Atn issue 77 dec jan 2018

SPECIALIST PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR

DECEMBER-JANUARY 2018

YOUR REGULAR NEWSPAPER IS INSIDE

Let’s get all wrapped up for winter

1. Wrap up your pipes as well as yourself

2. Find your stop tap and check it works

3. Keep snug with your heating on

Pipes, like people, need wrapping up for winter. It’s so simple to get your home ready with our top tips on page 2.

SPECIALIST PUBLICATION PUBLICATION OF OF THE THE YEAR YEAR SPECIALIST MEET OUR HAPPY HAMPER WINNERS

INSIDE

DECEMBER-JANUARY 2018

ONWARD CELEBRATIONS: Yazz Ahmed, operations manager O2 with Tom Dowling, editor, and BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin

UPWARD! p3

AND

SIR BERT MASSIE

SUCCESS TINGED WITH p16-17 SADNESS

FRANK HARRIS

2

All Together NOW!

What’s inside NEWS

p2-6

STEVE MORGAN FOUNDATION

p7

CHRISTMAS FIRE WARNING

p8

NORTH WEST ELECTRICITY

NEWS

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December/January 2018

Sir Ken’s New Year message

p9

CAREZONE

p10

MOTORZONE

p12

LORD MAYOR’S CHARITY APPEAL p14 Da VINCI MOBILITY

p15

CONTACT BOARD LEGALZONE HEALTH

p18

p19

p20-21

SKILLZONE

p23

THEATREZONE

BOOKS/HOROSCOPE GARDENING

PUZZLEZONE

p24-35 p26

p27

p28-29

SPORT

Sir Ken Dodd, (speaking on his 90th birthday)

FLASHBACK: Sir Ken with the late and great Walter Huntley, who did so much for All Together NOW!

p30-31

Editor: Tom Dowling

email: news@alltogethernow.org.uk

Legal Affairs, Corporate Social Responsibility, Philanthropy editor: Steve McDermott

Editorial Support: Gerry Corner

Advertising/sponsorship 0151 230 0307

email: sales@alltogethernow.org.uk

IT Support: Ken Almond Website: Pharos Design www.alltogethernow.org.uk

NEXT EDITION

TUESDAY 30 January 2018

All Together NOW! is published

by All Together Now! Ltd, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP

Registered Charity No.1106387 Company No. 5096931

Fears over over 60s living on the streets

Treasure your memories. Being alive is a wonderful experience.

Enjoy every second of it, or if you can’t enjoy it yourself, then help someone else to enjoy their life.

To give happiness to others is a wonderful way to spend your time.

p22

FLASHBACK

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Radio show targets older listeners

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WEEKLY radio show aimed at older listeners – especially those who don’t get out much – has aired on the community station Wythenshawe FM 97.2.

The Out to Lunch with Silver Seniors show, broadcasts on the Manchester station on Mondays between noon and 2pm.

It features helpful agencies and groups, community centres, nursing homes, care homes,

Council Approved Contractor & Suppliers Covering The Northwest

music from yesterday including a sing-a-long spot, and a some tunes from today – “just to keep us young at heart,” says presenter Roz Johnson.

PICTURED: From left, Roz Johnson, (Monday, Out to Lunch for Seniors), Ian Hills (news team), John Lowry (Saturday Irish Connection), Martin Williams (Friday, Out to Lunch), Barry Neale (Saturday afternoons), Sandra Shufflebottom (Thursday Drivetime). n Wythenshawe FM 97.2: Tel. 0161 499 0222.

Free Home Demonstrations

SALES, REPAIR & SERVICING OF ALL MOBILITY & DISABILITY PRODUCTS

THE NATION is facing a “ticking time bomb” in the number of homeless older people.

That’s the warning from the organisation that represents councils.

The Local Government Association says older homelessness is a growing hidden problem that needs to be faced.

Latest figures show that between April and June this year, councils accepted 620 people aged over 60 as homeless – at a rate of nearly 10 a day.

This is up from the 270 accepted between October and December 2009, which was the lowest since records began in 2005.

The LGA, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, is warning that based on existing trends, this is set to double by 2025.

Older homeless people are presenting to councils with a range of complex health conditions.

Councils often cite the rapidly increasing rents and stagnating household incomes as key factors driving the increase.

As well as physical health problems, older people experiencing homelessness are also more likely to suffer from mental illness.

The LGA’s new report, The Impact of Homelessness on Health, says that the rising number of older homeless will create significant extra pressures for councils.

While there is an understanding of the link between homelessness and health for young people, little is known about those experiencing homelessness later in life.

Call Us On:

01744 602602 Also At:

0151 423 3738

SPECIALIST PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

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OUR free and favourite All Together NOW! newspaper scooped the Specialist Publication of the Year title at the O2 Media Awards – and football legends Ian St John and Roger Hunt were first to congratulate the team.

December/January 2018

JOY TINGED WITH GREAT SADNESS ... CENTRE PAGES They also commented on the free newspaper’s colourful design and its excellent content.

First in line to salute the All Together NOW! team were the former Liverpool FC and international footballers Roger Hunt and Ian St John.

And Ian, who had just been presented – by Roger – with a special O2 Stand Out award, marking his 38 years in broadcasting, said: “I am really surprised to be honoured with this award, but I am

also delighted for All Together NOW! “It’s a brilliant publication and one that is very much needed, especially as so many disabled and older people just don’t know about what’s out there to help them.

“All Together NOW! is a great charity and I hope it keeps getting the support it needs to develop its work across the region.”

Editor Tom Dowling said: “This award is a great testament to all our supporters

What a cracker!

Judges at the O2 Media Awards told an audience of 300 journalists and media executives at a glittering ceremony in Manchester City FC’s Etihad Stadium: “This is a fantastic publication which deserves recognition.”

Football legends salute All Together NOW! n All Together NOW! is a registered charity set up to provide a tip top news service for anyone whose life is affected by disability, long-term health condtions or age. n The charity – the only one of its kind in the UK – relies entirely on support from its sponsors, advertisers, subscriptions and donations.

GREAT PAPER: Roger, left, and Ian with editor Tom Dowling.

PICTURE: TONY MILLER

0151 230 0307 See page 32

All Together NOW!

who have been helping us during these past 12 years.

“Newspapers all over the country are experiencing huge drops in circulations, and are being forced to close.

“It’s also extremely tough for us, especially as the paper is free, but we just cannot keep up with demand for the paper. More and more people are asking for copies all over the region, but our resources are stretched to the limit.

“Hopefully, we can build on this latest recognition and attract one or two more commercial partners during 2018.”

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All Together NOW!

NEWS

December/January 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

MS patients living in OAP care homes

MORE than 3,300 people under 65 with conditions like MS or autism are living in care homes for older people in England, a new study has shown.

“It is fundamentally wrong that younger adults with MS are living in older people’s care homes in such numbers,” said Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of the MS Society.

“These facilities are rarely equipped to meet all of their needs, and this can have a hugely detrimental impact on quality of life and mental health.

“In 20 years, we’ve seen at least 10 government consultations and reviews on social care, but haven’t seen the change we urgently need.”

Mark Lever, co-chair of the Care and Support Alliance, and chief executive of The National Autistic Society, added: “More than a million disabled and older people don’t get the care they need.

“And while more and more of us are living longer, and many of us are living longer with disabling conditions, shrinking funding means we are less and less likely to get care.

“We must have a system that provides people with the care they need, when they need it. The Government must act urgently to bring forward plans to address the care crisis.” n MS Society: Tel. 0208 827 0208.

Autism friendly move

A BUILDING society is trialling autism friendly hours in its branches.

Designated quiet periods, reduced background noise and greater availability of office space are to be offered to create a more welcoming environment for autistic people.

And Nationwide Building Society will offer customers information about what to expect at a branch.

Being piloted in Worcestershire, the scheme is supported by the National Autistic Society. If successful, it will be rolled out across the Nationwide’s entire network.

Mark Lever, chief executive at the National Autistic Society, said: “We know that as many as 64% of autistic people avoid going to shops and businesses due to feeling overwhelmed by noise, environment and because staff don’t understand their autism.

“I am confident that many people will feel relief that Nationwide is offering this crucial initiative.” n Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. n In the UK around one in 100 people are on the autistic spectrum, equating to around 700,000 people and affecting three million family members. n And with more than 15 million members, the Society recognises many of its customers will be affected by the condition, either personally or through friends or family.

Dancers put a new spin on gospel show

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UNIQUE theatre group has been hitting all the right notes at a major gospel music concert on Merseyside.

Members of the Sefton-based New Centre Stage drama project were invited to take part in the Big Sing event staged by Crosby’s In Another Place Gospel Choir at Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School.

The project – run by adult social care provider New Directions – includes older residents and other adults with disabilities and mental health issues.

Denise Airey of New Centre Stage, who directed the creative dancing, said: “I am very proud of the efforts of all our members whose movements complemented the wonderful singing of the choir so perfectly.”

New Centre Stage frequently stages performances

in its own right, with previous successes including the group’s take on hit musicals like Grease, Scrooge and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

The group’s most recent successful production, Musical Memories, took audiences on an 80-year journey from classic shows like South Pacific and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers to present-day hits like Jersey Boys and Beauty and the Beast.

Dave Hughes, New Directions business development manager, said: “New Centre Stage has a justifiably excellent reputation, and the creative dance performances at this concert demonstrate both the talent and versatility of group members.”

TERRIFIED TO LEAVE HOME

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ANY disabled people are afraid to got out in their local communities, says a leading national charity.

One in three disabled people have experienced hostility due to their disability, and one in five who have been a victim of crime say it was motivated by their disability, says Leonard Cheshire Disability Similar numbers say hostile behaviour has prevented them going out in their local area.

One in four disabled people who experience crimes motivated by their disability didn’t report it to police.

Neil Heslop, chief executive of Leonard Cheshire Disability, said: “Hate crime can be totally devastating for disabled people and rob them of their confidence.

“Some survivors have been left so traumatised they remain trapped in their homes out of fear.

“Large numbers of hate crime incidents against disabled people go unreported simply because victims don’t know how to report these crimes.

“In some instances, disabled people may think that no one will even listen.

“As well as greater awareness of disability hate crime and its impact, we need more services that support victims in recovering from their ordeals.”

n New Directions: Tel. 0151 934 2572.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

A tale of two tolls..

SIR: REGARDING the new Widnes bridge and the question of toll concessions for Blue Badge holders.

Why do different rules and concessions apply to disabled drivers crossing the Widnes bridges and the Mersey Tunnels – especially as we are all part of the new City Region? Reg Williams, Frodsham

A SPOKESMAN for the Mersey Gateway says: “The answer is that the Mersey Gateway and Mersey Tunnels are completely separate toll roads and projects and thus are subject to their own rules and regulations.”

HALF A MILLION READERS . . .

‘A drastic shortage’ of music therapists

THE benefits of music therapy have been recognised for more than 70 years – and play a vital role in helping people with dementia.

But a new study finds a “drastic shortage” of music therapists who can offer support for people with dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Society forecasts that by 2025 there will be one million people with dementia in the UK but currently, the British Association of Music Therapists lists just 138 qualified therapists registered as working with elderly people.

Daniel Thomas, managing director of Chroma, the UK’s leading national arts therapy provider, said that, given the weight of scientific evidence about the benefits of Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), more therapists were needed.

Mr Thomas said: “Neurologic Music Therapy offers Alzheimer’s and dementia patients an escape – a means through which they can regain a sense of personal identity, recall their most significant life experiences, and once again recognise their beloved family and friends.

“It is vital that people are given the opportunity to benefit from this unique intervention. However, with something close to an epidemic of dementia on the horizon, there are simply not going to be anywhere near enough music therapists to meet forthcoming needs. Indeed, we foresee a drastic shortage.”

He added: “There is certainly evidence that interest in NMT for dementia is increasing and some care organisations are starting to invest quite large sums.

“However, much more could be done.”

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

December/January 2018

‘BEST NEWS OF THE YEAR!’ G

RANDMOTHER of five Catherine Nugent was so surprised when we called to tell her that she was the lucky winner of our top-of-the range Park Empire hamper competition, that she thought someone was playing a joke on her.

“It’s incredible . . . unbelievable,” she exclaimed.

“I’ve never won anything in my life, not even when I went to bingo: it was always my friend who won.

“It will take me all day to come down from

by CHRIS GROVES

cloud nine. It’s just wonderful news.”

Cathy, together with husband Edward, a retired postie, from Clough Road, Speke, and the families of their two sons, will certainly have a Christmas to remember.

“Our Christmas has already started,” said Cathy. “The family is so excited. They’ve checked out the amazing contents of the hamper on the All Together NOW! website.

“It’s the best news of the year!”

Cathy, who delivered meals on wheels for many years, is a regular reader of

All Together NOW!

LUCKY WINNERS: Cathy and Edward Nugent. PICTURE: KEN ALMOND

All Together NOW!, and first discovered the newspaper when she accompanied an elderly neighbour to receive treatment at Speke Neighbourhood Health Centre.

“I picked up a copy for something to read while my neighbour was treated,” she recalled.

“I found so many interesting articles and so much information. I popped it in my pocket when we were leaving so that I could finish reading it at home. Since then I make sure to call into the centre every time a new edition comes out.

“As someone with a disability I appreciate

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how much information is in the paper.

“I really think that everyone should read it, there are so many articles that can help with all sorts of issues, and so many positive stories.

“It’s a great newspaper and it’s free, and for the many vulnerable people who don’t have access to a computer, this makes All Together NOW! even more special.”

Chris Houghton, chief executive of Park, said: “We are delighted for Cathy and her family. The competition was hugely popular.

We wish everyone who took part a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

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All Together NOW!

MONEY MATTERS with GORDON VINER

Six of the best for the festive season

HERE are my SIX tips to save you some money in the New Year …

1. I have been an advocate of Santander 123 account, but as their interest is lower now, and they charge £5 per month, it is time to review and only stay if you are making a profit before the interest receipt.

2. Government figures show that despite a lot of publicity, about 50% of households are still on a standard tariff with their energy supplier. Use a comparison site and Uswitch to check if you can get a better fixed price option.

3. Similarly, many people have not checked their Broadband/phone tariffs for ages. Again use comparison websites as there are many deals around at the moment for standard and fibre broadband although you may have to agree a 12, 18 or 24 month contract.

4. Review any deposit accounts you have as the bank rate increased recently but only a small number of deposit accounts have reflected this increase. 1.95 fixed 1 year, and 1.3% with access are available, search the web.

5. With interest rates on the up, have you fixed your mortgage? If not there are plenty of fixed rate deals around, e.g.

1.95% fixed 2 years. Again search the web and fixed rates 2 to 5 years are available.

6 Do you shave? There are start-up razor companies offering very cheap razors and blade plus shaving gel, just for you to try and then they want you to sign a contract (not compulsory). Harrys, Cornerstone and Gruum are three to try.

Finally, remember if you sign up through Comparethemarket as well as a Meerkat toy, you get 2 for 1 cinema tickets. If you go once a week with a friend, this saves about £500 a year, so you could still pay a bit more for insurance, broadband etc. and still be better off.

Enjoy the festive season.

GORDON VINER FCA CTA

NEWS

December/January 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Polio love story creator backs dad’s charity

SCROOGE!

FILM maker Jonathan Cavendish, whose new movie Breathe tells of his father Robin’s battle with polio, has become a patron of the British Polio Fellowship.

Robin was given three months to live after being paralysed from the neck down by polio, aged 28, but lived another 36 years.

The charity’s CEO Ted Hill said: “Producing a film about his father’s life with polio is a brave act and with 120,000 people in the UK living with Post Polio Syndrome, Breathe is an important reminder of the devastation caused by polio, and

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EADING charities say disabled people have been let down badly by the Government’s autumn budget.

Pressure ramped up on Number 10 CHANCELLOR PHILIP HAMMOND

Neil Heslop, CEO of Leonard Cheshire Disability said: “There is precious little in the Budget that will improve the lives of disabled people or reduce their fears for the future.

“Many disabled people and their families are at breaking point, denied the support they need to live independently, or locked out of opportunities. This Budget will leave many of them feeling they have again been ignored.”

He continued: “Social care is in crisis and this is having devastating consequences every day. Yet the Chancellor was silent on support for working age disabled adults, who make up a third of all social care users.

“Many are struggling to cope with substandard care or unable to get any support whatsoever. But once again they have been overlooked.

“For seven long years disabled people have borne the brunt of austerity measures – and there is no end in sight.

“Just last week Equalities and Human Rights Commission research highlighted government changes to tax, social security and public spending results in families with a disabled adult and a disabled child losing £5,500 annually.

“The Government’s promise to make Britain a country that worked for everyone rings hollow for disabled people. They are still missing out on opportunities to achieve their goals at an alarming rate.

“Employment and education are

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that the battle to beat this terrible disease and its late effects is far from over.”

Jonathan said: “Dad was familiar with the work of the British Polio Fellowship and would be pleased I am now a patron of the charity.

“It is a surprise to learn that 120,000 people are still affected by polio in the UK. Mum and dad devoted their lives to raising awareness of polio, and I hope Breathe brings their lives and all those living with PPS into the spotlight.” n BPF, tel 0800 043 1935.

AN ACCESS expert has asked why 10 Downing Street – which has one of the most famously inaccessible front doors on the planet – has been presented with a high-profile access award.

Despite staff needing to bring out a portable ramp if a wheelchair-user wants to enter the grade I listed building through the front entrance, 10 Downing Street was presented with a Blue Badge Style Award, which recoginse venues that have “made an effort to attract guests with disabilities”.

Tracey Proudlock, founder of the leading access consultancy Proudlock Associates, and a former Government adviser on disability equality, said: “Getting out a portable ramp isn’t really a modern approach to providing inclusion.”

central to supporting independence.

Yet by the age of 26 they are nearly four times more likely to be out of work or not in education.”

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of the MS Society, said: ““The Budget has missed a crucial opportunity to tackle inequality and exclusion, or create a brighter future for disabled people.

“The fact there is no more money for social care is even more

alarming, and provides nothing to prevent the current crisis from worsening. The system desperately needs money now. Already one in three people with MS are struggling without the proper care they need.

“Unless the health and social care funding gap is

HALF A MILLION READERS .

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

December/January 2018

Making a difference T

All smiles

IT’S great to see how our Smiley Buses are helping more and more children to get out and about.

One of our latest beneficiaries is Clare Mount Specialist Sports College, in Moreton, Wirral.

Pupils have complex needs and follow a curriculum that includes lots of sports and activities outside of school to help them develop social and practical skills.

Trustees have also just awarded a record three more Smiley Buses, two of which are wheelchair accessible (for Activate CES in Kirkby and Sandfield Park School), and to Priority Youth Project.

HE Steve Morgan Foundation wants to help organisations who share our philosophy . . .

Making a Difference!

Chrismas crackers!

Created in 2001 by businessman Steve Morgan CBE – founder and non-executive Chairman of Redrow plc, and chairman of the Bridgemere Group of Companies – the Steve 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 our region.

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. n Contact us on 01829 782808

New centre, new hope . . .

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ELPING children to be more independent – and have fun – are among our main goals at the Steve Morgan Foundation.

So when we heard of the fantastic work being done by Wirral-based charity Stick ‘n’ Step to help disabled children, and of their dream to expand their services into Cheshire, we just had to help.

Now, thanks to our £260,000 grant, we have helped the charity to transform an old office complex into a state of the art centre right in the heart of Runcorn.

Steve Morgan CBE said: “It is fantastic to see the new centre being put to such good use.

“The impact of the conductive education children can access here can’t be underestimated – it genuinely transforms their lives and I am so pleased that our Foundation was able to help with the acquisition of this wonderful building.”

Amy Couture, Stick ‘n’ Step chief executive, said: “Over the next three years we will be able to support twice the number of children and their families that we currently can from our Wallasey centre.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Steve Morgan Foundation for enabling this expansion to take place.”

Happy Heidi!

STEPPING TO IT: Trustees of the Steve Morgan Foundation at the new Stick ‘n’ Step centre in Runcorn

www.stevemorganfoundation.org.uk Tel 01829 782808

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HE Steve Morgan Foundation helped to make it a perfect 10th birthday for Heidi, who has cerebral palsy and autism.

Heidi’s mum, Allison, applied to our Enable fund for assistance to get a Tomcat trike, which will improve Heidi’s muscle tone and independence.

Allison said: “We are extremely grateful for the wonderful generosity of the Steve Morgan Foundation.

“It means so very much to us that you’ve given her the chance to gain her independence and confidence, as

she is limited to what she can do.

“She absolutely loves her bike and couldn’t wait to show it off to her aunty, uncle and cousins.

“Heidi has had a fabulous day and to have the trike topped it off.” n The Steve Morgan Foundation Enable Fund provides support for disabled people who are in financial hardship to obtain specialist equipment that cannot be supplied by the NHS, Education or Social Services.

Beneficiaries must live in Merseyside, Cheshire (west of M6), North Wales or North Shropshire.

Steve Morgan Foundation

@stevemorganfdn

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Don’t let fire ruin your Christmas All Together NOW!

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T’S THE most wonderful time of the year: cooking the Christmas dinner, wrapping up presents, decorating your home both inside and out – there’s so much to think about at this time of year… and that’s before the festivities even get started!

But one thing Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is urging residents to put at the top of their Christmas lists this year is fire safety.

While fire safety is important throughout the year, the extra distractions of Christmas make it especially important to be vigilant during the festive season.

MFRS is asking people to take extra care over Christmas, when the colder weather brings its own challenges, to ensure that their families and loved ones are protected from fire.

Mark Thomas, Group Manager, Prevention,

December/January 2018

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service said: “Christmas is a time for festive cheer with family and friends. But fairy lights, candles and decorations mean it is also a time to take extra care to keep our loved ones safe from fire.

“To ensure you have the very merriest of Christmases, keep fire safety at the top of your list.

“Ensure you place candles in suitable holders and away from curtains, never leave food cooking unattended and, of course, test your smoke alarms.

“The colder weather brings its own menaces, too. Take care when using portable heaters or open fires to keep warm.”

And finally, from everyone at Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service: We wish you all a very

happy, healthy and safe Christmas.

Top tips for a fire safe festive season

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www.alltogethernow.org.uk

...

Never leave cooking unattended on the hob. The majority of fires start in the kitchen so this is a highrisk area.

Many of us enjoy a merry tipple over the festive season but be sure to avoid cooking whilst under the influence of alcohol.

People should avoid cooking while tired and should be careful not to fall asleep while food is cooking in the oven. Ensure cookers and electrical appliances are switched off after use.

Never leave burning candles unattended and keep candles out of the reach of children and pets, and away from the Christmas tree, cards, decorations, fires, lights, heaters, curtains or other combustible materials.

Candles should be completely extinguished after use and they should be placed in a correct holder.

Fairy lights should always be switched off and unplugged when going to bed or when leaving the house.

Check your Christmas tree lights conform to the British Standard (BS EN 60598) and are in good working order before use.

Always use an RCD (residual current device) on outdoor electrical equipment. This safety device can save lives by instantly switching off the power if there is a fault and can be found in any DIY store.

Heaters should be switched off after use and should never be used to dry clothes. They can start fires when things are placed too close to them, including curtains, furniture, Christmas decorations, cards and wrapping paper.

Don’t overload sockets.

Ensure only one plug per socket. Always turn off plugs when they are not in use, except those that are designed to be left on, like freezers.

Electric blankets should be unplugged before going to bed.

Open fires should be properly extinguished before going to bed and people are advised to use a fireguard.

Close the doors to each room when you go to bed. This can prevent the fire spreading if it breaks out.

Do something good this Christmas: test the smoke alarms of someone you know who may need help such as an older relative or vulnerable member of the community, particularly if they live alone.

A working smoke alarm can give people the vital time needed to escape in a fire. Make sure you have a smoke alarm fitted on every floor of your property. Test smoke alarms regularly and never remove batteries. n For free fire safety advice call Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service on 0800 731 5958. In the event of a fire, get out, stay out and call 999.

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

December/January 2018

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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Electricity North West and we own, operate and maintain the power network from rural Cumbria to urban Manchester.

Our customers may sometimes experience a power cut due to a fault on the electricity network. Being without power can cause extra difficulties but we can offer extra support to you through our Priority Services Register, a free and easy to use service that can help you when you may need it the most.

Where we operate:

Cumbria

Benefits of being on our Priority Services Register: Regular updates

Receive updates about the services we offer and updates if there is a power cut in your area.

Lancashire

We can provide practical items such as blankets, hot flasks and torches to help support you during a power cut.

Nominated contact

Nominate a friend or family member for us to keep updated in the event of a power cut.

Weather updates

Receive text message weather alerts.

Password sign up

Register a unique password so if we ever need to visit you at home you feel safe knowing we are who we say we are.

Stay connected...

Greater Manchester

SHK0989

Welfare packs

You can sign up online at: www.enwl.co.uk/priority or call us on 0800 195 4141

All Together NOW!

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Terminally ill ‘too well’ for benefits

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WELFARE rights advisor has told how he alone dealt with 30 benefit claimants in a year with terminal cancer who had their claim rejected – only for every decision to be overturned on appeal.

In every case, the claimant has been terminally-ill with cancer but was told by the Department for Work and Pensions that they were completely ineligible for personal independence payment (PIP).

All were later awarded the highest rate of PIP by a tribunal.

Mr Duncan Walker, secretary of the Stoke and North Staffordshire branch of the Unite union, said in one case a man with stage four lung cancer was assessed in his own home, and was awarded no points (a claimant needs at least eight for the standard rate of PIP).

Mr Walker witnessed the claimant using an oxygen supply and having to stop and use it every few minutes.

But the assessor reported seeing “no signs of breathlessness”, marked “not applicable” in the respiratory section of the report, and said there was no need for a review of his case for at least another two years, even though he had been given three months to live.

The appeal tribunal took five minutes to overturn the decision, and he was awarded the two enhanced rates of PIP. He died weeks later.

Mr Walker persuaded Stoke-on-Trent Council’s adults and neighbourhoods committee to launch an inquiry into his allegations.

The council’s review concluded that the PIP assessment process was “distressing, inconsistent and not fit for purpose”.

His Unite community branch now plans to submit detailed evidence to an inquiry into the disability benefits assessment process by the Commons work and pensions select committee.

December/January 2018

www.alltogethernow.org

Find Find your your local local Carers Carers Centre Centre Page 20 20 –– Page

It’s time to look after our hearing

G

ETTING older is the single biggest cause of hearing loss – affecting more than nine million people in England.

People even moderately affected by it are three times more likely to develop dementia than those with no hearing loss.

And two in five people retire early due to the impact of their hearing loss.

It’s a huge and growing problem, says national charity The Ear Foundation, which has been chiefly responsible for producing the new Hearing Loss and Healthy Ageing guide.

Charity chief Melanie Gregory, said: “Hearing loss is a major but often unrecognised long term condition and is the leading cause of years lived with disability for those over 70.

“It is also associated with an increase in other chronic health conditions, including diabetes, stroke and sight loss.

“And it presents a greater risk of falling and more visits to healthcare professionals.

“The guide is crucial in informing public

and private service providers, commissioners and employers on the best ways to ensure they can meet the needs of those with hearing loss at different stages in their lives.”

Early detection of hearing problems for older people and the use of effective hearing technology can help people live in their own homes safely and independently.

Melanie Gregory said: “When hearing aids are fitted, and hearing loss managed well, there is a real chance of improving quality of life.

“However, around 400,000 older people live in care homes and are disproportionately affected by hearing loss, with approximately 75% of residents having a hearing problem.

“A significant number of these do not benefit from the technology as there are inadequate processes to support its on-going maintenance and use.

“All organisations involved in the commissioning and provision of care to

older people have a responsibility to promote healthy ageing and ensure hearing loss is well managed.

“We believe that Clinical Commissioning Groups have a legal duty to pay careful attention to reducing health inequalities under the Health & Social Care Act 2012 in terms of access to services and the outcomes achieved through the delivery of those services.”

The aim of the new guide is to help commissioners and providers to fully appreciate the impact of hearing loss on healthy ageing – and to understand what steps can be taken to promote effective hearing and communications management for older people.”

NHS England estimates that £14 million a year is wasted because of missed appointments due to hearing loss.

It is also estimated that at least £28 million a year could be saved in England by properly managing hearing loss in people with dementia. n The Ear Foundation, tel 0115 942 1985

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

December/January 2018

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End of the road for Roadshow

T

HE Mobility Roadshow, which has been providing opportunities for disabled and older people to find out about driving and other mobility options since 1983, has closed.

The decision has been taken by the Board of the Charity, Mobility Choice, which has run the event since 1998, in the light of falling exhibitor numbers over recent years.

In particular, the growth of the Motability One Big Day and other events, which many of the Mobility Roadshow exhibitors can attend free of charge, has had a bigt impact on the viability of the Roadshow.

Ann Frye, chair of Mobility Choice, said: “We are immensely sad that we have to close the event. We still believe that there are many disabled and older people, outside the remit of Motability, who need the unique opportunity we offered to find out if they are able to begin driving.

“We are in discussion with Driving Mobility, the charity representing the UK’s mobility centres, about opportunities for them to organise local events under our “Get Going Live!” banner which focuses on driving opportunities for young and newly disabled people.”

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December/January 2018

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OOKING for something to help you with your mobility needs?

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provides a wide range of mobility solutions for people with all sorts of needs.

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December/January 2018

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O2 Media Awards’ celebrations tinged with sadness

I

THANKS, F EVERYTHIN T WAS fantastic for All Together NOW! to be singled out as the winner of the Specialist Publication of the Year title at the O2 Media Awards.

For our charity newspaper to be even shortlisted alongside media giants such as Trinity Mirror is a great achievement.

But to go and scoop the top prize is the icing on the cake, and is a great testament to all our supporters.

But the celebrations at the Etihad Stadium in

S

KEN STOKES – INSPIRATIONAL

AD to report that one of my old ‘Everest’ friends’, Ken Stokes, has died suddenly, aged 67, writes All Together NOW! editor Tom Dowling For more than 20 years, from the 60s to the 80s, Ken was leader at the Ellesmere Port boys club and the Oasis club.

When I joined the Ellesmere Port Pioneer as a junior reporter, aged 16, I spent most of my time writing about his heroic outdoor adventures.

In 1974 he and I were part of the club’s four-man team’s road trip to Everest, which ended

tragically on a roadside in Iran.

As we slept in the club’s minibus we were attacked by armed robbers.

Ken, then aged 23, was shot in the head, while another bullet severed my spinal cord.

Miraculously, Ken survived the attack and he soon continued his fantastic voluntary work, helping the town’s young people to realise their dreams.

He was a huge inspiration to so many people, a gentleman in every sense, who rarely had a bad word to say about anyone – even to those who inflicted such terrible injuries on him.

EVEREST MEMORIES: Ken Stokes, right, outside the Taj Mahal, with (from left): Tom Dowling, Peter Cooper and Phil Wellings

T

RIBUTES have poured in for Sir Bert Massie, a man who made a “fundamental” contribution to disabled people’s liberation. Sir Bert died on October 15, aged 68.

‘

Manchester were tinged wit Frank Harris, our long-tim popular cartoonist, passed ceremony.

And a few weeks earlier, o columnist Sir Bert Massie, a inspirational friend, Ken Sto Their deaths are a shatter here at the newspaper.

Our thoughts are with all t

merger of RADAR and two other disability organisations, also paid tribute to his Always work: “On occasions, he courted outspoken, he had controversy from sections of the disability movement for not being no time for humbug radical enough but no one can and hypocrisy. doubt the enormous contribution Chief columnist for All Together I will miss his frankness he has made to enhancing our NOW! , Sir Bert’s long list of and acerbic wit. rights.” appointments included being chair of Disabled people have lost a Merseyside campaigner Kaliya the Disability Rights Commission, a champion just when they Franklin: “Disabled people and founding commissioner of the Equality the disability movement would not most need one. and Human Rights Commission be where we are now without the —Derek Kinrade, (EHRC), director of RADAR, strategic influence and vision of Sir commissioner for the Compact, a longco-founder of the Bert.” serving governor of the Motability National Tom Hendrie, head of policy and scheme, and of Liverpool John Moores Information communications at Cheshire Centre University.

Forum for Independent Living: “He came under He also served on the National Disability some criticism of being too close to the Council, the Disability Rights Task Force, and establishment later in his life but his legacy is the Independent Commission on Social Justice. still very real and positive in the lives of disabled But the majority of tributes focused not on his CV but people.” on his personal warmth, his sense of humour and Lord Sterling, chair and co-founder of Motability: “Over the generosity, and the decades he spent fighting for the rights last 50 years, Sir Bert worked with a great number of of disabled people. disability organisations, tirelessly campaigning for the rights of disabled people. Taking account of his own disability, his TRIBUTES: energies never ceased to amaze me.”

Professor Tom Shakespeare: “Few people did more to Neil Crowther, disability consultant: “He never gave up promote disability rights and inclusion in UK.” imagining the world could be a better place for disabled Former minister for disabled people Anne McGuire: “Sir people.”

Bert was a man of courage, conviction, vision and Brian Donnelly, executive director and founder CECOPS: optimism.

“Bert was a true campaigner, but he was never a Liz Sayce, who worked with him at DRC: “Bert was a giant complainer. He only asked for what was right and nothing on disability rights who made a massive difference.” more. Bert’s view was that a good cause is always worth Disability Rights UK (DR UK), which was formed from the fighting for.”

HOW YOU CAN PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE FUTURE OF THI HOW YOU CAN PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE FUTURE OF THI

December/January 2018

rnow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

ss as we say farewell to three of our key supporters

FOR NG!

17

with great sadness.

-time friend and extremely sed away on the eve of the

er, our campaigning ie, and my long-time and Stokes, also died. ttering blow to all of us

all their families . . .

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T

All Together NOW! editor Tom Dowling writes . . .

‘

he first time I heard Bert’s name was way back in the bitterly cold and snow-filled winter of 1963 when I was just ten years old.

SIR BERT MASSIE DL – TOP CAMPAIGNER column in the Liverpool Echo to help readers

affected by disability.

We To get some advice I phoned the boss of the have lost a rare country’s leading disability rights organisation. It human being. Bert turned out to be Bert … made a “Hello, Bert Massie here,” came the cheerful response. “A disability column in an evening wonderful contribution newspaper? Excellent idea – and I’ll help in any on a national stage and way I can!” provided excellent That was in in October 1983. And he has leadership to local been helping me ever since. organisations.

Bert spent his life campaigning for a better deal for Britain’s 11m people with disabilities.

— Steve Hawkins, Leaving Sandfield Park school at 16, and just Director, Local about able to read and write, his careers officer Solutions, described him as unemployable.

Liverpool But Bert knew differently...

I’d taken a shine to two sisters living in a terraced house in Tweed Street, Liverpool, just opposite White Rock Street where I lived, and was showing off my dodgy footballing skills outside their front door.

“I’m going to play for Everton,” I told them, while trying, and failing, to juggle the ball from foot to foot.

“Oh, yeh, and our kid is going to be Prime Minister,” came the instant reply.

They were talking about their 14-year-old brother, Bert.

“He’s handicapped,” said Audrey. “Polio.”

“And he’s in a handicapped school,” added Georgina. “He can’t play out.”

Bert had spent the first five years of his life in Alder Hey hospital, and for the next 10 years was carted off to residential schools for disabled children.

None of us kids ever saw or heard of him. It was as though he just didn’t exist.

It was 20 years later that I heard his name again – ten years after a bullet in the spine had left me disabled, too.

I’d been thinking of starting a new disability-focused

O levels at 20, A levels at 22, a degree at 25, and jobs that took him to faraway places that most of us – including that careers officer – will probably never get to.

And that’s not to mention the OBE, CBE and a knighthood, which came in 2007, following his seven-year stint as chairman of the new Disability Rights Commission.

“Information is vital for anyone affected by disability,” was his mantra.

“It’s all well and good creating new opportunities for disabled people, but if they don’t know about what’s out there to help them then it’s all a bit of a waste of time and energy.”

“All Together NOW! is the key that opens a thousand doors.”

That was nice of him to say. But I’m certain that Sir Bert has personally opened millions of doors himself for disabled people – for those living with disabilities in the past, those enjoying life today, and for those to come.

FRANK HARRIS – TOP FRIEND, TOP CARTOONIST

FRANK HARRIS, the man responsible for putting plenty of smiles on our readers’ faces, sadly passed away on Wednesday November 8.

Frank’s Senior Moments cartoon strip, which took a sideways glance at age and disability, was one of the most popular features in All Together NOW! “Getting older is just a part of life,” he’d say. “You’ve just got to count your blessings that you are still around to enjoy those very funny moments – and there are plenty of them if you stop and look around – starting with yourself!”

I first met Frank in the autumn of 1976 when I joined the team at the Liverpool Echo. Clouds of tobacco smoke billowed from a screened area where Frank created his famous cartoons and illustrations.

“Don’t smoke,” he said, sucking a cigarette. “They ruin your golf – and kill you in the end.”

Considering our first chat was more than 40 years ago, when Frank was nearing his 50th birthday, he didn’t fare too badly.

Life, though, did become tougher by the year. Not long after retiring from the Echo,

HIS FREE CHARITY NEWSPAPER .. .. .. SEE BACK PAGE SEE BACK PAGE HIS FREE CHARITY NEWSPAPER

emphysema kicked in, his golfing days came to an end, and walking became an ever-increasing battle.

But he lost none of his brilliant sense of humour – or his love for life.

During his regular visits to the office with his wife, June, who died last year, conversation always turned to his wonderful family – son David, daughter Jill and their four grandchildren – and to All Together NOW! Frank took up drawing as a young adult and joined the Echo in the early 1960s.

He created the Willie cartoon strip in 1977. It was stopped briefly in 2008, but public reaction soon saw it swiftly restored to the paper.

When the Willie cartoon ended in 2009, Frank started his Senior Moments strip.

“It’s a real labour of love,” he told me. “It’s just great to be part of this paper. I hope I can continue for years to come.”

It wasn’t to be. Frank had a fall at home. He died four weeks later due to pneumonia.

He was 89.

— TOM DOWLING

18

All Together NOW!

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December/January 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

CARERS’ CENTRES

CONGRATULATIONS to the FIVE lucky winners of our fabulous Rembrandt tulip competition.

All winners will receive a pack of 30 bulbs, which are certain to give gardens an artistic boost next spring!

Mrs A Byrne, Cornflower Close, Hesketh Bank, Preston Jen Smith, School Avenue, Little Neston, Cheshire Mrs Doreen Monks, Church Road, Roby, Liverpool Miss A Sinclair, Rookery Rise, Winsford, Cheshire F Worrall, Wordsworth Road, Accrington, Lancs n For the full range of Suttons bulbs, seeds and plants, go to www.suttons.co.uk

Don’t ignore the real carers!

T

HE vital role carers play are being ignored in the Government’s on social care funding reform, say the national Carers UK charity.

Heléna Herklots CBE, chief executive of Carers UK, said: “The enormous contribution of the 6.5 million people who care – unpaid – across the UK was absent as the Government set out its process for reforms to social care funding.

Carers will feel that their contribution has been ignored.

“The vast majority of care and support is provided not in hospitals and care homes but behind closed doors by family and friends.

“Any consultation and communication on the future of social care must clearly state the importance of having the views of unpaid carers at its heart and their views need to be acted upon.

“The Government’s green paper is due to be published next summer but carers and those they support need action now.

“By next summer another 1.2 million of us will have taken on a new caring role and without enough financial and practical support they face a significant financial and health penalty.” n Carers UK, tel 020 7378 4999. Advice line (Mon/Tues), 0808 808 7777

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‘

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

December/January 2018

We have been overwhelmed by the response we have received since teaming up with this fantastic charity newspaper – John Howell, director at Harvey Howell

All Together NOW!

Bad news for people employing PAs

DISABLED people who employ personal assistants (PAs) will not be exempt from a new Government scheme designed to ensure that sleep-in care workers receive the minimum wage back pay they are due, HM Revenue and Customs has confirmed.

HMRC say that some individual employers of PAs are still being investigated over their failure to pay the full national minimum wage to PAs who had worked overnight “sleep-ins”.

And it insists any arrears owed by disabled

Campaigner targets train companies

A DISABLED campaigner is taking three separate legal cases against a train company, as part of his efforts to persuade the rail industry to improve the “lamentably inaccurate” information it provides on access to its services.

Doug Paulley says the information train operating companies publish on their own websites about access at stations across Britain often contradicts the information shown on the National Rail website.

This can make it impossible for disabled passengers to be able to plan their journeys with any certainty.

One of the legal cases Mr Paulley is taking against ScotRail concerns his efforts to book rail tickets for what he had hoped would be a trip of a lifetime to and from the north-east of Scotland, for a short visit to Orkney.

To make the trip particularly special he wanted to book firstclass tickets if possible, and was assured by ScotRail – despite what he had been told by another train company – that there were spaces available in first class for wheelchair-users.

After booking those tickets in June, he then discovered that ScotRail does not have any firstclass wheelchair spaces on any of its services, and that the company had previously been criticised for allowing wheelchair-users to buy first-class tickets which they were unable to use.

ScotRail had promised the regulator last year that it would ensure that wheelchair-users would not be able to buy first-class tickets.

Mr Paulley has fought about 50 disability discrimination cases over the last decade, one of which eventually saw him secure a ground-breaking Supreme Court victory on access to buses for wheelchair-users.

employers of PAs will eventually have to be paid.

But it is not clear whether those arrears will be the responsibility of local authorities who funded direct payments that paid for PAs, or if individual disabled employers will have to meet that liability themselves.

Other disabled employers of PAs may have funded that support themselves.

The Government announced it was launching a new “compliance scheme”, which will give

19

BRIEFINGS:

social care employers up to a year to identify how much they owe to staff who have been incorrectly paid below the legal minimum wage for sleep-in shifts.

At the end of this period, employers who have identified arrears will have up to three months to pay workers what they are owed.

Those who decide not to opt in to the scheme will be “subject to the full HMRC investigative process”.

Why aren’t you listening?

WHAT A CHEEK!

FORMER disability minister Penny Mordaunt, now Secretary of State for International Development

A

DAMNING United Nations report on the Government’s disability rights record has been dismissed by the former minister for disabled people.

Penny Mordaunt claimed the rest of the world could learn from her party’s policies, depite the UN condemning Tory austerity measures as a “human catastrophe” for the disabled community.

She was speaking at a debate in Parliament secured by the SNP’s Deidre Brock after the UN blasted the Conservative government’s “grave and systematic violations” of disabled people’s rights.

Deidre Brock said the Government’s austerity policies were responsible for causing disabled people “a river of human misery”.

And she said the UN committee had criticised the Government’s “austerity fetish” and had called on the Government to “backtrack” on its cuts to independent living support.

Deidre Brock called on the Government to promise to include disabled people and their organisations in its work to address the 80-plus recommendations made by the UN, and to ensure they were adequately funded for this work.

She also demanded a comitment to carrying out an assessment of the cumulative impact of all

by JOHN PRING

Government cuts and reforms to disabled people’s support – and to review the benefits system’s sanctions regime – as recommended by the report.

Labour MP Luke Pollard criticised the Government for failing to provide a full statement to MPs after the UN report was published.

But the ex-minister defended the Government’s record and said she wanted to “promote” its disability policies so that they could be a “catalyst for change elsewhere in the world”.

She insisted that the Government had “shown what can be done to facilitate disabled access, both physical and service-based, and how that can be achieved in co-operation with business and the third sector.”

Much of her response was not aimed at the contents of the UN report but at explaining why the UN was wrong to criticise the UK Government so extensively.

But she did say that the Office for Disability Issues was “reflecting” on how it could take forward the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s call for a “co-ordinated, UK-wide action plan” to implement the UN convention.

THE Government’s Accessibility Action Plan must address changing places toilets, shared spaces, and other issues, says the chair of the Women and Equalities Committee.

Maria Miller MP has written to Transport Minister Paul Maynard expressing concerns about the draft plan, which is currently out for consultation.

She says more must be done to address the recommendations in her committee’s report on disability and the built environment in order to improve travel for people with disabilities.

And while the actions on training of bus, coach, train, taxi and private hire vehicle drivers are welcome, they fall short of the recommendations of a House of Lords Committee report that such training be set out in law.

Maria Miller said: “Disabled people will not be pleased to hear that our recommendations, particularly on Changing Places toilets, shared spaces schemes, training and local authority guidance all appear to have been ignored.”

Give us power

THE RIGHT to inspect buildings that are flouting access laws are among major new powers the Equality Watchdog hopes to secure.

Stronger powers were needed to hold “powerful and wellresourced” Governments and large organisations to account, said the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

But it also said that it should be made independent of Government, and accountable instead to parliament.

The calls come in a blog to mark 10 years since the watchdog was founded by commission chief David Isaac.

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MEDICAL NOTES

Over the hill at 83?

You must be joking!

O

UR apologies to all our readers over 83 … but a new study suggests that you may be “over the hill”. What an outrage!

Researchers discovered that most pensioners are living life to the full, with the majority not feeling they are truly “old” until after their 83rd birthday.

Well, they obviously haven’t been talking to lots of our older readers, who we suggest may be more active than the people carrying out the survey.

The good news from the survey is that one in 20 of those who took part said they still feel like a teenager at heart, while three quarters still consider themselves as young.

And nine in 10 respondents who were in their 60s and 70s consider themselves as not remotely “past it”.

The study showed 69% said they still feel youthful because they have a positive outlook on life, while 58% said as long as you can still drive you were not “past it”.

Not surprisingly then, nearly eight in 10 said they were living life to the full or trying their best.

Over three quarters claim to be in good health – with 67% saying they were in fairly good shape and almost one in ten going as far as to say they’re as fit as a fiddle.

The poll of 2,000 over 50s showed 42% had no intentions of slowing things down and a fifth said they wanted to grow old disgracefully!

Almost half of those questioned describe themselves as a “whizz” at using the internet.

But only one in five were regular visitors to Facebook and just one in 10 use WhatsApp to communicate with family and friends.

One in 20 of those aged 50 or over are also frequent visitors of dating sites like Tinder.

The poll was carried out by FiftyLife, the low-cost over 50s life insurance brand.

REASONS THE OLDER GENERATION FEEL SO YOUNG n I have a positive outlook on life. n I still drive. n I look much younger than I am. n I have a Facebook account. n I travel regularly. n I still work. n I still dress young. n My grandchildren keep me young. n Being online makes my real age irrelevant. n I still attract attention from the opposite sex. n Modern life’s pace keeps me young. n I am still sporty. n I still like big nights out. n I go to the gym a lot. n I’m on Instagram. n I look great in my beach gear!

December/January 2018

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‘Older people are being overlooked’ Doctors fail to spot Type 3c symptoms A TOP professor claims older people with diabetes are being let down by the system.

Now diabetes expert Professor Alan Sinclair has helped produce a set of guidelines for treatment which he says should result in “longer, healthier lives”.

The recommendations, which are recognised internationally, aim to tackle the problem of frailty in over-70s diabetes sufferers.

Those involved in coming up with the ground-breaking guidance have called for a “clear

ROLE MODELS: From left, Colin Chatt, Karen Clark, William Baker and Beryl Barker with their medals

focus on patient safety” and early recognition of the deterioration of a person’s health as part of the overhaul.

“Frailty is now recognised as a new complication of diabetes in ageing populations and needs to be a priority for action,” said Professor Sinclair, from the Foundation for Diabetes Research in Older People at Diabetes Frail.

“This is because frailty leads to excess disability in diabetes leading to earlier institutionalisation, decreased

quality of life, and premature death.

“Yet early prevention and management should lead to longer, healthier lives.

“Quite simply older people with diabetes developing frailty are being let down and being overlooked.”

The document lays out a specific model for those working in primary, secondary and community care to help them understand how to prevent frailty and ensure the early management of the condition.

OUR 50 YEARS OF BEATING DIABETES I

T CAN be devastating to be told you or a loved one has Type 1 diabetes – meaning a lifetime of insulin injections, constantly checking carbohydrate levels in your food, and always at risk of other health issues.

If it’s tough for people today, spare a thought for what it was like in the 1960s when there was little awareness of the condition and when there was no nutritional information on food packaging to help you calculate insulin jabs.

Despite the daily challenges, people with diabetes can still – and do – lead full and exciting lives.

And four people from Liverpool, who have lived with the condition for 50 years, have been honoured by national charity Diabetes UK. Beryl Barker, 64, from Stoneycroft; Colin Chatt, 62, from Bootle; Karen Clark, 57, from Netherton; and William Baker, 72, from Fazakerly, were all awarded Alan Nabarro medals at the city’s Aintree University Hospital.

Beryl, who was diagnosed in 1965, said: “I lost a lot of weight before I was told I had diabetes.

“I remember going to school as a young girl and having my teacher sneak me sandwiches, as she was worried my parents were not feeding me properly.

“It’s safe to say my parents were shocked when my teacher raised her concerns. Soon after, I was taken to the doctors and diagnosed with the condition.”

Colin was diagnosed in 1961. He said: “Being young and not being allowed to go on school trips with your friends was hard.

“As a child you want nothing more than to run around and experience new adventures. One time I had managed to win a competition to appear on television but was later told by the company hosting the show that my health was too big of a concern for them to allow me on camera.

“The lack of understanding around diabetes back then was dreadful.”

THE health of people with diabetes is being put at risk because doctors are failing to recognise what type they have, a study says.

Most people who have Type 3c diabetes are being told they have Type 2.

Type 3c diabetes requires insulin therapy straight away, and the wrong diagnosis means there can be a significant delay in a patient receiving the right treatment.

It develops when the pancreas becomes inflamed, or part of it is removed, and eventually stops producing insulin.

Medical records of more than two million people were examined in the first ever study of its kind.

Researchers at the University of Surrey looked at the frequency of different types of diabetes and the accuracy of diagnosis.

Up to 97.3% of peope who have previously experienced pancreatic disease are misdiagnosed, typically with Type 2, showed the study in the journal Diabetes Care.

Delays in delivering the appropriate treatment can have devastating long term effects.

Researchers were also surprised to find that adults were more likely to develop Type 3c diabetes than Type 1 diabetes.

Professor Simon de Lusignan said: “Greater awareness of Type 3c diabetes within the medical profession is required immediately to improve management of this disease, which now has a higher incidence than Type 1 diabetes in adults.

“Our research shows that the majority of people with Type 3c diabetes are being misdiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, putting their health at risk.” n 3.8 million people in England aged over 16 have diabetes, around 9% of the adult population.

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December/January 2018

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All Together NOW!

MEDICAL NOTES Thousands dying as antibiotics fail

New clue to kids’ coughs wheezes

EXPERTS have singled out a protein that may be causing coughing and wheezing in children who don’t have any kind of allergy to trigger it.

Asthma is the most common noncommunicable disease among children, and is often linked to allergies, such as a reaction to dust, pollen, smoke or pollution.

In a new study, researchers found that the protein TRPV1 – which plays a role in airway disease through mucus production, cough reflex stimulation and airway narrowing – may be responsible for asthma-like symptoms in children, even in the absence of allergies.

Giovanni Piedimonte, pediatric pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic in the US, said: “Many people believe that asthma is essentially an allergic process and for years we’ve looked at alternative pathways that can make non-allergic children have inflammation in their airways and start coughing.

“Many young children cough and wheeze when they get infected by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – similar to an asthma attack – but they do not respond to typical drugs we give for adult asthmatics, and this study might explain why.”

Mr Piedimonte added: “One thing that characterises humans is the ability to cough. Unfortunately, we currently do not have good therapies for cough.

“According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, cough medicines should not be prescribed or used for children under six years of age.

“These products can have potentially serious side effects and they do not treat the problem – they just numb the system.

“Moreover, an FDA advisory committee recently declared ‘nearly unanimously that the risks of using certain opioids in children’s cough medications outweighs the benefits.’

“If one day we can understand better the mechanism of cough, we can generate medications that control it in a physiological way,” said Mr Piedimonte.

The study was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE

n A SEA of orange swept through Liverpool when 130 fundraisers stepped out for Maggie’s Culture Crawl Liverpool. n The walkers were taking on the 10km tour of cultural buildings across the city

N

EXT time you tell someone with cancer to “think positive, you’ll be fine” – you might want to think again.

Words like “brave” and “heroic”, used by friends and family with the best of intentions, are often seen as negatives by people living with cancer.

Cancer patients were asked which words or phrases they hear time and again carried the strongest negative associations for them.

Some of their answers were what you might expect, like “terminal”, “Big C”, and “victim”.

But others were more surprising.

Words like “battle” and “think positive” were also in the top 10 list of words and phrases that have negative connotations for people living with cancer.

The research, highlighting the importance of

centre to raise money for the cancer support charity. n The event is expected to make over £10,000 to help Maggie’s Merseyside at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.

language when talking about cancer, was carried out by Maggie’s, a charity providing free practical and emotional support for people with the condition.

Kathy Wright, at Maggie’s at Clatterbridge, commented: “People with cancer are often encouraged to be heroic, to fight and when people talk about cancer in this way, they usually mean well.

“But while some people with cancer may feel they gain strength by thinking of it as a fight, for others the opposite is true.

“Cancer can be a difficult subject for friends and family to broach, so at Maggie’s we listen as well as talk, and our centre and staff are always on hand to have the kind of meaningful conversations that people with cancer really need.” n Maggie’s Merseyside, Clattebridge Cancer Centre: Tel. 0151 334 4301.

AT least 5,000 people die every year in England because antibiotics no longer work for some infections.

And as experts predict that in just over 30 years antibiotic resistance will kill more people than cancer and diabetes combined, a major new national campaign – Keep Antibiotics Working – has been launched.

It comes as England’s Chief Medical Officer and experts around the world warned of a “post-antibiotic apocalypse” and “the end of modern medicine”.

The new campaign, from Public Health England, warns that people taking antibiotics when they are not needed put themselves at risk of a more severe or longer infection and urges them to take their doctor’s advice on antibiotics.

Antibiotics are essential to treat serious bacterial infections, such as meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis, but are frequently being used to treat illnesses such as coughs, earache and sore throats that can get better by themselves.

Taking antibiotics encourages harmful bacteria that live inside you to become resistant. That means antibiotics may not work when you really need them.

Trust your doctor

The Keep Antibiotics Working campaign urges people to always trust their doctor, nurse or pharmacist’s advice as to when they need antibiotics and if they are prescribed, take antibiotics as directed and never save them for later use or share them with others.

The campaign also provides effective self-care advice to help individuals and their families manage their illness if they are not prescribed antibiotics.

Paul Cosford, medical director at PHE, said: “Antibiotic resistance is not a distant threat, but is in fact one of the most dangerous global crises facing the modern world today.

“Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them puts you and your family at risk of developing infections which in turn cannot be easily treated with antibiotics.

“Without urgent action from all of us, common infections, minor injuries and routine operations will become much riskier.”

And Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said: “Without effective antibiotics, minor infections could become deadly and many medical advances could be at risk; surgery, chemotherapy and caesareans could become simply too dangerous.”

The perfect tonic . . . for HALF A MILLION people . . .

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December/January 2018

‘Access to Work scheme is in jeopardy . . . ’

THE FUTURE of the Government’s Access to Work (AtW) disability employment scheme is in jeopardy because of bureaucratic incompetence and a cost-cutting drive to reduce people’s support packages, according to new research.

The report, commissioned by Inclusion London, found that shocking levels of delay, error, and the de-skilling of staff were putting deaf and disabled people’s jobs at risk.

The Barriers to Work report, written by disabled researcher and campaigner Catherine Hale, is based on a survey of 320 AtW customers – more than half of whom were Deaf or had hearing impairments – which was carried out last year by the campaign group StopChanges2AtW*.

Marsha de Cordova, a disabled Labour MP and her party’s new shadow minister for disabled people, told a parliamentary event held to launch the report that poor policy and severe cuts had left the scheme “unworkable for so many of us”.

She said the reviews that led to people’s packages being cut ultimately will result in many deaf and disabled people being unable to stay in or retain their work.

One of the aspects the report warns about is the imposition of a cap – currently £42,100 – on annual AtW packages, which already affects new claimants but will not affect existing customers until next April.

The cap is expected to affect 200 AtW customers, of whom about 90% will be deaf or have hearing loss.

About 50 respondents said that without AtW they would be unemployed and reliant on benefits.

One of those who took part in the survey, Sayeeda, said: “The way Access to Work treated me was horrible.

“I was talked to in a way where the advisor thought that they knew better than me about the support that I need to do my job. It was always a very aggressive tone.”

Responding to the report, a DWP spokeswoman said: “We want more disabled people to get into employment and keep their jobs.

“The Access to Work grant can provide over £40,000 of practical support a year, which is tailored to individuals’ needs and can include travel to work, support workers and specialist equipment.

“We continuously review the scheme to make sure it’s working in the best way possible, and last year we launched a digital service to make the application process more accessible and efficient.

“Last year 25,000 people had their request approved

by Access to Work, an increase of 8% from 2015-16.”

WORKING TOGETHER: Cllr Nick Small, students Adam Farah and John Stanton and Marriott Hotel HR manager Becky Cooper

The doorway to work . . .

O

NLY a very small minority of young people with learning disabilities are lucky enough to be employment.

But the people behind a new job placement scheme are hoping to change things in a big way.

The new Supported Internships programme, launched by Liverpool city council, is giving students at Sandfield Park school, Bank View High school and Myerscough college a great chance to sample day-to-day life in different work situations.

Students work four days a week, supported by a work coach, and spend a fifth day in the classroom to develop employability skills.

Liverpool’s Marriott Hotel, Hilton Hotel and the council’s grounds maintenance partner Glendale Liverpool are currently providing the placements.

John Stanton, aged 17, from Sandfield Park, who is working at the Liverpool Marriott Hotel in Queen Square, said: “I think supported internships are good as it gives me a chance to work. I would like to get a job here when the internship has finished.

“I enjoy everything about the placement. I love getting up the mornings to go to work and doing jobs really well and I am proud of myself.”

Councillor Nick Small, assistant mayor and cabinet member for schools, said: “Far too few young people with special needs achieve their potential because they are not given the opportunity to work.

“Everyone can make a contribution to

society if they are given the chance, and we need to do far more to integrate young people with special needs into the workforce, rather than institutionalising them and – in many cases - leaving them languishing in the care system.

“The eventual aim is for every young person with disabilities who wants it to be given the chance to get paid employment.”

Sarah Spoor, learning mentor and inclusion officer at Sandfield Park, said: “I can honestly say that the Supported Internship programme is the best thing I have seen in all of the years I have been working with young people with special educational needs.

“For too long there have been poor outcomes for disabled young people leaving school or college and very few are able to find paid employment.

“This is not only unfair but it means that so much talent and skill is not being used or developed and sadly impacts on disabled young people’s aspirations and hopes for the future.”

Becky Cooper, HR Manager for the Liverpool Marriott Hotel, said: “The programme allows us to access a new pool of talent, and provides our employees with exceptional personal development opportunities as they work with and mentor the young people.

“In a short space of time we have seen huge positive change in the students’ confidence levels and communication skills.

“They are doing a great job within the housekeeping department.”

Reaching 500,000 readers across the North West

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December/January 2018

Christmas times

St Nick, the shy Santa

All Together NOW!

FLASHBACK

HISTORIAN Ken Pye tells of the origins of Father Christmas – and brings back some memories of Christmases past Ken is the Managing Director of Discover Liverpool, and an author and broadcaster His 13th book, Liverpool at Work, is now in the shops.

F

ATHER Christmas is the name we now have for Saint Nicholas, who seems to have been born in the Greek city of Myra (now in Turkey), around AD290.

His parents had died when he was quite young, but they left him their considerable wealth.

Nicholas became a Christian, and stories tell of him taking special care of the ordinary folk of his city, and especially poor children.

However, he was a modest and shy person, who wanted to “do good by stealth”.

And so, Nicholas secretly left food, coins, and small toys for the children, often sneaking into their homes at night. He took pity on a poor father and

Messages to the Empire . . .

his three daughters, and left each of them a purse bulging with gold coins, one on each of three successive nights.

However, on the third night, the father hid by the fireplace to discover who his mysterious benefactor was.

Because of his generosity and charity, Nicholas was made a Bishop in Myra. However, this was at the time when Christians were being persecuted by the Roman Emperor, Diocletian.

Nicholas was arrested and executed. No one is quite sure when this happened, but it was either in AD345, or AD352.

He was buried in the church of his home city, and

was made a Saint soon afterwards. His feast day is December 6.

The story of Saint Nicholas soon passed into legend, and he eventually became the Santa Claus of Christian tradition, and our Father Christmas.

The first English reference to Saint Nicholas as Father Christmas was in the early 15th century, when he became a character in traditional mimes and mummer’s plays, combined with the figure known as the Green Man of English Pagan tradition.

Nevertheless, he still symbolised generosity and the spirit of goodwill, and became firmly established at the heart of our winter festivities.

Our wonderful days in Grotto land

T

HE world’s first Christmas grotto was the idea of Liverpool businessman David Lewis (1823-1885) who had opened a branch of his famous store on the corner of Parker and Church Streets in 1878.

This was named the Bon Marché, and the grotto opened here in 1879.

It was called the Christmas Fairyland, and consisted of a beautifully decorated, winding passageway, through a range of painted scenes.

Set against fanciful backgrounds were models and figures depicting fairies, pixies, elves, and gnomes, in a range of settings.

The novelty of this proved to be immensely popular, drawing tens of thousands of children – with their parents – to the store, and boosting its income significantly as a result!

At the end of the grotto sat Father Christmas on a gloriously ornate throne.

MAGICAL MEMORIES: Left, the Pinky and Perky show and the Dancing Waters spectacular at TJs. Right, the giant Father Christmas at Blacklers

The Santa’s grotto idea was so successful that Selfridges Store in London copied the idea. Macy’s, in New York, followed suit and, by the end of the 19th Century, every major store, in every large town or city on both sides of the Atlantic, had its own grotto.

Throughout the 20th Century, almost every department storel had an annual Santa’s grotto.

At Blackler’s children and adults alike queued around the block to see the beautiful sets and moving figures of Aladdin, or The Sleeping Beauty, or Goldilocks and The Three Bears.

They also came to see the giant Father Christmas model that stood on the central stairway, below the atrium, the giant parrot, Polly, and the giant rocking horse, Blackie.

One of the most memorable grottos

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at TJ Hughes starred the popular television puppets, Pinky and Perky.

But, their most dramatic show was The Dancing Waters Spectacular.

This featured fountains and jets of water that waved and spurted in time to a programme of music – all of it illuminated by coloured and stroboscopic lights that added to the captivating effects to the delight of viewers young and old.

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KING George V was the first British monarch to broadcast a Christmas message to the nation – and the Empire.

This took place on Christmas day in 1932.

He spoke over the “wireless”, from his study in his Norfolk home of Sandringham, and the text of his message, featuring just 251 words, was written by Rudyard Kipling.

The King advised his subjects to work for peace and for “prosperity without self-seeking”.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II gave the first ever televised Royal Christmas Message to “The British Commonwealth of Nations” from Buckingham Palace in 1957.

n Contact Ken on: 0151 427 2717 or 07808 870 614 or at ken.pye@discoverliverpool.com

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Until Dec 3: Nativity the Musical. Palace, Manchester.

Until Jan 7: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Starring St Helens’ own born and bred comedy favourite Johnny Vegas.

Until Jan 13: A Christmas Carol. Octagon, Bolton. Audio described, Dec 1, 7.00pm.

BSL, Dec 8, 7.00pm, Captioned, Dec 15 Until January 20: The Little Mermaid.

Everyman, Liverpool. Rock ‘n’ Roll panto.

BSL- Mon Jan 8, 5:30 pm Until Jan 13: The Scouse Nativity. Royal Court, Liverpool.

Dec 1-Jan 6: The Jungle Book. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. Imaginative, re-telling of Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale The Jungle Book.

Dec 1: The Little Mermaid: The Musical.

The Brindley. Expect lots of singing and dancing with your favourite characters Ariel, Sebastian and of course Flounder.

Dec 2: Only Men Aloud. Venue Cymru.

Welsh hymns, folksongs, opera, musicals, swing and pop music.

Dec 2: Eight Songs. The Lowry. A series of choreographed juggling vignettes set to 8 classic rock and roll songs.

Dec 3-6: Faulty Towers the Christmas Dining Experience. The Lowry.

Dec 3: Shall We Dance? Around the World. Lyceum, Crewe. A vibrant performance of a variety of dance styles.

Dec 4: The Houghton Weavers. Theatre Royal St Helens.

Dec 5-Jan 7: Around the World in 80 Days.

The Lowry. The mysterious and fabulously wealthy Phileas Fogg wagers his life’s fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days.

Dec 5-Jan 7: Mother Goose. The Lowry. The wonderful fairytale comes to life.

Dec 5-Jan 7: Cinderella. Grand, Blackpool.

Audio Described and BSL– Sat 9 & 16 Dec, 2pm Dec 5-6. Roots. Theatr Clwyd. Four witty, exciting contemporary dances performed by some of the world’s best dancers.

Dec 5-9: Crazy for You. Empire, Liverpool. High energy and high kicking, this is the ultimate feel-good musical starring Tom Chambers.

Dec 6-9: Evita. Palace, Manchester. Bill Kenwright’s production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita is set to thrill audiences once again.

Dec 7-Jan 3: Aladdin. Charter Theatre. Your wishes are about to come true with comedian Phil Walker.

Dec 7: White Christmas. Venue Cymru.

Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney star in this 1954 classic film.

Dementia Friendly Screening Dec 8: ELO Again. Lyceum, Crewe. Tribute show.

Dec 9-Jan 7: Peter Pan. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. A magical panto, awash with swash and buckle. Relaxed performance, 7.00pm, 5 Jan. Dec 9-Jan 13: Baskerville.

Playhouse,

December/January 2018

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BOX OFFICE CONTACTS

BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre: 01253 290190 BOLTON Octagon: 01204 520661 CREWE Lyceum: 01270 368 242 LIVERPOOL Empire: 08444 999 999 Everyman & Playhouse: 0151 709 4776 Royal Court: 0870 787 1866 Unity 0151 709 4988 LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru: 01492 872000 MOLD: Theatr Clwyd: 0845 3303565 MANCHESTER Opera House: 0870 401 9000

Palace: 0870 401 3000 SALFORD The Lowry: 0843 208 6000 NEW BRIGHTON Floral Pavillion: 0151 666 0000 PRESTON: Charter Theatre: 0845 344 2012 RHYL: Pavilion: 01745 330 000 RUNCORN The Brindley: 0151 907 8360 SOUTHPORT: Floral Hall: 0844 847 2380 ST HELENS: Theatre Royal: 01744 756000 STOKE: Regent Theatre: 0844 871 7627

WELCOME TO

Liverpool. A Sherlock Holmes Mystery .The Baskerville demon of legend, a creature from nightmare, with blazing eyes and dripping jaws. Captioned, Sat 6 Jan, 2pm Dec 9-Dec 31: Peter Pan. Venue Cymru. Swapping Corrie’s cobbles for Venue Cymru, Ryan Thomas stars as Captain Hook.

Dec 9-Jan 7: Dick Whittington. Opera House, Manchester. John Barrowman and The Krankies lead the cast in this magical production. BSL and Audio described performance, 1pm and 7pm, Dec 13. Relaxed performance, 7pm, Dec 14. BSL and captioned, 2.30pm, Dec 20 Dec 9: Daniel O’Donnell. Southport Theatre.

Dec 12-Jan 6: Beautiful The Carole King Musical. Palace, Manchester. The inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom.

Dec 12-Jan 14: Sleeping Beauty.

The Brindley. Pantomime. BSL, 5pm, Dec 29. Relaxed performance, 1pm, Jan 7.

Dec 13-Jan 6: Sleeping Beauty.

Pavilion, Rhyl. Panto.

Dec-15-Jan 6: The Snow Queen.

Theatr Clwyd. When a mysterious mirror is uncovered within Theatr Clwyd’s walls, it opens a portal into an idyllic alternative world.

Dec 15-Jan 6: Cinderella. Southport Theatre.

Dec 15-Jan 7: Aladdin. Regent, Stoke. Starring Jonathan Wilkes as Aladdin and Christian Patterson as Widow Twankey.

Dec 16-Jan 7: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Lyceum, Crewe. Comedy legends Cannon & Ball.

Dec 16-Jan 7: Cinderella. Empire, Liverpool. Panto.

Jan 7: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra: Handel’s Messiah. Charter Theatre.

Jan 9-14: Mamma Mia. Venue Cymru. Join the ultimate feel-good party at the world’s sunniest and most exhilarating smash-hit musical!

Jan 10-20: Jersey Boys. Empire,

Liverpool. True life story of four boys from the wrong side of the tracks who wrote their own songs, invented their own unique sound, and sold 175 million records worldwide.

Jan 11: The Simon and Garfunkel Story.

Opera House, Manchester.

Jan 12: Snow Maiden. Grand, Blackpool.

Performed by The Russian State Ballet of Siberia Jan 12: Bowie Experience - The Golden Years Tour. Opera House, Manchester.

Spectacular concert featuring all of David Bowie’s hits.

Jan 12: Vampires Rock the Ghost Train.

Palace, Manchester. Steve Steinman has ramped up the vamp in this spectacular sequel to the phenomenally successful Vampires Rock.

Jan 13: Dance to the Music. Charter Theatre. A new exciting “must see” dance show like no other! Created by and starring Kristina Rihanoff from the popular BBC1 ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ TV show Jan 13: Rachel. The Lowry. An extraordinary piece of stagecraft.

Jan 13: Money for Nothing. Palace,

HOW YOU CAN PLAY A STARRING ROLE IN THE FUTURE OF THIS

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December/January 2018

All Together NOW!

Santa’s New York special

LONDON CALLING

W

WONDERLAND! House.

EST End star John Barrowman and comedy legends The Krankies are the stars of this year’s big Manchester Christmas pantomime – Dick Whittington at the Opera

Join Dick – and his faithful feline pal – as he seeks fame, fortune and happiness to become Lord Mayor of London.

Guided by the magical Fairy Bow Bells, it’s an adventure that sends him from London town to the High Seas headed for Morocco.

Stand by for an action-packed journey – full of laughter, music and dance! n Dec 9-Jan 7: Dick Whittington. Opera House, Manchester. BSL and Audio described performance, 1pm and 7pm, Dec 13. Relaxed performance, 7pm, Dec 14. BSL and captioned, 2.30pm, Dec 20

Jan 13: Money for Nothing. Palace, Manchester. A tribute to the Dire Straits like no other before.

Jan 13: The Nutcracker. Grand, Blackpool.

Performed by The Russian State Ballet of Siberia.

Jan 13: ABBA Mania. Southport Theatre.

The world’s number one touring ABBA tribute production.

Jan 13: Fastlove: A Tribute to George Michael. Regent, Stoke.

Jan 14: Swan Lake. Grand, Blackpool.

Performed by The Russian State Ballet of Siberia.

Jan 15-20: Thriller Live. Regent, Stoke.

Spectacular concert created to celebrate the career of Michael Jackson.

Jan 16-28: Shrek the Musical.

Palace, Manchester. This hilarious and spectacular production turns the world of fairytales upside down in an all-singing, all-dancing, must-see musical comedy.

Jan 18 – Feb10: Jane Eyre. Octagon, Bolton. Based on the novel by Charlotte Brontë. Captioned, Feb 4, 7.30pm. BSL, Feb 6, 7.30. Audio described, Feb 8, 7.30

Jan 18 -19: Desperate Scousewives 2.

The Brindley. An all new festive comedy full of abrasive Liverpool wit written by Lynne Fitzgerald.

Jan 19: Vivaldi by Candlelight. Grand, Blackpool.

Jan 19-20: Air Play. The Lowry. Circus-style adventure of two siblings journeying through a surreal land of air, transforming the ordinary into objects of uncommon beauty.

Jan 20: Max Boyce. Venue Cymru.

Jan 20: Johnny Cash Roadshow. Southport Theatre. Tribute show.

Jan 21: Macca: The Concert. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Starring West End leading man, Emanuele Angletti as Paul McCartney.

Jan 23 – Feb 3: The Band. Empire, Liverpool. British musical featuring the songs of Take That.

Jan 25: Think Floyd. Opera House, Manchester. Tribute show.

Jan 25-Feb 10: Her Benny. Royal Court, Liverpool. A musical that will have you laughing one minute and wiping away a tear the next, Her Benny is one of the Liverpool greats.

UNIQUE CHARITY NEWSPAPER

Jan 25: The Magic of Motown. The Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Celebrating the sound of a generation.

Jan 25-27: The Nutcracker. Regent, Stoke.

Moscow City Ballet.

Jan 26-Feb 3: Hamlet. The Lowry. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder… The Royal Shakespeare Company.

Jan 26: Someone Like You (The Adele Songbook). Opera House, Manchester. Katie Markham’s tribute show.

Jan 26-Feb 3: A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer. Playhouse, Liverpool.

Bryony Kimmings wants to talk about cancer but she’s not getting very far.

Jan 26: Halfway to Paradise: The Billy Fury Story. Southport Theatre.

Jan 26: Joe Brown with special guest, Henry Gross. Grand, Blackpool. The rock ‘n’ roll legend goes from strength to strength.

Jan 27. A Country Night in Nashville.

Opera House, Manchester. Recreating the scene of a buzzing Honky Tonk in Nashville.

Jan 27-28: Jason Manford: Muddle Class. Grand, Blackpool.

Jan 27: MET – Tosca. Theatr Clwyd.

THERE’S lots of magical stuff in store at the Lowry as Elf – The Musical takes to the stage.

Louis Emerick (Santa), Ben Forster (Buddy) and Liz McLarnon (Jovie) are certain to leave you spellbound and in high spirits.

Based on the 2003 cinema hit starring Will Ferrell, Elf is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole.

Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth.

With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. n Until Jan14: Elf – The Musical. The Lowry.

BSL, Dec 14 & Jan 13, 2.30pm. Audio described, Dec 9 & Dec 27, 2pm.

Andris Nelsons conducts a new staging of Puccini’s dramatic tragedy.

Jan 28: The Adult Panto: Sinbad the Seaman. The Brindley. For adults only Jan 29: The Snow Queen. The Brindley. A tale of love, a tale of sisterhood and a tale of betrayal.

Jan 31: Jack Jones – 80th Birthday Celebration Tour. The Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Jan 31: An Evening with Katy Zamolodchikova. Palace, Manchester. Katy brings her Help Me I’m Dying show to the UK for the first time.

Feb 2: That’ll Be The Day. Theatre Royal St Helens. Highly acclaimed musical.

Feb 2: La Traviata. Venue Cymru.

Feb 3: Madama Butterfly. Venue Cymru.

Feb 3: Levellers Acoustic. Charter Theatre.

Brighton folk-punk band, Levellers.

Feb 3: Someone Like You - The Adele Songbook. Southport Theatre. Katie Markham’s tribute.

Feb 3: Signed Sealed Delivered - A Tribute to Stevie Wonder.

Regent, Stoke.

. . . SEE BACK PAGE FOR DETAILS

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All Together NOW!

Books

‘Determination will get you through’ We Spoke in Whispers, by Edward Denmark, price £10.99

AUTHOR Edward Denmark made a name for himself with his first book, Not for Queen and Country, which tells of his time in the army during the Falklands war and service in Northern Ireland.

His new book follows his childhood in and around his home town of Moreton, Wirral, and is full of the humour and tragedies of a deprived childhood in the 60s and 70s.

Edward spent a long period in hospital with illness at a young age, and after being nursed back to health he went home to start a life with his two brothers, seven sisters, and parents.

From that point on it became more of a fight to survive the hunger, bullying and misery. Yet remarkably he still found moments to laugh and be happy.

The events are told candidly and describe Edward’s shock diagnosis with blood cancer and his ongoing battle.

Edward says: “I am hoping that this book shows despite hardship, determination will always get you through.”

The power of love

Love Never Fails, by Don Snuggs, Matador, price £9.99

THE inside story of a sole carer and husband to a disabled wife – and the failures of the UK care industry.

“Little is written about the plight of the totally dependant patient and the issues with the care industry,” explains Don. “My book will illuminate the personal experience of people who find themselves facing the enormous task of caring for a loved one.”

At the age of 75, Don married a woman with a progressive condition, who is wheelchair dependent and requires help in all aspects of daily life.

Over the 10 years he has cared for his wife, Don has come into contact with external support providers hoping that they could help to ease his caring role, but sadly these encounters have not been positive.

“I am not alone,” says Don. “There are many in the same situation.

“I want to raise awareness with my book and to show that love never fails.”

December/January 2018

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)

conversation with a relative. It’s time to get an important issue off your chest. January’s Full Moon on the 2nd marks the conclusion of an exciting growth period for you. On the 17th, the New Moon will inspire you to take up a hobby or sport. As the month draws to a close, a Lunar Eclipse will mark the end of a public role.

After fulfilling your final responsibilities, you’ll be able to take a well-deserved holiday. This trip will cost a little more money than expected.

Don’t make any impulsive decisions at the beginning of December or a close relationship could suffer. The New Moon on the 18th is perfect for showcasing your expertise. Things will improve during second half of the month.

By the time Christmas arrives, you’ll feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Home and family should be your primary focus in early January. The Full Moon on the 2nd gives you a lovely opportunity to wrap up a property deal, attend a reunion or resolve a relative’s problem. On the 17th, the New Moon presents an exciting opportunity. A tasteful Libra will teach you which fashions look best on you. A Lunar Eclipse on the 31st brings the end to a creative project, allowing you to go on a trip you’ve been longing to take.

SAGITTARIU (November 23rd-December 21st)

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)

Tension can take its toll on your health in the opening days of the month. The Full Moon on the 3rd will drive home the fact you are not being properly compensated for all you do. At the middle of the month, you’ll enjoy some intimate moments with the one you love. On the 18th, the New Moon will mark a windfall of some kind. Indulge your love of luxury at Christmas. A sumptuous gift is sure to put a smile on your loved one’s face. The New Year will find you catching up on mundane chores.

Use the power of the Full Moon on the 2nd to tie up some loose ends. The New Moon on the 17th invites you to expand your horizons in some exciting way. On the 31st, a Lunar Eclipse will bring unexpected changes to your home life.

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)

Trying to force friends and lovers together will not work at the start of the month. A dynamic business or romantic partner will help you realise a cherished dream at the middle of the month. Accept their generous offer of help.

Christmas will be a loving time; take this opportunity to give a heartfelt, sincere and romantic message to your amour. An impressive cheque will arrive in the New Year, courtesy of an enriching Full Moon. An intimate relationship could take flower on the 17th. It may be impossible to resist the charm of a potential partner who is tasteful, intelligent and gracious.

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)

An authority figure’s erratic behaviour will make you angry at the beginning of December. On the 18th, the New Moon will inspire you to start a health regimen. Improving your diet, exercise and sleep routines will make you look and feel much better. Christmas will be a cosy affair, spent with the people who are nearest and dearest to your heart. The spotlight will be trained firmly on you during the opening days of January. The Full Moon on the 2nd is great for showcasing your talent and finishing an important chapter to your life. By the time the New Moon arrives on the 17th, you’ll be ready to forge a partnership with someone you greatly respect.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)

A romantic partner’s thoughtless behaviour will cause offense in your social circle. It’s time to reflect on whether you want to stay with someone who can be so hurtful. The New Moon on the 18th is ideal for going on a fun vacation. The second half of December will find you taking better care of your health. Christmas affords a welcome opportunity to indulge your love of luxury. The new Year brings an end to a period of seclusion. Coming out of your shell will be refreshing. Don’t be surprised if you meet someone special on one of your first times back on the social scene. The Lunar

RUSSELL GRANT CALLING . . .

Eclipse on the 31st marks the end of a role you’ve outgrown. Take this opportunity to make a fresh start.

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)

At the middle of December, you’ll be able to seal a deal quite quickly. During the second half of December, you’ll be challenged to develop your creative talent. Christmas will be wonderfully romantic; give your amour a beautiful token of your lasting affection. The opening days of January will be highly sociable. Attending a family party could put you on an exciting path. On the 17th, the New Moon will mark the beginning of a passionate relationship. The Lunar Eclipse on the 31st brings hidden creative abilities to light. If you feel an urge to put your creative plans and insights into practice you will have to rearrange some present priorities to make more time for this pursuit.

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)

Trying to push someone into making a decision is bound to backfire in early December. The middle of the month finds you teaming up with somebody who is unlike anyone you’ve ever partnered with before. Their upbeat attitude will bring fun and adventure to your life. The New Moon on the 18th sets the scene for excellent news about a creative idea or project. The New Year will find you accepting a promotion or award for a job well done. Cultivating a rewarding personal life should be your first priority. You may not realise it, but your opinion means a great deal to this family member.

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)

You’ll have to keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself at the start of the month. On the 18th, the New Moon will give you a chance to launch a project that is close to your heart.

Christmas will prompt you to have a meaningful

Your demanding social schedule will drain your energy at the beginning of December. The New Moon on the 18th will inspire you to change your look in some way. Christmas will be a meaningful season spent with the people you love most in the world. The opening days of January will be lucrative for you. You could receive an insurance refund, legal settlement or royalty payment that allows you to fund a dream project. The New Moon on the 17th further increases your financial fortune. On the 31st, a Lunar Eclipse could mark the end of a prolonged period of study.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)

Influences and individuals will begin to get on your nerves in the early days of December. The New Moon on the 18th will prompt you to delve into the spiritual side of life. Putting less emphasis on money and status will deepen your appreciation of life. The second half of the month will invite you to take on a new challenge. By the time January’s New Moon rises on the 17th, you’ll be ready to make a profound change to your personal life. The Lunar Eclipse on the 31st marks an improvement in your financial situation. A romantic or business partnership will put more money in your bank account. Take this opportunity to sneak away to a private hideaway. It will be good for you.

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)

An angry outburst will be a cause for regret.

Bite your tongue whenever you feel your blood starting to boil. The New Moon on the 18th is ideal for joining a study group. The second half of December will prompt you to adopt a lower profile. Spending more time on solitary pursuits will be rewarding. Christmas could turn into a quiet affair. January’s New Moon on the 17th will find you taking a more low key approach to life. Instead of yearning for fame and acclaim, you’ll be happy to spend a quiet evening with your nearest and dearest. On the 31st, a Lunar Eclipse will bring the end of a partnership.

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th)

An unexpected expense could upset your equilibrium at the start of December. An exciting opportunity will make your eyes sparkle with excitement at the middle of the month. Not only will the position be prestigious, but the money might be much more than you expected. During the second half of December, you’ll rub elbows with a variety of impressive executives, even over Christmas and into the New Year. The Full Moon on the 2nd gets 2018 off to a highly romantic start. On the 17th, the New Moon will prompt you to join a group, team or organisation that furthers your dreams in some way. There is power in numbers during the middle of the month.

HALF A MILLION PEOPLE ARE READING THESE PAGES

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All Together NOW!

December/January 2018

27

CHECKLIST

SCENTSATIONAL! WINTER WONDERLAND: Sunny shrubs like holly, winter jasmine and griselinia can transform your garden

TEN super prizes are up for grabs

A

NEW verbena with a knockout scent is one of five outstanding flower and vegetable varieties from Mr Fothergill’s Seeds to be won in this competition.

We have TEN sets to give away, worth £14 each.

Verbena Scentsation, exclusively bred by Mr Fothergill’s, combines a wonderful range of colours with a gorgeous perfume.

Verbenas are colourful hardy annuals which flower from June-October but do not normally have much scent.

The new variety was discovered by seed trials manager Brian Talman in 2011 as he checked the 2,000 varieties tested at the firm’s Suffolk trial ground each year.

Brian caught a whiff of a sweet scent and tracked it down to a single verbena plant.

Brian told All Together NOW! : “I knew that if this plant passed on its colour and fragrance to its offspring we would be on to a winner. Not BRIAN TALMAN shows off the new verbena Scentsation only was it a very pretty and compact verbena The vegetables are tomato Sweet Aperitif, best under but the scent had to be smelt to be believed.” glass, where it produces literally hundreds of extremely The plant was dug up, nurtured in a greenhouse and sweet, small fruits on cordon-trained plants, and produced 300-400 seeds, resulting in 150 produced Yellowstone, a very long, full-flavoured carrot which top-quality, fragrant flowers. shows good resistance to root fly.

Exhaustive tests and selection took place before the n To enter the competition, answer this question: verbena’s superb qualities – six soft colours, suitable for What is unusual about Verbena Scentsation? bedding, containers and cutting, plant health and vigour, Send your entry with your name and address on a as well as scent – were established and seed stock was postcard or sealed envelope, stating where you picked built up ready for sale in 2018. up your copy of All Together NOW!, to Mr Fothergill’s Scentsation is one of five top-quality varieties in our Competition, All Together NOW!, The Bradbury Centre, prize – two more flowers and two vegetables.

Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP, to arrive by Friday 26 The flowers are two other new varieties, sweet pea January, or enter online at www.alltogethernow.org.uk Lady Salisbury, pure white and strongly perfumed, and n For the full range of Mr Fothergill’s products, go to: linum Bright Eyes, an eye-catching hardy annual, white www.mr-fothergills.co.uk with a red centre.

Time to call the

Gloombusters

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ON’T let dreary weather reign in your garden – bathe in the golden warmth of evergreen shrubs and climbers that can convert the dullest plot into a winter wonderland.

Cultivated forms of ivy make a great backdrop without being as invasive as the wild kinds.

They have leaves of many shapes, sizes and colours including the gleaming Sulphur Heart, also sold as Paddy’s Pride.

Griselinia are upright evergreen shrubs with tiny yellow-green flowers, male and female on separate plants.

They make an ideal windbreak, especially in coastal gardens, growing up to 2.5m (9ft) in 15 years.

Winter jasmine is not strictly evergreen but a redoubtably tough wall shrub.

This quick-growing species sprouts long, arching branches, ideal for threading through trellis or tying to wires. Small, dark, glossy leaves decorate the stems until late autumn. The shrub can be trained to cover an area 3m (10ft) high and wide.

Why stop at using holly for Christmas decoration? Plant one of the varieties with golden-splashed leaves. They look good all year, tolerate pollution, make impenetrable hedges and are fine for topiary.

Honeysuckle is not normally linked with winter but recent warmer autumns have encouraged the evergreen Japanese form, Lonicera japonica, to produce clouds of sweet-scented flowers until late in the year.

For an unfailingly bright feature all year, plant a choisya shrub, making sure it is the variety Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’, which grows 1.5m (5ft) tall but can be pruned to keep it smaller.

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FLOWERS: Fallen leaves can harbour slugs and other pests so clear them from flower borders. As soon as possible, finish planting tulips and any overdue spring bedding.

Apply a slow-release general fertiliser around perennial flowering plants and hoe it in lightly.

SHRUBS AND TREES: Brighten up north and eastfacing walls and fences by planting hardy climbers such as winter jasmine, which produces masses of yellow, star-shaped flowers, and ivy varieties with variegated gold and green leaves such as Sulphur Heart. Plant in early December when no frost is expected.

PATIOS: Move patio pots into the sunniest position and raise them on bricks or pot feet so they do not stand in puddles after winter rains.

LAWNS: Clean the mower, check nuts, bolts and wiring, have it serviced and sharpened if necessary.

PONDS: Remove leaves from the surface. Left to sink and rot, they use oxygen, which is needed by fish and other pond life.

VEGETABLES: Keep leeks earthed up. Support tall crops like brussels sprouts against winter gales.

HERBS: Pot up parsley and chives to grow on an indoor windowsill. Also pot up roots of mint in 22cm (9in) pots and keep them under glass to provide early shoots when they will be most appreciated early next spring.

GLASS: In the greenhouse or conservatory, water sparingly overwintering fuchsias and other exotics, keeping the compost just moist. Check for insect pests on the plants and squash or spray.

HOUSEPLANTS: Take care not to overwater but continue to feed varieties still to flower such as Christmas cactus. Make sure plants have enough light, but don’t leave them on a windowsill at night after the curtains are drawn or they will suffer in the chilly gap between glass and curtain.

All Together NOW!

28

December/January 2018

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.

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Seller of precious stones (8) Potato (inf.) (4) Less heavy (7) Palpitate (5) Below (5) Creative person (6) Warwickshire town (5) Deep red (4) Male swan (3) Tribe (4) Sprout (5) Push roughly (6) Topic (5) Languish (5) Small quantity (7) Sicilian volcano (4) Theoretical (8)

chosen answers and keep a record of your points total. Maximum total points 120.

A B C D

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Each question has four possible answers and is worth from one to 15 points. Circle your QUESTION 1 – for 1 point: Who sailed in the Mayflower to New England, America?

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Rice Maize Cotton Sugar cane

QUESTION 11 – for 11 points: Which novel was based on the life story of Alexander Selkirk?

QUESTION 2 – for 2 points: What was the Greek scholar Aesop famous for?

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Fables Mathematics Comedies Astronomy

Coral Island Robinson Crusoe Lucky Jim Westward Ho!

QUESTION 3 – for 3 points: Who was the first president of the United States?

QUESTION 12 – for 12 points: Which of these actors has not portrayed Tarzan?

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Benjamin Franklin Abraham Lincoln George Washington Thomas Jefferson

English actor Martin Freeman. See Question 4

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QUESTION 7 – for 7 points: What is the capital city of Australia?

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The Vicar of Dibley The Thin Blue Line Men Behaving Badly The Office

QUESTION 5 – for 5 points: What condition is also called vertigo?

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Measles Athlete’s foot Dizziness Colour blindness

Melbourne Sydney Perth Canberra

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Tusk Go Your Own Way Don’t Stop Albatross

QUESTION 14 – for 14 points: What is the common name for iron pyrite ?

Krypton Tungsten Cobalt Potassium

QUESTION 6 – for 6 points: Who wrote the autobiography What You See is What You Get?

QUESTION 9 – for 9 points: Where was the nightclub Studio 54, made famous by celebrities like Mick Jagger and Andy Warhol?

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Richard Branson Alan Sugar Philip Green Rupert Murdoch

Charlton Heston Johnny Weissmuller Alexander Skarsgard Christopher Lambert

QUESTION 13 – for 13 points: Which was the only single by Fleetwod Mac to reach No 1 on the UK singles chart?

QUESTION 8 – for 8 points: Which of the following elements is represented by the letter K?

SUDOKU

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Fool’s gold Stainless steel Chrome Aluminium

QUESTION 15 – for 15 points: Which animals are classed as batrachians?

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London New York Paris Los Angeles

Frogs and toads Rabbits and hares Rats and mice Camels

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.

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

QUESTION 10 – for 10 points: Which crop is attacked by the boll weevil?

Sir Walter Raleigh The Pilgrim Fathers The Ancient Mariner Sir Francis Drake

QUESTION 4 – for 4 points: English actor Martin Freeman played the character of Tim Canterbury in which television sitcom?

Summer month (4) Goods vehicle (5) Rubbish (6) Republic of Ireland (4) Biased (7) Discussing (8) Tale (5) Frill (5) Monastic head (5) Condemn unheard (8) Sticky substance (inf.) (3) Woodwind instrument (7) Incline (5) Area of Kent (6) Criminal organisation (5) Freshwater fish (4) Blood ---- (4)

EASY

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DIFFICULT

9 5 2

4 1 5 8

9 1

1 9

6 2 2 7 3

REACH 500,000 READERS

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3 7 8

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.

MEDIUM 22

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ADVERTISE HERE 0151 230 0307

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DIALLING CODES

CROSS CODE

All Together NOW!

December/January 2018

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.

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3 DEF

4 GHI

5 JKL

6 MNO

7 PQRS

8 TUV

9 WXYZ

Spaces and any punctuation marks are represented by 1.

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1 []â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

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?

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things found and sold

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2. music artists 328 269 175 461 347 561 663 378 371 323 817 865 134 725 678 731 757 455 391 328 431 483 882 163 761 225 846 142 774 716 629 184 317 763 449

4. outdoor clothing brands 227 268 716 377 355 172 566 661 733 316 276 681 873 772 771 237 442 871 666 826 312 658 624 212 724 467 737 718 431 667 841 322 317 342 882

5. Morgan Freeman 228 626 123 446 717 331 645 546 613 655 271 222 912 782 312 564 448 916 254 846 618 431 742 974 265 173 336 784 661 582 918 726 723 633 623

3. fictional dogs 766 679 186 861 523 913 264 187 267 176 646 133 788 914 766 481 766 991 462 743 717 477 461 527 743 184 669 157 978 612 825 175 886 146 639

films starring

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 21 words associated with using a pen and paper.

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?

things associated

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1. Food rationing is officially ended in Great Britain.

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C O P R A C TRANSFORMER

N

N

A

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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 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; DOOR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MAT). The initial letters of the six answers (reading downwards) will spell out a dessert.

FOOD

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

PIZZA

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

ROUND

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

FULL

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

BACON

FIRE

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

STRATEGY

MOUNTAIN

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

HOOD

BLAZER

E

1) An astringent resinous substance that exudes from various tropical trees; 2) A plant hormone which promotes celldivision, and is used commercially as a preservative for cut flowers; 3) A rich silk fabric embroidered with gold or silver thread, made in India.

O O MAKE A DATE

2. Racial segregation is banned in all US state schools.

3. Construction work begins on Walt Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disneyland site.

Add the given letter to the first word to make a new word.

Clue: The complete milk product.

WAS IT? a) 1945; b) 1948; c) 1951; d) 1954; e) 1957.

_____ +B=B_____

ALL THE ANSWERS Pathwords scribble; write; doodle; sketch; autograph; draw; inscribe; mark; fill out; jot; illustrate; scrawl; copy; list; trace; draft; note; tick; correct; annotate; sign.

5 2 6 7 3 1 8 4 9

9 1 4 6 5 8 2 3 7

8 3 7 4 2 9 5 6 1

4 9 3 2 6 5 1 7 8

SUDOKU EASY

7 6 8 9 1 3 4 2 5

2 5 1 8 4 7 6 9 3

3 4 5 1 9 2 7 8 6

1 8 2 3 7 6 9 5 4

6 7 9 5 8 4 3 1 2

3 6 2 5 8 4 1 7 9

9 7 1 2 6 3 5 4 8

5 8 4 9 1 7 3 6 2

8 1 3 4 5 6 9 2 7

=

2 (

4 .

%

& '

+

6

)

$

,

1

0 8

5

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-

9

< : 3

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7

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CROSS CODE

4 9 6 1 7 2 8 5 3

2 5 7 8 3 9 4 1 6

SUDOKU DIFFICULT

7 4 8 6 9 5 2 3 1

6 2 9 3 4 1 7 8 5

1 3 5 7 2 8 6 9 4

7 17 7 11 13

2 1

6

3

8

4

9 23 30 21

2

4

1

8 3

12

10 21 16

2 3 4

3 6

9

9

7

5

16

6

1

7 22

1

19

KAKURO MEDIUM

8 24

1 8 9 18

7 9 16

Accumulator Quiz 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C; 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B; 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 13 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D; 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A; 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A. Starspot Crossword Across â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 Jeweller; 5 Spud; 9 Lighter; 10 Throb; 11 Under; 13 Artist; 15 Rugby; 17 Ruby; 19 Cob; 20 Clan; 21 Shoot; 23 Jostle; 24 Theme; 28 Droop; 29 Handful; 30 Etna; 31 Abstract.

Down â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 July; 2 Wagon; 3 Litter; 4 Eire; 6 Partial; 7 Debating; 8 Story; 12 Ruche; 13 Abbot; 14 Prejudge; 16 Goo; 18 Bassoon; 21 Slope; 22 Thanet; 25 Mafia; 26 Chub; 27 Clot.

Star Name: JULIA SAWALHA Word Wizard No 2 is correct. Kinin is a plant hormone.

Dialling Codes 1. buttered roll; plaice; gravy; fish cake; pie; mushy peas; ketchup; salt; cod; battered sausage; haddock; curry sauce.

2. Fatboy Slim; Diplo; Modestep; Daft Punk; Disclosure; Skrillex; David Guetta; Nero; Calvin Harris; Moby; The Prodigy.

3. Snoopy; Toto; Lady; Fang; Tramp; Pongo; Deputy; Gromit; Snowy; Gnasher; Pippin; Lassie; Timmy; Krypto; Buck; Pluto; Goofy.

4. Barbour; Merrell; Salomon; Reef; Marmot; Trespass; Berghaus; Montane; Columbia; Craghoppers; The North Face; Regatta.

5. Batman Begins; RED; Million Dollar Baby; Bruce Almighty;

Utter + B = Butter.

Transformer The year was 1954.

Make a Date store; oven; robin; back; exit; trail.

Dessert: sorbet.

Missing Link A = 1; B = 5; C = 4; D = 2; E = 3; F = 6.

Spot Check 6. mountain; ski boots; salopettes; powder; slalom; goggles; slope; carving; freestyle; Après-ski; snow; balaclava; skis.

Oblivion; The Shawshank Redemption; Lucy; Transcendence.

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All Together NOW!

December/January 2018

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Master class B

SCINTILLATING FORM: Alfie Hewett and Lucy Shuker

RITAIN’S top seeded wheelchair players Alfie Hewett and Lucy Shuker were in scintillating form at the Bath Indoor championships – Hewett making it a hat trick of men’s singles titles for the year, while Shuker and her Dutch partner, Diede de Groot, retained their women’s double title.

It was the perfect preparation for the season’s climax at the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters in Loughborough.

Hewett defeated Wimbledon champion Stefan Olsson of Sweden 6-0, 6-4, to join Diede de Groot of the Netherlands and the USA’s David Wager in claiming singles titles.

And Shuker partnered de Groot to victory as the duo successfully defended their women’s doubles title, beating Marjolein Buis and Ellerbrock 6-0, 7-5.

Just two days after battling back from a

set and 2-0 down to win his quarter-final against Belgium’s two-time NEC Masters champion Joachim Gerard, world No.3 and Roland Garros champion Hewett served up a bagel of his own in the first set against Olsson, and then bounced back from 4-2 down to wrap up his third singles title of 2017.

Hewett, 19, said: “I’ve taken time off to train and work really hard since reaching the US Open final a couple of months ago and to perform the way I have is really pleasing.

“It’s a great confidence boost ahead of the NEC Masters”.

n Hewett and Shuker are two of five Brits heading Loughborough, the year-end singles championship for the world’s top players, taking place at Loughborough Sport Tennis Centre on November 29-December 3.

The full field of 22 NEC Masters players also includes de Groot and Wagner.

WALKING football is great fun and is catching on in a big way – especially in the Manchester area.

Bill Cameron, secretary Manchester Community Walking Football Club, says they now have a website up and running to explain the group’s aims and details of their weekly sessions.

“We have about 80 players and frequently contest tournaments further afield,” says Bill. “Regular players include players in their eighties – and those recovering from or living with a variety of mental and physical illnesses.

“Our sessions in Manchester and Salford are geared up for men and women over 50 years old who want to enjoy less aggressive football with their peers.

“The Friday session in Irlam is especially targeted at those who might feel the need for a gentle introduction, although all sessions will welcome anyone of any skill level.” n Want to get involved?

Contact Bill on 07788 627 214 e-mail manchestercommunitywfc @gmail.com www.mancom.btck.co.uk

Preston break

THE first major World Billiards and Snooker Championship of 2018 is to be held in Preston.

The J&S Trading Northern Classic will run from from February 2-4 at the Elite Snooker Club, owned by former professionals Chris Norbury and Shokat Ali. The club is home to 15 full-size snooker tables, including one STAR table and is fully accessible.

Prize money will be offered across all competitions.

The weekend tournament will be open to players with physical disabilities (WDBS classification groups 1-5).

A Friday tournament will also be staged for people with learning disabilities (Group 6). n WDBS, tel 0117 317 8200

stay ahead of the game . . .

December/January 2018

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All Together NOW!

Aintree winners

T

HE brilliant achievements of disabled athletes who took part in the 2017 Special Olympics were recognised at a celebration event at Aintree racecourse.

Hft, the charity supporting adults with learning disabilities, was represented by 16 people at the country’s largest multi-sports event for athletes with learning disabilities.

Between them they bagged five gold, eight silver and seven bronze medals and were among around 2,600 athletes of all ages and abilities who travelled to Sheffield to compete at the six day event in August.

During their Aintree visit, the athletes had the chance to to saddle up and have a go at horse-riding.

They also took part in a tour of the racecourse and were able to explore Hft’s mobile Smarthouse, which includes hi-tech features that can help people to live with greater independence, choice and control.

Among those taking part in the event was medal winner Arvon, from Sheffield, who at 63 is one of the oldest competitors in powerlifting. Arvon won the silver in his event to add to his already impressive haul of over 80 medals and trophies from various competitions.

“I really enjoy it, and I’ve met lots of people,” he says. “I’m never giving it up!”

Grant Rowley, communications manager at Aintree Racecourse, said: “It’s been an honour to welcome the athletes. The riding sessions are a great opportunity to give individuals with learning disabilities the chance to enhance their skills in a unique environment.”

Hft currently supports over 60 people at 24 locations across Merseyside and Cheshire.

Its person-centred services include residential care, supported employment and supported living at home – from a few hours a week to 24 hours a day.

Power and glory!

M

ANCHESTER United’s newly formed Powerchair football team - launched in partnership with Sale United - are raising eyebrows across the region.

And one of the club’s young star players is fast becoming an Internet sensation! #UnitedandHannah shares the story of 19-yearold Hannah, who became the team’s first female player.

Hannah has cerebral palsy and started playing powerchair football in 2012, after her condition left her unable to play on her feet.

“My favourite thing about powerchair football is just being able to play football on a level playing field where disability isn’t a barrier,” says Hannah.

“I am currently the only girl in my club but I get no special treatment.

“Other teams used to think I was an easy target, but they soon learnt looks can be deceiving!”

Powerchair football consists of a team of four players using special powered wheelchairs with a large front bumper to control and hit an oversized, heavy football to score goals.

Through Manchester United Foundation, Hannah and her team were invited to the legends match between Manchester United and Barcelona. They even had a special guest during a training session – first-team defender Eric Bailly.

“It was great to meet Bailly,” Hannah says. “It was really entertaining to see a top class player trying to control the powerchair!”

“Being part of the club has really helped me in many ways. I have gained more wheelchair control, which I am able to use in everyday situations, and I have more confidence in my own abilities.

“I have learnt to be part of a team and have made friends with people who have similar disabilities and of a similar age who have the same interests and enjoy nights out.

“I’m a normal 19-year-old girl; I just want to be the best I can be.” n Watch the video: https://youtu.be/s9nV7EFDVUY

. . . www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Premier League clubs are not playing fair . . .

E

by JOHN PRING

VERTON and Manchester United are among five Premier League football clubs that have let their disabled fans down by failing to meet a pledge on access standards, say campaigners.

The Premier League promised two years ago that by the start of this season all its clubs would meet the standards of the 2003 Accessible Stadia guide.

Two years on, the Premier League has now published a progress report, which reveals that the total number of wheelchair spaces at the 16 clubs that have had a constant presence in the Premier League in the last two years has increased by about 50%, or more than 1,000.

And all but two clubs in this season’s Premier League now have Changing Places toilet facilities – compared with just two in 2015 – with the other two set to build them this season.

The Premier League said the improvements made in the last two years were unprecedented in any other sport or entertainment sector.

But the report also says that four of the 16 clubs – Everton, Chelsea, Watford and Crystal Palace – have failed to meet the target for wheelchair spaces.

Minimum standards

Tel 0151 230 0307

Everton has added more than 50 spaces but blames the age and complexity of the ground, a similar situation to Crystal Palace, which has more than doubled its number of wheelchair spaces.

And Manchester United only meets the minimum standards for lowerprofile games, and is phasing in the use of further permanent wheelchair spaces over the next few years “to reduce disruption to other fans”.

Tony Taylor, chair of Level Playing Field (LPF), which represents disabled sports fans, said his organisation was disappointed that these five clubs had not met the pledge and had let their disabled fans down.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has not yet ruled out legal action against some clubs.

Rebecca Hilsenrath, EHRC’s chief executive, said: “It is clear that some clubs still have a way to go to meet the needs of disabled supporters.

“We have met with every single Premier League club and are now in the final stages of discussions to agree on specific action they will need to take to avoid facing legal action.”

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December/January 2018

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A BIG thanks for all your recent donations to the All Together NOW! charity.

The Berwick Motors pub quiz team, from Little Sutton, went “alcohol dry” for October and raised £200.

Other generous donations came from North West Fuels, Kevin and Jane Kennerley (Malpas, Cheshire), and Tommy Hassitt, from Liverpool.

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