The power of the Disability

Over the last six years the list has seen the likes of:

Alex Brooker. Lee Ridley (Lost Voice Guy). Baroness Jane Campbell. Sam Renke. Nikki Fox. Warwick Davis.

The Power 100 has the power to influence people from all walks of life and means something different to everyone on the list. Nikki Fox, BBC Disability Correspondent was announced as the 2020’s most influential disabled person in Britain.

Nikki, who is known to millions for her work on Watchdog, How to Look Good Naked, and Supermarket Secrets, was the unanimous choice of the independent judging panel for her outstanding work keeping disability on the news agenda throughout the pandemic.

Speaking about her achievement, Nikki commented: “I am just overwhelmed to have topped the Shaw Trust Power. Just to be nominated is an honour in itself but to come first is something I am still trying to get my head around, especially as last year’s winner is one of my absolute heroes, Baroness Jane Campbell.”

At Shaw Trust we want to grow and develop the Disability Power 100 even further so that it truly represents diversity in terms of disability/impairment types but also the variety of sectors and industries that people work in who are making changes for the benefit of others. We can only do this with the support of the public, nominating people that are often behind the scenes driving and influencing change for today and for future generations!

The power of the Disability Power 100

What does Alex Brooker, Sam Renke, and Nikki Fox all have in common? The Disability Power 100…

WHAT is the Disability Power 100? The Disability Power 100 is an annual celebration of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK, working to break the stigma around disability, creating a more accessible and inclusive world for all.

Why is Shaw Trust involved in the Disability Power 100? A fifth of the UK’s population has a disability or impairment, however, there is very little recognition of successful and influential disabled people. At Shaw Trust we want change the public perception of disability, we want to recognise strong, successful, influential people who are leaders in their field. This is why, for the sixth year, we are running the Disability Power 100. To bring together the most influential disabled people in Britain and shine a light on their successes. Encouraging the talented leaders of tomorrow to connect with role models and see that aspiration and ambition can be fulfilled regardless of disability or impairment.

“AT SHAW TRUST WE WANT CHANGE THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF DISABILITY.” “THE POWER 100 HAS THE POWER TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.”

You can find out more by visiting

disabilitypower100.com

Author: Jasmin Cruickshank, Marketing and Communications Officer at Shaw Trust

STOP RECEIVING UNWANTED ASKS FOR CHARITY DONATIONS

Are you, or is someone you care for, feeling overwhelmed by receiving unwanted asks for donations from charities?

CHARITIES generate support for their work in many ways through fundraising campaigns, and they usually make contact by letter, email, text or telephone.

You might have been contacted by charities asking for support for their cause – and you might have donated in response. But even if you have given money or other items to a charity in the past, you might not want to hear from them again.

Some people can feel overwhelmed

We know that some people can feel overwhelmed by receiving unwanted charity marketing. If that is the case for you or someone you know, there is a free service that can help you put a stop to this – the Fundraising Preference Service.

UK official service is free and easy to use

is the UK’s only service that allows you to manage the contact you receive from all registered charities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can access the FPS online or by phone and it is completely free to use. It is run safely and securely by the Fundraising Regulator, the independent regulator of charitable fundraising.

End contact with multiple charities

Although you could get in touch with each charity you receive contact from directly to ask them to stop sending you fundraising communications, using the FPS means you don’t need to. You can use the service to end contact with multiple charities – all you need to know is the charity names or registered charity numbers.

Use the Fundraising Preference Service in 3 easy steps

1. Search for a charity name or registered charity number 2. Select the channels of communication you wish to stop - you can choose addressed letters, emails, text messages or telephone calls 3. Enter your contact details and we’ll take care of the rest

Use the service on behalf of someone else

Over 12,000 people have used FPS to stop unwanted charity marketing and 1 in 3 use it on behalf of someone else. You can even use the service even if you, or someone you care for, have previously given consent to the charity to stay in touch.

If it sounds like the FPS will be of help to you or a friend or family member, visit the website for more information about how the service works.

For more information

Visit fundraisingpreference.org.uk/learn or call the Fundraising Preference Service on

0300 3033 517.

Subodh Patel is the Manager of the Fundraising Preference Service, a free service which is operated by the Fundraising Regulator

Helen Dolphin, MBE writes about her recent experiences of train travel with her eFOLDi Power Chair

WHILST there have been significant improvements in the accessibility of Britain’s rail network, a 2019 report by the Dept for Transport acknowledged much more still needed to be done. The report highlighted, two-thirds of passengers with disabilities experienced barriers to travel. Recognising these challenges, its Inclusive Transport Strategy committed to delivering several key initiatives with the aim of creating a fully inclusive transport network by 20301 .

Having recently acquired an eFOLDi Power Chair, I was keen to try it out on my first train journey since restrictions were lifted due to Covid-19. I’d never actually travelled on a train with a powered wheelchair before, mainly because I had not previously been able to get my other powered wheelchairs into my car. One of the main benefits of the eFOLDi power chair is that it’s superlightweight and folds down to cabin-luggage size, so it easily fits into my car boot.

As well as my powered chair experiencing its maiden voyage, I decided it might be nice to take my son, who is four, on his first train journey. For that reason, we’d decided to catch the train from Attleborough, which is my nearest station, to Great Yarmouth. As Attleborough is an unmanned station, I pre-booked my assistance with the train company before I got there. I did have to renew my Disabled Person’s Railcard, but that also saves you and a companion, a third off the standard ticket price. The booking system has improved significantly, and you can complete everything online.

When I arrived at Attleborough station I noticed that there was only a temporary car park, due to building work. This meant lots of gravel to contend with, and large puddles as it was pouring with rain. Fortunately, my eFOLDi Power Chair managed the terrain with no problem. The station was step-free, and I drove up the slope to access the platform, where I then waited for my train.

When the train arrived, the conductor put the ramp down, and I drove straight up and onto the train. The eFOLDi powered wheelchair is quite a small chair so was nice and manoeuvrable. To get to Great Yarmouth I had to change in Norwich. As the train arrived into Norwich station, I was pleased to see someone waiting with a ramp. For my train to Yarmouth, the train had level-boarding so there was no need for a ramp which makes things so easy. On the train I also tested out the loo. Train toilets can be notoriously small, but my chair fitted perfectly, and there was enough space to move about.

Despite the heavy rain, when we arrived in Yarmouth, the trip itself had been relatively smooth, and hassle free. All the assistance worked brilliantly along the way, and my eFOLDi Power Chair made travelling by train, so easy.

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised and with foreign travel restrictions expected to ease further later in the year, I’m now looking forward to travelling by air with my new power chair.

For more details about the eFOLDi Power Chair, please visit: www.eFOLDi.com or call

0800 138 2878.

Hints & Tips

Get the best ticket price by buying in advance. Investigate if you qualify for a Railcard which can save you 1/3 off rail travel www.railcard.co.uk

Book assistance to ensure you have all the help you need, via the National Freephone Passenger Assist Number 0800 022 3720, online with the train company directly or by visiting their website

Make sure your wheelchair will fit on the train. Most trains can accommodate wheelchairs that are 700mm wide by 1200mm long. However, there are a small number of older trains that can only carry wheelchairs that have a maximum width of 550mm.

If you use a mobility scooter, find out your train company’s policy before you travel.

1) Dept for Transport (2019) Experiences of disabled rail passengers - https://bit.ly/35rVgeI

Author: Helen Dolphin, MBE Twitter: twitter.com/mrsflipper1001 LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/helen-

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