Disabled Living Newsletter
has been healthcare the 1950’s. en Awards.
August 2018
REMAP Solving those unsolvable problems
PREMATURE BABIES New birth congratulations cards launched
HOW ARE MORRISONS SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH AUTISM? Quiet hours across stores
GOVERNMENT PUTS DISABLED PASSENGERS FIRST Innovative projects to improve train journeys
Charity number: 224742
Explore our key features How to get free tickets to these popular attractions in the UK.....................................................................3 Government puts disabled passengers first................................................................................................4 Tell us why you're smiling for World Photo Day..........................................................................................9 Learn about 'Amazing Aiden' and why he loved Kidz to Adultz South......................................................10 Morrissons supporing people with autism.................................................................................................12 New premature birth congratulations cards launched...............................................................................13 Remap's vision system and helping handle..............................................................................................14 Learn how to browse the internet in incognito mode and save money.....................................................16 Flexible office space available in Manchester...........................................................................................20
Get Free Tickets to Alton Towers, Legoland, and the London Eye with Merlin Entertainment Families of children with disabilities can now get free tickets to Alton Towers, Legoland and the London Eye in a giveaway by Merlin Entertainment. You can only apply once. Individual families (including foster families), charities/organisations, and school/colleges can apply. Learn more information here.
Days out for the whole family to enjoy!
It can take up to 8 weeks to review applications. 3
Government Puts Disabled Passengers First by Backing Innovative Projects to Improve Train Journeys
Schemes, including an augmented reality project to support people using sign language, will receive funding to improve journeys for disabled passengers. Seven schemes supporting those travelling with disabilities receive funding Innovative projects include help for passengers using sign language Transport Accessibility Minister Nusrat Ghani welcomes initiatives which will help make railways accessible to everyone A series of innovative, high-tech schemes, including an augmented reality project to support people who use sign language on train journeys, will be developed after winning a governmentfunded competition. The app, Signly, will use the latest software to give people who are deaf or hard of hearing access to essential written travel and safety notices by delivering signed content directly to their smart phone or tablet. Signly will be developed as part of the Department for Transport’s commitment to improving journeys for disabled rail passengers. It is one of 7 projects announced today (26 June 2018) which will receive funding to make their ideas a reality.
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Other projects to receive start-up funding include Nodality — a website that is set to give disabled passengers and carers all the information they need to understand how accessible a station is. Nusrat Ghani, Transport Accessibility Minister, said: I am determined to make sure that our railways are accessible to everyone, and that we remove any barriers faced by people with a disability. Everyone deserves the right to travel independently and with confidence. I am delighted that these innovative projects have been picked to improve people’s journeys, and look forward to seeing how they benefit passengers in the years to come." The list of projects to receive a share of £600,000 funding is: Accessibility Evaluation Survey for Stations (ACCESS): a tool to help those responsible for station accessibility to identify problems and prioritise improvements
Less Visible Impairments (LVIS): a study to be carried out into increasing frontline staff’s understanding about the difficulties faced by passengers with hidden disabilities, such as dementia Rail4All: an app to help station staff prioritise requests from disabled passengers and notify the user that their request for support has been received Accessible Journey Pocket Assistant: a journey planner giving passengers bespoke guidance for every step of their trip Nodality (navigating transport interchange): a website that provides disabled passengers, and carers with all the information they need to understand how accessible a specific station is Signly: an app that improves communication and passenger experience for people who use sign language Aubin: an app designed to improve rail journeys for people with autism by using stress related preferences, rather than time or cost, to help the user reach their destination The innovation competition was run by RSSB, the Rail Safety and Standards Board, as part of the Department for Transport’s work to improve accessibility for all passengers, across all modes of transport. The government’s Inclusive Transport Strategy will be published later this year. The aim of the competition was to find creative solutions to challenges faced by passengers with disabilities on the railways, and especially for those with less visible impairments. Mark Applin, Co-founder of Signly, said: "The Signly team are delighted the RSSB have seen the possibilities to improve passenger experience for Deaf passengers who use British Sign Language.
"The grant funding affords the opportunity to meet Deaf passengers and rail employees and develop simple tools that can make a difference day in, day out." Mark Phillips, Chief Executive of RSSB, said: "I am delighted that the Rail Accessibility Competition run by RSSB has inspired these exciting, innovative projects. "These ideas will help achieve our aim of improving overall access to the railways for disabled people and contribute to a better, safer railway. We thank everybody who submitted proposals to the competition and look forward to supporting the winning projects." Matt Garner from Ethos Farms (Nodality) said: We are delighted to have won this prestigious competition and look forward to delivering an innovative and transformational product that will assist disabled customers in their end to end rail journey. The competition launched in September 2017 as part of DfT’s work to accelerate innovation across the rail industry. Article source https://www.gov.uk/government/news/governme nt-puts-disabled-passengers-first-by-backinginnovative-projects-to-improve-train-journeys
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Grants for Individuals Disabled Living has access via the Directory of Social Change to over 1,500 charities who provide grants to children and adults. The grants may range from ÂŁ10 food vouchers to larger contributions including grants for domestic items such as washing machines, wheelchairs and housing adaptations. Via the Equipz helpline we may be able to assist you or your clients to access funds which may be available from: General Charities Occupational Charities Charities by Beneficiary Illness and Disability Charities Livery Companies, Orders and Membership Organisations
React Charity
Eligibility React will consider requests that are of a basic, essential need and unavailable from any other source. Categories include: specialist equipment, educational equipment, and respite breaks. Types of Grant React helps families caring for a child with an illness which is life-threatening or has the potential to shorten their lifespan. Their purpose is to provide assistance in situations where none is available elsewhere. Learn more here.
Armed Forces Charities
Fashion & Textile Children's Trust
Eligibility Grants are only available for children whose parent or full-time carer works in the UK fashion and textile industry. You must have worked in the industry for a minimum of 1 year, within the last nine years. Types of Grant The grant must be used to buy essential items for your children such as school uniform or clothing. Learn more here.
The Charity for Civil Servants
Muscular Dystrophy UK
Eligibility We help civil servants, past and present, and their financial dependants. If you work for an organisation sponsored by a government department, you may also be eligible to apply for help.
Eligibility Applications will only be accepted from, or on behalf of people with muscular dystrophy or a related condition.
Types of grant Services and advice to help with things that we all face from time-to-time, for example: relationship difficulties, caring responsibilities, stress, anxiety and depression. Learn more here.
Types of grant Any award is subject to the discretion of the Panel and the available budget. Grants for equipment include electric wheelchairs for children and adults, electric beds, and portable aids. Learn more here.
Grants for Organisations Disabled Living has knowledge of a wide range of charities who provide grants to organisations. Each month we will highlight new funding opportunities.
Baily Thomas Charitable Fund Funding is available only to organisations within and projects based in the UK. The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund is a grant making registered charity which was established primarily to aid the research into learning disability and to aid the care and relief of those affected by learning disability by making grants to voluntary organisations working in this field. Learn more here.
The Henry Smith Charity Through this grant programme we want to make sure that our funding reaches the most disadvantaged areas of the UK, targeting places that are economically marginalised and affected by poverty. We fund established organisations with a track record of delivering services directly to beneficiaries. We are looking for organisations that are embedded within their communities and are addressing local needs. Learn more here.
Persimmon Community Champions Our charity match programme gives donations of up to £1000 to local UK groups and charities, which have already raised vital funds themselves. It’s really simple to apply for a donation. All you need to do is complete the online form, telling us why your group or charity deserves our donation. Included in your application you must state how much you’ve already raised and how much you want us to donate. Learn more here.
Dream Fund The Dream Fund gives organisations the chance to deliver the project they have always dreamed of, but never had the opportunity to bring to life. We ask charitable organisations across Great Britain to think big, be ambitious and collaborate with other not-for-profit partners to deliver their dream project. Learn more here.
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Disabled Living Supplier Directory The Directory provides information about companies and organisations that provide equipment, products and services to support disabled children, adults and older people. Access to the Supplier Directory is via the Disabled Living website.
This month we welcome:
Product Demonstrations at the Disabled Living Centre Everybody is welcome to attend our FREE Wednesday afternoon demonstration days 2.00pm - 3.00pm. Attending our product demonstrations will help you improve your equipment knowledge and boost your CPD. Places are limited. Please advise if you are interested in attending. 6th August - Medpage/Easylink Medpage/Easylink will be demonstrating telecare equipment such as sensors on baths. 8th August - Turun UK Ltd Turun UK will demonstrating healthcare products including floor pads. 15th August - Equip for Life Equip for Life will be demonstrating their robotic feeding device. 29th August - Carebase Carebase will demonstrating their new snug. 8
The Disabled Living Centre, Burrows House, 10 Priestley Road, Wardley Industrial Estate, Worsley, M28 2LY
Tell Us Why You're Smiling for World Photo Day on Sunday 19th August Tag us in your photos on social media @disabled-living
@disabledliving
The Amazing Aiden Visited Kidz to Adultz South with His Parents
This post reflects on feedback from Keith and Fleur Mitchell when they were asked about their visit to Kidz to Adultz South. Our son Aiden is 4 years old and has cerebral palsy. Aiden is cheeky, bright, funny and full of energy; he knows exactly how to wrap people round his little finger. Aiden has the biggest and best smile and laugh ever! How did you find out about the Kidz to Adultz Events? We found out about the Kidz to Adultz events when Aiden was about a year old. We attended our first one in 2016 and to be honest I found it quite overwhelming. The amount of information and equipment really took me by surprise and at the time we really weren’t sure what kind of needs Aiden was going to have. In your personal experience, how does the event help you and the families that attend? We’ve now just attended our 3rd show and absolutely love them, as much as it can be overwhelming to see so much equipment on offer it’s also very heart warming to know there is something for everyone regardless of ability. We feel so much more confident about Aiden’s future now that we know there is equipment to
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grow with him and help meet his needs, it seems that every need/eventuality can be catered for and Aiden will able to access a full life thanks to this. Has it been useful to meet other families at the event? If yes, how? There’s a real sense of family and care at the events, we always feel welcomed and each company are always willing to listen to Aiden’s journey and offer advice and information. It’s been lovely meeting other families who deal with similar situations, seeing older children and adults accessing equipment allows us to imagine how Aiden might also access it one day. It’s always been such a positive experience. What does Aiden enjoy the most about the event? Aiden is quite nosy and loves going to the events.
He enjoys checking out the sensory equipment, seeing how much loot he can get (cars, clackers, sweets, balloons). On our most recent visit he used his gait walker the whole time and would head off in any direction when something caught his eye. As every exhibitor is so friendly, Aiden was allowed to run down the ramps on the WAVs on display. He’s a bit of a speed junkie! What has been your best ‘discovery’ at the events? The events have allowed us to try out new aids (walking/standing etc), see how Aiden reacts to different sensory toys and access some equipment he wouldn’t normally or easily be able try/access. We tried an eye gaze with Smartbox last year and as he did so well he now has his own. It’s something we wouldn’t have thought about getting him at such a young age. But after trying it at the show we knew he would excel with one. Having been to a few Kidz to Adultz events in the past, why do you keep coming back? We always come back to Kidz to Adultz as Aiden’s need change year on year.
And new equipment is always being developed. It’s a great testing ground and one which always gives us food for thought. We aim to purposefully look at 2-3 items each time we go and then get ideas for future needs. We know having a child with a disability or additional needs is difficult and the shows from personal experience can be over whelming. But they have been an amazing source of information and support. Now we’re a couple of years into this journey, I’m able to identify a couple of keys areas of Aiden’s development. And we target exhibitors who have what I think we need. Written by The Mitchell Family
Unlimited Festival Takes Place 5th September - 9th September 2018 Unlimited is back for 2018, once again shining a light on extraordinary work by disabled artists.
Click here for more information.
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'Quieter Hour' at Morrisons Stores in the UK
Morrisons have introduced 'Quieter Hour' in all of their Morrisons stores every Saturday during the hours of 9.00am and 10.00am. During Quieter Hour, Morrisons will: Dim the lights Turn music and radio off Avoid making tannoy announcements Reduce movement of trolleys and baskets Turn checkout beeps and other electrical noises down Place a poster outside to tell customers it’s Quieter Hour “Around 700,000 people are on the autism spectrum in the UK. This means they see, hear and feel the world differently to other people, often in a more intense way. Morrisons ‘Quieter Hour’ is a step in the right direction for autistic people who find supermarket shopping a real struggle.” Daniel Cadey, the from the National Autistic Society Find your local Morrisons store here.
Click here to find your nearest Memory Walk
Good Morning Britain Launch Cards for the Birth of Premature Babies
Good Morning Britain's weather presenter, Laura Tobin has a daughter who was born three months early. She along with many other parents across the UK have inspired GMB and Hallmark to team up with the premature baby charity, Bliss. Four different designs have been created and 20p from each sale will go to Bliss. The cards are available today from Amazon, Selected Tesco stores, Morrisons and specialist card and gift shops. Read more here.
Weatherwell Roofing Are Riding to Support Bladder & Bowel UK Weatherwell Roofing have kindly decided to raise money for Bladder & Bowel UK, who are part of Disabled Living. They will be cycling in the Tour de Mon event on Sunday 19th Aug 2018, around Holyhead, Isle of Anglesey. Please support Bladder & Bowel UK via the JustGiving page here.
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Remap - What Amazing Gadgets!
Remap is a charity that helps disabled people achieve greater independence and quality of life. It has a network of skilled volunteers who design and make bespoke equipment for individuals and provide this free of charge. So in any situation where you can’t find the right gadget, contact Remap! Here are a couple of examples of recent projects. The Vision System
How does it work?
Ian is an avid football supporter but is very visually impaired due to mitochondrial dysfunction. This means his sight is only good for short range and large, high-contrast, images. Although he visits Anfield to watch Liverpool play, he is unable to see the play. He simply listens to the radio commentary and soaks up the atmosphere from the touch line.
The camera is mounted on the headset itself so wherever Ian looks he gets a high-contrast image on the screen right in front of his eyes. He can zoom in if required and the images can be further enhanced by the computer. Ian uses a wireless Play-station game controller to control zoom and focus, as well as contrast/stillframe/negative/Edge detection more.
He has always wanted to watch the action but he simply cannot see further than a few inches!
So now Ian can watch the football match, rather than simply listen to a radio commentary, and absorb the atmosphere. He said he finds it easy to use and enables him to see the play over 2/3rds of the field. Something he has NEVER been able to do before!
Rupert Powell, a volunteer with Remap York, was given the challenge. His solution uses a virtual reality headset, a video display screen, a camera with a powerful motorised zoom lens and some clever computer processing to bring the action up close.
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Ian also uses the device for everyday activities such as shopping. He can locate shops and no longer has to ask other shoppers where certain products are on the shelf - he can now easily scan the shelf from his wheelchair and see the products he is looking for.
avoid, therefore improving my quality of life. I can't put into words how grateful I am to Remap and especially Mr Tappin who generously gave so much of his time and expertise." frame that fixes to an ordinary chair which allows it to be used as a wheelchair on board a narrowboat. Other recent projects include the adaptation of a rollator for an amputee, some fold down steps for a child with dwarfism and a special wheeled A more unusual request came from the Parochial Church Council of St. Peter's Church, Wootton Wawen, which is the oldest church in Warwickshire. Here parishioners wanted a handrail as the heavy door to the church opens onto steep steps.
The Helping Handle Bob Crump is paraplegic following a car accident, but this hasn’t put him off his hobby of off-road driving. He has a hand-controlled Range Rover but was experiencing difficulty getting from his wheelchair up into the car’s driving seat unassisted, due to declining upper body strength. Remap volunteer David Tappin came up with a solution for him. This is a simple, lightweight frame which clips onto the vehicle’s door hinges to provide a strong but stable handle. Bob can fit it himself, then lean on it to lift himself into the driving seat. There was nothing strong enough on the market to meet this need.
Bob took the time to thank Remap afterwards: "The handle David Tappin made allowed me to not only continue my off road driving but also enabled me to get out much more for general day to day activities, which I had started to
But there was a big catch: no part of the church or doors could be modified in any way, and it was forbidden to drill holes into anything! Whatever was supplied had to be quick and easy to install and remove, and, above all, had to be really stable and secure, with no possibility of coming loose and causing an accident. Once again Remap supplied a solution in the form of a removable handrail which simply clips tightly onto the door when required but can be removed afterwards without having marked the door. What can Remap do for you? Do you need a piece of equipment that you just can’t find on the market? Or perhaps you have an item that isn’t quite suitable and needs to be modified just for you? Everything supplied by Remap is free of charge and designed individually for each person. Give them a try! Remap has a network of over 70 groups across England and Wales, so there is probably help near you. For more information, visit the Remap website at or phone the national office on 01732 760209. Written by David Martin at Remap
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Visit Disabled Living's Online Shop
Visit: www.disabledliving.co.uk/online-shop or call: 0330 053 5930.
We are delighted to be working in partnership with Complete Care Shop to provide you with a comprehensive online shopping facility for equipment and products to make life easier. Complete Care Shop has over 250,000 in stock items at competitive prices offering you choice from a wide range of manufacturers including mobility aids, daily living products, continence supplies together with telecare and telehealth equipment. In addition, Complete Care Shop has a reputation for excellent customer service which made the decision to enter into this partnership an easy decision to make! The main advantage of purchasing via the Disabled Living website, is the opportunity for you or your clients to speak to Occupational Therapists or Continence Specialists for free impartial help and advice, ensuring unnecessary purchases are not made.
Learn How to Go Incognito on Your Computer, iPad and Phone
Browsing the web in incognito mode has never been so easy. It enables you to keep your browsing history private from other users. When you go onto a site such as a hotel booking site, being in Incognito mode removes your cookie data giving you the cheapest deals without them increasing in price.
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Learn how to go incognito on your computer, iPad or phone here.
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DCP Survey Shows a Picture of Declining Quality of Services and More Cuts to Come...
Disabled Children's Partnership (DCP) recently published the results of their survey on the quality of services for disabled children and their families. The publication coincides with a debate in the House of Lords this afternoon on the challenges facing disabled people in the UK in 2018. They asked families whether they thought the quality of health and social care services in their local area had got better or worse over the last few years, and if they were aware of any specific plans to cut services in the future. The results paint a dismal picture with: • Three-quarters of family members said health services in their area had got worse • Nearly two-thirds said the same for social care services • Just under half of respondents were aware of specific plans to cut services. The main findings of the survey were: • 65% of family members surveyed think the quality of social care services has got worse over the past few years • 75% of family members surveyed think the quality of health services has got worse over the past few years
• 45% of family members surveyed said they are aware of specific plans to reduce social care of health services in their area We know that disabled children’s services are under intense pressure as cuts to local authority and health budgets continue to chip away at vital services. Sadly, but not surprisingly, this survey shows that this is having an impact on the quality of services disabled children receive. A lack of quality services can hamper a disabled child’s development and progress. That is why the Disabled Children’s Partnership is calling on central government to provide ministerial leadership for disabled children and provide dedicated funding for disabled children’s services. If you are involved in a local campaign to fight cuts to health and social care services for disabled children contact DCP via info@disabledchildrenspartnership.org.uk
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RICA Becomes RiDC 'Research Institute for Disabled Consumers' Changes are being made: • to our website to reflect our new branding: www.ridc.org.uk • presenting our information more clearly and in different ways • to grow the numbers of people on our consumer research forum – we want more disabled and older consumers to join us! We also have a new Business Strategy 2018–21 which will focus on three key areas: 1. Through insight and specialist research, helping businesses to improve products and services for disabled and older consumers. 2. Providing free high-quality consumer information and user reviews. 3. Representing the voice of disabled and older consumers to decision makers. It would be fantastic if you’d include our new name in any newsletter, media or social media – and, of course, update your records. If you’ve any questions, please contact us on 020 7427 2460 or email: chrislofthouse@RiDC.org.uk" Chris Lofthouse, Outreach Manager
Godstonebury Festival Returns to Celebrate the Orpheus Centre’s 20th Anniversary Godstonebury will be returning to the Orpheus Centre, Godstone, Surrey, RH9 8ND for a family friendly, acoustic festival starting from 12-9pm. Learn more here.
Saturday 1st September
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Training dates for your diary 5 Day Moving and Handling Course Date: Wednesday 12th,19th & 26th September, and Thursday 4th & 11th October Venue: Disabled Living, Burrows House, 10 Priestley Road, Worsley, M28 2LY Price: £650 + VAT (includes lunch and refreshments, Open Awards registration and extensive handouts) Do you need to plan training courses and deliver your training to a variety of different people? The 5 Day Trainers and Assessors course will give you the knowledge and confidence to perform your role as manual handling trainer and assessor. Learn more here.
Moving and Handling Update for Advisors Date: Tuesday 18th September Venue: Disabled Living, Burrows House, 10 Priestley Road, Worsley, M28 2LY Price: £95 + VAT (includes lunch and refreshments) Keep your training relevant and current Review of Law, Guidance and Legal Cases Law, Guidance and legal case update: What’s new, Implications of New information Review of Safe Movement Principles and Back Care Practical demonstration and practical workshops Learn more here.
Click here to view our Training Diary
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Flexible Office Space in Manchester INTRODUCTORY OFFER - 3 MONTHS RENT FREE!
Contact the team for more information on 0161 214 5959 or send an email to: info@redbankhouse.com T&Cs apply. Based on a 12 month contract. redbankhouse.com
Come Along to our Donkeys to Innovators Exhibition in Manchester
Friday 10th August & Monday 13th August 10.00am until 3.00pm at Redbank House, 4 St Chads Street, Cheetham, M8 8QA
Disabled Living's Services
Watch Our Donkeys to Innovators Film
Disabled Living is a charity which provides impartial information and advice about products, equipment (assistive technology) and services for disabled children, adults, older people, carers and the professionals who support them. We have a range of services which you can access via our helpline, through the website or at our Kidz to Adultz Exhibitions. Equipz The team comprise occupational therapists, trusted assessors, moving and handling specialists, physiotherapists, nurses, continence specialists who together with knowledgeable information co-ordinators offer practical solutions to what may seem like unmanageable problems. The staff, respond to enquiries throughout the UK, primarily via our helpline and website, with some people opting to make an appointment to visit the Disabled Living Centre based in Manchester for a free equipment assessment. Helpline: 0161 607 8200 Bladder and Bowel UK The team provide information and advice for children, young people and adults with Bladder and Bowel problems. We provide a confidential helpline managed by a team of specialist nurses and knowledgeable information staff. In addition, the website offers a wide range of downloadable free resources. Helpline: 0161 607 8219 Kidz to Adultz Exhibitions Disabled Living organise the largest FREE UK exhibitions totally dedicated to disabled children, young adults, their families, carers and the professionals who support them. With over 100 exhibitors at each event, offering a ’One Stop Shop’ for equipment products and services to enhance the quality of life. We deliver 5 events throughout the UK in: Farnborough, Bristol, Coventry, Manchester and Edinburgh. Training Disabled Living provides a comprehensive training programme for professionals and carers. Most of our courses are accredited by Open Awards and others provide CPD opportunities. Our training courses can be ‘tailor made’ to suit your organisations requirements and can be delivered throughout the UK for more detailed information on the courses we provide please visit the Disabled Living website.
www.disabledliving.co.uk
0161 607 8200
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Get in touch with us
For more information please visit: www.disabledliving.co.uk
Disabled Living Head Office - Disabled Living, Burrows House, 10 Priestley Road, Wardley Industrial Estate, Worsley, Manchester M28 2LY Tel: 0161 607 8200 Email: info@disabledliving.co.uk Website: www.disabledliving.co.uk
Redbank House Redbank House, 4 St Chads Street, Cheetham, Manchester M8 8QA Tel: 0161 214 5959 Email: info@redbankhouse.com Website: www.redbankhouse.com