ATN 61 april may2015 by All Together Now

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NEWS

April/May 2015

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0151 230 0307 Editor: Tom Dowling email: news@alltogethernow.org.uk

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Wellies at the ready!

SPRING FEVER: Charity staff and users celebrate news of plans for the garden

PRING has sprung – and that means it’s all hands to the watering can at Liverpool L’Arche, which supports adults with learning and physical disabilities. Edna Green, the charity’s community life co-ordinator, explained: “We have two new houses in Green Lane, Tuebrook, with a huge garden – but it’s very hard to get around if you use a wheelchair.” Now the charity plans to totally renovate the garden to include a lawn, mini orchard, sensory garden, patio, and an activity action area.

“It’s all very exciting,” said Edna. “All of these areas are to be connected by a series of wheelchair friendly paths. “We have a brilliant concept drawing, a detailed plan with plant list and the housing association has pledged to help with money and also some men to project-manage.” They are also planning a garden party on Sunday April 12, from 12.30-3pm. “We want lots of people to come and see our plans and have fun,” said Edna. n Contact Edna Green on 0151 260 0422 n www.larcheliverpool.org

New help for disabled rail users RAIL commuters with disabilities and learning difficulties will have safer, more comfortable journeys, thanks to a blue card scheme from First TransPennine Express. In a first for the UK’s transport industry, FTPE have partnered with the Blue Assist charity to make the going easier for disabled passengers. Originating in Belgium in 2008, the scheme is widely used on public transport and in shops on the continent. Users can collect blue assistance cards from stations served by FTPE and aboard trains and write down their specific needs before presenting the card to staff.

smart phones and tablets and type their requirements on screen. The App is free and available for both iphone and Android users.

The Association of Train Operators (ATOC), the representing body for rail providers, found that only 1% of those needing assistance actually ask for it. Last year an estimated 70 million journeys were made by passengers who needed help. Users can also download the Blue Assist App for

n TWO-THIRDS of disabled people say they would be more likely to use trains more frequently if they could turn up and go, rather than booking assistance ahead of their journey. The ‘turn up and go’ service currently only offered on London Overground and as a trial in some London mainline stations, could easily be rolled out to all 404 fully accessible stations in England, say disability charity The Papworth Trust. www.papworthtrust.org.uk/ easiertrains

Be a special Friend – see back page

MANY disabled people face being cut off from society and are having to overcome major barriers to make and sustain friendships. That’s according to a new report from national deafblind charity Sense, which also found: n Nearly 1 in 4 disabled people feel lonely on a typical day, rising to well over a third for young disabled people aged 18-34. n More than three-quarters of young disabled adults feel they face greater barriers than non-disabled people in making and sustaining friendships. n Almost one in four adults with disabilities said the Government’s recent changes to welfare benefits and eligibility for social care have made it harder for them to make and sustain friendships. n 6% of respondents said they had no friends at all. n One in five said more accessible transport would help them to meet up with friends more. Hayley Reed, who lives in Rossendale in Lancashire, has had a hearing problem since the age of 10 and lost her sight 12 years ago. She has also been a wheelchair user for 24 years. She says: “As a younger person friendship is a really important issue for me but it’s awfully hard to make friends. I see friends once a month which helps but sometimes you might have had a bad day and just want to talk to somebody. When you’ve got a disability, it’s just not that easy.” Sense deputy chief executive Richard Kramer said: “People with disabilities are deeply worried about the lack of opportunities and the barriers to friendship – whether it’s communication issues, a lack of transport or social groups to join. “So far, there has been little analysis of the subject of friendship, particularly for young people and adults with disabilities. “We want to start a national debate looking at the obstacles and what can be done to overcome them.”

Pilot makes his own arm

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April/May 2015

All Together NOW!

BT fined £800,000 over text service

TEVEN Robinson lost his right arm in a freak motorcross accident aged 18.

Now 33 years on he has created his own prosthetic arm in order to achieve a lifelong dream of getting his private solo pilot’s licence – despite his childhood fear of flying! Since the accident Steven, 51, had never worn a prosthetic arm – until three years ago when he won a Flying Scholarship for Disabled People. But every time he tried to operate the joystick the NHS limb fell off. Undaunted, he decided to solve the problem himself. It’s taken a full year but his efforts have resulted in a working HIGH FLIER: Steve Robinson getting ready for take off prototype which has been approved by an aviation medical examiner. Motivational speaker Steven, who fixes vintage jukeboxes in his spare time, said: “I basically bought a milling machine and a lathe and started making components out of aluminium in their lives. FEW weeks ago I was lucky to and putting them together. “Like my nan?” one girl asked, get the chance to talk to a “It has all been made by “she’s blind, can’t walk but looks after group of primary school me, nothing is shop bought. I everyone.” . . . “Like my big brother children about newspapers – and actually had to design some who’s got no legs but plays football in about disability. parts because they didn’t his wheelchair?’ asked another. The children were all very polite and exist before. It all started falling into place, more so asked some hard-hitting questions – “It has a very special when I told them of the people we were especially about how I have coped shoulder socket that I have a featuring in this issue – people like grandad Eddy pushing myself around in a wheelchair for more patent on. I also had to Mountford who, despite being 91, is still running than 40 years . . . how I got in and out of my car design a special jacket so marathons; people like pilot Steve Robinson who . . . and why I actually had to use a wheelchair, that the arm can fit over it. It has made his own prosthetic arm; and people like anyway! looks pretty impressive. I look six-year-old Sally Garster who has designed a They were also fascinated when I told them a bit like RoboCop.” very special sponge house to save herself from about how we put together All Together NOW! Steven, from Leeds, added: getting bruises when she falls. “Do you get to meet any of the stars?” . . . “The day of the accident was The children could hardly wait to see the “Has Wayne Rooney been in to your office?” the day my life changed for articles in print. . . . “What about film and soap stars – do they ever, but surprisingly it was a As you flick through these pages I’m sure you, pop in for a cup of tea and a chat?” positive thing.” Their faces sank when I told them, sadly, no, we too, will be just as inspired. Since his accident Steven haven’t yet had the opportunity to roll out the red has set out to conquer his THANKS for all the continued support. Hope carpet for our local celebs. fears in the most astounding we are all in for a warm and sunny spring. But they soon lit up when I said that the ‘stars’ ways. Apart from his early See you in June! we really look up to and admire are everyday fear of flying, Steven was people who are overcoming all kinds of obstacles TOM DOWLING, editor also once afraid of horses – but is now a dressage competitor. “I’ve spoken to lots of different groups about how Sense, the national charity for free entry to the event, which is everyone is capable of deafblind people, is calling for normally £28, as well as a overcoming obstacles and volunteers to muck in at the refreshment voucher. Not only that, building their own future,” but free camping is on offer. Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse said Steven. “With passion Trials (May 6-10). n Tel 020 7014 9347 or email and the right attitude you To reward your efforts, you will get corporateteam@sense.org.uk can achieve anything you put your mind to.”

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PHONE giant BT has been fined £800,000 for failing to provide an improved text-to-voice service for its customers with hearing or speech impairments between April and September last year. The service, called ‘Next Generation Text Service’, helps users have more natural conversations using speech as well as text, and is accessible on devices such as PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. In October 2012, the communications regulator Ofcom told all UK landline and mobile phone providers to launch their service by 18 April 2014. BT missed the deadline having encountered technical problems with the sound quality of emergency calls. It launched Next Generation Text on 24 September. Claudio Pollack, Ofcom’s consumer and content group director, said: “The size of the penalty imposed on BT reflects the importance of providing an improved text relay service to its customers with hearing and speech impairments. “However, BT has invested significantly in launching the new text relay service, which allows users to have conversations more easily and fluently and on new devices. We welcome the fact the service is now operating successfully.” BT must pay the £800,000 financial penalty to Ofcom and it will then be passed on to HM Treasury.

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NEWS

April/May 2015

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Anyone for walkies? Manchester blasted over library parking TWO major cultural institutions in Manchester have been criticised for removing all of their on-site blue badge parking spaces during multimillion pound renovation programmes. Manchester Central Library and the Whitworth art gallery, part of the University of Manchester, both offered several off-road blue badge spaces outside their buildings before huge new redevelopment projects. But the library has now paved over spaces both in front of and behind the building, while the gallery has removed four accessible spaces that were previously within its grounds. A council spokesman said it planned to provide 16 new disabled parking bays on Peter Street and Mount Street, which both run past the library, but this had been delayed due to ongoing improvement work around the area. A spokesman for the Whitworth said the council’s highways department would be painting double yellow lines on Denmark Road as a temporary solution. This would allow three hours free parking for blue badge-holders. But he admitted that there were currently no dropped kerbs, and said: “At the moment we will have staff on hand each week to assist disabled visitors who need a drop-off point.”

– but joy at airport! MANCHESTER Airport has installed new Changing Places facilities at its three terminals to meet the needs of passengers who have profound and multiple learning disabilities.

Bus fight goes on A DISABLED campaigner has won backing from the equality watchdog to continue his legal battle to protect the rights of wheelchair-users to travel on buses. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has decided to support wheelchair-user Doug Paulley’s appeal to the Supreme Court for his case against First Bus. An EHRC spokesman said: “This case is of enormous importance to the thousands of wheelchair-users who may wish to use public transport such as buses without having the anxiety of being told they cannot travel because the space is being occupied by buggies.”

It makes sense A PIONEERING new £14m centre for disabled people and the wider community in Birmingham has gained planning permission. Construction of the TouchBase building will start later this year with an opening in 2017. Sense chief executive Gill Morbey said: “The centre will provide services for people with disabilities and the wider community and in time we hope it will become an exemplar model of care. We are creating 130 jobs.”

THE first Great British Dog Walk, backed by animal-loving celebrity father and son Bruce and Ben Fogle, is taking place at National Trust sites across the UK. Money raised from the walk will go to the Hearing Dogs Deaf People charity, co-founded by Bruce over 30 years ago. Apart from joining the walks – at 10 sites including Formby beach on Merseyside (April 11) and Hanbury Hall in Droitwich, Worcestershire (April 12) – you can enjoy fun activities for all the family, a demonstration from the hearing dogs display team, and meet and greet a puppy or hearing dog. Plus there’s a goody bag for every walker. TV presenter and writer Ben Fogle said: “The Hearing Dogs charity is very close to my heart, and every penny raised will help to train more puppies to transform the lives of deaf people.” www.greatbritishdogwalk.org

LET’S WISE UP, SAYS MADGE BEST PAW FORWARD: BEN FOGLE

Accidents can be so costly!

V’S most famous motor scooter user – Benidorm’s Madge – has sounded a double warning to fellow scooterists . . . get some training and get insured! Actress Sheila Reid said: “Madge loves driving around in the sun on her mobility scooter, but I have often been surprised at how hard mobility scooters can be to control. “In fact I’ve had several near disasters round the swimming pool while filming. Many mobility scooters have two speed settings and the high setting is surprisingly fast.” Sheila is so concerned about scooter safety she teamed up with Norfolk police and Halfords to launch a special training video. “I would strongly encourage all mobility scooter users to watch our Safe Scoot WARNING: video,” Sheila said. Getting yourself insured is also a must, she says, especially after the recent European directive. New figures from the Department of Transport revealed at least three people a week were injured last year in accidents involving mobility scooters, with five drivers killed and nine people who were not driving seriously injured. In total, 164 accidents were reported, but the true figure is likely to be far higher as collisions are only recorded by less than half of UK police forces. Mobility scooters are classified as medical devices and are currently exempt from the Road Traffic Act, with no requirement for training, tax, MoT or insurance. But all that will change when the new EU ruling – which followed an accident in Slovenia in 2007 when a man was injured by a tractor on private land – comes into force. The tractor driver’s insurers refused the claim, but the injured Damijan Vnuk successfully appealed to the European Court of Justice, which ruled that all member

Sheila Reid who plays Madge in TV’s Benidorm states must mandate insurance for all motor vehicles regardless of where they are being used. Gerry Bucke, general manager at specialist insurance broker Chartwell, said that although not yet mandatory, inexpensive third party insurance for mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs could save drivers tens of thousands of pounds. Court cases have involved settlements of £16,000 when a woman in Rhyl struck a Morrisons shop worker, and more than £32,000 when an 81-year-old woman suffered a fractured hip when she was knocked over by a scooter. “The costs of taking out a policy are relatively small, but the consequences of having no cover can be ruinous,” said Mr Bucke. n Chartwell, tel 0800 089 0146 n www.chartwellinsurance.co.uk/ n www.norfolk.police.uk/safetyadvice/ mobilityscooter/safescootfilm.aspx

Housing link to health issues GPs spent the equivalent of 15,000 hours – or six working years – in February dealing with disabled and older patients who have suffered preventable injuries, illness or other health problems because they live in inaccessible homes, according to charity Leonard Cheshire Disability. The new findings from a poll of over 1,000 UK GPs found that 95% of them have patients with health problems related to inaccessible homes. The charity also found that nearly 3% of GPs total caseloads relate to inaccessible housing. If true of all GPs, Leonard Cheshire Disability estimates the health cost to be the equivalent of around £300m every year. According to the charity, thousands of disabled and older people are trapped in unsuitable homes, and unable to move around freely. Clare Pelham, chief executive of Leonard Cheshire Disability, said: “For many thousands of disabled and older people, their homes are a danger to their health and wellbeing. “It is shocking that GPs are spending precious time on injuries and illnesses directly related to inaccessible homes at a time when there’s overwhelming pressure on our health care system. “And yet it would cost absolutely nothing for the Government to require all new homes to be built to accessible standards. “With our ageing population and an increase in the number of disabled people, these homes are needed now..”

TAKE ME HOME!

Just champion!

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April/May 2015

All Together NOW!

LEFT: Sharon GregoryWareing with Barry Williams, marketing manager, Andy Clarke, CEO, and community colleague Pam Dixon

Minister’s ‘hypocrisy’ at access awards

RIGHT: Sharon handing out copies of All Together NOW!

Picture: KEN ALMOND

Sharon’s a winner W

at a glittering ceremony in Leeds. “I couldn’t believe I’d won the award,” said Sharon, who started working at Asda 12 years ago as a Four years ago the company trialed its canteen assistant, and who now Community Life programme at its Southport helps and advises community store, encouraging staff to get more actively champions at 22 other stores in involved with charities – and making Lancashire and Cumbria. “I was just donations to deserving causes. thrilled to be nominated – I never It was such a soaraway success that the dreamed I’d win it!” programme was rolled out across all Asda’s Sharon is also a huge fan of UK stores. All Together NOW! Now the person behind the Southport pilot “This free charity newspaper is just has been honoured with a special award. fantastic,” she said. “We have papers at our Community Life Champion Sharon Community Life noticeboard and they are Gregory-Wareing was presented with her OTHP37W15-AllTogeterNow-262x165-Aug_Layout 1being 15/01/2015 12:08 snapped up inPage their1 hundreds! The Excellence in Community Leadership award

HEN it comes to helping charities, Asda ranks very highly.

paper is extremely well received by our customers, many telling us that they just can’t get the kind of information in All Together NOW! from any other source. It’s brilliant, it’s free and it’s produced by a small charity. I’d love to see the paper in all Asda stores!”

THE Minister for Disabled People has been accused of hypocrisy, after announcing the winners of his Accessible Britain awards. Mark Harrison, CEO of disabled people’s organisation, Equal Lives, said that Mark Harper should “put his own house in order before preaching to others”. The awards were launched last September, three months after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) promised to close St Mary’s House, an inaccessible disability assessment centre in Norwich. Nine months after the pledge to move assessments to a more accessible location, disabled people are still being forced to make long journeys to alternative centres, three years after the problems were first drawn to the government’s attention. Mr Harper is also one of four coalition ministers – including the PM David Cameron – who have been exposed for running inaccessible constituency offices. The awards ceremony at the House of Commons saw the Corporate Disability Access Forum in west Cheshire recognised for its “life-changing” work on improving access.

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April/May 2015

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Dan’s plea to young people

CTOR Daniel Radcliffe wants young people who are going through tough times to talk about their issues rather than bottling them up.

“Young people should know its okay to reach out for support without fear,” he said. “It’s so much better to talk through your issue than keep it trapped inside.” Radcliffe is backing national charity Get Connected’s efforts to raise awareness about the help and support that is available. “I’m very fortunate to have my parents and good people around me for support, but the sad fact is that many young people don’t have anyone they can turn to for help when they need it, or they don’t feel comfortable reaching out for help for fear of social stigma.” The actor, who played the lead

role in the Harry Potter films, added: “There are many barriers for young people seeking reliable help, including a fear of being judged and not knowing where to turn. “I think it’s incredibly important for young people to know that they can reach out for support without fear or judgement, as the first step to solving a problem is often talking about what’s affecting you. “The Get Connected website is a safe space to explore whatever you’re going through, with the chance to find further, specialist help as well.” The charity’s young people survey, The Connected Generation Report, revealed: n 45% have experienced bullying. n One in five have experienced suicidal thoughts. n Two out of three young people

feel isolated and lonely. n 40% suffer feelings of depression and anxiety. n 48% were more worried about their issues after looking online for help. n 45% didn’t know where to go for help tackling personal problems. Get Connected chief Jessica Taplin said: “Our research found that when young people do need help, they mostly turn to the internet for answers. “Regrettably, advice and support online is not always reliable, and can be potentially harmful or just increases their worries – almost half the young people surveyed said they were more worried after looking for information online.”

Sponge house Sally! S

IX-YEAR-OLD Sally Garster is set to see her dream of a “sponge house” to protect her from bumps and bruises become a reality. People from all over the world – including children, students, interior designers, architects, and furniture designers – were asked to come up with an idea that could make life easier for those living with cerebral palsy. And for Sally, who is unable to crawl, walk or sit unaided, that was easy! Her concept of a sponge house has now been chosen to be pitched to inventors worldwide as part of an international competition, with a prize pool of $10,000 (around £6,500) for the best designs or prototypes. Each year the World Cerebral Palsy Day website invites people to post 60-second video clips detailing ideas that would change their world and Sally’s was the first of three shortlisted following an international vote. Designers are now being asked to create a concept for a bump-proof living space in line with Sally’s idea, with the winners set to be announced in July. Sally’s mum, Joanne, said: “Sally is so proud of herself. She’s been telling all her friends that she’s famous! “She spends a lot of time on her chest balancing on her elbows and trying to reach for toys, and easily gets bumps or bruises. ! TAKE ME HOME “So when she came up with the

n Helpline: 0808 808 4994 (1pm-11pm) n www.getconnected.org.uk

‘A great step forward’

THE Stick ‘n’ Step charity came in for top praise at the 10th annual conference of the Conductive Education Professional Education Group. Liverpool Lord Mayor Cllr Erica Kemp said: “In November 2014 I attended the Liverpool Echo’s Pride of Merseyside Awards, where Stick ‘n’ Step was named Charity of the Year. It was here that I learnt about Conductive Education and the amazing work that Stick ‘n’ Step is doing to change the prospects of so many children with cerebral palsy within our region. “Stick ‘n’ Step is a shining example of what people can do for each other and I was delighted to represent our great city and its people at the conference. It was a step in the right direction for the support needed for those with cerebral palsy in Merseyside and the UK.”

idea of a sponge house – and more particularly a sponge bedroom – it made perfect sense.” Sally, a pupil at Springheath Primary School, Liverpool, attends weekly therapy sessions at Stick ‘n’ Step, the Wallaseybased charity that put her idea forward for the prize. Sarah Smithson, operations manager at Stick ‘n’ Step, said: “Last year we wanted to participate in the World Cerebral Palsy Day campaign to give our children a voice online. “For Sally’s idea to have been shortlisted is something we never imagined. It is incredibly exciting for both Stick ‘n’ Step and for Sally’s family.” n www.worldcpday.org n www.sticknstep.org

PROUD: Sally and her dad, Dave, at last year’s Rock n Roll Liverpool Marathon, which Dave staged to raise money for Stick n Step

Tax free help with disabled childcare PARENTS of disabled children can now double the amount they pay into their tax-free childcare accounts in recognition of the higher costs they face. For accounts for disabled children, the maximum payment for a standard three-month entitlement period will be doubled to £4,000. This means that a parent with a disabled child will be able to pay up to £16,000 into their childcare account per year and receive top-up payments of up to £4,000. Amanda Batten, head of Contact a Family, said: “This will be very welcome news for many families with disabled children who face much higher than average childcare costs. “We know there is a hidden and talented workforce out there – the mothers of disabled children who need and want to work. “Yet only 16% of these mothers work compared to 60% of other mothers. “Over the last decade piecemeal policies, have led to confusion among local authorities and childcare providers about their duties to provide childcare for disabled children. “Ahead of the next general election all political parties must commit to tackling the lack of affordable and quality childcare for disabled children once and for all.” Contact a Family’s own research highlighted that for many families with disabled children taking the steps back to work are simply not an option, often due a lack of good quality, accessible and affordable childcare. n Helpline: Tel. 0808 808 3555 www.cafamily.org.uk

POWER TO THE CHILDREN T

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April/May 2015

All Together NOW!

Local support is key to the future

RANSPORT Minister Baroness Kramer marked a milestone change to the law – that will potentially help 70,000 children – by presenting a life-changing hi-tech wheelchair to 12-year-old Christopher Anderson on behalf of Newlife Foundation.

Christopher is one of 70,000 children in the UK today who FOR could benefit from the amendment, which gives them legal more information access to the most advanced powered wheelchairs. Newlife Foundation has been campaigning at about Newlife Foundation, ministerial level for over three years for this go to change. www.newlifecharity.co.uk. The charity’s CEO Sheila Brown OBE, said: All support services can be “Newlife highlighted the problems associated with accessed via the Newlife Nurse the existing restrictions, suggested an appropriate Helpline – 0800 902 0095 (free amendment, met with the Department for Transport to discuss the issue, helped write the wording for the from UK landlines) or email changes and now welcomes the fact that these are nurses@newlifecharity.co.uk being put on the statute books. It shows that people in government really do listen. “We are delighted that this seemingly small change could potentially make a huge impact on the quality of the lives of so SUCCESS: Newlife Foundation CEO Sheila Brown, centre, with many wheelchair-using children in the UK – not least those young people Baroness Kramer and Christopher Anderson in his new powerchair with complex needs for whom the opportunity to use a specialist ‘sit to stand’ wheelchair can actually help lengthen their lives.” Until the DfT announcement, Newlife would have been unable – legally – to provide the TEENAGER Helena Archer is enjoying more powered wheelchair for Christopher because family fun with her parents and younger brother the equipment weighs around 165kg, 15kg over Jack, thanks to a new hi-tech powered the previous maximum weight limit. wheelchair provided through a unique Wheelchairs over 150kg in weight have partnership between Newlife Foundation and required a driving licence to operate them, The Morgan Foundation. effectively banning under-17s. Now Helena, 16, can move around independently and But now the weight limit has been increased doesn’t have to rely on others to push her. to 200kg, thus opening up use of wheelchairs Helena, who lives in Bromborough, Wirral, said: “It’s with hi-tech facilities – like sit-to-stand and tiltfun to chase mum down the road and I am looking in-space – to an additional 70,000 children. forward to going across the beach in Anglesey to get Christopher, from Thornton Cleveleys, chips from the café there.” Lancashire, is reliant on a wheelchair to get Mum Anne said: “Depending on the environment, it around. He has spina bifida and hydrocephalus could be very difficult for whoever was pushing Helena. and is unable to walk more than a few steps. For instance, we went to a National Trust property – Mum Christine said: “A manual wheelchair and it was a complete and utter nightmare! severely restricts Christopher’s opportunities to “We started off on a path, but after a while it be independent and even when he has disappeared in woodland. We ended up dragging someone with him it can be all-consuming just Helena’s wheelchair, trying to get back to the gates thinking about the environment and how the before they closed up for the day. wheelchair can get around. Basically, “We hadn’t dared try anything like that since, but Christopher doesn’t get out as much as he’d getting the new all-terrain powered wheelchair means like to.” we will be able to be more adventurous again.” She added: “We try hard to give him the same n A GENEROUS £465,000 donation, raised from The choices and experiences as his twin sister Morgan Foundation’s 2014 golf day, is helping Newlife Jess. With the right equipment he will be able to provide essential equipment to disabled children in to do so much more for himself. If we don’t get the Morgan Foundation remit area. this right for him now he faces a future

New adventures for Helena!

FAMILIES around the UK are backing Newlife Foundation’s launch of local initiatives to fund more specialist equipment for children with disabilities or terminal illness. Newlife is currently working with more than 600 families to secure the £680,000 of specialist equipment their children need for everyday life. As the largest charity funder of specialist equipment for children with disabilities or terminal illness in the UK, Newlife knows there is a very real need for individual county funds. In this way the charity aims to help more children, more quickly. The initiative has also attracted the support of Lord Lieutenants around the UK, including the Queen’s official representative in Cheshire (where Newlife has helped 309 families) David Briggs. He said: “Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children provides a hugely valuable service to disabled children and their families. They have an excellent record of helping those most in need in Cheshire and I encourage anybody in a position to do so to help this important charity.” Newlife Foundation CEO Sheila Brown said: “Together we can really change the lives of children with disabilities or terminal illness - supporting them to experience and enjoy life and all that we take for granted.” To find out more about how you can help children local to you, go to www.newlifecharity.co.uk/ local, click on the UK map and select your county or metropolitan area. The website includes contact details for the Newlife County Liaison Team - tel 01543 431 444 or email local@newlifecharity.co.uk It also shows specific ways people can help support local disabled children and their families.

dependent on others, unfulfilled.”

www.newlifecharity.co.uk Tel: 01543 462 777

newlifefoundation newlifefoundation

@newlifecharity @newlifecharity

NewlifeFoundation NewlifeFoundation

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Demential training for ALL in the NHS EVERY hospital porter, every surgeon, every single person employed by the National Health Service is to be given training in dementia. And the Government will invest over £300 million into UK research and medical innovation in a bid to achieve the next big breakthrough in treatment for the condition. Both moves are part of a five-year strategy to combat dementia, announced by Prime Minister David Cameron, and focused on boosting research, improving care and raising public awareness about the condition. Britain has emerged as the world leader in fighting dementia since 2010 with investment in research doubled, hundreds of thousands of NHS staff given specialist training and one million “Dementia Friends” taking part in awareness sessions across the country. The Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 is the next phase in the country’s effort to combat the condition and includes. Annual investment in UK research is expected to double by 2025. Alongside this effort, an international dementia institute will be established in England within five years.

Why I love this paper All Together NOW! is a really inspirational and inclusive newspaper that I refer back to on many occasions. Thank you to all the contributors. B Betteridge, Burton Close, Liverpool All Together NOW! is a superb paper. I am deaf and it tells me about matters affecting me I did not know. Trevor Brassey, Melloncroft Drive, Wirral

More than skin deep THE CHRONIC skin condition psoriasis could soon become a recognised disability. That’s the goal of the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations, whose spokesman Josef de Guzman said: “People with psoriasis suffer a number of limitations and restrictions in their lives due to their impairments and are faced with enormous barriers as they try to interact with society. “Just because you have psoriasis it doesn’t mean that you don’t have hopes and dreams like anyone else, yet physical impairments, stigma, discrimination and negative attitudes among the public hinder people with psoriasis from full and equal participation in society.” Earlier this year, at the 67th World Health Assembly, the WHO member states recognised that psoriasis is not only a serious non-communicable disease, but can be disabling. n www.ifpa-pso.org

April/May 2015

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How I refuse to let M.E. win MAKING HER MARK: Debbie and, above and below, some of the photographic work that has given meaning to her life

MY STORY by Debbie Deboo

WELVE years ago I remember leaving the specialist surgery with this diagnosis of M.E. not quite sinking in. I phoned my mum and she burst into tears. I had no idea how life changing and debilitating this illness was going to become. I was 33 and it changed my life completely in so many ways, some good, some bad. This is an illness few people really understand . . . unless they have it themselves. It is an illness largely ignored by the medical profession and an illness where people forget to ask how you are, because you’re always ill. The early months were a time of turmoil and confusion. I was signed off long term sick from my 15-year career as a teacher in a very good school in Essex (a job I loved) and I found myself mostly lying on the sofa, ill and exhausted wondering when I was going to get better. I went to all kinds of complimentary therapy specialists. I even became a reiki master in the process. All of these therapies were enjoyable but they didn’t cure M.E. They also cost me a lot of money. The medical care I was receiving boiled down to some counselling and advice of pacing and various anti depressants which just made me gain weight and nothing else. I came off the anti depressants, the counsellor concluded I didn’t need counselling and pacing only really works in an ideal world. I had been a party loving career professional, the life and soul, enjoying everything London had to offer. Now I was housebound and ill. Only my husband, Richard, and a handful of friends stuck by me. I also had to give up my job. My specialist recommended arts and crafts to keep me occupied and as therapy. I tried many things and had some enjoyment but nothing really grabbed me. I began to need crutches and/or a wheelchair - which I hated - and one day with my arts and crafts materials in front of me I decided to ‘glam up’ my crutches. The next day I got stopped by so many

people – it made my day and made me smile for the first time in ages. I started experimenting, bought some crutches off ebay and soon had a collection of glammed up crutches. I even glammed up my wheelchair. Within two years of starting my Glamsticks business from my living room I had several celeb clients and won the National Mobility Product of the Year 2011. We then moved to Northern Ireland with Richard’s job. We thought living in the countryside with a large garden might be more beneficial to my health but I found the isolation difficult to deal with. I had many times in ‘the pit’ as I call it. I sold Glamsticks as it was getting too difficult for me and we got several rescue hens and cats. I also started writing poetry which helped me get through the dark times. I found the doctors and hospitals not equipped to deal with M.E. and I felt completely alone. I felt there was no light at the end of the tunnel . . . and took an overdose. I wanted the medical profession to take note of me and my needs. Luckily, I recovered but nothing much changed - apart from me. I decided that any change had to be in my hands, I wasn’t going to get help elsewhere. I told my story to the local newspaper and on the radio and there was a huge response from people with similar illnesses who felt the same as me.

A couple of months later I was rushed into hospital and nearly died from undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. My sugar levels had risen to catastrophic levels and I had gone into a diabetic coma. I nearly died twice during the week I was kept in hospital. When I got out of hospital I started a very small vegan catering business called ‘Cakeability’ but despite its popularity again it was just too much for me. For the past two years I have also been interested in photography. It started when I had to take photographs of the GlamSticks for the website. Since then I have won several competitions, have had my work exhibited in Belfast City Hall, and have been the official photographer at several large events. I have had my photographs featured in the local and national press and I’ve recently found a talent for fashion photography. I am really housebound - unless taken out by someone in a car which I find tiring and debilitating - but at least I have people coming to see me if they want their photos taken! Yes, I have achieved a lot. But it hasn’t been easy. It hurts. I cry every day, dose myself with painkillers to get through a photo-shoot and say ‘it’s ok’ when every fibre of my being is screaming with pain and exhaustion. I need some meaning in my life. I need people to say ‘well done’. The person you were doesn’t suddenly go away with a diagnosis of illness. I want to make my mark on the world, just like I always did. As a teacher I was preparing the next generation for their adult lives, teaching them to be just, compassionate and good people, making a difference that way. That door is closed to me now so I have to make my mark in other ways. This is my way of dealing with something that has robbed me of so much. But I have gained so much too, made new friends, discovered strengths I didn’t realise I had. It still fills me with horror though that this could be how I am for the rest of my life. So I blot it out by keeping busy, and setting new goals and projects.

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April/May 2015

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How we can help . . .

ERE at the Morgan Foundation we want to help organisations who share our philosophy – Making a

Difference. Over the past decade we have helped hundreds of organisations across the region, committing over £14 million. This year we will be giving away a whopping £2 MILLION to good causes. Created in 2001 by

businessman Steve Morgan OBE, founder and chairman of Redrow plc, chairman of the Bridgemere Group of Companies and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, the Morgan Foundation supports charities across North Wales, Merseyside, West Cheshire and North Shropshire. Our aim is to provide funding for small to medium-sized organisations who are addressing specific needs in these regions.

We are particularly keen to support those who have already begun to make an impact, but need a helping hand to expand their work and increase their effectiveness. We focus our help mainly on those who work directly with children and families but we recognise that many wider issues may also affect their welfare, so we are interested in any project which contributes to the quality of life in our region.

GOAL GETTERS!

New grants THE MORGAN FOUNDATION’s latest awards have been given to . . . n Family Tree, Wirral n AFASIC Cymru n Cheshire Disability Sports League

New funding for disability league

ERE at The Morgan Foundation we love to hear of projects that bring people together – and especially those that involve lots of

fun. That’s why we are delighted to be funding the Cheshire Ability Counts Football League for three years – as well as helping with their inaugural cup competition to be held this spring at Halton Stadium. The Cheshire Ability Counts Football League now has six divisions involving more than 250 players with a broad spectrum of disabilities. It is the main provider of both social and competitive disability football within the county. n www.cheshirefa.com/players/disabilityfootball/ability-counts

Branching out in style THERE were smiles all round at Family Tree Wirral when they were presented with an award for £55,880 by Jane Harris, The Morgan Foundation’s administrator. Family Tree, set up in 2002, supports carers and families by providing the knowledge they need to be able to cope better with caring for someone with a severe mental illness – particularly where symptoms are more complex, such as in those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder. The Morgan Foundation grant will help

SMILEY BUSES and a van have been given to . . . . n Central Cheshire Buddy Scheme (Smiley Bus) n Rimrose Hope Resource Unit (Smiley Bus) n Bootle and Sefton Play Council (van)

Home sweet home . . .

fund the Carers’ Services Manager for three years. n Family Tree Wirral are based at: The Stein Centre, St Catherine’s Hospital, Derby Road, Birkenhead CH42 0LQ. Tel, 0151 488 8159

THE Morgan Foundation is pleased to have supported the development of MoCoCo House in Middlewich, which provides supported housing for young care leavers. Run by Middlewich Community Church, the MoCoCo building is being converted into eight selfcontained bedsits for young adults, a warden’s flat and one shop unit. n MCC, 34-36 Brooks Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire CW10 0JG Tel, 01606 835928

www.morganfoundation.co.uk Tel. 01829 782800

PICTURED left to right: Morgan Foundation trustee Vincent Fairclough with Pastor David Moore, Jet Davidson Centre Manager, Mrs Susan Spencer, High Sheriff Of Cheshire, and Fiona Bruce MP Congleton

The Morgan Foundation

@Morganfound

YOUNG AT HEART

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April/May 2015

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Life is fragile, handle with care

MONEY MATTERS

with GORD VINER FCA CTA

DEMENTIA These discount webstores are worth a visit is now our biggest fear D O YOU use discount webstores such as Groupon or Living Social?

EMENTIA has overtaken cancer as the most feared condition for the 55+ age group.

New research by www.stayinmyhome.co.uk, the specialist live-in homecare website, which provides information on live-in as an alternative to residential care, also found that 34% of adults of all ages say dementia is the condition they are most scared of experiencing in later life. Symptoms can include memory loss, difficulties with language, judgement, failure to recognise people, disorientation, mood changes, delusions and the gradual loss of ability to perform all tasks of daily living. But while there is increased fear surrounding the subject, 52% admit they feel more comfortable talking about the condition than they did 10 years ago (only a third would have been happy discussing it then). The findings follow an Age UK report which highlighted how loneliness can be a key contributor to Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia. Those with a high degree of loneliness are TWICE as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as those with a low degree of loneliness. The breadth of devastation wreaked upon relationships, lifestyles and family finances makes dementia a far greater worry than any other illness. Top concern, from 78% of respondents thinking about parents or elderly relatives, is: ‘I would end up resenting him or her - or feeling angry towards them’, followed by ‘we’d have to sell their home to fund care’ (72%), then ‘they might have to go into residential care’ (70%) and ‘my family and/or I wouldn’t be able to afford good care for them’ (69%). 65% also worried that it would ‘divide our family or cause relationship problems’. In contrast, stroke, which, depending on its severity, is arguably just as debilitating and cruel for sufferers - and is the UK’s number four killer - hardly caused concern at all. Only 9% cited it, saying: ‘I might have to look after them and I couldn’t or wouldn’t want to do this’. Heart disease is the nation’s number one killer, but feared by just 4%. n THE number of people with dementia in the UK is forecast to rise to 940,110 by 2021 and 1,735,087 by 2051, an increase of 38% over the next 15 years. By 2037, the number of carers will have to rise to 9m to keep pace with the rising levels of frail and disabled people. In the future, most people’s lives will include at least one episode of caring.

If not do take a look at them – there are some fantastic bargains to be had. You can elect to receive a daily email tailored to your area. Today, for instance, on Groupon . . . airport parking reduced from £45 to £29, ski lessons down from £70 to £35, photo shoot only £15 from £155, adventure park entry £17 instead

of £29, and a massive saving for engaged couples, a wedding venue package only £1,499 instead of £2,915. Living social deals included paintballing for 10 people reduced from £215 to £10 and a hot air balloon trip with champers only £124. Only a couple of weeks ago I treated my wife to a full afternoon tea with champagne at a top Chester hotel for £25 instead of £50. (Don’t tell her – she thinks I paid the full price!)

Sometimes there are only a few items available at the price and you have to be quick. You have to pay the provider and you will normally receive an email voucher. Do read the small print before you buy, there may be time and day restrictions or valid only for a limited period, but if you are a savvy web browser you can save pounds. If you don’t see what you want, Google “discount vouchers for e.g. Pizza Express” and quite often something will pop up.

That’s cool, grandad WELL DONE: Eddy Mountford at the finishing line at Port Sunlight

E’S the coolest grandad inthe land, say his grandchildren. And no wonder . . .

Marathon man Eddy Muntford – a mere 91 years-old – just can’t stop running. His latest big effort came in Port Sunlight’s fourth annual race day. Last year, the proud grandad of13 was awarded the BTR Liverpool’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his remarkable running career which has seen him compete in 30 marathons, countless half marathons and more 10Ks than he can remember! What makes his story even more astounding

is that he only started running at an age when most people are slowing down. “I started running when I was 58,” said Eddy, from Woodchurch, Wirral. “I watched the first ever London marathon on television and, because I’ve always been a very active person, I thought to myself ‘I’ve got to do that’, so I bought a pair of shoes and I started running.” Since then he’s done 19 London Marathons and 11 others. Eddy’s personal best, running 26 miles in a staggering 2hrs and 59 minutes, was completed at the Wolverhampton Marathon aged 60.

SENIOR MOMENTS . . . with FRANK

Father to five daughters, Eddy has proved that his addiction to marathons runs in the family. “I ran the Wirral 10K with my grandson. He’s taken up running - they all like to do what their grandad does! “Quite a few of the family also ran in the Wirral Half-Marathon - two of my grandsons, a granddaughter and my own daughter with one of her friends, so it was a bit of a family affair. “My family are always really proud of my achievements. My wife died in 1975, so she never got to see me running, but I know she’d have been really proud.” The ex-docker says that running is the key to feeling young. “I would advise anyone to take up running. It keeps you fit, and it makes you younger mentally, as well as physically.” Eddy’s advice to anyone thinking of starting running is simple; buy some good running shoes, train sensibly, and eat sensibly. “I don’t believe in any of the gadgets people use - that’s all rubbish. It just takes practice. You can have all the gadgets in the world but all you need is a good pair of shoes.”

And, like Eddy, the will to do it . . .

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April/May 2015

All Together NOW!

Beat the bogus caller

Don’t fall victim to bogus callers!

•LOCK Home or away – keep all doors LOCKED

•STOP

United Utilities is calling on all customers to protect themselves from doorstep criminals. Bogus callers will often call at your door claiming there is an issue with the water and they need to check your taps; they will use this as an opportunity to trick themselves into your home claiming to be from United Utilities or ‘the water board’. Once inside, they will distract you while they or an accomplice help themselves to money and valuables. Genuine United Utilities’ employees always carry an ID card and are happy to show this to you. They will never put pressure on you to enter your home and will be happy for you to phone United Utilities to check their identity. And our employees won’t refer to ‘the water board’ as this hasn’t existed for more than 30 years! Bogus callers can be very persuasive, but our advice is to never feel under pressure to let someone into your home. To help you, we operate a ‘password protection’ scheme. Joining our password scheme is easy. It takes just one call to 0345 672 2888.

Is anyone EXPECTED? Is the back door LOCKED?

•CHAIN Put the CHAIN ON before opening the door

•CHECK Ask for caller’s ID card Check it by PHONING 0345 672 3723 Or ask for your PASSWORD if you are registered for our password scheme (see below for details)

We simply need your details and your choice of password. Then, whenever someone claiming to be from United Utilities calls at your home, you can ask them for your password. Only a genuine visitor from United Utilities will know what it is. It’s a simple deterrent that really does work and will give you the confidence to turn people away from your door. Most gas, electricity and telephone companies will operate a similar scheme – see a recent bill for further details and contact numbers.

Need a little ExtraCare? We offer a range of free services to help customers who: • are older • have a disability • have a serious illness • have sight, hearing or learning difficulties

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We also offer a free password scheme for all our customers.

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Our services include: • personal notification of water shut-offs • large print, Braille and talking bills

or customers with extra a nd f ne e h g n ds extra needs elpi rs with e m Ah to

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To find out more call 0345 672 2888. If you have hearing or speech difficulties and use a textphone, please dial 18001 followed by the number you require. 01/15/SD/6561

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April/May 2015

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. . . EDUCATION . . . TRAINING . . . JOBS . . . EDUCATION . . . TRAINING . . . JOBS . . .

Work scheme to cap support at £40K Graduates SOME deaf and severely disabled workers are to have support slashed under new changes to the Government’s Access to Work scheme.

times the national average salary, about £40,000. The £3m “savings” will be used to help support another 3,000 disabled workers at an average of £3,000 a year. The cap will come into effect this October for new applicants, while those currently receiving support will be exempt from the new limit until April 2018. The Government is also reviewing the support deaf

people receive via sign language interpreters and the use of taxis by disabled people to and from work, which accounts for around 30% of the overall budget. In 2013/14 Access to Work spent £108m to help 35,540 disabled people enter or remain in work, over 4,000 more than the previous year. An extra £15m for the scheme since 2012 has seen a steady rise in people supported.

Students victory About 200 people with high level awards – the highest about £120,000 a year – account for more than 10% of the scheme’s entire budget. But changes to the scheme, announced tin March, will limit future support to one and a half

How YOU can help Government backs down keep over autumn this FREE benefit cuts T charity paper alive and kicking! HE Government has backed down over its plans to cut Disabled Students’ Allowances.

BACK PAGE

TAKE ME HOME!

Last month two disabled students were given the go-ahead to launch a judicial review on behalf of others who felt “ignored” due to the Government’s failure to consult about the cuts. Proposed restrictions to grants were due to start in September. But the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have now said the changes “should be deferred until 2016/17 and that these changes would only be made once continued consultation with the sector and stakeholders has taken place”. Awarded to more than 60,000 students with a range of disabilities from sensory impairment to mental health conditions, DSA pays for support such as support workers, specialist equipment and accommodation, which helps them complete their studies. In 2012/13, nearly £150m was

THUMBS UP from Man City fan Ryan Doxey who has landed a dream work placement at his favourite club’s community project. Ryan, 21, has learning disabilities and is a final year student at the Seashell Trust. He uses a combination of sign language, visual symbols and an Ipad to communicate. Ryan’s next goals – getting a job, getting his own house, doing more voluntary work . . . and having a good time! spent on DSA for undergraduate students. Under proposals announced last April, and subject to a consultation that closed last month, the Government planned to reduce DSA for items including specialist equipment and accommodation and instead expect the universities to meet the shortfall. Specialist law firm Irwin Mitchell, with the support of the National Deaf Children’s Society and

Ambitious about Autism, challenged the way in which BIS consulted on the proposed changes. Granting permission for the Judicial Review to proceed, Mrs Justice Laing said she was “not impressed” with the argument that there was no duty to consult. Irwin Mitchell is currently reviewing whether the application for judicial review will proceed in the light of the government’s change of position.

TUC guide to disability New app for uni THE TUC has published a new guidebook on the social model of disability to improve equality for disabled people within unions and in the workplace. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “It is essential that the social model of disability is applied within trade unions as fully as we want to see it applied by employers and government.” www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/socialmodel.pdf

A NEW app aims to “revolutionise” access information for staff, students and visitors at the University of Manchester. The AccessAble Uni of Manchester App is the first bespoke access app for universities, delivering user-friendly guides for disabled students to find detailed access information at the university campus. It can be downloaded via iOS or Android.

scared to reveal disabilities MORE than three quarters of graduates with disabilities are too scared to reveal them to potential employers. A survey of more than a 1,000 disabled students and graduates, found: n 76% are concerned about being open about their disability or condition to employers. n 77% feared being discriminated against, while n 72% are worried about making a nuisance of themselves. n Those with mental health issues were found to be the most reluctant to be open about their condition (78%). Helen Cooke, founder of Greatwithdisability.com and an expert in disability and graduate recruitment, said: “This issue is of great importance. “An employer is unable to make the adjustments or provide the support an individual may need to navigate the recruitment process if they are unaware of their disability or health condition. “As a result of this, organisations often miss out on top talent, and individuals miss out on the opportunity to display their skills and achieve their potential.” The research looked into the best ways to encourage openness from disabled students and graduates. n 71% would be encouraged by seeing examples of current disabled employees at the organisation who had benefited from being open about their condition, while n 70% said they would be more likely to be open if there was a dedicated member of staff to whom they could talk to during the recruitment process. n www.greatwith disability.com

Reach half a million readers . . . tel 0151 230 0307

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Self-lift ramp is just what doctor ordered A

NEW “self-lifting” ramp for wheelchair accessible vehicles is being launched at the Naidex exhibition at the Birmingham NEC (April 28-20). Designer Simon Pearson believes his new product will be the answer to many carers’ problems, requiring only minimal effort and removing the need to bend down or to lift the ramp. Simon, managing director and design engineer at wheelchair accessible vehicle manufacturer Sirus Automotive Ltd, said: “With over 15 years experience in the design of accessible vehicles, we have worked with pneumatic, hydraulic and electrical automated systems. “Having gained valuable feedback from

our customers, we understood that many people were looking for the luxury of an automated ramp but without the price tag. “Having worked with a team of specialist CAD (computer-aided design) engineers, the ramp provided the solution – an innovative design which ensures minimal effort, ease of use, excellent reliability and quality at an affordable price.” The first Sirus car to see the groundbreaking technology is the newly-designed “wheelchair passenger up front” vehicle, which is based on the Citroen Berlingo. Sirus plans to roll out the patented new ramp technology onto a range of wheelchair accessible vehicles during the year. The company has also launched a WAV

finance package, which can be used to fund all of Sirus’ converted cars and adaptations. They can also help people who do not qualify for the Motability Scheme, and those up to the age of 75, with the added benefit of owning your car at the end of the term. Finance is available for new, Approved Used and Motability Advance Payments. Using the finance package, Sirus’ new Fiat Qubo Go conversion can be owned from £245 per month. The fuel-efficient vehicle can accommodate three The Sirus Fiat Qubo Go conversion – passengers plus one wheelchair user, or provides ample space to transport a scoter available for £245 monthly or wheelchair. n Sirus, tel 0121 505 7777 or visit More MOTORZONE p14-15 www.sirusautomotive.co.uk

WHY SIT IN THE BACK? INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS CUSTOMISED FOR UPFRONT WHEELCHAIR PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS

Sirus build the highest quality conversions all backed XS E\ RXU LQGXVWU\ OHDGLQJ \HDU ZDUUDQW\ :H RʲHU DʲRUGDEOH ʳQDQFH SDFNDJHV DQG $SSURYHG 8VHG FDUV WR VXLW DOO EXGJHWV $VN XV DERXW RXU QHZ DQG H[FOXVLYH 6HOI /LIWLQJ 5DPS 6\VWHP

Visit our website to build your own virtual Sirus car www.sirusautomotive.co.uk Call 0121 505 7777 to book a no obligation home demonstration

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April/May 2015

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Second hand car . . . first class service

ETTING a brand new vehicle isn’t the ideal option for everyone. That’s why Frederick Fryers decided an approved used wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) from Allied Mobility was his best and most economical choice. Frederick had been looking for an accessible car for a while when his daughter came across Allied Mobility online. He was looking for a vehicle that would allow him to safely and easily transport his mobility

INDEPENDENCE: Frederick delighted with his “new” car

scooter while he transferred into the driver’s seat. It didn’t take long for Frederick to select the Peugeot Independence. The model Frederick decided on is only three years old and is packed with great features like a lightweight ramp and air conditioning. He finds the access features easy to operate: “The ramp is great; it’s nice and light and I find

it really simple to use which makes travelling effortless and hassle-free.” Frederick’s Independence is his first WAV and he’s found that it’s made a huge difference to his life. His previous vehicle was a seven-seater, but in order to store his scooter he had to fold forward five of the seats, which meant there wasn’t much room for anyone else in the car. Now he can transport his

0800 916 3028

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We need more MPs in Alf’s mould

AST September the former director of public prosecutions warned that the severity of disability hate crime was being overlooked. Lord Ken MacDonald told how the police were failing to recognise that abuse of disabled people constituted hate crime. Data from Crime Survey England and Wales estimates that in 2012-13, 62,000 people were discriminated against on the grounds of their disability. Yet Home Office statistics reveal that, over that same period, only 1,841 reports of disability hate crime were recorded, with just 810 incidents going to court. Out of the 349 convictions that were eventually secured, only seven received an increased sentence due to the victim’s disability being considered an aggravating factor. Here on Merseyside, I am determined that we should buck this depressing trend of underreporting. I was clear that tackling hate crime would be one of my police and crime priorities from the outset and I made sure that disability hate crime was recognised as a specific area of concern by appointing a Community Engagement Officer who is dedicated to monitoring this issue. In December 2013, I was delighted to take Mencap’s ‘Stand By Me’ pledge to support people with learning difficulties suffering hate crime. This pledge has helped to drive up standards, ensuring better access for people with learning disabilities to report hate crime to the police. It includes supporting Mencap’s ‘Safe Haven’ programme, which has seen shops in and around Liverpool city centre agree to provide a place of security if someone with a disability feels vulnerable. The recent launch by Merseyside Police of an ID ‘E-Card’, which holds a vulnerable person’s details, including their carer’s number, should further improve the effectiveness of this scheme. Increasing awareness is vital if we are to improve the reporting and recording of disability hate crime. This is particularly important among our frontline responders, who are out all day, every day, responding to the public. Over the last six months, I have hosted two seminars for police officers and police staff to raise awareness of mental health issues and the condition ADHD. This is only the beginning. I have already arranged to join forces again with Mencap to run a further seminar on learning disabilities. Perhaps the step that will make the biggest difference to those who have suffered disability hate crime though is my decision to fund Stop Hate UK. This national charity is now delivering an independent 24/7 helpline to all victims of hate crime across the whole of Merseyside. By commissioning Stop Hate UK to provide a third party reporting service, I am proud to have provided an independent, impartial and confidential advice and support service open to anyone affected by hate crime in our region. n Stop Hate UK can be contacted in eight different ways including by telephone on 0800 138 1625, with British Sign Language, by text and online at www.stophateuk.org

IN MARCH the Disabled Living Foundation hosted the first Alf Morris lecture to raise funds for the Alf Morris Independent Living Fund. It was delivered by the former editor of the Sunday Times, Sir Harold Evans who, like Morris, was born and raised in Manchester. These two men did more than anybody to bring to the public’s attention the thalidomide scandal where a drug prescribed for pregnant women resulted in thousands of babies being born with missing limbs and many other conditions. This was just one Alf Morris’s countless contributions. There can be few people who have had such a positive influence on the lives of millions of disabled people. Listening to Evans speak I found myself reflecting on what Morris, who died three years ago, would make of the current position in which so many disabled people find themselves. His father had been disabled as a result of injuries in World War 1, and he used to argue, “A disabled person

means a disabled family”. The bedroom tax, which hits disabled people disproportionately harshly, was strongly opposed by Morris. He saw that many of the positive changes introduced in the 1970s and early 1980s were being undermined. Morris used to argue that if a local authority agreed somebody had a need they had a duty to meet that need. That view was overturned in a court case in 1997 that said LAs could consider financial resources when determining

SOUNDING OFF!

whether somebody has a need. The consequences were obvious and immediate. Now only people with the greatest need receive any support at all and even that is severely rationed. Morris was of a generation of politicians who saw it as their duty to improve the lives of those who were most vulnerable. As the General Election approaches we should be giving our votes to politicians in the mould of Morris who really do work for the people.

From bed to worse with Sir BERT MASSIE

COLD winter is behind us and we can expect the annual media stories about bed blockers to disappear for a while.

Bed blockers is the derogatory name given to people who remain in hospital after the doctors believe they are ready for discharge. The reasons given are the same every year. There are too many older people, there are insufficient places in care or nursing homes, people cannot move home until they have a community care plan and community care has been cut. Perhaps we need to examine this from another angle. People are not in hospital because they are old. We all know many older people leading active lives. People are in hospital because they are ill or have a disability. It is an issue about health not age. Age is a factor but only one. Hospital beds fill when there are more people admitted than there are beds to accommodate them. There are two obvious answers. One, increase the number of beds and, two, improve provision so people can be discharged more quickly. At a time when our population has increased the number of beds has decreased. Over the last 10 years the UK has cut 50,000 hospital beds. Britain has 2.95 beds for each 1,000 people. France has 6.67 and Germany has 8.27 and even the USA, with its system of private

Politicians failing to act as hospital logjams lengthen

healthcare, has 3.05, according to figures from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The usual Government response is that figures are misleading because Britain invests in community care. They can point to Sweden, which has good healthcare but just 2.71 beds per 1,000 people. The difference is their community care is light years ahead of ours. The problems boil down to this. Demand on beds increases as the number of frail and ill people increase; there are insufficient beds available; people cannot be discharged quickly because of a shortage of community care or their homes are unsuitable and there are insufficient places to which people can be transferred. Each of these issues could be resolved if we had the political will to do so. Some readers will probably remember convalescent hospitals. These were used for people recovering from surgery etc. The patients were no longer ill but were recovering, so although they needed some nursing support it did not need to be as intensive as in the main hospital. A similar provision could be introduced

now. This would free up many hospital beds while the patient’s care plan is developed. Housing should be designed so people who were once fit can still live there when they become frail or disabled. The right physical environment helps people to function independently. Liveability standard homes could achieve this but the Government needs to ensure the standard is applied yet if declines to do so. Care and nursing homes are closing because the fees local authorities pay are too low to enable good quality services to be provided and others survive but offer services lower than they would wish. This is a simple resource issue. It is unrealistic for Government to withdraw funds from local authorities and expect them to maintain services. This is a problem created by Government and could be easily solved by government. Combining health and social care budgets might ease debates over who funds what but social care needs to be resourced properly with central government sharing the cost. Enabling people to leave hospital is not difficult if as a nation we have the will to make it happen. Instead of action we receive promises and words, which are then put on ice to be used again next year. Britain can and should do better. Politicians rather than “bed-blockers” are the problem.

INDEPENDENT LIVING

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April/May 2015

All Together NOW!

DAD DAD 2015 2015

The countdown has started . . . Sunday July 12 Disability Awareness Day Walton Hall Gardens, Warrington Contact WDP, tel 01925 240064 www.disabilityawarenessday.org.uk

Da Vinci Mobility’s TRAIL RIDER THE new revamped Trail Rider is a fantastic solution to your outdoor mobility while keeping the advantages of your lightweight manual wheelchair. The Trail Rider is an electric front wheel attachment for a manual wheelchair that clips on and off in seconds, giving you the option of using your manual wheelchair or turning it into a powerful electric three wheel trike. The new model uses the latest high torque electric motors and controllers available. The standard modern lithium-ion battery has a range of 20 miles (32Km) on one charge and you can upgrade to a larger capacity battery which will do 40 miles (64km) plus. The Trail Rider is deal for getting around, superb for country walks or off road use.

Prices range from £1,995 to £3,295 www.davincimobility.co.uk Tel 0151 548 1999

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HOLIDAYS

Enable never forget . . .

grab rail there. This is where you really need some sort of assurance that your expectations will be met. By calling upon the services of a specialist accessible holidays tour operator, such as Enable Holidays, you can get detailed information on the standards of adaptations and facilities available in a wide choice of properties and worldwide You’ll find plenty of holiday destinations. properties advertising “fully adapted The qualified travel advisors at facilities” – but for many of them the Enable Holidays understand the reality is anything but. needs of disabled travellers and they Fully adapted facilities involve a lot are always pleased to offer advice more than just a ramp here and a and guidance on any aspect of your holiday. They also go to great lengths to ensure all the right services and facilities are in place for you. Your HAPPY HO LID adapted room will be AWARD 2 AY 012! guaranteed upon confirmation of a booking, adapted taxi transfers will A warm welcome is waiting for you at our be arranged between the superbly scenic, fully accessible self catering destination airport and hotel, and they’ll inform the cottages in the Lake District. airports and airlines of any special requirements. Enable offers a range of over 250 accessible holidays in more than 50 destinations worldwide. n For more details call 0871 222 4939 or visit www.irtonhousefarm.com 017687 76380 enableholidays.com

HOOSING your dream holiday location is one thing. But ensuring your hotel room/apartment/villa provides you with the adaptations and special facilities you need to make your holiday a barrier-free one is quite another.

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April/May 2015

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Scientists get £5.3m to make life BETTER

Hi-tech help

PROSTHETIC hand controlled by the nervous system, robotic clothing to help people with walking, and bio-sensors to monitor patients during rehabilitation are the focus of three exciting new research projects. The projects, awarded £5.3 million by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, are due to start work in the next few months. The prosthetic hand which will give users a sense of feedback, is being developed by a team led by Newcastle University. They will build fingertip sensors to give the prosthesis a realistic sense of touch, including pressure, shear and temperature. A “virtual hand” will provide information on the hand’s position and movement, and the system will translate the signals to a form the brain understands and stimulate the nervous system to help the user control the hand. Building this level of feedback into prosthetic devices will enable much higher levels of function for people who have lost their limbs than is currently available.

The new style hand wiill elp people to reach out and pick up a glass, for example, while maintaining eye contact in a conversation, or pick up an apple without bruising it. The technology will also have applications for patients with neurological conditions where reduced sensation is a factor. Soft robotic clothing to enable those with mobility impairments and age-related weakness to move easily and unaided, and to live independently and with dignity, will be developed by a University of Bristol-led team. The end results will be easy-to-use, comfortable, adaptable and meet individual mobility needs. Smart trousers could help vulnerable people avoid falls by supporting them while walking; give people added bionic strength to move between sitting and standing positions; and help people climb previously insurmountable stairs. They could even replace the stairlift in the home and other bulky and uncomfortable mobility and stability aids. Ultimately the clothing has the potential to free many wheelchair users from their wheelchairs.

NOW THAT’S SMART . . . A FREE smartphone app has launched in the UK giving deaf and hard of hearing people the freedom to have real time phone conversations. From booking a table at a restaurant, to talking to your doctor, the new app – called Pedius – uses voice recognition and speech synthesis technology. Available on iPhone and Android devices, the app works by the user either speaking or typing a text message on their smartphone, which is then translated to speech in real time for the recipient of the call.

Their response is converted back into text and displayed on the user’s phone. Unlike the textphone, Pedius does not require both users to have specific hardware and all communications and interactions are private. Calls are cheaper than the average mobile phone call and users receive 20 free minutes to use each month. n Pedius launched in Italy last year in collaboration with the deaf community. It is also available in the US and France with plans to expand further into Europe. www.pedius.org/en/

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Many existing devices used by people with obility problems can cause or aggravate onditions such as poor circulation, skin essure damage or susceptibility to falls, each which is a drain on health resources. Wearable Soft Robotics has the potential to leviate many of these patients problems and duce healthcare costs. Cheap, disposable, unobtrusive bio-sensors uch as temporary tattoos and smart watches to se with patients who use wheelchairs or osthetics, patients requiring rehabilitation, as ell as older people, will be designed and eveloped by a University of Warwick-led team. The study will collect data and monitor how atients use equipment provided to them, and so measure how they follow exercise advice at ome, for example, after a stroke or accident. he research will also develop software that ses the bio-sensor information to support users ith their equipment or exercises in their own ome. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They will improve patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives, allow greater dependence and benefit patients with a wide nge of mobility and co-ordination difficulties,â&#x20AC;?

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GOOD TIMING: Smart watches will help stroke or accident victims to follow exercise programmes at home

said Philip Nelson, chief executive of EPSRC. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ageing population and a rise in disabilities, this highlights one area of EPSRC investment in healthcare research which has a national impact.â&#x20AC;?

The projects, led by Newcastle University, the University of Bristol and the University of Warwick working with 15 other university partners, are: n Enabling Technologies for Sensory Feedback in Next-Generation Assistive Devices. Research at Newcastle University, University of Essex, Imperial College London, Keele University, University of Southampton and University of Leeds. Awarded ÂŁ1.4m n Wearable Soft Robotics for Independent Living. Research at the University of Bristol, University of the West ofEngland, University of Nottingham, University of Leeds, University of Strathclyde, University of Southampton and Loughborough University. Awarded ÂŁ2m n Adaptive, Assistive Rehabilitative Technology: Beyond the Clinic. The University of Warwick is partnering with Cardiff University, University of Kent, UCL (University College London), Oxford Brookes University, University of Salford and University of York. Awarded ÂŁ1.86m

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SHOPMOBILITY n ALTRINCHAM. Tel 0161 929 1714 n ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. Tel 0161 339 9500 n BARROW. Tel 01229 434039 n BIRKENHEAD. Tel 0151 647 6162 n BLACKBURN AND DARWEN. Tel 01254 690566 or 07757 502217 n BLACKPOOL. Tel 01253 349 427 n BOLTON. Tel 01204 392946 n BURY. Tel 0161 764 9966 n CARLISLE. Tel 01228 631564 n CHESTER. Tel 01244 312626 n CHORLEY. Tel 01257 260 888 n COLWYN BAY. Tel 01492 533822 n CREWE. Tel 01270 580 031 n ELLESMERE PORT. Tel 0151 355 1420 n KENDAL. Tel 01539 740 933 n LEIGH, Wigan. Tel 01942 777 985 n LIVERPOOL. Tel 0151 707 0877 n MANCHESTER Trafford Centre. Tel 0161 747 2684 n MANCHESTER Arndale Centre. Tel 0161 839 4060 n NELSON. Tel 01282 692 502 n NORTHWICH, Vale Royal Tel 01606 288820 n OSWESTRY. Tel 01691 656882 n PENRITH. Tel 01768 895 438 n PRESTON. Tel 01772 204 667 n RHYL. Tel 01745 350665 n ROCHDALE. Tel 01706 865 986 n RUNCORN, Halton Lea Tel 01928 716971 n SHREWSBURY. Tel 01743 236900 SKELMERSDALE. Tel 01695 550066 n ST HELENS. Tel 01744 613 388 n STOCKPORT. Tel 0161 666 1100 n WARRINGTON. Tel 01925 240064 n WARRINGTON. Birchwood Tel 01925 822 411 n WIGAN. Tel 01942 776 070 n WINSFORD. Tel 01606 557550 n WREXHAM. Tel 01978 312390 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM. Snow Hill Railway Station. Tel 0121 236 8980. Level 2, Centre Car Park, Bullring. Tel 0121 616 2942 n STAFFORD. Tel 01785 619456 n STOKE ON TRENT. Tel 01782 233333 n SUTTON COLDFIELD. Tel 0121 355 1112 n TAMWORTH. Tel, 01827 709392 n WALSALL. Tel 01922 650781 n WEST BROMWICH: Sandwell. Tel 0121 553 1943 n WOLVERHAMPTON. Tel 01902 556021

April/May 2015

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A chat, a cuppa and some hot tips

ARERS across Stockport benefited from a week of activities and lots of help and information from North West law firm Gorvins Solicitors.

Hazel Edwards, who cares for her son, Nick, said: “It was a great experience listening and speaking to other carers in the same situation as me. Caring for a loved one can sometimes be isolated, so to share ideas on how to tackle common challenges while getting excellent advice from experts in legal, finance and care provision across the board really brought a community of people together.” Mike Smoult, associate solicitor at Gorvins Wills, said: “We have understood a lot more about how people make decisions about care and helped them explore the relationship between finance, legal and the type of care provision required. Unfortunately not everyone has access to the right information to help, which is why the week has been so worthwhile.”

n This year’s national ‘Carers Week’ runs from June 8-14.

Carer Hazel Edwards (left) with Mike Smoult from Gorvins Solicitors and Sue Whitehead, from the Together Trust

Bulldog tools winners THE TWO lucky winners of our recent gardening competition are: A Sproston, Parthenon Drive, Norris Green, Liverpool, who picked up her copy of All Together NOW! at Aintree hospital; and Mrs H Bottomley, Seymour Avenue, Clayton, Manchester (Central Library, Manchester) Both readers win a superb set of top-quality gardening tools for children from renowned British firm of Bulldog Tools, which has made tools at Clarington Forge in Wigan for 235 years. www.bulldoghandtools.co.uk

HELP AT THE END OF A PHONE n ANGLESEY:

TARAN Tel 01407 721933 n BLACKPOOL Disability Information and Support. Tel 01253 472 202. Textphone 01253 476 450 n CHESHIRE CIL Tel 01606 331853 n CHESTER Dial House Tel 01244 345655 n DENBIGHSHIRE Tel 01745 354445 n ELLESMERE PORT DICE Tel 0151 355 1420 n HALTON Disability Service Tel 01928 717222 n KNOWSLEY DISABILITY CONCERN. 0151 480 4090 n LANCASTER DISC Tel 01524 34411 n LIVERPOOL Association of Disabled People. Tel 0151 263 8366. Text 0151 260 4076 n MERSEYSIDE Coalition of Inclusive Living. Tel 0151 260 4001 n NEUROSUPPORT Centre Tel 0151 298 2999 n MANCHESTER (GTR) Coalition of Disabled People Tel 0161-273 5154 n MOLD Flintshire Disability Tel 01352 755546 n NELSON: Pendle Pakistan Welfare Association. Tel 01282 603 616 n PRESTON DISC: Tel 01772 558 863. Textphone 01772 204 787 n RHYL Tel 01745 350665 n STOCKPORT: Disability Stockport. 0161 480 7248 n WARRINGTON Disability

Partnership. 01925 240064 WIRED Tel 0151 670 1500 n WEST LANCS HELPLINE Freefone 0800 220676 n ST HELENS DASH Tel 01744 453053 n WREXHAM Tel 01978 262955 MIDLANDS BIRMINGHAM Disability Resource Centre Tel 0121 789 7365 Disabled People’s Network Solihull Tel 0121 788 1544 STOKE: Disability Solutions Tel 01782 683800 WOLVERHAMPTON Elder and Disabled Group Tel 01902 448552 n WIRRAL

ORGANISATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND n ACCRINGTON Tel 01254 233332 n BARROW Tel 01229 820698 n BIRMINGHAM Action for Blind Tel 0121 665 4200 n BLACKBURN Tel 0125 554143 n BLACKPOOL: N-Vision Tel 01253 362696 n BURY Tel 0161 763 7014 n BURNLEY Tel 01282 438507 n CARLISLE: Action for Blind People Tel 01228 595121 CHESHIRE & N WALES: Vision Support. Tel 01244 381515 n CUMBRIA (West) Tel 01946 592474 n CUMBRIA (Sth Lakeland) Tel 01539 726613 n GUIDE DOGS Tel 0118 983

5555 n HENSHAW’S 0161 872 1234 Tel 0151 708 7055 n LIVERPOOL: Bradbury Fields.Tel 0151 221 0888: Action for Bind Tel 0151 298 3222 n MANCHESTER: Action for Blind Tel 0161 787 9252 n PRESTON: Action for Blind People Tel 01772 320550 n OLDHAM Tel 0161 682 8019 n ROSSENDALE Tel 01706 873256 n SIGHTLINE (North West) Tel 0800 587 2252 n WIGAN Tel 01942 242891 n WIRRAL Tel 0151 652 8877 ORGANISATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF n BIRMINGHAM Institute for Deaf Tel 0121 246 6101 n CHESHIRE Deaf Society Tel 01606 47831 n CUMBRIA Deaf Society Tel 01228 606434 n LANCASHIRE (EAST) Deaf Society Tel 01282 839180 n MANCHESTER Deaf Centre Tel 0161 273 3415 Genie Networks. Tel 0161 941 4549. Text 18001 0161 941 4549 n MERSEYSIDE Society for Deaf Tel 0151 228 0888 n ST HELENS: Deafness Resource Centre Tel 01744 23887 n WOLVERHAMPTON Centre for Deaf Tel 01902 420904 n N WALES Deaf Association, Tel 01492 542235

CARERS’ CENTRES

n ACCRINGTON Tel 01254 387 444 n BLACKBURN with DARWEN Tel 01254 688 www.bwdcarers.org n BLACKPOOL Blackpool Borough Council, Tel 01253 477 716 n CUMBRIA Carlisle. Tel 01228 542 156 Penrith. Tel 01768 890 280 Barrow-in-Furness. Tel 01229 822 822 Kendal. Tel 01539 732 927 Whitehaven, Tel 01946 592 223 n CHESHIRE Helpline: 0800 085 0307 n KNOWSLEY Tel 0151 549 1412 n LANCASTER Tel 01524 66475 n LIVERPOOL Tel 0151 705 2307 n MANCHESTER Tel 0161 835 2995 n MORECAMBE Tel 01524 833456 n PRESTON Tel 01772 200173 n RUNCORN Tel 01928 580182 n WIDNES Tel 0151 257 9673 n SALFORD Tel 0161 833 0217 n SEFTON Tel 0151 288 6060 n ST HELENS Tel 01744 675 615 n STOCKPORT Tel 0161 442 0442 n WARRINGTON Tel 01925 644 212 n WEST LANCS Tel 01695 711243 n WIGAN & LEIGH Tel 01942 683711 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM Tel 0121 675 8000 n SOLIHULL Tel 0121 788 1143 n WALSALL Tel 01922 610 810 NORTH WALES n ANGLESEY Tel 01248 722828 n BANGOR Tel 01248 370 797 n CONWY Tel 01492 533714 n DENBIGHSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 0845 603 3187 n DOLGELLAU Tel 01341 421167 n FLINTSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 01352 751436 n WREXHAM CARERS SERVICE Tel: 0800 276 1070

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April/May 2015

All Together NOW!

PAIN BUSTERS

And the medic who finally ended his torment said that even a few years ago, “we may have given up”. Ian, now 63, said: “I felt terrible, just like a zombie because I was on nine 300mg tablets a day of gabapentin and the pain was still horrendous, like electric shocks all through the day. “Even though the leg had been amputated the pain was coming from where the ankle used to be. I haven’t been able to work for 20 years,” said Ian, who was a process operator in the chemicals industry. He was referred to The Walton Centre’s

Revolutionary spinal implant ends Ian’s 20-years torment

pain clinic where he had acupuncture, which worked for a short time only. He then saw pain consultant Dr Manohar Sharma who suggested an initial trial of a conventional spinal cord stimulator implant, which failed to control the pain. But everything changed the day Dr Sharma invited Ian to take part in the trial of a new spinal implant being studied at The Walton Centre. Dr Sharma said: “A few years ago we may have given up in this case but not now, as this new technique allows pain control in areas where conventional implants do not work.” The procedure involves implanting a stimulator which sends radio waves or

Migraine cure?

UNDREDS of thousands of people who suffer the most debilitating migraine have been given fresh hope.

National Health Service. Experts hailed the results as a landmark – the first possible distinct treatment for the worst migraine. Peter Goadsby, a professor of neurology at King’s College London, who chairs the British Association

Sufferers who don’t know where to turn revealed only 30% of people surveyed who do not suffer from chronic pain actually understand what CP is and how long it lasts. And for those who do suffer chronic pain, results indicate that many do not seek any help other than visiting their GP. Antony Chuter, chair of Pain UK, said: “Patients should be educated about the treatment options available and also when to see a specialist and GPs should refer patients to pain clinics when necessary.”

I feel a surge of tingling down my leg for a few seconds and then I don’t feel a thing.” Ian is taking part in a research study into the effectiveness of the procedure. Earlier, he described the level of pain as nine out of 10, with 10 being the highest; and now, he puts it at two out of 10. “I still have to use a stick and a wheelchair and I have angina, so I am not without problems. But as far as this operation is concerned, it has made a big difference to be free from extreme pain and not to need the high doses of medication.”

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ALMOST 10 million people in the UK suffer from chronic pain, which has a major impact on quality of life and day-to-day activities. But the vast majority – that’s 85% – do not have their pain under control or know how to go about seeking the right treatment. Chronic pain is defined as continuous, long-term pain lasting more than 12 weeks or pain that remains after discomfort would traditionally recede after trauma or surgery. However, recent survey results

electricity pulses to the dorsal root ganglion, disrupting the painful nerve activity. It is controlled by a hand-held remote control device so that the patient can turn it on and off and adjust the strength of electrical pulses. Ian said: “Before, I would get the pain 50 times a day for seconds or minutes at a time. Now, I don’t even think about it. “I wasn’t expecting it to work as I have tried so many things over the years, which have all failed. But this has been marvellous; I turn it on when I wake up in the morning and at first

o Up t £230 ck ba cash

Injections with a new generelated, monoclonal blood protein compound brought “significant reduction” in the numbers of headache hours and days experienced by chronic migraine patients. During trials 172 sufferers received one injection every four weeks for three months, according to the international pharmaceutical company Teva, the biggest supplier of medicines to the

for the Study of Headache and is a trustee for the charity, said: “This announcement is of groundbreaking importance, as it represents the first potential, specific treatment for chronic migraine ever developed. “All interested physicians will watch this development with excitement, as it offers a chance to do more for our most disabled migraine patients, as we invest in further research for an eventual cure.” If the treatment given in the trials passes further tests, the injections could become available within a few years.

SMILES BETTER: Ian Ward with Dr Manohar Sharma

Cov er

BREAKTHOUGH in pain relief has given a man his life back after decades of living “like a zombie”. Ian Ward suffered excruciating “phantom limb” pain for more than 20 years after a severe bone infection led to his lower right leg being amputated.

.50 per week

Call 0800 011 2222 or visit www.medicash.org *Average saving as at 30.11.12.

All Together NOW!

The case for April/May 2015

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

in association with Healthy Liverpool

IVERPOOL has always been at the forefront when it comes to improving health.

In 1847, pioneer of public health Dr William Duncan was appointed by Liverpool as the country’s first Medical Officer of Health, and William Rathbone – whose imposing figure now looms over the city’s St John’s Gardens in statue form – set up the first ever district nursing service, with a little support from a certain Florence Nightingale. Our past is illustrious and if the future is to be just as bright, we need a new generation of healthcare innovators.

The picture today

DONAL O’DONOGHUE, a leading hospital doctor and member of Liverpool CCG JAMES BROOME PHOTOGRAPHY Governing Body

The health of Liverpool people is unacceptably poor. Life expectancy lags behind the rest of the country by some five years, with lung cancer alone accounting for a big part of this gap. While the reasons behind poor health in Liverpool are complex, it’s undeniable that lifestyle issues are placing huge pressures on the healthcare system.

More than a quarter of our population smokes; an estimated 11,300 people in the city drink at high risk levels; and 86% of people in the city are not active enough to maintain good health. The city is already feeling the consequences of these choices. Levels of cancer have increased by 8% since 2010, and 30% of people are living with one or more long term health conditions. These issues aren’t evenly spread throughout the city either. Where you live is likely to have a big impact on your lifestyle, and subsequently, your health. For example, the gap in life expectancy between men in Kirkdale and men in Childwall is five years. Add into the mix the issue of Liverpool’s ageing population – which will mean there will be fewer people paying into the system just as demand is increasing – and it is clear that the situation as it stands cannot continue.

However, Healthy Liverpool has a plan – one that will ensure not only that the city’s residents can lead healthier lives but one which will also ensure that the right health and care services are available to everyone, where they need it, when they need it. Six areas have been identified where NHS leaders believe the biggest positive impact can be made. These areas of focus are cancer; mental health; children and young people; healthy ageing; long-term conditions and learning disabilities. At the heart of policies in all these areas will be the idea of empowering people to manage their own health and shaping services to achieve the best outcomes. Dr Nadim Fazlani, chair of Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group, explains: “If we are to meet the healthcare challenges of the 21st century, what we need in the city is a complete overhaul of how we, as individuals, manage our health.

CHANGE!

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

April/May 2015

All Together NOW!

in association with Healthy Liverpool

Healthy Liverpool: The goals

n Healthcare received by patients in Liverpool will be consistent and of high quality. n Health outcomes for people within Liverpool will have improved relative to the rest of England.

n Health inequalities within Liverpool will have narrowed.

Dr SIMON BOWERS, Clinical Vice Chair of Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group and a practising GP in Aigburth, Liverpool, comments on a ‘new wonder drug’ . . .

n There will be a new model of care which is clinically and financially sustainable for the long-term.

“It’s far easier for our health service if we stop problems before they start, and and in most cases the steps we take to do this are relatively simple. It means eating better, moving more, drinking less and stopping smoking altogether. “However, although these steps are simple, we know that if it was that easy everyone would be doing it already. That’s why, as part of Healthy Liverpool, we’ll be offering support to those who want to make positive lifestyle changes. “For example, for those who would like to take more exercise, there will be much more information and support, both at city-wide and at community level, to help point them in the right direction, and people who would like to quit smoking will be supported by effective specialist programmes. Healthy Liverpool will provide people with the toolkits they need to be able to protect their own health.”

Person-centred care Though the focus will be on stopping problems before they start, it is inevitable that some HEALTHY FUTURE people will still get ill, or develop FOR EVERYONE: long-term conditions. Dr Nadim Fazlani, When this happens, the services chair of Liverpool offered will be more accessible, Clinical responsive and better placed to Commissioning meet the healthcare needs of the Group individual. For example, healthcare technology can enable patients to monitor their own condition at home, rather than having to attend hospital appointments, while access to hospital-based care. diabetic patients will be supported to manage “So from now on, more services will be their own conditions and to access virtually available in the community as this is where all the services they need closer to home. the main need is. Consultants who are Older people will be supported to live in normally only seen in hospitals will work with their communities for as long as possible. GPs to manage patient care, and there will And where things can’t be managed at be greater support in the community for home, it will be made easier to manage management of long-term conditions such as things in the community. asthma – meaning fewer people will need to Dr Fazlani says: “Most people’s contact be admitted to hospital. with the health service is limited to talking to “It will also be made easier to access health visitors, district nurses, community exactly the right support for your needs. matrons and pharmacists. “There are many excellent healthcare “It’s relatively few of us who go on to need services in the city, but at the moment,

Let’s get physical everything is too disjointed. “This can sometimes lead to a poor experience of care and patients getting frustrated when they have to repeat the same things again and again. Under Healthy Liverpool, this will stop. Our health and care system will be shaped around the needs of people, rather than them trying to fit in with a health and social care system that isn’t quite doing what they need it to do.”

Improving hospital-based care The city’s hospitals are also set to change under the programme. Liverpool has two large acute hospitals and a number of specialist trusts – something the city is, understandably, proud of. However, because hospitals in Liverpool have developed organically, rather than through design, things don’t always work in the most efficient way. Donal O’Donoghue, a leading hospital doctor and member of Liverpool CCG Governing Body, explains: “Our hospitals are excellent, but there is always room for improvement. “For example, our city’s hospital landscape has developed over time, rather than been designed to meet the current and future needs of the city and its surrounding areas. This means that we often have duplication of services, and that these services are not always delivered in the best place. “The Healthy Liverpool programme will address these issues in order to ensure that doctors and nurses find it easier to do their jobs, and patients receive even better care. “The changes we’ll be making aren’t just about improving services in the here-and-now, it about making sure they’re sustainable for the future. “The healthcare system in Liverpool has always been something to be proud of and because of the changes we’re going to make, it will stay that way.”

AVE you heard about the new wonder drug which, if taken every day, is proven to dramatically reduce the risk of killer diseases like strokes, heart attacks and some types of cancer?

It’s free and has no side-effects, apart from making you feel better, look better and live longer. Nearly everyone – young or old – can take this wonder drug and you don’t even have to go to see your doctor for a prescription. The name of this drug is . . . yep, you’ve got it – physical activity, but don’t imagine you have to be an athlete or sports fanatic to be included. The latest research tells us that people who do the recommended levels of activity can reduce their risk of early death by 20-30%. They also get to enjoy good health for longer as they get older. So what do you have to do to transform your health and live longer? You certainly don’t have to join a gym. It’s really as simple as taking a brisk walk every day for just half an hour – something which most people can manage. In fact, any increase in activity will improve your health. My advice to patients at our surgery in Aigburth is to think of ways of building activity into daily life. Get off the bus two stops early; park half a mile from the school when you’re dropping the kids (it’s good for them, too); take the stairs rather than the lift; walk to the shops instead of driving. Physical activity is proven to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, strokes, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. The list goes on and on. Regular activity nearly always improves your mood as well, making you feel happier and less prone to anxiety and depression. It’s also really important to say that it’s never too late to do more physical activity. No matter how old you are, the benefits will be felt. For people with existing health conditions, it’s always best, of course, to have a chat with their doctor or a practice nurse to get advice first – but don’t let that put you off. Once you’ve got the habit, you’ll never look back! Go to http://youtu.be/helGJIcd9w8 to find out how to get fit for free.

For further information visit . . . www.healthyliverpool.nhs.uk

All Together NOW!

MEDICAL NOTES Cutting down on salt may help headaches IF YOU suffer from headaches, try cutting down on salt – it could make a big difference. People who lower their intake of salt have been shown to experience a significant reduction in the number of headaches. In tests carried out in the United States among over 400 people, there was a 31% reduction in the number suffering from headaches after they cut down on salt from eight grammes to four grammes per day. The likely explanation is the fall in blood pressure and reduction in pulse pressure that occurred with the salt reduction. Until now, cutting down on salt has not been recommended as a way of avoiding headaches. The research was welcomed by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) and World Action on Salt and Health (WASH). Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of CASH and WASH, said: “This is the first well-controlled trial that really demonstrates a very large reduction in headaches just from modest reductions in salt intake. “Importantly, the effect is independent of the level of blood pressure, as the reduction in headaches occurred in those with high and normal blood pressure. We would strongly advocate that those people who have headaches reduce their salt intake.”

The hidden hazard EASE up on the sugar! That’s the message from the World Health Organisation who are advising a maximum of six teaspoons daily for women, and eight for men. The UK is officially the ‘fattest’ country in Europe, with one third of children and two thirds of all adults classified as obese or overweight. Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of Action on Sugar, Queen Mary University of London, said: “It is time for the UK government, and governments around the world, to take action NOW.” Katharine Jenner, campaign director of Action on Sugar, said: “Until manufacturers stop hiding sugar in our foods in such vast quantities, how can we be expected to lower our intake? “Sugars are hidden in so many of our everyday foods; we eat and drink more than our maximum recommendation without even realising it.”

Hips hips hooray! PATIENTS treated at St Helens and Whiston hospitals are receiving the highest standards of care in the North West for pneumonia, heart problems and hip and knee conditions. St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been rated best performer out of all trusts in the North West. The Trust has also been named second in the region for the treatment of patients with heart failure.

April/May 2015

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Brain surgery ‘could cut seizures’ Faster BRAIN surgery on young people with epilepsy could reduce chronic seizures and improve their memory.

who had surgery in childhood and were re-examined as young adults. In 86% of cases, seizures had stopped altogether. More than half were no longer taking epilepsy medication. Compared to epilepsy patients who did not have surgery, they also had a significantly better recall of events and facts.

Now I’m ready to face anything New research goes against previous concerns that such surgery could actually damage their memory.

Scientists at Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Institute of Child Health looked at 42 patients

OR seven years Katy Duncan has suffered intense pain, muscle weakness in her legs, bladder and bowel complications and epilepsy. She has a rare and serious neurological condition Cauda Equina Syndrome, brought on when routine spinal surgery went wrong. “For the first few years I was either bed or wheelchairbound with long periods in hospital,” says Katy, 39, from Llandudno. “I relied on strong opiate pain killers which left me with additional side effects.” But now thanks to a remarkable leg brace Katy is walking again - and fighting back in style. “I’ve never been one for giving up and with the help of the wonderful NHS teams in North Wales, I was fitted with Ottobock’s Knee-Ankle-Foot-Orthosis system. Initially I was fitted with just one, on my right side. The difference it made was phenomenal – so much so, I’ve just been fitted with a second KAFO system for my left leg. “Not only can I now walk, but I’ve seen a dramatic reduction in pain and have been able to come off some of the heavy pain killers. I have found my confidence again. “ I’m half way through a distance learning degree in law and looking forward to being able to work again. “Receiving the KAFO systems have revolutionised my quality of life. I never dreamt that they would improve so many other areas of my condition.”

BACK ON HER FEET: Katy Duncan

Home cancer tests could save your life A DIGITAL home testing kit for the early stages of bowel cancer is now available to buy on the UK High Street. It is now well accepted that early detection allows highly effective medical interventions that can achieve 90% survival rates. But despite this, recent research by Cancer Research UK has shown that more than a third of people with abnormal results drop out of bowel cancer screening, potentially putting their health at risk. Deborah Gilbert, chief executive of Bowel & Cancer Research, said: “Given the significant difference in

survival between late and early diagnosis, catching the disease early is a major weapon in our armoury. “We also know that around half the bowel cancer testing kits sent out in the NHS programme are not returned for analysis. Whilst we aren’t sure of the reasons, anything that makes testing easier is very welcome.” More than 110 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every day. n The kit is available in Boots stores and online at on at www.measurebowelhealth.com, price £34.99

stroke recovery STROKE patients could get better quicker by watching a video of a hand movement -–and picturing it in their heads at the same time. A team of researchers from the North West believe their discovery could improve the physical rehabilitation and confidence of stroke patients as well as having a real impact on the way therapists and nurses work with them in future. They found that combining imagery (imagining the feelings associated with performing a movement) with observation (watching the movement) created the strongest activity in the brain. And using electrodes on a participant’s hand, the researchers found muscle contractions were greater when they did both, compared to when they used the techniques alone. Dr David Wright and Prof Paul Holmes at Manchester Metropolitan University, with Dr Jacqueline Williams from the Victoria University in Melbourne, used worldleading research methods to reach their findings. Currently, imagery and observation are used separately alongside physical therapy during rehabilitation. Prof Holmes said: “After a stroke, parts of the brain die and will not recover. To compensate, other parts of brain can alter their function to take control of the lost behaviour – a form of brain plasticity. “We think that combining imagery and observation, in addition to physical therapy, may allow the brain to speed up this plastic change. “These changes may happen without the intervention – it is certainly not a miracle cure – but the combined imagery and action observation approach should speed up the process of relearning lost movements.”

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

April/May 2015

Wheelchair in a day!

All Together NOW!

WHEEL GOOD TIME: Chris McGhee, Nicky Ore and Amanda Pye taking part in the 24-hour wheelchair challenge

Staff have spent the last 18 months working with patients and service users to develop the new service. Currently, patients in England can wait up to 12 weeks following a medical assessment to receive their wheelchair. But from April the first phase of the new service will be launched and will mean the majority of people will be clinically assessed, fitted and able to go home with their new bespoke wheelchair on the same day - all in a single appointment. Those with more complex health needs and who require hi-tech equipment and powerchairs will be included in the next phase of the

Easy read guide

service, which is due to be launched later in the year. Christine McGhee, clinical operations manager for the Trust’s community equipment service, said: “Being able to provide a wheelchair that specifically meets each individual’s needs is essential. “Asking patients, some of whom have complex health needs, to wait any length of time for a wheelchair has an effect on their independence and we want to do everything we can to support them.” Last year the Trust also launched the first children’s ‘Wheelchair in a Day’ service and has provided almost 400 patients with wheelchairs. The team supports around 10,500 wheelchair users across Merseyside each year. n For more information contact the team on 0151 296 7770.

Out and about with our health teams

LCH has developed an ‘Easy Guide to Better Health,’ to help patients with learning disabilities – and health professionals. A range of local partners and service users attended a launch event that showcased the work from staff from the Learning Disabilities Service, Mersey Care, Oakfield Day Centre and People First, who all helped to produce the guide. The guide fills a vital gap by helping people with learning disabilities to make healthier lifestyle choices. It is written and designed in a way that is easy to understand, using a combination of minimal text, colour coding and graphics. n The guide can be downloaded via the Health Promotion website www.liverpoolhps.nhs.uk. n You can also pick up a copy from BEAT, the Health Information Centre in Hanover Street, Liverpool.

24-hour challenge STAFF from Liverpool Community Health (LCH) NHS Trust spent a day in a wheelchair – and found out how tough it can be. Christine McGhee, clinical operations manager, said: “I decided to take part in the challenge so I could gain a better understanding of the daily experiences of our service users. I thought it would be challenging, but now know from first hand experience just how difficult and frustrating it can be for wheelchair users. “Some things that non wheelchair users take for granted, for example, getting through narrow corridors, greeting other individuals or even making a cup of tea can be difficult.” The 24-hour wheelchair challenge involved Christine, Amanda Pye, interim director of nursing, and Nicky Ore, community equipment advisory service manager, undertaking their usual daily duties in a wheelchair.

– that’s the promise from April! HE FIRST ‘Wheelchair in a Day’ service for NHS patients in Liverpool and Sefton is being launched by Liverpool Community Health.

Working together LCH could become one of the UK’s first Trusts to join forces with GPs to provide out-of-hospital care to patients in their community and reduce pressures on A&E.

OUR state-of-the-art BEAT health centre celebrated its first birthday in style with a week full of healthy activities! The Public Health Promotion Team completed a 365mile cycle challenge, riding on a static bike in the centre to raise money for Comic Relief. Daily “Lunchtime Blood Pressure Checks” were also given to visitors, and Liverpool comedienne Paul Daniels and the cast of ‘Twopence to cross the Mersey’ joined in the Walk for Health Theatre Walk. Other events included a Mums, Bumps and Toddlers session giving mums a chance to discuss any pregnancy-related health concerns with a midwife; advice on quitting smoking; and a student Drop-In Health Day. n The Health Information Centre is based at the BEAT in Hanover Street, Liverpool.

To find out more, visit . . .

MORE than 50 women and professionals attended LCH’s third female-only information event at Sahir House. The event included a series of short interactive presentations, workshops and information stands providing help and advice on a broad range of issues relating to HIV including contraception, managing the menopause, and anxiety and depression relating to self-esteem and sex. Two women shared their moving personal stories about how they came to terms with having HIV, and how they have learnt to overcome stigma and effectively manage aspects of their lives with support from the HIV team. n Contact the LCH’s HIV Service on: 0151 295 8650 or contact Sahir House on: 0151 237 3989 or email: info@sahir.uk.com

This is just one of the options which LCH is exploring, after receiving support to withdraw from its bid to become a Foundation Trust. LCH and its partners will develop a new way of organising NHS community services that are more integrated and able to keep pace with the changing health needs of the area’s population. The approach will help health and social care professionals to work together as joined-up teams in neighbourhoods across Liverpool and Sefton supporting patients to receive the care they need, closer to home. The new approach will also help frontline services to support increasing numbers of people with multiple longterm health conditions.

www.liverpoolcommunityhealth.nhs.uk

All Together NOW!

Beatrice Fraenkel chair, Mersey Care NHS

PRING is a time for rebirth, regeneration and new life. It’s also a time when the sun begins to shine a bit brighter and we begin to feel a bit more warmth on our faces. The days get longer out of the darkness of winter. This is all good news. What is also good news and sits well with the theme of this time of year is the way new and positive things suddenly seem to be springing across Mersey Care. The most obvious example of fresh beginnings is the opening of our wonderful new Clock View Hospital. You may recall that I am the trust’s design champion and have been involved in the development of the building which is extremely close to my heart. I’m pleased to say the hospital became fully operational in March. However, there are some personal comments I would like to make as well. The quality of the building, and the landscaping in which it sits, will contribute to a speedier recovery and provides a great place to work. It is a building that adds pride to the local community who have been so supportive through the building process, and who are already booking the meeting room for community meetings. It is rare for an NHS building to be called ‘beautiful’ ‘calming’ and ‘welcoming’ and it’s even more rare for a mental health building to be seen in those terms - never mind being a place where non users actively want to come. What a wonderful way to reduce the fears surrounding mental health that stigmatise it. So it’s already working! This is just the beginning of a whole estate development and investment with the same principle of welcome, openness, and wellbeing. It will take time to do all this, but Clock View sets our expected standard now.

I WAS at Clock View again recently for a touching service attended by patients and staff when Reverend Sara Doyle was licensed as the new chaplain. Spiritual and pastoral care forms part of a holistic approach to caring for our patients which is extremely important, and often underestimated. It was wonderful to be using the multifaith room with its glorious stained glass, designed by other patients, for Sara’s licencing.

April/May 2015

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

OPEN . . . Merseycare chief executive Joe Rafferty and chairman Beatrice Fraenkel at the new Clock View hospital

Learning disability postcode lottery

NEW TIME FOR MENTAL CARE

THE standard of healthcare received by people with learning disabilities varies dramatically according to which part of the country they live in. That’s because there is a huge variation in the number of hours nursing students spend being taught about learning disabilities, an investigation shows. Nursing students on adult, children’s and mental health courses spend anywhere between 1% and 25% of their time studying learning disabilities. The variations are important because people with learning disabilities often receive inferior care from health attractive low level buildings N-SUITE bedrooms, services because nonsurrounded by landscaping. courtyard gardens, a cafe specialist staff lack the Mersey Care worked with the . . . it’s all a long way skills and confidence to local community and numerous from the grim institutions that work with them. local, regional and national used to “care” for mental Two thirds of courses partners to make it all happen. health patients. have 3% or less of their Clock View will also be the base The £25m Clock View Hospital, curriculum dedicated to for a new local assessment and on Merseyside, represents a new learning disabilities, immediate care service that generation of mental health despite the wellprovides emergency, urgent and treatment, meticulously designed established health routine assessment, enabling to improve recovery and well-being inequalities experienced better support for people between and reduce lengths of stay. care unit for those most in distress by such service users, a inpatient and community services. Mersey Care NHS Trust, who in need of urgent inpatient care. survey by the Learning chief executive Mersey Care’s officially opened Clock View It has been designed to provide Disability Practice Joe Rafferty said: “We are proud – named after a local landmark – light and airy spaces, individual journal found. that Clock View makes a bold hope it will set new standards for bedrooms of the highest standards Researchers used the statement that second rate facilities mental health care in the UK. for privacy and dignity, as well as Freedom of Information are simply not good enough. Built over 22 months on the site communal activity areas and safe Act to ask universities “Clock View is a beacon that will of Liverpool’s former Walton inner courtyard gardens to aid about their courses. In help tackle the stigma associated Hospital, it will provide short-stay people’s recovery. 65% of cases, learning with mental ill-health because it is treatment for local people with a There are also learning and disability teaching a hospital where every patient has range of mental health issues education spaces, individual and accounted for 3% or less their own room with en-suite including depression, anxiety and group therapy and activity spaces, of the overall nursing bathroom and it will provide the dementia, offering 80 individual space for self-help, advocacy and degree programme. highest standards of care within a bedrooms all with en-suite. voluntary organisations, spiritual The survey findings therapeutic environment – all The new hospital will also provide space, family visiting rooms and show little emphasis on designed to promote recovery.” the city’s new psychiatric intensive meeting rooms – all contained in learning disability teaching in preregistration nursing programmes despite a national inquiry two an environment in which people feel safe and A NEW inpatient unit for people with mild to years ago finding that supported.” moderate learning disabilities has opened on people in this patient Dave Jones, CWP clinical services manager, said: the Soss Moss Hospital site, near Nether group continue to have “A learning disability affects the way a person Alderley, Cheshire. poorer healthcare understands information and how they communicate The new £5m unit has large spacious therapeutic outcomes than other – it affects everyday life for the person and their family. areas, private bedrooms, dedicated family visiting patients. “People with learning disabilities mustn’t be confused areas, an art therapy room, activity room and gym as Mencap policy officer with having a learning difficulty or mental illness – well as a light and airy lounge area that looks out on to James Bolton described although some people can have multiple conditions. the countryside. the variation in learning Around 30% of people with epilepsy have a learning Julia Cottier, service director at Cheshire and Wirral disability teaching as Partnership NHS Trust, said: “This new unit will provide disability; cerebral palsy, autism and Down’s Syndrome “worrying” are also commonly linked with learning disabilities.”

Clock View sets a new standard for UK therapy

‘Safe and supported environment’

The perfect tonic . . .

HALF A MILLION

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

April/May 2015

All Together NOW!

Suffer from cold hands? Go and see your GP IF YOUR hands and fingers sometimes go blue or white and then red and sore, don’t just ignore it and carry on. All these could be symptoms of Raynaud’s disease which can affect all ages. Symptoms occur when small blood vessels in the body’s extremities become over-sensitive to even slight changes in temperature. The blood supply is temporarily disrupted – usually to fingers or toes although ears, nose and other parts can go white, blue and red. Pain, numbness and tingling are common experiences in an attack, which can be precipitated by exposure to

something cold, a slight change in temperature, or even experiencing stress or strong emotion

The condition has a real impact on daily life and can make everyday activities like shopping, using keys, holding cups and getting dressed very difficult. While there are various ways to help ease the severity of Raynaud’s, including medication to open up the blood vessels, and natural products like ginger, one of the best defences remains keeping warm. Liz Bevins, head of the Raynaud’s & Scleroderma Association, said: “If you suffer from cold hands, please don’t ignore it. Go to your local GP and discuss any concerns you have.” n A free information pack with leaflets giving tips on keeping warm and coping is available on Freephone 0800

Metal guru Top doc uses titanium to fix battered body

TOP North-West surgeon has used pioneering super metal technology to rebuild Barbara Schofield’s shattered body. Sanjay Kafra worked with metal plates and screws made from titanium to heal her cracked bones faster and spare her from excruciating pain. Barbara, 52, was trampled on by her horse, leaving nine broken ribs – six with multiple fractures – a punctured lung, and additional complications as air and blood got between her lung and rib cage. The new “meccano set” method involves the plates being sculpted in a factory, then fine-tuned by Mr Kafra to fit the contours of Barbara’s body – rather like a child’s construction set. Only a handful of hospitals in the country use this latest technology, which was developed in Switzerland. The accident happened when Barbara, from Northwich, Cheshire, fell underneath her horse, Figaro, after her saddle slipped. “There was no malice at all from Figaro – it was human error, one of BACK IN THE SADDLE: Barbara those things. I was frightened and in Schofield and Figaro. Inset, Sanjay Kafra extreme pain.” in an anxious six-hour wait for Barbara’s Barbara was taken to the Royal’s husband, Steve, along with close family emergency department, where she was and friends. immediately cared for by a highly skilled Barbara said: “I I’m really lucky to still trauma team and orthopaedic surgeons. be here. I am delighted with the Mr Kalra’s reconstruction work resulted

MEDICAL NOTES Salford leads way for joined-up care SALFORD will be at the forefront of a national health revolution that will bring home care, mental health and community nursing, hospital and out-of-hospital services together, ushering in a new era of joined-up care. From April, work will begin between the NHS and selected areas to develop dedicated support packages. This could mean Salford residents having fewer trips to hospitals as medical specialists and GPs work together. A single-point-of-access to family doctors, community nurses and social and mental health services is also planned. The NHS announcement that the Salford Together Partnership -– an alliance formed by NHS Salford Commissioning Group, Salford City Council, Salford Royal Foundation Trust and Greater Manchester West Foundation Trust -– is to become a ‘vanguard’ is expected to lead to significant health improvements for residents. A spokesperson for Salford Together said:"We believe that by pooling together our expertise in an integrated care organisation, residents will receive more coordinated care.”

Prostate cash blow

innovative surgery Sanjay Kalra performed. “He has worked wonders and I am really so grateful to him. Within 10 weeks Barbara, who works in the NHS as a part-time clinical physiologist in cardiology at Warrington Hospital, was back in the saddle She added: “ I’m lucky to have this technology on my doorstep. I am so fortunate to have been dealt with by such a talented surgical team. “It’s been a bit of a joke with friends and colleagues referring to me as ‘Barb-ed wire’ and ‘The Bionic woman’!” Consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon Mr Kalra, said: “The pain of multiple broken ribs is excruciating so patients naturally try not to move much. “Because taking deep breaths and coughing is painful, there’s an increased risk of pneumonia because phlegm can build up in the lungs and become infected. “With this technology the procedure we use not only reduces the risk of complications but encourages a faster return to normal. The results have been excellent for patients like Barbara.” This innovative new technique – reserved for patients who have suffered severe chest trauma with multiple broken ribs – is being carried out as part of the Cheshire and Mersey Trauma Centre Collaborativewhich also includes Aintree hospital and the Walton Centre.

people are reading these pages . . .

THE decision to remove NHS funding for a life-saving cancer drug has been attacked by medics. Professor Chris Eden, a trustee of the Prostate Project charity, said: “It is quite wrong to deny drugs with proven efficacy to men in this country who are terminally ill when they are available in other European countries, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, the list goes on, and when this ignores medical advice to the contrary”. The drug Jevtana is the only treatment for hormone-resistant advanced prostate cancer for use after chemotherapy. It costs around £20K per year per patient and has a proven record of life extension for men with no further treatment options. The listed length of time is three months but some men have been on treatment for up to four years.

New app for men A NEW app that lets men check the likelihood of prostate cancer has been developed by the Swiss Prostate Cancer Research Foundation. “The ProstateCheck app is intended to remind men of their prostate cancer screening early on,” says Prof Franz Recker, chairman of the SPCRF. Based on the user’s personal medical information, the app calculates the probability of a malignant tumor in the next four, eight and 12 years. The SPCRF say the app can extend the amount of time between screenings by up to seven years and greatly reduce the cost burden on the health-care system. It is available for download from 2 euros in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android devices.

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April/May 2015

HOME! TAKE ME

BOX OFFICE SENSATION!

Until Apr 4. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Liverpool Playhouse. Based on the best-selling novel. Until Apr 4. The King’s Speech. Manchester Opera House. Until Apr 5. Beauty and the Beast On Ice. New Brighton Floral Pavilion. Until Apr 18. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Liverpool Everyman. Shakespeare’s magical comedy. Until Apr 18. Private Lives. Bolton Octagon. Noel Coward’s hilarious comedy. Audio Described, Thu Apr 16, 7.30pm. Signed, Thu Apr 2, 7.30pm. Apr 2. Simple Minds. Liverpool Empire. Apr 2-Apr 6. Cirque Surreal - The Voyagers. Salford Lowry. Fusion of circus, dance, drama and comedy. Apr 3-Apr 12. Sleeping Beauty. St Helens Theatre Royal. Pantomime. Apr 4. Charlie Landsborough. Runcorn Brindley. Apr 4. Madama Butterfly. Liverpool Empire. Apr 4. Showaddywaddy. Rhyl Pavilion Theatre. Apr 4. The Chuckles of Oz. Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Family fun show. Apr 4. The Wizard of Oz. Llandudno Venue Cymru. Pantomime. Apr 7-11. And Then There Were None. Mold Theatr Clwyd. Agatha Christie’s adaptation of the novel. Apr 7-18. Anything Goes. Manchester Opera House. Cole Porter’s musicalcomedy. Apr 7-25. Dirty Dancing. Liverpool Empire. Apr 8-11. Hairspray. Rhyl Pavilion Theatre. The Broadway musical. Apr 8-11: Sunset Boulevard. Blackpool Grand Theatre. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s world-renowned musical. Apr 9-11. Twopence to cross the Mersey. Southport Floral Hall. Straight stage play of the musical. Apr 9-12. Her Benny. Runcorn Brindley. A heart-warming rags to riches musical. Apr 10. One Night of Elvis - Lee ‘Memphis’ King. Manchester Palace Theatre. Tribute to Elvis Presley. Apr 10. Seann Walsh. Salford Lowry. Stand-up comedy. Apr 10. Strangefish. St Helens Citadel. Manchester progressive rock band. Apr 10. Strictly Come Dancing’s Pasha Kovalev. New Brighton Floral Pavilion. Apr 10. The Signal Man. Port Sunlight Gladstone Theatre. Charles Dickens terror story adapted for the stage. Apr 10-May 9. Shed. Liverpool Royal Court. Paul Broughton and Michael Starke have written and star in this great new bittersweet comedy about friendships, secrets and sheds. Apr 11. Shappi Khorsandi. Salford Lowry. Stand-up comedy. Apr 11. The Floyd Effect. St Helens Citadel. Tribute to Pink Floyd. Apr 11. The Solid Silver 60s Show. Stoke Regent Theatre. Music from the 60s. Apr 12: The Hollies in Concert. Blackpool Grand Theatre. Apr 13. Robin Hood. Southport Floral Hall. Pantomime. Apr 13-18. Jesus Christ Superstar.

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BOX BOX OFFICE OFFICE NUMBERS NUMBERS BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre: 01253 290190. BOLTON Octagon: 01204 520661. LIVERPOOL Empire: 08444 999 999. Everyman & Playhouse: 0151 709 4776. Royal Court: 0870 787 1866. LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru: 01492 872000. MOLD: Theatr Clwyd: 0845 3303565.

MANCHESTER Opera House: 0870 401 9000. Palace Theatre: 0870 401 3000. SALFORD The Lowry: 0843 208 6000. NEW BRIGHTON Floral Pavillion: 0151 666 0000. PORT SUNLIGHT: Gladstone Theatre: 0151 643 8757. PRESTON: Charter Theatre: 0845 344 2012. RHYL: Pavilion Theatre:

01745 330 000. RUNCORN The Brindley: 0151 907 8360. SALE: Waterside Arts Centre: 0161 912 5616. STOKE: Regent Theatre: 0844 871 7627. SOUTHPORT: Floral Hall: 0844 847 2380. ST HELENS: Theatre Royal: 01744 756000. Citadel: 01744 735436. WOLVERHAMPTON Grand Theatre: 01902 429212.

Go on . . . treat yourself! Manchester Palace Theatre. Rock opera. Apr 14. Aladdin. Runcorn Brindley. Classical ballet. Apr 14. Down to Earth: An Evening with Monty Don. Mold Theatr Clwyd. Apr 14-16. Twopence to cross the Mersey. St Helens Theatre Royal. Straight stage play of the musical. Apr 14-18. Birdsong. Liverpool Playhouse. Stage show based on the world famous novel. Apr 14-18: The History Boys. Blackpool Grand Theatre. Alan Bennett’s new comic masterpiece. Apr 15. Steve Howe. Runcorn Brindley. Apr 15-18. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Salford Lowry. Apr 16. Billy and Wally’s Big Variety Show. Runcorn Brindley. Apr 16. Milton Jones and the Temple of Daft. Stoke Regent Theatre. Stand-up comedy. Apr 16. Motown’s Greatest Hits - How Sweet It Is. Preston Charter Theatre. Apr 17. A Vision of Elvis. Runcorn Brindley. Tribute to Elvis Presley. Apr 17. Dancing Queen. St Helens

Royal Theatre. 70’s party show. Apr 17. Halfway to Paradise - The Billy Fury Story. Preston Charter Theatre. Apr 18. Champions of Rock. Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Tribute to Queen. Apr 18. Halfway to Paradise - The Billy Fury Story. New Brighton Floral Pavilion. Apr 18. Soul Legends. Sale Waterside Arts Centre. Soul from the 60’s to the present. Apr 19. Hank, Cash and Cline. Port Sunlight Gladstone Theatre. Tribute to Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline. Apr 19. iMagician. Manchester Opera House. Magic show. Apr 19. The Hollies. Salford Lowry. Apr 19-23. Twopence To Cross The Mersey. New Brighton Floral Pavilion. Stageplay of the musical. Apr 20-25: And Then There Were None. Blackpool Grand Theatre. Agatha Christie’s stage adaptation of her bestselling mystery novel. Audio Described, Fri Apr 24.

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April/May 2015

All Together NOW!

CONGRATULATIONS to The Brindley’s Andy Spokes and the team who have won an award for making the venue great for people with disabilities. The Kitemark Award was given to the team by Halton Speak Out, an organisation that teaches self-advocacy. They praised the accessibility and signage at the popular venue, as well as the helfpulness of the staff. This award is the latest of a series of gongs given to The Brindley over its 10-year history.

KIDS CHILL

HE Royal Shakespeare Company are pretty laid back about a forthcoming performance of Matilda the Musical.

That’s not to say they are overconfident – the easy-going attitude is all part of the plan to welcome people with autism or learning disabilities. After last year’s sell-out of the first “relaxed performance” of Matilda The Musical, the RSC is putting on another at London’s Cambridge Theatre on Sunday, June 14, at 3pm. Lighting and sound levels will be adjusted to soften their impact and designated chill-out areas will be provided outside the auditorium.

Apr 21-25. Blood Wedding. Liverpool Everyman. Disabled theatre company Graeae’s radical, contemporary take on a classic. Apr 23. The Sherry Babys. Bolton Octagon. Tribute to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Apr 24. Mercury. Port Sunlight Gladstone Theatre. Tribute to Freddy Mercury and Queen. Apr 24. Renaissance. St Helens Citadel. Progressive rock pioneers. Apr 24. Rock ‘N’ Roll Paradise. Southport Floral Hall. Rock ‘n’ roll show. Apr 25. King of Pop. Rhyl Pavilion Theatre. Tribute to Michael Jackson. Apr 25. Patrick Monahan. Runcorn Brindley. Stand-up comedy. Apr 25. The Johnny Cash Roadshow. Runcorn Brindley. Tribute to Johnny Cash. Apr 25. Vesbim Floyd’s ‘The Wall Live’. St Helens Theatre Royal. Tribute to Pink Floyd. Apr 26. Milton Jones. Salford Lowry. Stand-up comedy. Apr 26. Sing-A-Long-A Frozen. St Helens Theatre Royal. Sing along with

Reduced ticket prices – £25 and £10 – can be booked through the RSC ticket hotline. All bookers will be sent a visual story to help them familiarise themselves with the plot, characters and the setting before they arrive at the theatre. Mark Lever, chief executive of the National Autistic Society, said: “Trips to the theatre can pose enormous challenges to those living with autism, but productions like these which are tailored, particularly to their sensory needs, enable whole families to experience the thrill of live theatre together.” n RSC Ticket Hotline 0844 800 1110 n www.matildathemusical.com

Disney’s Frozen. Apr 26. Ugly Duckling. Sale Waterside Arts Centre. Puppet Show. Apr 27. The Carpenters Story. Manchester Palace Theatre. Tribute to The Carpenters. Apr 27-May 2. Blood Brothers. Rhyl Pavilion Theatre. Captivating tale of reunited twins. Apr 28. Sex in Suburbia. Manchester Palace Theatre. Comedy play about dating. commemorating the end of WWII. Apr 28-May 2. King Lear. Liverpool Playhouse. Shakespeare’s classic. Apr 28-May 2. The Woman in Black. Salford Lowry. Horror. Apr 29. An Afternoon with Anita Harris. Runcorn Brindley. Apr 29. Motown’s Greatest Hits. Manchester Palace Theatre. Apr 30. ELO Experience. Manchester Palace Theatre. Tribute to ELO. Apr 30. Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown. Runcorn Brindley. Stand-up comedy. Apr 30-May 23. The Ancient Secret of Youth and the Five Tibetans. Bolton Octagon. Audio Described,

Thu May 14, 7.30pm. Signed, Thu May 21, 7.30pm. May 1. Otis Grand. St Helens Citadel. Classic electric blues guitar. May 1. The Simon and Garfunkel Story. Llandudno Venue Cymru. Tribute to Simon and Garfunkel. May 2. Showaddywaddy. New Brighton Floral Pavilion. May 2. That’ll Be The Day. Llandudno Venue Cymru. Rock ‘n’ roll variety show. May 3. Dara O Briain: Crowd Tickler. Liverpool Empire. Stand-up comedy. May 4-9. Derren Brown: Miracle. Stoke Regent Theatre. Psychological illusion. May 5-9. Calamity Jane. Liverpool Empire. New production of the classic musical. May 6. Reginald D Hunter. Salford Lowry. Stand-up comedy. May 7. Phoenix Dance Theatre. Liverpool Playhouse. May 7. Rhydian. Rhyl Pavilion Theatre. May 8. The Simon and Garfunkel Story. Southport Floral Hall. Tribute to

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Simon and Garfunkel. May 9. One Night of Elvis - Lee ‘Memphis’ King. Southport Floral Hall. Tribute to Elvis Presley. May 9. The Illegal Eagles. St Helens Theatre Royal. Tribute to The Eagles. May 10. Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Manchester Palace Theatre. Rock opera. May 11-13. Dara O’Briain: Crowd Tickler. Salford Lowry. Stand-up comedy. May 11-16. Spamalot. Liverpool Empire. Monty Python’s musical comedy. May 11-16. The Mousetrap. Mold Theatr Clwyd. Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery. May 12. We’ve Only Just Begun The Carpenters. St Helens Theatre Royal. Audio visual presentation. May 12-16. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Llandudno Venue Cymru. Pantomime. May 12-16. South Pacific. Runcorn Brindley. Rogers & Hammerstein Classic. May 14. Alan Carr: Yap, Yap, Yap! Stoke Regent Theatre. Stand-up comedy.

May 14. The Carpenters Story. Blackpool Grand Theatre. Tribute to The Carpenters. May 14-16. The Cat in the Hat. Liverpool Playhouse. Family fun. May 15. ABBA Mania. Blackpool Grand Theatre. Tribute to ABBA. May 15-June 13. Night Collar. Liverpool Royal Court. Classic Scouse Comedy. May 16. Billy Ocean. Rhyl Pavilion Theatre. May 16. Sound of Simon. St Helens Citadel. Tribute to Paul Simon from Simon and Garfunkel. May 17. We’ve Only Just Begun. New Brighton Floral Pavilion. Tribute to Karen Carpenter. May 18. Brian Ferry. Manchester Palace Theatre. May 19. Russell Watson. Preston Charter Theatre. May 19-23. Barnum. Liverpool Empire. Musical following America’s greatest showman. May 19-23. Constellations. Liverpool Playhouse. Explosive new play about free will and friendship. May 19- 23. Hairspray The Musical. Blackpool Grand Theatre. Based upon Fri the film. Audio Described, May 22. May 19-23. Our House - The ‘Madness’ Musical. Runcorn Brindley. Tribute to Madness. May 19-30. The Bodyguard. Stoke Regent Theatre. Musical based on the film. May 20-30. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Manchester Opera House. Based on the classic comedy film. May 22. Solid Gold 70s Show. Rhyl Pavilion Theatre. 70s music. May 22. The Drifters. St Helens Theatre Royal. May 23. Strictly Come Dancing Pasha Kovalev. St Helens Theatre Royal. May 25. Singalonga Frozen. Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Sing along with Disney’s Frozen. May 26-30. Avenue Q. Mold Theatr Clwyd. Musical. May 26-30. The Mousetrap. Preston Charter Theatre. Agatha Christie’s murder mystery. May 28-30. Judy - The Judy Garland Story. Manchester Palace Theatre. May 29. The Cavern Beatles. Llandudno Venue Cymru. Tribute to The Beatles. May 29. The Doors Alive. Sale Waterside Arts Centre. Tribute to The Doors. May 29-30. Peter Pan. Rhyl Pavilion Theatre. Pantomime. May 30. Frankly Sinatra. Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Tribute to Frank Sinatra. May 30. Ken Dodd. Southport Floral Hall. Stand-up comedy. May 30. Lancashire Hotpots. Blackpool Grand Theatre. Music and stand-up comedy. May 30. Rick Astley in concert. Preston Charter Theatre. May 30. The Doors Alive. St Helens Citadel. Tribute to The Doors. May 31. Sex in Suburbia. Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Comedy about TAKE ME HOME! dating.

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Books

n River Book, a collection of Richard Hopley’s poems, Waterstones, £5 IT WAS in his late teens that the reality of life with cerebral palsy hit home with Richard Hopley. “I was noticing other young lads, holding hands with their girlfriends, which tormented and frustrated me,” said Richard, now 41. Then he encountered poetry, without even intending to, and it became the outlet for his frustrations, his lifeline and the subject matter for his first book. River Book took Richard a year to write on an iPad, using his nose instead of his fingers to activate the letters. “I used to use a big cumbersome computer and I was forever stretching, trying to operate a special mouse and standard keyboard. This hurt my back so a few years ago I bought an iPad and it speeded everything up. “Given my difficulties communicating due to having no speech, I find my poetry is like a gateway to expressing myself,” says Richard, who lives in Liverpool.

A feather in her cap n The Single Feather by Ruth Hunt, Amazon, £3.99

RUTH Hunt describes her first novel as one of the few to have a positive message about disability. The Single Feather has a disabled main character, along with a cast of other disabled and older characters. Rachel, the protagonist of the story, is an outsider in every sense. At the start of the novel, she escapes from her home and moves to the fictional town of Carthom, where apart from help from an agency who visit her, she is on her own. Writer and artist Ruth, from Burscough, Lancashire, said: “After one failed attempt at a book that now lives under my bed, I began The Single Feather. “I have had the benefit of being both able bodied and disabled, and one of the first things I noticed after my accident, was just how few disabled people I saw in public life, in films and on the television. It’s the same for novels. “Bar books for children, there are very few novels with disabled characters. So, it felt right for me to have a disabled protagonist.”

April/May 2015

ARIES March 21st - April 20th

than you expected. May’s New Moon on the 18th finds you celebrating an engagement, wedding, or commitment ceremony. Alternatively, you might become business partners with a powerful executive. The road to romance will be rocky in late May. Arguments over money, intimacy and obligations will threaten your domestic tranquillity.

Attention and acclaim will come your way in early April. This is a great time to go on auditions, first dates and job interviews. Be ready to accept an unusual offer near the 18th, when the New Moon invites you to take a bold, but calculated risk. The Full Moon on 4th May forces you to juggle your finances. The New Moon on the 18th brings more money and just in the nick of time. This is a good time to create a budget so you can make the most of your increased income. Organisation won’t be your strongest suit around the end of the month. Make sure to check and double check any documents that you need to send.

SAGITTARIUS November 23rd - December 21st

TAURUS April 21st - May 21st Money for luxuries will be more readily available during the first half of the month. Take this opportunity to splurge on a new computer, collectable book, or fun trip. A friend will ask you for a loan during the second half of April. Be ready to refuse. May’s Full Moon on the 4th forces you to make some radical changes to a close relationship. You simply can’t keep giving everything to a demanding partner. It’s time to carve out more time for your favourite activities. Don’t get in a power struggle with a religious or academic leader in late May. You can’t afford to make an enemy of such an influential person.

GEMINI May 22nd - June 21st You’ll acquire some valuable information or skills at the start of April. Use this knowledge to further your career. A Lunar Eclipse on the 4th marks the successful culmination of a creative or romantic endeavour. This will be a time of profound emotional fulfilment. The opening days of May find you going against the grain. The New Moon on the 18th invites you to rest, relax and rejuvenate. Spend some time by yourself. If you have to take a day off from work or hire a babysitter, so be it. It will be impossible to get a straight answer from a government agency or bureaucratic institution in the final days of the month.

RUSSELL GRANT CALLING . . . implementing efficient systems and organising a chaotic situation. Use the second half of May to work towards a cherished dream. Friends with good connections can help you reach this goal. Don’t hesitate to ask for their help.

VIRGO August 24th - September 23rd Someone will seek your expert opinion in early April. Easter could get rather tense, thanks to a family argument over money. You’ll have to demand your fair share of an inheritance or family business. The New Moon on the 18th brings a windfall. May’s Full Moon on the 4th finds you pressed for time. It will be hard to finish all of your errands on time. The New Moon on the 18th is ideal for scheduling an overseas Don’t be surprised if you have to revise a legal agreement in the second half of the month, when unforeseen circumstances change your situation. A wonderful opportunity arrives as May turns to June.

CANCER June 22nd - July 23rd The beginning of April is perfect for selling the fruits of your labour. Creative ventures will be particularly lucrative. A Lunar Eclipse on the 4th marks the successful end of a property deal. You will feel rather reclusive in mid-April. Don’t discuss your private life in early May, or a hidden enemy could spread some terrible rumours about you. The Full Moon on the 4th marks a turning point in a romantic relationship. The New Moon on the 18th is ideal for social pursuits of all kinds. You’re sure to meet a powerful executive at a party or professional gathering.

LEO July 24th - August 23rd Your star power opens doors for you, both personally and professionally, at the beginning of April. The New Moon on the 18th will inspire you to go on a glamorous holiday. Your career gets a big boost as April turns to May. The Full Moon on the 4th forces you to take care of some domestic problems. The New Moon on the 18th will find you assuming a different role than you have played in the past. You’ll enjoy

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LIBRA September 24th - October 23rd The opening days of April prompt someone special to make a declaration of love. Prepare to expand your horizons. The New Moon on the 18th is perfect for entering into a business agreement or signing legal papers. A good job is within your grasp, so long as you are willing to play second banana to a seasoned expert. You will hear more about this position on the 18th, when the New Moon prompts you to have talks with an authority figure. It will be necessary to get additional training as May turns to June. At times, you will feel as if you’ll never master a skill. Don’t worry; your diligence will eventually pay off.

SCORPIO October 24th - November 22nd You may have to bring an impractical colleague down to Earth on the 8th; there simply isn’t enough money to carry out their ideas. The New Moon on the 18th is ideal for launching a health regime. Taking an unusual fitness class will be a lot more fun

Early April will prove a fulfilling time for you, when you will gain all sorts of favourable attention for a creative endeavour. The New Moon on the 18th is ideal for launching an art project. Avoid going to extremes as April turns to May. Practice moderation in all things. Don’t inflict pessimistic thinking on your best friend or lover in early May. The Full Moon on the 4th brings an embarrassing secret to light. If you don’t have as much expertise in a certain area as you pretended, go ahead and admit it. The New Moon on the 18th is perfect for landing a steady job.

CAPRICORN December 22nd - January 20th You’ll find a receptive audience for your ideas at the beginning of April. This is a great time to work on behalf of a charitable organisation. Donating your energy to a worthy cause will put personal problems in their proper perspective. May finds you in a rather gloomy mood, possibly because you feel isolated and alienated. Reaching out to friends will relieve this depression. Jealousy could rear its ugly head at the end of May, when a rival tries to steal your amour away. This is a potent reminder to keep the passion alive at all costs.

AQUARIUS January 21st - February 19th Relationships take on a cosy, comfortable aspect at the beginning of April. Your family will be a wonderful source of support during the second half of the month, offering to run errands and even financial assistance. You’ll be very flirtatious in the final days of April. The New Moon on May 18th is ideal for buying a home, signing a lease, or expanding your current abode. You’ll resent a loved one’s attempts to make you settle down on the 25th. The two of you need to have an honest discussion about the future. Don’t mince words. Confusion over finances forces you to review bank accounts with a fine toothed comb.

PISCES February 20th - March 20th A Lunar Eclipse on the 4th allows you to pay off a big bill, which comes as a relief. If you’ve been looking for work, you’ll get promising responses on or around the 8th. The New Moon on the 18th brings an unexpected source of income. May’s Full Moon on the 4th forces you to cancel a trip or settle a lawsuit. Try not to dwell on your disappointment. There are better days ahead. For instance, the 16th will prove wonderfully romantic. The New Moon on the 18th will be equally gratifying, thanks to good news about a class or writing TAKE ME HOME! project.

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April/May 2015

All Together NOW!

CHECKLIST

THREE ROOTRAINERS TO BE WON ANYONE who has sown seeds or grown cuttings in Rootrainers will know how easy they are to use. Now, combined with special racks in prize packs from Two Wests & Elliott to be won, they are even more effective. We have THREE prize packages, each comprising a Rootrainer rack and four three-inch deep Rootrainer trays with covers to keep the seeds snug. The racks are 89.5cm long, 40.5cm wide and 15cm high (35.5in x 16in x 6in). They are made of lightweight, sturdy aluminium and are maintenance free. Each prize pack is worth £42.60. Rootrainers can be used for growing flowers, vegetables or herbs, under glass or outdoors when temperatures are suitable. The cells open like a book so that growth can be inspected or the plants transplanted with minimum disturbance to the roots. Each tray in our prize pack contains 32 cells, meaning 128 plants can be grown with the aid of each prize.

The rack is supplied flat-packed for self-assembly and is easy to put together with the instructions enclosed. It is safe, with curved uprights and no sharp corners or protruding nuts and bolts. n To enter the competition, answer this question: How many cells in each Rootrainer tray? Send your entry with your name and address on a postcard or sealed envelope, stating where you picked up your copy of All Together NOW!, to Rootrainer Rack Competition, All Together NOW!, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP, to arrive by Friday, May 22, or enter online at www.alltogethernow.org.uk Rootrainer racks also come in a two-level height (shown in our picture) for accommodating eight trays and a three-level size for 12 trays.

Putting down roots n For the full range of Two Wests & Elliott gardening products, go to www.twowests.co.uk

GET GROWING: A Rootrainer

OVING house is enough to shake anyone’s confidence. But there’s an extra worry for keen gardeners which goes something like this: “Never mind whether the kitchen is big enough...will my beloved begonias grow here?”

It is a wrench to leave a garden that has been planned, planted and nurtured over the years. But, like a new house, a new garden is full of opportunities. You can leave behind old problems such as heavy shade and a weedy lawn and enjoy features of the new place - perhaps a fruitful apple tree, a pond or a vegetable plot. With care, you can take many favourites with you. The best way is to start propagating new plants from old as soon as you think about moving house. Grow seedlings and cuttings in pots then, when you eventually hit the road, you will have a collection that is easy to handle and to transplant. Many flowers, such as foxgloves and campanulas, drop seeds that grow into young plants and can be moved into pots of soil ready for the move. As the plants will be young, they will grow vigorously once settled in their new home. Established shrubs and trees do not move easily and it is best to grow new ones from stem or root cuttings. Some, such as periwinkles, form clumps that can be dug up and cut into several rooted sections. Others, like lilac and snowberry, grow suckers – new shoots arising from the roots. A shoot can be sliced from the edge of a bush, with a piece of root attached, with a sharp spade. The alternative is digging up and transplanting but, however sentimentally attached you might be to, say, a rose bought to mark an anniversary, it will probably be too well established after three or four years to flourish again after excavation and transplanting. Taking cuttings is an easier option - and a good tip whether you are moving or not. Many kinds of trees, shrubs and climbers, including roses and fruit bushes, can be propagated from cuttings. It is worth trying any species, particularly from April to September. The ideal length for a cutting varies

TIME TO SPLIT: hardy cyclamen and Michaelmas daisies from plant to plant but most shrubs, etc, will root from 7cm-10cm (3in-4in) cuttings. Prune a healthy shoot from the shrub, cut immediately underneath a leaf joint and also cut off the tip. Then remove all other leaves except the top pair. It is best to take several cuttings and insert them in a pot of cutting compost where they will start to root before you move. They can be planted in the garden of your new home when fully rooted, which can take up to a year. Dipping the end of each cutting in hormone rooting powder will assist rooting.

Flowers that form clumps – bulbs such as daffodils and hardy cyclamen, and perennials like Michaelmas daisies – can be split. The best time for splitting is after flowering, in autumn or spring, depending on the species. First, dig up the clump. With bulbs, simply pull off a handful, put them in a pot with some soil and return the rest to the ground. With perennial plants, split young sections from the edge of the clump, each with a couple of shoots and a piece of root. Pot up some of them, replant some and discard the old, woody centre of the clump.

FLOWERS: In late April, sow lupin seeds in a nursery bed, 1.5cm (0.5in) deep and 15cm (6in) apart. Germination takes from two to eight weeks so don’t worry if, at first, only a few of the seeds seem to be growing. Plant in their final positions in October and they’ll bloom next year. PATIOS: Remove dead foliage from plants in permanent containers and scrape off the top layer of compost without damaging the roots. If the lower compost is dry, water thoroughly. Replace the top layer with fresh compost mixed with general fertiliser. SHRUBS AND TREES: Overgrown forsythia shrubs or hedges can be cut back hard as soon as they have finished flowering. On shrubs, take out the oldest stems to the ground to encourage new shoots. Trim winter-flowering heathers lightly when blooming ends. Do not prune shrubs and trees that have still to flower this year. LAWNS: If the lawn is in poor condition, April is the best time to apply a spring lawn feed, mosskiller or selective lawn weedkiller. Combined formulations are available. PONDS: April is ideal for pump and filter maintenance so fish and wildlife get the benefit of clear water throughout the summer. FRUIT: Watch for the welldisguised green caterpillars of sawflies on gooseberries and for aphids on currants. Squash them or spray with a contact insecticide. Keep the soil round fruit plants free from grass and weeds. VEGETABLES: In April, sow easy veg like lettuce, radish, beetroot and carrot and, if you are more ambitious, cabbages, cauliflowers, sprouting broccoli, leeks, parsnips, spinach and peas and, in May, French and runner beans. HERBS: Plant hardy herbs like chives, mint, sage and parsley in a bed or pots conveniently near the kitchen door. More tender herbs, such as basil, coriander, rocket and dill should be kept in pots in a warm place until late May. GREENHOUSE: Plant tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, peppers and aubergines in unheated greenhouses. Remove cucumber tendrils as they appear, to encourage crop production. HOUSEPLANTS: Many houseplants root easily from cuttings taken in spring. Insert short cuttings in pots of gritty, free-draining compost. Protect them from extreme heat and direct sun. Keep the compost slightly moist.

All Together NOW!

April/May 2015

The Accumulator Quiz

STARSPOT CROSSWORD Can you find the celebrity name hidden in this Starspot Crossword? Complete the crossword in the normal way then make a note of the letters contained in all the squares which are marked with shaded stars. These letters will make an anagram of the name you are looking for. 1

★

★ 28

★

★ 31

★

23 29

★

★ 33

★

ACROSS

DOWN

1. 6. 8. 9. 10. 12. 14. 17. 18. 20. 24. 25. 26. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 19. 21. 22. 23. 24. 27. 28.

Restaurant worker (8) Waistband (4) Animal’s foot (3) Group of performers (8) Dutch cheese (4) Pointed missile (5) Postpone (5) Appends (4) Make a saint (8) Purifies (8) Look stupidly (4) Plunder, ravage (5) Floral leaf (5) Developing insect (4) Respected (8) Religious woman (3) Urn (4) Desist (8)

Girl’s name (4) Belonging to them (6) As a group (2,4) Hurried (4) Scandinavian country (6) Card suit (6) Cattle farm (5) Common viper (5) Earnings (5) University teacher (3) Ultimate (5) Non-conformist (5) Whichever (3) Hiatus (6) Mysterious, secret (6) Distinct area (6) Reproductive germ cell (6) Animal enclosures (4) Strap for hawk (4)

Each question has four possible answers and is worth from one to 15 points. Circle your chosen answers and keep a record of your points total. Maximum total points 120. A B C D

Persian lamb Astrakhan Alpaca Nutria

QUESTION 11 – for 11 points: Which of these is known to sailors as a growler?

QUESTION 2 – for 2 points: Which TV comedy series featured the residents of Nelson Mandela House, Peckham? A The Royle Family B Only Fools And Horses C Keeping Up Appearances D Men Behaving Badly

A B C D

A very large wave A sandbank exposed at low tide An iceberg A whirlpool

QUESTION 12 – for 12 points: What is the real name of comedian Frank Skinner?

QUESTION 3 – for 3 points: What is a conch? A A marine mollusc B A type of lily C A type of horseshoe D A small brandy barrel

A B C D

Comedian Frank Skinner. See Question 12

Christopher Collins Graham Wilson Francis Stimpson Gerald Attwood

QUESTION 13 – for 13 points: Which country was known as Lusitania to the Romans?

QUESTION 4 – for 4 points: Which item of sports equipment consists of a tip, a waist and a tail? A Javelin B Ski C Badminton racket D Lacrosse stick

QUESTION 7 – for 7 points: Nick Hodgson was drummer in which indie rock band until his departure in 2012?

QUESTION 5 – for 5 points: Which bird has nostrils at the tip of its beak? A Ostrich B Kiwi C Swan D Vulture

QUESTION 8 – for 8 points: Which toxic substance is produced by the exhaust of motor vehicles?

QUESTION 6 – for 6 points: Only one of these words is spelled correctly. Which is it? A Garulous B Miscellaneous C Disertation D Whymsical

QUESTION 9 – for 9 points: What language was the native tongue of Jesus Christ?

QUESTION 15 – for 15 points: Which Greek goddess was the avenger of crime and dispenser of justice?

A B C D

Razorlight Arctic Monkeys Kaiser Chiefs Franz Ferdinand

Greece Portugal Spain Ireland

QUESTION 14 – for 14 points: Which laundering instruction on a garment label is a triangle overprinted with a cross? A B C D

Methane Carbon monoxide Mercuric oxide Red lead

Hebrew Aramaic Yiddish Arabic

Do not dry-clean Do spin-dry Do not iron Do not bleach

Pandora Arachne Andromeda Nemesis

KAKURO

THERE is just one simple rule in Sudoku. Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box. This is a logic puzzle, and you should not have to guess.

9 6 7 8 3 7 8 4 1 3 2 4 7 2 9 1 1 4 6 5 8 6 9 1 2 6 3 9 2 5 7 8 2 9 1 4

QUESTION 10 – for 10 points: What name is given to the fur of the coypu?

QUESTION 1 – for 1 point: In which children’s book do the characters White Rabbit and Mad Hatter appear? A Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland B The Borrowers C Peter Pan D The Snowman

SUDOKU

EASY

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DIFFICULT

8 9

7 3

3 4

1 9

REACH 450,000 READERS . . .

5 1 3

6 8 9

3 4

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5 1

FILL in the blank squares in the grid with numbers so that each horizontal or vertical line adds up to the total given in the box either to the left or above it. Horizontal totals are given in the top right corners of the shaded boxes; vertical totals in the bottom left corners. You can use the numbers 1 to 9, but may not use the same number more than once in any run. The number may be used again, however, in the same row or column but as part of another run.

TAKE ME HOME!

MEDIUM 10

12 19

24 31

14 17

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22 14 12

17 7

15 13

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April/May 2015

8 19

25 22

4 7

20 1

16 12

17 19

19 20

13 10

9 24

20 11

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ EACH number in our Cross Code grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. You have three letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check off the alphabetical list of letters as you identify them.

Telephone dialling pads combine several letters on one key. Here we have encoded several sets of words or items by using numbers rather than letters. Then we have divided them into groups of three characters and run all the names one after another to make your task a little more difficult. Can you crack the codes?

2 12

12 25

DIALLING CODES

CROSS CODE 6

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MISSING LINK Each pair of words has a missing word between them that acts as a link to both (e.g. FRONT – DOOR – MAT). The initial letters of the six answers (reading downwards) will spell out part of a house.

1 []’–

2 ABC

3 DEF

4 GHI

5 JKL

6 MNO

7 PQRS

8 TUV

9 WXYZ

Spaces and any punctuation marks are represented by 1.

1. Tom Jones hit singles 335 452 414 357 196 877 353 173 912 662 121 269 137 661 669 437 313 284 483 716 313 275 637 719 428 716 391 787 792 281 487 166 818 687 825

2. British sitcoms 329 589 186 937 719 371 646 478 371 767 743 431 328 437 183 316 659 136 657 126 314 677 371 252 252 333 718 431 633 423 167 361 255 146 877

4. Hobbies and leisure pursuits 782 671 265 532 846 413 474 464 174 686 472 749 142 733 646 414 653 124 739 282 446 417 466 846 417 246 846 415 648 846 418 724 677 688 464

5. Coronation Street 362 174 277 537 153 612 275 691 357 431 826 637 169 361 276 787 664 173 261 885 591 364 591 247 467 128 373 917 623 787 153 846 193 278 37

from

Characters

PATHWORDS

SPOT CHECK

Starting from the central shaded letter, move one letter at a time (up, down, right or left, but not diagonally) to find 12 patron saints.

Can you place the six dominoes (right) into the grid below in such a way that the number of spots in all four rows across and all four rows down totals 9?

3. Types of vocal music 496 612 259 776 172 715 855 229 167 286 746 175 246 766 412 467 253 176 863 352 912 426 766 162 374 425 122 684 253 122 722 765 312 268 282

TV’s

6. Car manufacturers 629 321 283 412 479 753 717 655 717 692 313 428 175 632 126 914 663 217 384 368 123 685 391 498 632 413 673 124 876 361 828 942 551 869 682

A MAKE A DATE

C I

WORD WIZARD

Here is an unusual word with three definitions, only one of which is correct. Can you identify the right definition?

E D

RIVLIN 1) An American pike-like fish, related to the sea-perch;

In which year did all three of these significant historical events take place?

BOX

1. The £1 coin is introduced in Great Britain to replace the £1 note.

GROUND

C M

B H T U S TRANSFORMER

A M O

TOP

––––

KEPT

–––––

MOUSE

––––

DOOR

HOME

––––

CRIER

BALD

–––––

SACK

––––

OWL TRACK

2) A shoe moulded from untanned hide, worn with the hair to the outside;

2. Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie is found in Bolivia and extradited to France, where he is sentenced to life imprisonment.

3) In archery, the notch at the end of the bow through which the string passes.

3. The first compact disc sound recordings are launched by Philips and Sony.

Add the given letter to the first word to make a new word. Clue: The uselessness of public service for the most part.

WAS IT? a) 1981; b) 1983; c) 1985; d) 1987; e) 1989.

_______ +F=F_______

ALL THE ANSWERS Pathwords: Cecilia; Benedict Of Nursia; Erasmus Of Formiae; Francis Of Assisi; Nicholas; Thomas Aquinas; Michael; Cuthbert; Joseph; George; John The Baptist; Vitus.

9 7 1 5 2 8 6 4 3

6 8 3 4 9 7 2 1 5

2 4 5 3 1 6 7 9 8

1 3 6 7 4 9 5 8 2

SUDOKU EASY

7 2 4 8 3 5 1 6 9

8 5 9 2 6 1 4 3 7

3 1 7 9 5 4 8 2 6

4 9 8 6 7 2 3 5 1

5 6 2 1 8 3 9 7 4

8 5 1 4 6 7 2 9 3

9 2 7 5 3 8 6 1 4

6 4 3 9 1 2 5 8 7

2 8 4 6 5 1 3 7 9

14 1

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Y Q K

16 3

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18 5

19 6

20 7

O M U

G N

A W

CROSS CODE

5 1 9 7 2 3 8 4 6

7 3 6 8 9 4 1 5 2

SUDOKU DIFFICULT

1 6 5 2 4 9 7 3 8

3 9 8 1 7 6 4 2 5

4 7 2 3 8 5 9 6 1

13 15 12

9 14 22

17 31 16

2 7

7 10

7 9

4 18

4 9 3 16 13

12 4

KAKURO MEDIUM

6 9 15

5 1 4 9 19

5 9 14

Accumulator Quiz 1 – A; 2 – B; 3 – A; 4 – B; 5 – B; 6 – B; 7 – C; 8 – B; 9 – B; 10 – D; 11 – C; 12 – A; 13 – B; 14 – D; 15 – D. Starspot Crossword Across – 1 Waitress; 6 Sash; 8 Paw; 9 Ensemble; 10 Edam; 12 Arrow; 14 Defer; 17 Adds; 18 Canonise; 20 Cleanses; 24 Gape; 25 Harry; 26 Sepal; 29 Pupa; 30 Esteemed; 31 Nun; 32 Vase; 33 Surcease. Down – 2 Anna; 3 Theirs; 4 En bloc; 5 Sped; 6 Sweden; 7 Spades; 11 Ranch; 12 Adder; 13 Wages; 14 Don; 15 Final; 16 Rebel; 19 Any; 21 Lacuna; 22 Arcane; 23 Sector; 24 Gamete; 27 Pens; 28 Jess. Star Name: JENNIFER SAUNDERS

Word Wizard No 2 is correct. A rivlin is a shoe. Dialling Codes 1. Delilah; Help Yourself; Sex Bomb; A Boy From Nowhere; Daughter Of Darkness; Whats New Pussycat; Its Not Unusual. 2. Fawlty Towers; Yes Minister; Porridge; Father Ted; Only Fools And Horses; Blackadder; The Office; Open All Hours. 3. hymn; calypso; rap; lullaby; oratorio; plainsong; chorale; roundelay; chanson; madrigal; canticle; barcarole; cantata. 4. stamp collecting; fishing; photography; gardening; golf; birdwatching; shooting; painting; knitting; trainspotting.

5. Ena Sharples; Ken Barlow; Elsie Tanner; Owen Armstrong; Sean Tully; Emily Bishop; Audrey Roberts; Kevin Webster. 6. Mazda; Audi; Chrysler; Rolls Royce; Fiat; Skoda; BMW; Honda; Peugeot; Bentley; Hyundai; Ford; Citroën; Vauxhall; Toyota. Spot Check A = 5; B = 2; C = 6; D = 3; E = 1; F = 4. Missing Link gear; under; trap; town; eagle; race. Part of house: gutter. Make a Date The year was 1983. Transformer Utility + F = Futility.

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Judo star Ben is championing blind sport JUDO champion Ben Quilter is spreading the word about blind sport. A London Paralympics medallist at the 2012 Games, Ben is the new patron of British Blind Sport. Ben was diagnosed with the genetic eye disorder Stargardt’s disease at the age of 10. But Ben has shown huge determination throughout his education and career, going on to win eight world and European medals, hold the title of European Champion and double Visually Impaired World Judo Champion, and win a bronze medal on home soil at London 2012. Ben said: “BBS does such great work to help children and adults gain positive sporting experiences. Joining them in their 40th year is a proud achievement for me.” n BBS: Tel. 01926 424247 www.britishblindsport.org.uk

All Together NOW! is helping and inspiring tens of thousands of people whose lives are affected by disability. But the charity needs to find ways to balance the books. You can help in a big way by becoming one of our loyal subscribers. For a suggested £15 donation (more, if you can afford it!) we will send you the next SIX editions.

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ABOVE: Jordanne Whiley and Yui Kamiji. BELOW: Andy Lapthorne, left, and David Wagner

RITAIN’S top wheelchair tennis players continue in terrific form as they prepare for an action-packed summer programme. Jordanne Whiley claimed her second Australian Women’s Open doubles title at Melbourne Park with Japan’s Yui Kamiji – and then went on to partner Lucy Shuker to win the Bolton Indoor Arena title and the Pensacola Open, at which Gordon Reid clinched the men’s singles and doubles titles. Merseyside’s Jamie Burdekin and Andy Lapthorne also finished runners-up in the quad doubles championship at Pensacola to American top seeds Nick Taylor and David Wagner. Earlier this year Lapthorn claimed his fourth Australian Open quad doubles title – and his second in successive years – with David Wagner. Next stop for the British players is the Cajun Classic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

ON COURT: Jordanne Whiley in action

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CHAMPION FEELING: From left, David Knott (Winchester), David Butler (Nottingham), Adam Knott (Winchester), Dan Roper (Hereford), Filmon Eyassu (Cambridge)

GOLDEN GOALBALL A N INCREDIBLE golden goal in a tense and exciting European Championship final sealed victory for the UK Goalball team – and clinched promotion to the European B League. International rookie Dan Roper scored the winner against favourites Russia after the teams had gone into extra time tied at 5-5. The only Paralympic sport designed specifically for visually impaired players, goalball soared in popularity after being showcased at London 2012. Played with raised markings on the floor, blindfolds are used to ensure an even playing field as participants locate the ball through sound.

Mike Reilly, CEO of Goalball UK, says: “We went to Malmo hoping for promotion, so when we knocked out Portugal we were absolutely delighted. “To then beat Russia in the final, and right at the last minute, in sudden death, was above and beyond what we expected. “With a young team, most of the goal scorers were between 18 and 24, our success is an indicator of what’s to come for Team GB. The sport is continuing to attract top talent with the team improving rapidly. “Our coach, Faye Dale, has only been in the role for 18 months and is already making huge progress with the team. “London 2012 was a watershed moment

Ready to make a racquet! TOP stars from three racquet sports are coming to the North West to take part in a major competition. The transplant contest is coming to Halton, Cheshire, for the first time on May 30 and will be an off-shoot of the annual racquets event, held at David Lloyd Leisure in Warrington each year on the same weekend. It has been organised by Transplant Sport, in partnership with Halton Council and Halton Table Tennis Club.

log on to

The badminton, squash and tennis competitions usually attract between 40 and 60 of the country’s top transplant sport athletes. Most players will stay in Halton this year, providing a boost for the local economy. There will be a transplant only competition in the morning, with singles, doubles and hard bat contests, with a more “sociable” doubles for transplantees and the general public in the afternoon.

for goalball, but the team’s success at Malmo just goes to show that everyone involved, from coaches and volunteers to players and their families, are focused on driving the sport forward and establishing Team GB as the ones to be beaten.” After convincing victories in the group stages including an impressive 11-2 score against Croatia, team GB’s 5-3 semi-final success against Portugal was revenge against rivals who had knocked them out of the tournament two years previously. Promotion secured, the team went into the final having already achieved their aim for the tournament. Brothers Adam and David Knott scored 17 goals apiece during the tournament earning them a position in the top five ranked scorers.

Fact file n GOALBALL was originally devised as a rehabilitation programme for injured soldiers returning from World War II. n The game is played by two teams of three players with a maximum of three substitutions on each side. n The aim is to score a goal by bowling the ball along the floor so that it crosses the opposition’s goal line. n It is open to both male and female visually impaired athletes, sighted players can also play. n All players wear eyeshades so that they are totally blindfolded.

TV cash ‘must help access to footy grounds’

REMIER League football clubs would be guilty of a “scandalous” failure if they do not use some of a multi-billion pound TV rights windfall to improve access at their grounds. So says the equality watchdog’s disability commissioner, Conservative peer Lord Chris Holmes. He spoke out in a blog for the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in the wake of the announcement that the Premier League had secured more than £5.1 billion from the sale of live UK television rights for the three seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19. Lord Holmes, who chairs the commission’s disability committee, wrote: “Previous research has shown of the 20 clubs in the Premier League, when it comes to access, eight fail to offer even half of what they should under national guidelines – a situation that has remained largely unchanged for several years. “Given the windfall the Premier League has just enjoyed, it would be scandalous if clubs don’t do more.” He said that people were right to ask whether Premier League football clubs are failing disabled fans, and added: “Whether it is access to tickets, spaces for wheelchairs or the views of disabled supporters – the beautiful game can be an ugly experience for some.”

Championship praise The Premier League is the organising body of the top tier in English football, and is owned by its 20 member clubs. During a mini-debate in the House of Lords, Lord Holmes praised Championship sides Derby County and Cardiff City for their work on access, as well as Premier League clubs Swansea City and Arsenal. But he also asked the Government what should be done to clubs which choose actively to flout the law and not make their stadia accessible. Last summer, the disabled peer and retired Paralympian Baroness [Tanni] Grey-Thompson told fellow peers that Manchester United was one of the worst offenders when it came to access, as it provided only 42% of the number of spaces for wheelchair-users that it should. Level Playing Field (LPF), the user-led organisation that works to improve access to sporting venues, has also appealed to the Premier League to give disabled fans a better deal. Joyce Cook, LPF’s chair, said: “Disabled fans have endured poor conditions at many top clubs for far too long.” LPF called on the Premier League to ring-fence 1% of its new funding for 2016-17 to spend on improving access for disabled people at grounds in both the Premier League and the lower TAKE ME HOME! professional leagues.

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OR THE past nine years your FREE All Together NOW! newspaper has been helping and inspiring hundreds of thousands of readers across the region with its unique content.

But publishing newspapers is a hugely costly business – especially in these days when so many organisations are continually cutting back on their advertising and promotional costs. We are now appealing to YOU – our loyal and devoted readers – to help us to carry on the good work by becoming a FRIEND of All Together NOW! By making a donation to the charity you will have the satisfaction of knowing you have a direct involvement in keeping this essential and unique news service in good fettle. Whatever you can afford to give will be gratefully appreciated. You can either complete the form below, text a donation from your mobile phone (DONATE ATNOW to 88802), or commit to a regular monthly donation via the Charity Checkout link on our website at www.alltogethernow.org.uk All Together NOW! is unique. YOU can help secure its future – and make it even bigger and better for everyone’s benefit. Thank you.

TOM DOWLING, editor Tel 0151 230 0307 news@alltogethernow.org.uk

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