick-fire comedy about two women having the worst day of their lives will have you laughing all night long. Get your order in now.

Jul 28: Rhythm of the Dance. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. The National Dance Company of Ireland.

Jul 28: The ELO Experience. Opera House, Manchester. Tribute show.

Jul 29: Cirque – The Greatest Show. Grand, Blackpool. The smash-hit musical. Also at The Lowry, Salford, Aug 3-4; here again, Aug 12-13; and Theatre Royal, St Helens, Sep 3.

Jul 29: Encato in Concert. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. Disney’s film comes to life in a UK tour for the first time ever, featuring the entire feature-length film with a full orchestra performing the score.

Jul 31-Aug 2: Rock for Heroes. Grand, Blackpool.

Aug 1-12: Shrek the Musical. Opera House, Manchester. Join the adventure as Shrek and Donkey endeavour to complete their new quest, finding unexpected friendships and surprising romance along the way.

Aug 1-3: Time of our Lives. Grand, Blackpool.

Classic soundtracks of the movies of the 80s.

Aug 2: An Evening of Burlesque. The Lowry, Salford.

Aug 2: Joe Pasquale: The New Normal; 40 Years of Cack. Lyceum, Crewe.

Aug 3-4: Cirque: The Greatest Show. The Lowry, Salford.

Aug 4: Magic of Motown. Grand, Blackpool.

Aug 5-6: They All Came Tumbling Down.

Valley Community Theatre, Liverpool. The story of the notorious Netherley flats – and the dreams of working class families that turned sour. Tel. 07746 697263. Tickets: www.valleytheatre.co.uk Aug 5: Bridesmaids of Britain. Regent, Stoke.

Will this wedding story have a happy ending, or will these best friends rip each other apart?

Aug 5: Queen by Candlelight. Empire, Liverpool. Tribute show.

Aug 5: Hayley Ellis – Hayley’s Comic. Royal Court, Liverpool.

Aug 8-12: Blood Brothers. Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Willy Russell’s musical tale of twins separated at birth, who grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences. Weekday matinees.

Aug 8-12: Heathers the Musical.

Palace, Manchester. The black comedy rock musical based on the 1988 film. Westerberg High’s

Veronica Sawyer is just another nobody dreaming of a better day. But when she joins the beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers her dreams of popularity may finally come true.

Aug 11: Magic of the Bee Gees. Grand, Blackpool.

Aug 12-13: Cirque – The Greatest Show.

Grand, Blackpool.

Aug 12: Gary Murphy presents Music and Laughter. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Ricky Tomlinson and Sean Styles join the top guitarist.

Aug 17-19: La Bamba! The Lowry, Salford.

Musical.

Aug 17: The Wizard of Oz. Pavilion, Rhyl.

Aug 18-20: Grease. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Musical. Youth production.

Aug 18: The Upbeat Beatles. Grand, Blackpool.

Aug 18: Legally Blonde. Empire, Liverpool.

The Empire’s Youth Theatre are back with the smash-hit romantic musical.

Aug 19: Thank You for the Music. Grand, Blackpool. Abba tribute show.

Aug 19: The Musicals in Concert. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Stars from the West End perform some of the best musical hits.

Aug 20: Jurassic Earth. Lyceum, Crewe.

Aug 20: Ireland the Show! Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. A journey through the decades of

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

21

dance, music and comedy.

Aug 22-23: Jurassic Live. Regent, Stoke.

Aug 24: The Magic of Motown. Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

Aug 25: A Country Night in Nashville. Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

Aug 25: The Analogues. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. This is are anything but a typical Beatles’ tribute band. Their mission: to play those iconic, never-performed Beatles’ albums live. No wigs, no costumes, but an obsessive attention to authentic musical detail, using the same vintage instruments and sounds.

Aug 26: The Diana Ross Story. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Aug 26: The Fab Four. Philharmonic Hall, You can expect precise attention to detail and uncanny note-for-note live renditions of Beatles’ classics.

Aug 26: Barry Steele and Friends – The Roy Orbison Story. Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

Aug 26: The Diana Ross Story. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Aug 29-Sep 2: Darren Brown presents Unbelievable. Palace, Manchester. New show starring a multi-talented cast of seven who perform magic like you have never seen.

Aug 30: Mrs Brown’s Boys – Mrs Brown Rides Again. Opera House, Manchester. After hearing a plot, by her children, to have her put into a home, Also at Empire, Liverpool, Sep 20-23.

Aug 31-Sep 3: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Grand, Blackpool. New production from Blackpool-based Ensemble Theatre.

Aug 31: Rave On: The Rise of Rock and Roll. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Sep 1: An Evening of Burlesque. Pavilion, Rhyl.

Sep 1: ELO Again. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Tribute show.

Sep 1: Soul Train. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Sep 1: Lost in Music. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Sep 2: The ELO Tribute Show. Pavilion, Rhyl.

Sep 2: An Audience with Rory Stewart. The Lowry, Salford.

Sep 2: Fastlove. Lyceum, Crewe. The music of George Michael.

Sep 2: Pinked Floyd. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Tribute show.

Sep 2: The Jerseys. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. The timeless music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

Sep 2: A Tribute to the Carpenters. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Sep 2: Killer Rhapsody: A Night of Queen.

The Brindley, Runcorn. Tribute show.

Sep 2: Simply Dylan. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. The songs of Bob Dylan.

Sep 2: The Serial Killer Next Door with Emma Kenny. Empire, Liverpool.

Sep 3: Loose Women. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. Kaye Adams, Nadia Sawalha, Denise Welch and Sunetra Sarker share their stories.

Sep 3: Cirque – The Greatest Show. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Sep 4: 42nd Street. Empire, Liverpool. It’s big, it’s bright and it’s a brand-new production of the original musical.

Sep 5: Elkie Brooks. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Sep 5: Luther – Luther Vandross Celebration. Opera House, Manchester.

Sep 6: The Makings of a Murder. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Continued Page 22

22 All Together NOW!

JULY-AUGUST 2023

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ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)

n Continued from Page 21

Sep 6: The Illegal Eagles. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Sep 7: An Evening with the Dexys.

Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. Dexys bring you their new record in full alongside a selection of classic hits.

Sep 7: Learning to Fly. Theatr Clwyd. Bighearted, tender and hilarious tory of a lonely teenager, a scary old lady in living in a spooky house, and her last wish to get high before she dies.

Sep 8-30: A View from the Bridge. Octagon, Bolton. Arthur Miller's timeless masterpiece.

Beatrice and Eddie Carbone have built an allAmerican life in Brooklyn where people are meant to look out for each other. When wife and husband agree to take in their relations – two hard-working Sicilian immigrants – the family should pull together. Instead, everything starts to unravel. Eddie included.

Sep 8: Northern Soul. Pavilion, Rhyl.

Sep 8: Fascinating Aida – The 40th Anniversary Show. Storyhouse, Chester.

Sep 8: I Like It! Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Tribute to Gerry Marsden.

Sep 8: The 80s Show. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Sep 8: Loose Women. Opera House, Manchester.

Sep 8: Piece of Work. Theatr Clwyd.

When James receives a letter that explodes into his life, a search begins to save a life.

Sep 9: Magic of the Dance. Pavilion, Rhyl.

Strictly’s Ian Waite and Vincent Simone.

Sep 9: Rachel Fairburn. Showgirl. Opera House, Manchester.

Sep 10: Cirque – The Greatest Show. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Sep 10: Lipstick on your Collar. The Brindley, Runcorn. Music from the 50s and 60s.

Sep 10: Some Guys Have All the Luck.

Grand, Blackpool. Rod Stewart story.

Sep 10: Alexander O’Neal: Time to Say Goodbye Farewell Tour. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. Soul star O’Neal is hitting the road one final time with his exemplary 9-piece band.

Sep 10: Calling Planet Earth. Venue Cymru, Llandudno. A New Romantic Symphony that goes on a musical journey through – the electrifying 80s.

Sep 11-23: Jesus Christ Superstar. Palace, Manchester. the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ, as seen through the eyes of Judas.

Sep 11: The Magic of the Dance. Grand, Blackpool. Strictly’s Ian Waite and Vincent Simone.

Sep 11: Showbiz. The Brindley, Runcorn.

Sep 12-16: SIX the Musical. Storyhouse, Chester.

Sep 12-16: Faith Healer. Theatr Clwyd. In a Welsh village the sick come in search of a cure. They want a moment with Frank, the mercurial showman, who offers hope and salvation.

Matinees Sep 14 and 16.

travel to a place that has always had an air of mystery for you. Getting into an argument will be cause for regret; you don’t want to make an enemy of this person. A tense domestic situation ends in August, thanks to the Full Moon. Your best friend or business partner’s erratic behaviour affects your morale; it’s time to set some firm boundaries. On the 16th, the New Moon warns against going public with information. An intense connection on the 25th will prompt you to pursue a lifelong dream. A partnership will become more secure starting on the 29th.

Spending time with family makes you feel treasured, secure and fulfilled. It’s a good time for a reunion. Taking a relaxing vacation is advised; if you keep working at the same rate, you’ll suffer from burnout. An oppressive authority figure will try to crush your spirit. Don’t give them the satisfaction. Neither a lender nor a borrower be in August; the Full Moon makes mixing friendship with finance disastrous. On the 16th, the New Moon warns against taking an emotional or financial risk. It’s better to take a conservative approach. Your diligence will pay off on the 25th. Shift your attention to relationships on the 27th; you’re overdue for some cosy companionship.

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st) Your earthy sense of humour makes a great impression. Making friends with thoughtful people paves the way for a happier future. The New Moon on the 17th inspires a great idea about rearranging your home. As August arrives, an egotistical family member resents your star power; make it clear that you’re not trying to compete. On the 16th, the New Moon makes you restless. A loved one’s selfish behaviour could take your breath away on the 22nd; it’s time to reassess this relationship. A past love reconnects with you on the 23rd, giving your self-esteem a much-needed boost.

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)

A big windfall could be on the way. Use this money to pay off debts, then put the rest into savings. On the 17th, the New Moon attracts another big financial opportunity. You’ll enjoy working with the most talented experts in the field. People will be much more receptive to your ideas. August’s Full Moon on the 1st brings an end to an adventure that has brought you great joy. Try not to be sad – there will be better days ahead. On the 16th, the New Moon warns against only talking about yourself with a creative person. You’ll learn something important by listening more than you speak.

Nostalgic thoughts prompt you to frame some favourite photos or look at beautiful mementoes on the 23rd.

CANCER (Jun 22nd-Jul 23rd) The 9th is perfect for taking a course in a subject you’ve always loved. Don’t bother getting into a war of words with an authority figure; you have better things to do with your time. An innovator is impressed with your star power; this is the beginning of a great collaboration. The New Moon on the 17th inspires you to adopt an exciting role or change your look in some dramatic way. Rein in your spending. Don’t lend or borrow money on the 7th, or a close friendship could be seriously damaged. You’ll receive a lavish gift on the 13th, making you sigh with happiness. On the 16th, the New Moon attracts a moneymaking opportunity. A second Full Moon on the 31st is perfect for claiming your power as a respected expert.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)

Working behind the scenes boosts your reputation. Money will go out as quickly as it comes on the 10th, but don’t let that bother you.

Getting your ideas across will be easy on the 11th. On the 17th, the New Moon prompts you to take a much-needed rest. Your charisma will be especially strong on the 23rd; use it to your advantage. August’s Full Moon on the 1st brings significant changes to a close relationship. Striking a healthier life-work balance is critical – take a relaxing vacation.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)

RUSSELL GRANT CALLING . . .

Your allure will be especially powerful on the 13th. Ignore a powerful urge to radically change your appearance; the New Moon is tempting you to assume a look that won’t suit you. The second Full Moon on the 31st brings an end to a difficult situation.

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)

Friendship can turn to love; if you’ve developed tender feelings for someone in your social circle, it’s time to confess your crush. Cancelled travel plans fill you with frustration, but you should know that a better plan for getting away is unfolding for you. On the 17th, the New Moon finds you teaming up with a special person who fills you with confidence. August’s Full Moon warns against overdoing it with an exercise routine. The New Moon on the 16th makes you yearn for privacy, but an annoying pest keeps disturbing your peace. Sneak off to a quiet place where nobody can find you. Don’t pressure a dreamer into making a decision before they are ready.

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)

A creative project brings you fame and acclaim; it’s gratifying to be in demand. Don’t let limiting beliefs keep you from pursuing your dream on the 10th. The New Moon on the 17th brings good news. Someone you knew from childhood or a former job will contact you on the 23rd. A friend is about to ask for a loan, but you shouldn’t feel guilty about turning down this request. You could find romance at a party on the 13th. The New Moon on the 16th warns against scattering your energies far and wide. A boost of energy on the 27th helps you realise a big dream. You’ll turn the corner with a demanding health issue on the 31st, courtesy of the second Full Moon.

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)

A close relationship is a source of profound excitement. Listen to your best friend or romantic partner’s advice and take a bold risk.

On the 17th, the New Moon inspires you to

Your personal magnetism is strong and will lead to an exciting offer. Beware of engaging in negative self-talk; replace every critical thought with praise. The New Moon on the 17th finds you forming a close alliance with someone who brings emotional and financial stability. You’ll become more efficient about managing your time on the 28th. The August Full Moon on the 1st makes you reconsider the way you talk to a wild-eyed optimist. The 10th is perfect for signing a contract that draws on your expert knowledge. On the 16th, the New Moon tempts you to venture into unfamiliar territory, but be careful.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)

Beware of imposing your limiting beliefs on your best friend or amour. What seems like a common-sense safety precaution for you is claustrophobic for your loved one. Be open to trying a wild suggestion, even if you’re dealing with someone who has a lot less experience than you. August’s Full Moon brings a cheque that is less than expected. Stick to your guns.

The New Moon on the 16th warns against letting down your guard with someone you don’t know very well. The 23rd brings an opportunity to work with a respected expert you’ve always admired. An old love interest comes back into your life on the 29th.

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)

Don’t let a hot-headed relative criticise your romantic partner; it’s important to set healthy boundaries. Making money from a passion project fills you with joy on the 9th, while the New Moon on the 17th prompts you to launch a health regimen. Beware of lending money to a pushy friend or colleague. A former romantic partner will make their way back into your life on the 23rd. The Full Moon on the 1st marks the end of a role you’ve held for a long time, and on the 9th, your family disapproves of choices you make in your personal life. Setting a healthy boundary is best for everyone involved. The New Moon on the 16th tempts you to embark on a romance, but be careful.

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th)

You should be proud of the progress you’ve made. Your air of mystery draws an admirer into your web of intrigue on the 9th. On the 17th, the New Moon inspires an empowering art project. A business or romantic partner will encourage you to take a risk on the 20th; do it.

It’s time to break out a bit in August. Beware of discouraging your business or romantic partner from developing a bright idea on the 2nd; the more outrageous the notion, the more promising it will be. The New Moon on the 16th warns against launching an extreme fitness regimen. Your best friend will deliver some harsh truths on the 22nd; prepare for a shock.

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T

HOW PLANTS GOT THEIR NAMES . . .

HE influence of John Tradescant the Elder on our gardens is huge.

All Together NOW!

JULY-AUGUST 2023

and North Africa, fighting off pirates on the way.

He was as keen on exotic fruits as flowers and brought back such delights as apricot, cranberry and unusual vines.

Tradescant died in 1638 and is buried in the churchyard at St Mary-atLambeth, across the Thames from the Houses of Parliament – the church is now the Museum of Garden History.

Among his huge range of introductions were daffodils, crocus, gladiolus, jasmine, lavender and

Michaelmas daisies – but not tradescantia, best known in Britain as a trailing houseplant with three-petalled flowers and often with colourful striped leaves, which was collected by his son, John Tradescant the Younger (16081662).

The Tradescant collection, which became even more extensive when added to by Tradescant the Younger, was later given to Oxford University and combined with an older collection to become the famous Ashmolean Museum, which opened in 1683.

. . . TRADESCANTIA

TOP OF THE POTS He was not a designer but introduced numerous plants to Britain and effectively founded the tradition of great British plant-hunters. Yet little is known of his early life.

He was born around 1570, became a gardener and was ultimately appointed keeper of Charles I’s garden in Surrey.

In between, he made seven adventurous journeys as far as Turkey

THRIVING: Well cared for containers – pink pelargoniums (geraniums) and trailing petunias

T

HERE’S a simple key to keeping patio pots pretty, hanging baskets beautiful and window boxes wonderful: tend to them little and often.

It is the best way to enjoy the results of your planting efforts all summer.

Fill a watering can with a half-strength solution of high-potash fertiliser – rose or tomato feed is fine – to promote continuous flowering. Then make a daily tour of inspection with the can, a pair of secateurs and a spray bottle containing insecticide.

The secateurs are for dead-heading, that is trimming off plants’ dying flower heads. In many cases, when blooms die the plant automatically cuts off the hormones which produce flowers and instead starts to set seed. Dead-heading keeps the hormones flowing and the flowers blooming.

Look closely at the foliage, on the surface

and the underside, for the first signs of any aphids or other pests and spray immediately to minimise damage.

All the popular container and bedding flowers such as petunias, lobelias, pelargoniums (geraniums), begonias, sweet peas and pansies benefit from this attention and treatment.

Many varieties of rose, whether shrubs or climbers, will also produce more flowers if dead-headed as soon as petals fade on individual blooms. Trim them to a leaf joint below the dying bloom.

For late summer blooming, sow in early July seeds of quick-growing flowers; night-scented stocks for perfume, and nemesias for colour.

F

OR a tidy looking lawn – despite any patches turned brown by shortage of rain – keep the edges clipped and the whole garden will suddenly look smarter after just a few minutes’ work.

Freshly hoed soil, especially at the border edge, not only controls weeds but adds to that smart appearance. Carried out once or twice a week, hoeing can be a fairly quick task.

As well as dead-heading container and bedding plants, trim perennial border plants and they’ll keep flowering longer.

Dead-headed rhododendrons and azaleas will flower better next year. A little heavier

pruning with shears, over spring-flowering heathers and aubrieta, will encourage the formation of new side shoots bearing flower.

Mulching flower and fruit borders saves work in the long run. A 5cm-8cm (2in-3in) layer of well-rotted organic matter – manure, garden compost, leaf mould or shredded bark – on the soil surface will save water and keep weeds down, and any that grow through will be much easier to pull out.

Mulch can be applied at any time of year but, in summer, is best put on after heavy rain or a thorough watering.

Finally, before going on holiday, don’t leave your garden in full bloom. Snip off all the flowers – tough love, maybe – and your return should be greeted by a fresh flush of blooms rather than a collection of dead flowers.

Donate to the All Together NOW! charity – visit www.alltogethernow.org.uk

23

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

1

★

2

3

4

5

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6

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8 8

9

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11 12

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17 22

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25

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22

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27 28

★ 29

★

31

24

26

25

★

★ 30

32

★

ACROSS

DOWN

1. Graze (6) 4. Stuck (6) 8. Guests (anag.) (6) 10. Card game (6) 11. Legend (5) 12. Open-topped car (6) 14. Stableman (6) 16. Receive wages (4) 17. You (arch.) (4) 19. Cain’s brother (4) 22. Synthetic (4) 26. Yacht station (6) 27. Breathe out (6) 28. Filthy (5) 29. Thinner (6) 30. Incites (4,2) 31. Senile person (6) 32. Complete agreement (6)

1. Spectacles (6) 2. Slightly indecent (6) 3. Like better (6) 5. Anew (6) 6. Centre (6) 7. Gloomy (6) 9. Mountain lake (4) 10. Spot of ink (4) 13. Jewish priest (5) 15. Freshwater fish (5) 18. Sauntered (6) 19. Out-and-out (6) 20. Make beloved (6) 21. Animal’s den (4) 22. Measure (4) 23. Gaseous element (6) 24. Central US state (6) 25. Streamer (6)

The Accumulator Quiz 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 which forest did the fabled outlaw Robin Hood and his band of merry men live?

A Nutwood B Epping C Sherwood D Arden

QUESTION 10 – for 10 points: Which of the following is the name given to a young hare?

QUESTION 2 – for 2 points: What is the prevalent colour of the shirts worn by the Dutch international soccer team?

A Red B Blue C Orange D White

QUESTION 11 – for 11 points: Which price comparison website’s adverts feature the character Aleksandr Orlov?

QUESTION 3 – for 3 points: What is the points value of the blank tile in Scrabble?

A Zero B Five C Ten D Twenty

QUESTION 12 – for 12 points: In which American state are the towns of Norfolk and Suffolk?

A B C D

A B C D

QUESTION 7 – for 7 points: Big Brother and The Voice UK presenter Emma Willis married a member of which long-standing boy band?

QUESTION 4 – for 4 points: In which country is the port of Bilbao?

A Portugal B Spain C Argentina D Brazil

A B C D

QUESTION 5 – for 5 points: How many balls are used in the game of billiards?

A Two B Three C Four D Six QUESTION 6 – for 6 points: Which novel by Charles Dickens ends with the words: “God bless us, every one”?

A The Pickwick Papers B Oliver Twist C A Christmas Carol D Little Dorrit

2 9 4

8 9

7 2 2 4 9 3 5

8

5 3

6 5 9 1 8 7 5 6

1

9 6

4 5

2

6 9

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2 6 5 9 4

1 4

6

Virginia Pennsylvania Illinois North Carolina

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner Tom Cruise and Katy Holmes Beyoncé Knowles and Jay Z Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr

A B C D

An oval emblem bearing Egyptian writing An elaborate coffin A four-wheeled carriage A Greek pillar

QUESTION 9 – for 9 points: Which type of fruit has varieties called Careless and Invicta?

QUESTION 15 – for 15 points: In which year was the Open University established?

A B C D

A B C D

Gooseberry Strawberry Greengage Raspberry

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.

DIFFICULT

moneysupermarket.com confused.com moneysavingexpert.com comparethemarket.com

QUESTION 14 – for 14 points: What is a cartouche?

A shepherd’s crook A leg of mutton A rustler A type of knot

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.

4

A B C D

QUESTION 8 – for 8 points: Which of the following is a sheepshank?

A B C D

Elver Leveret Eyas Whelp

QUESTION 13 – for 13 points: Which celebrity couple have a daughter called Blue Ivy?

Busted Take That Westlife McFly

KAKURO

EASY

A B C D

TV presenter Emma Willis. See Question 7

SUDOKU

9 8 2 1 9 6 5 4 9 8 4 1 6 3 5 7 1 3 7 3 6 1 8

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JULY-AUGUST 2023

1959 1964 1969 1974

MEDIUM 15

23

17

14 33

4

28 24 3

23

14 6

13 23

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27 7 29 17

16

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

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

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

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

7

(

LOIN

–––––

CAP

2 ABC

3 DEF

4 GHI

5 JKL

6 MNO

7 PQRS

8 TUV

9 WXYZ

1. breeds of domestic cat 742 637 312 428 743 172 436 551 626 912 748 474 174 678 424 712 876 373 173 774 261 787 742 612 583 172 688 474 136 531 742 374 261 774 969

2. EastEnders characters 528 175 283 717 427 661 928 871 426 123 253 174 451 648 243 551 253 431 666 613 364 731 369 162 912 726 646 413 284 319 425 713 681 268 866

3. pairs of lovers 266 643 126 312 593 317 274 712 631 435 361 343 612 631 236 327 176 636 126 315 854 381 376 712 631 779 243 162 765 366 126 315 673 744 63

4. cocktails 379 162 784 641 427 839 192 552 264 371 444 422 551 787 891 624 517 465 144 617 273 937 483 717 464 276 731 754 641 626 428 826 132 478 474

5. races and speed contests 276 771 268 687 916 272 846 616 278 225 314 273 126 314 686 371 943 352 277 691 735 291 722 518 742 845 661 752 566 177 746 818 463 187 425

6. small creatures 726 774 661 624 468 164 554 733 318 272 688 521 762 451 327 944 153 284 375 225 381 966 356 873 178 425 146 732 812 368 473 331 262 576 224

PATHWORDS

SPOT CHECK

Starting from the central shaded letter, move one letter at a time (up, down, right or left, but not diagonally) to find 17 condiments.

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 12?

C

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A

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D

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UPPER

–––––

PROUD

THICK

–––

PIECE

SLEEP

–––––

SHOD

U H U C R A TRANSFORMER

GET

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LIFE

BACK

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STICK

6

SNAPHAUNCE

F

D

1) A blue and orange coloured butterfly, with a distinctive elongated wing shape;

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

A

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C

WORD WIZARD

2

1

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

1 []’–

Spaces and any punctuation marks are represented by 1.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

1

25

DIALLING CODES

CROSS CODE

All Together NOW!

JULY-AUGUST 2023

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

1. Prince William Arthur Philip Louis is born, becoming second in line to the British throne.

2) A flintlock, or a weapon with a flintlock;

2. The partial remains of the Tudor warship Mary Rose are lifted from the seabed at the entrance to Portsmouth harbour.

3) A fastening device used on corsets in Elizabethan times.

3. The Thames flood barrier at Woolwich becomes operational.

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

Clue: Increase the noise made by a mass of fog.

WAS IT? a) 1978; b) 1980; c) 1982; d) 1984; e) 1986.

____ +C=C____

ALL THE ANSWERS Pathwords: salt; ketchup; mustard; pepper; mayonnaise; barbecue sauce; jam; chutney; salad cream; pickle; mint sauce; sugar; butter; brown sauce; vinegar; wasabi; honey.

6 2 5 4 1 8 3 7 9

9 1 4 7 2 3 6 5 8

8 3 7 9 6 5 1 2 4

2 9 8 1 3 6 5 4 7

SUDOKU EASY

5 6 1 8 4 7 9 3 2

7 4 3 2 5 9 8 6 1

1 5 2 6 9 4 7 8 3

4 7 6 3 8 1 2 9 5

3 8 9 5 7 2 4 1 6

9 8 4 6 7 2 5 1 3

7 3 6 5 1 8 4 9 2

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SUDOKU DIFFICULT

6 7 9 1 8 5 3 2 4

1 4 3 2 6 9 8 7 5

2 5 8 7 3 4 1 6 9

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2

9

5

8 7 7

9

1

5 14 3 28

27

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7 9 16

23

13

1

2

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KAKURO MEDIUM

8 9 6 23

3 5 6 2 1 17

7 8 9 24

Accumulator Quiz 1 – C; 2 – C; 3 – A; 4 – B; 5 – B; 6 – C; 7 – A; 8 – D; 9 – A; 10 – B; 11 – D; 12 – A; 13 – C; 14 – A; 15 – C. Starspot Crossword Across – 1 Scrape; 4 Jammed; 8 Gusset; 10 Bridge; 11 Fable; 12 Tourer; 14 Ostler; 16 Earn; 17 Thee; 19 Abel; 22 Mock; 26 Marina; 27 Exhale; 28 Dirty; 29 Leaner; 30 Eggs on; 31 Dotard; 32 Unison.

Down – 1 Sights; 2 Risqué; 3 Prefer; 5 Afresh; 6 Middle; 7 Dreary; 9 Tarn; 10 Blot; 13 Rabbi; 15 Tench; 18 Ambled; 19 Arrant; 20 Endear; 21 Lair; 22 Mete; 23 Oxygen; 24 Kansas; 25 Pennon.

Star Name: CHRIS MARTIN

Word Wizard No 2 is correct. A snaphaunce is a flintlock.

Dialling Codes 1. Siamese; Chausie; Ragdoll; Manx; British Shorthair; Burmese; Persian; Russian Blue; Scottish Fold; Siberian; Sphynx.

2. Kat Slater; Sharon Watts; Ian Beale; Phil Mitchell; Alfie Moon; Denise Fox; Max Branning; David Wicks; Dot Cotton.

3. Bonnie and Clyde; Paris and Helen; Dido and Aeneas; Romeo and Juliet; Eros and Psyche; Napoleon and Josephine.

4. dry martini; Harvey Wallbanger; highball; rusty nail; pink gin; screwdriver; Singapore Sling;

Manhattan; daiquiri.

5. cross-country; marathon; obstacle; hare and hounds; wheelbarrow; relay; sack; triathlon; slalom; sprint; time trial.

6. scorpion; maggot; millipede; tarantula; snail; earwig; leatherjacket; woodlouse; stick insect; centipede; cockroach.

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

Missing Link cloth; house; ear; rough; real; yard.

Fruit: cherry.

Make a Date The year was 1982.

Transformer Loud + C = Cloud.

Portraits Weddings Commercial Print sales Tuitian Picture Framing Photo Restoration Studio Hire.

255 Seabank Road, New Brighton, Wallasey, Merseyside, CH45 1HE. Tel: 0151 638 0412 Email: ken@42multimedia.co.uk

26 All Together NOW!

JULY-AUGUST 2023

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Wartime contributions too often overlooked Nowhere untouched by conflict

LEFT: The German Zeppelin in Widnes

RIGHT: Women had key role in war effort

KEN PYE’s latest book, Even More Merseyside Tales, is available in all good bookshops or from Ken directly – as are all of his books and factsheets.

Contact details, below.

HEROES IN EVERY TOWN

L

IVERPOOL’S wartime history – especially the city’s battering in the Blitz – is well known.

But a few miles upstream, on opposite banks of the River Mersey, Runcorn and Widnes played their part in the major military conflicts of the 20th century.

During the First World War, large numbers of men from the towns served with the armed forces. Many fought and many died.

Most of the factories in the area contributed significantly to the production of goods and munitions for the war effort, so some local men were in reserved occupations during the conflict. Older children, too, worked in the munitions factories.

However, large numbers of women played an often overlooked role, and it is important to acknowledge and remember their contribution, too.

Although the First World War was mostly fought on the continent,

in 1918 two 1916 for bravery bombs were in the face of dropped on enemy fire and Widnes by a for singleGerman handedly Zeppelin air capturing over balloon. Both 100 German bombs fell in soldiers. the area of Also awarded Bold and the Victoria Cross fortunately was Flight there were no Sergeant Thomas casualties.

Mottershead Today there is (1892-1917), of a damaged the Royal Flying milestone with Corps, who had a plaque in been born in TRIBUTE: Memorial to servicemen Victoria Park, Widnes. Following Widnes, commemorating the attack. an attack by two German airplanes over During the so-called Great War, both Belgium, and having been badly burnt, Runcorn and Widnes produced soldiers who Sergeant Mottershead managed to return were recognised for their bravery. his aircraft to Allied lines, saving the life of Private Thomas “Todger” Alfred Jones his passenger. Tragically, Sgt Mottershead (1880–1956), from Runcorn, was presented died from his injuries five days later and was with the Victoria Cross by King George V, in awarded his medal posthumously.

www.discover-liverpool.com

Commander Thomas Wilkinson (18981942) of the Royal Navy, from West Bank, Widnes, was also awarded the Victoria Cross in 1942. Sadly, this medal was also presented posthumously following the sinking of Commander Wilkinson’s ship in East Asia. It was awarded for inflicting significant damage on a Japanese naval force despite being heavily outnumbered.

In March 1941, a German aircraft was shot down over Widnes and landed on Leigh Recreation Ground. The three surviving members of crew were captured.

On South Lane, Bold there was a POW camp built to house Italian prisoners of war, many of whom worked as labourers on local farms.

Often overlooked in history, it is important to remember that every town and village in Britain has some story to tell, some significance in our long history, or some hero or heroine to remember and honour, and Widnes and Runcorn are no exceptions . . .

Ken Pye – 0151 427 2717

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All Together NOW!

JULY-AUGUST 2023

Blind players all set to take on the world

GOALBALL is one of the fastest growing sports for blind people – and is certain to attract big crowds at the 2023 International Blind Sports Federation World Games.

Mark Winder, head of Goalball UK, said: “Our GB squads are deep in preparation for the Games.It’s going to be a fantastic showcase of high-performance VI (visually impaired) sport right here in the UK.” The aim of the game is to score goals by quickly and precisely firing a 1.25kg ball across the court and defending shots from the opposing team using their bodies.

Games are split into two 12minute halves and are played on a court measuring 18m x 9m wide with two teams made up of three players each, and goals spanning the width of AT THE READY: GB’s goalball squads are focused on preparing for the World Games each nine-metre court end.

PLAY YOUR PART H UNDREDS of volunteers are wanted to make the 2023 International Blind Sport Federation (IBSA) World Games the best ever.

About 1,250 athletes from 70 countries are set to compete in Birmingham in August.

Sallie Barker, chair of British Blind Sport, said: “Hosting the 2023 IBSA World Games has the potential to be a watershed moment for the two million people in the UK who are blind or partially sighted – many of whom are currently reluctant to engage in sporting activities due to a range of factors.

“Not only will the Games showcase to the

Make the Games the best ever

wider public blind and partially sighted athletes’ abilities, it is aiming to inspire others to take advantage of the pathways into sport and other volunteering opportunities.”

David Clarke, Chief Operating Officer at the Royal National Institute of Blind people and record goalscoring Paralympics GB footballer, said: “There are many sports that

people wrongly think blind and partially sighted people are unable to participate in.

Hopefully, the Games will challenge these misconceptions.”

Sports include men’s and women’s goalball, men’s blind football, judo, shooting, archery, chess, men’s and women’s cricket, powerlifting, ten-pin bowling, tennis, and showdown (a form of table tennis). n The World Games are being held across the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston campus, and at other regional venues, from August 18-27. n www.forms.volunteero.org/view/ b11c5349-8d4f-4116-9663-495e2ebb8059

It’s all about the swing

GOLF will welcome many new players with a disability to the game if a groundbreaking project is successful.

The body that oversees the game in the UK and abroad is spending a year examining the golf swing of players with impairments, EDGA (formerly the European Disabled Golf Association) believes the study will lead to better competitive opportunities, fewer injuries, and more disabled people playing the game.

A key ambition of the project

is to improve on the current classification of players with different impairments into “sports classes” that will ultimately help the golf industry to understand and attract more of the 15% of people worldwide who have a disability.

Work began at back-to-back EDGA Tour events in Portugal in January and the aim is to analyse at least 200 golfers over the next year, including players with visual impairments.

Research will continue at key EDGA Tour events in Scotland, Ireland and England, including at the inaugural The G4D Open,

Stay ahead of the game . . .

staged by The R&A with support from the DP World Tour, at Woburn in May. EDGA project leader Dr Roger Hawkes, said a detailed examination of the swing of players with a disability “should give the golf industry far better understanding of how different impairments influence a golf swing, thus unlocking a door to the needs of more golfers.

“This research will help golf’s governing bodies in the important areas of classification, and sports classes, around different player impairments for events.”

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