PosAbility - October / November 2018 by 2A Publishing

MAGAZINE

Nothing is Impossible... October/November 2018

All that

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WELCOME October/November 2018

CONTRIBUTORS

Zebedee Management have done it again, as you can see from our stunning cover image. Their latest shoot is inspired by the Japenese art of Kintsugi, described as “golden joinery”. It is the practice of using gold to repair damage, making the object even more unique and beautiful than it was before. Zebedee specialise in representing disabled models and fight to increase the representation of disabled models in the media. Take a look at more stunning shots of the models who took part on page 41.

Advertisers Nationwide, McCain’s and Maltesers got involved and the powerful short film shamed the cowardly keyboard warriors who threw racial, homophobic and disablist slurs. It was promoted with #TogetherAgainstHate and called on people not to tolerate online abuse, which is as unacceptable as verbal abuse.

The recent controversy surrounding the dwarf wrestling debate that dominated the news a few weeks ago sparked heated conversations on the radio, TV and social media platforms. We spoke to Eugene Grant a trustee of the Restricted Growth Association (RGA) who eloquently puts across the RGA’s stance on the subject and explains the wider implications of events like dwarf wrestling on the dwarfism community as a whole.

I can’t quite believe that the next issue will be the Christmas issue, not quite sure where 2018 escaped too, but if you have anything you would like to see covered please don’t hesitate to get in touch at ros@2apublishing.co.uk.

We have a jam-packed section for your little ones this issue, from Halloween ideas to laser tag fun. You will find it all starting on page 61.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY...

For only £15 for 1 year or £25 for 2 years Call

0141 465 2960 today!

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Amy Oulton, Janet Myers, Sam Renke, Mik Scarlet, Dan White, Rio Woolf, Jane Hatton

DISCLAIMER

PosAbility Magazine is published by 2A Publishing Limited. The views expressed in PosAbility Magazine are not necessarily the views of the editor or the publisher. Reproduction in part or in whole is strictly prohibited without the explicit written consent of the publisher. Copyright 2018 ©2A Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved. ISSN 2049-2251

Contact Details: Caledonia House, Evanton Drive, Thornliebank Ind. Est., Glasgow, G46 8JT Tel: 0141 465 2960 Fax: 0141 258 7783 enquiries@2apublishing.co.uk www.posabilitymagazine.co.uk

MAGAZINE

Ros

Another great thing happened last month, Channel 4 produced a thoughtprovoking short film highlighting the very real problem of online abuse.

Like us on Facebook Search for ‘PosAbility Magazine’

Editor: Rosalind Tulloch Staff Writers: Colette Carr, Katie Campbell Designer: Abbie Bunton Marketing: Sophie Scott Sales: Val Speers

Nothing is Impossible... October/November 2018

Editor

All that

To find out more about subscribing to PosAbility Magazine turn to P98

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Cover image: Image by Murat Ozkasim @muratozkasim

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018| ISSUE 45

CONTENTS 41

FEATURES

07 FYI

News, stories and updates from around the world

13 NO MORE NAME CALLING

Mik Scarlet discusses identity and what the disabled community should call themselves

15 UNITED WE STAND

Columnist Sam Renke also looks into the language and solidarity debate

17 PURPLE TUESDAY

Gear up for an accessible day of shopping this November

19 THE CHANGING FACE OF DISABILITY

Take a look at Zebedee Model Management’s stunning Kintsugi photoshoot for all things glitter and gold

45 HEAR ALL ABOUT IT

Find the best audio book provider for your needs

49 GAME TOGETHER

Meet the charity helping make video gaming more accessible

23 WRESTLING WITH PERCEPTIONS

55 CLOBER FARM

We explore the controversial topic of dwarf wrestling

31 COMPETITION

Find out how you could win a week at Brickhouse Farm Cottages

33 HOT STUFF

A look at the most innovative, must-have products on the market

41 THE GOLDEN GIRLS

51 CUBAN NIGHTS

Meet Ben, the single super dad who is giving a forever home to kids with disabilities

P31

This Anti-Bullying Week, we salute Channel 4’s fight against trolls and bigots

We explore disability visibility in the media as plans to double disabled workers in TV are revealed

27 SUPER DAD

Check out

37 THE DARKER SIDE OF DISABILITY

Step back in time and discover the magical Caribbean island of Cuba Discover a home from home in the heart of Scotland

56 KARE ON

PosAbility catches up with Paralympian Kare Adenegan on her incredible summer of sport

59 ACCESSABLE

Check out your new accessibility guide

61 KIDS CORNER

This month we check out accessible theme parks, get ready to get spooky, learn about a new accessible gym for kids and find out what laser tag can do for your children

WIN!

A WEEK AT BRICKHOUSE FARM COTTAGES!

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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23 26

63 27

86 CAR OF THE YEAR

We review the award-winning Volvo XC40

89 THE ABILITY PEOPLE

Meet the new recruitment agency with a difference

93 ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED

Jane Hatton stresses the importance of reasonable adjustments in the workplace

95 PUZZLES

Keep your brain active with these mindbenders and teasers

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MADE FOR PEACE OF MIND THE VOLVO V40 INSCRIPTION: FROM £99 ADVANCE PAYMENT*

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Official fuel consumption for the Volvo V40 range in MPG (I/100km): Urban: 34.9 (8.1) – 54.3 (5.2), Extra Urban: 53.3 (5.3) – 70.6 (4.0), Combined: 46.3 (6.1) – 62.8 (4.5). CO2 emissions 143 – 118g/km. MPG figures are obtained from laboratory testing intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect real driving results. *Advance Payment of £99 is for the Volvo V40 T3 Inscription Manual or Automatic. Metallic Paint is included free of charge. Offer available on the Motability Contract Hire Scheme. To be eligible to join the Motability Scheme you must be in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance, the Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment, War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement or the Armed Forces Independence Payment, which will be taken in lieu of the four-weekly rental for 36 months’ duration. 60,000 mileage allowance over 3 years; excess mileage charges may apply. Offer available from 1/10/18 to 31/12/18 subject to availability at participating retailers. Offer not available with other promotions and may be subject to change. For full terms and conditions, visit www.motability.co.uk. Motability Contract Hire Scheme is administered by Motability Operations Limited (Registered Company No. 1373876), City Gate House, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HB.

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FYI

News and stories from around the world

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

A NEW GENERATION

A new campaign called Making Generation R has been launched by the limbless veterans charity Blesma. It trains limbless veterans to turn their personal stories of overcoming adversity into inspirational talks which then become the focus of free resilience workshops in secondary schools. So far, they have reached 20,000 students and aim to reach a further 30,000 by the end of 2019. Blesma have historically had great success in schools with their workshops and there is arenewed focus on education this year. Although the government recently introduced teaching resilience as part of PSHE, teachers have reported that they often lack time, resources, or sometimes feel ill-equipped to deal with some of the more complicated problems their students might face. For secondary school kids, who get a huge amount of their information via social media, breaking out of the echo chambers that often skew their world view can be extremely difficult, and requires a lot of resilience. Making Generation R aims to create a generation of resilient young people and it aims to raise awareness of the need to teach resilience differently and in contexts where students will understand its usefulness. blesma.org/making-generation-r

“GENERATION R AIMS TO CREATE A GENERATION OF RESILIENT YOUNG PEOPLE AND IT AIMS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO TEACH RESILIENCE DIFFERENTLY”

FYI

EMPLOYERS CAN’T FIND DISABLED TALENT The Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI) has launched RIDI 100: a directory of recruitment service providers which are committed to the inclusion of disabled jobseekers. The introduction of the resource comes in response to a survey of internal hiring managers which found that 70% of employers struggle to know where to source disabled talent. The same study found that just 11% of HR professionals feel ‘confident’ in knowing where to find candidates with a disability. Established in 2011, RIDI is a not for profit organisation which is working to remove the barriers that disabled individuals face when seeking employment. Recruitment organisations which wish to achieve RIDI 100 status must currently hold a minimum Disability Confident Level 1 status, or be working towards it. Following the launch, Kate Headley, spokesperson for RIDI and subject matter expert, commented: “RIDI has one purpose: to break down the barriers faced by the millions of disabled people who are entering or progressing through the job market. We have long known that businesses, while open to hiring disabled individuals, often feel that they ‘don’t know where to start’ when it comes to engaging with disabled candidates. However, our latest research underlines the fact that many hiring managers simply don’t know where to turn to even access this valuable talent pool. By creating a dedicated directory of Disability Confident recruiters, we believe we can help businesses to overcome this crucial hurdle.”

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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28/09/2018 10:58

MANDATORY LD TRAINING

SENSORY TARTAN A student at Heriot-Watt University has created a new type

The government recently announced that there will be a

of “tactile” tartan, designed to provide tactile feedback to people with visual impairments. Anna Cuinu, who is studying for her Masters in Knitwear at the university’s Galashiels campus in the Scottish Borders, designed a knitted tartan fabric which translates the traditional colours and patterns of tartan into a sensory experience. The tactile tartan uses a colour coding system which translates colour into texture called Feelipa in her knitted garments, which also include draw string Image: Heriot-Watt University

consultation around mandatory training on learning disability for NHS staff. It has been reported that there are 1200 avoidable deaths each year as a result of a lack of training of healthcare professionals in treating people with learning disabilities. Mencap’s Treat Me Well campaign has been running to address these issues and call for training for all NHS staff in how to treat and communicate with people who have a learning disability. Jan Tregelles, Mencap’s Chief Executive, has commented: “These are very welcome, first steps for all NHS staff to get basic training on how to provide high quality care for people with a learning disability. “But if the NHS really wants to stop the scandal of the 1,200 preventable deaths of people with a learning disability every year, all nurses and doctors must get higher level training. “This mandatory training must be in partnership with people with a learning disability and their families, and teach all nurses and doctors how to make reasonable adjustments and understand key laws like the Mental Capacity Act. “We say to Government – please don’t miss this huge opportunity.”

pockets and tie fastenings instead of zips and buttons, all of which were influenced by focus groups held with the Royal National Institute for the Blind, which focused on solving issues that visually impaired consumers have with clothes. Anna said of her collection: “It’s been an astonishing project into accessibility issues with clothing, not only for those with visual impairments but for many others. “Accessible designs are often gimmicky or designed by larger companies to use as a marketing tool, where the innovative product is then not rolled out for use by those who would benefit from it. “I’m excited to go forward with what I’ve learnt over the past year between knitwear manufacturing, materials testing methods and methodical approaches to research and design to create more accessible clothing solutions.”

CHARITIES LAUNCH RATE IT! “THIS MANDATORY TRAINING MUST BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PEOPLE WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY AND THEIR FAMILIES” 8

A new consumer review website for disabled and older people has been launched to allow people to rate and share their views on products that can help make their lives easier. Developed in partnership by the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers, Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living and Enabled by Design, the project is supported by the DRILL research programme, and funded by the Big Lottery Fund. The website aims to be a thriving resource, written for real people by real people within their community, and reviewers are given the opportunity to win a prize every month in return for their contributions. rateit.ridc.org.uk

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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FYI FYI

NEW BBC INITIATIVE SUPPORTS DISABLED WRITERS Following the announcement from the government and several broadcasters including Channel 4, Sky, BBC and ITV, to commit to doubling the number of disabled people employed in the television industry by 2020, both on and off screen, comes another positive move from the BBC. The BBC Writersroom has set up The Writers Access Group, a brand-new initiative to give talented disabled writers the chance to expand their writing skills and to be offered opportunities in TV and radio at the BBC. Working with a number of organisations and

practitioners in the field, 10 disabled writers have been chosen on the merit of their scripts, their experience and via an interview process. The list, announced recently includes, David Proud, Amy Bethan Evans, Rebekah Bowsher, Sophie Woolley, Athena Stevens, Charlie Swinbourne, Michael Southan, Ros Willis, Matilda Ibini and Nicola Werenowska. Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, says: “The BBC is committed to reflecting the experiences of the UK’s diverse communities in its output and is actively reaching out to writers in order to get more realistic and more authentic portrayals of disabled people on air, as well as interesting and complex views from that community. We look forward to working with these 10 talented writers across the BBC’s scripted output.”

CHILD’S BEST FRIEND A new study has suggested that speech and language therapy conducted with a therapy dog present could be more effective. The study, which appeared in the journal Anthrozoös, found children with the condition developmental dysphasia, which affects the ability to communicate and form words, were more likely to be able to mimic communicative signals in a session with a therapy dog. Researchers observed that the children in the group with the therapy dog also seemed more motivated and open to communicating. Additionally, the children displayed authentic, natural expressions during their interactions with the dog. Lead author Kristýna Machová from Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague commented: “The presence of the dog improves the relationship with the therapist, as it distracts from the fear of therapy in children and provides them with a form of support during the practice.” Image: Mgr. Iva Bajtlerová conducting a speech and language therapy session with 5-year-old Andrea, assisted by Agáta the dog. Credit: Josef Ruzicka.

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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FYI

NEW GLASGOW BAR SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR DISABLED PEOPLE

THE WRONG TROUSERS GONE RIGHT

Image © Aardman Animations

Ride Brew Co will be opening a new taproom which is fully accessible for disabled people, with t-loops, large print menus, lowered bars and adjusted lighting.

Wallace and Gromit fans will be pleased to find out that the famed Techno Trousers from The Wrong Trousers have become a reality – except there’s no fear of them going awry. Named in honour of the famed animated movie, the Right Trousers prototype was created by a research team lead by Bristol University professor Jonathan Rossiter with the aim of helping people with mobility impairments or muscle weakness walk without other assistance. With the aid of artificial muscles which are built into the trousers, the user will be supported in movements like getting out of chairs or climbing stairs, without the aid of a cumbersome robotic exoskeleton.

The Glasgow Brewery Collective want to create Scotland’s first fully accessible taproom, with the idea conceived by Ride Brew Co head brewer and founder Dave Lannigan, who is himself disabled, living with hearing loss, ADHD and dyslexia. The company is adamant that it will be fully accessible to people with a range of disabilities, including hidden disabilities. Joined by the Late Night Hype and the Bute Brew Co, the team want to not only create a bar for disabled people to enjoy, but also provide meaningful employment to disabled people.

“THE TEAM WANT TO NOT ONLY CREATE A BAR FOR DISABLED PEOPLE TO ENJOY, BUT ALSO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT TO DISABLED PEOPLE”

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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28/09/2018 11:05

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28/09/2018 10:11

seat.co.uk/motability/arona

Head said mobility. Heart said style and technology. I say Arona. The new SEAT Arona 1.0 TSI 115PS FR DSG. • Nil Advance Payment • Front Assist • Rear Parking Sensors

Official fuel consumption for the SEAT Arona 1.0 TSI 115PS FR DSG in mpg (litres per 100km): urban 50.4 (5.6); extra-urban 61.4 (4.6); combined 56.5 (5.0). CO 2 emissions 112/km. Standard EU figures for comparative purposes. May not reflect real driving results. Comparisons may be unreliable. SEAT UK is a credit broker (not a lender) in relation to this financial promotion. Motability Scheme vehicles are leased to customers by Motability Operations Limited (Registered Company No. 1373876), City Gate House, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HB. To qualify you must be in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS) or the Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) and applications must be made with participating dealers between 1 October – 31 December 2018. Prices are correct at time of print, are subject to availability and may change. Vehicles shown for illustrative purposes only, and may be fitted with optional extras (at additional costs). Offer valid from 1 October – 31 December 2018. Subject to availability. For full Terms and Conditions visit Seat.co.uk.

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28/09/2018 14:32

Columnist Mik Scarlet

Follow Mik on Twitter

@MikScarlet

NO MORE NAME CALLING

ll over the UK

I run training teaching businesses how to give disabled people the best possible service. It’s a wonderful feeling to watch a room full of people change the way they think about disability. What’s always a bit depressing, is that most people I train are non-disabled. They all get it, but time after time I find myself in a spiral debate on social media with disabled people who don’t want to accept the concepts I teach, no matter how beneficial. I’ve been told “the social model doesn’t apply to me” or “I hate being called disabled, I prefer…” followed by phrases like differently abled, handicapable or even cripple - the language issue tends to become heated. I understand wanting to use terminology you prefer, but it becomes troubling when people insist their choice should be used by everybody. The “people with disabilities” over “disabled people” debate is the best example. I remember when this discussion began and the disabled community began trying a number of terms. I worked on the

BBC’s disability magazine show From the Edge and at the start of a new season we’d have a meeting about these terms. We tried them all, except handicapable, but we kept coming back to disabled people.

“IF EVERYONE YOU CALL AN ELEPHANT HAS ALREADY TRIED IT AND IT DIDN’T WORK, SURELY WE CAN EXPLAIN WHY IT’S NOT A TERM TO USE?” Putting the person first works when describing a person and their impairment, like a person with a mobility issue. But whenever we tried person with a disability it didn’t work. We adopted the social model and it meant disability wasn’t something people were with. They were disabled or could be disabled, but being with disability didn’t make sense. Roll forward to 2018, and still our whole community is fighting over words. But while we’re fighting, we aren’t focusing on the bigger picture. For us old types, it’s like watching a child put their hand in a fire. We know that the younger disabled

community could waste another decade arguing over words, only to reach a similar conclusion we have. So do we allow them to waste time, or jump in? I jump in. An individual’s choice is paramount, and no one likes a know it all, but there isn’t a sensible debate. Just hostility and a refusal to consider why it matters. If you want to call yourself an elephant, great. But to decide we should all be called elephants is unreasonable. Moreover, if everyone you call an elephant has already tried it and it didn’t work, surely we can explain why it’s not a term to use? Call yourself elephant all you like, but don’t be surprised by a negative response from those who find it offensive. Replace elephant with any of the myriad terms people seem so passionate about and you get the gist. When you come from a minority, language has power and its vital communities agree. Let’s have a sensible debate and reach a consensus. If we can’t agree on words, our ability to create a society where disabled people can thrive will be massively hindered. Let’s not disable ourselves over language.

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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Attention anyone who has served in the Armed Forces... Blesma is the leading charity for limbless veterans AND those veterans who have lost the use of a limb or limbs. Many of our Members have lost limbs since leaving military service, but Blesma is also there for all ex-Service men and women who have lost the use of limbs in a traumatic incident after serving. Our Blesma Support Officers are available to offer advice and answer your questions about mobility or living with the loss of use of limb.

Call: 020 8548 7080 email: membersupport@blesma.org or get in touch via the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Contact Usâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; page at www.blesma.org

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Columnist Sam Renke

Our favourite teacherturned-actress, Sam Renke, brings you her take on life and the colourful experiences it throws her way.

“I HAVE SEEN COUNTLESS ACTS OF SOLIDARITY AND DISABILITY PRIDE, I HAVE ACQUIRED A SECOND FAMILY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT WE DO HAVE SOLIDARITY IN ABUNDANCE”

You can follow Sam on @samrenke

UNITED WE STAND Recently, I was at The Ivy

celebrating a friend’s birthday. The guest list was small but that didn’t matter, as those sat around the table were the most interesting and diverse bunch imaginable. A beautiful black trans woman; a proud lesbian working for Stonewall; a drag queen best known for appearing on RuPaul’s Drag Race; the birthday boy, a powerful gay lawyer; and me a female, disabled campaigner. The dinner party was everything I’d hoped but we did break one cardinal rule of dinner parties: the conversation quickly turned to politics, and more specifically, the changing face of diversity. We shared our thoughts on recent social movements such as #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter and #TimesUp and talked about this word ‘solidarity.’ For any of these movements to have made any impact on social change, solidarity was key, but within these groups we still saw so much internal hatred, a prime example being the anti-trans group being allowed to walk at this year’s London Pride. So where does the ‘D’ community fit into all of this? Do we have disability solidarity? I have seen countless acts of solidarity and disability pride, I have acquired a second family through social media, and I would argue that we do have solidarity in abundance. Nevertheless, I have also witnessed - and been at the receiving end of - conflict and even dare I say prejudice from the ‘D’ community.

are different. The label of ‘disabled’ is so overarching and encompasses so many different impairments. We can have empathy and compassion towards each other, but I could never truly know what it’s like to have a visual impairment or a learning disability, nor can I understand what it would be like to suddenly become a wheelchair user. Our needs are so diverse, and what may be a priority for someone may not be for others. Language is also throwing our solidarity into disarray. The word ‘disabled’ is no longer seen by many as a word they want to be associated with, while other terms such as ‘differently abled’ are seen by some as too ableist. Will we ever agree on a word to define us that everyone is comfortable with? Don’t even get me started on how The Undatables split us all. I’m not expecting everyone to think or feel the same and respect freedom of speech and thought however, there is a difference between having a different opinion and actually having someone’s back, particularly when we are fighting a tough battle to get the rest of the world to respect and understand us. My good friend Shannon Murray hit the nail on the head when she tweeted in response to the concept of disability solidarity: it’s not that we don’t show solidarity to be hateful or to pull each other down, but rather the disabled community is more like a ‘dysfunctional family with vastly different opinions.’

So why does the ‘D’ community not have total cohesion? Simple: people

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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27/09/2018 21:28

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28/09/2018 10:12

PURPLE

RETAIL

POWER Charity Purple have announced the first Purple Tuesday, a day where retailers will confirm their commitment to accessibility and make disabled shoppers feel more welcome than ever before. Words by Katie Campbell

ith the value

of the Purple Pound thought to be worth around £249 billion, the prospective spending power of disabled people is phenomenal. But as our own Sam Renke has shown us time and time again, whether she’s unable to reach an assistance button placed 5 feet off the ground or staff refuse to help her reach a card reader to pay for her purchases, disabled people aren’t always at the forefront of retailers’ thoughts. Purple Tuesday is hoping to change this by getting some of the UK’s most well-known retailers to come together to provide a day of accessible shopping close to Christmas. Tuesday 13 November will mark the UK’s first Purple Tuesday, with huge retailers like Marks and Spencer and Sainsbury’s getting involved. The event is co-ordinated by Purple, and endorsed by the Department of Work and Pensions, and will see participants taking on a long-term commitment to improving the shopping experience of disabled customers going forward. It’s up to each individual

business how they show this commitment, with some choosing to introduce quiet hours for shoppers who are susceptible to sensory overload, or improving store pathfinding. Changes will be made both online and offline, and retail staff will be provided with additional training through Purple to improve disabled people’s shopping experiences. In 2016, Sky News reported that inaccessible websites and apps alone caused an £11.75 billion loss in revenue for companies in the UK, but in spite of this, less than 10% of UK companies have a dedicated strategy for targeting disabled shoppers. Tim Fallowfield, company secretary at Sainsbury’s, said: “We’re extremely proud to be supporting Purple Tuesday. As part of our vision to be the most inclusive retailer, we are always looking for ways to improve and adapt to meet our customers’ needs, which was brought to light with Sainsbury’s achieving Disability Confident Leader Status last year. “By taking steps towards improving accessible shopping during the busiest shopping period of the year, we hope to increase awareness and understanding of the challenges, while also providing an enhanced shopping experience for our

disabled customers.” “Shopping should be a pleasant experience, but for many disabled people it can often be the cause of distress and frustration,” said Sarah Newton, Minister for Disabled People and Health. “By failing to cater to their disabled customers, many businesses are missing out on billions of pounds and denying disabled people the opportunity to enjoy something which many people take for granted.”

“TUESDAY 13 NOVEMBER WILL MARK THE UK’S FIRST PURPLE TUESDAY”

The UK’s accessible shopping day WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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26/09/2018 23:20

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28/09/2018 10:39

MEDIA

Images © Teen Vogue: Conde Nast

A new government pledge will see the number of disabled people working in TV double, but where are disabled people in the rest of the mainstream media?

he visibility of disabled people

in the media has come a long way. Representation is in no way finished though, with much still needing to be done. But the British media, with a nudge from the government, have discussed new plans to get more disabled figures on the box and behind the scenes. The hope is we’ll soon be seeing double as plans have emerged to double the number of disabled employees in television, with the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky backing the proposals supported by the government. The commitment is to double the current number of workers by 2020 with the DWP supporting the initiative. Minister for disabled people Sarah Newton, said: “Broadcasters should represent their diverse audiences, not only as employers but also through improving representation on our screens. Doubling Disability will play an important role in

ensuring that the UK’s 14 million disabled people feel represented in the media, with the potential to change public perceptions of disability for the better.” The news was warmly received by disabled people, who are keen to see the effects. But while we wait for the benefits to kick in, PosAbility looks at how other areas of the mainstream media are doing to keep disabled people in the public eye.

>MAGAZINES America traditionally hasn’t had the greatest track record when it comes to inclusivity and accessibility, but Teen Vogue’s contribution to the sector this year has been phenomenal. From their piece calling out the multitude of ableist reactions to Stephen Hawking’s death to giving disabled people a voice in advising shops on how they can be more accessible, it seems the media

directed at the younger generation over there is leading the line. But their flagship feature on disability so far has to be the September issue’s “What it’s like to be a disabled model in the fashion industry”. Turning their backs on the rigid and outdated values of the 20th century modelling world, they profiled three disabled models, featuring each on three covers. The story delves deep into the stories of amputee Mama Cax, Chelsea Werner, who has Down’s syndrome, and Jillian Mercado, who has spastic muscular dystrophy, and produced a stunning collection of photos as the three women stake their place in the fashion industry. After going viral it was heralded as a gamechanger for disability and fashion in the US.

The changing face

OF DISABILITY Words by Colette Carr WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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26/09/2018 22:06

MEDIA

Back over on this side of the Atlantic, fashion magazines are also making more waves when it comes to including disabled women in their glossy pages. Highly acclaimed writer, speaker, academic and fashionista Sinead Burke is no stranger to the fashion scene after working to ensure the industry is inclusive and appearing on the cover of Business of Fashion. Hailing from Ireland, Sinead goes by

“SINEAD WAS ALSO NAMED AS ONE OF THE VOGUE 25 – A LIST OF WOMEN VOGUE BELIEVED WOULD SHAPE 2018”

Funnyman Paddy Smyth is no shrinking violet

Image © Grazia UK

Sinead Burke is currently returnng from Fashion Weeks all over the globe

Minnie Melange and has the most common form of dwarfism, achondroplasia. Sinead hit the headlines back in August as she was announced as one of British Vogue’s new contributing editors, as she released her first column for the Beauty Bible entitled “Why I chose to embrace my differences”. In-demand Sinead was also named as one of The Vogue 25 – a list of women Vogue believed would shape 2018 which also named international popstar Dua Lipa and author JK Rowling. Sinead’s column can be found on vogue.co.uk. Grazia Magazine celebrated diversity by dedicating their latest issue, the “Big Fashion Issue”, to the cause, creating “two covers celebrating two groups of women who are changing the face of fashion”. On one, it features disabled model Kelly Knox, champion wheelchair dancer Monique Jarret, Paralympian Marlou van Rhijn, fashion student Mary Russell and NHS counsellor Nancy Harris.

>SNAPCHAT AND INSTAGRAM The social media powerhouse is not just the newest form of media, but it is the most accessible. With the platform producing a world of new and powerful “influencers” and changing our perceptions of “celebrity” there’s never been an easier way for disabled people to be heard and push their agenda and create some noise. Being “instafamous” for having huge followings on Instagram does have negative connotations – many of these millennials are smeared as narcissistic, talentless, fame-hungry and unoriginal. People are rightly a bit dubious, but there are disabled people who are using these apps to share the good, the bad and the ugly of their lives in humorous online video stories, changing the way the youth view disability. Facebook and Twitter are great for igniting conversation, but have you considered Snapchat or Instagram stories where users give a first-hand insight through real time photos and videos? Paddy Smyth is a colourful disabled activist who doesn’t take life too seriously and shares his life with his adoring

followers through Snapchat. This self-styled “accidental activist” says his “My Disabled Life” account brings a twist on the representation of disabled people’s lives and is unapologetically himself. He says he never had anyone he could relate to growing up as a boy with a disability when all he wanted to do was, “go out and party and skip queues in clubs and see what he could get away with” and wants people to know “disabled” isn’t a bad word. Paddy’s unique take on his disability as documented on Snapchat lead to his appearances on First Dates Ireland and a slot at Zeminar, a Ted Talks style conference for Ireland’s teenagers, where he discussed both how he found his place in an all-boys school as a gay disabled boy and recalled how he was caught on national TV after skipping school and blagging his way into the disabled seats at a Westlife book signing. Follow his antics on Snapchat or Instagram by adding paddyysmyth. You may recognise this Instagrammer from the #HotPersonInA Wheelchair drive earlier this year. Annie Segarra is a Youtuber and activist that documents her busy life on both platforms, lifting the lid on life with a disability stateside. You can follow her on Instagram at @annieelainey.

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27/09/2018 21:31

WE ARE ALL MADE OF WILD.

NEW JEEP® COMPASS AND RENEGADE. BORN TO BE WILD. JEEP RANGE FROM NIL ADVANCE PAYMENT * OFFICIAL FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES FOR THE JEEP® RANGE IN MPG (I/100KM): EXTRA URBAN 29.7 (9.5) – 70.6 (4.0), URBAN 17.5 (16.1) – 54.3 (5.2), COMBINED 23.7 (11.9) – 64.2 (4.4), CO2 EMISSIONS: 276 – 117 G/KM. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EC directives/regulations and may not be representative of real life driving conditions. Factors such as driving style, weather and road conditions may also have a significant effect on fuel consumption. Jeep® is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC. Models shown: Jeep Compass 1.4 Limited 140 hp from £895. Jeep Renegade 1.6 E-Torq Longitude from Nil Advance Payment. Standard Metallic paint is available as a no cost option on the Motability scheme. *Advance payments are correct at time of going to press and subject to orders being placed between 1st October and 31st December 2018. Not available in conjunction with any other offer. Terms & Conditions apply. Offer may be varied and withdrawn at any time. Subject to stock availability. Jeep ® is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC.

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28/09/2018 12:43 28/09/2018 12:12

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28/09/2018 10:13

DWARFISM

Wrestling with PERCEPTIONS 25 October is International Dwarfism Awareness Day, a day to celebrate and promote dwarfism awareness and pride. Here, we take a look at the repercussions of the recent headlines around the damaging spectacle of dwarf wrestling.

Image © Dwarfanators

Words by Rosalind Tulloch

ecently the news, morning TV programmes, radio shows and social media platforms were filled with one controversial topic – dwarf wrestling. An American dwarf wrestling group who go by the name the Dwarfanators had announced a UK tour of seven venues across England due to take place throughout October. However, UK charity Restricted Growth Association (RGA), who campaign for a better society for people with dwarfism, stepped in to object to this “Victorian spectacle”, to educate people on the implications that events like this have on the wider dwarfism community and make the voices of the dwarfism community heard. Throughout history people with dwarfism have been ridiculed and objectified, made to perform in circuses or for royalty, traded as objects and given as gifts, portrayed as a separate race in literature Three of the venues in England have cancelled the event

Image © Dwarfanators

RGA believe that dwarf wrestling is hugely disempowering to the dwarfism community

Studies with people with dwarfism have shown that 96% have endured staring and pointing, nearly 80% of people have received verbal abuse, 33% have been physically touched when out and 12% have experienced physical violence.

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and seen as figures of fun or as ‘freaks’. Even in our modern society, while there has been improvements in attitudes, there remains a dangerous perception that a person with dwarfism is there for entertainment value, that it is acceptable to ‘hire’ a person with dwarfism for a stag or hen do or for a public spectacle, and that buying a ticket to watch people with dwarfism wrestling for our entertainment is OK. The stereotypes of past generations are still being perpetuated in 2018 due to events like that of the Extreme Dwarfanators Wrestling Show. A show that touts itself as America’s #1 Dwarf Wrestling Show and promotes the act of “dwarf tossing” is not a show that is portraying a positive image for young people with dwarfism to look up to, nor is it helping to break the stereotype that people with dwarfism have been trying to escape for generations. RGA highlighted that academic studies with people with dwarfism had shown that 96% have endured staring and pointing, nearly 80% of people have received verbal abuse, 33% have been physically touched when out and 12% have experienced physical violence. The RGA are calling on people to consider this: do events like these encourage these figures to go up or go down? We spoke to Eugene Grant a trustee of RGA and a proud campaigner for the dwarfism community: “I am extremely proud of having dwarfism, I love my body, I am very proud of having achondroplasia and being someone with dwarfism. I have been part of the community for a long time, since I was a child, my mum and dad took me to events and now I help on a dwarfism charity and I do a lot of work in the community as well helping to mentor kids and run events for kids and the community. “In terms of abuse and prejudice I have my own share of those experiences, I have countless stories of verbal abuse, of being touched by strangers when out and about, of inappropriate comments by former bosses to even threats of violence and acts of violence.” When asked about society’s perception of dwarfism and whether he has seen a positive change in attitudes towards people with dwarfism Eugene agrees that it has improved. As a self-proclaimed student of dwarfism history he can see how far society has come even in the last few decades, however he acknowledges that we still have a long way to go. “It is obvious that things are getting better from even the last 50 years or so. I still think there is a lot more progress to be made, I think that these kind of events that we are fighting against show that there is a lot more progress to be made. I also worry that

Peter Dinklage plays Tyrion Lannister in the highly successful series Game of Thrones. Image © Wikimedia Commons

sometimes people get complacent because you have a wonderful programme like Game of Thrones, which is also in itself very limited. It includes a white straight man – dwarfism is nearly always portrayed as white, straight and male or white, asexual and male and yet lots of people herald that as some sort of new dawn, when it’s not. It’s a fantastic programme but it should be the start of something so much greater and I have heard interviews where people say “representation is getting better, you have got Game of Thrones” – OK, great so how does that compensate for decades of awful representation?”

“YOU CAN EITHER CHOOSE TO SUSTAIN THE STEREOTYPE THAT AFFECTS THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY OR CHOOSE TO DO SOMETHING THAT PROJECTS A POSITIVE IMAGE OF DWARFISM, DISABILITY AND DIFFERENCE” One thing Eugene highlights is that protesting events like dwarf wrestling is not a new or unusual stance to take, many people in the dwarfism community across the globe have been campaigning against these shows for years. “If you look at Little People of America (LPA), which is the biggest social and advocacy group for people with dwarfism in the world, they have thousands of members and they not only condemn dwarf wrestling, they publish campaign materials for their members to protest dwarf wrestling, that is how strong their stance is and they have officially endorsed our position.” The spectacle of dwarf wrestling which has been

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DWARFISM

likened to “Victorian freak shows” in many of the news stories surrounding this occurrence but many members of the British public have waded in with their opinions in support of the event, despite being of average height and having no connection to the dwarfism community or any real knowledge of the wider implications that an event like this has on people in the dwarfism community. “When you look at dwarf wrestling there are a few things to remember, one is that it’s demeaning in that it reduces us to a spectacle based on our disability, markets us on our disability in the same way that we were marketed in side shows and freak shows of days gone by. You don’t get Down’s syndrome wrestling or cerebral palsy wrestling or muscular dystrophy wrestling but you still get dwarfism wrestling, why is that, in 2018? “The second thing to say is that it is hugely disempowering, one of the key arguments that people have been trying to make against us - and it is a very tired and I think very weak argument – is that these people have chosen to do it, and yes they have chosen to do it, but there is always a choice and you can either choose to sustain the stereotype that affects the rest of the community or choose to do something that projects a positive image of dwarfism, disability and difference and the choices of the few affect the life chances of the many. That is why its disempowering because it sustains a stereotype that everybody else in that community now has to work twice as hard to break and finally to say that we believe it is dangerous and it encourages the probability of violence and abuse.” The Dwarfantors website states that they include dwarf tossing in their shows, something that Eugene knows leads to violence in the real world.

“I have had strangers threaten to throw friends of mine while out and about so we know this kind of thing - dwarf tossing - leads to copycat attacks and my question is; imagine a scenario where you have a group of average height people, let’s say average height men drinking in bars and casinos watching these kind of spectacles, then they come out and encounter a young couple with dwarfism on the same street, what happens next? How will they respond? How will they react? What happens when children watch this kind of event and then how will they treat their peer who has dwarfism in the playground the next day? “What will happen to someone who goes to one of these bars, now let’s say they work in recruitment, and they watch one of these spectacles and then on Monday they are recruiting for a new job and one of the candidates happens to have dwarfism – now most average height people meet few, if any, people with dwarfism in real life and so these perceptions and representations are extremely powerful and they shape people’s attitudes and opinions and behaviours towards us. There is no way that that recruiter on Monday will be able to shift what they have seen on Friday and not apply it to the person that is sat in front of them. This is what stereotypes do, stereotypes limit the ability of everybody else affected by that stereotype to choose their own self image and project their own self image.” The RGA are a small charity made up of volunteers fighting to have their voice heard on issues like this, issues that affect people with dwarfism, issues that people of average height cannot begin to understand because they do not affect them. The least the public can do is listen to them. rgauk.org

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28/09/2018 11:21

£395 T H E

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Z E T E C

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Ford Kuga Zetec from only £395* Advance Payment. To find out more, visit ford.co.uk /motabilit y or call 0345 60 40 019.

T O G E T H E R

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F U R T H E R

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Ford Kuga Zetec 1.5T EcoBoost 120PS FWD: Urban 32.5 (8.7), Extra Urban 46.3 (6.1), Combined 40.4 (7.0). Official CO2 emissions 160g/km. The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Regulations (EC) 715/2007 and (EC) 692/2008 as last amended), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience. Data correct as of 31st August 2018. *£395 Advance Payment available only on Ford Kuga Zetec 1.5T EcoBoost 120PS FWD Manual. This programme is subject to the standard conditions of the Motability Scheme hire agreement. Full written details and quotations available on request from a Ford Authorised participating Dealer of Motability Operations Limited. Motability Scheme vehicles are leased to customers by Motability Operations Limited. Motability Operations Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under reference number 735390. To qualify you must be in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS) or the Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) and applications must be made with participating dealers between 1st October and 31st December 2018. Prices are correct at time of print, are subject to availability and may change. For more information and most up-to-date data, please see the price list at www.ford.co.uk/motability.

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28/09/2018 10:13

Meet the man creating a forever family with five children with additional needs Words by Rosalind Tulloch

ADOPTION Ben winning his Champion Adopter accolade

Ben with his expanding forever family

doption can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences for both the adoptive parent and the child. Giving a child a safe, loving and nurturing home and family is a truly wonderful gift. Ben Carpenter was recently awarded the accolade of ‘Champion Adopter’ by Adoption UK. Ben is a single adoptive father to four young children, all of whom have additional needs. Many would say that those children are so lucky to have been adopted by Ben, but Ben sees it differently as he feels so lucky to have the children in his life and to have been given the opportunity to create his forever family. Ben was only 21 when he applied to adopt. He was a young, single, gay man who knew he wanted to be a father and knew he wanted his route to fatherhood to be through adoption. “I worked within a residential school for children and adults with profound, complex and learning disabilities. I knew that I

always wanted to be a father and adoption was always going to be my route to becoming a father, I never wanted to be a biological father because to me being a father is much more than genes and blood if you like. So I knew that if I was going to adopt and with my skills of working within the care sector with children and adults with disabilities I knew that to adopt a child with additional and complex needs was the way forward.” The initial process took an incredible three and a half years when he first applied, a process that is now much more efficient for adopters today. Ben knew he was ready to be a father, even at the tender age of 21, but his fate lay in the hands of the adoption agency and following a split decision by the panel the Agency Decision Maker (ADM) made the final call and granted Ben his wish of becoming a father. “I knew that I was mentally ready to become a father, the law still states that you have to be 21 to adopt, however a 21-year-old, single, gay male was very very unheard of through the adoption

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HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SHORT-BREAK CARING? [Top left clockwise] Jack, Ben, Lilly, Joseph and Ruby

Manchester City Council is recruiting short-break foster carers – people with experience of working with children who have a physical or learning disability. You’ll help to look after a child in your own home between one and four nights a month, helping to give their family a break. Each child is matched with you, and there are plenty of visits and meetings for you to get to know each other before an overnight stay occurs, to make sure that the child is settled.

journey. So it was tough, I had to prove myself, of who I was and what I was about and why I wanted to adopt and more than anything, was I suitable to bring a child into my life at such a young age? I was the first 21-year-old, single gay guy to ever adopt nationally. I think I am in a minority as well worldwide because of my age and my situation, so I had to prove to social services that I was who I said I was and that I was mentally ready.” The first child that Ben adopted was Jack who is now 11 and lives with autism and OCD. He then went on to adopt Ruby who is severely visually impaired, hearing impaired, epileptic, has foetal alcohol syndrome, learning difficulties and has radial dysplasia. Ruby is now seven and her biological half sister was welcomed into the Joseph family as well, Lilly is six and is profoundly deaf. Ben’s fourth child is three-year-old Joseph who has Down’s syndrome and they are about to add to their expanding family with baby Noah who is one and has complex disabilities. “PARENTING ISN’T

ALL ABOUT BEING BIOLOGICALLY LINKED OR SHARING THE SAME GENES AS A CHILD. PARENTING IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT, IT’S ABOUT TEACHING RESPECT AND THAT LOVE AND ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTS”

Ben spoke honestly to PosAbility to describe the feelings of being matched with a child and the realisation of everything that comes with that. “You are over the moon that you have been matched to a child and all of a sudden you are going to become a parent – especially if you have not been a parent before – there are several elements though. The first element is that you have to get used Jack to the fact that you are now a parent and that is a big

As a short-break carer you’ll be giving parents the time to relax a little and switch off, knowing that their child is being well cared for and having fun.

GLORIA’S STORY

“A friend invited me to a fostering open day and I enjoyed the session. The atmosphere was welcoming and the staff were fantastic. It gave me a greater understanding of the role and the expectations of foster carers, so I put my name forward to be assessed. “I feel like I’m never alone because of the ongoing training, home visits, respite care, supervisions, ongoing reassessment of the child’s needs, financial support and around-the-clock phone support. “My experience of working with a child with additional needs is challenging; emotionally draining at times, but the rewards far outweigh the challenges. I try to make the child feel loved and accepted whilst supporting him to learn new skills. When I see positive changes in the child, I feel a sense of fulfilment and am encouraged to persevere”.

TO BE A SHORT-BREAK FOSTER CARER YOU MUST:

• be 21 or over • live in Greater Manchester • have a spare bedroom • be happy for us to carry out checks to see that you’ll be a good short-break foster carer.

INTERESTED? Call us on 0800 988 8931 (9am to 4.30pm week days) and speak to our friendly team to see if you’re eligible, or visit manchester.gov.uk/ fostering to find out more.

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ADOPTION

ADOPTION UK

Adoption UK is the leading charity providing support, community and advocacy for all those parenting or supporting children who cannot live with their birth parents. They connect adoptive families, provide information and signposting on a range of adoption-related issues and campaign for improvements to adoption policy and legislation at the highest levels. Visit adoptionuk.org to find out more.

challenge in itself, the second obstacle is that you have to get used to being called mum or dad, which is a big thing if you have never been called it before, it’s a massive responsibility. You then have to get used to saying ‘my son’ or ‘my daughter’ and when you have never said that before and you are put into a situation where it hasn’t come biologically, it’s a big thing. “I have to be honest and say when all of my children have moved in with me, there isn’t an undying love there in those initial stages, its only when they trip or they fall or they cry - which happens quite quickly, within the first couple of hours sometimes with children! With my first child Jack, he was with me about three days and he fell over and he cut his knee quite badly and he was absolutely beside himself crying and I swooshed over like any parent would do. And the initial thing you say to your child, and I don’t know why parents say this – “why did you do that you silly boy?” Realistically they fall over because they are children and they fall over! But that’s what parents do, they panic and they say that and you are rubbing their leg and then all of a sudden, and when I say it sounds quite farfetched, but this is

exactly what it was, instantly this gush of love just came upon me and I thought “I love this boy.” Things will not always run smoothly, as with all parenting, and Ben admits it can be very difficult at times. Being a parent of a child with additional needs comes with its own set of unique circumstances, along with medical appointments, form-filling and finding the right balance and routine for the child and the family. Ben would not have it any other way. “I love what I do, people say to me ‘how do you do it?’ But I love what I do, I wouldn’t change my life for anything. It’s hard, I’m not going to sugarcoat that, it’s difficult at times, the children’s birth backgrounds are quite complex and some are easier than others but you deal with that and you deal with it in a sensitive way and a child appropriate way.” Ben went on to explain that there is generally an abundance of support available throughout the adoption journey, from financial allowances and respite packages to opportunities that allow you to speak to a birth mother and father, an adopted child and a person who has given up for adoption. The reality in today’s society is that many children are not given up for adoption but rather removed from their birth parents due to neglect, emotional or physical abuse, or drug and alcohol abuse. As Ben gushes with excitement about shortly welcoming Noah into their close-knit family he explains the family dynamic between the children. “The kids are all really excited and I think what I want you to know and what I want the public to know, is they all have a very close and typical sibling bond. Yes they fight, they squabble, like all siblings fight and squabble, but also they have that love there and that respect there for each other.” We asked Ben to try to put into words his experience of adopting. “It is the best and most rewarding thing that you can ever do and I think you need to think outside the box when it comes to parenting – parenting isn’t all about being biologically linked or sharing the same genes as a child. Parenting is much more than that, it’s about teaching respect and that love and all the other elements to parenting that makes you a parent in my eyes. It is the most rewarding thing you can ever do, it’s tough and it at times is hair-pulling it really is, but isn’t all parenting? It isn’t for everyone and I get that, you have to be that strong person, you have to have that empathy as well, but we are currently at an all-time low of adoptive parents which I find very strange actually. “So do it, the support is there, the training is there and more than anything you are offering a child the chance of having their own forever family and you are changing a person’s life.”

Ruby & Lilly

“YES THEY FIGHT, THEY SQUABBLE, LIKE ALL SIBLINGS FIGHT AND SQUABBLE, BUT ALSO THEY HAVE THAT LOVE THERE AND THAT RESPECT”

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27/09/2018 17:57

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28/09/2018 12:13

WIN!

COMPETITION

Good

luck!

A WEEK AT BRICKHOUSE FARM COTTAGES! Situated just 10 miles from the bright lights of Blackpool and an hour from the Lake District, Brickhouse Farm is set in six rural acres in Lancashire and provides a fun-filled break for families and friends. Each of the purpose built, accessible cottages overlook the fully stocked Brickhouse fishing lake and are finished to the highest standards. Alongside stunning British-made oak furnishings, incredible wet rooms, under floor heating and modern amenities; access is key! The twelve selfcatering cottages are kitted out with ceiling track hoists, and nine have hoists above the outdoor hot tubs. The home from home cottages all have that touch of luxury and disability aids are provided on request. Since opening five years ago, Brickhouse Farm Cottages Ltd have

gone from strength to strength, they have just started a new build of a private accessible hydrotherapy pool, sensory room and café area which will be on site in a beautiful building. During this build they have a hydrotherapy pool just a short walk away from the cottages, see the website for more details. Brickhouse Farm Cottages would like to offer one lucky PosAbility reader the chance to win a seven-night break in a self-catering cottage for up to six people. The cottage has level access throughout the ground floor and patio. Also available are accessible fishing pegs around the fishing lake. All bedrooms have stunning en suites and the accessible bedroom downstairs has an adjustable electric bed and ceiling track hoist leading through into a contemporary, spacious wet room. Brickhouse Farm Holiday Cottages brickhousecottages.co.uk 01253 702122 Terms & Conditions Entries must be received by 30 November 2018. One entry per household. Prize includes a one-week holiday (Friday to Friday) at Brickhouse Farm Holiday Cottages. You can stay in one of the 3 bedroom cottages, which sleeps up to 6 people. Accommodation only. Food, drink and travel not included. The prize winner will be required to disclose any access requirements upon booking. In Pine and Willow Cottage up to 2 dogs are allowed at an additional cost of £50 per pet. Registered service dogs are welcome in any of our cottages free of charge. You can upgrade to one of the cottages with a hot tub for an added cost of £100.00 for the week. The prize must be taken in, December 2018, January, February, November or December 2019 (excluding 21st December 2018 to 3rd January 2019 and 20th December 2019 to 2nd January 2020). Dates may be subject to change and availability.

If you would like to be in with the chance of winning this great prize, simply answer the following question correctly:

When did Brickhouse Farm Cottages open? 5 YEARS AGO 6 YEARS AGO 4 YEARS AGO

PLEASE TICK THE CORRECT ANSWER

Email your answer and your contact details to posabilitycompetitions@gmail.com or visit posabilitymagazine.co.uk to enter online. Or post to the address below: Brickhouse Farm Holiday Competition PosAbility Magazine Caledonia House Thornliebank Ind. Est. Glasgow, G46 8JT

Name: Address: Postcode: Tel: Email: Brickhouse Farm Cottages would like to send you more information about their holiday cottages. If you would like to receive this please tick the box. By ticking the box you are consenting to us providing your details to Brickhouse Farm Cottages. Please tick box to accept the Terms & Conditions WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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28/09/2018 10:13

INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

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“PUSHTRACKER BLUETOOTH® WRISTBAND AND CRUISE CONTROL KEEPS YOU ROLLING OVER LONG DISTANCES”

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MULTILINK MOBILE ARM Designed to attach to a wheelchair, the MultiLink Mobile Arm Support will ensure those with significant weakness in their shoulders have adequate support. The elasticated bands which are fitted to the arm significantly improve the user’s ability to lift their arm towards their face comfortably. Includes a spirit level to ensure correct installation. 01273 719 889 essentialaids.com

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INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

LIFEMAX ANTI-SPILL MUG Ergonomic, colourful and sleek, this anti-spill mug is the perfect vessel for hot drink lovers. It has a 470ml capacity, is made of BPA-free materials, has a thin wall of insulation and a non-spill lid. The mug has a suction design to keep the cup on the desk, which prevents bumps and knocks from tipping the cup over. 0161 452 7577 uksmobility.co.uk

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PHILIPS LED SMART LIGHT BULB Smart light bulbs can be controlled through mobile phones, or can be hooked up to smart devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, allowing lights to become voice controlled and home lighting more accessible. This LED bulb is energy efficient, long-lasting, and highly customisable, allowing you to adjust settings based on your mood.

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MALTRON SINGLE HAND KEYBOARD

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With its ultra-ergonomic design, the Maltron single hand keyboard is available in two colours and in a left or right-hand model. Designed for touch typing and with high word input speeds, the keyboard also features push-on push-off keys for shift and control functions, allowing the user simple access to essential features of standard keyboards. 01785 785525 maltron.com

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We’re taking the stress out of postural support

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28/09/2018 10:14

ONLINE ABUSE

The DARKER side of

SOCIAL In a world where keyboard warriors are seemingly allowed to run amok on the internet with no regard for those on the end of vile and debilitating messages, one national broadcaster is taking a stand. Words by Colette Carr

W Writing an abusive or nasty comment

online is one thing, but specifically seeking out one person and directly contacting them with horrible abuse for the world to see is a blatant level of bullying that is difficult to comprehend. Knowing that bullies strike out of insecurity isn’t enough in holding them to account.

“ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER TO SHAME AND COMBAT THE ISSUE USING #TOGETHERAGAINSTHATE”

Enter Channel 4. The broadcaster is widely known and regarded for its work in ensuring, promoting and championing diversity, not just within the disabled community but across the board. From their coverage of the Paralympic Games since London 2012 to their flagship live Friday night offering The Last Leg, Channel 4 has led the way. As part of their Rio 2016 campaign, they partnered with Maltesers to run a series of adverts employing disabled actors telling tales of how their disability has landed them in awkward, but funny situations. The plight of those targeted by online bullies, dubbed trolls, has been well documented by both victims and shocked onlookers. One activist who, sadly, is no stranger to the darker side of the internet

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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ONLINE ABUSE

is PosAbility columnist Sam Renke. Sam was one of the stars of the highly publicised and exciting Maltesers campaign encouraging people to “look on the light side of disability” - a nod to the sweet’s “the lighter way to enjoy chocolate” slogan. But while it received high acclaim from activists, TV critics and the wider more sensible - public, it also drew out the worst that the internet had to offer. Sam herself publicly shamed those who took senseless and cowardly swipes from behind their screens at her in a 2016 Huffington Post blog. In her post, she recounts the experience of discovering trolls had mercilessly targeted her personal Twitter account and recalls how the needless abuse affected her. But Channel 4’s latest offering takes back control by working with Maltesers, Nationwide and McCain’s to produce a powerful short film that uses the original adverts, hateful posts and upsetting statistics to shame those who tweet before they think. Alongside Sam is Sugar J Poet in the Nationwide advert, who was exposed to online racial abuse and a young gay couple, who came under fire from the internet’s homophobes who took umbridge to McCain’s decision to include a family setting with two men and a child. Encouraging people to come together to shame and combat the issue using #TogetherAgainstHate, Channel 4 was widely praised for the ad break that tackles the ever-increasing issue, including Sam herself. “Often when I mention that I was a victim of online trolls, I am met with complete disbelief,” the Malteser actor told PosAbility.

Cowardly bullies target people from behind their screens everyday

CHOOSE RESPECT Aligning perfectly with the current C4 work, 2018’s Anti-Bullying Week is running the theme “Choose Respect”. November is Anti Bullying Month, but the week of 12-16 November is the Anti-Bullying Alliances’ specific week where we are encouraged to open up and talk about bullying, whether we are victims ourselves or those who just want to help. Recognising the increasing and unnerving rise in cyberbullying, the charity is holding its first Stop Speak Support cyberbullying day on 15 November. Supported by the Royal Foundation and Safe to Net, ahead of the day they are working with young people to develop an online code of conduct to choose respect online, a short film, resources for schools to support the event, resources for parents and carers, and links to existing support lines and tools.

“Hate crime towards the disabled community is real. I applaud C4 C for highlighting the severity of hate crime and the response I’ve received from the general public has been overwhelmingly supportive and sincere. Online bullying is real bullying and as social media plays such a prominent role in the lives of the disabled community, we need to tackle online hate head on. It’s a great first step and although it was a personal challenge to leave myself so open and vulnerable in the campaign, I certainly do not regret being part of it,” she added. While trolls won’t return to under their bridges over night, and with the rising significance of an online presence in the social lives of disabled people, it doesn’t hurt to remind each other to not engage with those seeking quick satisfaction, but support and raise each other up and create the safe and enjoyable space social media was intended to be.

“A POWERFUL SHORT FILM THAT USES THE ORIGINAL ADVERTS, HATEFUL POSTS AND UPSETTING STATISTICS TO SHAME THOSE WHO TWEET BEFORE THEY THINK” 38

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28/09/2018 11:53

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KINTSUGI There’s an ancient Japanese tradition that celebrates individuality and true neverending beauty - Kintsugi. Words by Colette Carr

The Golde

hose who practiced Kintsugi would take

a broken artefact, and instead of tossing it away, they would celebrate its unique charm by filling in cracks or breakages with gold, turning it into something even more beautiful, as golden tones laced through it making it one of a kind. This “golden joinery” makes the new piece even more exquisite than it previously was, injecting new life into it and starting a new and revitalised chapter. It represents so-called imperfections as distinctive or rare forms of beauty and magic, a theme not too dissimilar to that of Zebedee Model Management, who work tirelessly to ensure disabled models are both wellrepresented and visible. In their latest project, the agency took inspiration from both the art of Kintsugi and their previous #EveryBodyBeautiful campaign to team up with Specialist Talent Agency and create a stunning new library of images, draping and painting their models in gold in the spirit of Kintsugi. Starring a number of glittering Zebedee

“IT REPRESENTS SO-CALLED IMPERFECTIONS AS DISTINCTIVE OR RARE FORMS OF BEAUTY AND MAGIC” models including Vicky Balch who lost her leg in the Alton Towers crash and beauty influencer Tess Daly, the shoot gets people thinking, “the sense of strength through vulnerability is breath-taking and prompts the viewer to question what is beauty and where can it be found?” Zebedee Management is headed up by director duo Laura Johnson and Zoe Proctor, with Zoe telling PosAbility about the importance of not only representing disabled models, but also pushing the boundaries with fashion shoots like the Kintsugi one. “We want our models to be involved in high end fashion shoots, not because they have a disability but because they are confident beautiful people,” Zoe explained.

All that glitters is gold WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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KINTSUGI

Zebedee work tirelessly to ensure disabled models are represented

“THE MORE PEOPLE SEE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF BEAUTY, THE MORE WE HOPE SOCIETY WILL BE MORE ACCEPTING AND UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER” “It is very important that we work on high end fashion and beauty shoots with our models in order to help break down barriers and discrimination, and to show the casting team what they are missing out on by not including differently abled people in their casting mix. “We are very open about our models’ abilities and limitations and work closely with everyone involved to manage everyone’s expectations. The more people see different versions of beauty, the more we hope society will be more accepting and understanding of each other. “Research shows that both the general public and disabled people believe that more everyday interactions and greater public education about disability will increase the understanding and acceptance of disabled people, and we as a model agency are in a position to help.”

These high end fashion shoots help break down barriers

All images © Murat Ozkasim @muratozkasim

zebedeemanagement.co.uk

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

41_Kintsugi_RT_AB.indd 42

28/09/2018 11:07

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AUDIOBOOKS There’s nothing quite like losing yourself in a good book. Whether its fiction or a true story, it is a temporary escape, a relief from the real world and all its problems. Words by Colette Carr

he way we consume the

written word has never been more accessible though, with so many options available for book worms to curl up with. Following the introduction of braille books, technology has grown to allow other means for people with visual impairments or reading difficulties to get lost in other worlds from digital editions suitable for screen readers to ebooks on tablets. But one of the most popular ways for many people to enjoy

novels regardless of their level of vision is audiobooks. A narrated novel almost brings your imagination even more to life while holding onto that intrigue and mystery that you lose in a film or TV show. Authors sometimes record their own books or employ the use of actors with captivating speaking voices to grab the listener and get lost in the story without worrying about having to concentrate. Being able to sink into a comfy chair and have lilting tones tell you a story can be one of life’s simplest and most relaxing pleasures, and in an age that we are constantly being advised to squeeze in as much self-care and mindfulness as possible,

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IN YOUR POCKET

In Your Pocket is the world’s first totally voice operated phone and offers access to around 100,000 books from the RNIB Library, Project Gutenburg, and Librivox and over 200 newspapers and magazines. By simply asking the phone to read the desired book or newspaper through voice recognition, this allows instant access from the phone without the need to download another app. It costs £22 per month for the handset, unlimited UK phone calls, 3GB data, books, newspapers and magazines across a two-year plan. While the long contract and monthly cost may put you off, it’s worth remembering that other audio book vendors either charge by the book or a monthly fee and have a limited library. inyourpocket.net

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45_Audiobooks_RT.indd 45

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AUDIOBOOKS

LISTENING BOOKS

Listening Books is a UK-based charity that offers commercially sourced audiobooks and in-house professionally recorded books. Supporting the National Curriculum from Key Stage 2 to A-Level, they have a huge range of fiction and non-fiction titles for both adults and children. Their books can either be posted to a home on a CD, downloaded as an MP3 or streamed making it accessible even to those without a smartphone or device. They offer three subscription models – downloads and streaming for £20 per year, postal service of MP3 CD for £35 or the online and postal deal combined for £45. listening-books.org.uk

CALIBRE AUDIO LIBRARY

Calibre Audio Library is another registered charity devoted to bringing audiobooks to disabled readers. A lending service, their website states: “Calibre Audio Library improves the quality of life for people with sight problems or other disabilities, who cannot read print by bringing them the pleasure of reading through a free nationwide postal service of recorded books. We lend audio books to around 16,000 members across the UK, the Republic of Ireland and other EU countries.” There is a one-off joining fee of £35 or £20 for Young Calibre and when signing up you have the option of purchasing a USB player in the same transaction and make your choice of media to be provided reading choices. calibre.org.uk

“THERE ARE ASSOCIATIONS AND PROGRAMMES IN PLACE TO SUPPORT AND REPRESENT BUDDING WRITERS WHO HAVE A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT” TALKING BOOKS

Talking Books is the RNIB’s free service offering audiobooks to members either in an MP3 format or on a CD. They have over 25,000 fiction and non-fiction books for adults and children and have been in operation for over eight decades. Users can borrow up to six books at a time, unlimited over the year and are all unabridged and high quality. rnib.org.uk/talking-books-service

Historically, there haven’t been a great deal of blind novelists who set the shelves on fire, but there are associations and programmes in place to support and represent budding writers who have a visual impairment. The RNIB can support

you by providing equipment like writing frames or recording devices, but the Sightline Directory can help you find a local creative writing group or class to help you sink your teeth into that idea you’ve been toying with.

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

45_Audiobooks_RT.indd 46

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Free UK-wide home demonstrations call 0800 916 3053 28/09/2018 10:16

GAMING

GAME TOGETHER Charity GamesAid raise money for small and medium sized UK charities who help disabled children thrive and enjoy the wonderful world of video games. Words by Katie Campbell

ith the video games industry

slowly waking up to accessibility, as with big budget releases like Spider-Man, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Uncharted coming out of the box with accessibility options and the recent release of Microsoft’s accessible controller, inclusivity is a vitally important aspect of the industry as a whole. Harnessing the enthusiastic power and talents of the video games industry, GamesAid is a charity who raise money to redistribute to smaller charities that help disabled or disadvantaged children and young people. It’s the charitable arm of the UK’s games industry, administered by trustees and fully democratic, with members of the UK’s games industry proposing and voting on their choice of charity annually. The charity is backed by some of the biggest names in video games, having

partnerships with SEGA, Konami, and Bandai Namco – who you’ll recognise as the publishers of some of the best and most recognisable games of all time, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Metal Gear Solid, and Pac-Man respectively. GamesAid fundraise through multiple channels, including their eBay store, where they sell games, merch and strategy guides for games, in addition to the fundraising events that take place throughout the year. Items are generously donated by publishers, developers and kind-hearted gamers, who pass over the items and help with fundraising. They also hold events and take part in large industry showcases – regular events include the Golf and Spa Day (touted as the ultimate day of rest and relaxation), and the Stand Up for GamesAid event hosted in The Comedy Store in London. This year also saw GamesAid hold a raffle at the MCV Awards, which celebrates and recognises achievement in the UK’s games industry. Contributions can also be made through JustGiving, with poker tournaments, auctions, head shaving, games nights and charity games tournaments all being held by gamers who wish to raise money for a very worthwhile cause.

In 2017, the charity raised an astonishing £69,729 for each of its charities, who got an equal share of the £557,839 that was raised throughout the year. The charities included: Accuro, who support disabled people in West Essex; Everyone Can (formerly The Aidis Trust), who help and support disabled children with technology; Autistica, a leading charity for autism research; Lifelites, who donate and maintain specialist and inclusive assistive technology to disabled and terminally ill children; Over the Wall, who provide free-ofcharge residential activity camps to children with life-limiting illnesses in the UK; and SpecialEffect, who are dedicated to helping disabled children enjoy video games. GamesAid will soon be announcing their chosen charities for 2018, who will be supported through their fundraising efforts as last year’s charities were. Look out for details on their website, or on social media.

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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28/09/2018 10:16

TRAVEL

CUBAN NIGHTS

Words by Amy Oulton

t seemed important to me to get to see Cuba sooner

rather than later, as it’s a country in the middle of huge changes. It had been a long standing joke with my mum that she should take us on a family holiday for our 30th and 60th birthdays, then one day, to my surprise, she turned around and said ‘don’t you think we should go sooner than that?’ We did two weeks starting in Varadero for a couple of beach days then headed to Havana, down to Trinidad, via a day in Cienfeugos, and to Santa Clara for our last night. This tour worked pretty well, allowing us to see several parts of Cuba that all had their own identity.

Amy Oulton shares her Cuban experience, from stunning architecture and culture to local hospitality and inventive ways to travel around as a wheelchair user. I’ve never used a tour for disabled people before, preferring to make my own arrangements, and Cuba was no exception to this although I did find this was made more challenging by factors fairly unique to Cuba. Other than in some of the public squares, there is no internet in Cuba - this meant that booking things in advance was difficult. Whilst the advice is to just turn up and find somewhere to stay - made very easy by the hundreds of signs advertising casa particulars (a room rented out in a family home), that’s risky if you have mobility requirements. The key here is to book really far in advance as only a very small proportion of the rooms available are listed online. We also found that booking three rooms in one place meant that we stayed in WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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houses that weren’t rooms in family homes but full properties run as B&B businesses, which was a shame. Any room that advertises itself as accessible is probably not, so make sure you clearly check the place meets your requirements. There are a few hotels but if you can find a casa that meets your needs you’ll have a more fulfilling experience, get to spend time talking to Cubans and enjoy some incredible home cooked meals.

CASA CULTURE What I quickly learnt is that more so than anywhere I’ve ever travelled, having a Spanish speaker with you is infinitely helpful. From booking rooms in advance to sorting out transport when you’re there most things seemed to be done in an informal nature by speaking to people. When we asked the host of our casas they always knew someone who would drive us to the next city but the price didn’t seem based on quality or distance. We paid more for a ride in an ancient car where the water swelled up around our feet in the footwell than we did from the south to the north coast in a brand new minivan. I didn’t see any specifically adapted transport but I got about by cramming my chair into the large boots of classics, the roof racks of old soviet bangers (bring bungee cords!) or on the front seat with four of us in the back in an uncomfortable emergency. Taxis in Havana are surprisingly expensive so try and stay somewhere central. Accessibility was minimal and it didn’t take long before being bumped up and down multiple large kerbs in Havana caused me a lot of pain, although there were more drop kerbs than I was expecting. To access the beautiful old centre of Trinidad involved pushing up a steep, roughly cobbled hill. We did however find that a great way to see the rest of the town (which actually was largely flat and well paved) was to rent a bici-taxi if you can get in and out of it. Again, I’m fairly sure the price here was entirely dependent on who asked but our host knew a cyclist who gave us an incredibly cheap rate. We got to see how cigars are made whilst my brother got to live out his “I GOT ABOUT BY childhood fantasy of CRAMMING MY CHAIR climbing up into a train INTO THE LARGE BOOTS cab and pretending to be a driver. OF CLASSICS, THE ROOF

RACKS OF OLD SOVIET BANGERS (BRING BUNGEE CORDS!) OR ON THE FRONT SEAT WITH FOUR OF US IN THE BACK IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE EMERGENCY”

LOCAL DELIGHTS

The highlights of my trip came in some unexpected areas. A simple trip to buy some yoghurt in Havana resulted in a shopping experience like no other I’ve ever had. We headed off in the direction of the yoghurt shop to find a selection of kiosks that didn’t appear to be selling much. It appeared you had to ask for what you wanted and the product would either appear from under the counter or be fetched from somewhere else. Eventually we

YOU CAN FOLLOW AMY AT: @amyoulton

@amyoulton B hotwheelsgoes.com

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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TRAVEL ended up in a queue whilst the closed shop made more yoghurt. Two hours after we started our quest we were handed a large white bag of mystery flavoured yoghurt that we had paid pennies for. My personal highlight was the walking tour we did (with an illustrated guide book) of the Vedado neighbourhood in Havana. The area is absolutely stuffed with mid-century architecture and history. Combined with the old American cars whizzing about, you feel like you’ve been transported back in time. A few of the hotels also have an interesting history associated with the revolution and you can go in to the lobbies and have a look around. Havana was frenetic, hot and tiring though, and Trinidad served as a much better place to unwind and enjoy being on holiday. Santa Clara, whilst the least attractive of all the places we visited, had some interesting revolutionary history. Cienfuegos was pretty but didn’t seem to have a huge amount going on and I’m glad we picked Trinidad in the end. Varadero is a beach resort aimed at tourists. There’s no denying that Cuba is one of the more difficult places to travel to in a wheelchair, but Cuban people are friendly and will help wherever possible. By making sure you book your accommodation well in advance, brushing up on your Spanish skills or coming prepared with multiple printed phrases it’s a country where the effort truly pays off. Plus, it was financially reasonable for me to eat lobster every day!

All images © Amy Oulton

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

51_Cuba_RT.indd 53

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“THIS IS THE BEST DISABLED ACCESS PROPERTY WE HAVE EVER STAYED IN” Mugdock reservoir or make your way down to Milngavie’s pedestrianised precinct to discover a great choice of independent retailers and eateries. Clober Farm is also situated less than an hour from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park or you could venture further and cross Loch Katrine in the Steamship Sir Walter Scott, imagine yourself back in the mists of time at Glen Coe, or capture the Kelpies in your holiday snaps next to the Falkirk Wheel.

CITY LIGHTS

Milngavie has direct train links to both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Celebrate the start of 2019 at the world’s best New Year street party, against the iconic backdrop of Edinburgh Castle or immerse yourself in Glasgow’s winter music festival Celtic Connections, which is always a popular date. Please book early to avoid disappointment. WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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Teenage sensation Kare Adenegan has just enjoyed one of the best summer holidays a teenager could ask for, but while it’s back to the books and preparing for A Levels, she’s still throwing down the gauntlet and has her sights firmly set on Tokyo 2020. Words by Colette Carr

he 17-year-old

wheelchair racer brought the house down at the Anniversary Games in the London Stadium, beating Hurricane Hannah Cockroft in the 100m and tumbling the world record to a remarkable 16.80 seconds, before winning the European title in the same event in Berlin. As the bright new face of British Athletics’ medal cabinet continues to fill up rapidly, Kare took time to sit and chat to PosAbility Magazine about her meteoric rise, taking stock of the busy summer before looking ahead to Dubai 2019 and Tokyo 2020. Kare knows all about the London Stadium. The Coventry Godiva Harriers racer took silver in the T34 100m at last year’s World Championships in the capital, but it was the events of 2012 in that ground that kicked everything off for her. Inspired by the London Paralympics, Kare picked up the sport, and has since lifted a Paralympic silver and two bronzes at Rio, a world silver in London, and now a European gold and silver. But it was in the hallowed ground in Stratford that she would claim the 100m world record in a touching twist of fate. “The Anniversary Games was such an amazing experience, I had lots of my friends and my family there which is really special, and it just went so well. “My training was going well before it and I really wanted a big result and it couldn’t have gone any better. “It felt amazing because I was watching everyone on that track on the TV and to be able to do it there was incredible. It didn’t really click straight away, I was just happy with the

KARE result, then I thought, ‘gosh, within six years, from watching it on TV to winning in that stadium, this is really special’. Pretty much every race I’ve had in that stadium has been really good, so it was a nice place to do it. “I’m just a huge fan of athletics in general, so to be around all the Olympic athletes was great and I think it does showcase Paralympic sport really well because we’re reaching audiences we wouldn’t always reach, and I think people watching would have been excited by it. “It was honestly a pleasant surprise at the beginning of the season I did not expect to break any world record at all, I was working on my start and things like that, and I just wanted

to get a PB and I knew I could go quicker than last season but to go sub 17 and get a world record was amazing. “Even when I got the world record, I was like ‘wow’, but sub 17 was just so amazing. I have a lot of respect for Hannah as a competitor and I think it’s good because it pushes us both on, I see Hannah all the time pretty much at most competitions. I’ve always been pushed by her, but it’s exciting that we could hopefully have more close races together and that relationship.” The Briton had only previously beaten Cockroft once, but she says her shock win didn’t alter the way she then approached the German meet where she beat her rival and teammate again on her way to collecting her

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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INTERVIEW

“AT THE TENDER AGE OF 17, KARE IS STARING DOWN HER SECOND PARALYMPIC GAMES”

ON first international gold medal, clocking in in the T34 100m with a time of 17.38 seconds before adding an 800m silver. “Preparation was quite similar and my training didn’t really change from the Anniversary Games to Berlin. It did go really well. I was a bit nervous initially because it was a softer track, so a bit slower, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but it went well. “I take it race by race, but I definitely wanted to make sure I medalled in Berlin, because I knew it was possible, but to get a gold and a silver and exceed my expectations is fantastic. I also just want to PB, which I managed across most of my distances.” As is the way in Paralympic sport,

athletes often have to prepare for battle on the world stage while their classmates are worrying about exams, having a boyfriend or girlfriend or looking for a Saturday job. But at the tender age of 17, Kare is staring down her second Paralympic Games and is aware of the differences this time around from two years before her debut in Rio. “A lot has changed definitely!” she admitted. “Two years before Rio I probably wasn’t even thinking about it too much, it was a huge long-term goal and I wasn’t sure I’d get there, but now I definitely have Tokyo in my sights and I know I’ve got two massive years ahead of me. I’m doing my A Levels this year, I’ve got to think about university so it’s a new chapter for me, and I’m so excited for Tokyo and I want to keep training hard and that is my huge goal – go out there and do what I believe I’m capable of doing.

“I think with Rio I wanted to enjoy the experience of being at a Paralympics, I wasn’t thinking too much about the result. I knew I wanted to medal, and to medal in all three was great but now I’m a lot more experienced, I understand my sport and I’m aware of pretty much all the girls I’ll be racing against, so of course I’ll enjoy it but I know what I want to achieve and I should hopefully be a lot more comfortable in the lead up.” But first there is the small matter of the World Championships in Dubai next year, but the teen is just as excited for that as well. “I know the track in Doha is quite a quick track, so it’ll be good to compete there and it being November, hopefully it will be a bit cooler!” she laughed.

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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28/09/2018 10:16

ADVERTORIAL

AccessAble D Your new online accessibility guide o you spend hours planning a trip out?

Have you ever gone somewhere to find that the access wasn’t what you’d expected? Does going somewhere new leave you feeling stressed and anxious?

AccessAble is here to take the chance out of going out and give you the detailed information you need to work out if a place is going to be accessible to you. AccessAble’s Detailed Accessibility Guides tell you all about a venue’s access. They are 100% facts, figures and photographs. We know everyone’s accessibility needs are different, which is why having detailed, accurate information is so important, and we send our trained surveyors to check out every single place in person, ensuring all the information we collect has been decided by our user community. Whether you are looking to check a fact or explore an area, you can get all the details instantly using our website and app.

THE HISTORY

AccessAble, originally called DisabledGo, was set up in 2000 by Dr Gregory Burke as a result of his own experiences as a wheelchair user and disabled walker.

Gregory was shocked to find that the best-case scenario when he looked for accessibility information was a few unhelpful words that only resulted in more uncertainty, mainly ‘wheelchair-friendly’ and ‘disabled access’. Not having the information he needed meant everything had to be planned and that too often going out became a stressful and anxious experience. At times Gregory felt he could not go out at all. He knew he was not alone, that millions of people faced the same situation, and that by working with other disabled people he could bring about change. How many times have you been told that there is level access in theory, only to find that there are two steps up in practice? How often have you found that the ‘accessible toilet’ is anything but accessible when you have gone to use it?

Working alongside over 100 different disability groups Gregory launched DisabledGo’s first website in 2002. Since then the organisation has grown and developed, continually meeting and listening to its user community. By 2018 DisabledGo was used by over 1.5 million people each year to plan a visit or trip out. Thousands of people continued to shape the service getting involved in DisabledGo’s engagement events and social media channels. In June 2018 we began to build our new website and IOS and android apps, something our user community had been passionate and vocal about. We also set an ambitious target: to be helping three million people by the end of 2020. We can’t be a ‘best kept secret’, we know our work makes a massive difference, and we need to reach more people. The name AccessAble is just one of the ways we are looking to do this, we are a service for every disabled person and carer, regardless of impairment. We also want to help people who face access issues for other reasons.

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26/09/2018 22:02

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alloween is creeping up on us, as the nights draw in and the shops become a haven of fancy dress outfits, chocolate pumpkins, Screme eggs, spiders and cobwebs. It can all be a bit overwhelming for some though, so at PosAbility we have put together some ideas for a Halloween that all kids can enjoy,

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KIDS choose your scare level and get the family involved. Have a spooktacular time! Have you heard about Gympanzees? A great new concept based in Bristol, they are aiming to open a fully inclusive and accessible leisure and activity centre for disabled children by 2021. They ran an incredibly successful pop-up centre during the summer holidays, we spoke to founder Stephanie Wheen, turn to page 74 to find out more. Ever considered the benefits of laser tag as a fun outing with the kids? Get the adrenaline pumping and encourage communication and exercise this weekend with a trip to your local arena. We also look at the initial research that has been done into the ways in which Google Glass can benefit people with autism by helping them to decipher facial expressions. We hear how Dan and his family coped with a camping trip, find out what Rio has been up to over the last few weeks and we bring you some great products for kids on page 80.

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28/09/2018 09:32

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28/09/2018 10:17

Theme parks for autistic and disabled people

THEME PARKS

Words by Janet Myers

SO SCARY AND SO MUCH FUN The UK has more than its fair share of theme parks offering great days out and although a visit with a disability may sound daunting, they offer so much assistance that it is an adventure not to be missed. They all offer multiple attractions for the whole family but for most it is the craving to be scared, leave your stomach behind, scream and hang on till your knuckles go white. For some, that adrenaline rush comes from dizzy heights, exhilaration in free flight, spinning and twisting or plunging at great g-force on a roller coaster or may be the new virtual reality ghost train at Thorpe Park will do the trick. For others, it may take no more than a spinning tea cup, but if it gets those adrenal glands dumping hormones into the bloodstream producing a heightened state of physical and mental alertness it can’t be a bad thing.

F O E H S N U R A NALI E R AD KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

MAKE YOUR CHOICE

With disabled people no longer expected to be passive, unadventurous beings, all theme parks cater for their needs. Some do it a little better than others. Each offers something different and maybe suited to different age groups. Some offer additional water parks, others have animal encounters and a few have accommodation onsite. Your choice on the other hand might be its proximity to your location.

Check the park’s website for their disability guide, which will tell you about their individual policies, or phone their customer services team. They are experts in their field and will know everything down to the suitability of rides for those with photosensitive epilepsy. They will tell you about concession prices, complimentary admission for assistants and fast track. To access offers you will be required to bring an up-to-date medical evaluation and statements. This is done to prevent abuse of the system.

Next remember that no two theme parks are the same. All parks have suitable surfaces for wheelchairs, but some have steep slopes so pushing a wheelchair could make the day tiring - ask if you think this could be a problem. Motorised scooters can usually be hired but need to be booked. [Above] Getting an adrenaline rush has never been so accessible

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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[Below] With Halloween fast approaching why not enjoy a good mix of spooky and scary

[Above] Experience dizzying new heights across the UK

“FOR MANY THE AUTUMN HALF TERM HOLIDAY INCLUDES HALLOWEEN AND ALL THEME PARKS INDULGE IN AN ADDED ADRENALINE RUSH BY WAY OF ADDED SCARY ACTIVITIES”

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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PARKING AND ENTRANCE All parks have disabled parking near the entrance so remember your blue badge. When you arrive at the gates, make sure you access the right queue as there may be several options.

You may be able to get a pass or wristband, usually issued by the park’s guest services team, allowing you and those you visit with access to rides through a separate entrance. Having a disability doesn’t automatically entitle you to this scheme - it’s for those who are unable to use the main queue, such as autistic children and wheelchair users, and is only available if you can provide evidence. Again, check with the individual park what proof they require. It’s intended for those who do not understand the concept of queuing, have difficulties with everyday social interaction, have a limited capacity to follow instruction, who may become agitated or distressed by queuing for an extended period of time.

• DRAYTON MANOR THEME PARK is home to a variety of exciting attractions with roller coasters, a zoo and Thomas Land. • PAULTONS FAMILY THEME PARK is the Home of Peppa Pig and voted number one for small children. The second day is free and has 70 rides and attractions. • CHESSINGTON WORLD OF ADVENTURES is a family theme park, zoo and sea-life centre. It’s not for hard-core coaster fanatics but does have some roller coaster rides. • LEGOLAND WINDSOR is a theme park dedicated to children aged 3-12 years old. • ALTON TOWERS is wellestablished with exciting rides to suit all ages and a great water park. • THORPE PARK claims to be the nation’s thrill capital and certainly has some extreme rides suited to older children. • LIGHTWATER PARK suggests watching the rides in motion before and luckily you can find videos on YouTube. • BLACKPOOL PLEASURE BEACH was founded in 1896 and is an old favourite.

Some operate a fast track system where eligible disabled guests are given a pass and a wristband. Entering an attraction via the disabled access route, you hand your pass to a member of the ride team who mark it with

the time you can go on your next ride – for example, in half an hour’s time. Others operate a virtual queuing system accessible to the user by a wifi enabled device.

Once inside you will need to find guest services to register for assistance, arm bands and passes.

FREE CARERS Each disabled individual is allowed a free pass for a carer but there are provisions for two free carers if deemed necessary. To claim this, you require a DLA, Blue Badge or GP letter. Documentation should be dated within the last six months.

NO QUEING AND FAST TRACK

THEME PARKS

The following have been voted the best for those with additional needs.

[Above] Large theme parks offer rides for all levels of bravery

TOILETS Nothing can be worse with disabled children than coping with normal toilets and queuing. All parks have disabled toilets and in response to overwhelming pressure the biggest parks now have a full facility including a hoist, adult changing bed, height adjustable sink, fully accessible shower and plenty of floor space to allow room for two helpers.

EATING If members of your party have dietary needs, do not rely on certain foods being available, it is best to take something with you. Occasionally, a park might request no food be taken in, but this does not apply to special needs. Annual passes and some tickets offer 20% off food and drink and it is a good idea to enquire. Some offer a refillable drink option all day throughout the park.

AN ADDED BONUS With an annual pass some parks, for example Alton Towers or Thorpe Park, offer free digital photos taken on the rides to all of their disabled guests, they just need to show their pass.

TRICK OR TREAT For many the Autumn half term holiday includes Halloween and all theme parks indulge in an added adrenaline rush by way of added scary activities. One word of caution - the parks can be very busy and booking in advance is essential. However, if you play your cards right and take advantage of no queuing or fast track for any disabled child, brothers and sisters will give them an extra hug as the whole family can join in the benefits! It’s a great day out so have a wonderful scary day filled with fun.

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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27/09/2018 22:42

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k o o Sp S up a torm Halloween is just around the corner, and we’ve got some tips to help you have the most spooktacular Halloween ever. Words by Katie Campbell

ittle ghouls and goblins rejoice – the

spookiest time of the year is finally upon us! Halloween is here to fill us with fear – and chocolate. The tradition of taking to the streets dressed as a spook or spectre has been passed down through generations in the UK, as Halloween is thought to be a Christianisation of the Celtic celebration of Samhain, a time when the doors to the Otherworld – the realm of the dead – would open and supernatural entities would flood the world, playing tricks and causing mischief. From this ancient celebration grew the traditions of Halloween, like carving vegetables with spooky faces (originally, Irish people would carve turnips!), lighting bonfires, playing games, and guising – which is also known as trick or treating.

Of course, some little witches and warlocks may struggle to take part in traditional activities because they find the whole act of Halloween to be an overload to the senses. Maybe speaking with strangers makes them anxious and forget all the great jokes and tricks they’ve been trying to learn in the hopes of getting anything but a tangerine. That’s ok! We’re here to give you some ideas to make sure everyone can get involved, even mummies!

DIS-GUISING

For some, the feel of a Halloween costume can be extremely uncomfortable and cause sensory overload. While it is of course in keeping to the season, not every costume has to be a creepy one! If your little monster has a favourite t-shirt or jumper that they enjoy the sensation of, there’s nothing to stop you incorporating it into their costume. Not everyone has to be a princess or a vampire – there’s no limit to who or what you can dress up as! For comic book fans, it’s never been easier to get onesies or hoodies with their favourite superhero’s logo on them, so children with sensory issues who can’t tolerate itchy polyester costumes or uncomfortable makeup can still dress up as the Flash or the Green Lantern in a comfy, cosy outfit. In the same vein,

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HALLOWEEN

superhero jammies can give kids a well needed break from reality and allow them to zoom around as Batman or Wonder Woman. If children use a wheelchair or crutches, incorporate them into their costume! With a cardboard box, some tape, paint, and a little bit of imagination, you’ve got the keys to being the talk of your cul-de-sac this Halloween night.

IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT…

Let’s face it – as residents of this great isle we’re going to have to face the prospect that the weather might be rubbish at the end of October. Who could possibly anticipate such a thing? You’re not obligated to hit the streets and pile up the miniature Mars bars on Halloween! For children who struggle with constant socialising, going door-to-door on Halloween will likely make them very uneasy and uncomfortable. Sometimes, there’s nothing better than a night in, and Halloween is the perfect time to cuddle up on the sofa with the kids and take in a few spooky films. As parents, you’ll know what your kids can handle in terms of scares – so no-one’s suggesting the family sit down to a marathon of the Saw movies – but there’s loads of family-friendly movies to choose from that suit the season. The Addams Family is a pure and silly ride for older children, Casper is full of silly spooks and laughs, Hocus Pocus is a Disney classic, and the Hotel Transylvania movies are perfect for younger kids.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY A GAME?

glitter, cobwebs, paint and spiders to give them that authentic Halloween feel, and then contents added. The Spruce also has some great ideas for what can go inside: ears (dried apricots), spider’s legs (fuzzy pipe cleaners), ear wax (peanut butter), teeth (popcorn kernels), and brains (a large steamed cauliflower head). Bobbing for apples can be a bit of a danger but bobbing for strawberries is a much easier way to get little mouths involved. Getting creative can also be great fun – pumpkin carving is ideal, obviously with close adult supervision! Getting kids to help scoop out the mushy, pulpy insides and draw on the front of the pumpkin is great fun (plus, you can turn the insides into pumpkin pie, the greatest of all pies). Making ghoulish little cakes, like cake pops or cupcakes, can also be great, messy fun, and combines a huge variety of colours and textures to play with. Pinterest is, of course, the best place to go for all your Halloween recipes – don’t worry if they turn out looking a bit homemade – it’s all in the spirit of fun!

“HALLOWEEN IS THE PERFECT TIME TO CUDDLE UP ON THE SOFA WITH THE KIDS AND TAKE IN A FEW SPOOKY FILMS”

Games are a great way to get into the spooky mood! There’s the traditional bobbing for apples and feasting on sweets, but you can start your own tradition of making some scary feel boxes as a fun sensory game. The Spruce has some great suggestions of what you can pop in your own sensory boxes to give them a nice Halloween feel. Old tissue boxes, cereal boxes or shoe boxes work well – all you have to do is cut a hole in it and you’re ready to get started. Boxes can be decorated with

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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magine how cool it would be to have

your own personal heads-up display, like you’re moving around your own futuristic world of wearable technology that helps you interact with what surrounds you in new and complex ways you could only imagine. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but the reality is the technology is a lot less Blade Runner-esque than you’d expect. For disabled people, this kind of wearable tech can change their world and allow them a way to engage with it that is as accessible as it is helpful. Stanford University is doing just that using Google Glass, the wearable technology that provides audiovisual feedback overlayed on the real world. The American University has begun a study to see how Google Glass can help young people with autism comprehend facial expressions and emotions. So far, the progress has been astonishing. Alex is nine, and has autism. He’s taking part in the current pilot study, and his mum, Donji

Read My

MIND Stanford University has pioneered a fantastic new scheme to help autistic children develop a better understanding of facial expressions, and the results have been amazing. Words by Katie Campbell

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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AUTISM Cullenbine, has been absolutely astounded by his progress. “He was engaging with my eyes, flickering his eyes to me,” she said. That’s a massive change in him. Alex has always felt anxious looking at people’s faces, and struggled to understand what people were thinking or feeling. With the app created by the Stanford University team, he’s got a better comprehension of what the people he’s speaking to are thinking and feeling. “The [Google Glass] device, which was linked with a smartphone through a local wireless network, consists of a glasses-like frame equipped with a camera to record the wearer’s field of view,” the team behind the project explained on their website, “as well as a small screen and a speaker to give the wearer visual and audio information. As the child interacts with others, the app identifies and names their emotions through the Google Glass speaker or screen. After one to three months of regular use, parents reported that children with autism made more eye contact and related better to others. “The treatment could help fill a major gap in autism care: right now, because of a shortage of trained therapists, children [in the United States] may wait as long as 18 months after an autism diagnosis to begin receiving treatment.” The app itself has three modes which the user can play with: free play is the kind of standard mode of use, which identifies facial expressions on the face of someone in the user’s field of view, and two game modes which reward the wearer when they correctly identify the emotion on display in the app. Stanford’s last study was conducted over the course of a year, with 14 children between the ages of three and 17 taking part. They wore the glasses three times a week for 20 minute sessions over an average of ten weeks. The app used machine learning to help them better understand eight basic emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, disgust, surprise, fear, neutral and contempt. At the end of the study, six of the participants’ scores had changed so much that the severity of their autism classification was reduced by a whole step. 12 of the families who participated also said their child was making more eye contact over the trial – one of which was Alex’s mother, Donji. “A few weeks into the trial,” she said, “Alex began to realise that people’s faces hold clues to their feelings. He told me, ‘Mommy, I can read minds!’ My heart sang. I’d like other

[Below] The deceptively simple design disguises the complexity of the wearable tech

“IT IS HOWEVER, A HUGE STEP FORWARD IN TERMS OF USING WEARABLE TECH TO HELP PEOPLE WITH AUTISM” parents to have the same experience.” The other families seemed to have had similarly positive experiences, because in a survey undertaken after the study was completed, they noted very positive feelings towards the app and Google Glass technology, saying it was fun and useful. The average measure by which the children decreased on the Social Responsiveness Scale was 7.38 points during treatment. The whole project is the brainchild of German Catalin Voss, and supporting him in the technological aspects of the study is Terry Winograd, the godfather of artificial intelligence, who has spent a lifetime advancing the way humans interface with technology. The Glass project, which was chosen by the team as the best method of wearable technology for the study, was started by tech

giants Google in their Google X facilities – the same one that is currently researching driverless cars – and went on sale for the first time in 2013. The expensive bit of kit is also quite complex, but deceptively simple to look at. It’s composed of a light frame which sits over the front of the face (like glasses, hence Google Glass), only on the right side there’s a small display which reflects into the user’s vision, a tiny processing unit, a camera which can record 720p HD footage, and a little touchpad for simple movements. It can be controlled through the user’s smartphone too, like the study showed. The test group for the project was small, a problem the researchers acknowledge, and didn’t use a control group, so the study wasn’t perfect. It is however, a huge step forward in terms of using wearable tech to help people with autism. Dennis Wall, who was a project leader in the study, still believes that the positive findings will pave the way to the trial being used as a starting point to develop the technology further. “We have too few autism practitioners,” Dennis said. “The only way to break through the problem is to create reliable, homebased treatment systems. It’s a really important unmet need.” The team are currently conducting a larger, randomised trial, in the hopes that this will produce more scientifically accurate and usable data. WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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26/09/2018 22:39

An inclusive space for your little monkeys to let loose Words by Rosalind Tulloch

hen we heard about Gympanzees

and their plan to open the first fully inclusive leisure centre in Bristol by 2021, it really hammered home the fact that this was to be a UK first. Why is it that in this day and age children with physical, sensory, emotional, behavioural and learning difficulties have nowhere safe and fun to play? We are constantly reminded of the importance of encouraging children to do exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle, yet if there are no opportunities that include disabled children then how are they supposed to lead healthy and active lives? Gympanzees founder Stephanie Wheen recognised the need for an inclusive facility that celebrated disabled children and offered sessions that catered to every need, allowing them to participate fully just like any other child. A space for all children to play together, no matter what their abilities, somewhere for parents to relax and socialise, safe in the knowledge that their kids were having a great time playing, making friends and being active. Steph spoke to PosAbility to tell us about the idea for Gympanzees and how they plan to

GYMPA

bring her dream to fruition. “I am a physio for disabled children and I have a private practice. I was trying to work out how to provide my services without people having to see me because I was getting overrun with referrals. So I was trying to think how I could get my children out into the community so that my clients were out in the community doing exercise that way and when I started taking clients round to various places like softplays and climbing walls and gyms, nothing was working. So I started looking into what there actually was out there and it turns out there is incredibly little. “The research we did actually matches the national research that says that 84% of disabled children can’t access leisure facilities. Obviously that is a crazy number and I was hearing over and over from families that this was a big and important part of their lives because it meant that they were stuck at home because they weren’t able to go swimming or

to the park or to ballet – all the things that you take for granted with other children. “So it kind of started there and it has grown and expanded into what we are now planning which is a leisure centre – an inclusive leisure centre. It will be open to everyone but it will be fully inclusive for all children with disabilities. It will have all the right equipment and the right environment but also sessions that are specifically tailored for children with physical needs or children with behavioural needs or sensory needs so that everyone has somewhere to go, like you would go to your average trampoline park or your average softplay, so it’s not just an hour here or an hour there, people can come seven days a week, 11 hours a day just like any other leisure centre.” A fantastic idea, but something that Stephanie was well aware would take a lot of hard work and funding to get off the ground. As it is a UK first there has been nothing to compare it to and no working business model

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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GYMPANZEES to look at for viability. With this in mind, Stephanie decided to plan a pop-up centre over the summer holidays this year to assess the need for something like this. They rented out Emerson’s Green Primary School in Bristol for four weeks and transformed it into an inclusive leisure centre. “We rented out a school and basically set up five indoor different play activity areas and trampolines outside with a café and there were different sessions for different children and abilities and siblings and families and groups. We started thinking about that last December and we had to raise £60,000 to do that and we ended up raising £85,000 which was amazing! We had a massive team of volunteers and others who were helping us out, it was an incredible journey really. “It was a raging success so we have got the proof really we think we need to push it forward.” The feedback from parents and children

was incredibly positive and many had travelled from far and wide just to attend the pop-up. “It was amazing, we had two interns from Bristol Uni who researched the whole thing so they were asking parents every day and we had feedback forms and got lots of reviews on Facebook and it was all hugely positive. We had one little boy who was on the trampoline with his mum and had his first ever laugh which was incredible.

We had other parents saying they had come to us three times and that was the only three times that they had left home that whole summer holidays. One parent said there was a difference between her child being tolerated and celebrated but here it was so clear that they were celebrated, which was really touching. “We ended up having over 1100 bookings over the four weeks, people came from as far as Daunton which is about a two and a half hour journey and we had someone staying in a hotel so they could come to us two days in a row and that was their summer holiday. Our bookings doubled in the four weeks. It was a huge success and it just shows the massive need that there is.” If you missed out on this summer’s pop-up, don’t worry as there is another one planned for the Easter holidays and again next summer with the idea that they will continue until the centre is opened, hopefully in 2021.

NZEES “WE HAD ONE LITTLE BOY WHO WAS ON THE TRAMPOLINE WITH HIS MUM AND HAD HIS FIRST EVER LAUGH WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE”

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE OR HELP OUT BY DONATING OR FUNDRAISING VISIT GYMPANZEES.ORG OR FOLLOW GYMPANZEES ON FACEBOOK FOR REGULAR UPDATES.

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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28/09/2018 12:07

Wheelchaircars.co.uk Join Henshaws Knowledge Village; a place to find online expertise on sight loss. Become a member of Henshaws Knowledge Village (it’s completely free!) to gain access to all of our online resources - covering everything from useful apps to dating tips - for anyone experiencing or working with sight loss.

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28/09/2018 10:17

Columnist Dan White

Dan White, creator of the amazing Department of Ability superheroes and dad to Emily, who is 10-years-old and has spina bifida, is a regular face in PosAbility as he shares his experiences of life as a family with a disabled child.

“THANKFULLY THIS PLACE WAS SO WILLING TO HEAR HOW IT COULD IMPROVE ACCESS AND WAS OPEN TO DIALOGUE. IT’S STRANGE WHEN YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE POTENTIALLY ACTED UPON”

You can follow Dan on @Danwhite1972

BACK TO NATURE arents of disabled kids,

we are game for anything aren’t we? We spend our lives facing insurmountable social, medical and political odds, so the last thing you’d expect us to do is engage in a holiday fraught with potential trauma, yes? However, that’s exactly what this family did. Camping, back to nature, our accidental, unintentional holiday. Buying a tent was the last thing on our minds as we strolled and rolled into a high street sport shop. As we entered, the first thing Emily did was to disappear into a display tent and sit at the camping table. I’m not known for my spontaneity, far from it, but as I stood upright inside we looked at each other in that “maybe it’s possible” way. I stepped into the sleeping compartment and worked out that if Emily backed her chair up to the netting I could lift her onto the camp bed inside and vice versa. As the exciting possibility of actually doing this came to fruition, the next thing was to convince my wife. An earl grey, a latte and a ridiculously oversized, doughnut-topped shake later, we decided to go for it. Tent purchased, sleeping bags, table, lights and we ventured off into new territory to an accessible campsite in glorious Devon. We knew this experiment was going to be fraught with first night moans and arched spines but it was topped with deflating airbeds, the wheel falling of the shower

chair and the resolve to go straight home from this madness. Dawn broke and we addressed the situation logically and over the day a plan of action regarding toileting, sleeping, and wine purchasing was put into place. From then on the holiday actually turned from a Bear Grylls survival test, to a relaxing (not completely stress free) holiday. We decided that this trip was our taster and like the shop purchased Shiraz, it became enjoyable. The site classed itself as accessible, however a glance around showed the eternal shortcomings of this. There were ramps everywhere and a disabled shower room, but no changing place or mobile hoist or hoist into either pool. Now we all know the situation about engaging with business or management when it comes to suggestions of alteration and inclusion, it’s usually a wall of silence or a no thank you. Thankfully this place was so willing to hear how it could improve access and was open to dialogue. It’s strange when your suggestions are potentially acted upon, it’s like you’ve accidentally slipped into a parallel universe of care. Camping I know is not possible for all families. Practicalities of care and equipment prevent a majority from the experience, but for us and especially Emily it, after a stressful first night, became just the tonic we needed. A break, and after all, doesn’t every family in this rich, wonderful community deserve that?

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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28/09/2018 12:21

Laser TAG

Looking for something exciting and competitive to do with the kids? Look no further. Words by Colette Carr

or some children with sensory issues, the idea of laser tag may

initially seem too much. A darkened room with intermittent lights, music and heavy equipment, it is easy to write off the activity from both a parent and childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective. But for some, it may be the answer to developing their sensory skills or just simply bring them out of their shell. There are some wheelchair accessible laser quests dotted around the country, but for ambulant

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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SENSORY

kids, the tension, excitement and thrill of bouncing about both the large spaces and nooks and crannies in the dark, laser tag serves as much more than a physically active and stimulating game.

“THERE ARE OFTEN STAIRS, LADDERS, SLIDES AND SOFTER FLOORINGS SO CHILDREN CAN EXPLORE THEIR BODY IN UNFAMILIAR PLACES”

PLAY AND TEAMWORK Play is one of the most important elements of childhood, allowing children to learn how to cope with situations, problem solve and learn what they like and most importantly have fun and make friends. Enjoying a round of laser tag calls on both physical and mental involvement, it also opens up opportunities for children to interact with others, socialise and learn the importance of teamwork. If your child has trouble mixing with other children, teamwork situations may allow them to develop their social skills and make friends, and if your child is quite independent, it may help them learn how to work with others.

COORDINATION AND PLANNING Laser tag is also great for improving a child’s coordination. With the weighted target vests and darkened space, children will fast have to regain their balance and bearings before they set off around the arena. With their lessened sense of sight, children must begin to understand their surroundings by other means – they can centre their weight or use their sense of touch on the walls or the floor to grasp where they are. Players must also call on methodical and logical thinking and plan ahead. They must consider every move they make and form a plan to deal with any obstacles and consider their opponents and teammates around them.

SPATIAL AWARENESS AND SENSORY PROCESSING Some children may have issues understanding their body in space. Like the coordination element, children’s body and spatial awareness will be developed and adapted to cope in the environment. The sizing of spaces in arenas can be vastly different. While there are wide open spaces, there are also narrow tunnels, small passages and lowered ceilings. There are often stairs, ladders, slides and softer floorings so children can explore their body in unfamiliar places and settings and understand their movements as they adapt. As they tackle obstacles they will quickly begin to understand how to move their

body in specific ways. Shooting targets on people’s vests from a distance will help children improve their aim and how they perceive distance.

DISCIPLINE In laser tag, if you are shot, you are rendered unarmed for a period of time, when you can’t be shot and cannot shoot others. If your child has problems with patience or discipline, laser tag may force them into learning how to deal with waiting or not having something their way, as they have no choice but to wait until the blackout time has elapsed, and they can re-join the game. It may benefit children with behavioural issues as they learn to deal with the consequences of being shot. The stealth aspect of the chase can also employ discipline as they hide from opponents and strike at the right moment.

COMMUNICATION With the darkened rooms in a laser quest, your child’s vision is limited in terms of reading facial expressions. To communicate with their teammates, they must speak to each other. If your child has problems verbally communicating with someone, the circumstances may be the gentle nudge they need to speak with their peers and develop their communication and social skills. Clear communication can be established in a game, as laser tag takes strategic planning and collaboration between team players. Some laser zones will have loud music or someone speaking over the tannoy. With numerous distractions, it will call on a player to focus their attentions

and improve their concentration when someone is speaking to them.

DIY LASER TAG For children who maybe cannot cope with the sensory overload of a laser tag arena, there are DIY ways to allow them to both develop the motor skills and enjoy the fun without the stress. Children’s Therapy Works in the States have developed their own version of the popular pastime made just with tape, furry pom poms and tweezers. In a narrow hallway, stick many pieces of tape from wall to wall in all different directions leaving different sized spaces in between. The idea is to make it resemble an obstacle course or laser beams crossing from wall to wall. Take different coloured and different sized pom pom balls and place some on the tape and across the floor throughout the course. Then, with plastic tweezers, instruct the children to collect a certain type of pom pom without touching the ‘lasers’. The game will help to improve their visual skills as they scan the course for the particular colour or size of that round as well as developing their recognition skills. The tweezer will improve their fine motor skills, hand strength and dexterity as they collect the balls, while their motor planning, spatial and body awareness will be called upon as they manoeuvre their way through the tape. Children may jump, stretch, kneel or squat to avoid touching the tape, allowing them to become aware of their body in space.

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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28/09/2018 12:23

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KIDS PRICE

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MINTY SILICONE TEETHING NECKLACE These stylish necklaces come in a range of flavours, designs and colours to allow mums to both accessorise and give their child something safe to chew on. They are all made with BPA free food grade silicone beads, satin cords and breakaway clasps for extra safety. teethers.co.uk

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TINTED PAPER LINED SPELLING BOOKS Children with visual distress or conditions like dyslexia can struggle to write and read on white paper. These coloured school jotters are easier on the eyes for children and can have a calming effect eliminating stress factors associated with the conditions. thedyslexiashop.co.uk

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28/09/2018 12:28

KIDS BUBBLES! MERU now offers a range of bubble machines adapted for use with accessible switches or buttons. These can help children with disabilities that find smaller switches difficult to use interact with their environment by producing a cloud of beautiful bubbles, and learn about cause and effect.

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26/09/2018 23:09

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28/09/2018 10:18

Rio's

KIDS

COLUMN Words by Rio Woolf

had a super summer of sport! After the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF) Junior Camp in Rome, I went to the England Amputee Football Association (EAFA) Junior Camp in Nantwich and I scored some great goals! I went to PGL Liddington with my Year 6 teacher to see which activities I'll be able to do when I go on my first residential trip next April. There were lots of fun things to do and I can't wait to go. I went to The Hornets Shop to get my new Watford away kit and met Ben Wilmot, Ken Sema, Isaac Success and Abdoulaye Doucouré at a players' signing and had my photo taken with the Graham Taylor statue. I went to the first match of the season, Watford v Brighton. We won 2-0 and I met one of my Hornets heroes Chalobah! I also went to the match at Reading where we won 2-0 again Domingos Quina scored a screamer! I was so excited to win a Junior Hornets competition for a Watford CSE Trust training session filmed for CBBC's Match of the Day Kickabout and broadcast on 15 September - it's on iPlayer until 13 October 2018. I played on crutches as I've outgrown my prosthetic sockets after only four months - good practice for the next EAFA Junior Camp! The Superhero Tri was amazing, I had so much fun with my LimbPower team. I did the 1km run with my dad. It was great to see Clare Balding again - I met her when she and Ade Adepitan interviewed me on C4 Paralympics at the Anniversary Games in 2013, and then at the Rio 2016 Paralympic swimming event. I also saw Adam Hills again - I met him on The Last Leg Live From Rio and then at the London 2017 World Para-Athletics, and at the Superhero Winter Wonderwheels! I went to a brilliant LimbPower Kids Week theatre workshop at The Lyric Hammersmith - we did songwriting, singing, drama, dancing and recording a

SMASHING IT AT THE SUPERHERO TRI!

RIO'S NEW "ELECTRIC BLUE" DESIGN FOR HIS PROSTHETIC

MEETING HIS HEROES AT A SIGNING AT THE HORNETS SHOP

track. Then we went to see Aladdin which was amazing, especially the flying carpet, and afterwards I met the stars of the show at the stage door. I've been working with Professor Liudi Jiang and her team at Southampton University on a special project to make children's prosthetics more comfortable she invited me to her lab where I had fun making a animatronic hand copy my hand actions. Then we drove to Dorset Orthopaedic to see my prosthetist Matt to get measured for a new liner - he took a plaster cast of my residual limb and I went back to try out the new sockets for my day leg and blade before going to collect them the next week. I've chosen a really cool Funkifabrics "Electric Blue" design, I'm keeping my "Blaze" flames design for my blade! I'm an Arctic One Junior Sports Ambassador and enjoyed my fifth Junior Para-Tri even though I only did the 50m swim (I was on crutches waiting for my new legs) and I was so happy to get my event medal and my Summer of Sport medal for completing the challenge of doing 100 hours of sport and two Arctic One events! The summer holidays went by so quickly - now I'm in Year 6 and looking at secondary schools. My new teacher Mr Harper is really great and I'm working hard to do well. WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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28/09/2018 10:43

VOLVO XC40 CAR OF THE YEAR

Volvo have achieved a great crossover compact SUV with the new XC40 and to our delight it is available on the Motability Scheme.

o far it has racked up

accolades including European Car of the Year and WhatCar? Car of the Year too, so Volvo must have done something right to win over the judges in a very competitive class. Appealing to the young family market, the XC40 offers space, style and a robust interior. The car itself is easy on the eye, oozing clean Swedish stylings and creating an SUV that looks chunky but not clumsy with its bulk. It is the baby to its bigger siblings the XC60 and XC90, but it doesn’t just look like a scaled down version of these, it has its own unique look. Sleek headlights and a chunky grille add to its aesthetic. But it doesn’t just look good. With a price tag of over £30,000 Volvo knew they would have to up their game in all areas to encourage drivers to part with their hardearned cash. There are two XC40 models on the Motability Scheme and they all come in at the top end of the advance payment scale; XC40 T3 Momentum Manual AP £2,999; XC40 T4 AWD Momentum Automatic AP - £3,749.

Inside, this sophisticated SUV feels sturdy and plush at the same time. It features soft touches of material, flashes of metal design and hints of chrome throughout and everything feels solid and of good quality – certainly strong enough to withstand the rigours of everyday family life. This premium feel is furthered through the spaciousness inside the cabin, with plenty of head and legroom for all passengers and the

“INSIDE, THIS SOPHISTICATED SUV FEELS STURDY AND PLUSH AT THE SAME TIME”

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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MOTORING

VOLVO XC40 1.5 T3 MOMENTUM MANUAL 5DR Advance Payment: £2999 Fuel Type: Petrol Average MPG: 45.6 Brake Horsepower (BHP): 156 CO2 Emissions (g/km): 144 Boot Capacity (litres): 586 folding door mirrors, privacy glass and multicolour ambient theatre lighting. Jump up to the top-of-the-range Inscription model and you will be rewarded with leather seat trim, metallic paint, electronic adjustable driver’s seat, front parking sensors, a

driver position does not disappoint. Sitting up higher off the ground than in most small SUVs you would be forgiven for thinking you were in a 4X4, this offers the benefit of great visibility out of the front window and the driver’s seat has extensive adjustment and fantastic lumbar support ensuring a comfortable drive over long distances. The boot offers plenty of room for wheelchairs, prams, luggage, shopping and it has under floor storage too. There is also no loading lip which makes it much easier to get things in and out. It is a pleasure drive, smooth over pothole-ridden city streets and it handles well on country roads and at high speeds on the

motorway. It is quiet, with very little engine vibration coming through and it glides easily through gears, it’s quick for what feels like a big car. It grips the road well and overall is very relaxing and enjoyable to drive. Fuel efficiency is reasonable, but not groundbreaking. However, it produces very low NOx readings and low CO2 emissions. The entry-level Momentum model comes with great equipment as standard, including cruise control, keyless start, dual-zone climate control, touchscreen control panel, 18 inch alloys, LED headlights rear parking sensors, DAB radio and sat nav. Moving up to the R-Design will give you a sportier looking trim on the seats, power-

powered tailgate, wood trim inlays and a crystal gearlever on automatic versions. Another of the Volvo XC40’s standard pieces of kit is the automatic emergency braking system, this not only recognises other cars but also cyclists, pedestrians and even large animals. As well as traffic sign recognition and an oncoming lane mitigation system that will intervene if you drift across the central line on a road. Safety is always a top priority for Volvo and the XC40 has recently received five stars and top ratings in its 2018 Euro NCAP tests. This means the XC40 joins its larger siblings in the 60 and 90 series as one of the safest cars on the roads.

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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26/09/2018 23:37

Keeping your prescriptions simple a nd ou r ser v ice person a l Michelle Healthcare Partner

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Jenny Pharmacist

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28/09/2018 10:18

TAPPING INTO

EMPLOYMENT

POTENTIAL The Ability People is a new recruitment company with a difference Words by Colette Carr

ntering the workforce can be a

long and intimidating journey for disabled people despite the numerous charities on offer willing and ready to support you through the process. But now there’s a new kid on the block with a difference. The Ability People isn’t a charity, it’s a for-profit business that aims to find meaningful work for disabled people suitable to their skillset. Headed up by former Paralympic swimming champion Liz Johnson, The Ability People has a team of disabled employees and is looking to revolutionise employment opportunities for disabled people, as Liz tells PosAbility Magazine.

Was this something you always had in mind? I always thought I was just going to swim, but I had to go

out and get a proper job like everybody, but because of the way that I won in Beijing, and with London 2012 on the horizon I got a lot of opportunities away from the pool that enabled me to continue swimming as a full time athlete so I put the whole accounts idea on hold and it never really materialised, because I was very fortunate in that I got lots of opportunities and it was only really once I retired it came about. I was again fortunate in I was doing punditry, broadcasting and corporate speaking, so, I didn’t need to go down that standard 9-5 route and this idea was born out of my realisation of how fortunate I was and my frustration for the wider community that they weren’t able to have the same opportunities.

How did it get to this point then? Through my other work I met my business partner Steve Carter and he is from the

world of recruitment, so I did some work with him in the recruitment industry. I was then at home and I saw on TV over a third of disabled people of working age are unemployed, and obviously there could be a host of different reasons as to why that could be, but initially I wanted to look into more WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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EMPLOYMENT

detail why that was. I still want to do that, but when I was speaking with Steve I realised that actually with the recruitment industry it doesn’t matter where you’re based or how you work, meaning you could work flexible hours or remotely and it could enable people to have the life balance they required. It’s not physically possible to do 30 hours of physiotherapy a week, hold down a job, have children, have friends, have a life and do all your day to day things you are required to do as a disabled person. So I asked why nobody ever looked backwards and said to these people what do you want your life to look like and how can it get to that point?

You are a disability led group, what kind of team have you got behind you just now? Our team at the moment has a range of different impairments or illnesses, so we have athletes with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, limb deficiencies, kidney or organ illnesses, neurological problems, visual impairments, so we have a full range of people in our team of different disabilities.

You don’t have charity status, how deliberate was that as a choice, to not have the charity tag associated? I never even considered the charity route as an option because when we were looking at it and setting it up as a business we made it for profit, because ultimately the whole idea that a lot of initiatives for disabled people always come as a charity or are helped by able-bodied people suggests disabled people need assistance or other people’s influence to make things happen, but actually they just need an opportunity like everybody else. There’s no need for it to be a charity because it has its own value.

that be resources, new candidates or people who want to join to be a consultant. Some people want to be a candidate and have The Ability People represent them because they feel we have a better understanding of what they are capable of and their needs, so there’s a number of ways to do it.

By the end of the year, what is the one thing you really want to have achieved? By December we will look to have had made placements and by next December we would hope that we’ll at least have all our team at The Ability People and then be a fully-fledged recruitment company making regular placements. theabilitypeople.com

“AS A NEW INITIATIVE WE REALLY FOCUS IN ON THE SKILLSET, ATTITUDE AND THE PERSONALITY TRAITS WE KNOW HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SUCCEED”

How can disabled people looking to join the workforce reach out to you, and once they do what kind of process can they expect to go on? We have an initial group of resources and consultants, and between that we handpick and headhunt, because as a new initiative we really focus in on the skillset, attitude and the personality traits we know have the potential to succeed. Then there is always the opportunity to join The Ability People and we will be looking to expand our team, whether

[Above] The Ability People are on a mission to revolutionise the job market

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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28/09/2018 12:32

Escape Lite

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Nursing and residential care homes for older people

Making a difference Sussex Health Care provides quality nursing and residential support for older people including specialist support for people with dementia. Our homes in Sussex provide a safe, comfortable, homely environment and offer the people we support somewhere that they can make their home, as well as short stays and respite. The people we support are encouraged to maximise their physical, intellectual, emotional and social capacity ensuring that they continue their lifestyle with personal privacy and dignity.

Our services can offer:

RESIDENTIAL AND NURSING SUPPORT FOR OLDER PEOPLE

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LOCAL GP INPUT

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28/09/2018 26/07/2018 11:11 15:30

CAREERS Jane Hatton of Evenbreak reminds us of how you are in the driver’s seat and encourages you to ask for your reasonable adjustments. Words by Jane Hatton

inding suitable work can be a challenge for most people, but for disabled people there are often additional aspects to be considered, both in terms of accessing the recruitment process on an equal basis, and also in terms of the nature of the role itself. Asking for what you want or need is important. There are a number of things that disabled candidates are allowed to ask for. By law (Equality Act 2010), employers must provide ‘reasonable adjustments’ requested by disabled applicants which will help them access the recruitment process. The definition of ‘reasonable’ is open to interpretation (and case law), but can include a range of measures, including: • a British Sign Language interpreter • additional time to answer questions • relevant assistive technology for assessment tests • an accessible venue for interviews • prior knowledge of the type of questions to be asked.

Don’t be afraid to ask for relevant adjustments. If you don’t, you may be less able to demonstrate your true abilities. For example, if you would normally use assistive technology to use a computer in the workplace, this should be provided if you are given a test on a computer at interview. When you are offered a job, you can then request any reasonable adjustments you require to carry out the job. Access to Work (gov.uk/access-to-work) support can include: • adaptations to the equipment you use • special equipment or software • British Sign Language interpreters and video relay service support, lip speakers or note takers • adaptations to your vehicle so you can get to work • taxi fares to work or a support worker if you cannot use public transport • a support worker or job coach to help you in your workplace • a support service if you have a mental health condition • disability awareness training for your colleagues

• the cost of moving your equipment if you change location or job. In addition to standard reasonable adjustments, it might be you have requirements for a particular way of working. Many disabled people would prefer to work part time, or flexible hours, or to work from home for all or part of the time. When looking for jobs, most are still advertised as full time. For some roles, one full time person may be ideal, but for many roles, those hours or tasks could be divided between two or more people. Or it may be that some or all of the role could be carried out remotely. If you find a role that you know you could do, and that you like the look of, there is nothing to stop you asking if the role could be considered for job share, reduced hours, remote or flexible working. The absolute worst that can happen is that they say no – nothing is lost. And it brings your skills to their attention should other roles be available now or in the future. Quite often, however, the employer may well be willing to look at alternative working patterns, especially if you have the skills they need. Ask for what you need – after all, what do you have to lose? evenbreak.co.uk

Ask for what you want...

WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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26/09/2018 22:58

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BRAIN TEASERS

PUZZLES Puzzles are a great way to pass the time and keep your mind sharp. Why not take a break, make a cup of tea and give these puzzles a go? If you correctly complete the crossword and post it to us with your details, you could be in with the chance of winning £25. Good luck!

CROSSWORD

WORD SEARCH

Test your eyes and find the words below from this issue of PosAbility Magazine G A T R E S A L T S V H O E B U Q I A B M S C I T E L H T A S E L B B U B O Y A I C U B A T Q F H H F T H E M E P A R K R S C I N O I B N M A I A W P U R P L E

W H A L L O W E E N

ACROSS 7 First shot in tennis (5) 8 Sterile (7) 9 Least difficult (7) 10 Above (5) 11 Book of elementary principles (6) 13 Register (5) 16 Wide open (5) 18 Violin (6) 21 Pending (5) 23 Move forward (7) 24 Chooses (7) 25 Indoor game (5)

DOWN

2 Withdraw (6) 3 Kiln for drying hops (4) 4 Individual (6) 5 Pace (4) 6 Go away (5) 7 Drowsy (6) 12 Regret (3) 13 Mischievous person (3) 14 Commonplace (8) 15 Renovates (6) 17 Stately mansion (6) 19 Intrude upon (6) 20 Swearword (5) 22 Confer (4) 23 Too (4)

1 Salad sauce (8)

£25 PRIZE! Complete the crossword correctly and send to PosAbility Magazine, Caledonia House, Evanton Drive, Thornliebank Ind Est, Glasgow, G46 8JT to be in with a chance of winning £25. Closing date for entries is 30 November 2018.

Solutions to Aug/Sept crossword

D U T W I T T E R B

ATHLETICS

PURPLE

CUBA

BUBBLES

THEME PARK

DWARFISM

LASER TAG

HALLOWEEN

BIONICS

TWITTER

DID YOU KNOW... THEME PARKS

Selfie sticks are banned from all Disney theme parks Some roller coasters are recycled by selling them and moving them to other theme parks Disney makes twice as much money from their theme parks than they do from their actual movies. WWW.POSABILITYMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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26/09/2018 23:21

CLASSIFIED Luxury sustainable

family holidays in Pembrokeshire

Renew yourself and the planet at these delightful 5-star cottages. Enjoy Pembrokeshire at its best, only 3 miles from Newgale!

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Treworgans

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Two specially converted wheelchair accessible detached cottages. • Ensuite wetrooms • Shower chairs • Air or pressure • Electric profiling mattress beds • Local care available • Hoists • Riser/recline chairs • Adapted kitchens We are only 15 mins from Truro and 30 mins from the Eden Project, making Treworgans the ideal place to explore this beautiful county.

01726 883240 / 07762 173860 www.treworgans.co.uk

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28/09/2018 10:21

CLASSIFIED SELF CATERING APARTMENT Clober Farm, Milngavie, Glasgow G62 7HW

Near to Loch Lomond Sleeps up to 6 people Ensuite wetroom with shower chairs provided Hoist and profiling bed with airflow mattress Accessible landscaped garden Pets welcome Open all year Wi-Fi

To book your stay call

0141 427 7686

or email info@sisonline.org

for every day adventures

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BREATHTAKING LOCATION

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TO BOOK YOUR STAY CALL 01208 862242 OR VISIT WWW.STMORITZHOTEL.CO.UK

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0141 465 2960 28/09/2018 14:01

ability

Nothing is Impossible...

MAGAZINE

TRAVEL REVIEWS

Expert travel reviews to help you make the best choice when booking your holiday.

PRODUCTS

An innovative mix of products to support you in everyday living.

EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION

Regular columns and features on getting your dream job. Providing advice on CVs, interview tips and much more.

PERSONAL STORIES

Inspiring tales from our readers.

COMPETITIONS

Exclusive competitions that give you the chance to win dream holidays, amazing products and once in a lifetime experiences.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

We look at sports and activities available for you to get involved in to help you lead a healthy lifestyle.

8!*

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DAYS OUT

Great ideas for the whole family to enjoy.

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OCT/NOV 2018

28/09/2018 14:15

INAL.indd 1

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If you’ve worked with children with additional needs, we need your help. Manchester City Council is recruiting short-break foster carers – people with experience of working with children who have a physical or learning disability. You’ll help to look after a child in your own home between one and four nights a month, helping to give their family a break. Each child is matched with you, and there are plenty of visits and meetings for you to get to know each other before an overnight stay occurs, to make sure that the child is settled. You can fit caring around your permanent job, and we’ll provide you with training and development to help you through your fostering career.

Interested? If you live in the Greater Manchester area and want to offer a parent the time to relax a little, knowing that their child is being well cared for, then contact our friendly team on 0800 988 8931, or visit manchester.gov.uk/fostering to see if you’re eligible to foster.

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28/09/2018 15:06 10:22 30/05/2018

The Ultimate Driving Machine

SMART, SPACIOUS OR SPORTY? FIND A BMW THAT FITS YOUR LIFE.

THE BMW RANGE. AVAILABLE FROM £249 ADVANCE PAYMENT. • The BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is available from £249 Advance Payment. • The BMW range also includes the BMW X1, BMW 1 Series Sports Hatch (3 door and 5 door), BMW 2 Series Coupé, BMW 2 Series Convertible, BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer, BMW 3 Series Touring. • Selected models are accessible to drivers under 25 years old. • Choose from manual or automatic transmission. • BMW Navigation and BMW Emergency Call come as standard, with metallic paint at no extra cost. • Get a brand new BMW every three years with insurance, service and maintenance all covered.

Let’s find the right BMW for you. Contact a Motability Scheme Specialist at your local BMW Centre. Alternatively, call 0800 325 600 or visit bmw.co.uk/motability. Official fuel economy figures for the BMW range available on the Motability Car Scheme: Urban 32.8–58.9mpg (8.6–4.8 l/100km). Extra Urban 50.4–72.4mpg (5.6–3.9 l/100km). Combined 42.2–67.3mpg (6.7–4.2 l/100km). CO2 emissions 153–111g/km. Figures are obtained in a standardised test cycle. They are intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not be representative of what a user achieved under usual driving conditions.

Models shown are the BMW X1 sDrive18i xLine from £1,499 Advance Payment, the BMW 118i SE 5-door Sports Hatch from £299 Advance Payment, the BMW 320i Sport Touring from £2,699 Advance Payment and the BMW 218i Sport Active Tourer from £499 Advance Payment. All models on the Motability Scheme offer optional metallic paint at no extra cost. Models featured may include options at an additional cost. Motability Scheme vehicles are leased to customers by Motability Operations Limited (Registered Company No. 1373876), City Gate House, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 9HB. To qualify you must be in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS) or the Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) and applications must be made with participating Retailers between 1 October-31 December 2018. Prices are correct at time of publication and subject to availability and may change.

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28/09/2018 10:22