PosAbility – Oct / Nov 2022

DAN WHITE

On a mission to make children's books inclusive for all

MAGAZINE

METAVERSE

Accessibility in the digital world of tomorrow

WINTER BREAKS

Accessible hideaways for the perfect winter escape

Welcome

We spoke to Dan about the importance of representation in children’s books, the vision he had for his books and the projects he has coming out in the future. Read the full interview on page 49.

Sophie Buck delves into the world of interacting in online spaces and explores what “metaverses” are and what they could mean for sick and disabled people, read more on page 15.

Editor:

Tulloch

EDITOR

As most of you will be aware, our team of regular columnists in PosAbility are exceptional individuals, for a whole range of different reasons. They use their voices to highlight injustices, to fight for disability rights and voice their opinions on issues that are important not just to them, but to the wider disabled community. Dan White is among this team and he has just published a series of children’s books that will be used by teachers and parents across the country to help children learn to read, and the central character is is a disabled girl called Brook.

We also look at the history of the sunflower lanyard and Celestine Fraser discusses the benefits that this symbol has brought to people living with hidden disabilities.

With the cost-of-living crisis having a devastating impact on the lives of disabled people, we look at the organisations you could join to rally against the cuts, voice your opinions and fight to affect change. Dan White has also used his column this issue to highlight some of the resources and organisations who may be able to offer support to disabled people, carers and families struggling.

In these difficult times please remember to look after yourself, check in with others and reach out for help when you need it.

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PosAbility

07 FYI

News, stories and updates

11 DROWN OUT THE NOISE!

Sam Renke battles against other people’s opinions

13 A PLACE IN THE METAVERSE

Sophie Buck explores the accessibility of metaverses

COOKFULNESS

Ian Taverner shares a simple bread

30 HAVE YOUR SAY

Euan’s Guide launch their annual access survey

32 WITCHING HOUR

Get ready for Halloween with some spooky decorations and frightening costumes

34 WINTER ESCAPES

Looking to sneak away for a winter break? We have you covered

39 2022 BIRMINGHAM COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Utilising the humble freezer to extend the life of kitchen staples and get your batch cooking on

NO ONE FAKES CHRONIC ILLNESS

Mik Scarlet slams inaccurate journalism around chronic illness

IT’S ALL COMING UP SUNFLOWERS

Celestine Fraser explores the evolution of the sunflower lanyard

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Join the movement standing against the cost of living crisis

28 THE COST OF A BANK HOLIDAY

Dayna Latham explores the impact that the Queen’s funeral had on disabled people awaiting medical appointments

Mark Davidson brings us the lowdown on all the action from this year’s Games

42 HOT STUFF

Check out some of the amazing innovations on the market today

47 KIDS’ CORNER

We catch up with Dan White to find out more about the release of his children’s books, share the success of the latest Superhero Tri event, and we hear from Zan Godden in our Future Voices column

62 GYMPANZEES

A world of fun and fitness for children of all abilities

65 ROLE OF VOLUNTEERING

Jane Hatton shares advice on how to get the most out of volunteering opportunities

INTER SPINAL UNIT GAMES RETURN

Following a two year absence due to the pandemic, WheelPower’s Inter Spinal Unit Games returned for 2022 and saw 80 recently injured participants from 11 different spinal units come together at Stoke Mandeville to compete in wheelchair sports.

WheelPower is the national charity for wheelchair sport, and these games form an essential part of many spinal patients’ rehabilitation following injury, and provide a fantastic opportunity to discover the many benefits of sport and activity.

Teams came from across the UK to take part in a week full of activity supported by qualified coaches from a range of national governing bodies. The first few days offered taster sessions in wheelchair basketball, table tennis, wheelchair rugby, tennis, canoeing, wheelchair racing, shooting, hand cycling and wheelchair fencing, and many more. This was followed by teams from each unit competing to gain points, and this year the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre in Salisbury emerged victorious.

These games are not just about sport of course, as they continue to offer an

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

News and stories from around the world

opportunity for people to experience feeings of camaraderie and they offer a great social aspect.

Helen, who was representing the Southport Spinal Unit comments: “I have felt on top of the world this week at the Inter Spinal Unit Games. I haven’t been around many wheelchair users back in Manchester and coming to Stoke Mandeville feels like I am home. I’ve done so much that I didn’t think I’d be good at and I feel really proud of myself and my abilities.”

Martin McElhatton, WheelPower chief executive said: “It has been wonderful to see so many recently paralysed people discovering the physical and wellbeing benefits of sport at the 2022 Inter Spinal Unit Games. After a challenging couple of years, it has been fantastic to have one of the flagship events return to the calendar and we hope that everyone who joined us this week now has a better understanding of the sporting opportunities available to them following a life changing injury.

“We couldn’t host this event without the support of our sponsors, volunteers and amazing coaches who have helped us to motivate and encourage everyone who has taken part in this positive and transformative week at Stoke Mandeville Stadium. As a charity we hope that this event has inspired them all to lead a more active life through movement, physical activity and sport in the future.”

WheelPower.org.uk

INCLUSIVE YOUTH VOLUNTEERING CONFERENCE

Aconference will be held by British Blind Sport, UK Deaf Sport and Sport Birmingham on 25 October at the Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre in Birmingham to celebrate the success of the See My Voice project.

The conference will share insights gathered over the last year from the See My Voice project and will highlight inequalities and barriers that exist for young disabled people who want to volunteer in the sport and physical activity sector. The event will be supported by the project’s Young Leaders, who will draw on their own personal experiences to explore the challenges and explore how to improve volunteer experiences.

Discussions will focus on solutions and how to affect positive change to help organisations understand how they can diversify their workforce and shape activities to become more inclusive. Workshops will also be hosted by British Blind Sport, UK Deaf Sport and Sport Birmingham.

Alaina MacGregor, CEO of British Blind Sport said: “We are delighted to be hosting the Inclusive Youth Volunteering Conference with our partners UK Deaf Sport and Sport Birmingham as part of the ‘scaling up’ of the See My Voice project. We are excited to share our Young Leaders’ experiences and provide insight into inclusive volunteering with the wider sector to promote change and inclusivity. We want to make it easier for young people with disabilities to volunteer and are confident that this conference will give organisations the tools they need to diversify their workforce.”

The conference is free, and places will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit: BritishBlindSport.Wufoo. com/Forms/me2umpo0a8fvl7 for more information.

Helen Southport

ELLIE SIMMONDS MAKES STRICTLY HISTORY

The ever-popular TV show Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens once again, and this time they have fivetime Paralympic gold medallist swimmer Ellie Simmonds taking part.

Previous years on the show have welcomed disabled guests, and last year saw d/Deaf actor Rose Ayling-Ellis go on to win the coveted glitter ball. However, they have never had a contestant living with dwarfism, which makes this a historic moment in representation on our screens.

Ellie, who has been partnered with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin, took to the dancefloor like a pro for their first dance, scoring a very respectable 26 points for the first week, securing their place in week two.

Writer Cathy Reay lives with dwarfism, and she wrote about the incredible reaction of her daughter in an opinion piece for the Guardian: “…one of the first things she [Ellie] said was “I have dwarfism …” – the rest of her sentence was obfuscated by my daughter excitedly yelling “I HAVE DWARFISM TOO!” Suddenly my kids were transfixed, cheering every time she appeared, and they haven’t stopped talking about it since. It lit a fire in their bellies I have rarely seen before.”

This reaction shows just how powerful representation in the media can be, let’s hope it continues.

You can follow Ellie Simmonds on Instagram @EllieSimmonds for updates on her Strictly journey.

WETHE15 CAMPAIGN WINS AWARD

WeThe15 is a campaign representing the 1.2 billion disabled people across the globe. That’s 15% of the global population, hence the name WeThe15. This campaign aims to become the biggest ever human rights movement and it has just been recognised at the Sport Leaders Awards for the best inclusion campaign.

The campaign was launched before the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games with the vision of increasing disability visibility, accessibility, inclusion, and equality, and ending discrimination.

Craig Spence, chief brand and communications officer at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), who collected the award on behalf of the WeThe15 campaign, said: “Thank you to the judges of the Leaders Awards for recognising the impact that the WeThe15 campaign is having on raising awareness that 15 percent of the world has a disability and the voice it can give the 1.2 billion persons with disabilities.

“Sport is an important element of WeThe15, with the IPC, Special Olympics, Invictus Games Foundation and the Deaflympics working together for the first time. We are committed to using our international sport events over the next decade as a campaigning platform for disability visibility, accessibility, inclusion, and equality of rights. Working together we can create a sports industry that has persons with disability at the table and on our television screens.”

Follow @WeThe15 on Twitter.

HEWETT CLAIMS THIRD US OPEN TITLE

Alfie Hewett became a three-time US Open men’s wheelchair singles champion in New York after beating world No.1 Shingo Kunieda of Japan 7-6(2), 6-1.

Hewett, who also won the US Open title in 2018 and 2019, needed six set points before taking the opening set with an ace, having put away a total of 26 winners.

The British No.1 hit eight winners alone in the first three games of the second set earning a 3-0 lead with a break to love. A ninth double fault from Kunieda gave Hewett two match points, but the first was enough for Hewett to earn his first win over Kunieda in three major finals this season and claim the sixth Grand Slam singles title of his career.

Hewett, who is part of the LTA’s Wheelchair Elite Programme, said: “It’s obviously an incredible feeling. Even though it’s the third one it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t mean as much as the last two. Actually, it means more this time around to bounce back after everything that’s been going on (for family) the last eight or nine weeks and also after losing to him in the final at Wimbledon.

“To then fight and be resilient like I

did, especially in that first set today, and then produce the level of tennis I did in that second, it’s testament to my team, my mentality and everything I’ve worked for, so I couldn’t be happier with the title.”

There was success in the junior arena for the Brits too, as Ben Bartram claimed the US Open wheelchair boys singles title and then partnered Dahnon Ward to secure the boys doubles title at the first junior wheelchair tournament to take place at one of the sport’s four majors.      Bartram commented: “It’s amazing to be the first junior doubles champions. We first played doubles together when we were 12 or 13, so we’ve definitely come a long way. We’re best friends on and off court and get on really well and hopefully that shows when we play doubles.

“In singles we both want to win, but it’s a great thing to be on court in the final knowing a British player will be the winner no matter what the result after all the work people have put in with us at the LTA and everywhere else.”

Dahnon Ward added: “It was a bit of a ropey first set, but sometimes you have those matches when you just have to pull through. It’s one for the history books and very special for both of us.

“In the great scheme of things there’s no pressure on either of us to win in the (singles) final. People develop at different rates, and it can be hard at times, but this is why we play – for these moments.”

LATEST TWEETS

Princess, The Tower @APainPrincess

“#ChronicIllness doesn’t always come with a walker, a wheelchair, a cane, cast, brace, or any other assistive device. Of course, the absence of these items can be both a blessing and a curse… But that doesn’t mean they aren’t suffering.” https://buff. ly/3S9P7tR #ChronicPain

∞ Clear Autism ∞ @ClearAutism

Before asking #disabled people to “learn to cope with” or “manage” a difficult situation, ask yourself: have I asked about and put in place accommodations and adjustments to facilitate this for them, or am I simply expecting them to do all the work?

Sugar & Sloth @sugarandsloth

Sometimes it’s hard to be thankful for my body when it lets me down with #chronicillness.

But when I remember to be grateful for all the things it DOES let me do, I realise there’s a lot it does right, and I am thankful.

Let’s try and be kinder to our bodies this week. #spoonie

Amplified @sources33

Many non #disabled people think that #Accessibility refers only to doors that open with the push of a button. #Accessibility is about creating equitable economic,social foundations& structures within society that support equal access for ALL incl #PWD

@1MikeMorris @BonitaZarrillo

Alfie Hewett |

Photo by Carine06 @Flikr

SAM RENKE

COLUMNIST

DROWN OUT THE NOISE!

I’m pretty sure that you all follow my every move emphatically online and receive daily notifications on your phone of my whereabouts, but for those of you who perhaps don’t, (I mean If you aren’t you are totally missing out on loads of naked cat content), you may not be aware that I will be leaving London in the next year or so.

The plan is to return home and renovate our family bungalow. Long story short, when my father suddenly passed away at a very young age, our mortgage was paid off so my mum, my sister and I sold our family semidetached and bought a bungalow that was predominantly purchased for my ever-increasing access requirements. I actually lived there for a few years during my teaching degree and career. Ironically, I hated every moment. For me, back then it was in my mind, too rural, and although the bungalow, which is spacious, features four bedrooms, and two bathrooms, it’s detached and backs onto a paleaceous park. I cursed it all because the calm - even the birds and their morning songs - irritated the heck

out of me. It drove me to move to London. It undoubtedly worked in my favour, because the London chapter of my life has in many ways been fruitful, but now, almost eleven years on and a decade older (and perhaps wiser), I crave those chuffing birds and the support of my family and childhood friends.

However, my desire to be at one with nature is not the point of me writing this column. It’s actually about the challenge I’m having to drown out the noise of other people’s opinions and concerns. It’s been rather intriguing when I’ve shared my exciting news with many of my friends, colleagues, neighbours and family members. Bar a handful of whom arguably know me, the real me, the overwhelming majority have projected their own fears and concerns about my move on to me.

People have said: “Are you worried you won’t find work?”; “Won’t you lose your independence?”; “Won’t you be bored?”; “Why on earth would you ever want to leave London, everything is here!”; “Won’t your career be over?” I’ve asked myself these exact questions

over the years, but it’s occurred to me that I’ve been led to believe that success, happiness, and joy came from being in the capital, something I think society has been fed over the years. I moved to London because I believed this lie and generations before me fell into this falseness too. That’s why London is such a melting pot of different people from all over, all of whom have a dream and a desire to succeed.

In recent years, we’ve seen a shift condemning gentrification; we see large broadcasters and businesses moving to Manchester and Leeds - take Media City for example. The pandemic has absolutely afforded us all to re-evaluate our working and living habits with the introduction and acceptance of hybrid working, so why am I receiving so little support? Why so much concern? Because I’m super excited about my next chapter!

I guess I’m writing this because I don’t want anyone to ever feel pressured by others to question or worry about what, in their heart, they feel is right. I don’t want anyone to project their own insecurities and concerns onto someone. Instead, approach someone’s decision with kindness and support.

I also wanted to write this column as a reminder that disabled people can be successful no matter their circumstances. When I left Lancashire to come to London, I had the same questions: “won’t you be lonely, what if you have quit teaching and won’t find work?”

I felt pressure from the ableist world to move away from my friends and family and support network, and yes, I am talking from a place of privilege, a place of success, but by gosh the sacrifice I made this past decade to my physical and mental health has been enormous and I question regularly if it was worth it.

The bottom line is that we need to learn to drown out the noise of others. Their concerns may be valid and come from a place of genuine concern, but they aren’t you and they aren’t living your life.

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

Keeping you on the move at home

Exercising is possible from a chair or a wheel chair

Exercising of legs and/or arms is possible

Improves metabolism and vitality

Active and passive movement (with or without motor support)

Encourages cardiovascular system

Improves levels of stamina and flexibility

Strengthens the muscles Increases mobility

A PLACE IN THE METAVERSE

BY SOPHIE BUCK

Metaverses gained traction early in the pandemic as people looked to socialise safely and are pegged as the future of online spaces, but will these online spaces be accessible for disabled and sick people?

As we approach one year since Facebook rebranded to Meta to reflect their focus on building “The Metaverse”, and we’re exploring early metaverses, it’s time to discuss what a “metaverse” is and what it could mean for sick and disabled people.

The concept of a metaverse, coined by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 book Snow Crash, broadly refers to online immersive shared 3D virtual environments. Within these, people, interacting as digital avatars, can engage in realtime work, social and leisure activities together, including trading virtual goods and playing games. Essentially, it is a more immersive and interactive iteration of the internet that enables escapism, new experiences and skill learning, and a greater social “presence”. Many metaverse platforms exist: Meta’s Horizon Worlds, accessed via an Oculus Quest headset, is just one. Additionally, while metaverses often utilise virtual or augmented reality to enhance immersion in the virtual environment, they’re not a prerequisite: social simulation games like Animal Crossing and Fortnite, and video conferencing app Zoom’s new Welo feature

recreating physical workspaces also constitute metaverses. Social distancing to reduce the spread of the coronavirus catapulted many people overnight into online learning or work and isolated living environments, leading to a rise in virtual access and highlighting the beneficial potential for metaverses to bring people together virtually. While some of this virtualisation has now crept away “post-pandemic”, it’s laid the groundwork for metaverses and accelerated their development. What’s often overlooked though is how sick and disabled people are more likely to experience social isolation and loneliness, and require virtual access for inclusion - such as chronically ill people who are largely confined to their homes, less able to access work and education, and need to shield from viruses due to chronic pain and fatigue and weak immune systems coupled with lacking public safety measures. A metaverse-like space could provide sick and disabled people with both escapism from symptoms and interaction with others from their homes.

In recent months, the question of how metaverses can help sick, disabled and elderly people - and, by extension, appeal to them as customers - has interested metaverse designers. Meta has partnered with Brunel and Cambridge Universities to pursue a Social Virtual Reality project that seeks to make social worlds accessed with VR more inclusive and accessible. Relatedly, another platform, Utherverse, tweeted that “metaverse has the power to overcome disability” and help “people with disabilities…

experience life like the rest”, adding “physical limitations are only limited by a physical world” - an Avatar-esque curative narrative likely written by non-disabled people.

Not only is Utherverse’s statement ironic given the current access limits of VR - a disabled friend tells me accessing Meta’s metaverse makes them feel “very disabled” as the VR makes them “incredibly nauseous”, among other issues from the weight of the headset to compatibility with glasses - but it harmfully perpetuates ableist desires to “fix” disabled people rather than address inaccessibility. In response, wheelchair-using fitness and fashion influencer Sophie Butler argued on Instagram that we need “reallife acceptance and assistance”, not to exist virtually - and especially not as “abled people”, an idea “rooted in eugenics”. While this is true, I feel vital nuance is overlooked. Metaverses do have potential benefits for sick and disabled people, particularly those whose disabilities, such as illness, aren’t removed by adequate “real-life” accessibility, but this doesn’t mean we want our disabled identities stripped from us in our avatars, and nor that all access barriers are removed by becoming an avatar as VR is built for an “average” (non-disabled) user.

As someone with debilitating chronic fatigue and pain, I am predominantly housebound and subsequently enjoy a lot of time in virtual space: on social media interacting with fellow sick and disabled people, playing life simulation games like Animal Crossing and The Sims (The Sims 4 isn’t a metaverse, but The Sims 5 is predicted to be), and attending virtual events and exhibitions - the foundations for a metaversal existence. Virtually, I can do and access things I otherwise don’t have the energy capacity for in “real life”. I can live vicariously through my avatars, curating their appearance and environment on days when I myself don’t have the energy to get out of bed, and vicariously

complete goals through them like work and study, even become an astronaut, write novels or farm crops that I’d struggle to do myself. In virtual space, I can also learn and access opportunities remotely, and interact with others in a virus-free environment that doesn’t require travel. While I’d love to be able to access all of this “in real life”, my body isn’t currently capable of it, regardless of the “real-life” access available. These virtual - though not full-blown VR metaverse - activities help me through some of my worst days as they’re a low-energy distraction from my symptoms that is fun and somewhat satisfying. I can only imagine that, as metaverses and VR become more developed and physically and financially accessible, the immersiveness of metaverses - while also holding risks for addiction - will offer an even more compelling distraction from symptoms like pain, fatigue and negative thoughts, like how VR is currently used to help patients with severe burns manage painful procedures. I know I would also love to feel a greater presence of my fellow sick friends online, to travel virtually, and have the option for remote work and education that others don’t push back against as not present enough.

While metaverses hold potential benefits for sick and disabled people, especially those less able to access social spaces “in real life”, there’s much work required to make these inclusive and accessible. It’s vital a variety of sick and disabled people are involved in designing these platforms and technologies from the early stages, and given the appropriate access adjustments. An accessible metaverse doesn’t mean one where disability is erased or overcome, but rather flexibility incorporated, and where users can represent their disabled identities, such as artificial limbs or mobility aids if desired. Metaverses can offer a form of virtual access to complement, rather than compete with, accessibility projects in the “real” world.

I can live vicariously through my avatars, curating their appearance and environment on days when I myself don’t have the energy to get out of bed

We all welcome a little extra assistance now and again, particularly when travelling alone. Thistle Assistance is an initiative to help you feel safer and more comfortable when using public transport.

Cookfulness

BY IAN TAVERNER

Ian Taverner is the author of Cookfulness, the cookbook designed for those living with chronic illness and pain. Every issue Ian will be contributing an exclusive new recipe, complete with his unique cooking format and hints and tips to allow everyone to make tasty, nutritious meals in their own kitchen, and in their own time.

DELICIOUSLY QUICK

OATY BREAD

Can be GF and/or Vegan with easy swaps

Give Yourself Time – when you need to take extra time, take a step back, breathe and re-Cookfulness yourself

– steps marked for when something really important is

– to help you throughout and after Cookfulness Playlists – get your best tracks going!

Difficulty rating: * Preparation time: 10 mins Makes 1 loaf Give yourself time: 60 mins 40mins

Food processor/blender Tablespoon Teaspoon Spatula Greaseproof paper Scissors/knife

Use the greaseproof paper from cooking to wrap the bread for storage

WAYS TO CHANGE

Try adding some of your favourite dried herbs or spices to the dough

A spoonful of pesto added to the dough is delicious

For a sweeter alternative, don’t add the salt, and add cinnamon and/or chopped dried apricots instead

METHOD

KEY put oven on at 180C

KEY set aside 5g of the oats (a large pinch)

Place remaining oats in processor and whizz to form oat flour

Add oat flour to the bowl along with the baking powder and salt (if using) and combine well

Add the yoghurt and stir to combine well

This will feel very gloopy but that’s ok!

Grease the loaf tin and cut the greaseproof paper to fit inside

Using the spatula, add the dough mix to the tin and push it out to be roughly even

Mix the 5g of mixed seeds with the 5g retained oats and scatter over the top of the dough in the tin

Using your finger or back end of a spoon, gently press in the seed/oat mix so it is well stuck

KEY set timer for 40 mins and put the tin in to bake

Carefully remove the hot tin and leave to cool until you can safely get the loaf out Eat warm or whenever!

Follow Ian’s Cookfulness journey on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook all @Cookfulness

FREEZE!

BY KATIE CAMPBELL

The freezer is the unsung hero of the kitchen - not only is it where the ice cream lives, it’s also the place where you can extend the shelf life of many kitchen staples

BATCH COOKING

Batch cooking is not new, but it is a great way to cook meals in preparation for when you might not have the time, energy or resources to cook something from scratch. Done safely, it’s a great way to ensure you have hardy, nutritious food available for when you need it. Soups, casseroles, stews and curries are all ideal for batch cooking, as it’s just a case of increasing the volume of food you’re making in one instance; for this reason, it’s also a great way to reduce food waste, especially for those of us living with a smaller number of people, when much of the food in the supermarket seems to be geared towards feeding the traditional family of four! A whole host of kitchen staples freeze really well - fruits and veg, meat, rice, milk, bread, and butter can all be frozen, which means there are a whole host of meals you can make that will keep well after batch cooking and give you the potential of having something tasty and home cooked that’s safely tucked away in the fridge or freezer until a later date.

and - according to the good folks at Lakeland - can be kept in the freezer for between four and six months. Most modern microwaves and toasters even have a setting to defrost bread, which is perfect for making sure you’re only using as much as you need at any given time, again cutting down on food waste and ensuring freshness. We’re also massive fans of freezing fruit and vegetables to be used whenever you need them: most supermarkets have pre-sliced or pre-prepared fruit and vegetables hanging around in their freezer aisles, although it’s a good idea to check the price of the pre-prepared stuff agains the fresh veg that you can prepare yourself in bulk if you’re okay to prep it yourself. However, the ready-to-use garlic, onions, little pots of herbs, and soup vegetable packs that you can get in the freezer isles of the supermarkets are absolutely brilliant, and mean you always have what you need on hand and ready to roll when you’re set on making a home cooked meal.

THAW SAFELY

Freezer, we love you, but we need to acknowledge that there is a slight caveat to all of this: some things need to be defrosted before you use them, and they need to be defrosted safely - especially meat. For the love of all that is good in this world, if you see a TikTok that tells you that it’s completely fine to defrost something in the dishwasher or something that sounds a bit “out there” like that, remember that it’s all fun and games until food poisoning makes you have to decide whether your face or bottom is going to use the toilet first. Food poisoning is not fun. Please. Trust us. Food safety is so important, and defrosting food correctly to prevent it going bad before you even get to enjoy it. This should not put you off freezing food, but you should be checking the right way to defrost what it is you’re going to cook and making sure you give it enough time to properly thaw out before you get cooking. Usually, the safest way to defrost something is to take it out in advance, pop it on a plate, cover it and set it down in the fridge so that the temperature can gradually come back up over time, preventing food from entering the so-called “danger zone” where harmful bacteria can multiply very quickly, leading to the aforementioned toilet conundrum. It’s also important to remember that you should check if you can re-freeze something; it’s often not safe to do this with meat, so sometimes it’s best to portion meat you intend to freeze into freezer bags and defrost them when needed. If in doubt, give it a Google, and see what a trusted source (like a government website) has to say about what you’re defrosting.

MIK SCARLET

COLUMNIST

Follow Mik on Twitter @MikScarlet

NO ONE FAKES CHRONIC ILLNESS

As I type this, there is an outcry about an article written by a “journalist” that claims that many people living with chronic illness are faking it to gain attention and social media followers. Where to start with that one, eh?

I have to point out that, yet again, I am in the throes of a period where my health is less than what I would hope. Like so many who live with chronic illness, I am facing the loss of friends, the strain on my relationship and waving goodbye to much of the work I once did. If I hadn’t just started a job as co-CEO with the charity Phab I’d be in serious financial trouble - another element of chronic illness that so many face daily. I’m living with a level of pain I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, and this has led to a real crash in my mental health.

I saw the outcry on social media before I sought out the offending article. I won’t state what it’s called or who wrote it as I don’t want anyone who hasn’t seen it to seek it out. I was trembling with anger by the time I finished it. Where do I start? What struck me first was the key theme was that there’s this new group of people, women, who are supposedly called “spoonies”, who use social media to decry their tragic lives with chronic illness for followers and likes. As well as a nice dose of ableism, it’s loaded with misogyny. It claims that a person the “journalist” found had cured their chronic illness with exercise and positive thinking. I wonder, did they try yoga and healthy eating, too? It left the reader imagining a growing community of fakers who all need to get out, start cycling, and stop

enjoying being ill.

First, join me in a scream. Let the rage out.

Now, let’s look at this realistically. I’ve lived with chronic pain since 1981, which has touched my life on and off since I had an attack of what would now be considered some kind of postviral condition when I was a teenager recovering from glandular fever, with it getting unmanageable a few times during the years, and when I catch an illness like the flu. Currently, I’m stuck back in the grips of chronic illness as my spine is collapsing causing problems with pain and function, which is not fun. The pain is so bad that I haven’t left the house other than going to the hospital for many weeks. I’m lucky that each of these periods ended thanks to successful treatment, but I still faced a battle to get back to what I would call healthy after each dip in my health.

Each time, my life stopped. My world has shrunk to my home, then a few rooms, and eventually to my sofa and bed. I relied on others for everything

and was stuck unable to do very much for myself. I at least had doctors working to do something to resolve the issues, and there was talk of an end of the symptoms, or a lessening of them at least. So many people who live with chronic illnesses don’t have this, and are even disbelieved by the medical community. No one would fake being ill, but if they did, that would make them ill anyway, as faking illness is a mental health condition, and a serious one, too. Within the chronic illness community, these people are not the norm. The norm is people struggling to get by, day after day, living with a list of symptoms that most non-disabled, non-chronically ill people could never imagine. If they had a moment of what chronically ill people live with, they’d buckle in an instant. That’s the truth. The article talked of young women filming themselves crying about being so ill as if this was for attention. Excuse my language: bollocks. I’ve been in tears on countless occasions in the last year as my condition worsened. The reason people film this and post it is to allow others to know it’s OK to be sad, depressed, or lost at being so ill for so long with so little support.

The chronically ill community on social media is an essential lifeline for so many and what should have happened was an article championing this and praising it. I know it’s been amazing for me and all I can say to others living with chronic illness is there’s no way anyone would fake what we’re going through for clicks and followers. Leave that to low-rent journalists. Know you are seen, respected and loved. You deserve better and I for one will be your champion in the future. Having glimpsed into your world for short periods, I know your truth. Keep on going, and ignore those who go for the easy tropes.

“It left the reader imagining a growing community of fakers who all need to get out, start cycling, and stop enjoying being ill.

First, join me in a scream. Let the rage out”

IT’S ALL COMING UP

Sunflowers

BY CELESTINE FRASER

didn’t “look” disabled, they weren’t being approached and offered assistance. This made flying painful and stressful, and put off many disabled travellers from air travel altogether.

Airports are notoriously inaccessible environments; from the sensory overload for autistic people, to the vast walking distances between gates which are challenging —if even possible— for people with mobility impairments. Surely, thought Gatwick, there had to be a way for people with non-visible disabilities to communicate that they did, in fact, have access needs?

After discussion, workshops and extensive collaboration with national and international disability charities, the group settled on the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower: a green lanyard with a yellow sunflower design. The design felt joyful and free of the biases and negative assumptions that are so often associated with disability. It was at once discreet and distinctive – a symbol that staff would immediately recognise and that “could be seen at a distance”, but which wearers “could choose to use when they needed to without having to shout”. “The beauty of the sunflower is that it empowers individuals to disclose as much or as little as they want,” says Annette Cmela, the lanyard’s brand director.

After being introduced at Gatwick Airport, the lanyards spread first to other UK airports, and then to supermarkets, schools, colleges and universities, to businesses, financial services, trams, buses and trains. Today, over three million of the lanyards have been distributed worldwide, and the scheme has official presences in the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland, with an upcoming launch in the UAE. “It’s been a pretty fast growth”, admits Cmela. “It’s grown from a very simple idea at Gatwick Airport to becoming a universal symbol.”

While the 1968 International Symbol of Access (the ubiquitous white-on-blue “Wheelchair Symbol”) is often seen as synonymous with wheelchair access, the sunflower lanyards have rapidly become an internationally recognised symbol for invisible disability – representing everything from chronic illness to OCD, from Tourette’s to epilepsy, from neurodiversity to PTSD. “The sunflower is really a trigger for people who know about it to approach that person and ask, ‘how can I help?’”, says Cmela.

“It’s really helped me to communicate what I need”, says Dana, a dyspraxic TikTok creator. Dyspraxia, she explains, is a “coordination disorder” which affects “social regulation, emotional

How the Sunflower Lanyard is making life more accessible for people with invisible disabilities

regulation, balance and memory”. Dana explains that she pass,” so she relies on public transport: “But because I look like I don’t have a disability, bus drivers don’t wait for me to sit down. Or if it’s really busy and I need to sit in a disabled seat, people can be slightly aggressive. They think ‘you’re twenty-four and you’re young, you can’t have a disability’”. Dana now wears her lanyard at work, on public transport

Lauren, an autistic student and educator, wears her lanyard almost every time she leaves the house. She explains: “It gives me a bit more confidence and a sense of security just to know that I do have something there to show that I am pay, I’ve got to make conversation with the cashier, there’s various different noises going on, there’s a lot of people… so it’s nice to know that if someone sees my lanyard they

should be individualised to the person, their disability and the context. For someone with a stoma bag, it might mean being given a key to a disabled toilet. For someone who a quiet room. For someone with chronic fatigue, it might sunflower badges and backgrounds which could be used during virtual meetings. “Zoom fatigue” was unanimous, visible disabilities “could show that they were having a bad enables people with non-visible disabilities to access the support they need. But it’s also a reminder for the rest of us that there is more to a person than meets the eye – that we are all infinitely more complex, more needful and more need not be expensive or high-tech: “I genuinely think that access is just listening to people,” says Dana. “It doesn’t take much to be like, ‘oh, is there anything I can help you

visible disability can mean anything from autism to arthritis – and access can mean anything from a toilet to extra time.

bright green sunflower lanyard is a prompt, reminding us that people’s needs may be wildly different – but we can

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

KATIE CAMPBELL

Pressure groups and protests you can join to add your voice to the growing sea of people standing against the cost of living crisis

There is only so many times you can be told that you can save electricity by only boiling the water you need in a kettle, turning your electronics off at the wall instead of popping them on stand-by, or using candles instead of the big light for a bit of “cost of living crisis ambience”. The fact of the matter is that the cost of living crisis is a systemic issue that disproportionately affects disabled people, chronically ill people, and their families (and - of course - many, many other people), and as much as the well-meaning suggestion of “only use the electricity you need to save on costs” is very valid for some, for others, who need their heating to maintain their health during the colder months, use medical equipment powered from the mains, or are feeling the fiscal crunch of the crisis, it feels a touch insignificant in the face of everything that’s happening at the moment.

A number of groups have emerged at the forefront in the last few months who are campaigning for solutions to the problems that many of us face: they’re organising protests, marches, and offering support to people who might need it. Here’s a few organisations you might like to get involved with if you need or want to.

DISABILITY RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS

It goes without saying that many of our readers are probably already aware of or even members of groups like Disability Rights UK (DRUK) or Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), but those who are not may want to consider joining. DPAC and DRUK are both drawing attention to the myriad ways in which the cost of living crisis is having a devastating effect on the lives of disabled people across the country, and protesting the short-term solutions offered by the government, which are not believed to be sustainable in protecting people from the impacts of the cost of living crisis - including the benefit cuts that have come long before now. Joining these organisations and pressure groups helps add weight to their demands that aim to help disabled people across the country, and fight cuts that may affect you or people in your area. Outside of the cost of living crisis, these

groups are fighting to make all aspects of life better for disabled people through protest and pressure, and DPAC has local groups across the country where their members are fighting to make positive changes at a local as well as national level.

DPAC.uk.net

DisabilityRightsUK.org

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Founded specifically to tackle the cost of living crisis, Enough is Enough have just staged a series of almost forty protests across the entirety of the UK to condemn the crisis and make known their five demands to tackle the situation that we all find ourselves in. Founded by trade unions and community organisations, they want to see the cost of living crisis addressed by raising wages in line with inflation and creating a pathway to offering a £15 p/h minimal wage, as well as banning zerohour contracts and curtailing exploitative working practices. Enough is Enough also want to see the energy cap restored to its pre-April price of £1277 per year, and bring the energy companies into public ownership while investing in renewables. They want to end food poverty through enshrining the right to food into law, cap rents and build more than 100,000 council homes, and ensure that the richest people in the country pay their fair share of taxes, as do big businesses, who often engage in tax avoidance and tax evasion.

WeSayEnough.co.uk

TENANTS’ UNIONS

In June of this year, IPSOS reported that almost one third of Britons were worried about their ability to pay their rent or mortgage. In Scotland, the government have put a rent and evictions freeze in place to ensure that, until March of next year, people will not have their rent raised, and cannot be evicted from their rental properties if they can’t pay their rent. Tenants’ unions are fighting to help renters and protect tenant rights, which is especially important during the cost of living crisis. These organisations are fighting to ensure that housing in both the private and social rented sector is safe, secure and affordable for everyone, in a time where rents are skyrocketing and some people are finding themselves priced out of their homes.

Many tenants’ unions are associated with ACORN, and are able to give renters in any sector help, advice and support if they face eviction or rent hikes that they don’t feel able to afford, or that are against the law. If you’re in Scotland, you can join Living Rent; people in London can join the London Renters’ Union, and for support regardless of location, check out Generation Rent.

LivingRent.org

LondonRentersUnion.org

GenerationRent.org

Enough is Enough have just staged a series of almost forty protests across the entirety of the UK to condemn the crisis

THE COST OF A

Bank Holiday

BY DAYNA LATHAM

As the number of people on NHS waiting lists hit 6.8 million - with 377,000 people waiting over a year for treatment - many of us woke up one day in September and started our usual pandemic-era doom scrolling routine, only to find out from Twitter that NHS treatments were being pushed back once again due to the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral being declared a national bank holiday. I - like many others - assumed I’d already reached peak cynicism, with the BMJ blaming the government for overseeing the worst NHS dissatisfaction rates in 25 years back in March. Yet here we are!

Whilst the government tried to reassure the public that only ‘non-urgent’ treatment was being postponed, that phrase is entirely subjective. Non-urgent care includes some cancer treatments, reproductive health treatments, and joint replacements - not to mention med reviews, therapies and psych referrals. If you’ve been waiting for an operation since before COVID, sure, your life may not be at immediate risk - prompting a doctor who is largely removed from your lived experience to deem your treatments essentially unimportant - but the quality of your life has undoubtedly been steeply declining with every passing month you wait.

Now, I must clarify that not all hospitals cancelled nonurgent care: it was somewhat of a postcode lottery. There has also been ambiguity on whether the government will reimburse local health authorities for the added expense of not just wages but also peripheral costs like patient transport, so those areas already struggling the most have been the hardest hit.

Disabled and chronically ill people are vastly overrepresented on waiting lists, and they’re also the groups who have sacrificed the most throughout the pandemic. Some are still shielding, and others started shielding again in the run-up to now cancelled appointments. According to Nuffield Trust, patients rating their satisfaction as 0/10 had already doubled since the start of austerity. COVID compounded this, and now the bank holiday has added fuel to the fire, too. The very people who missed out the most, made sacrifices that most non-disabled folks can barely conceive, now have been dished another dose of medical trauma - all for the pomp of a public period of mourning.

Whilst much of the general public mourned the Queen,

Mass cancellation of ‘non-urgent’ medical care for the Queen’s funeral insults disabled communities, writes Dayna Latham

many others were mourning the hope that their conditions were finally set to improve. Mentally, psyching yourself up for an operation can take months, so I can only imagine the pain of having it snatched away so close to the apparent finish line. There is no ethical justification in having further delayed life-improving treatments just to mourn someone who has already passed.

Whether you loved the Queen and what the monarchy stands for, or you see it as a relic of a bygone colonial era, the material conditions that many ill folks are living under are surely more important. In fact, support for the monarchy overall is waning in recent years. According to polling published recently in the Guardian, less than half of young people support a monarchy; 47% even with the temporary pity boost that the institution has received in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death, and 33% beforehand. Support is waning amongst older demographics too, but at a slower rate.

As disability crosses every intersect, we have to consider the impact of race and gender here too. Many of the people whose healthcare was being de-prioritised right now for deference to the Queen also have family histories of generational trauma that was inflicted in the name of the Crown, too.

Statistics from 2020 reveal that women from an ethnic minority background are more likely to be disabled than their white counterparts. A study from the University of Surrey, led by Dr Emily Williams, found the following:

“Those from a South Asian background, at every stage of

adulthood, were more likely to experience poor physical functioning and had an increased risk of developing a physical disability than their White counterparts. This ethnic difference was most pronounced in women, with older South Asian women (over the age of 60) being four times more likely to report having a physical disability compared with older White British women of the same age.

“The increased risk among South Asians could not be attributed to socioeconomic status or existing major health conditions such as diabetes, which is particularly prevalent among UK South Asian people.

“Researchers also found that African Caribbean women had elevated odds of poor physical functioning compared with White British women from middle age onwards, for example, in the older group, with 75% of African Caribbean women reporting poor physical functioning compared with 57% of White British women. The research indicated that socioeconomic status and chronic conditions, in particular obesity and hypertension, may help explain some but not all of the increased risks reported by African Caribbean females.”

Nearly half of children in poverty live with a disabled relative, and one in five workers are also disabled. For every person waiting on treatments or improvement of symptoms, there is an entire support network behind them working overtime to pick up the slack and minimise their suffering until the state picks them back up. Most of us will become disabled at some point in our lives, so this affects every family in the UK in some capacity.

Have

Say Your

Disabled access charity Euan’s Guide is encouraging anyone who has ever had to consider disabled access to share their opinions on accessibility in 2022 in their newly launched access survey.

The Euan’s Guide Access Survey supported by Motability Operations Ltd launched in September and covers topics such as toilets and parking, and whether access is generally better or worse in a world living with COVID. This year, the charity also wants to hear from disabled people on the rising cost of living, as well as their preferred methods of transport.

Euan’s Guide was founded in 2013 by Euan MacDonald MBE, a powerchair user, and his sister Kiki, after Euan was diagnosed with motor neuron disease in 2003. They discovered that a lack of disabled access made every day experiences stressful and they soon learned that other disabled people faced the same challenges. Euan and Kiki established the disabled access review website EuansGuide.com to provide good quality disabled access information, in the hope that this would inspire confidence and remove the fear of the unknown, and break down barriers of exclusion.

The data gathered from the survey is used to inform Euan’s Guide in their mission to improve accessibility, and the insights from the survey help to shape their work. Last year’s survey included the opinions of over 2400 people, who were primarily disabled people (97%) with the remainder a combination of carers, friends and healthcare professionals. This year, the team at Euan’s Guide hopes to break the record number of responses to reach even more people who want to make the world a more accessible place. The access survey, now in its eighth year, is an

extension of this mission.

Euan said: “This survey is extremely important in establishing how disabled people, their families, friends and carers feel about disabled access through their own lived experiences. The survey results inform us on lived experiences of disabled access, the disruption of COVID and how it has affected accessibility, and the current views of disabled people.

“We’re delighted to be working with Motability Operations for a second year to amplify the voices and experiences of disabled people. It’s vital that anyone who has had to consider disabled access makes their voice heard by taking our survey, so we can work together to make a difference.”

Last year’s survey learned the following from respondents: 92% try to find disabled access information before visiting somewhere new 56% avoid visiting a venue if it has not shared their disabled access information

73% said that they had found information on a venue’s website to be misleading, confusing, or inaccurate 73% had experienced a disappointing trip or had to change plans due to poor accessibility accessible parking and accessible toilets remain a top priority for disabled visitors with 81% and 80% of respondents respectively reporting that they would help improve confidence when visiting new places.

Have your say in this year’s Euan’s Guide Access Survey supported by Motability Operations Ltd by visiting EuansGuide.com/AccessSurvey.

Read some of the recent five-star reviews on EuansGuide.com:

Disabled access charity, Euan’s Guide, amplifies the voices of disabled people

HELMSLEY WALLED GARDENS

“The walled garden is tucked away in the centre of Helmsley. Visitors with blue badges can drive along a narrow track to park immediately outside of the walled garden. Blue badge parking may be booked in advance, but we had no difficulty finding a good parking space. The staff and volunteers were courteous and friendly. There is a large volunteer community looking after the garden and growing produce to be sold in the shop, or used in the restaurant. There are support workers and programmes designed to support members of the community with mental health issues. The garden is a beautiful tranquil space in the centre of this pretty busy market town. The shop, restaurant, toilet facilities and garden are all fully accessible by wheelchair. The restaurant is in the old vine house within the garden. There are lots of outside tables which would be accessible. We wanted to dine inside. The ramp into the restaurant was fine, with the disabled toilet just inside the door. When we first arrived at the garden, I explained to the restaurant staff that we would like wheelchair access to a table, and the table was reserved for us, even though they do not usually accept advance booking. Just outside the walled garden there are some interesting craft workshops. The historical setting means that these are not accessible for wheelchair users, but the staff were happy for me to take items to the door for approval.”

NETHERURD

GARDEN HOUSE

“We booked a few nights in a one-bedroom apartment in Netherurd and had a great holiday. The staff are very friendly and helped make our stay even more enjoyable. There are eighteen apartments in total, four of which are one-bedroom apartments, two are adaptable interconnecting rooms with electric hoists and rise and fall beds, the rest are spacious studios. All accommodation is wheelchair accessible with lots of turning space and a sizeable wet room shower. All have a small kitchen area and there is access to a larger kitchen and washing facility on each wing. There is good Wi-Fi and TV but my favourite pastime was enjoying the stunning views and the huge enclosed garden which is also wheelchair accessible. Netherurd is set in a convenient location for visits to Peebles which has some really good restaurants and cafes as well as a lovely riverside walk. Biggar is also close by and a nice place to visit for an afternoon but the Netherurd estate has lots of scope for gentle walks without having to use the car. Unlike many self-catering facilities you can book just one night or two or longer if you wish. I would highly recommend this facility.”

Visit EuansGuide.com to write a review of somewhere you have been recently and help share accessibility information with the disabled community.

Photo: ©Matt Cornock @flickr

Photo: Adam Sommerville

HOUR WITCHING

BY ROSALIND TULLOCH

Halloween is almost upon us, and it is the best time of year for those of us who love the opportunity to creep out our friends, adorn our homes with terrifying skulls, ghosts, bats and ghouls, and most importantly eat our own body weight in Halloween-themed sweets. This year will no doubt be filled with chilling takes from popular Netflix series Stranger Things, and you can expect to see some of the Sanderson sisters skulking around as the much-anticipated Hocus Pocus 2 has finally arrived. We have collated some of the spookiest items on the market this year, and some fun games for the kids too.

1Light Up Pumpkins

It wouldn’t be Halloween if there wasn’t pumpkins adorning doorsteps and lining windowsills. However, the effort and mess of scooping out a pumpkin and cutting chunks out to make spooky or funny faces, can be a lot. These battery-operated pumpkin lights are a perfect alternative.

LightInTheBox.co.uk | £18.90

Giant Spider

What is scarier than a 5ft, black, hairy spider? In my mind, literally nothing. If you want to throw the scariest Halloween party with the most terrifying prop, then you can’t go wrong with a giant spider to greet people on arrival. Set this monstrous creature up at your front door, place it in the middle of your living room or hang it menacingly over the kitchen table to surprise and scare your guests.

Ebay.co.uk | £7.88

3

Vecna Mask

If you are not aware of the hugely popular sci-fi series Stranger Things then you must have been living under a rock for the last few years. The popularity of this series will undoubtedly have Halloween filled with Vecna-inspired costumes, Demogorgons and terrifying dead cheerleaders. This Vecna mask keeps things simple and terrifying.

Amazon.co.uk | £19.99

4Spider Webs

There is nothing spookier or more effective than spider webs; they make everyone feel itchy and creeped out, which makes them the perfect addition to your Halloween this year. Drape them from light fittings, hang them across doors or entrance ways and let those spooky spiders do their worst.

Amazon.co.uk | £2.95

Bean Bag Toss

Just like being at the carnival, now you can set up your own bean bag toss with these spooky cans stacked up in your own home. Stack them high and let the kids (and adults) go wild throwing bean bags to knock them down –just make sure all the breakables are out of the way!

Amazon.co.uk | £15.99

Dogs Demogorgon Costume

Halloween is not just for humans, sometimes we can get our furry friends involved too. If you would like to get your four-legged friend on board with terrifying the neighbours then look no further than this creepy (yet potentially adorable) Demogorgon costume based on the scary flesheating monsters in Stranger Things.

Amazon.co.uk | £17.59

Hocus Pocus Costume

With the release of the long-awaited Hocus Pocus 2 movie finally in our midst, this Halloween is the perfect opportunity to dress up as one of the infamous Sanderson sisters. If you are unfamiliar with the film these witches torment the town of Salem, and this year you could play the part of Winifred Sanderson (played by Bette Middler in the movie).

LightInTheBox.co.uk | £59.40

Glow in the Dark Skeleton Suit

Get the kids dressed up and don’t risk losing them in the dark with this fun, glow in the dark skeleton suit! Turn off the lights and watch your little skeletons dance and run around your living room as they burn off the sugar of an entire Halloween haul of a successful trick or treating run.

Morphsuits.co.uk | £22.99

Skeleton Treat Bowl

The ideal treat bowl for filling with sweets and treats for the kids and the adults. This skeleton comes complete with light up scary eyes that keep an eye on how many sweets you sneak from the bowl, and the spooky skeleton legs hang over the front delightfully. Will you dare to dip your hand in?

TheRange.co.uk | £12.99

Witches Hat Ring Toss

Keep everyone amused with this witches hat ring toss game! The witches hat is inflatable and easily pumped up with the included air pump, and it comes with six coloured rings to fling over the witches hat. Split into teams and go head-to-head in a competitive throw down of Halloween themed ring toss.

Amazon.co.uk | £6.99

Winter

ESCAPES

BY ROSALIND TULLOCH

As the weather cools and the crisp, fresh mornings sneak their way back into our lives after a hot summer, it could be the perfect time to plan a winter break. Escaping your daily routine for a long weekend or a mid-week break in the winter months can be restorative, romantic, adventurous or relaxing, whatever you want it to be really. There is nothing sweeter than curling up in a cosy lodge with a cup of hot chocolate, reading a good book or getting the board games out when it’s raining, and countryside strolls in the fresh winter air can do wonders for your health and wellbeing, just make sure you are all wrapped up to enjoy it. We take a look at just some of the accessible options out there for you to cosy up in this winter.

HOE GRANGE HOLIDAYS

Based in the stunning Derbyshire Peak District, Hoe Grange has to be one of the top choices when it comes to accessible accommodation. These beautifully tailored log cabins have been designed specifically for disabled people, and their understanding of accessibility has won them numerous awards and accolades over the years.

The cabins are set on a working family farm, which offers little ones the chance to meet the farm animals, collect eggs from the chickens and learn about country life. The surroundings are breath-taking and you will find lots to do across the countryside, from walking and cycling routes, to parks, villages and tourist attractions.

The cabins themselves offer an incredibly cosy and relaxing retreat for a winter break, the living area has a log effect fire, the open-plan kitchen is well-equipped and the large double doors open out onto a superb decking area that also boasts a hot tub (available on request).

The cabins are also eco-friendly as they are heated using renewable technologies, so you will leave a lighter carbon footprint when you stay there too.

Bedroom space is generous and the beds look inviting and comfortable. The accessible wet rooms are very well equipped and any mobility equipment you might need for your stay is available free of charge with your booking, the hosts simply ask that you book it in advance to avoid disappointment.

Lovely touches like home baking on arrival, just add to the magic of staying at Hoe Grange, and the welcome you will receive here will be second to none.

Find out more at HoeGrangeHolidays.co.uk

MOUNTAIN VIEW LODGE

If you are looking for a large, luxurious space to relax in for a cosy winter break with the extended family or a group of friends, this could be the place for you. Mountain View Lodge is located in the stunning Cairngorms National Park in Scotland, and it offers guests stunning panoramic views across the rolling countryside. The secluded setting, just one mile from the village of Insh, ensures absolute tranquillity and peace, perfect for a winter escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

The lodge sleeps up to eight people and states that it is accessible to wheelchair users. There is a ramp leading to a side door entrance, level access throughout the spacious lodge, and two wet rooms, as well as a shower chair for use and a free-standing toilet frame for use if needed. In the fully equipped kitchen you will also find that the cooking hob has been lowered to wheelchair height.

The open plan living and dining area boasts a high cathedral ceiling and large comfortable sofas that will allow the whole family to sprawl out in comfort. The large dining table will accommodate large gatherings, perfect for feasts and party games after dinner, or you can make your way to the games room for a game of pool. The two bedrooms are beautifully appointed, one has two king size beds and the other has a king size bed, comfortable sofa bed and an en suite wet room.

Outside you will find a hot tub, a barrel sauna, outdoor seating and a large garden in the most picturesque setting.

Find out more at MountainViewLodge.co.uk

KNAP MILL POD

Looking for somewhere a little different? This accessible glamping pod in the Devonshire countryside could be right up your street. What could be cosier than snuggling up on a romantic break in the confines of a snug glamping pod?

Nestled on a hill in the countryside, guests are treated to spectacular views from the comfort of this romantic bolthole. The pod is designed to be accessible for wheelchair users and has an openplan, studio style layout with a queen size bed in the bedroom area, a sofa (that turns into a sofa bed) and dining table in the living area, and a well kitted out kitchen with everything you need. The wet room has a level access shower, shower seat, grab rails, toilet and wash basin, and the pod enjoys under floor heating throughout.

You can while your nights away under the duvet watching your favourite movie on the smart TV and eating popcorn in bed, or venture out to the local village of Loddiswell to enjoy some heart-warming pub food. You will also find the historic town of Kingsbridge just a short drive away and if you are looking for some locally sourced ingredients to whip up a meal in your pod, you can pop up to the nearby Aune Valley farm shop. The pod is dog-friendly too, so you can bring your furry friend along as well.

Find out more at CoastAndCountry. co.uk/Cottage/Devon-Knap-Mill

WOODCOMBE LODGES

Exmoor is home to this small family-run site of six lodges and two cottages. Set in three acres of beautifully maintained gardens, you will be spoiled with views over Exmoor National Park and plenty of space to roam around. The lodges are just a five minute drive or a 20 minute walk from Minehead where you will find shops, pubs and restaurants.

All of the lodges are single storey and three of the lodges are accessible, the Laburnum, Cherry and Holly. These lodges have level access throughout, wet rooms with shower chairs and grab rails. You will find plenty of images on the website and a 360 degree video tour of the properties as well, so you can see for yourself what the lodge is like.

The lodges are traditional and cosy, the perfect space for snuggling up with a good book on a cold day, and the proximity of the coastal town of Minehead means you can pop in for some lunch or a hearty and delicious pub dinner with a glass of wine before heading back for a good night’s sleep in your peaceful countryside retreat.

The owner’s live onsite and will be there to welcome you on arrival and are available for anything you need during your stay.

Find out more at WoodcombeLodges.co.uk

IRTON HOUSE FARM

Accessibility is a top priority for these tastefully renovated cottages based on a working farm in the North Lake District. The enviable location offers uninterrupted views of Skiddaw, Bassenthwaite Lake and the Northern Lake District fells, and outdoor pursuits on your doorstep with accessible walking and cycling routes within easy reach.

You will find five unique cottages based on this farm, each designed thoughtfully and tastefully with stylish touches and functional living spaces for all. The kitchen is fully equipped with everything you could need, including wheel-under sinks and hobs. The living rooms are open and spacious with comfortable seating and flat screen TVs. Each cottage allows the guests to operate the central heating to ensure they are at their optimum temperature for their comfort and the doorways and hallways have been widened for access.

The bathrooms have roll-in showers, shower chairs, grab rails, lowered vanities and mirrors. The bedrooms are stylish and inviting, the perfect place to unwind and recharge. These cottages are ideal for couples or families and kids will love meeting the resident farm animals.

Keswick and Cockermouth are only a 20 minute drive from the farm, so you can also venture into town to explore everything on offer there too.

To find out more visit IrtonHouseFarm.co.uk

THE 2022 BIRMINGHAM COMMONWEALTH GAMES

BY MARK DAVIDSON

From basketball to bowls, tandem cycling to table tennis there were plenty of para events on display in Birmingham, which was host to the 22nd Commonwealth Games this summer

More than 5,000 athletes represented 72 nations and territories competing in 280 medal events over 11 days, with the number of events available to para athletes having increased from 36 to 42.

Along with many sports to watch at the different venues, there was plenty on offer for the public at the Smithfield Festival and at the main location in Victoria Square, where a big screen allowed many to enjoy the Games who were not lucky enough to get tickets for the different sports.

Whilst the majority of events were located in the West Midlands, the track cycling took place at the Lee Valley Velodrome in the Olympic Park, Stratford. Home to many fantastic memories from London 2012, it was once again action packed with a number of crashes and, in the para classification, tandem cycling took centre stage where the competitors were piloted around the track by another rider.

There was confusion in the women’s tandem B competition where England’s Sophie Unwin thought she was racing Libby Clegg of Scotland, who has had multiple successes on the athletics track, for bronze but under competition rules where there are only four competitors, only gold

Sophie Unwin and Georgia Holt

All images © Mark Davidson

Libby Clegg and Jenny Holl

and silver would be competed for. She said “five teams entered, four signed on. Some people were made aware and it said in the velodrome ‘bronze race’. The medals are here in the building somewhere. Had we known we were not riding for a medal we would have saved our legs.” However Sophie was able to make amends by winning silver in the tandem B 1000m time trial. Elsewhere on the track James Ball won gold in the men’s Tandem B Sprint Final saying: “It’s so important for the competitors and the spectators to see para cycling alongside the other events. It gives the sport more validity.”

In the swimming there was gold for Maisie Summers-Newton, winning the SB6 100m breaststroke along with silver for England’s Hannah Russell in the S13 category. Elsewhere in the pool the other home nations were also successful with Bethany Firth of Northern Ireland winning the women’s 200m freestyle S14 final and Stephen Clegg, the brother of Libby Clegg, winning silver in the men’s 50m freestyle S13 final.

3x3 wheelchair basketball took place at the Smithfield venue with both events in the men’s and women’s finals being contested by Canada and Australia, Canada taking gold in the women’s competition and Australia taking gold in the men’s match.

Athletics is regarded as the showcase of any multi-sport games and yet again Hannah Cockroft did not disappoint, winning the women’s T33/34 100m at Alexander Stadium. She said the crowds reminded her of London 2012: “That crowd just wants you to go out there. When you hear that noise, it took me back ten years to the Paralympics and I revelled in it”. There was also a special victory for Olivia Breen of Wales who beat her rival, England’s Sophie Hahn, to win gold in the women’s T37/38 100m. She said: “It’s taken nine years and I’ve waited for this day. I feel absolutely on top of the world. This is the best day of my life.”

However, on the road there was disaster for the favourite in the wheelchair marathon, David Weir,

Libby Clegg and Jenny Holl

James Ball

Stephen Bate

suffering a puncture a few miles from the finish. That enabled Johnboy Smith to win gold, who later said: “I didn’t know he had a problem. I saw him from about fifty yards. I shouted out, ‘what happened?’. I didn’t want to win by default, but I’ve won gold and I deserve gold.”

In the more sedate sport of lawn bowls, George Miller of Scotland aged 75, issued a rallying cry after becoming the oldest gold medal winner in Commonwealth Games history - winning it in the mixed pairs B2/B3 at Victoria Park, Leamington Spa. He said: “Bowls is quite easy for older people, but any sport, walking, football, rugby, you name it, get out there, exercise, play games. Competing is brilliant whatever age you are”.

Elsewhere, there was glory for England’s Jack Hunter-Spivey in the para table tennis singles 3-5 classification who said: “I feel incredible. This is a moment that you dream about as a kid. This is the moment why you pick up a bat in the first place. To say I’ve got the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games is so surreal.”

In the powerlifting, Zoe Newson of England won gold in the women’s lightweight category at the NEC, the first time Nigeria hadn’t been on top of the podium. On becoming the first non-Nigerian athlete to win a Commonwealth para powerlifting gold medal. She said: “I didn’t know I was the first. I came here planning to do a personal best. I didn’t quite manage that but I got the medal instead. My son was in the audience and when I saw him I just started crying.”

With a record number of para events being showcased at the Commonwealth Games, we can’t wait to see what is in store at the 2026 Commonwealth Games scheduled to take place in Victoria, Australia.

Para Mixed Pairs: Gold Medal Match, Scotland v Wales

Ross Wilson

WELLNESS LAMP

The short, dark days of winter can have a very negative impact on many of us. This compact lamp is designed to shine it’s welcome light to improve wellbeing and lift mood at any point during the day. Cleverly designed with smart features that allow the brightness and colour to be adjusted and you can even set a timer. The LED-lighting is energy efficient and the light can be charged via a USB port.

Prices from £38 Dunelm.co.uk

BAMBOO BATH TRAY

Discover the perfect addition to a soak in the tub, by introducing this incredibly handy natural bamboo bath tray. It will sit right across your bath and safely house everything you could possibly need while relaxing in the tub. Designed with holding sections for a tablet, phone, book, candle and even a glass of wine. You may never need to get out of the bath again.

Prices from £21.99

ELECTRIC HEATED PONCHO

This toasty heated poncho could be the perfect companion as the cold weather sets in. If you feel the cold and struggle to keep warm, this poncho will make light work of keeping you snug on the coldest of days. The soft flannel fleece has fasteners to keep it in place and has nine heat settings and nine time settings to ensure you have your own personalised heat source.

Prices from £89.99 Lakeland.co.uk

We bring you a mix of the most innovative and helpful products on the market today

WHEAT WARMER

Blue Badge Company wheat warmers are a soothing and warming solution to aid aches and pains in your body. The beauty of wheat warmers is that once they have been warmed in the microwave – which only takes two minutes - they will mould to any part of your body to help with any pain or stiffness. The covers are machine washable and they are 100% natural.

Prices from £15 Argos.co.uk

S-MAX SELLA STAIRCLIMBER

This stairclimber is a fast, multi-functional, safe solution for tackling stairs. The stair climber can power up and down the most challenging of stairways, lasting 300 steps from just one charge of the battery pack. It has an integral seat or can be attached to almost any wheelchair, and accessories are available for optimal support, safety and comfort. Folds away when not in use. Contact AAT for a free, no obligation assessment.

Prices available on request 01978 821875

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ADJUSTABLE WALKING STICK

This sturdy, aluminium walking stick boasts bright colours and a beautiful natural wooden handle that provides a comfortable grip. It is lightweight and easily adjustable to ensure you find your optimal height for support. The purple spotty design will ensure users stand out from the crowd and it is great value for money too.

Prices from £15.82 03330 160 000

CompleteCareShop.co.uk

THE CARIBBEAN BED

Discover the life-changing impact this multi-positional turning bed can offer

Carmela Chillery-Watson, lives with LMNA-CMD. This is a condition that affects skeletal muscles, it is a form of muscular dystrophy, and causes weak muscle tone and muscle wasting. Over time it can limit the ability to walk along with the use of other limbs.

Since Carmela’s diagnosis at the age of three, both Carmela and her family have worked endlessly to help fund vital research into potential treatments and finding a cure. Carmela’s recent fundraising challenges have included a 100 day fitness walk, and we were delighted to deliver Carmela a new bespoke Caribbean bed to mark her success in completing this challenge.

Speaking to Carmela about her Caribbean bed she said: “I’m one very lucky girl! I have been surprised today with an awesome specialised bed from Centrobed. It arrived whilst I was out with daddy and fantastic that it came on the final day of my 100 day fitness challenge for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

“The delivery boys were wonderful and even gave up their Sunday to drive from Kent to Wiltshire to surprise me. Thank you to everyone at Centrobed for gifting me the most awesome bed, such generosity and kindness, you are amazing. As my disease progressively weakens my body, this awesome Caribbean will help me in so many ways to help stay as independent as possible, help my carers and nurses, and my mum and dad.

“As I’ve got weaker, I can’t sit up in bed with ease, turning over is getting harder and I overheat at night. I normally rely on my mum when I need help, but my Caribbean has various settings to relieve my mum, but also maintain some independence. The bed raises each side of the mattress so it can turn me, which can either be done manually, or on a 2hrly automatic setting.

“Each leg can also be elevated individually which is great for me when I have some joint and muscle pain, or pins and needles.

“I chose a wonder woman theme in pink and white and a short rail as I am still able to slide out the bed independently. However, because I overheat easily, I requested breathable mesh bumpers.”

A cost-effective solution

The Caribbean is a multi-positional turning bed that gives you the ability to turn left or right whilst staying in the seated position, reducing the risk of pressure ulcers and paraesthesia. Height-adjustable to ease caregivers whilst assisting with hygiene/changing

The Caribbean costs from £8,000 (excluding accessories)

and reduces unnecessary strain on carers backs.

The Caribbean can be automatically controlled by adding an ‘auto box’ tailored for individuals. This is programmed to turn throughout the day and night, relieving pressure and reducing pain. With all the standard features expected such as profiling, Hi/ Lo, and compatibility for environmental control with the addition of independent leg movements.

One of the biggest factors for funding is justifying the cost saving on any ‘special order’. Our bed is designed to help improve the family’s quality of life and reduce the expense on the community.

eg: using 2 carers twice a day at a rate of £15ph the annual cost would be £21,900.00.

In most cases our bed has given the ability for the client to assist the caregiver by repositioning themselves, reducing the need for the second carer.

Our aim is to increase independence, reduce the cost of caring ultimately improving quality of life for everyone.

To find out more scan the QR code, visit Centrobed.com or call 01233 635 353

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Kids’ CORNER

We’ve said it before, but there’s nothing quite like seeing yourself represented in the media you consume. It’s something that our columnist Dan White has done tirelessly in his work, be it in this magazine or in his own Department of Ability comics, which sees a team of disabled superheroes taking names and kicking you-knowwhat. The latest step in his multihyphenate journey sees him take up the mantle of children’s author, and he spoke with editor Ros about his new children’s books that tackle subjects like hospital visits and climate change, and his reasons behind writing them. You can read the full interview on page 49, and Dan’s regular column on page 60.

On page 59, this issue’s Future Voices contributor Zan Godden wrote a beautiful piece reflecting on their relationship with their bodily autonomy, and the path to acceptance. Our article on page 62 tells you everything you’ll ever need to know about the fantastic charity Gympanzees and their campaign to open a permanent facility in Bristol, and of course, products are on page 56.

If there’s anything you’d like to see included in the magazine, please don’t hesitate to email us at Katie@2APublishing.co.uk

AN INCLUSIVE MISSION

BY ROSALIND TULLOCH

Most of you will know Dan White from his regular column in PosAbility Magazine and his tireless work campaigning for the rights of disabled people and families with disabled children. Dan is currently the campaigns and policy officer for Disability Rights UK (DRUK), a role he relishes as it intrinsically aligns with his personal goal of creating a more inclusive society for all.

Dan is also an artist and illustrator, a father to 16-year-old Emily who lives with spina bifida and autism, and now he is adding children’s book author to his bow.

When I first connected with Dan in 2015 it was to discover more about the amazing concept he had developed of the Department of Ability – a new breed of superheroes who harness the power of their unique impairments to use as superpowers. This idea was born out of Dan’s recognition of the distinct lack of representation in literature and across

the media, and his struggle to find something for his daughter to watch, read, or colour in, that related to her and her disability. When that search brought up very little he decided to take matters into his own hands and embarked on creating the Department of Ability comic book.

Dan White is launching a series of children’s books centred around disabled characters

This was the start of an incredible journey that has seen Dan and his family fighting for inclusion for all of the disabled families across the UK. It has also brought him to this new chapter of his life where he is fulfilling a long-term dream of writing children’s books.

When Pearson Publishing reached out and asked Dan to pitch some children’s books to be included as part of their Bug Club Family, that were more inclusive and diverse, he jumped at the chance. He has written a series of three story books called Brook’s Boredom Busters, and two non-fiction books, and here he explains what these books are all about:

“I initially wanted to do this, but I didn’t want to repeat the mantra of most publishers, which was to go into in-depth detail explaining what disability is, how it affects people, what people can do. I wanted this purely to be a book with a girl in a wheelchair showing a physical disability and that’s it - a bit like Department of Ability. These books are to help children learn to read and also give them a little bit of subconscious inclusivity on the side. Brook is a central character, and I’ve done three books, they are called Brook’s Boredom Busters.

“The first one is about Brook and she is given a telescope by her dad because Brook gets bored very easily and she wants to imagine what it would be like to go to another planet because it might be more fun there, there might be more stuff to do so she imagines herself looking through her telescope, going to the moon, playing with the moon people, floating over craters, going up and down the moon mountains.

“She does all of this on the moon but she suddenly realises that she would be quite lonely and she would miss her friends, so she manages to go back down to Earth again and then I have some wonderful images of her running over her dad’s foot, splashing through mud, getting her wheelchair caked in mud, just doing all the sorts of things any other child would do. None of this clinical stuff - someone pushing her down a hill, I was quite passionate on the images I wanted to show, I didn’t want any stereotypical images, I wanted to show that children with a disability like to get into a rut, they like to get messy, they like to be a pain in the bum effectively, all these sorts of things.

“The second one, Brook and the History Book, is the one I am really proud of, in which Brook goes to school, she is looking through history books and there are no disabled characters in there from history. So, she invents a time machine and goes and visits three characters from history who have a disability and brings them back to school and then writes her own book on historical disabled figures, it’s really fun and really colourful with the time machine and meeting these figures in the past.

“The last one, Brook and Farook, I wanted to do this because I wanted to show the side that life with a disability isn’t all doom and gloom. This young lad Farook who meets Brook at a hospital, has broken his leg and he can’t get used to life in a wheelchair and Brook says “you can still do loads of good stuff in a wheelchair”. There is a wonderful image in there of them going downhill in their wheelchairs full pelt and I said to the illustrator I don’t want any parent pushing them down that hill, I want a steep hill and I want them going down there on their own full pelt –which they did. There are things like that within the book, Brook can still go swimming, Brook still plays with her friends, Brook still plays football, Brook can still do all the dangerous stuff she used to, she teaches Farook that it’s no different, and they build up this relationship by the end of the book and they are best friends by the end of it.”

The first non-fiction book is called Off to Hospital and it is a thoughtful guide to help children who are going into hospital for an operation:

“I wanted to show children and talk them through the process of going to the hospital, meeting the nurse, meeting the anaesthetist, meeting the doctor, what’s going to happen when you get into the theatre, what’s going to happen when you come out, because all these sorts of things are never discussed and I wanted to have a disabled character central to it who is saying ‘look I have done this loads of times, I’ve had loads of operations, let me tell you what happens when you get to the hospital’.”

The second non-fiction book is all about climate

“I suppose you could say she is based on Emily, especially with that devil-may-care attitude!”

“It is predominantly based on her, but she would have killed me if I had named the character after her, because she is a teenager and doing the obligatory grumpiness!”

The process of writing books for most would be a daunting and lengthy process, but Dan explains that his passion to do this has been there for a long time, which helped enormously when putting pen to paper:

“Creativity wise it is something I have always wanted to do, so the writing was there and it just spilled out of me onto the page. I probably had the pictures in my head before I had the words down. I got through two laptops doing this!

“It was something I always wanted to do because it was something I was always told at school that writing was something I would never do. To literally have written books that will be seen by children and be read by children, that will be published, is not only something I’m very proud of, but I just really hope that children across the country will enjoy reading these slightly insane adventures of Brook. I hope it will also take a little bit of fear out of the process of going to hospital and also encourage them to be a bit more ecologically minded when they read the Go Green book.”

These books are being distributed through schools across the country, and Dan is also working on another series of books for Ladybird that are all based around disabled characters. We will also be seeing a comeback of the incredible Department of Ability in the future, so watch this

The OPT Award is for students aged 16+ with profound and complex cognitive, medical, and physical needs in their transition to adulthood, embracing their personal development & emotional well-being.

With three strands of activities, there’s plenty to get involved with and start providing enriching experiences for young people.

Find out more and sign up at optaward.org.uk

THE SUPERHERO TRI, POWERED BY MARVEL

The UK’s largest mass participation sporting event returned in August to the delight of an exhilarated crowd

he Superhero Tri, powered by Marvel, saw the return of its Superhero Tri event in August following the incredible success of the virtual event last year. The sports challenge saw 1,300 Superheroes of all ages and abilities, who were supported by 1,700 Sidekicks, take part in its first real-life mass event since the pandemic. In addition, 1,700 people from 22 countries took part in the virtual event.  Now in its sixth year, the latest Superhero Tri took place at the world famous 2012 Paralympic rowing venue at Dorney Lake, Windsor and offered participants the chance to become an Everyday Superhero! Challenges included a swim, cycle and a push/run which could be

done either solo, by sharing the fun in a team relay, or Superheroes could recruit Sidekick teammates to tow, push and pull them around the entire course. The event once again included the ever-popular Celebrity Superhero Tri, where Superheroes have been randomly chosen to unite with stars from sport and screen for a super-fun relay race. Celebrities who took part this year included TV presenter and Great British Bake-Off Christmas special winner Briony May Williams, comedian and TV presenter Alex Brooker and Paralympic champion Richard Whitehead.

mass-participation sports events where people with disabilities –‘Superheroes’ – call the shots and don’t have to worry about cut-off times or equipment restrictions.

The event wouldn’t be possible without the support of many individuals and organisations, including adaptive bicycle specialists Quest. Quest was delighted to once again support the latest Superheroes Series event by having a team on hand to lend various cycles to people to help them compete, and carry out repairs and maintenance for anyone that needed assistance during the event.

Rob Henshaw, managing director at Quest commented: “We were delighted to once again be part of this fantastic event. Sophia has created something which is totally unique, and it was an honour to be part of it and offer our expertise and bikes to many participants during the day. We are already looking forward to the Winter Wonderwheels event in December.”

Paralympian and Superhero Series founder Sophia Warner commented: “I am so grateful to Rob and the team at Quest along with all our other supporters for helping us make this year’s event such a great success. I

was absolutely thrilled that we were able to bring back the Superhero Tri with our first real-life event in three years. Not everyone who has a disability wants to be a Paralympian and I wanted to create a unique sporting event where people with all kinds of disabilities feel part of a strong community and, crucially, where they can feel confident, they’ll be part of the majority rather than the minority. As the UK slowly recovers from the pandemic, many people with disabilities still feel vulnerable and have had a tough time over the last two years. This sporting event will showcase what’s possible when we come together as a society and lift each other up.”

Kyrby Brown works for Quest 88 as an adaptive sports business development officer for the South West and South Wales and was delighted to take part in this year’s event. What sets Kyrby apart from her fellow employees is that she is also a loyal Quest customer and the proud owner of a Storm Runner running frame. Kyrby was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita which affects her entire body resulting in a very limited range of movement in all her limbs, which in turn affects her level of mobility.

Marvel lent the power of its Superhero characters and storytelling to make the day even more epic for all participants taking part. Offering the perfect partner for the day it was all about inspiring participants to unlock their inner superpowers, Marvel bought along the epic energy of its iconic Superhero characters Spiderman and Black Widow to the event.

As the UK’s one and only disability mass participation sports series, the Superhero Series has a simple mission: to create fun, full-throttle

Alex Brooker and Clare Balding

Kyrby Brown

“The Superhero Series is an event that generates an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment, and it is incredibly rewarding and humbling to be involved. Triathlon in general is a real test of human spirit and physical fitness. To undertake Tri training as an abled-bodied person is quite a feat, to do it when you have additional needs takes determination and grit. The best thing about the Superhero Series Tri is that everyone is there to challenge themselves and that creates a very unique environment. As an ex-sportsperson I am used to a competitive environment, and this sometimes leads to pressure and tension. At Superhero Series you are only competing against yourself and that creates a feeling of genuine camaraderie between participants.

“I took part in the Half Tri alongside working to support others with equipment as part of the team at Quest. I was lucky to have many of my clients taking part which made me feel uniquely invested. Whilst I enjoyed challenging myself with the distances, I think I enjoyed seeing and cheering on people that I have helped even more. However, I did manage both the cycle and run on my running frame and completed this in under an hour which I was really pleased with. It is very rare that you

come across an event that’s truly inclusive but somehow Superhero Series manages this. I very much look forward to seeing more familiar faces at the Winter Wonderwheels event in December and next year’s Tri. Anyone who knows me knows that I love to break down barriers and that’s exactly what the team at Superhero Series are doing to an exceptional standard,” explained Kyrby.

Bartholomew Gee also took part in the event, which was his 4th Tri Series, and completed the 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km walk in 3hrs 50mins.

“In previous years I used a handcycle, but in May this year I took delivery of a Hase Trigo recumbent trike from Quest which they specially adapted to suit my needs. I was able to cycle a lot faster on this trike and completed the

cycle stage 40 minutes quicker than my previous best time. I really enjoy riding the trike and I’m hoping to continue to improve as I get used to it and hope to beat my time next year,” commented Bart.

Winter Wonderwheels will take place on 4 December 2022 at Dorney Lake, Windsor. For more information or to book a place visit SuperheroSeries.co.uk, email Hello@SuperheroSeries.co.uk or call 01306 627 301

For more information on the full range of therapy, rehabilitation and adaptive sports and cycling solutions available from Quest, advice on funding or to arrange an assessment please call 01952 463 050, email Sales@Quest88.com or visit Quest88.com

Quest Team

Kids’ PRODUCTS

JOYTO BAMBOO BOWL SET

This dining set bundle includes a bowl, sectional plate and two spoons. Made from 100% natural bamboo ensuring the items are completely food safe and toxin-free. The powerful suction bases will keep your little one’s plate or bowl firmly in place at dinner time, so there will be no spillages or accidents.

Theses squishy, cuddly toys are all the rage with kids at the moment. No matter what your child’s favourite animal or item is, they will have been made into a squishmallow. From koalas to ice cream cones, avocados to yetis, watermelons to dragons, there will be something out there for your child to hug and squeeze at bedtime.

Amazon.co.uk

Prices from £9

COLOURFUL PEACOCK

This beautifully colourful wooden peacock has a tail of five different colours that children can look through to see the world in different tones. Play with the tail feathers to make the world a cool blue or hot pink, or play around with overlapping the colours to make new ones. A great sensory toy that can be used as an educational tool

SQUISHMALLOWS

This floor surfer board is a great way to allow kids to have fun while also working on their gross motor skills, balance and coordination. Developed in partnership with

SENSORY FEELY TUBS

Designed to perfectly conceal items for kids to reach in and feel around before guessing what it is. This set of four colourful soft tubs will encourage your kids to delve in with their hands and use their sense of touch to identify the object being hidden inside. A fun game for a rainy afternoon, and a great way to explore their sense of touch.

0800 138 1370 TTS-Group.co.uk

The Baffin 1 Car Seat has been designed to offer children as much support and adjustment as possible to ensure they can achieve the optimum postural support and positioning when travelling in a car. It features a rotating platform for ease of getting in and out of the car and the it boasts fully adjustable footrests, backrest and it has side supports too.

01788 892 056

Baffin.co.uk

Gonge

FUTURE VOICES

Each issue we will be shining a light on a young disabled person who is blazing their own trail. Whether that be campaigning for access, giving up their time to help their community, achieving success in the sporting or arts arena, or educating their peers on disability.

There is pressure to show ourselves as disabled and thriving. We hate being pitied, and especially don’t like being infantilised. Yet it’s so hard to admit when we are struggling, lest we fall into these stereotypes. In these moments, I come back to Alison Kafer’s political model of disability, introduced in her book Feminist Queer Crip. Whilst the social model has been vital in examining how societal barriers shape the disabled experience, it overlooks the disabling effects of our impairments. For example, a wheelchair user can be frustrated at an inaccessible building and simultaneously desire to be cured of the chronic pain causing them to use said mobility aid. The political model allows us to be kind to ourselves in showing that it is normal to want to alleviate the debilitating effects of disability. This, alongside the grief model, has drastically improved my relationship with my disabled body.

ZAN GODDEN

Zan Godden is passionate about disability, mental health, and LGBTQ advocacy. You’ll find them admiring birds, watching drag videos and battling fatigue spells at @ZanSaysStuff.

Disabled people are used to losing things: our rights and independence are frequently ripped from us, and while much of this can be attributed to archaic attitudes to social difference, there is no shame in mourning the loss of our bodily autonomy.

The recent period of national mourning forced us to reflect on what we’ve lost. For myself, I’d grieved for my former body. The person who’d go on multiple nights out, who could read a book per week, or who would complete numerous chores in a day. My day-to-day itinerary with CFS/ME differs vastly from four years ago when my symptoms first appeared. In my mood tracker app, I’d constantly rank myself as “unproductive” if I couldn’t finish what I’d planned for that day - confined to my couch with a fatigue spell when I ‘should’ have been washing up or completing that cross stitch. I was overwhelmed with shame, longing for days when I could do everything all at once.

Most of us are familiar with the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. During counselling, my therapist used this model to reframe my feelings toward my disabilities. It was a lightbulb moment realising I’d been mourning for myself. I was denying my limitations, pushing myself to complete tasks, and getting frustrated when I couldn’t tick off my to-do list; my internalised ideas of productivity had been warped by my former body. Why had I fought for years to prove I was unwell, only to treat myself unkindly when my CFS/ME restricted me?

Although I’m not there yet, I hope someday I arrive at acceptance for who I am now, not what I once was. Grief is multifaceted and can hit us when we least expect it; so if you find yourself mourning your body, you’re valid – keep going.

DAN WHITE

Follow Dan on Twitter @Danwhite1972

Dan White, creator of the amazing Department of Ability superheroes and dad to Emily, who is 16 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.

SURVIVING THE FIGHT

It is a worrying time for us all. Fuel bills are rising and food along with it. There is also the issue of benefits stagnating, meaning for disabled people and carers the gap between income and expenditure is virtually now unattainable. Indeed, trying to maintain my daughter’s health while this poverty crisis escalates is a juggling act like no other, so my regular column this month is more of a resource than a comment.

As one of the leads of the newly formed Disability Poverty Campaign Group (DPCG) I was hoping not to write about this again, but I am receiving so many cries for help via social media and email on the costof-living crisis, that I thought I must continue to speak up via any avenue open to me – as a writer, broadcaster and columnist, to help in anyway, so here goes.

Let’s start with the biggest issue: energy. The energy cap was £1,277 in the winter of 2021 and that went up to £1,977 in April 2022. This means that the cap of £2,500 is double the energy price of last winter and our community uses more energy than any other. My

daughter’s ceiling track hoist, ventilator and powered wheelchair draw masses of power, and this is repeated ad infinitum across the community, with other life-affirming equipment too numerous to list. Energy firms do however offer a few support packages to parents, families and individuals, and while I cannot wave a magic wand (as I continue to meet with Ofgem to fight our corner) I can hopefully point in some helpful directions.

Seek out the Priority Services Register which is a free support service to help people in vulnerable situations. All energy suppliers and network operators offer it and each one keeps their own register. You need to contact your energy supplier or network operator to get on it and you can if you are disabled, have a long-term medical condition, or have young children.

There is also the Warm Home Discount (WHD) which requires domestic energy suppliers to deliver support to persons on low-incomes and who are vulnerable to cold-related illness or living in fuel poverty, which as we know is predominately disabled people and carers. In any instance I cannot emphasise enough to get in touch with your energy supplier right away if you are in crisis, please do not sit in silence, they may seem like heartless money vacuums, but they do have a duty of care. Also please check you are in receipt of the £150 extra fuel payment which should have landed in September, and find out your eligibility for the £650 one off payment.

For carers especially, the solutions offered by the new PM could be described as non-existent, but there are things out there that can prove useful. There is a website called DiscountsForCarers.com that offer discounts for all carers, paid or unpaid, plus vouchers and money off travel, brands and more, and it extends to the carers family as well. Also, please apply

COLUMNIST

Seek out the Priority Services Register which is a free support service to help people in vulnerable situations.

to your local council to ask for direct payments which can give the carer a break or ask for carer direct payments which, on receipt, can employ a care worker or personal assistant to help with day-to-day needs or even for a period of respite care. If you’re caring unpaid, check to see if you can claim a carers allowance. Remember councils and the DWP have provisions to help which they do not shout about, call them or get a representative to call them – ask, ask, ask.

Benefits are another area. It is a repeated falsehood by the state that benefits cost too much, there is often too much government hyperbole. The reality is benefits are there to

help and at the time of writing there is currently £16 billion of unclaimed benefits lying around, the money is there, so get claiming. Check to make sure you are entitled to and claiming all the benefits you are eligible for - Personal Independence Payments (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), carers allowance - if in doubt, go to the Citizens Advice Bureau or the excellent Turn2us.org.uk website, or purchase the Disability Rights UK handbook from their website with a full guide to benefits and services, help is available.

The fight to end poverty continues outside these pages. Currently at the

DPCG we are pushing on all fronts. Our letter to the PM and our policy statement are pushing for a matching inflation rise in all benefits now, not next April, (the money is there remember), and to reform the benefit system to make the process easier, faster, and far more supportive for starters.

I know I may be telling many how to suck eggs here, but knowledge is power and anything I can do and suggest that helps, is a win. I will do anything that allows me to continue to give my daughter the quality of life she unequivocally deserves and I know as readers you will be doing the same for your family members.

“there is currently £16 billion of unclaimed benefits lying around, the money is there, so get claiming”

Gympanzees

BY ROSALIND TULLOCH

A world of fun and fitness for all disabled children

Imagine a world where children’s play areas and parks are accessible and inclusive for kids of all abilities. What a beautiful world that would be, allowing children of every age and ability to join in, have fun and socialise with other kids. In 2022, it’s hard to believe just how hard it is for families with disabled children to find accessible play opportunities. Gympanzees is a charity dedicated to changing this.

Gympanzees is an inclusive and accessible space that welcomes children of all ages and abilities to enjoy fun activities and play time, in a welcoming and safe environment with their family, friends and carers.

It is based in Bristol and currently runs pop-up spaces during school holiday periods, allowing families with disabled children access to the rare opportunity of accessible play, exercise and social interaction.

Gympanzees is running a campaign to open a permanent facility in Bristol to offer the 66,000 disabled children and young people who live within an hour of Bristol, access to an amazing, accessible experience. The Project Home Appeal is raising funds to build the first-ever Gympanzees centre, and is supported by the many families living in the South West who have experienced the benefits of Gympanzees.

Gympanzees research has shown that 77% of the 66,000

disabled children living within an hour of Bristol cannot access regular leisure facilities and are twice as likely to be lonely compared to their non-disabled peers. Gympanzees provide play, exercise, and social opportunities to disabled children and their families to improve health and help end this isolation. The charity was recently presented with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation, for their inclusive leisure facilities.

The research also highlighted that 72% of parents with a disabled child suffer mental health issues because of isolation. Leila, a parent from Bristol, said: “Leaving the house when you have a disabled child is almost like a military operation. You have to get ready, you have to think ahead, you have to do the research, about accessibility, about changing places.”

Emma from North Somerset said: “As a parent of a child with disabilities accessing fun and days out has been a challenge. Isabella was invited to her best friend’s birthday party.

“It was a swimming pool party. And unfortunately, because Isabella is a full-time wheelchair user, we were unable to go to the party because I couldn’t physically get her into the swimming pool. It was heartbreaking to say to your eightyear-old child, I’m sorry, you can’t go to the party.”

Gympanzees have been running pop-up play and exercise

centres during the Easter and summer holidays as they fundraise for a permanent home. The charity takes over a school and fills it with different themed rooms and specialist kit designed for all abilities. They have seen incredible results, such as a five-year-old who slept through the night for the first time after her session and a threeyear-old boy who had their first-ever laugh.

Owen, a parent from Bristol, said: “The pop-ups are brilliant, but they only pop up during the holidays and can become oversubscribed – a permanent centre would change that.”

Emma, mum to nine-year-old Isabella, said: “To have a permanent Gympanzees centre in Bristol would be life-changing for our family. It would give us a sense of belonging. We could come along with other families like us, Isabella could have her birthday party at Gympanzees, and it’s all accessible to her and her friends as well.”

Gympanzees have had over 10,000 visits to their pop-up facilities over the 70 days they’ve run, proving just how indemand their service is.

GYMPANZEES HOME

The Project Home Appeal is aiming to raise funds to allow the charity to open a permanent facility in Bristol, and the home of Gympanzees will house an incredible array of opportunities for young disabled people.

The centre will include:

TRAMPOLINE ROOM

Three in-ground trampolines will feature with hoists positioned above all trampolines. These will also be used for rebound therapy.

MUSIC ROOM

A fully sound-proofed music room complete with high tech equipment, musical floor mat, music beams and musical walls. A fully immersive sensory experience.

ACTIVE SENSORY ROOM

This will feature an interactive sandpit, multiple interactive screens and an interactive floor mat, allowing the children to change the feel of the whole room.

GYM

This gym will feature adult and child-sized gym equipment, as well as disability specific items including the Innowalk and MOTOmed. In addition you will find a snowboarding machine, activity walls, dance machine, active arcade games and a mechanical horse.

QUIET SENSORY

Full of visual and tactile items to explore, the room will be dark with fibreoptic lights, vibrating beds and dark dens. You will also find a bubble machine and projector.

INDOOR PLAYGROUND

Sitting in the centre of the facility this playground will include wheelchair accessible slides, swings and roundabouts. It will also feature basket swings, bucket swings and regular swings, monkey bars, spinning equipment and ramps for ride-on scooters and trikes.

SOFT PLAY

A three-floor multi-ability soft play will offer fun for everyone, with a wheelchair accessible level and built to a height that allows parents to get involved. They are also planning a sit on zip wire in this area.

SWING ROOM

For adrenaline seekers, this room will include swings hanging from the ceiling, platform swings, hug swing, bolster swing and more. You will also find hammocks for lounging, spinning chairs and rockers, plus a bouldering wall too.

To find out more visit Gympanzees.org

They have seen incredible results, such as a five-year-old who slept through the night for the first time after her session

JOBDream GET THAT

BY JANE HATTON

THE ROLE OF VOLUNTEERING

It’s the age-old paradox, how on earth can you gain experience in a role if no one will give you a job in order for you to gain that experience? One way to go about breaking this catch-22 is to do work experience. However, outside of school and in any field that requires client confidentiality this can be hard to arrange. This is where the charity and voluntary sector excels. Like any occupation the right voluntary placement can do wonders for your work and wider life, but the wrong voluntary role or the right role at the wrong charity might not fulfil your needs. This article explores how to find your perfect match.

Before we start looking at the thousands of options available, we need to nail down one key question – what are you looking to get out of volunteering?

Some common goals may be to:

Gain experience in a new field

Develop transferable skills such as administration and IT  Network in a new sector

Build up your stamina in relation to health and wellbeing  Build your portfolio on real life projects to enhance your CV

Explore ways to overcome barriers to work (unfortunately Access to Work does not cover volunteering expenses at present)

There are a few different factors to consider when looking for a voluntary placement so let’s go through the pros and cons of each.

WHICH CHARITY SHOULD I CHOOSE?

A few rules of thumb when choosing places to approach:

The smaller the charity the more they will need volunteers in a wide range of roles with greater responsibility

The more national the charity’s reach (especially for smaller charities) the more likely they are to be set up for remote working

The smaller the charity the more flexible they are able to be

As tiny charities and social enterprises often have little time to train staff, they are also more likely to hire from their volunteering pool

The larger the charity the more likely they are to have a formalised process and dedicated department working with volunteers.

These are good things to bear in mind when trying to find a good match.

WHY SHOULD I WORK FOR FREE?

Essentially, volunteering should not ever be ‘working for free’. If your volunteering placement feels like this then something has gone wrong. Volunteering should be a mutual exchange, in this case exchanging your time and skills for experience.

Organisations who offer volunteering should offer as standard:

Travel expenses (usually restricted to bus fares)

Any training necessary to do the role

A reference for employment

Support to make sure you are able to get the most from your role

HOW CAN I ENSURE THAT I GET THE MOST OUT OF MY VOLUNTEERING?

Like with most things, the more you put in the more you will get out. However, the better fit you and the organisation are for each other the more likely you are to come out with what you need. A good volunteer coordinator will ask you what you want to achieve, but if they don’t there is no harm in taking the initiative and telling them. If you feel the charity is able to be flexible then take in your ideal job description/person specification and work towards gaining evidence for each one.

WHO CAN HELP ME EXPLORE ALL THE OPTIONS?

The best place to go for advice on finding the right voluntary opportunity for you is to contact your local Volunteer Centre, you can find your nearest centre at NCVO.org.uk. Be clear and honest about your needs and they will help you get connected.

Here are a few sites that also provide voluntary opportunity listings:

ReachVolunteering.org.uk

Volunteering.ThirdSector.co.uk

Do-It.org

VolunteeringMatters.co.uk

To find jobs from inclusive employers who are looking to attract more disabled candidates, have a look on the Evenbreak website: Evenbreak.co.uk. To find relevant and accessible careers support for disabled candidates have a look on Evenbreak’s Career Hive: Hive.Evenbreak.co.uk

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.

DAYS OUT

Great ideas for the whole family to enjoy.

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