MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

Contents Page 2 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

Emberton Country Park Accessibility The Parks Trust MK Gallery Answers to February Crossword March Crossword Westcroft Community Shop Searching for Volunteers MK CIL Contact Details

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Emberton Country Park

200-acre park featuring numerous lakes, trails & play areas, plus camping facilities “Our accessible bird hide is a peaceful spot to view Kingfishers from. They fish from a perch nearby. Plus, otters can be seen too. The Rangers are happy to let people know how to find the bird hide if they haven’t been before. We like our visitors to record on the black board what they have seen and we have images of our resident birds and the migratory ones. It’s always exciting to be the first to spot an osprey. They should be heading back this way in the next few weeks.”

Address: Olney Rd, Emberton, Olney MK46 5FJ Phone: 01234 711575 Opening times: The Park is open 365 days of the year to the public from dawn until dusk and vehicle entry is from 6am to 8pm.

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

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The Bird Hide at Emberton Country Park

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

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Accessibility

Let us

IN to buildings and housing GET ABOUT on transport and the streets PARTICIPATE get involved with what affects us i.e. ‘EVERYTHING’

AND LISTEN TO US

For several reasons I have not produced a Newsletter over the past couple of months so anticipated that I would have pages of comment when I got round to one, but nothing has really happened locally for the past couple of months. I suppose that does mean that nothing has got worse, but it means that the bad things have had another three months to become further entrenched.

Of course, the Government has already postponed decisions on several things impacting on the use of pavements by the disabled (e-scooters and pavement parking) to the dim and distant future, well beyond the life of the current Parliament, and even though they had consultations and sub-committee enquiries on them. Still does avoid making a decision, and to help prevent any internal disquiet they have downgraded the status of the Disability Minister, not that they did that much to improve the situation anyway. If you want advancement in politics, you don’t raise objection to decisions from on high.

I suppose the lack of visible activity locally could be due to the fact that there has been a major change in personnel and everything might be being reassessed, hopefully when that gets debated the major stakeholders will be seriously consulted. At 20% plus of the population the Disabled Community must be considered a major stakeholder, and as the elderly face many of the same challenges as well as those with buggies and push chairs, there must be over 30 - 40% of the MK population affected by decisions on Housing, Transport and the Public Realm & Built Environment as well as those on Health, Welfare, Care and Social Services.

There has been a very recent issue of the Commonplace publication which announces that the Council are developing a 5th Local Transport Plan (LTP), which in the publication’s words sets out our transport policies about buses, walking, cycling, scooting and driving for the next few years, and must respond to our climate and health challenges while at the same time supporting the growth of the city.

This survey focuses on the journeys that you make now, and what makes you choose to travel the way that you do. Later on this year (in the summer), we’ll be asking you about what you think of our roads, buses, trains and Redways and also what the Council could do to make you travel a bit differently – like cheaper bus tickets, scooter hire - or maybe some free cycle training or even a free bike! So, look out for the later surveys after this one!

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

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You notice it doesn’t mention Wheeling.

Wheeling isn’t just about wheelchairs but has become the generic term adopted by organisations like Sustrans and Transport for All to mean provision of infrastructure, design and regulations to enable free and easy movement for ALL those with mobility impairments, like those identified above. It has now been accepted and adopted by the DfT and the Local Government Association (LGA) as meaning the same, so hopefully will soon work its way down to MKCC. Possibly the generation of this Plan is the reason behind the delay in adoption of the new Redway Design Manual and other relevant developments.

The Commonplace publication statement that the Plan should respond to our climate and health would mean to me that MK should no longer be designed to a 50year old design but should be to a new one for the developing city with also seeing how this can be applied to the existing.

So, respond to the surveys and let them know what you think our transport system should be designed to and remember streets are part of the transport system.

“Remember when you design something for people living with disabilities to use and access, you are designing it for everyone to use and access.”

That’s all folks.

Ernie Boddington, Accessibility Lead and Trustee MK CIL

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

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Your March update from your local parks

Explore the parks this month to enjoy the sight of daffodils, the sounds of birds chirping and the smell of blossom on the trees.

The official start to Spring is on Wednesday 20th March and we can't wait for the brighter days and the magical signs that the seasons are changing.

Many of the parks are still flooded so please take extra care when visiting.

•

The Parks Trust, Campbell Park Pavilion, 1300 Silbury Boulevard Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD • https://www.theparkstrust.com/ • info@theparkstrust.com • 01908 233600

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

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• • • •

Adult Creative Workshops Children’s Workshops Family Fun Cinema

Please find below information about our upcoming BSL and Audio Described exhibition tours, for people with hearing and sight loss. we also have a series of relaxed viewings for visitors with autism, learning disabilities and neurodivergence. These events may be of interest to some of your members.

Please let me know if you need any further info - tickets can be booked via the MK Gallery website using the links below, or by calling our box office.

All events are for our new photography and painting exhibition, Saul Leiter: An Unfinished World Saul Leiter: An Unfinished World - MK Gallery.

Audio Described Exhibition Tours, Tuesdays 19th March and 21st May, 10.30am These events are particularly suitable for those who are blind or partially sighted, and their companions.

Audio-described Exhibition Tour: Saul Leiter: An Unfinished World - MK Gallery BSL interpreted Exhibition Tour, Saturday 30th March, 11am This tour will be delivered in spoken English and interpreted in British Sign Language (BSL) by an accredited interpreter. It is particularly suited to D/deaf visitors, those learning BSL, and visitors attending in a mixed group of Hearing and D/deaf.

BSL-interpreted Tour: Saul Leiter: An Unfinished World - MK Gallery BSL artist-led Exhibition Tour, Saturday 18th May, 11am This tour will be in British Sign Language (BSL) only and is suitable for D/deaf visitors and users of BSL. BSL Artist-led Tour: Saul Leiter: An Unfinished World - MK Gallery Relaxed Exhibition viewings, Sundays 24th March, 28th April, 26th May, 10am quiet hours tailored to support visitors with neurodivergence, inclusive of communication or sensory needs, autism and learning disabilities.

Relaxed Exhibition Viewing: Saul Leiter: An Unfinished World - MK Gallery

For latest details about exhibitions and films at MK Gallery visit their website: https://www.mkgallery.org Or phone 01908 676900

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

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Answers to February Crossword – British Geography

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

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March Crossword, Food and Drink - Answers in April Edition

Across 2 Which animal can be found on a Toblerone logo?

5 Grenadine is obtained from which fruit?

7 Which MasterChef presenter was formally a greengrocer?

9 Which nuts are used in marzipan?

11 Calamari is a dish made from which animal?

13 What type of pastry are steak and kidney puddings made out of?

14 What the original name for a Snickers bar?

16 What is James Bond’s favourite drink?

18 What is the best-selling flavour of soup in the UK? Down 1 Where in the UK was Cadbury founded?

2 What type of food is Pumpernickel?

3 What region of France is Claret wine produced?

4 Are Jaffa Cakes originally a cake or a biscuit?

6 What type of pasta has a name meaning “little worms”?

8 Which fast-food franchise has the second largest number of restaurants in the world, after McDonalds?

10 What is the most expensive spice in the world by weight?

12 What spirt is mixed with ginger beer in a “Moscow Mule”?

15 What type of beans are used to make baked beans?

17 Which country produces the most bananas?

18 How many standard-sized bottles of champagne are in a magnum?

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

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Westcroft Community Shop

MK CIL and MK Samaritans benefit greatly from the proceeds of Westcroft Community Shop.

Any kind donations to support the good work that the staff and volunteers at the shop do, would be very much appreciated.

They want what you don’t need! All those unwanted Birthday, Wedding or Christmas presents that you don’t know what to do with. Take them to the shop and pop in for a browse around, you will be pleasantly surprised at what is on sale.

If you have any unwanted goods or would like to volunteer in the shop, please contact: Address: Wimborne Crescent Westcroft MK4 4DE Phone: 01908 506640

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

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MK CIL are always looking for new volunteers.

If anyone has any free time and is interested in joining our team of volunteers, please contact us.

Our contact details are on the back page.

We have vacancies for: • • • •

Trustees Treasurer Information Officers Benefit Form Fillers

Full training will be given.

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

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If you have any comments to make on this newsletter or have any contributions for future editions please contact us Founded in 1992

MK CIL Milton Keynes Centre for Integrated Living 330 Saxon Gate West Central Milton Keynes MK9 2ES Tel: 01908 231344 Email: info@mkcil.org.uk Web: http://www.mkcil.org.uk

MK CIL is a Charity All donations gratefully received

MK CIL Supported by

Charity number 1096402 Company number 4391864

MK CIL Newsletter March 2024

MK Community Shop Westcroft Ltd

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