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

0151 230 0307

Editor: Tom Dowling

email: news@alltogethernow.org.uk

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

NEXT EDITION

TUESDAY 31 July 2018

All Together NOW! is published

by All Together Now! Ltd, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP Registered Charity No.1106387 Company No. 5096931

Banding together

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ANCHESTER band Prose have teamed up with Manchester Survivors Choir to raise money for the those affected by last year’s bomb attack.

A City United was recorded by Mike Murray and Lee Royle from Prose, mixed by Elbow’s Craig Potter, mastered by Peter Hewitt Dutton and the video was filmed

by James Killeen – all in a matter of days of the Manchester Arena horror.

Mike said: “Like everyone, we felt devastated. The following day we were in our studio talking about how awful it must be for the families of the victims.

“Lee started playing the piano, I started singing and without realising it we had the basis of a song, but we didn’t know what to do with it!”

Months later Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham heard Prose performing the song at a homeless benefit event.

The Mayor said: “It cut straight through the noise of the city and stopped me in my tracks. It captures exactly how we all felt, but also how the character of this place pulled us through. It is the very spirit of Manchester in music.”

When Manchester Survivors Choir saw the Mayor’s tweet on

Medicash helping put lives on track

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STATE OF THE ART: Tony Berry (UTS) and Sue Weir (CEO, Medicash) try out UTS Foundation facilities

HE lives of vulnerable people are set to be transformed at a state of the art health and fitness centre.

The Underground Training Station Foundation has developed the specialist facilities in Wirral to support people recovering from cancer and mental health issues, and those with learning and behavioural difficulties.

Numerous services will be offered, including coaching and fitness education, plus tailored nutritional programmes delivered by experts. Individuals will be able

to access support with issues around post-cancer fatigue, mental illness, drug misuse, learning difficulties and obesity.

A £4,000 donation from Medicash enabled UTS to reach the target amount of £43,000 needed to complete the project.

The cash will be used for renovation work and to buy specialist sports and exercise equipment.

Sue Weir, Medicash chief executive, said: “The new centre will address a wide range of important health needs and the services provided have already

social media about the song they asked if they could add some vocals.

Cath Hill, from the choir, said: “We loved the song, the lyrics and everything it stood for and really hoped we could be part of it. They were singing about us, so it just felt right.

“It is a positive end to a very difficult year.”

A video was made at Salford’s Sacred Trinity Church, where the choir rehearse. The track itself will be released on Run With Faith Records.

n To buy a copy visit http://hyperurl.co/z2cfsp

proven to be of huge benefit to the local community.”

Foundation manager Tony Berry said: “Last year, we managed to help over 600 people with a range of health conditions.

“We hope that with this new training facility we’ll be able to double this figure in the next 12 months.”

The UTS Foundation was launched in January 2016 and exists to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people in the local community through education, sport, physical activity, care and rehabilitation.

HALF A MILLION READERS . . .

Children who live life in a total blur

THOUSANDS of children with learning disabilities in the North West are missing out on vital eye tests and eye care.

And that’s despite being 28 times more likely to have a serious sight problem than other children.

New research by SeeAbility, the national learning disability and sight loss charity, found that about half of the 16,500 children who attend special schools in the region are likely to have a problem with their vision. Yet an estimated 7,200 will have never received any eye care.

This means thousands of children who desperately need glasses are going without, many suffering extremely poor vision without anyone knowing about it.

Other children with more serious eye conditions are being deprived of sight-saving treatment.

SeeAbility chief Lisa Hopkins says: “Many children are living life in a total blur, unable to see clearly for want of a simple pair of glasses.

“This is something that goes on to affect their entire lives, including their ability to learn, make friends and reach their potential.”

SeeAbility is calling on NHS England to make wide reforms to community eye care for children and adults with learning disabilities and introduce adjusted eye tests in special schools.

All children in England are entitled to have a free NHS annual eye test.

However, children with learning disabilities are often unable to cope with standard tests in high street opticians or in a hospital clinic. n SeeAbility: Tel. 01372 755 000.

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

June/July 2018

Big Yellow Storage come to our rescue

LOADING UP: Dave Reason at Big Yellow gets the All Together NOW! van ready for the road.

Below, Dave with colleague Roxy Ruane

Happy 13th!

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VERY warm welcome to the 13th anniversary issue of your FREE and favourite charity newspaper.

Liverpool Edge Lane centre, said: “We like to support community projects and know how much All Together NOW! is helping people all over the North West.

“We have all the facilities here to solve the charity’s storage problems, and we are looking forward to working with the newspaper.”

More good news followed when up and coming rock band Same Old Story staged a fundraiser for us, and organisers of the Mossley Hill Charity Beer Festival

Roll up, roll up for the mobility show

‘Bond girl’ mission

included us as one of their chosen charities (see back page).

We have also been promised a donatiion from the Lord Mayor of Liverpool’s Charity Fund (see Page 14) A huge thanks to everyone! Every pound helps!

I hope you enjoy this info-packed issue.

We are back in the height of summer – Tuesday 31 July to be precise.

See you then.

TOM DOWLING, editor

PROUD TO BE SUPPORTING THIS FREE CHARITY NEWSPAPER

Council Approved Contractor & Suppliers Covering The Northwest

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THE UK’s largest display of cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs for disabled people will take place for the first time at the NEC in Birmingham in July.

Visitors to The Big Event will be able to test drive adapted and non-adapted cars with a professional instructor to find out which vehicles are best suited to their individual needs.

Alison Beasley, One Big Day Event Manager at Motability Operations Ltd, said: “The NEC is a great venue and we hope it will provide an ideal opportunity for many disabled people and their families to find out about worry-free motoring with the Motability Scheme.

“There will be opportunities to gather information and advice, see a wide range of vehicles, and take a test drive, all in one place.” n Free to attend and with free parking, The Big Event takes place on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 July.

Pictures: KEN ALMOND

It’s been a real rollercoaster of a journey, but thanks to the fantastic support from our partners and supporters, All Together NOW! is helping huge numbers of people affected by disability, ill health and isolation.

The paper has also become one of the best-read publications across the North West – with a string of prestigious community and media awards.

But there have been some serious commercial challenges along the way.

Print and distribution costs continue to rise, making life especially tough for a free charity paper like ours, which is reliant on advertising and charitable donations to stay afloat.

Earlier this year we were dealt another body blow we were informed that our long-standing arrangement for free storage facilities for our 100,000 papers would no longer be available.

It could have been disastrous.

But Big Yellow Storage came to our aid, offering us space at specially reduced rates.

Dave Reason, manager of Big Yellow’s

All Together NOW!

Free Home Demonstrations

SALES, REPAIR & SERVICING OF ALL MOBILITY & DISABILITY PRODUCTS

HUM FLEMING, 28-year-old fashion publicist and greatniece of James Bond writer Ian Fleming, is fronting a campaign that aims to helps people with epilepsy.

Hum has lived with temporal lobe epilepsy since the age of 13.

“I have lived with epilepsy for 15 years and have to say it’s not been easy,” says Hum. “Epilepsy continues to have a major impact on the lives of many young people today – and can affect anyone, at any time. I’m delighted to be supporting such an important national campaign from Young Epilepsy.”

The charity hopes to inspire people living with epilepsy to talk about the ‘moment’ epilepsy changed their lives forever.

Typical ‘moments’ include the impact of a child’s first seizure on new parents, the moment a teenager is officially diagnosed, the moment you get behind the wheel of your first car, or your feelings one year after your last seizure. n www.inthemoment.org.uk

Call Us On:

01744 602602 Also At:

0151 423 3738

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All Together NOW!

NEWS

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Space mission for bone students

BIOLOGY students are becoming “space cadets” in a bid to find a new treatment for osteoarthritis.

A team of young bone biologists are taking part in a European Space Agency competition that could pave the way for new treatments for the condition.

Bristol University’s ‘bone biologists’ have been chosen to conduct experiments in hypergravity conditions at the Large Diameter Centrifuge premises in the Netherlands.

Through the experiment, they hope to achieve a deeper understanding around the onset and development of osteoarthritis.

By mimicing the effects of being in space on the developing skeleton of zebrafish, the team aims to model how the cells in cartilage, bone and joint tissues experience changes and how very early changes to cells lead to longer term changes to the joint that eventually cause osteoarthritis.

Student Elizabeth Lawrence said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be given this fantastic opportunity. Without it, we would be unable to undertake this much-needed investigation.”

Uni’s African challenge

A TEAM from Manchester University is to help make a series of film documentaries about the plight of young deaf people in South Africa.

Working with the University of the Witwatersrand and Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology, the team aim to highlight the vulnerability of deaf children in the country, as well as altering society’s attitudes towards them.

YouTube MS stars

A NEW You Tube channel has been launched to help young people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

The MSTVUK channel will feature a range of different videos about MS, and star young people who are affected by the condition.

The launch follows an MS Trust study that found young people newly diagnosed with the condition, which affects the nervous system, are not getting the support they need.

The research found that increasing numbers of young people are being diagnosed with MS, with almost three quarters experiencing symptoms before the age of 20. These symptoms can range from fatigue to vision problems and intense pain.

Another strong theme was that there is a lack of engaging and accessible information to help young people understand MS, both directly and when it impacts on someone close to them. n www.youtube.com/mstvuk

$4M TO GET US MOVING

HOPES: “I want to be free. That’s what mobility is all about,” says Ade Adepitan , left

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SENSATONAL $4M DOLLAR prize package is up for grabs for anyone who can come up with ideas to change the lives of people with lower-limb paralysis.

Race is on to help paralysed people

The Mobility Unlimited Challenge Prize – equivalent to around £3 million – is seeking teams around the world to create lifechanging technology that will help radically improve their mobility and independence.

Winning ideas could include anything from self-balancing wheelchairs, hoverboards and exoskeletons, to devices using artificial intelligence.

The Challenge is being organised by the Toyota Mobility Foundation and the Nesta Challenge Prize Centre.

As part of the Challenge, wheelchair users across the world have been asked about the daily challenges they face and what assistive technology they would like to see invented.

This is supported by a social campaign #MyMobilityUnlimited, fronted by wheelchair TV presenter and Paralympian basketball player Ade Adepitan and others – seeking to hear what they want to be invented.

Ade said: “I want to be able to hire and drive any car, be able to get on any train or plane and go anywhere in the world. I want to be free. That’s what mobility is about – being free. And technology can do that.”

New research highlights the need for investment and innovation in the development of assistive technologies for people with limited mobility.

The study by ComRes found that: n Nine out of 10 UK wheelchair users experience pain as a result of their chairs. n Half of UK wheelchair users need assistance travelling. n A quarter have been refused access to public transport because of their chair, and have felt frustrated

because of the “outdated” design of their chair. n UK wheelchair users also experience repetitive strain injury (RSI) and pressure sores (32% and 23% respectively).

Julie Ann Burandt, Global Strategy and Communications Manager, Toyota Mobility Foundation, said: “This research expresses the urgent need for innovation in this area. It’s surprising that with all of the technology we have today, we still have people in constant pain as a result of their mobility devices.

“The comments we are receiving through social media show the kinds of developments that people want to see and we hope the Challenge will result in genuinely life-changing technologies.”

Charlotte Macken, at Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre, added: “While the focus of this Challenge is lower-limb paralysis, we absolutely do expect that the technology developed as a result will be transferable and have the potential to improve the lives of a much wider group of people.

“This Challenge is about achieving impact, and for that reason, we needed to narrow the focus. However, we recognise that people have a wide range of mobility needs and hope to be able to help them too.”

There are about 40,000 people in the UK with spinal cord injuries, with more than 1,000 new cases every year. While there are no statistics on paralysis worldwide, the World Health Organization estimates there are 250,000-500,000 new cases of spinal cord injury globally every year.

n Entries close on August 15. All entrants will keep their intellectual property rights. n www. mobilityunlimited.org

HALF A MILLION READERS . . .

Hearing cures ‘within touching distance’

TREATMENTS and cures for hearing loss and tinnitus are “within touching distance”, according to a leading charity.

Charity Action on Hearing Loss says significant progress has been made by the charity over the last year.

Substantial advances have also been made towards understanding how loud noise leads to permanent changes in brain activity that are linked to tinnitus and how we might be able to prevent these changes.

The charity has also supported research that aims to prevent deafness caused by treatment using chemotherapeutic drugs for young cancer patients through a revolutionary new technique using magnetic fields to effectively and non-invasively deliver therapy into the cochlea of an ear.

Dr Ralph Holme, the charity’s director of research, said: “We believe cures for hearing loss and tinnitus are within touching distance, with research that we have funded already having an impact by transforming people’s lives through the development of enhanced cochlear implants, better hearing aids and improved diagnosis.

“If we are to avoid a looming hearing health crisis both here in the UK and abroad, we must act now to work towards a future in which effective medical devices, treatments and cures for hearing loss and tinnitus are available to everyone who wants and needs them.

“To reach that goal, we need research, which we need to fund now.”

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

June/July2018

Meet the team that gets people mobile

n LEFT: The team that get people motoring n RIGHT: Claire and driving instructor Martin Nivers n The North West Driving Assessment Centre, run by Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, is one of only a handful of NHS driving assessment centres in the UK

Do YOU want to drive?

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ELPING people who have had health setbacks or disabling injuries to get mobile is what the region’s driving assessment centre has been doing for the past 25 years.

Claire Holtaway, a 26 year-old artist who has cerebral palsy, started visiting the Haydock centre six years ago.

She said: “Dave, my instructor, was great and helped me understand which adaptations worked for me and which didn’t.

“Following this, Martin, my driving instructor from the centre, visited me at home once a week and taught me to drive. The adapted

vehicle included a left foot accelerator and a special handle on the steering wheel which I also used to control the car’s indicators and window wipers.

“It took quite a while but after lots of practice, I passed my test last year. It was such a brilliant feeling. I got my first car three weeks ago and it has opened the door to me being more independent.”

Claire, from Upton, Wirral, is one of the 650 people with a range of disabilities, illnesses and health conditions across the region who was helped by the team last year.

Clinical lead Deborah Murgatroyd, who is also celebrating being in her role for 25

years, said: “I am incredibly proud that the robust support, assessments and expert advice we have provided has helped many people with complex health needs in the North West to stay independent and driving.

“Our assessments have also helped to keep people safe on the roads.

“We welcome anyone in the region who needs help and support with vehicle adaptations or an assessment to contact the centre directly or speak to their GP or health professional.” n Contact the centre on 01942 483713 or visit www.bridgewater.nhs.uk/northwest drivingassessmentservice

All Together NOW!

Study brings hope to headache sufferers BETTER news could be on the way for thousands of people who suffer regular headaches.

Researchers are investigating whether a new education and selfmanagement programme will help improve quality of life for people living with chronic headaches.

“Headache disorders are a major cause of pain and disability and their main impact is in younger adults many of whom have both work and family commitments,” said Professor Martin Underwood, of Warwick Medical School.

“The annual cost of headache disorders to the UK is £5-7 billion.”

People with chronic headaches have them (including migraine) on 15 or more days every month.

Professor Underwood added: “Selfmanagement support programmes have an established place in the management of a range of chronic diseases.

“We hope our study will establish an effective method of treating a common but potentially debilitating condition.”

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All Together NOW!

Stop ripping us off, say disabled music fans MANY disabled people buying tickets for live music events feel they are being ripped off.

Over half of people with disabilities attempting to secure tickets for gigs have had to call premium-rate phone numbers to arrange access.

And several say this cost them more than £20 in phone charges.

Four-fifths of those surveyed by music charity Attitude is Everything said they had experienced problems with booking access alongside their ticket, while nearly three-quarters said such barriers had been discriminatory.

The results of the national online survey appear to show an improvement since a survey of AiE mystery shoppers in 2014 found 95% experienced problems booking access and 88% said they had felt discriminated against.

The report concludes that access across the live music industry “remains a mixed picture”.

It adds: “Many venues and events have moved beyond basic reasonable adjustments to improve access for customers in impressively creative and collaborative ways.

“On the other hand, there are venue and event organisers now being left behind as they continue to enact outdated and potentially discriminatory policies.” n Attitude is Everything: Tel. 020 7383 7979

Hyde Park’s in tune

ORGANISERS of this year’s British Summer Time music extravaganza are promising improved facilities for festival goers with disabilities.

Headlining acts at Barclaycard Presents BST Hyde Park in London include Bruno Mars, Paul Simon, Roger Waters, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and The Shires.

Disabled music fans can expect: n Revised Booking System: Ticket holders can now provide evidence of disability in advance. Closing date – Friday June 8. n Viewing Platform: Improved location with better access to nearby accessible toilets. Changing Space facility also available. n British Sign Language: Improved visibility and quality of the screen display. Typetext service for those with hearing impairments – 18001 0203 481 55 06. n Disabled visitors can use three accessible viewing areas over two stages and exclusive wandering vendors, all of which can also be enjoyed with a friend or family member with the use of an interchangeable, free Personal Assistant Pass. n Blue badge parking is provided free of charge at time of booking and limited to one per paying customer (subject to availability). n An accessible buggy service is provided from the North Carriage Drive car park to the accessible entrance. n The event runs from July 6-15. www.aegworldwide.com

NEWS

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

The marine who’s now fighting new battles Fear and

stresses of young in N-West

Back in the front line!

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HEN Andy Grant’s eyes blinked open from a 10-day coma in February 2009 he was alone in a hospital bed.

He had a broken sternum, a broken leg, a broken elbow and shrapnel lodged in both forearms.

Royal Marine Andy also had a severed femoral artery, nerve damage to his hands and feet as well as deep gaping wounds in both of his cheeks.

Andy had been blown up during a routine foot patrol in in Sangin, Helmand Province. Afghanistan.

Within days of coming to his senses, a doctor told him that because of the blast he would no longer be able to have children. He was 20.

You’ll Never Walk is his story: The tale of a young man who had to cope with losing his mum at the tender age of 12. The story of how a dream career in the Royal Marines descended into a nightmare at the hands of the Taliban. The painstaking account of how he grew back six centimetres of shattered bone in his leg and learned to walk again.

However, Andy wanted to run and push himself to the very edge of his limits and so he made a colossal decision.

Against medical advice and pleas from his father, he chose to have his leg amputated. The operation was a success, although there was a minor twist.

Where once Andy’s treasured Liverpool FC tattoo had carried the message “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, surgery to create a stump removed a key word from the slogan. The scars of his amputation had been decorated with an ominous new motto, which read “You’ll Never Walk...”

Andy would walk again – he would do much more than that.

Armed with a running blade he learned to run and play football, scaled mountains in South America and Italy, and claimed two gold medals at Prince Harry’s Invictus Games.

Through public speaking he brought hope to people right across the country.

Two years ago he set his sights on a 10k below-theknee-amputee world record and completed the run in an unprecedented 37 minutes 17 seconds.

And, most preciously of all, after every obstacle placed in his path, Andy became a father to a little girl.

He is an ambassador for charities such as Help for Heroes and School of Hard Knocks.

In September 2016, he was honoured with the Outstanding Achievement prize at the Pride of Liverpool Awards.

n You’ll Never Walk, £15.99, by Andy Grant and Phil Read – journalist and documentary producer at LFCTV, Liverpool Football Club’s TV channel.

HALF A MILLION READERS . . .

YOUNG people in the North West fear for their emotional health – as worries about the future, money and “not being good enough” pile up.

More than half of those quizzed in a disturbing new survey said they had experienced a mental health problem.

Levels of happiness and confidence felt by young people in the region have dropped to the lowest recorded in five years, says the Prince’s Trust charity.

The charity’s Macquarie Youth Index, which gauges young people’s wellbeing across a range of areas from working life to family relationships, found the measure of their emotional health had dropped dramatically.

When asked to describe how they feel, 59% of the region’s young people said they regularly feel stressed, 52% said they regularly feel anxious, and 34% go as far as to say they feel hopeless on a regular basis.

More than a third of young people questioned (40%) think they put too much pressure on themselves to achieve success.

Many worry about their future overall (59%), their finances (52%) and about “not being good enough in general” (52%).

Despite these concerns, almost a third (30%) of local young people would not ask for help if they were feeling overwhelmed by something.

Nick Stace, UK chief executive at The Prince’s Trust, said: “It should ring alarm bells for us all that young people are feeling more despondent about their emotional health than ever before.”

Nearly 2,200 young people, aged 16 to 25, were questioned in the survey.

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

June/July 2018

We’re changing lives for the better!

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

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

More than £300m has so far been committed to over 650 charities, and this number will increase dramatically over the coming years after Steve committed over £200 million additional

funding to the Foundation in 2017.

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

TOMCAT TO THE RESCUE If you need help, contact us – details at the foot of the page.

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HE Steve Morgan Foundation loves making a difference to the lives of young children. Over the years we have worked with lots of companies and organisations who share our philosophy.

Bob Griffin’s Tomcat Special Needs Innovation is one such company; for the past 20 years Bob’s innovative trikes and bikes have been revolutionising the lives of young – and not so young – people all over the world. Here’s Bob’s amazing story . . .

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n 1997, Bob met his wife, Anne, and her son, Thomas, who had Angelman’s syndrome – a profound disability, typified by severe learning difficulties, sleep disturbance and poor coordination.

One day Anne made the casual remark that would change not only their lives, but also the lives of disabled children worldwide.

“If only we could tire Tom out,” she said. “He’d sleep all night and so could we!”

Tom required 24-hour supervision so exercise or outdoor activity was all but impossible on safety grounds.

Cycling seemed the answer, but in 1998 special needs trikes were crude contraptions; little used outside school for weight and safety reasons. Something revolutionary was needed!

Six months later Bob built the very first trike for riders with learning difficulties and visual impairment.

Furthermore, it did not look like a trike built for disabled children. It had lightness for ease of use, lightning fast transportability, and a revolutionary rear steering and braking arm. A park brake and speed regulator also put the carer in control.

Suddenly, Tom’s many problems evaporated and he cycled an astonishing three miles on his first attempt, laughing all the way. Bob recalls the day as a “wonderful, safe, rewarding, memorable, sunny day.”

Tomcat trikes certainly turned the tricycle industry on its head by offering a bespoke solution to those families who thought cycling was entirely beyond their reach. What was initially a good idea turned into an innovative business.

Tomcat has also been recognised for the difference it has made to people’s lives by the many awards it has won – including Britain’s highest business accolade – The Queen’s Award for Innovation.

www.stevemorganfoundation.org.uk Tel 01829 782808

S

EVEN-year-old Evie is one of the hundreds of children benefiting from a Tomcat trike, thanks to a grant of £2,300 from the Steve Morgan Foundation’s Enable programme.

Evie, from Warrington, is battling with Dravet Syndrome, a life-limiting form of epilepsy, which leads to regular seizures and affects her motor skills, speech, sleep, eating, balance, behaviour and learning.

Her twin sister, Darcie, sadly died from the same condition, aged five in December 2015.

Evie’s parents, Mark and Natalie, said: “We are so grateful to the Steve Morgan Foundation.

“Peddling by herself and feeling the breeze against her skin may seem like a little thing for other kids but for Evie it’s so special.

“Fresh air, stronger muscles, a feeling of independence are all other major benefits, and not to mention, so much fun!

“She smiles from the moment she gets on it and never wants to get off.”

Jane Harris, administrator of the Steve Morgan Foundation, added: “The Tomcat trike will be a big boost not only to Evie but the whole family.” n The Steve Morgan Foundation Enable programme provides support for people of all ages in financial hardship, who are in need of specialised equipment. n Visit the Enable section of our website or call us on 01829 782808.

Steve Morgan Foundation

@stevemorganfdn

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All Together NOW!

Housing crisis worsens for disabled people

DISABLED people face a chronic shortage of accessible homes, according to a new report by the equality and human rights watchdog.

More than 350,000 disabled people in England have unmet housing needs, with one-third of those in rented accommodation living in unsuitable properties, says the report.

Despite this, fewer than one in four local authorities have an accessible housing register, while only 28% have a target for accessible housing.

The report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) follows an 18-month formal inquiry and calls on the Government to draw up a national strategy to ensure an adequate supply of new homes built to inclusive design standards.

The inquiry heard accounts of disabled people eating, sleeping and bathing in one room, and of having to be carried around their inaccessible homes by relatives.

One disabled person who contributed to the inquiry said they had not been outside their second-floor flat since 2011 – apart from essential hospital trips – because there was no lift and the flat was not wheelchair-accessible.

A second respondent described how they were unable to access their children’s room and other parts of the house and could not use their wheelchair because their home was so inaccessible.

Another said: “I have been on my local authority list for seven years. For the past two years I have been reduced to having my hair washed in a bowl while sat on my toilet.”

The report says that while more than two-thirds of local authorities say that developers do not always comply with accessibility requirements, only seven local authorities (3%) have taken action against a developer in the last three years.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government said: “We are providing councils with almost £1 billion over the next two years to adapt properties for disabled people so they can live independently and safely.

“Our planning rules make clear councils must take the needs of elderly and disabled people into account when planning new homes in their area.”

The painbusters

ANAESTHETISTS at the Walton Centre, Liverpool, have been recognised for providing the highest quality care to local patients.

The anaesthetic department at the hospital received the Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) from the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA).

Dr Sandeep Lakhani, clinical director of anaesthesia and intensive care at the Walton Centre, said: “We were really impressed with the thorough but friendly nature of the ACSA review process and are immensely proud to have achieved ACSA accreditation.”

FEATURE

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Putting us all in the picture

n WHEN you’re a leading subtitling and dubbing company delivering audio description (AD) for visually impaired viewers of a film, clear description is essential. n But when the film is in a foreign language, both a scripted narration and English-language dialogue have to be on the soundtrack. n How do you do all of this while being true to the spirit of the film?

A

SIMPLE way to summarise audio description (AD) is that it is a scripted narration that is woven into a television programme or feature film to describe those aspects of a programme that visually impaired people might miss.

Headphone-delivered narration tracks are increasingly available in cinemas and a number of major studios have committed to the provision of AD. For example, in 2017 BTI, one of the world’s leading media localisation companies, providing dubbing, subtitling and access services in any language, had a more than casual interest in Oscar night, having just completed, to a very tight schedule, AD services for the critically acclaimed film Moonlight.

One year later year BTI’s AD department, headed by Veronika Hyks, who has been working in this field for 18 years, again had an interest in the Oscars.

BTI Studios worked on 12 of the nominees this year, including Loveless, one of six films nominated in the best foreign language film category.

Loveless uses Russia’s moral and spiritual decline as the backdrop to a tale of a couple going through an acrimonious divorce and an urgent hunt for their son after he goes missing.

The film illustrates how, in recent years, AD

provision has gone beyond mainstream English-language films to be part of many cinemas’ service when showing foreignlanguage films.

However, in an English-language film the dialogue is self-explanatory. The main skill is in writing and delivering a script that gives a context for a visually impaired audience without being too intrusive.

But there is a subtitling element in foreign language films – which is not accessible for a visually impaired audience. This means that for Loveless Veronika and her team needed to deliver an English-language script over a Russian-language soundtrack and also frame that with a narrated context – while all the time being true to the spirit of the film and the audience’s need to be drawn into its world.

It’s almost dubbing therefore – but not quite.

Firstly the cast – usually trained actors like Veronika – is smaller, to avoid confusing the audience. “In Loveless, we had the audio description voice plus three acting voices: one for the guys, one for all the female parts, and one for the child, who needed a youngersounding voice,” says Veronika.

Hysterical

And you have to play the parts convincingly – but not too convincingly. Veronika explains: “It should not be 100% acting – but the intensity of what’s being said has got to be part of it. In Loveless there are quite a few hysterical scenes; you’ve got to reflect that.

It’s got to sound to a visually impaired audience like an exciting, involving film and not just someone reading the telephone directory.”

The smaller cast works of course because the AD has to identify the speakers. “So in the AD you will say ‘Yuri explains…’ or ‘Giorgi goes across the room, and says…’

You have to explain to the person listening whose voice they’re going to hear, so that people can follow and are not left wondering: ‘Who’s that? Who’s speaking?’”

HALF A MILLION READERS . . .

WORDSMITHS: Getting the words right for blind and deaf viewers is essential, says Veronika Hyks

Description can be especially important when, say, a character enters the room but doesn’t speak for a while. In Loveless the couple’s flat is for sale and an estate agent comes in with a prospective buyer.

“So you have to somehow get in that a prospective buyer is looking round the flat.

The characters don’t say it. The AD’s function is to set the scene. That means that when the buyer finally says ‘How many square metres?’ we know who is saying it.”

Until recently a scripted narration was written and the dialogue added later. Now a new policy has been adopted. The actors speak the lines first – not in one take because some of them are playing more than one part. But the dialogue is recorded first.

Veronika explains: “We call it pre-dub. It’s very efficient and it makes it sound even better. It’s as close to dubbing as it can be, without being fully dubbing.

“With all the dialogue together, when I come to write my audio description I already have the English spoken voices in my ear. The description goes in what gaps there are.”

On Oscar night Loveless lost out to the Chilean film A Fantastic Woman, which was a disappointment to Veronika.

At the same time, however, she was pleased that pre-dubbing, a relatively new approach to AD, had captured that intensity so well.

As Veronika puts it: “You want to reflect the atmosphere of the film as it is. You want to hear the natural sounds and everything else.

You want a visually impaired audience not to think about the voices particularly but just to be absorbed by the story.”

And pre-dubbing makes that happen much more effectively. “I would say it is an innovation. It’s a much more refined, exciting, authentic way of doing AD for foreign language films.”

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

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It’s DAD’s big day again!

All Together NOW!

27th annual Disability Awareness Day

W

AY BACK in 1992 few people would have thought that a disability information event organised by a very small disability group, would grow in size and stature, and would influence the development of a now internationally-recognised Disability Awareness Day (DAD).

But Warrington Disability Partnership’s annual event continues to grow, inspiring people from all over the world and providing advice and support to hundreds of thousands of disabled people, their families, friends and carers.

Thanks to the support of joint principal sponsors St George Healthcare Group and St Mark Universal Copts Care, a huge tented village in Walton Hall Gardens will house

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Sunday 15 July - Walton Hall Gardens, near Warrington

approximately 250 exhibitors – including equipment suppliers and experts in transport, holidays, leisure and employment.

DAD founder and coordinator Dave Thompson said: “The background story to DAD is a great example of just how far a ‘can do’ attitude can take you.

“What started out as a one-off event is now one the highlights of the international disabled community’s calendar – inspiring similar events as far afield as India, Cameroon, Uganda, Gibraltar and Thailand.

“Our team is also working closely with one

of our sponsors St Mark Universal Copts Care teams based in the UK and working in Egypt and Sudan.”

More than 25,000 visitors are expected to attend this year’s DAD, which has grown to become the world’s largest not-for-profit, voluntary-led, pan-disability exhibition.

A wide range of charities and support services will also be at the show.

Inclusive Arts is just one of the highlights of the event, with a number of disabled artists including nationally recognised performers such as the Ella Performance Group and Carly Ryan.

The Main Arena will stage a range of family entertainment including guide dog display teams, falconry displays and a number of marching bands. Also on-site will be the fully accessible Sports Zone with “have-a-go”

events including scuba diving in the temporary pool, climbing wall, shooting, archery, basketball and much more.

A free, accessible Park and Ride service is available from Wilderspool Park – plus a free bus service every 30 minutes starting at 9.30am from Warrington Bus Interchange.

British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters; trained assistants and a scooter/wheelchair loans service promises to ensure DAD is fully inclusive to all.

Dave added: “The big day will be a fitting finale to a week comprising a variety of complementary events to savour, which are guaranteed to attract many more visitors to events aimed at disabled children and young people, mental health, learning disability, carers and a cultural diversity evening.”

SUNDAY 15th JULY 2018 Walton Gardens, Warrington

10am - 5pm

O Support Groups & Services O Equipment Suppliers, Holidays & Transport O Sports Zone, Arts Marquee, Live Bands, Dance & Drama Organised by

Principal Sponsors

@WDPcomms Disability Awareness Day

Tel: 01925 240064 www.disabilityawarenessday.org.uk

Promoting Independence Through Life and Work

DAD WEEK

Visit the WDP website for the full programme of events. Highlights include . . . n Tuesday 10 July: 6.15pm – 9.30pm Frogtastic in the Park - Arts Marquee, Walton Gardens.

Advanced tickets £6.Tel 07875 142233 n Wednesday 11 July: 7pm-10:30pm: Ella’s Summer Time Special - Arts Marquee, Walton Gardens: The Ella Performance Group, one of the UK’s leading inclusive drama groups, with their thrilling and entertaining songs from their recent productions. Adults £8, children £5 from The Ella Team on 01928 713877 or Brun/Kate 01925 240064. n Thursday 12 July: 7pm-11pm: Faisal Rashid MP in association with WDP invite you to an evening of cultural diversity - Arts Marquee, Walton Gardens: Celebrating an array of cultures from Asia, Africa, Middle East and Europe.

Live music, traditional and contemporary dance, and a chance to sample different cuisine. Tickets £10 (Children £5) Contact Brun/Kate 01925 240064. n Friday 13 July: 7.30pm-11.30pm DAD Mega Quiz Night, Charity Auction with Hot Food Arts Marquee, Walton Gardens: Teams of up to eight, hundreds of pounds worth of prizes, fun quiz, great food, licensed bar and a charity auction.

Tickets £8 (includes hot food).

Contact Brun/Kate on 01925 240064.

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

June/July 2018

Summer event is not to be missed!

All Together NOW!

11

One of the UK’s most popular disability events is promising to be even bigger and better this year.

Visitors to this year’s Disability Awareness 'D\ FDQ H[SHFW WR LJQG D KXJH WHQWHG YLOODJH ZLWK DURXQG H[KLELWRUV HTXLSPHQW VXSSOLHUV WUDQVSRUW KROLGD\V OHLVXUH HPSOR\PHQW VXSSRUW JURXSV DQG VHUYLFHV 7KHUHà V DOVR D VSRUWV ]RQH LQFOXGLQJ VFXED GLYLQJ DQ DUWV PDUTXHH DQG ORWV RI IDPLO\ HQWHUWDLQPHQW WDNLQJ SODFH WKURXJKRXW WKH GD\ $PDQGD 3KLOOLSV 3ULRULW\ 6HUYLFHV 0DQDJHU DW 8QLWHG 8WLOLWLHV VDLG â'LVDELOLW\ $ZDUHQHVV 'D\ LV D EULOOLDQW HYHQW :Hà YH VXSSRUWHG LW IRU PDQ\ \HDUV LWà V D IXQ IDPLO\ GD\ RXW ZLWK ORWV RI HQWHUWDLQPHQW IRU SHRSOH RI DOO DJHV ,Wà V DOVR D JUHDW VKRZFDVH IRU WKH VHUYLFHV DQG HTXLSPHQW DYDLODEOH WR DOORZ GLVDEOHG SHRSOH WR OLYH LQGHSHQGHQW OLYHV ZLWK SOHQW\ RI RUJDQLVDWLRQV RQ KDQG WR RDŽHU KHOS DQG VXSSRUW

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Disability Awareness 'D\ WDNHV SODFH RQ Sunday 15th July at :DOWRQ +DOO *DUGHQV LQ :DUULQJWRQ 7KH VKRZ RSHQV DW DP DQG ILQLVKHV DW SP DQG entry is FREE Visit www.disabilityawarenessday. org.uk IRU IXUWKHU LQIRUPDWLRQ 6'

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All Together NOW!

June/July 2018

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A

DRIVING school that specialises in getting people with learning and physical difficulties on the road scooped the Best Regional Driving School title in the inaugural FirstCar awards.

Seats: 4 + 2 Plate: 66 (2016) Miles: 18,000 Colour: Grey

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Diverse Road Safety was founded by Tina Preston, a driving instructor with ADHD and Asperger’s syndrome, who contracted multiple sclerosis 12 years ago.

“Her experiences led her to setting up a dedicated social enterprise to help other people who might not find their needs met by traditional driving schools/instructors.”

Tina said: “I am overwhelmed by winning this award. It’s a big boost for me and our dedicated team of Amanda and Jo, who regularly go above and beyond for the students.

We focus on people’s ability – not their disability.” n Diverse Road Safety is based in St Mary’s Road, Garston, Liverpool. Tel. 0151 487 8826.

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Advance Payments correct at time of going to press. Images for illustrative purposes only.

Lowest Ford Custom WAV

Free UK-wide home demonstrations call 0800 916 3028

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Your key to the road . . .

T

HE LATEST price list for the Motability Car Scheme has been unveiled, offering disabled people a range of over 2,000 affordable makes and models, including over 350 with no Advance Payment (AP).

With cars from 34 different manufacturers and 17 Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) converters, the list is packed with a range of low emission cars, automatics and popular cross-over models.

There are over 600 cars available with an AP under £500 from manufacturers such as Fiat, Ford, Hyundai, Peugeot, SEAT, Skoda and Vauxhall.

June/July 2018

All Together NOW!

13

Who qualifies?

EASY DOES IT: The Peugeot Partner Horizon from Allied Vehicles

The Ford Fiesta 1.0T Zetec B&O Play Series 5dr is available at £95 AP, the family MPV the Fiat 500L 1.3 MultiJet Pop Star 5dr is available at £195 AP and Skoda Octavia 1.4 TSI SE Estate 5dr is available at £445 AP. The list includes over 900 car options with automatic transmission, with over 50 of those cars available for no AP. Low emission cars also feature with over 350 cars available boasting CO2 emissions of 100g/km or less. Options include the Renault Kadjar 1.5dCi Dynamique Nav 5dr at nil AP; the Hyundai IONIQ 1.6 GDi SE Hybrid 5dr available at £199 AP and the Toyota Prius 1.8 Active 5dr at £1,395.

Over 100 cars are available at less than the higher rate mobility allowance. This means that customers are free to spend the remaining money on other things. Options include the MG MG3 1.5 VTI-Tech 3Form Sport 5dr and the Dacia Sandero 0.9 TCe Ambiance 5dr.

More than 600 Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs) are available, and over 400 adaptations are also featured. More than a third of the adaptations are included at no extra cost.

n Contact 0800 953 7000. n www.motability.co.uk

PEOPLE who receive either the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance, Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment, War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement or Armed Forces Independence Payment can choose to use their weekly allowance payment to pay for the lease of a vehicle through the Motability Scheme.

There are three pricing options available for those looking to lease a car through the Motability Scheme: n Cars that cost less than your mobility allowance – these cars are available to lease at a fixed weekly amount for the whole of the agreement, meaning the remainder of the allowance, including any increases, will be paid directly to the customer by the Department for Work and Pensions. n Cars that cost all of your mobility allowance – customers simply pay all of their weekly mobility allowance, including any annual increases from the DWP, to lease their car through the Scheme. n Cars that cost all of your mobility allowance, plus an Advance Payment – customers can increase their choice of cars by paying a nonrefundable payment upfront, known as the Advance Payment. This covers the difference between the allowance amount and the total cost of the lease.

The models and prices featured are available until June 30.

All Together NOW!

14

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Liverpool Lord Mayor Councillor Malcolm Kennedy looks back on a very special year

Thanks for the memories!

ACTION MAN MALCOLM: Abseilling the Cathedral; dancing at the Lord Mayor’s Charity Ball; Santa dashing; and with Lady Anne Dodd

W

HAT an honour it has been to serve Liverpool as its Lord Mayor for the past year.

It has been a whirlwind year meeting a wide variety of people. Diverse communities across the city, heroes and personalities, Armed Forces, Royal Visitors, representing the city abroad, visits to schools and universities, charities and Civic Award ceremonies.

Armed Forces Weekend – with a visit from Prince Edward – was the first major event of the year. It was quite an experience to find myself on a stage chatting to the Queen’s third son while the Prime Minister stood some feet below as soldiers, sailors and airmen marched past.

The Royal Family obviously like visiting Liverpool. Prince William came to open a new unit at Aintree Hospital. He wasn’t too fussed to meet the Lord Mayor but the Junior Lord Mayor was a different matter as he made a beeline for young Freddie Hall and chatted to him for quite a while.

A man in a gold chain is no match for a cute kid!

It was wonderful meeting some of my heroes. To have the opportunity to spend so much time with Sir Ken and Lady Dodd over the past year was a real privilege. It was a special joy hosting Ken’s 90th birthday at the Town Hall but a tremendous sadness to be attending his funeral just a few months later.

He will forever be our absent friend in the Town Hall.

To an unrepentant Geordie those who had served their city having the opportunity of and country in the past when spending some time several memorial stones chatting with Rafa were laid at locations round Benitez will always be the city to honour those an unforgettable who had received the experience. The Victoria Cross for their Lady Mayoress courage a century ago. sweated blood to The most notable of make sure it these was the happened and ceremony on behalf of keep it a secret twice decorated Captain from me until the Noel Chevasse whose last moment. I hope memorial was laid in he takes to heart my Abercromby Square. heartfelt pleas and Fundraising for the stays at St James Lord Mayor’s Charities Park. gave me some Collaborating with wonderful memories. the Writing on the One of my charities, THE LATE, GREAT SIR KEN DODD Wall Festival to bring The Choir with No poet Carmen Bugan Name, who honoured over from New York to take part in the me by singing ‘When I’m 64’ on my 64th opening event of WowFest was immensely birthday and allowed me to sing with them at satisfying. It was an amazing experience to their Spring Fundraising Gig. On behalf of my charities I abseiled down Liverpool spend some hours talking to one of my literary heroes.

Cathedral. I certainly got to see Liverpool that day.

Awarding major Civic Honours on behalf of Visiting many excellent schools, especially the city was also a huge privilege.

Sanctuary Schools that had taken in For the first time we held a Freedom of the refugees and made them very welcome in City award in the open air and in the their school community, will also leave me community in which the Freeman lived. The with precious memories. sun shone as Tony McGann was honoured Pleasant Street Primary allowed me to be a by the city on the Eldonian estate.

There was also an opportunity to remember guest reader. Florence Melly invited me to

their birthday party. Young Lord Mayor Izzy showed me round her school at Sandfield Park. St Vincent’s presented me with a ceramic poppy pupils had made. Wherever I went pupils of all ages and abilities were being encouraged by excellent teachers.

Many schools have school councils where pupils gain a voice in how their school was run and learn how to live in a democratic society. Some of these potential leaders became Junior and young Lord Mayors who accompanied me on many events. I hope many of them go on to represent their city in the future. Liverpool will be in good hands.

I learned so much about the various communities that make up Liverpool attending the Chinese New Year celebrations, two mosques and two synagogues. I was delighted to greet the Jewish Representative Council at the Town Hall and attended their Holocaust Remembrance Service. I also welcomed a councillor from Berlin on the West Bank of the Jordan and hosted a girls football team from Bethlehem.

But above all you have to avoid too great a sense of your own self-importance as Lord Mayor.

Attending an event at the Everyman someone took and posted a picture of the Lady Mayoress and I sitting with John Gorman of Scaffold fame. The tweet simply said “John Gorman at the Everyman”

Life has a habit of putting you in your place . . .

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

A game of risk...

A BOARD game is helping people with learning disabilities to manage relationships – and risks.

The Traffic Life Game, developed by NHS clinical psychologists, helps players to recognise and assess risks relating to romantic, social, and family issues and situations.

During the game players are presented with a series of short questions and scenarios relating to everyday life and relationships – both social and romantic. n The game costs £80 and is available from Focus Games Ltd www.focusgames.com

All Together NOW!

June/July 2018

Help with pain of losing a pet

What the papers say

A NEW version of a voice controlled media reader for people with sight problems has been unveiled by the Royal National Institute of Blind People.

The In Your Pocket device lets blind people access the same magazines and newspapers as everyone else.

RNIB Newsagent comes preinstalled – with almost 200 titles to choose from, including the major newspapers.

The whole RNIB Library talking book catalogue is available on request.

Cost £20 plus VAT per month, n Tel. 0333 772 7708, www.realsam.co.uk

H

AVE you experienced the loss of a pet? Do you want to do something really worthwhile from home and be part of a great team?

The Pet Bereavement Support Service, run by the Blue Cross charity, is looking for support line volunteers who have some time to spare each month to offer emotional support and information for pet owners and others through its confidential telephone and email support line service.

All volunteers undertake a 16-week course from home with lots of support from staff and contact with other volunteers.

You need a computer and a landline phone – and be able to commit to at least two four-hour sessions a month on a regular basis at a time to suit you during the day or evening. n Contact Lynn Ballard Pet Bereavement Support Services, tel 01993 867216 www.bluecross.org.uk/volunteer-our-pet-bereavement-support-service

Vehicle Adaptations Person Hoist

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15

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Hand Held Accelerators • Left Foot Accelerators • Pedal Extensions • Seating Aids/Conversions • Lifts • Steps • Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles •

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reaching half a million readers . . . tel 0151 230 0307

16

All Together NOW!

Reaching 500,000 readers across the North West

Positively different: A breath of fresh air

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow

‘SIR BERT’ ON T A

POWERBOAT built for wheelchair users has launched on Merseyside.

The new Coulam V20 Wheelyboat is named after Sir Bert Massie, one of the UK’s leading disability campaigners, who died last October.

It is available for wheelchair users and their friends at Liverpool Watersports Centre, run by Local Solutions, of which Sir Bert was a long-standing trustee.

Cutting the ribbon, Sir Bert’s wife, Lady Maureen, said: “This is a wonderful tribute to Bert. He loved life, loved Liverpool, and would have absolutely loved to have known that wheelchair users from all over the world would be riding the waves here on Merseyside on a powerboat with his name on it!”

Special features of the Wheelyboat allows wheelchair users to operate the boat themselves – as well as achieving accredited watersports qualifications.

Jon Hannaway, the manager at Liverpool Watersports Centre, said: “Having the Sir Bert Massie Wheelyboat means we can offer so much more for people with disabilities, everything from pleasure boating, tours of the docks to gaining

Roll up for a ride to remember

qualifications.

“Taking part in watersports is so good for your physical and mental health and this is just the first part of our campaign to extend the activities we have available.

“The Wheelyboat gives us the perfect vessel for wheelchair users to experience independence and get involved on the water, honing both their physical skills and boosting their well-being.”

Andy Beadsley, director of The Wheelyboat Trust, which helped fund the boat, said: “Our Wheelyboats are designed to provide all people with access to the water, giving disabled people confidence and the equal opportunity to experience freedom and enjoyment on the water.” n To book a ride call: 0151 708 9322

ALL ABOARD: Lady Maureen Massie cutting the ribbon of the Sir Bert Massie Wheelyboat.

Guests at the Albert Dock launch included the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, Mr Mark Blundell, and Councillor Pam Thomas.

Inset above, Sir Bert

w.org.uk

June/July 2018

THE MERSEY! North West Wheelyboats:

Cumbria Lake Windermere, Fell Foot Country Park.

Tel. 015395 31273.

Hawkshead Trout Fishery, Ambleside.

Tel. 01539 436541.

The Tranquil Otter, Carlisle. Tel. 01228 576661.

Lancashire Stocks Reservoir, Slaidburn. Tel. 01200 446602.

Cheshire Overwater Marina, Audlem. Tel. 01270 811454, 01270 812677.

Westlow Mere, Congleton. Tel. 01260 270012.

Shropshire Dearnford Lake, Whitchurch. Tel. 01948 665914.

Patshull Park, Pattingham. Tel. 01902 700774.

Staffordshire Blithfield Reservoir. Tel. 01283 840284.

Rudyard Lake. Tel. 01538 306280.

WALES Anglesey Llyn Cefni, Llangefni. Tel. 01248 421238.

Conway Llyn Brenig, Cerrigydrudion. Tel. 01490 420463.

Flintshire Quay Watermen’s Association, Connah’s Quay.

Tel. 07747 066742.

Gwynedd Llyn Trawsfynydd. Tel. 01766 540400.

Llyn y Dywarchen, Penygroes. Tel. 01248 670666.

Bala Maes y Clawdd. Tel. 01678 530239.

Powys Llyn Clywedog, Llanidloes. Tel. 01686 412644.

All Together NOW!

17

Play a big part in this paper’s future — BACK PAGE

We need YOUR support Irton House Farm

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18

All Together NOW!

SHOPMOBILITY

n ALTRINCHAM. Tel 0161 929 1714 n ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. Tel 0161 339 9500 n BARROW. Tel 01229 434039 n BIRKENHEAD. Tel 0151 647 6162 n BLACKBURN AND DARWEN. Tel 01254 690566 or 07757 502217 n BLACKPOOL. Tel 01253 349 427 n BOLTON. Tel 01204 392946 n CARLISLE. Tel 01228 631564 n CHESTER. Tel 01244 312626 n CHORLEY. Tel 01257 260 888 n COLWYN BAY. Tel 01492 533822 n CREWE. Tel 01270 580 031 n ELLESMERE PORT. Tel 0151 355 1420 n KENDAL. Tel 01539 740 933 n LEIGH, Wigan. Tel 01942 777 985 n LIVERPOOL. Tel 0151 707 0877 n MANCHESTER Trafford Centre. Tel 0161 747 2684 n MANCHESTER Arndale Centre. Tel 0161 839 4060 n NELSON. Tel 01282 692 502 n NORTHWICH, Vale Royal Tel 01606 288820 n OSWESTRY. Tel 01691 656882 n PENRITH. Tel 01768 895 438 n PRESTON. Tel 01772 204 667 n RHYL. Tel 01745 350665 n ROCHDALE. Tel 01706 865 986 n RUNCORN, Halton Lea Tel 01928 716971 n SHREWSBURY. Tel 01743 236900 SKELMERSDALE. Tel 01695 550066 n ST HELENS. Tel 01744 613 388 n STOCKPORT. Tel 0161 666 1100 n WARRINGTON. Tel 01925 240064 n WARRINGTON. Birchwood Tel 01925 822 411 n WIGAN. Tel 01942 776 070 n WINSFORD Tel 01606 557550 n WREXHAM. Tel 01978 312390 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM. Snow Hill Railway Station. Tel 0121 236 8980. Level 2, Centre Car Park, Bullring. Tel 0121 616 2942 n STAFFORD. Tel 01785 619456 n STOKE ON TRENT. Tel 01782 233333 n SUTTON COLDFIELD. Tel 0121 355 1112 n TAMWORTH. Tel, 01827 709392 n WALSALL. Tel 01922 650781 n WEST BROMWICH: Sandwell. Tel 0121 553 1943 n WOLVERHAMPTON. Tel 01902 556021

June/July 2018

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This lot have it all sewn up

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SEW SKILFUL: The team at New Threads textile workshop

OOKING for some unique soft furnishings? If so, make sure to

contact the New Threads textile workshop, run by adult care provider New Directions.

Their team of dedicated workers, who are all affected by age, disability or mental health conditions, have produced a wide range of aprons, bags, blinds and cushions.

They also provide a bespoke curtain and garment alteration service. Seasonal items are also a speciality.

As well gaining sewing and dressmaking skills, the team are adept in a range of other craft skills, including cross stitch, patchwork, felt work and beading, which helps when making costumes for the successful drama

group New Centre Stage. Cathy Donnelly, who runs New Threads with colleague Jacky Cooney, said: “The team have made some really excellent items over recent months.

“And we’re now on the lookout for new customers who may wish to buy some of them.

“The team are justifiably proud when they see the demand there is for the items they have created.

“All the revenue generated is ploughed back into the project’s future activities.” n New Threads: Tel. 0151 363 7050

Plucky guy

GUITAR man Matt Smith – who we featured strumming his way up Mount Snowdon in April’s All Together NOW! – completed the sweltering Sahara desert marathon and raised £1,500.

The cash went to his local Camden Society, which helps people with learning disabilities.

Matt was also raising awareness of the cause of Saharawi people, who have been living in refugee camps in exile from their homeland for last 42 years.

“It was very hot and exhausting, but I managed to put a few smiles on people’s faces,” said Matt.

HELP AT THE END OF A PHONE

n ANGLESEY: TARAN Tel 01407 721933 n BLACKPOOL Disability Information and Support.

Tel 01253 472 202.

Textphone 01253 476 450 n CHESHIRE CIL Tel 01606 331853 n CHESTER Dial House Tel 01244 345655 n DENBIGHSHIRE Tel 01745 354445 n ELLESMERE PORT

DICE Tel 0151 355 1420 n HALTON Disability Service Tel 01928 717222 n KNOWSLEY DISABILITY CONCERN. 0151 480 4090 n LANCASTER DISC Tel 01524 34411 n LIVERPOOL Association of Disabled People. 0151 263 8366. Text 0151 260 4076 n THE BRAIN CHARITY Tel 0151 298 2999

n MANCHESTER (GTR) Coalition of Disabled People Tel 0161-273 5154 n MOLD Flintshire Disability Tel 01352 755546 n NELSON: Pendle Pakistan Welfare Association.

Tel 01282 603 616 n PRESTON DISC: Tel 01772 558 863.

Text 01772 204 787 n RHYL Tel 01745 350665

The human story

IT’S NOT often you get the chance to build a human!

But that’s what Warwick Medical School gave visitors to its first public science evening.

It was all part of explaining the journey we all make from one cell to a human being.

Leading academics provided insights to the fascinating workings of our cells and there were tours round the labs, where people could view the University’s state-of-the-art microscopes.

Dr Andrew McAinsh, professor of cell biology, said: “Humans undergo a fascinating journey from one cell which turns into the trillion needed to make a person.

“During the event we explained how all the different parts of the body are created from the one initial cell and ultimately what happens if cell division goes wrong.”

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

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Garden winners

Lofren winners

THE SIX lucky winners of our gardening competition are: Mary Astley, Eastmoor Drive, Clitheroe, Lancs (“I picked up my All Together NOW! at Clitheroe Library”); Mrs D Bailey, Valley Gardnes, Hapton (Burnley Central Library); Mrs Sheila Donnelly, Highmead Street, Gorton, Manchester (Tesco Gorton); Graham Taylor, Green Lane, Vicars Cross, Chester (Countess of Chester Hospital); Julie Cowburn, Windsor Road, Hyde, Cheshire (Asda Stockport); Neil M Lowe, Windsor Road, Ansdell, Lytham St Annes (Dobbies Garden Centre, Preston). All receive a stunning package of streptocarpus houseplants,courtesy Dibleys Nurseries.

WINNERS of our competition to win tickets for the Nils Lofgren gigs at Liverpool and Manchester were: David Ellis, Aughton Road, Southport; Julie Kelly, The Spinnakers, Fairhaven House, Liverpool; Valerie Gant, Belvedere Road, Ainsdale; Lauren Woolfenden, Monmouth Crescent, Ashton-in-Makerfield; Stuart J Hood, Parklands Drive, Wychwood Village, Weston, Cheshire; Julie Cowburn, Windsor Road, Hyde, Cheshire.

Scrabble queen

MURIEL Bradshaw’s rarely stuck for words – as she proved by striking gold for the second time in three years in the scrabble tournament of the National Indoor Polio Games in Leicester.

Victory for Muriel, from Blackpool, helped the North West Region to its third team gold in a row.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Andy Gilliland secured his fourth draughts gold medal.

Andy has been a member of The British Polio Fellowship for 57 years and is a well respected figure in the Merseyside branch and the North West Region generally. n THE Meresyside branch of the British Polio Fellowship meet at Greenbank Sports Academy, Greenbank Lane, Liverpool on the first Wednesday of the month, 7pm.

“We’re are a friendly branch where you can get advice and support,” says Paul Oulton.

“Come and make new friends and take advantage of the activities that are put on over the year.”

Future events include a canal boat trip day (June 30); a theatre trip to the see 'Mam! I'm Ere' at the Royal Court Theatre (Aug 4); and a ‘horse race’ afternoon (Sep 8).

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

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June/July 2018

Jackie’s breath friend

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PERCUSSIONIST who has played with some of the greatest names in rock and pop is now banging the drum for a new instrument – powered by breath.

Jackie Bertone – best known for his involvement with The Beach Boys – has multiple sclerosis and says the hands-free instrument for musicians with disabilities has made him more musical than ever.

“As a long-time touring and recording percussionist, I was diagnosed with MS, which eventually hindered my expression as a performer,” said the specialist in R&B, Funk, Latin, Latin Jazz, Fusion, New Age, Country and all ethnic percussion.

Jackie, who has played with everyone from The Eagles to C+C Music Factory, said:

“Fortunately, with Jamboxx, I can now be more musical than ever, exploring a melodic side along with enhancing my rhythmic foundation, while finding new passion on the road to health and musical discovery.”

Though he is no longer able to tour, for health reasons, Bertone is still a session artist.

The Jamboxx is an electronic, USB-powered, breath-controlled instrument styled after a harmonica that plays digital MIDI notes when connected to a compatible Windows computer/tablet or MAC OS device.

Notes are played by sipping or puffing via the mouthpiece.

It can play any instrument including guitar, drums, violin, piano and saxophone. Prices start at around £285. n www.jamboxx.com

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 ST HELENS: Deafness Resource Centre Tel 01744 23887 n WOLVERHAMPTON Centre for Deaf Tel 01902 420904 n N WALES Deaf Association, Tel 01492 542235

CARERS’ CENTRES

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

Tel 01228 542 156 Penrith.

Tel 01768 890 280 Barrow-in-Furness.

Tel 01229 822 822 Kendal.

Tel 01539 732 927 Whitehaven, Tel 01946 592 223 n CHESHIRE & WARRINGTON Helpline:0300 102 0008 n KNOWSLEY Tel 0151 549 1412 n LANCASTER Tel 01524 66475 nLIVERPOOL Tel 0151 705 2307 n MANCHESTER Tel 0161 835 2995 n MORECAMBE Tel 01524 833456 n PRESTON Tel 01772 200173 n RUNCORN Tel 01928 580182 n WIDNES Tel 0151 257 9673 n SALFORD Tel 0161 833 0217 n SEFTON Tel 0151 288 6060 n ST HELENS Tel 01744 675 615 n STOCKPORT Tel 0161 442 0442 n WARRINGTON (WIRED) Tel 01925 633 492 n WEST LANCS Tel 01695 711243 n WIGAN & LEIGH Tel 01942 683711 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM Tel 0121 675 8000 n SOLIHULL Tel 0121 788 1143 n WALSALL Tel 01922 610 810 NORTH WALES n ANGLESEY Tel 01248 722828 n BANGOR Tel 01248 370 797 n CONWY Tel 01492 533714 n DENBIGHSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 0845 603 3187 nDOLGELLAU Tel 01341 421167 n FLINTSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 01352 751436 n WREXHAM CARERS SERVICE

19

20

All Together NOW!

MEDICAL NOTES

Bacteria discovery aids cancer fight

A NEW discovery by scientists could help in the battle against breast cancer.

Women with healthy breast tissue have been found to have more of a certain type of bacteria than those with breast cancer.

Bacteria called Methylobacterium was present in larger amounts in women with the healthy tissue, researchers found.

It is hoped the breakthrough by a US team could lead to a fast and simple breast cancer diagnosis – making treatment more likely to be successful.

Bacteria that live in the body, known as the microbiome, influence many diseases.

Most research has been done on the “gut” microbiome, or bacteria in the digestive tract. Scientists have long suspected that a microbiome exists within breast tissue and plays a role in breast cancer.

“To my knowledge, this is the first study to examine both breast tissue and distant sites of the body for bacterial differences in breast cancer,” said Charis Eng, chair of Cleveland Clinic’s Genomic Medicine Institute.

“Our hope is to find a biomarker that would help us diagnose breast cancer quickly and easily.

“In our wildest dreams, we hope we can use microbiomics right before breast cancer forms and then prevent cancer with probiotics or antibiotics.”

GPs blind to blind

PEOPLE with sight loss can face real barriers using doctors’ surgeries, a new report paid for by the NHS has found.

The result is that visually impaired people could be more reluctant to attend routine GP or other medical appointments, have poorer quality information to help them manage their health, and may also neglect support, resulting in chronic conditions becoming unnecessarily worse.

Following work by the charity Focus Birmingham, the study found that staff underestimate visual impairment and, in turn, may overestimate their ability to support those with sight problems.

The report, which calls for training and awareness programmes to help frontline staff, concluded: “Sight loss can be disempowering if people need to rely on others for help and support with many everyday activities.

“However simple, sensible and empathetic actions can allow people with sight loss to live fuller and more independent lives.” n Focus Birmingham: Tel. 0121 478 5200

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Mums: How you sleep can affect your unborn child PREGNANT mothers sleeping on their backs during late pregnancy may cause problems for the fetus, according to new research.

Fetal activity is one measure of its wellbeing, but researchers found that when the mother slept on her back, the fetus was less active.

Fetuses were only in an active state when the mother was on her left or right side.

This research involved 30 pregnant women at 34-38 weeks gestation and all of them were healthy with healthy babies.

The team is now investigating pregnancies where the fetus is not growing properly or the mother has reported decreased fetal movements, as both situations have been associated with an increased risk of stillbirth.

Peter Stone, an investigator on the University of Auckland study, said: “We are suggesting that there is now sufficient evidence to recommend mothers avoid sleeping on their back in late pregnancy.”

The research was published in the Journal of Physiology

A CRYING SHAME

But a million of us need not be losing our sight

A

MILLION people in the UK live with avoidable sight loss severe enough to make a big impact on their lives – like being unable to drive.

And eye health experts have issued a stark warning that if we don’t take action now, the figure could rise by a third by 2030.

Our lifestyles can impact eye health. Being physically active, for example, has been shown to reduce your risk of visual impairment by 58% compared to somebody with a sedentary lifestyle.

And ditching a diet high in meat – more than 3.5oz daily (the equivalent of two small sausages) – could help cut your risk of cataract.

As many as one in five cases of Agerelated Macular Degeneration (AMD), the UK’s leading cause of blindness, are caused by tobacco consumption, according to research published in the British Medical Journal – making smoking directly responsible for around 120,000 cases of AMD in Britain today.

There is also growing evidence to suggest that what we eat and drink can play a role in triggering the onset and progression of AMD. One research study shows eating just one portion of fish a week could reduce your risk of developing AMD by as much as 40%, while heavy drinking (three or more standard drinks per day) has been associated with the development of early AMD. Poor uptake of regular eye tests, once every two years unless advised otherwise by your optometrist, is also a big risk factor for unnecessary sight loss.

The early detection and treatment of common eye conditions like glaucoma is

SIX SIMPLE SIGHT SAVERS

1. Quit smoking. Smokers have a significantly greater risk of sight loss than non-smokers. 2. Eat right for good sight.

Eye-friendly nutrients found in many fruit and vegetables and fatty acids derived from fish, nuts and oils can all help protect your sight. Vitamins B and E can help protect against cataracts while Omega-3 fish oils help maintain healthy blood vessels inside the eye.

3. Watch your weight. Maintaining a healthy weight helps protect the retina against the onset of AMD. Obesity also puts you at increased risk of diabetic retinopathy and damage to blood vessels in the eye

essential to avoiding irreversible sight loss.

Almost 14 million (13.8) of us fail to have regular eye tests yet your optometrist can spot signs of glaucoma years before you

HALF A MILLION people are reading these pages

caused by excess body weight has been linked to glaucoma.

4. Get fit. Aerobic exercise can help increase oxygen supplies to the optic nerve and lower any pressure that builds up in the eye.

5. Cover up. Always wear sunglasses when the UV index rises above three and check your sunglasses filter at least 99% of UVA and UVB light.

6. Be screen smart. Avoid eye strain by using the 20-20-20 rule, especially if you’re using a computer for long periods of time.

Look 20 feet in front of you every 20 minutes for 20 seconds.

may notice a change in your vision. In fact, an estimated 300,000 people are living in the UK with undiagnosed glaucoma because they have not had a recent eye test.

. . . 0151 230 0307

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All Together NOW!

June/July 2018

21

MEDICAL NOTES

Closer to avoiding frailty in old age

‘Incredible’ mobility of chair users underwater

WALKING TALL DOWN UNDER! A UNIQUE therapy is helping people with spinal injuries to walk underwater Down Under.

The Immersion Therapy service, believed to be a world first, has been achieving excellent results since it began last year.

People with spinal cord injuries, amputations, acquired brain injuries and autism are benefitting from the technique which offers freedom of movement in a weightless environment.

Those taking part use specialised scuba equipment to breathe underwater in a swimming pool, using the weightlessness to regain confidence and build muscle strength. Pain relief and increased mobility are also often experienced.

Peter Wilson, who began the service in Australia, said: “Some of the results have been incredible – there are some people who are full-time wheelchair users on land but underwater without gravity they are able to stand and walk.

“People are able to move in a way they’ve never been able to move before.”

Peter said Immersion Therapy was designed to complement existing therapies, not replace them, adding: “The fact that people are underwater and moving against resistance, every movement they make means they are building strength in those muscles by doing it.

“It’s also just the joy people get from our service – generally people’s wellbeing is significantly increased.

“A lot of people on pain medication have been able to reduce their medication, people on medication for depression or anxiety are able to either stop those altogether or heavily reduce them.”

Peter was seriously injured in a motorbike accident in 2007 leading to a long and ongoing period of rehabilitation. He took up scuba diving and was inspired to develop a therapy using some of the equipment after

discovering the benefits of underwater weightlessness.

After several months working with leading doctors on the programme and gaining accreditations, he began the Immersion Therapy service at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre in March 2016. Since then Peter has run almost 2,000 sessions with 200 clients and is planning to expand the service across the country.

He said: “I wanted it to be like nothing else that had been offered before and I knew to do that I would need high level doctor involvement,” he said.

The University of South Australia will conduct an evidence-based research study into the benefits of Immersion Therapy this year.

The university’s Dr Kade Davison said: “What Peter has set up is such a unique therapeutic approach and anecdotally it seems to be having really amazing outcomes.

HALF A MILLION people are reading these pages

SCIENTISTS in the North West have helped develop a new technique that could help prevent frailty in old age.

Their work at Liverpool John Moores University could rapidly advance the development of treatments.

The technique, termed Dynamic Proteome Profiling, involves measuring muscle responses at a finer level of detail and could lead to better training methods, nutritional strategies or medicines that can be used to promote muscle growth – to enhance exercise performance – or prevent muscle wasting.

Professor Jatin Burniston, at the LJMU School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, said: “Muscle is composed of thousands of different proteins and each protein makes a specific contribution to muscle function, for example some proteins are responsible for movement while others are required to provide energy.

“When muscle fibres grow in response to weight training the amount of specific proteins is increased, and this is why muscle becomes larger and stronger.

“Until now, we have not been able to identify exactly which proteins are most responsive to exercise, and whether that response is due to more of the protein being made or less of the protein being degraded or broken down by the cell’s recycling machinery.”

Co-author Professor John Hawley, who is based at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, added: “We can now detect changes that would be missed by the previous method which measured the average response of all proteins in a muscle.”

Massage gets through

MASSAGE could increase the regrowth of lost muscle, new research shows.

Muscle grew faster after a massage because protein manufacture in cells was improved.

Researchers also found that when one leg was massaged, the other leg also grew faster.

Muscle is lost very quickly during periods of disuse, like bed rest or a hospital stay.

The team from University of Kentucky and Colorado State University used rats that had undergone a period of inactivity to decrease muscle mass but were then allowed to recover muscle mass.

During recovery, the rats were massaged by a device that applied force to the muscle in a very controlled way.

The experiments are yet to be carried out in humans.

Results of the research were published in the Journal of Physiology.

. . . 0151 230 0307

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All Together NOW!

BRIEFLY

ALL employers will no longer have to pay towards assistive technology for disabled workers.

Disability minister Sarah Newton said the Government was introducing a new ‘Tech Fund’ as part of the Access to Work scheme, which provides financial support to ensure someone’s disability or health condition doesn’t hold them back at work, and can cover assistive technology, workplace adaptations, transport and interpreters.

Previously, medium employers paid the first £500 towards technological solutions and large employers paid the first £1,000, with both paying 20% of the cost thereafter up to £10,000.

Job plea

MOST jobseekers say employers and recruiters should make online job applications more accessible for disabled people, according to the results of a new survey

by Recite Me and VERCIDA.

‘Help us’

EMPLOYERS are not properly supporting older workers experiencing long-term physical and mental health conditions, says a new report.

And one in four workers affected are considering quitting their job.

The Centre for Ageing Better report, ‘Health warning for employers: supporting older workers with health conditions’, found that workers are often put off speaking to employers until the last moment due to poor workplace culture and overly bureaucratic procedures.

According to Public Health England, 40% of the working age population will have a long-term health condition by 2030.

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

My dream come true

School killed my confidence – but now it’s back

n FOR YEARS, Corey Wood struggled to find employment. Now he’s now celebrating his first year working within the business development team of learning disability charity Dimensions. n Here Corey, 25, tells the story of his incredible journey – from being chronically depressed and non-verbal with most people except his immediate family, to achieving a first class degree and going on to secure paid employment n He’s also appeared on television, talking about the importance of employing people with learning disabilities and autism and what employment means to him.

A

FTER a shaky but not disastrous early childhood, I started secondary school which was – and hopefully will remain – the darkest period of my life.

Daily physical abuse, emotional abuse, mental abuse, some of the worst educational conditions to be in over a five-year period. I failed every exam I took.

And yet that was secondary compared to how much damage mentally that five years of school had done.

I was mentally broken, suffered from chronic depression, and had multiple failed suicide attempts during and after the immediate aftermath of school.

I was finally diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome at the age of 16.

I was unable to go anywhere without my mother, panic and anxiety attacks from being outside were common, even if the area wasn’t crowded. I was almost entirely non-verbal to anyone but my close family.

The mental damage caused by school was massive, and would require a massive period of rebuilding myself to even have a chance of a decent life – eight years to be exact.

The first four years were spent in college, retaking my GCSEs and the like. I could not be in a classroom with fellow students without running out in tears.

One of the many side effects of school was that I had an intense fear but also a hatred of all teenagers.

It was one heck of a tough and difficult journey, one which I would have no chance of completing if not for the fantastic support of the college and my support worker Gill.

She taught me how to be a person, how to talk to others, how to treat others, and how I should behave.

by COREY WOOD

Thanks to her, and the relentless hard work of many others around me, I was able to pass maths, English and science GCSEs, and even completed A levels in admin and IT the following year.

The progress I had made was incredible. But there came a point where, qualification wise, I had gone as far as the college could take me.

But I was also keenly aware just how difficult and competitive the job market was and that simply being able to perform the basics was not going to be good enough.

University was decided as the best option, it would allow me to advance academically but also hopefully give me more time to advance as a person.

But I did not adapt well to uni life. Many of my first grades were only barely passes, and I found it extremely difficult to cope. My mental health once again plummeted, depression and self-doubt started creeping in.

Full of doubt

Just as Gill and her support team saved me in college, Lynn and her team from Autism West Midlands (AWM) saved me in university. The turnaround both in academic results and my wellbeing was spectacular.

Suddenly Bs and As started appearing out of nowhere, challenges all of a sudden felt manageable and achievable.

This is not to say university was a walk in the park – anything but. The subsequent depression and frustration from not achieving what I wanted really did take a toll, but I somehow finished university with a first class degree.

ADVERTISE YOUR JOB VACANCIES . . .

The option to progress to a masters was there, but I decided to start enacting what seemed like a pipe dream eight years earlier – to try to find, and maintain, employment.

I was full of doubts, hearing every day just how hard it is, just how competitive it is. Even after all the hard work of the past eight years, all the hard work and support poured into me by so many people, would it be enough?

I hated the job market, the whole application process. I utterly despised it, this whole idea of having to big yourself up, to sell yourself, to make yourself look like the best thing since sliced bread.

These are things I’ve never wanted to indulge in.

And so, I came to be in Dimensions, and, well, it’s kind of gone way better than anyone, including myself, could have imagined.

To hit the ground running so well, to be able to take on the job and everything along with it in such a stride has frankly amazed me.

It’s amazed my parents, and I think it even amazed Autism West Midlands.

And I have the wonderful team at the Oldbury office to thank for that.

I still find myself at a bit of a loss when people ask me what my next steps are, what my grand career plans are, because I’ve never had any, and I never thought I’d get into a position where it would be relevant.

I look back at everyone, so many people who gave so much, who went above and beyond, just to give me a chance.

If I can develop into a person who can contribute, help and make people happy half as well as those who have helped me, I’ll live and die a very happy person.

I really shouldn’t be here, but thanks to all who have supported me, I am.

CALL US NOW 0151 230 0307

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All Together NOW!

June/July 2018

FLASHBACK

No wonder the Romans couldn’t settle here...

n THE first fearsome Scousers, Druidical sacrifice, and naked blue guest Scouse warriors . . . our guest historian KEN PYE tells the story of Liverpool’s great and sometimes often overlooked past. n Ken is the managing director of Discover Liverpool, and is a popular and well-known author and broadcaster. n He has also just completed his 13th book, Liverpool at Work. n Ken’s brand new DVD documentary series, – Discover Liverpool, is also now available, consisting of eight, half-hour programmes about the history and heritage of Liverpool, all on one, single, ultra HD disc. n Contact Ken on: 0151 427 2717 or 07808 870 614 or at ken.pye@discover-liverpool.com

Iron Age Scousers ABOVE: The Calder Stones. RIGHT: The Wicker Man – used to execute hundreds of men, women, children . . . and animals

S did.

TONE Age man probably settled on the banks of the River Mersey, as in all likelihood Bronze Age peoples

That the Iron Age Celts were here is certain – the original ‘Scousers’.

Tribes fought each other for power and territory, but they banded together with determined and dedicated brutality against any enemy – and some of those foes were powerful indeed.

Despite two invasion attempts by General Julius Ceasar in 55-56BC, the Romans did not come back to Britain until AD43, and this time they were under the command of Emperor Claudius.

It took until around AD70-79 for him to reach the north west of England – hacking, slashing, spearing, mutilating, impaling, and beheading, every step of the way. He left the heads of his beaten Celtic chieftains stuck on pikes as a warning to others.

These were times of magic and mystery in ancient Britain, and of a human relationship with the earth, the skies, the waters, and the natural world that has long-since vanished.

Even today, legends abound of the mysterious Druids – the priestly cult that seems to have been at the very pinnacle of Celtic society.

Stories abound, too, of mass human executions inside the dreaded Wicker Man. Julius Caesar himself described how hapless victims would be imprisoned in these gigantic, wooden cages, fashioned out of woven branches to look like human figures – and burnt alive.

Yarns also persist of ceremonial human sacrifice on great carved slabs, set in circles of standing stones.

Such tales circulated in the late 19th century, in what are now the southern suburbs of Liverpool, near Woolton Village, when archaeologists investigated six irregular sandstone slabs.

Known locally as the ‘Calder Stones’, scientists declared them to be remnants of a ‘Druidical Stone Circle’. This was reinforced by the fact that the word ‘Calder’ is derived from the AngloSaxon ‘Galdar’ or ‘Wizard’ – so the belief was that bloody sacrifices were carried out in ancient Liverpool!

Druids may well have practised their ceremonies here, but the Calder Stones are now known to have been the remnants of a chambered tomb – part of a long-vanished Neolithic Chief’s Tumulus.

This had originally been erected around 4,800BC, making it older even than Stonehenge (built around 3100BC) – which is older than the first Pyramids of Egypt (begun around 2600BC).

news@alltogehernow.org.uk

The Iron Age Britons fiercely defended their homes, communities, and lands – especially in what was to become Liverpool and Merseyside.

There is little local evidence of these ancient inhabitants of our area but, at the top of the 250ft high Camp Hill, close to Woolton Village, the same Victorian archaeologists also discovered the remains of a large Iron Age fort, or ‘camp’.

Named after this discovery, Camp Hill had been occupied by Brigantes, a Celtic tribe.

This confederation of largely independent communities controlled the largest section of what would become northern England, and a significant part of the Midlands. They had constructed this defensive outpost to protect their surrounding farms and fields.

The fortification was around 80 yards in diameter, with ramparts between 10 and 15 feet high, and probably encircled by defensive, sharpened wooden stakes.

Even today, the views from the top of Camp Hill of the surrounding lands, the Mersey, the Wirral Peninsular, and the far mountains of North Wales, are spectacular, so this was an ideal location for the competitive local Celts.

From here they would have challenged other local tribes for power and territory – and defended themselves against the Romans when they came.

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THE Roman invaders probably marched past Camp Hill, on the way from their northern base at Bremetennacum – now modern Ribchester, to Deva – the city now known as Chester.

In the mid-19th century, during road excavations in nearby Garston, the remains of a Roman pavement were discovered below the roadway.

The Brigantean hillfort would have been a prime target for the invading Romans, and it is also probable that they would have mounted at least one attack against its prehistoric Liverpudlian defenders.

It is believed that Gnaeus Julius Agricola (Governor of Britain from 78 to 84AD) led major attacks against the Brigantes – although it took many years to finally conquer them.

The Romans reported that their Celtic enemies often fought entirely naked – their bodies painted all over, or in swirling patters, with blue woad extracted from plants.

I can imagine the Romans, in their smart uniforms and burnished armour, ready with their spears and broadswords, lined up at the base of the rise in serried and orderly ranks.

I can visualise, too, the daunting spectacle of hundreds of naked, angry, hairy blue men, (and sometimes the women as well), gathered at the top of Camp Hill.

Also heavily armed, with fearsome, long, slender slashing swords and vicious spears, they would charge screaming down the hill proudly brandishing everything they had and throwing themselves against the enemy in furious abandon.

What a sight for sore Roman eyes!

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All Together NOW!

Until Jun 23: Summer Holiday. Octagon Bolton.

1960’s musical brought to life as never seen before. Captioned, Jun 19, 7.30pm. Audio described, Jun 20, 7.30pm. BSL, Jun 21, 7.30pm.

Until Jun 30: The Miracle of Great Homer Street. Royal Court Liverpool. Starring Les Dennis. BSL, Jun 12, 8pm. Audio described, Jun 14, 8pm Until Jul 10: Othello. Everyman, Liverpool Until Jul 14: Paint Your Wagon.

Everyman Liverpool. Relaxed, Jul 3, 5.30pm

Jun 6-9: Assassins. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. Musical delving into the lives of nine people throughout history who have attempted to assassinate the most powerful man on Earth.

Jun 6-9 Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre. The Lowry Lyric Theatre.

Northern Ballet’s brilliant dance actors will bring this tale of romance, jealousy and dark secrets to life.

Audio described, Jun 9, 2pm, Touch Tour at 11.30am..

Jun 7: Fastlove – A Tribute to George Michael. Palace Theatre, Manchester.

Jun 8: Signed Sealed Delivered – A Tribute to Stevie Wonder. Palace Theatre, Manchester.

Jun 9: The Carpenters Story.

Palace Theatre, Manchester.

Jun 9: Mozart’s the Marriage of Figaro. Grand Theatre, Blackpool.

Jun 9: Showaddywaddy. Lyceum Crewe.

Jun 9: T.REXTASY. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Jun 10: Fairport Convention. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Jun 10: Chas & Dave - All Seasons Live. Liverpool Empire.

Jun 10: Some Guys Have All The Luck. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. A fantastic celebration of rock icon Rod Stewart.

Jun 11-16. This Is Elvis. Palace Theatre, Manchester. Internationally renowned, award winning Steve Michaels stars as Elvis.

Jun 12-24: Shrek the Musical. Liverpool Empire.

The smash hit blockbuster is back – and larger than life!

BSL, Jun 19, 7.30pm. Audio described, Jun 21, 7.30pm.

Jun 12-16: The Playboy of the Western World.

Theatr Clwyd. Riotous comedy by JM Synge Jun 13: 6 Hands. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. John Williams and John Etheridge are joined by classical guitarist and composer Gary Ryan in a colourful and varied programme.

Jun 13-30: War Horse. The Lowry Lyric Theatre. National Theatre’s

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

BOX OFFICE CONTACTS

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

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

DISNEY’S hit musical Aladdin has its second dedicated autism-friendly performance at London’s Prince Edward Theatre on Tuesday August 28. n Box Office number: 0844 482 5152. www.aladdinthemusical/autismfriendly

TAKE YOUR SEATS! acclaimed play returns. Audio described. Jun 23, 2pm. Touch tour at 12pm. Relaxed, Jun 28, 2pm. Only available to book by phone. BSL, Jun 21, 7.30pm.

Jun 13: Grumpy Old Women To The Rescue.

Guild Hall, Preston. The Grumpy Old Women have put their knobbly old feet up in glorious retirement.

Jun 14: Cilla & the Shades of the 60s. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Stunning and elegant review of the life of Cilla Black soars its way through the 60’s.

Jun 14: Cattle & Cane. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Cattle & Cane have the ability to shift even the hardest of hearts with their perfect, soaring harmonies.

Jun 14-16: 20th Century Boy. Venue Cymru. The hit musical inspired by the life of rock legend Marc Bolan.

Jun 14: Fleetwood Bac. The Brindley Runcorn. Tribute show.

Compiled by CHRIS GROVES

Jun 14: Friends Funny Girls Spectacular. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. An exciting night of cabaret and music.

Jun 14: Lance Ellington Sings Broadway. Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl.

Jun 15: Some Guys Have All The Luck (The Rod Stewart Story).

Southport Theatre.

Jun 15-16: The Wind in the Willows. Charter Theatre. Preston.

The students of Preston College stage this fantastic musical.

Jun 15: Roy Orbison & The Traveling Wilburys Tribute Show.

The Brindley Runcorn.

Jun 15-16: The Commuters. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Using the words of real people, dynamic choreography and projection.

Jun 16: The Houghton Weavers.

The Brindley Runcorn. Entertaining folk for over 40 years.

MATILDA The Musical is on its way to Birmingham with the first relaxed performance taking place at the Hippodrome, Thursday July 19 (2pm).

The show runs from July 3 to September 8. n Box Office: 0844 338 5000. www.birminghamhippodrome.com

June 16-Jul 14: The Big I Am. Everyman, Liverpool. A reimagining of Peer Gynt by Robert Farquhar.

Audio described, Jun 26, 7.30pm.

Captioned, Jun 30, 7.30pm Jun 16: Boney M. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. They’re back, fronted by original member Maizie Williams, in a thrilling live show.

Jun 16: My Leonard Cohen.

Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl. Driven by Stewart D’Arrietta’s interpretations of the great singer-songwriter’s most powerful works.

Jun 16: Showaddywaddy. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Jun 17: The True Story of Jimi Hendri: Leon Hendrx. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Leon Hendrix is the younger brother of Jimi Hendrix.

Jun 17: The Drifters. Lyceum Crewe. The Drifters are back on the road in the UK performing their classic hits from the last six decades.

Jun 18: The Magic Flute. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Pantomime

opera featuring much of Mozart’s most magical music.

Jun 19-29: Sticks and Stones.

Theatr Clwyd. A side-splitting satire.

Relaxed, June 27, 7.15pm.

Captioned and described, June 29, 7.15pm.

Jun 19: Dan Snow - An Evening With The History Guy. Lyceum Crewe.

Jun 19: The Dreamboys. Palace Theatre, Manchester.

Jun 20: Jane McDonald - 20th Anniversary Tour. Theatre Royal St Helens.

Jun 20: Two. The Brindley Runcorn.

Award-winning playwright Jim Cartwright’s critically acclaimed play.

Jun 20: Northern Ballet’s Ugly Duckling. Grand Theatre, Blackpool.

Jun 20-24: Awful Auntie. Opera House Manchester. From the awardwinning West End producers of Gangsta Granny.

Jun 22: Jon Pointing: Act Natural.

Unity Theatre,

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

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June/July 2018

All Together NOW!

It’s Peaches like never before . . .

By Lowri Llewelyn

NTERNATIONAL burlesque dancer Little Peaches is set to wow audiences again – this time by performing out of her wheelchair for the first time.

Her new routine will be her most ambitious yet, combining both a wheelchair and floor work.

“I refuse to let my deteriorating mobility hold me back,” says Little Peaches, who takes to the stage at Liverpool’s Spare Rib Burlesque & Cabaret in July.

“I aim to find a way to turn my disability into a unique ability.”

As well as dancing her way across two continents, supporting the likes of

Jun 22: Money for Nothing. Lyceum Crewe. Tribute show to Dire Straits.

Jun 22: Les Musicals. Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl. Presenting the biggest hit songs from the West End & Broadway.

Jun 23: Chris Ramsey Live.

Lyceum Crewe. Award winning stand-up comedian.

Jun 23: Les Musicals. The Brindley Runcorn. Biggest hits from the West End & Broadway.

Jun 24: Dan Snow - An Evening with the ‘History Guy’. Charter Theatre, Preston.

Jun 25-30: The Play That Goes Wrong. Opera House Manchester. Fawlty Towers meets Noises Off. BSL, Jun 26 7:30pm Jun 25-Jul 14: Home, I’m Darling.

Theatr Clywd. How happily married are the happily married? Captioned & described (Touch Tour) July 7.

Relaxed July 10. Described (Touch Tour), July 12 Jun 25-30: Legally Blonde The

international DJs and national lesbian festivals, the Australian artist is an accomplished model who has been featured in Vogue Italia.

She also co-produces travelling cabaret The Secret Circus, and has been invited to perform at the very first National Burlesque Awards, which take place in September.

Little Peaches has EhlersDanlos Syndrome, a degenerative connective tissue disorder that causes chronic pain, dislocations and digestive problems, to name but a few.

n To support Little Peaches and enjoy a full line-up of fantastic acts, head to Constellations in Greenland Street, Liverpool on July 19.

Musical. Palace Theatre, Manchester. The smash hit Broadway and West End Musical. BSL, Jun 27 7:30pm. Audio described, Jun 28 7:30pm.

Jun 26-30: Thriller Live. Liverpool Empire. Celebrating Michael and the Jackson 5.

Jun 27: Swing With Laughter.

Southport Theatre.

Legendary entertainers Jimmy Tarbuck and Kenny Lynch swap their golf clubs for a unique night of comedy.

Jun 28-30. Bob the Russian – Black Comedy.

Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Russia, 2018. The FIFA World Cup is in full swing, and so are the Russian and English hooligans.

Jun 30: Rhythm Of The Dance.

Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl.

Jul 1: Giovanni Pernice - Born To Win. Theatre Royal St Helens.

‘Strictly Come Dancing’ finalist Giovanni Pernice returns to the stage.

UNIQUE CHARITY NEWSPAPER

LITTLE PEACHES: Jul 1: ABBA Mania. Liverpool Empire. Tribute show.

Jul 3-7: Son of a Preacher Man. Liverpool Empire.Three broken hearts, one Soho hang-out, and the only man who could ever help them.

Jul 3-7: The Last Ship. The Lowry Lyric Theatre. Sting’s personal, political and passionate musical.

Jul 3: The Simon & Garfunkel Story. Charter Theatre, Preston.

Jul 5: Ruby Wax. Grand Theatre, Blackpool.

Frazzled. Ruby Wax brings her new onewoman show to the stage.

Jul 7-Sep 8: ABBA Mania. Grand Theatre, Blackpool.

Jul 7: Rhythm of the Dance. The Brindley Runcorn.

Jul 7: David Baddiel’s AniMalcolm. The Lowry Quays Theatre. Vibrant, musical comedy.

Jul 8: World’s Strongest Man: Eddie Hall. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Picture: ChrisMPhotos81 Jul 9-14: The Play That Goes Wrong. Liverpool Empire. Multi award-winning smash hit comedy.

Jul 11: Rhythm of the Dance.

Lyceum Crewe.

Jul 10-14: Agatha Christie’s Love From A Stranger. The Lowry - Lyric Theatre. A whirlwind romance with a handsome and charming stranger.

Jul 12: Material Girl - The Madonna Story. Southport Theatre.

Jul 13: The Drifters - Soul Kinda Wonderful. Southport Theatre.

Jul 13-Aug 11: Mam! I’m Ere. Royal Court Liverpool. Brilliantly funny smash hit disco musical is back. BSL Jul 24, 8pm. Audio described, Jul 25, 8pm Jul 13: Let’s Twist Again. Venue Cymru. Songs from a magical Rock ‘n’ Roll era.

Jul 15: Sir Ranulph Fiennes Living Dangerously. The Lowry Lyric Theatre.

Jul 15: Raymond Froggatt In Concert. Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl.

Jul 17: The ELO Experience.

Liverpool Empire. Tribute show.

Jul 18-21: The Jury. The Brindley Runcorn. This intense musical will have you on the edge of your seats.

Jul 18 Jason Manford, Muddle Class. Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl.

Jul 19-21: The Silence Between Us. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. WW2 musical that shows the life of Arthur Johnson and his wife, Mary.

Jul 20: Jools Holland & his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra with special guest Marc Almond. Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl.

Jul 20-21: Barnum. Venue Cymru.

Roll up; roll up for “the greatest show on earth”.

Jul 20: An Evening With Pete Waterman. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Waterman reveals stories behind some of the greatest songs and artists of the 80s and 90s.

Jul 21: Rock ‘n’ Roll Paradise.

Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl.

Jul 22: The Proclaimers. Venue Cymru.

Jul 23-28: Sherlock Holmes - The Final Curtain. Opera House Manchester.

Jul 23: Walk Like A Man. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Musical journey through the incredible career of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

Jul 25: The Elvis Years. The Brindley Runcorn. An outstanding musical production.

July 26: One Night of Queen.

Liverpool Empire. Tribute show.

Jul 26: Kevin & Karen Dance.

Venue Cymru. ‘Strictly’ stars Kevin and Karen Clifton are back with a brand new show.

Jul 27: The Orbison Story. Venue Cymru. Tribute show.

Jul 27: The Carpenters Story.

Liverpool Empire. Highly acclaimed concert-style production of the career of the famous band.

Jul 27: Some Guys Have All The Luck (The Rod Stewart Story).

Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Jul 28: Rhythm Of The Dance.

Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Jul 28: The Illegal Eagles. Liverpool Empire. Tribute band.

Jul 28: Let’s Hang On – The Music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl.

Jul 30-Aug 4: Titanic The Musical.

Liverpool Empire. Based on real people aboard the most legendary ship in the world.

Jul 30: Walk Like A Man. Grand Theatre, Blackpool. A musical journey through the incredible career of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

Aug 1-26. What The Ladybird Heard. The Lowry Quays Theatre.

Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have a cunning plan to steal the farmer’s fine prize cow. Relaxed performance: Aug 9, 2pm.

Aug 4: The Roy Orbison Story.

Southport Theatre. Go back in time to the 1960’s when the big O toured the UK.

. . . SEE BACK PAGE FOR DETAILS

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All Together NOW!

Books

How we can build richer communities

Belonging, by Sheila Hollins, Valerie Sinason and Access All Areas artists. Illustrated by Lucy Bergonzi, £10. www.booksbeyondwords.co.uk SO MANY people experience loneliness and social isolation, putting their wellbeing, health and happiness at risk.

But when everyone has the opportunity to join in, build meaningful relationships and contribute to the community around them we all benefit, and our communities are richer as a result.

The latest addition to the Books Beyond Words series, Belonging is a story told in pictures to help anyone who finds pictures easier than words to explore themes of loneliness, inclusion and community.

The book was created by a group of actors from Access All Areas – a performing arts organisation comprising artists with learning disabilities and autistism and tells the story of Kali and Stefan, two vulnerable, lonely people who are drawn together by a dramatic event. In the aftermath, the pair forge a friendship and find themselves in the centre of a community where they feel they belong.

Belonging was funded by the Wellcome Trust as part of Access All Areas’ MADHOUSE project.

Change your mind

Anxiety is Really Strange, by Steve Haines, illustrated by Sophie Standing, Singing Dragon, £7.99

WHAT is the difference between fear and excitement and how can you tell them apart?

How do the mind and body make emotions?

When can anxiety be good?

This sciencebased graphic book addresses these questions and more, revealing just how strange anxiety is, but also how to unravel its mysteries and relieve its effects.

Understanding how anxiety is created by our nervous system trying to protect us, and how our fight-or-flight mechanisms can get stuck, can significantly lessen the fear experienced during anxiety attacks.

In this guide, anxiety is explained in an easy-to-understand, engaging graphic format with tips and strategies to relieve its symptoms, and change the mind’s habits for a more positive outlook.

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)

feel like you’re out of your depth. On the 27th, a Lunar Eclipse brings unexpected closure to a family problem. You’ll breathe a sigh of relief when care is found for an elderly relative or a new school is discovered for a struggling child.

The New Moon on the 13th invites you to make a sales pitch, begin a social media campaign or start a writing project. The more user-friendly your work is, the more successful it will be. It’s possible you’ll leave one job for another on the 28th, when the Full Moon marks a turning point in your career. As July arrives things are starting to change on the home front. A group collaboration will come to a rapid conclusion on the 27th. That’s when a Lunar Eclipse makes you free to pursue a solo project. As soon as you fulfil your obligations to the team, get started on this personal plan. It will quickly bring you to a higher level of achievement.

You’re ready for success on your own terms.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)

A fresh moneymaking opportunity will arrive on the 13th, courtesy of the New Moon. You will enjoy the work involved, but your colleagues will be less than impressive. The Full Moon on the 28th will find you collecting a degree or certificate. The Solar Eclipse on July 13th makes it difficult to operate as part of a team.

Although you have good ideas, louder members of the group will discount your suggestions. Trying to be heard will be an exercise in futility. Instead of raising your voice, retreat to a quiet corner. On the 27th, the Lunar Eclipse marks a career high point. Don’t be afraid to put your ambition on display. Your calm diligence will be greatly appreciated.

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)

You’re ready to make a fresh start, but don’t make any changes that will compromise you.

On the 28th, your deepest feelings will come out in the open. It will no longer be possible to hide your passion, anger or resentment.

Coming clean will relieve a great deal of stress that has been building. Your financial security will be undermined on July 13th. The Lunar Eclipse on the 27th may find you returning from an extended trip. Burn off your excess energy with a fitness program. The more physically active you are, the easier it will be to face the challenges ahead. Venturing into unknown territory will be refreshing. You’re tired of being held hostage by an old, outmoded arrangement.

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)

On the 13th, you’ll feel the urge to rest, relax and recuperate from a busy social season. The Full Moon on the 28th brings a partnership or contract to completion. After fulfilling your responsibilities, you might be pressured to keep this arrangement going. Be ready to break away, even at the risk of looking callous.

Bigger and better opportunities await you.

Getting a personal project off the ground will be difficult on July 13th. That’s when a Solar Eclipse puts strain on your personal life. It may be necessary to decide what you want more: Your relationship or your dream. Trust your gut; it has never steered you wrong. On the 27th, the Lunar Eclipse concludes a financial struggle.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)

A cutting-edge collaboration will be more challenging than expected on June 13th, due to a tense New Moon. There won’t be enough money in the budget to do this project justice.

The Full Moon on the 28th prompts you to reconsider how you are using your time, money and energy. July’s Solar Eclipse on the 13th will bring an embarrassing secret to light. A jealous colleague will try making trouble for you. The Lunar Eclipse on the 27th brings an end to a partnership that has run its course. Going solo will be scary but stimulating. Take this opportunity to explore a new lifestyle, hobby or belief system. When you pour your energy into

RUSSELL GRANT CALLING . . .

activities and beliefs that resonate with your spirit, you’ll feel as if you have been reborn.

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)

An opportunity on the 13th isn’t all that it is cracked up to be. The New Moon is urging you to make a change, but there will be hidden elements to this that are very unpleasant. On the 28th, the Full Moon will mark a turning point in a romance or creative project. You might decide this relationship or venture is just too much trouble. You’ll feel like a duck out of water on June 13th. That’s when a Solar Eclipse will put you in a group that utterly confounds you. Not only will you disagree with virtually all their beliefs, but you’ll also find their attitudes offensive. On the 27th, a Lunar Eclipse will bring an end to a health regime or work assignment. Instead of overanalysing your options, you’ll have to make instinctive choices.

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)

An opportunity to travel, publish or teach will arrive on or around the 13th. There will be strings attached to this opportunity, so beware.

The Full Moon on the 28th creates drama on the family front. A stern relative may discourage your plans to become more independent.

Stand up for what you want, even at the risk of having a quarrel. An offer on July 13th is not as rosy as it appears. The Lunar Eclipse on the 27th marks a turning point in a romantic relationship or creative project. July ends on a high note. Remember this if you’re feeling discouraged by a stressful work situation. What seems like a loss now could become a victory later in the year.

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)

An investment opportunity arriving at mid-June is too good to be true. The New Moon will tempt you to back this exciting venture, but all is not what it seems. On the 28th, the Full Moon will prompt you to say what you see.

Confront someone who is taking advantage of their position. You’re the only one brave enough to challenge their abusive behaviour.

July’s Solar Eclipse on the 13th will make you

Half a million readers

On the 13th, the New Moon will tempt you to enter into a business or romantic relationship.

Don’t jump into anything too quickly. The Full Moon on the 28th brings a nice little boost to your bank balance. Postpone luxury purchases for another time and meet practical needs instead. A powerful physical attraction will create financial strain on July 13th. The Solar Eclipse will make you restless. Resist the temptation to buy someone’s affection. The Lunar Eclipse on the 27th will cause someone to render their final decision. Once you get the news, you’ll be able to move forward with a plan of action. Starting a blog, posting a video or launching a promotional campaign is strongly advised.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)

Starting work on a project will be cause for alarm in mid-June. Someone who isn’t clear how this work will be performed will give conflicting instructions on the 13th, due to a deceptive New Moon. The Full Moon on the 28th will invite you to do something special for yourself. On July 13th, a Solar Eclipse will prompt you to pay more attention to a close relationship. Expecting your best friend, romantic partner or someone you work with to follow orders will create deep resentment. Be more attentive. Stop insisting on taking the lead. A source of income will come to an end on the 27th, due to a Lunar Eclipse. But you’ll be able to land a bigger and better opportunity.

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)

The New Moon on the 13th opens the door to a passionate relationship. Beware of trying to buy someone’s affection. If this relationship is meant to be, your amour will be satisfied with you on any terms. On the 28th, you will be challenged to let go of an old grudge. The sooner you make a fresh start, the happier you will be. July sees a health regime getting off to a rocky start, due to a stressful Solar Eclipse on the 13th. A new medication could make you feel queasy. An exercise programme could result in a sprain or strain. If a doctor’s suggestions are wreaking havoc, let them know. The Lunar Eclipse on the 27th puts you in the spotlight. When one door closes, another will open.

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th)

Finding a place to live will be more challenging than expected. The New Moon on the 13th invites you to lower your expectations about living spaces. The Full Moon on the 28th could cause you to break away from a group that no longer meets your needs. An influential member will be personally insulted by this defection, but it can’t be helped. News of an engagement, marriage or pregnancy will come as a shock on July 13th. That’s when a Solar Eclipse turns your world upside down. Your whole life is going to change. The Lunar Eclipse on the 27th brings an end to a period of deception. Once you discover someone’s true character, you’ll be able to make better decisions.

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All Together NOW!

June/July 2018

WIN THESE HEAVENLY TRUMPETS HOW’S this for a winning competition? There’s a heavenly first prize, three dazzling flower packs for runners-up – plus a special offer for ALL our readers.

The prizes are from Hayloft Plants, the Worcestershire nursery renowned for unusual and exciting species. First prize is a collection of three brugmansias, better known as Angel’s Trumpets, in yellow, pink and white.

Brugmansias are elegant, quick-growing trees with a single stem and pendulous, fragrant flowers, almost 30cm (12in) long, in summer.

The prize collection, worth £24, will come in 9cm pots and will quickly grow 1.8m tall with a 1m spread (6ft x 3ft 4in). The plants can be grown in conservatories or outdoors in the ground or in large pots, preferring well-drained soil in sun or part shade, and can be kept over winter by cutting back and keeping frost free.

For each of three runners-up we have packs of six plants of the stunning new geranium, Pelargonium Royal Dazzler.

PRIZE PLANTS: Pink and yellow Angel’s Trumpets plus geranium Royal Dazzler

After years of breeding, this variety brings real red-carpet treatment to tubs, hanging baskets and borders. The semi-trailing, mounding plants grow to 45cm (18in) in height and spread and produce sumptuous red semidouble blooms for months until the first frosts.

Full cultural details come with all the prizes.

As well as the prizes, Hayloft Plants are offering no less than 15% discount off any item ordered online exclusively for All Together NOW! readers.

Just go online to www.hayloft.co.uk, choose from the wonderful array of plants and flowers and quote the code ATN2018 to claim your discount. The offer is valid until July 30.

To enter the competition, answer this question: What colours are our prize Angel’s Trumpets?

n Send your entry with your name and address on a postcard or sealed envelope, stating where you picked up your copy of All Together NOW!, to Hayloft Competition, All Together NOW!, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP, to arrive by Monday 23 July, or enter online at competition@alltogethernow.org.uk.

Please insert HAYLOFT in the subject line – and remember to include your name, address and phone number.

TIME FOR THE SNIP

P

RUNING is one of those gardening techniques that is easy… when you know how – and when – to do it!

Never prune for the sake of it. Decide what you want from each plant and prune it in a manner, and in the right season, to achieve your aim.

Hacking pieces off shrubs at random just to “tidy up” will guarantee failure, especially if you do it in spring.

At worst, you could be removing flowering or fruiting buds or leaving wounds which attract infection.

At best, you’ll be spoiling the shape of plants.

There are three pruning tools: secateurs, loppers and pruning saws.

For light tasks, a good, sharp pair of secateurs are ideal. Most gardeners – including me – prefer the bypass type, which work like scissors, although some use the anvil sort in which a sharp upper blade is pressed down into a depression in the middle of the lower blade, making a sort of crush-cut.

Loppers, normally with long handles, are for cutting through branches up to 5cm (2in) in diameter. For working on the thicker branches of trees and large, old shrubs, you need a pruning saw, which is short, for manoeuvring between branches, and very sharp.

Pruning is applied mainly to woody plants – shrubs, climbers and trees – and has several different purposes.

An obvious reason is to remove damaged, diseased or dead wood, partly to smarten up the plant but also to prevent disease getting in. Simply cut back to ‘clean’ wood, showing no browning in the centre, at a joint or fork in the branch.

The need for pruning is equally evident when a shrub has become too big. If it is starting to block a path or overshadowing other plants, trimming a few inches is not enough because that will quickly promote more growth.

Better to reduce the plant’s overall size and, if it is the kind that produces stems direct from the ground, like lilac or philadelphus (mock orange), to remove a few of the oldest branches.

Do this after the shrub has flowered, for two reasons: you will be removing any seed heads so that vigour is directed into regrowth and also allowing the plant time to produce flower shoots for blooming next year.

General vigour, especially of climbers, depends on regular pruning. Clematis are divided into three groups for this purpose. First, there are rampant

CRUEL TO BE KIND: Using bypass secateurs, prune lilacs after flowering and hydrangeas in March

climbers such as the pink or white Clematis montana which need trimming – after flowering – only to prevent them becoming overgrown.

Second are large-flowered hybrids, such as purple Nelly Moser, that bloom in spring on last year’s shoots and again in autumn on new growth. These can be pruned lightly in early spring, though I prefer to do this after flowering in late spring.

The third group contains summer-flowering species, such as Clematis tangutica, with numerous yellow bells, which are cut down in late winter to a pair of healthy buds 15cm-30cm (6in12in) from the ground.

The pruning season for shrub roses has long been the subject of good-natured dispute between gardeners. The bushes can be pruned in autumn but run the risk of having young shoots damaged by frost.

If they escape this damage, they will flower early. I prune to within a few inches of the ground in late March, avoiding frost damage and enjoying later roses. For earlier but smaller roses from a spring pruning, trim the bushes less severely.

Early spring pruning is suitable for any shrubs that flower on shoots produced the same year.

Hydrangeas, for instance, benefit from the winter protection given by their attractive seed heads and are then pruned in March. Thin shoots are removed completely and the stouter ones cut down to a plump pair of buds close to the ground. The reduction looks dramatic but really works.

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CHECKLIST

FLOWERS: Finish planting up hanging baskets and summer bedding. Add colour to gaps in borders by sowing annual flowers such as blue nigella (lovein-a-mist), multi-coloured nemesia or limnanthes, the yellow and white “poached egg” plant, all of which will bloom profusely this year.

SHRUBS: Remove the fading flowers of roses. To boost a second flush of bloom, prune the heads back to an outward-facing leaf-joint then spray the foliage with a liquid feed.

LAWNS: Grass in which spring bulbs have been grown can be cut lightly now.

PONDS: Divide the roots of water lilies and other pond plants, to make new plants, once they are growing actively. They need feeding just like any other plant: use special pond fertilisers or slowrelease pellets pushed down into the roots.

FRUIT: Watch for aphid attack on gooseberries and currants, usually starting in the tips of shoots, and squash them or spray with a contact insecticide. Keep the soil round fruit plants free from grass and weeds.

VEGETABLES: For a late crop, sow quick-maturing varieties and water them thoroughly until wellestablished. Sow lettuce Little Gem and carrot Early Nantes.

HERBS: Sow Florence fennel and chives outdoors. Sow seeds or buy plants of other herbs such as dill and coriander.

If you find parsley difficult to grow, sow it now. Make seed-drills just a quarter of an inch deep and water them with boiling water, then sow the seeds thinly.

GREENHOUSE: Plant tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, peppers and aubergines in unheated greenhouses. Remove cucumber tendrils as they appear, to encourage crop production.

HOUSEPLANTS: Water more freely, feed regularly and do not leave them in full sun all day except for types really suited to those conditions.

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June/July 2018

The Accumulator Quiz

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

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Ovation (8) Maple tree (4) Vehicle for hire (7) Small firework (5) Fate (3) Spirit (6) Caribbean republic (5) Small particle (4) Muslim salutation (6) Protruding stomach (6) Dandy (4) Flat (5) High estimation (6) Paddle (3) Trunk (5) Promiscuous (7) Show excessive love (4) Grasped tightly (8)

★

A

A B C D

A snake A musical timing device A counting frame A Roman battering-ram

Morse Luther Lewis Sherlock

SUDOKU

A B C D

J.D. Salinger Jack Kerouac Vladimir Nabokov Truman Capote

QUESTION 13 – for 13 points: Who won the Academy Award for best director in 1996 with the film The English Patient?

English actor Idris Elba. See Question 6

A B C D

Mexico Chile South Africa New Zealand

Sam Mendes Barry Levinson Mike Nicholls Anthony Minghella

QUESTION 14 – for 14 points: In which country are the Burakumin an ethnic group?

QUESTION 8 – for 8 points: Which capital city is called Baile Atha Cliath in its native language?

QUESTION 6 – for 6 points: English actor Idris Elba plays which brooding, troubled TV detective?

A B C D

A B C D

A B C D

Edvard Munch Vincent van Gogh El Greco David Hockney

Mangosuthu Buthelezi Thabo Mbeki Dullah Omar Desmond Tutu

QUESTION 12 – for 12 points: Who wrote the novel Lolita?

QUESTION 7 – for 7 points: In which country is Lake Taupo the largest lake?

QUESTION 5 – for 5 points: Which artist painted The Scream?

A B C D

A B C D

It is the only shape which cannot fall down the hole To enable rotund workers to enter more easily They take less metal to make They can be rotated

QUESTION 4 – for 4 points: What is an abacus?

Meat Loaf Elton John Bruce Springsteen Eminem

QUESTION 11 – for 11 points: Who succeeded Nelson Mandela as president of South Africa?

Alarm clock Egg timer Kettle Frying-pan

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C D

Sparkling wine (4) Small fairy (5) Berkshire racecourse (5) Subtle (anag.) (6) Warning (7) Trashy (8) Respiratory disorder (6) Beverage (3) Crippled (4) Detached (8) Musical work (4) First-year hare (7) Flowering (6) Yorkshire river (3) Antenna (6) Lure (5) Foxhole (5) Sleigh (4)

A B C D

Edinburgh Dublin Belfast Cardiff

Russia China Japan Indonesia

QUESTION 9 – for 9 points: Who was the first emperor of Rome?

QUESTION 15 – for 15 points: Of which African country was President Omar Bongo head of state from 1967 until his death in 2009?

A B C D

A B C D

Julius Caesar Claudius Augustus Nero

Gabon Senegal Gambia Benin

KAKURO

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

EASY

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

A B C D

Infantry Fusiliers Cavalry Artillery

QUESTION 3 – for 3 points: Why are drainage inspection covers usually round?

B 31

QUESTION 10 – for 10 points: What is the stage name of Marvin Lee Aday?

QUESTION 2 – for 2 points: What was swallowed by the crocodile in Peter Pan?

25 22

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10

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chosen answers and keep a record of your points total. Maximum total points 120.

A B C D

10 11

Each question has four possible answers and is worth from one to 15 points. Circle your QUESTION 1 – for 1 point: What name is given to soldiers who fight on horseback?

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www.alltogethernow.org.uk

DIFFICULT

7 1 3 4

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5 4 9 3

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REACH 500,000 READERS

5 3

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8 6 6 4 2 2 9 5

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

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

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

MEDIUM 12

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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.

3

,

6

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 container for liquids.

CRYSTAL

––––

POINT

BREAD

––––

PROOF

BIG

–––

NOTCH

DAY

––––

WOODEN

–––

STAND

––––

SWITCH IRON MONEY

1 []’–

2 ABC

3 DEF

4 GHI

5 JKL

6 MNO

7 PQRS

8 TUV

9 WXYZ

Spaces and any punctuation marks are represented by 1.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

29

DIALLING CODES

CROSS CODE

All Together NOW!

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

words associated with

1. things found in a garden 786 342 512 473 228 416 762 636 825 176 631 466 631 762 537 912 729 917 284 641 737 465 214 733 646 873 183 438 225 317 282 412 653 137 263

2. fabrics 728 461 894 551 422 373 463 196 778 331 336 461 529 617 337 782 537 183 583 812 762 233 124 433 661 665 375 461 674 269 218 645 313 526 635

3. chemistry 665 328 531 353 636 813 532 876 617 654 312 282 597 815 478 431 224 312 552 546 312 663 126 454 641 764 681 427 168 253 871 765 884 661 466

4. legal terms 583 424 279 122 451 738 853 636 819 748 146 837 828 319 455 175 263 371 765 424 867 173 776 633 681 227 747 837 148 272 686 714 658 628 466

5. occupations 347 334 448 371 742 762 247 812 226 868 268 135 328 742 426 127 244 832 818 383 746 274 261 529 937 175 862 371 832 243 713 276 371 362 867

6. Jane Austen novels 324 732 918 376 661 845 639 132 729 132 749 663 156 444 853 918 467 731 355 468 124 872 445 512 366 381 337 727 719 455 684 429 168 747 683

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 25 currencies past and present.

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 14?

characters in

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T A R K N TRANSFORMER

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WORD WIZARD

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

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SARPANCH 1) A greenishbrown seaweed, with air sacs enabling it to float on the surface of the water;

F

G

F

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

1. Louis XVI becomes King of France following the death of his grandfather, Louis XV.

2) The elected head of a village council in India;

2. The Irish poet, novelist and playwright Oliver Goldsmith, famous for his play She Stoops To Conquer, dies aged 43.

O

3) A Gaelic dance that is performed in a ring.

3. Chemist and clergyman Joseph Priestley discovers the existence of oxygen.

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

Clue: Put a single punctuation mark in order.

WAS IT? a) 1714; b) 1744; c) 1774; d) 1804; e) 1834.

_____ +ND=_____ND

ALL THE ANSWERS Pathwords – peso; dollar; shilling; lira; dinar; ruble; euro; franc; rupee; rand; koruna; dram; manat; guilder; pound; zloty; escudo; peseta; mark; yen; baht; dong; shekel; rial; forint.

9 6 3 7 4 1 5 2 8

5 7 1 8 2 6 9 3 4

2 8 4 3 9 5 7 1 6

4 1 7 5 6 2 3 8 9

SUDOKU EASY

6 9 8 1 3 4 2 7 5

3 5 2 9 7 8 4 6 1

7 2 6 4 8 9 1 5 3

1 3 9 6 5 7 8 4 2

8 4 5 2 1 3 6 9 7

2 3 9 7 4 8 1 5 6

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CROSS CODE

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SUDOKU DIFFICULT

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4 5 1 2 3 6 8 7 9

7 8 3 4 9 1 6 2 5

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KAKURO MEDIUM

3 1 4

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Accumulator Quiz 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 13 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A. Starspot Crossword Across â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 Applause; 5 Acer; 9 Taxicab; 10 Squib; 11 Lot; 12 Mettle; 15 Haiti; 17 Atom; 19 Salaam; 22 Paunch; 24 Beau; 26 Level; 27 Esteem; 30 Oar; 32 Torso; 33 Immoral; 34 Dote; 35 Clutched.

Down â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 Asti; 2 Pixie; 3 Ascot; 4 Sublet; 6 Caution; 7 Rubbishy; 8 Asthma; 13 Tea; 14 Lame; 16 Isolated; 18 Opus; 20 Leveret; 21 Abloom; 23 Ure; 25 Aerial; 28 Tempt; 29 Earth; 31 Sled.

Star Name: LIV TYLER

Word Wizard No 2 is correct. A sarpanch is an Indian village leader.

Dialling Codes 1. sundial; birdbath; ornamental pond; gnome; rockery; crazy paving; pergola; greenhouse; vegetable patch; cold frame.

2. satin; twill; gaberdine; worsted; denim; lawn; seersucker; velvet; brocade; chiffon; moleskin; organza; voile; flannel.

3. molecule; element; electron; solid; catalyst; liquid; acid; alkaline; bond; boiling point; gas; nucleus; solution; ion.

4. judiciary; bail; settlement; writ; intestate; will; slander; solicitor; respondent; barrister; guarantor; injunction.

5. firefighter; pharmacist; accountant; electrician; architect; veterinarian; lawyer; plumber; teacher; farmer; doctor.

6. Fairfax; Vernon; Tilney; Darcy; Dashwood; Knightley; Thorpe; Elliot; Churchill; Bennet; Ferrars; Willoughby; Musgrove.

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

Missing Link ball; oven; top; trip; leg; easy.

Container: bottle.

Make a Date The year was 1774.

Transformer Comma + ND = Command.

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All Together NOW!

June/July 2018

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SUBSCRIBE!

All Together NOW! is helping and inspiring tens of thousands of people whose lives are affected by disability.

But the charity needs to find ways to balance the books.

You can help in a big way by becoming one of our loyal subscribers. For a suggested £15 donation (more, if you can afford it!) we will send you the next SIX editions.

NAME

ADDRESS

Please send this coupon and a cheque payable to All Together NOW! to: Subscriptions Dept., All Together NOW! The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP — THANKS!

New style chair is a real winner

Running blades boost for kids TEST DRIVE: pupils at Broadgreen International School using the new wheelchairs

H

UNDREDS of disabled children are to benefit from a further £1.5 million investment into sports and activity prosthetics under plans announced by Care Minister Caroline Dinenage.

The Government fund for sports prosthetics – which has already supported 220 disabled children – will mean more young people will be able to use sporting prosthetics, including running blades.

The fund will also support research and innovation to improve prosthetic technology for the future.

Paralympian Richard Whitehead, a double leg amputee, said: “As a double gold Paralympian and four time world champion, I think it’s important that the Paralympics don’t just leave a legacy every four years and then are otherwise forgotten about.

“I’m the most successful athlete who uses sports prosthetics, so I’ve seen first-hand the powerful impact they can have.

“A child taking just one or two steps using these prosthetics can make the world of difference and open their eyes to what they can achieve.

“As a patron of LimbPower, it’s up to me to empower, liberate and inspire the next generation of disabled children and sports prosthetics are a great platform to do that, so I’m so pleased the Government has announced it will invest more money into this vital fund.”

Kiera Roche, chief executive of the LimbPower charity, said: “The impact this fund has had on the 220 children who

have so far received their activity limbs is immeasurable.

“Children just want to be able to join in and feel included, especially at school and in the community, and this means playing and taking part in PE and games.

“The overriding messages we have received from children and parents is that they can be included, join in, run and jump just like their friends; they can be children and not patients.”

Sarah Hope’s daughter Pollyanna, who lost her right leg below the knee, was one of the first children to receive a limb through the fund.

“Children are born with the desire to be free to run like the wind, join in with sport, to play with their friends and to walk without difficulty,” said Sarah. “My daughter chose to dance like an angel.

“We must always remember that amputees are missing a part of their body, so we really need to give them the very best we can so they can try to live the life they were born to live.

“It is not possible to keep active, fit and healthy with a normal prosthetic leg with very little movement in the ankle.

“The children who have already received a running blade have said their lives have been transformed.

My daughter immediately became a gymnast and a dancer and she has not looked back!”

Children and families can access the fund by attending an Artificial Limb Centre also called a Disablement Service Centre for an assessment.

A NEW “dual use” wheelchair for hockey and football players is being developed in Liverpool – and could soon be available at half the price of similar chairs.

Working with engineers and designers at Liverpool John Moores University, Greenbank Sports Academy have revamped their ‘Thunderbolt’ chair to make it easier to use and transport.

Project manager Peter Wyman said: “We were aware that a similar product is available in America, but that model is designed solely for wheelchair football.

“Our goal was therefore to plug the dual-use gap, while also working with partners like LCR 4.0 to reduce the initial bulkiness of the prototype.

“Now, thanks to that support, we have a new model of a wheelchair that will benefit the lives of not just disabled people in Liverpool but people all over the world.”

Anthony Walker, LJMU strategic manager for LCR 4.0, added: “Greenbank’s mission to help people with disabilities access physical education, sports, and recreational facilities makes them quite different to any other SME we have worked with on the LCR 4.0 programme to date.”

The LCR 4.0 programme is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and helps manufacturers take advantage of the opportunities of the 4th industrial revolution.

stay ahead of the game . . .

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All Together NOW!

June/July 2018

David Smith in action – and with young athletes at Sandfield Park School

TOP OF THE WORLD!

Boccia stars all set to show off their skills in Liverpool

‘It’s keeping me fit and active’

T

HE best boccia athletes from around the globe will descend on Liverpool in August for the BISFed 2018 World Boccia Championships.

More than 190 athletes from over 30 countries will be battling it out over seven days for world titles and crucially important ranking points ahead of the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020.

Paralympic gold medallist David Smith will be leading the way for Great Britain. He said: “Even though boccia is a Paralympic sport, many people don’t even know it exists.

“We’ll be using the World Championships as a shop window for the sport to get word out there and raise awareness.

“For us as athletes, it’s a huge coup that it is taking place on home turf.

“Support from a home crowd means everything – we felt it in London 2012 and it was spectacular – and I truly believe that knowing the crowd is willing you on really can lift your performance to another level.

“The organisers are being really innovative and are building what will be a brilliant, spectator-friendly event so if you have never seen international boccia before, here’s your chance.

David, 29, added: “We would really love to see as many of you – schools, clubs,

individuals and families – out in force to support us.”

After the Championships, SPORT England is providing £32,000 to set up a new boccia club in the centre of Liverpool.

Boccia England will be working with local partners to deliver “come and try” sessions in a range of community settings as well as attending local disability sport festivals, schools and events.

Competitive opportunities will also be created. n The BISFed 2018 World Boccia Championships, Exhibition Centre, Liverpool, August 12-18. www.echoarena.com/worldboccia

. . . www.alltogethernow.org.uk

BOCCIA – pronounced bot-cha – tests muscle control and accuracy. It is a huge lifeline for people with disabilities such as cerebral palsy – it improves co-ordination, and is a great way to meet people and be sociable.

Paralympian Scott McCowan has muscular dystrophy. The more he uses his muscles, the more he can maintain his range of movement.

He said: “Often people think they can’t play a sport because of their disability.

Sometimes there is a nervousness in case it worsens a condition.

“But really people should play as soon as possible. Boccia keeps me active and fit which is crucial for my quality of life. And in terms of mental wellbeing, the sociable side of the sport is fantastic and it can help boost confidence and self-esteem too.”

Players propel balls to land close to a white target ball (or jack).

Two sides compete as individuals, pairs or as a team of three over a set number of ends. Each team has six balls (red or blue) at each end to try to score points. Points are accumulated over the course of a match to find a winner.

A ball can be rolled, thrown or even kicked. If a player is unable to throw or kick the ball, they can use a ramp. If players are unable to release the ball with their hands, they can use assistive devices such as a head or hand pointer.

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Another trophy for the Etihad...

PREMIER League champions Manchester City have scooped a top accolade for its accessible facilities and services.

Level Playing Field, the charity campaigning for better access for disabled fans, presented club officials with the “LPF Centre of Excellence Award”.

The Etihad Stadium is the fifth club to receive the award, alongside Wembley, Pride Park (Derby County FC), The American Express (Brighton & Hove Albion FC) and the Emirates (Arsenal FC) Stadiums as the only football grounds to have reached this standard.

The award is presented to sporting venues that demonstrate the highest access and inclusion standards in accommodating disabled spectators and visitors on match (or event) and non-match days.

To qualify for the award, the club or venue undergoes a Level Playing Field professional access audit and must demonstrate that it meets all good practice standards, equality and access legislation and building regulations for accessible sports stadia.

An LPF spokesperson said that Manchester City has been innovative in making many excellent improvements and provisions for its disabled fans “These include several smart and lowcost groundbreaking solutions that have established good practice examples for existing stadiums that LPF now hopes other clubs will look to adopt.”

Sweet success

GOOD news is on the way for disabled footballers . . .

Mars Wrigley Confectionery (previously Mars Chocolate) and The Football Association have renewed their partnership for a further fouryear term, with an increased focus on supporting greater diversity, inclusion and disability at every level of the game.

CHEERS FOR SUPPORTING US! All Together NOW!

32

June/July 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

n LEFT: All Together NOW! editor Tom Dowling with Same Old Story – Matt Gadsby (bass), George Greenaway (manager/DJ), Rob Gadsby (drums), Connor Grace (vocals), and Jamie Dalgleish (lead guitar). Inset: Dan Dowling n RIGHT: Cheers from Martin Rogers, Andy McGrory and Paul Battle from Mossley Hill Charity Beer Festival

I

T’S strange how things can come full circle.

Forty-four years years ago, aged 20, I was doing some fundraising at the Bull’s Head pub in Ellesmere Port.

The aim was to raise money for the town’s Boys Club road trip to Mount Everest, a journey that I had played a big part in planning, and which ended tragically on the roadside of Iran.

As some readers might be aware, our four-man team were attacked by armed bandits as we slept in our minibus. One bullet went through the head of my friend, Ken, who made a miraculous recovery.

But another bullet crashed through my spine, instantly paralysing me from the chest.

My life had changed forever. And I soon discovered just how unfair things were for the millions of people affected by disability.

My own experiences led to me starting a disability column in the Liverpool Echo in 1983, and ultimately the launch of this newspaper in 2005.

Roll on 44 years and here I was back with my family at the pub for another fundraiser – this time for All Together NOW! Local band Same Old Story put on a fantastic night, raising moiney for our charity newspaper.

One of my own sons, Dan, also did a 30-minute classical guitar slot.

The band’s bass guitarist Matt Gadsby said: “We think the paper is brilliant, and just wanted to do our bit to help. I work at Lloyds bank and their charitable foundation are matching what we raise.”

A huge thanks to the band, to the Bull’s Head, and everyone who helped to make the night such a great success.

Thank you – Tom Dowling, editor

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HEY’VE raised more than £50,000 for local good causes since 2013.

Now the big-hearted people behind Liverpool’s Mossley Hill Charity Beer Festival have chosen All Together NOW! as one of four charities to benefit from this year’s festival.

Andy McGrory, who helped stage the event, said: “All Together NOW! is a great charity

producing a great newspaper.

“It’s not only helping people affected by ill health and disability, it’s also helping to educate everyone about the issues that they may well also face at some time in the future.

“We know how incredibly tough it must be to keep this free paper going, and that’s why we are delighted to support it. Hopefully, others will follow suit and ensure that All Together NOW! is around for a long time to come.”