All Together Now Magazine - Issue 35 - February 2011 by All Together Now

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NEXT EDITION: Monday 4 April, 2011 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 Printed by Trinity Mirror NW2, Oldham

February/March 2011

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NEWS

Join the trip of a lifetime says TV star Rita EASTENDERS star Rita Simons is urging adventurous people in the North West to sign up for RNID’s Great Wall of China trek and raise vital funds for the deaf charity’s work. Mum-of-two Rita, who plays Roxy Mitchell in the hit BBC soap, is a passionate supporter of RNID – which works with the deaf and hard of hearing – as her fouryear-old daughter Maiya is deaf and wears hearing aids to help her hearing. Rita said: “By the time we reach 50, over 40% of us will experience some level of hearing loss, which happens naturally as we get older. “But it is also something which affects younger people.

Turning 65: the challenge we face THE record number of people turning 65 this year are likely to face a major challenge when they come to secure their retirement income.

Why bedtime’s my best time!

A PASSIONATE APPEAL: From soap star Rita whose daughter is deaf

Sign up “By signing up for RNID’s Great Wall of China trek you’ll not only have an adventure of a lifetime but you’ll also be taking steps to raise vital funds for RNID’s campaigning work and range of services around the country.” Prospective fundraisers can claim a place in RNID’s team for the event, from October 8-16, by paying a registration fee of £250 and raising a minimum of £2,600. To register for a place, available on a first come, first served basis, contact 0845 634 0687 or email: events@rnid.org.uk. n RNID Information Line 0808 808 0123 (freephone) or 0808 808 9000 (textphone) www.rnid.org.uk

Annuity rates have fallen for the third consecutive year, research from Investment Life & Pensions Moneyfacts shows. The average rate for both males and females, aged 65, buying a standard level without guarantee annuity (based on a £10K purchase price) decreased by 2.7%. In 2009 annuity rates fell 8.7%. Enhanced annuity rates experienced lower falls than their conventional counterparts. Last year’s drop would have been far greater had it not been for a late mini rally in rates. Whilst the latest fall may not seem that damaging by itself, the longer term picture reveals the extent to which today’s retirees are struggling to achieve the same level of retirement income their predecessors enjoyed.

Future DAZZLING DISPLAY: Hannah’s bedroom has been transformed

OUNG Hannah Shannon’s parents have no trouble persuading her it’s bedtime! For the nine-year-old, who lives with a degenerative condition, has had her bedroom transformed into a magical kingdom of light and colour. Hannah was given the special bedroom by Make-A-Wish Foundation UK, which grants magical wishes to children and young people with life-threatening illnesses. Hannah has Sanfilippo’s Syndrome, a condition that causes progressive damage to the body and affects both physical and mental abilities over time. Although Hannah was fully mobile when she was younger her condition means that she now has to use a wheelchair. The new bedroom in Hannah’s home in Bangor, County Down, has been

designed to give her the opportunity to interact with her surroundings – something that her condition has made more difficult. The room features a touch-sensitive LCD wall, which responds to Hannah’s touch with a dazzling display of light and colour. Hannah’s dad, Steven, said: “The sensory room provides Hannah with a really peaceful and relaxing environment – even her sisters love using it! “It is wonderful to have something that helps her to engage with her surroundings. We are very grateful.” There are currently 20,000 children and young people in the UK fighting a life-threatening illness. n The Make-A-Wish charity aims to grant at least 1,000 wishes this year. www.make-a-wish.org.uk

Over the past 16 years, a combination of falling gilt yields and improving mortality rates has seen rates drop by a massive 46% for males and 43% for females. For those about to hit retirement the big question is what does the future hold for annuity rates, and can the recent revival in annuity rates continue during 2011? Richard Eagling, editor of Investment Life & Pensions Moneyfacts, said: “The recent annuity rate rally is unlikely to last much longer, and could ultimately prove nothing more than temporary respite from their downward trajectory.”

All Together NOW! is exceptionally well received by its 240,000 readers. 120,000 readers DO NOT see any other local paper — The Murray Consultancy

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HALF A MILLION readers

All Together NOW!

NEWS

— that’s our goal

All Together NOW! is one of the best up and coming newspapers in the UK – and that’s official!

The North West’s best read health and disability paper was among the ten national finalists at the Barclays Trading Places Awards, which recognise businesses that are succeeding against the odds – and which have great potential for growth. Steve Cooper, chair of the judging panel and Managing Director, Barclays Business, said at the awards ceremony, held at The Savoy, London: “The calibre of this year’s entries was exceptional but the judges unanimously agreed that All Together NOW! shone out as an outstanding business that has thrived despite what seemed like impossible odds. “All of us congratulate the All Together NOW! team and hope the paper’s story will inspire others.” As regular readers will know, the All Together NOW! charity was set up in 2004 to resurrect the former I Can Do That! disability focused newspaper,

n WINNING WAYS: Editor Tom Dowling with Loraine Kelly, left, Jane Jutsum (Leonard Cheshire Disability), and business guru Rene Carayol

Together, we are making a difference 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 also raises awareness about how people can overcome personal challenges. published Trinity Mirror, which was closed for commercial reasons. Since then the charity’s newspaperhas gone from strength to strength, increasing its readership to 240,000 – and attracting sponsorships and advertising from some of the North West’s leading organisations including Liverpool Primary Care Trust, Merseytravel,

n We

rely entirely on support from our sponsors, advertisers and from general subscriptions and grants.

n You

can contact us on 0151 230 0307 or via email: news@alltogethernow.org.u

NHS North West, Park Group, Sellafield UK, United Uilities, and the Morgan Foundation. Our goal now is to double the circulation from 60,000 copies to 120,000 – and have HALF A MILLION readers by Christmas! Ambitious? Yes. But achievable if we can find a few more sponsors and advertisers . . .

If you can help in any way, I’d be delighted to hear from you! Thanks again for all the fantastic support and feedback. It’s all very much appreciated. I hope you enjoy reading our latest info-packed edition. See you in the spring – April 4 to be precise.

Tom Dowling, editor

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Were YOU one of our lucky winners? CONGRATULATIONS to the FIVE lucky winners of our Christmas gardening competition. Winners receive copies of the new RHS Encyclopaedia of Plants. Judith M Jones, Alderley Road, Winnington, Northwich, Cheshire. Judith picked up her copy of All Together NOW! at the Daniel Owne Centre, Mold. Christina Coppack, Beech Road, Aston Park, Queensferry, Flintshire (Countess of Chester hospital) Mrs J Cooke, Blackbrook Road, St Helens, Merseyside (St Helens hospital) Mrs Elizabeth Bocarro, Kenworthy Lane, Northenden, Manchester (Wythenshawe hospital) Mrs Marion Brotherston, Apsley Grove, Tittensor, Stoke -On -Trent (Bridgemere Garden Centre)

Blue badge warning A WIRRAL-based printing company has pledged to donate half of any profits they make on new orders to charity. Carl Jones, fundraising director at charityprintshop.com, says: “Anyone buying print material or promotional gifts from us can nominate a charity of their choice and we will ensure they will get half of our profits - it could be All Together Now!” Contact Carl on 0844 576 3235 www.charityprintshop.com

All set for Naidex ORGANISERS of Naidex National the UK’s biggest homecare and disability exhibition - expect it to be the best in its 36 year history. The three-day event takes place at the NEC Birmingham on April 5-7. www.naidex.co.uk

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NEWS

Children to make forest access easier PUPILS across the UK are being urged to come up with some bright ideas to make access to woodlands and forests easier for those with disabilities. The annual Ready Willing & Mobile competition, organised by charity Mobility Choice, is open to all young people aged between seven and 16 – disabled and non-disabled. Winners get a bundle of great prizes for their school or club and themselves. A spokesman for the charity said: “We want young people to think not only about wheelchair users: sensory, learning or memory impairments can also affect a person’s experience of outdoor spaces in different and challenging ways. “Pupils can take a virtual tour of woodlands at www.visitwoods.org.uk – a new interactive website packed with information and pictures.” Entries should be in the form of a drawing, painting or diagram (max A3 size) accompanied by descriptive text. n www.mobilityroadshow.co.uk

Love is . . . I LOVE All Together NOW! It is bright, informative and packed with helpful articles and advice for disabled people and carers — Mrs Carolyn Jassi, The Paddock, Rufford, Lancashire

Sign up to petition A PETITION has been launched calling on the Government to scrap plans to remove a vital benefit from disabled people in residential care. Members of the Disability Benefits Consortium believe that removing the mobility component of disability living allowance from all disabled people in council-funded residential care will have a huge and regressive impact on their independence. They say the move, announced in the spending review, will only save £160 million but will have a “massive” impact on the 80,000 disabled people affected, leaving many with just £22.30 a week to cover all their personal expenses. DBC – which includes Disability Alliance, RADAR and the Learning Disability Coalition – said the cut could breach article 20 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which lays out disabled people’s right to personal mobility. n To sign the petition, visit: www.surveymonkey.com/s/dbcdla

Blind charities to work together

TAKING A BREATHER: The young carers enjoy their action-packed day

Care free Y

OUNG carers were treated to a welldeserved day of fun at a luxury four-star resort. Eighty youngsters from St John Ambulance Young Carers’ Project were invited to take time out from their everyday routines by Carden Park Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa, near Chester. They enjoyed an afternoon of exhilarating activities, including the Kong aerial ropes course, quad biking, clay pigeon shooting, archery and crazy golf. The young carers, from the Chester, Ellesmere Port, Northwich and Winsford areas, also had lunch provided and, following a packed afternoon of ‘Muddy Good Fun’ activities, enjoyed dinner and entertainment in one of the hotel’s function suites. Lexi Parker, 9, and her brother

Young helpers are treated to a rare day off

Matthew, 12, care for both parents at their home in Ellesmere Port. Lexi said: “I’ve really enjoyed everything about today. It’s good to come out and do something different. It was nice of the hotel to put this on for us and I really hope we can do it again some time.” There were big smiles, too, from 11-year-old Stephen Alderson, from Northwich, who cares for his mum. He said: “I’m lucky that I got to do something that I wouldn’t normally do every day. I really enjoyed the ‘leap of faith’, part of

the aerial ropes course in the woods.” Paul Gerrard, 13, from Chester, who looks after his mum, added: “I’ve had a really good time. The food is great!” Hamish Ferguson, general manager at Carden Park, said: “When we heard about the great work the project is doing and just how many young carers there are in our region, we knew we wanted to help. “We’ve got the facilities to provide the children and teenagers with a fun-filled day so we invited them along to give them some respite from the hard work they undertake on a daily basis caring for their relatives.” n The Cheshire Young Carers’ Project provides support and opportunities to young carers across West Cheshire and Vale Royal.

MPs warn against benefit reforms EVICTIONS and increased homelessness among disabled people are an inevitable result of the Government’s housing benefit reforms, MPs have been told. In a report on the likely impact of reforms, the Commons work and pensions committee – chaired by disabled MP Anne Begg – urged the Government to monitor how they affect disabled people. The committee also said the government should work with local authorities to address the need for

an adequate supply of affordable and accessible housing for disabled people. The committee welcomed plans to allow disabled people to claim extra housing benefit from April 2011 if they need a room for a live-in care worker. But it said this should be extended to cover all disabled people who need more space, for example for wheelchair access, a guide dog, essential equipment, or where a child cannot share a room with a sibling because of their impairment.

180,000 – two-thirds of All Together NOW! readers – DO NOT see any other disability or health publication — The Murray Consultancy

THREE leading national charities for blind and visuallyimpaired people are discussing how they could combine forces to improve the services they provide. But the Royal National Institute of Blind People, Action for Blind People – which is already part of the RNIB Group of charities – and SeeAbility say a possible future merger is not on the agenda. Instead, their aim is to rationalise which charity does what and allow each to focus on their particular areas of expertise. An ABP spokesman said: “Discussing possible ways of closer working is not related to the recession, or financial situations. “It is about the needs of blind and partiallysighted people; building on the strengths of the individual charities to increase the voice and influence of people with sight loss.” Jayne McGann, SeeAbility’s fundraising and marketing director, said the discussions had been about improving the frontline services and looking at areas where there might be duplication of services. The announcement comes three months after RADAR, the National Centre for Independent Living and Disability Alliance announced they were hoping to merge, 18 months after they began “exploring the potential for closer collaboration”.

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February/March 2011

NEWS

Diabetes baby study NEW research could help reduced the rsk of women with diabetes giving birth to babies with serious health problems. Women with diabetes are five times more likely to have a stillborn baby compared to other women. Their babies are also more likely to be affected by congenital anomalies such as spina bifida, and heart and kidney problems. Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Diabetes UK, who are funding the HONOURED: Janice with Coleen Nolan, left, Peter Newcastle University research, said: “Having diabetes doesn’t mean your baby will automatically develop a congenital GRANDMOTHER who has fostered 50 anomaly as tight blood children over 15 years won the inaugural glucose control can greatly Community Park Inspirational Award at a reduce this risk. glittering gala night at Thornton Hall in Wirral. “However, diabetes is the Janice Blake – an agent for Park for 34 years – most common pre-existing received her prize from TV celebrity Coleen Nolan. condition cared for during The awards, run by Park Christmas Savings Club pregnancy and therefore a and Debenhams, recognise Park Agents with the vital area of research that highest sales and those who have inspired others needs to be focused on to in their own communities. ensure these women are Other winners included Nicola Gilbert, 31, from provided with the best care Cheshire, who09:24 picked Page up the1 Selfless Park PREP84C11_ATN_170x265.qxd 10/11/10 and support they need.” Inspirational Award.

Probe launched into mobility market

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Johnson, and Peter Moore from Debenhams

For the past four years Nicola has helped her partner Wayne Bateman bring up his teenage nephew, Ben, and who has raised more than £2,000 for charity. Park Group chairman Peter Johnson said: “All our winners are a real inspiration to their family, friends and their communities.” Park Christmas Savings Club helps more than 400,000 families save for their perfect Christmas by putting away a small, manageable amount each week through a network of agents and direct savers. www.getpark.co.uk

Help your family & friends enjoy a debt free Christmas 2011

THE Office of Fair Trading is to launch a market study into mobility aids – examining whether consumers are well informed and treated fairly, and whether the industry is competitive. The selling of aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, stair lifts, bath aids, hoists and adjustable beds will come under close scrutiny. Two years ago the UK sector for mobility aids was estimated to be worth around £500 million, and is likely to expand further as the number of older people rises. It is a sector that attracts a large number of calls to Consumer Direct, the OFT-managed advice service, from people complaining or asking for advice. In 2009, nearly 5,000 calls were made – a 20% increase on the previous year. John Fingleton, OFT chief executive, said: “Increasing complaints make it appropriate for us to examine this sector and consider if there is potential for improvements on a consumer or competition level, or both.” n www.oft.gov.uk

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I’m on a mission to get the nation saving and with Park it couldn’t be easier Coleen Nolan

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Guide dog ‘PC Zara’ signs up for duty . . . THE Metropolitan Police has employed its first guide dog. ‘PC Zara’, as she is known, assists blind staff member Alex Turner who deals with public feedback and complaints. Zara accompanies Alex to and from work, including visits to police stations and buildings across London where he trains and supports staff in customer service. Alex, who has been in the Met since 2005, said: “When I lost my

New team ready to go into battle NATIONAL disability charity Vitalise has appointed a new leadership team to prepare for the tough challenges facing the disability sector. Mindy Sawhney (chair) and Chris Simmonds (chief executive) take up their positions as a major survey from the Office for National Statistics shows the scale of the problems facing people living with disability in the UK. The ONS survey reveals that disabled people are almost twice as likely as able-bodied people not to be able to work, have a holiday or take courses. They are also among the most disadvantaged members of society – and six million disabled people in the UK exist below the poverty line and struggle to access adequate statutory support for all but their most basic needs. Mindy Sawhney said: “It’s very depressing that people with disabilities in Britain are living socially-isolated, cash-strapped lives and struggling to participate in normal activities. “It just goes to show that, however far we think we’ve come in providing opportunities for disabled people to participate more fully in society, it’s clear we haven’t come nearly far enough. n www.vitalise.org.uk

Such a comfort! AS SOMEONE who has had his life affected by disability, it’s comforting to know that there is a paper and online magazine like All Together NOW! I can think of no better name for it, as we’re all in this together. Thanks for your efforts - Daniel O’Connor, New Chester Road,

More grommets, please DEAFNESS Research UK has sounded a warning over plans to drastically reduce the numbers of children receiving grommets for glue ear – a condition that can lead to deafness. The recently leaked McKinsey report suggested that some £700 million could be saved by the NHS by no longer commissioning procedures unable to demonstrate ‘tangible benefits’. The report includes comments on glue ear treatments and has concluded them to be ‘relatively ineffective’. However the NHS’ own watchdog, the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence concluded that there was definite place for grommet operations. n Helpline: 0808 808 2222 www.deafnessresearch.org.uk

sight I was naturally very worried about how it was going to change my life. “I’m lucky to work for the Met Police as they not only made adjustments to my working environment, but also brought in Zara to help. This has allowed me to continue working and given me independence outside of work so that I can continue to live my life to the fullest.”

Blind driver! Anything’s possible now, says Alan

OTOR mad Alan Briggs raised welcome cash for the Guide Dog charity – and more than a few eyebrows – when he got behind the wheel of a specially adapted car and drove around a car park. The drive took place four years after a stroke robbed Alan of his sight. He also suffered shortterm memory loss and mobility problems. Alan, 57, said: “I was depressed and didn’t know where to turn until The Stroke Association got involved.” Two years later he was paired with his guide dog, Edie. “Having Edie has been a truly life changing experience,” said Alan. “I now feel confident getting out and about independently.” Alan’s fund-raising feat took place with the help of Tina Preston, from Diverse Road Safety in Dovecot, who directed him. Alan said: “It was fntastic. Tina was at my side and it couldn’t have gone any better!” Julie Ainscow, at The Stroke Association, said: “Visual problems are common after a stroke and can affect up to two thirds of survivors. I’m delighted Alan is getting his life back.” n Guide Dogs, tel 0845 372 7499 www.guidedogs.org.uk Stroke Helpline, 0303 30 33 100 www.stroke.org.uk TEAM WORK: Alan, Edie and instructor Tina Preston

n A STROKE happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is disrupted. n Most strokes occur when a blood clot blocks blood to the brain. n Some are caused by bleeding in or around the brain. n When the blood supply is disrupted, parts of the brain become damaged or destroyed. n Some strokes are fatal – others can cause permanent or temporary disabilities such as paralysis to one side of the body and loss of the ability to speak, read or write. n Recovery may be slow and can vary from person to person. n Strokes can be prevented through lifestyle factors such as a healthy diet – particularly reducing salt intake, drinking alcohol only in moderation, not smoking and taking regular exercise.

Dame Evelyn ‘plays’ her way up Kilimanjaro! DEAF percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie and a team of disabled Africans drummed up support for the UK charity AbleChildAfrica by scaling Mount Kilimanjaro. Dame Evelyn “played” her way to the peak of the world’s tallest freestanding mountain with her drumsticks to raise awareness of the challenges faced by Africa’s 52 million disabled children and young people. She said: “We know that rocks and stones do actually sing, they do create interesting sounds, so I

took a pair of sticks because I was curious to find out what the mountain might sound like.” “There are more than 52 million disabled children in Africa and too many are without hope. The only way we can make a sustainable difference is by including these children in Africa’s future. “I chose the challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro because I wanted to make a difference to TAKE ME HOME! our next generation.”

Readers feel All Together NOW! creates parity between those who have a disability and those who have not — The Murray Consultancy

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IMES are tough – and especially so for charities who are doing great work but struggling to make ends meet. Here at The Morgan Foundation we want to help organisations who share our philosophy – Making a Difference! Created in 2001 by businessman Steve Morgan OBE, founder and chairman of Redrow plc, chairman of the Bridgemere Group of Companies and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, the Morgan Foundation supports charities across North Wales, Merseyside, West Cheshire and North Shropshire. Our aim is to provide funding for

February/March 2011

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

EVERY ONE A WINNER! RECIPIENTS of Morgan Foundation grants include . . .

JOHN HOLT CANCER FOUNDATION

JUS KIDZ, KNOWSLEY

Rwanda water challenge MUDDY WATERS: Steve Morgan and villagers on the daily six-mile trek for drinking water

HE Morgan Foundation is to help bring clean drinking water and improved sanitation facilities to a remote part of Rwanda. The Foundation has teamed up with Water Aid to fund a three-year programme to help 100,000 people living in in the Bugesera district of Rwanda, 25km south-east of Kigali. Steve Morgan, founder of the Morgan Foundation, said: “Many readers will remember the atrocities in Rwanda where one million people were butchered during three months of genocide in 1994. “Since then Rwanda has moved on a long way and thanks to President Kagame and his government the country has made significant economic progress. “However the one big issue that remains is child mortality

NEED HELP? PLEASE PHONE ME FIRST! THE Morgan Foundation may be able to help you with your project. But please ALWAYS phone me for a chat before putting pen to paper — and check the map above to ensure that your group is based within our area of support. — Jane Harris, administrator, The Morgan Foundation. Contact details at foot of page

WOLVES FANS: Steve Morgan with President Kagame and the village football team due to poor quality drinking water.” Diarrhoea is the biggest cause of death for children under five in Africa. During a visit to the area, Mr Morgan took part in the villagers’ daily six mile round treks to a muddy river to collect water. “It’s some walk, very strenuous – and they have to

do it every day,” said Steve. “Our three-year plan is to provide good clean safe water and improve sanitation. “Lot of places still have no latrines. In one school there are eight latrines for 1,000 children. “That’s why we have to something to help these people.” Steve, who is also chairman of Premier League football club

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Wolverhampton Wanderers, took some of the Wolves’ kits to the village – and refereed a match. “It was great fun and all of the village have now become massive Wolves fans!” Five years ago the Morgan Foundation provided running water to thousands of people in south west Uganda.

KIM PROJECT: KINDNESS IN MIND

Tel. 01829 782800

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FEATURE A TENDENCY to depression sometimes goes with a creative disposition. So people with an urge to write should make the effort to do so. It’s a therapy that can release you into another world and lift your mood . . .

Rail travel is still a headache for many DISABLED rail passengers are still being left stranded on trains and platforms because of continuing failures in the system set up to book assistance, says a new report. Passenger Focus, the rail consumer watchdog, said there had been some improvements since its last survey of the Assisted Passenger Reservation System in 2008, but the service was still inconsistent. Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus’s chief executive, said there were too many instances of: n Staff not being adequately trained; n People being left stranded without help; n Passengers, in some cases, not treated in a decent or dignified way. Bobby Ancil, of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign’s Trailblazers network, said: “The need for advance booking 24 hours ahead is also a major cause of frustration for active young people with disabilities.”

It’s unique . . . WE BOTH find All Together NOW! to be unique and full of interesting and informative articles covering items which seldom – if ever – appear anywhere else. Keep up the good work — Dave and Heather Gwilliam (by email)

Baroness speaks up THE welfare of children and young people with intellectual disabilities was the subject of Baroness Hollins’ maiden speech at the House of Lords. The professor of the psychiatry of disability at St George’s, University of London, outlined a new European agreement to improve their circumstances. She said: “As many as 300,000 disabled children and young people still experience discrimination, neglect and abuse in institutions in Europe, as well as in other countries throughout the world. “Most disabled children and young people, and their families, are poor, with little formal support being provided for them. Negative attitudes and stereotypes are the norm, and they experience barriers in gaining access to healthcare. These are human rights issues. “If we can get it right for people with learning disabilities, we can get it right for other citizens. “By putting disabled people at the centre of the human rights debate, I hope noble Lords will join me in promoting policy that makes a real difference in people’s lives.”

Write away the blues! I

REMEMBER the applause as the play ended, and the gratitude I felt towards the lead actor. She had much of Thora Hird’s magic, making my printed words materialise into a bouncy, entertaining Northerner. I could have kissed her. My debut as a playwright came late – a few days before my 85th birthday. The announcement of a scriptwriting competition in a shop window caught my eye when I was away on holiday and I made up my mind to enter. Over the years I’ve written fiction and plays but if I had kept all the rejection slips that came through the letterbox I could paper the proverbial room with them. By the time I reached my 80s I was resigned to never making it as a creative writer, but fortunately journalism had been kinder to me. So I suppose I saw the competition as a last chance to prove myself in different territory. The thrill of learning I was the winner in the over-60s section of the competition was matched by the nature of the prize which was to see my winning entry acted out by a professional cast. Over the years I have reviewed plays in theatres big and small, but this was personal, a chance to assess my own work as performed on stage. This modest late achievement underlines the advice so often given to struggling writers – NEVER GIVE UP. For me it was also a reminder that writing, particularly creative writing through which it’s possible to enter a world of one’s own choice and imagining,

by Madeleine Were

MAKE A NOTE . . . University of Liverpool Creative Writing Society for Lifelong Learning, tel 0151 291 6942 The Windows Project, 0151 709 3688 www.windowsproject.demon.co.uk www.playwriting101.com www.depressionalliance.org can be a therapy that helps to keep depression at bay. Novelist Margaret Drabble has noted that walking, talking, jigsaws and above all, writing, have helped her to overcome periods of depression. This mirrors my own experience and by now I have learned to recognise the early signs of low mood and know it’s time to give that writing bug full rein, no matter how much the little grey cells object to getting down to work. And there’s no time to lose, because the more the depression takes hold, the weaker the motivation to pick up a pen. The downside is those rejection slips that only deepen depression, especially when one writes in solitude. Here lies the value of writing circles and groups, numbers of which are spiralling because a lot more people than we might think have the desire to express themselves in this way. At their best they provide an atmosphere of supportive togetherness. Yes, others in the group will

constructively criticise your work, as you will criticise theirs, but this develops objective self-criticism, without which there can be little progress. If praise comes, this means they are responding and relating to your words – very encouraging for a budding author. Just over 10 years ago, Tommy McBride started the Liverpool University Creative Writing Society, still flourishing on Tuesday evenings at the university. “I find new writers very often write about themselves, about their problems, their illnesses or disabilities,” he says. “Analysing things in this way is a form of self-counselling that can bring real release.” He himself has written about how he copes with Bell’s palsy, a paralysis that affects one side of the face. Meetings take the form of workshops under rotating convenors and discussion covers all matters relating to writing, including finding markets. When someone writes a play members will give it a read-through. Several have had their work published and members contribute to a group anthology. There is also support online at the Bookbite Writing Club (www.bookbite.org.uk/writing) , which has a well-known writer as Writer in Residence to give advice and answer questions. Regular competitions stimulate the writing of stories and poems, and the researching and writing of family TAKE ME HOME! history is encouraged.

In the past year All Together NOW! has increased its readership by 20% due to its availability in MAINSTREAM outlets — The Murray Consultancy

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A BREATH OF FRESH AIR . . .

February/March 2011

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Thu 17th February, 7:30pm.

The Great American Soulbook Ben E. King & Gary U.S. Bonds

Sat 5th March, 7:30pm.

The Soldiers Sun 6th March, 11:30am & 2:00pm.

The Three Degrees

Fireman Sam Pontypandy Rocks

Tue 1st March, 7:30pm.

Tue 8th March, 7:30pm.

Sun 27th February, 7:30pm.

The Circus of Horrors The Four Chapters of Hell

The Kilkennys Fine Girl, Ye Are

Wed 2nd March, 7:30pm.

Thu 10th to Sat 12th March, 7:30pm. Ribbon Productions presents

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February/March 2011

Feb 5: Zoe Lyons Cloudbusting, The Brindley, Runcorn. Stand Up Feb 5: The Magic of Motown, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton Feb 5: Back For Good, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Take That tribute Feb 5: One Night of Queen - Gary Mullen and the Works, Southport Theatre Feb 6: Circus Hilarious, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton Feb 6: Vienna Tonkunstler Orchestra, Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Classical music Feb 7-Feb 12: Brassed Off, The Brindley, Runcorn. Musical comedy Feb 8-12: Horrible Histories, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent. Feb 8-12: Hamlet, The Lowry, Manchester. Captioned Performance Wed 9 February 7pm. Audio Described Performance Sat 12 February 1.30pm. Touch Tour 12pm - 12.30pm Feb 10: Megson, The Brindley, Runcorn. Folk duo. Feb 10: Ocean Colour Scene, Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Britpop Feb 10: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton Feb 11-12: 3 Little Pigs, Brindley, Runcorn. Children’s show. Feb 11: King King featuring Alan Nimmo, St Helens Citadel. Blues Feb 12-Feb 15: Charlie and Lola’s Best Bestest Play, Everyman, Liverpool. Magical mix of puppets, live action and music. Feb 12: Tony Christie in Concert, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton Feb 12: Sarah Millican Chatterbox, Southport Theatre. Stand up Feb 12: Johann Strauss Gala, Guild Hall, Preston. Musical Feb 12: Goodnight Mister Tom, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton Feb 13: Grimethorpe Colliery Band, Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Live music Feb13: Cannon & Ball Laughter Show, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton Feb 13: The Great American Soulbook, Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Gary U.S. Bonds in concert Feb 13: Simon Munnery: Self Employed, The Lowry, Manchester. Live comedy. Feb 15-19: Goodnight Mr Tom. Wartime drama. Signed Performance Thu 17 February, 7pm Feb 15: Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, Southport Theatre Feb 15-Mar 5: The Sound of Music, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent. Feb 16-Feb 20: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Charter Theatre, Preston Feb 16: Shakin’ Stevens, Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl Feb 17: A Man With No More Rolls, Everyman, Liverpool. Comedian John Shuttleworth. Feb 17: The Great American Soul Book, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton

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

MANCHESTER Library Theatre: The Lowry: 0843 208 6000 Opera House: 0870 401 9000 Palace Theatre: 0870 401 3000 NEW BRIGHTON Floral Pavillion: 0151 666 0000 PORT SUNLIGHT: Gladstone Theatre: 0151 643 8757 PRESTON: Charter Theatre: 0845 344 2012 RHYL: Pavilion Theatre: 01745 330 000

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

What’s on Comedy drama, music, family . . Feb 18-Mar 12: Oedipus, Liverpool Playhouse. Steven Berkoff’s adaptation of Sophocles’ greatest Greek tragedy. Audio described Tues Mar 1, 7,30pm. Captioned Mar 12, 2pm Feb 18-19: The Adventures of Monsieur Robinet/Animal Alphaboat, Everyman, Liverpool. John Hegley double-bill for kids. Feb 18-19: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Children’s play Feb 18: Beyond the Barricade, Guild Hall, Preston Feb 18: Count Arthur Strong, Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl. Comedy Feb 18-19: Chatterbox, The Lowry, Manchester. Comedy with Sarah Millican Feb 19: Storm in a Teacup, Octagon Theatre, Bolton. Family show

Feb 21-Feb 26: Verdict, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. Crime drama. Feb 21-26: Blood Brothers, The Lowry, Manchester. Feb 22: Count Arthur Strong, Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Comedy Feb 22-26: King Lear, Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Classical drama Feb 23-26: They Call Her Natasha, Everyman, Liverpool. Fantasy stage show with Elvis Costello songs. Feb 23: Gerry Cross The Mersey, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Life of Gerry Marsden Feb 23-24: Roary the Racing Car, Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Children’s show Feb 24: Rainbow Chasers, The Brindley, Runcorn. Folk music. Feb 24-Mar 12: A Doll’s House, The Lowry, Manchester. Henrik Ibsen’s ground-breaking play about a wife forced to question her devotion. Audio described Tue March 8, 7.15pm. Touch Tour 6.15pm. Sat March 12, 2.30pm. Touch Tour 1.15pm. Signed performance Thu March 10, 7.15pm. Captioned performance Fri March 11, 7.15pm Feb 25: High School Rocks, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Musical Feb 25-Mar 5: A Thing Called Love, Octagon Theatre, Bolton. Short plays about love and romance. Feb 26: The Drifters, The Brindley, Runcorn. Soul

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February/March 2011

HIGHLIGHTS of Manchester’s Waterside Arts Centre season include the Bollywood Brass Band, a riot of brass and beats, joined by Pakistani singer Rafaqat Ali Khan for a concert that covers 60 years of Bollywood movie music – with film projections plus plenty of passion and humour from the stage. (Saturday, February 26: tickets £12 / £10 for ages 15 and under)

in theatreland ... Feb 26: Circus Hilarious Presents Laughter Dome, Theatre Royal, St Helens Feb 26: Chris Farlowe and the Norman Beaker Band, St Helens Citadel Feb 27: The Circus of Horrors, Grand Theatre, Blackpool. ‘Bizarre and beautiful’ circus performance Feb 27: The Three Degrees, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton Feb 28: The Circus of Horrors, Palace Theatre, Manchester. ‘Bizarre & beautiful’ circus performan Mar 1-Mar 2: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Performed by Shakespeare 4 Kidz Mar 1-5: The “All New” Original Blues Brothers, Palace Theatre, Manchester. Soul and Blues musical. Mar 1-Mar 6: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton Mar 1: The Circus of Horrors - The 4 Chapters of Hell, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton Mar 1-5: Carmen, The Lowry, Manchester. Sung in French with English titles. Mar 2-4: The Merry Widow, The Lowry, Manchester. Audio Described & Signed performances available. Mar 2: Neil Morrissey Celebrities Stripped Bare, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton

Mar 2-5: The Naked Truth, Guild Hall, Preston. Comic play Mar 2: The Solid Silver 60s Show, Southport Theatre Mar 2: Poems of Young Love, Octagon Theatre, Bolton. Lunchtime poetry recital. Mar 3: Portrait, The Lowry, Manchester. Opera, sung in English. Mar 4: Mary Wilson of the Supremes with Special Guests The Chi-Lites, Southport Theatre Mar 5: The Essence of Ireland Christmas Special - A Winters Tale, Southport Theatre. Irish Dance/Music Mar 5: The Lancashire Hotpots, St Helens Citadel. Folk Mar 6: Fireman Sam ‘Pontypandy Rocks’, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton Mar 6-8: The Chinese State Circus, Venue Cymru, Llandudno. The world’s leading Chinese acrobats. Mar 6: The Carpenters’ Story, The Lowry, Manchester. Live 70s music Mar 8-12: The Comedy of Errors, The Lowry, Manchester. Shakespearean comedy Mar 8: The Kilkennys, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Clancy Brothers Tribute Mar 9-12: Richard III, The Lowry, Manchester. Shakespearean Drama.

Mar 9: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Guild Hall, Preston Mar 9-12: Disney’s High School Musical, The Brindley, Runcorn Mar 9-10: The Chinese State Circus-Mulan, Southport Theatre Mar 10: Gordon Smith, Charter Theatre, Preston. Medium Mar 10-12: Liverbirds.com, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Black comedy Mar 10-Apr 2: The Price, Octagon Theatre, Bolton. Family drama Mar 12: Dave Spikey, Charter Theatre, Preston Mar 12: Martin Carthy, St Helens Citadel. Folk Mar 12: Psychic Sally: On the Road, Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Sally Morgan live Mar 13: The Dubliners, The Lowry, Manchester. Live Irish folk music. Mar 13: Bootleg 60s, Theatre Royal, St Helens. Pop hits. Mar 13: Help for Heroes, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Charity Play Mar 14: Bjorn Again, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent. Parody tribute to Abba. Mar 15: Moscow Ballet La Classique pres. Coppelia, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton Mar 15-16: Ailey 2, The Lowry, Manchester. Dance with jazz, blues and gospel. Mar 16-Mar 18: Horrible Histories,

Charter Theatre, Preston Mar 16: Count Arthur Strong, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent. Stand-up Mar 17: Romeo & Juliet, Regent Theatre, Stoke-onTrent. Russian State Ballet. Mar 17: The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton Mar 17: An Evening with...Charlie Landsborough, Southport Theatre. Country music Mar 17-19: Die Fledermaus, Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Welsh National Opera Mar 18: Il Trovatore, Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Welsh National Opera Mar 18: Rubberneck, St Helens Citadel. Live local bands Mar 18: Sleeping Beauty, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent. Russian State Ballet. Mar 19: Swan Lake, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent. Russian State Ballet. Mar 19: Vampires Rock, Southport Theatre. Cult rock show Mar 19: Pam Ayres, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Humour and Poetry Mar 19: The Stumble, St Helens Citadel. Chicago Blues Mar 19: The Worm That Squirmed, Octagon Theatre, Bolton. Family show with puppets and live music Mar 20: Spotlight on Youth, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Talent

240,000 readers across the North West ...

show Mar 20: The Nutcracker, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. Fantasy Ballet Mar 20: BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Live classical music Mar 20: Sarah Millican: Chatterbox, Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Standup Mar 21: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Performed by Shakespeare 4 Kidz Mar 21: Romeo and Juliet, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. Ballet Mar 22: Beyond the Barricade, Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Songs from the West End. Mar 22: Swan Lake, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. Fantasy Ballet Mar 22-26: King Lear, The Lowry, Manchester. Shakespearean drama Mar 23: Beyond the Barricade, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. West End hits Mar 25: Circus of Horrors - The Four Chapters of Hell, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton Mar 25: Rhos Male Voice Choir, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton Mar 26: The Official Jake and Elwood Blues, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. Blues Mar 26: Ian McNabb, St Helens Citadel. Indie/alternative rock Mar 26: That’ll Be The Day, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. Rock ‘n’ Roll Mar 26: Magic of the Beatles, Venue Cymru, Llandudno.Beatles tribute band. Mar 26: Ken Dodd and his Happiness Show, Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Mar 27: Andrew Lawrence Too Ugly for Television, The Lowry, Manchester. Stand-up Mar 27: Russell Watson, The Lowry, Manchester. Live music. Mar 28-Apr 2: Footloose, The Lowry, Manchester. 80s themed dance musical. Mar 28-May 14: Ghost, Opera House, Manchester. Fantasy about the power of love. Mar 28-Apr 2: Buddy, Palace Theatre, Manchester. The Buddy Holly story. Mar 31: Hardeep Singh Kohli, The Brindley, Runcorn. Comedy Cooking Mar 29-Apr 2: April in Paris, The Lowry, Manchester. Captioned performance Thu March 31, 8pm Mar 30-Apr 23: Twisted Tales, Liverpool Playhouse. Roald Dahl’s dark stories, adapted by Jeremy Dyson. Captioned Sat Apr 16, 2pm. Audio described Sat Apr 23, 2pm and 7.30pm Mar 31: Hardeep Singh Kohli, The Brindley, Runcorn. Comedy Cooking Apr 1: Call Mr Robeson. The Brindley, Runcorn. Story of TAKE ME HOME! actor Paul Robeson’s life

0151 230 0307

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

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Charity champs

Breaking down barriers

STAFF at Merseytravel have chosen ‘Clatterbridge your cancer centre’ as their corporate charity for 2011.

Let’s Get Moving colleagues with Councillor Allan Dean (right)

We get you moving! CELEBRATIONS have been taking place at Merseytravel HQ to mark a great four years of Let’s Get Moving, the programme that overcomes transport barriers to help disadvantaged communities access job opportunities. The European-funded programme has successfully implemented a number of major projects since it launched in 2006. Its Neighbourhood Travel Teams have

provided transport solutions to more than 30,000 unemployed residents accessing employment -and 179 scooters and 420 bicycles were loaned as part of the WorkWise scheme. As a result of the team’s work, 74% of those hiring scooters and 85% of those hiring bikes are still in employment after six months, and more than half of those assisted by the Neighbourhood Travel Teams

have remained in employment after three months. Let’s Get Moving came to a close at the end of last year, but Merseytravel has successfully secured funding for WorkWise to continue its South Liverpool Loan to Buy Scooter pilot until July, and Neighbourhood Travel Team activity will be delivered as part of the City Region Employment and Skills strategy.

The charity raises funds to directly benefit the patients of Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology, the leading cancer treatment centre for people in Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire and the Isle of Man. Every year more than 25,000 patients are referred for treatment to Clatterbridge. The charity’s fundraising allows the centre to improve the care and support over and above what the NHS would be expected to supply. Fundraising manager Kim Smith said: “As so many of our patients come from the Merseyside area, we feel that this will be an exciting and beneficial partnership and we are all thrilled at the prospect of working with Merseytravel.” Previous charities supported by Merseytravel are Sundowns, Claire House Children’s Hospice, CHICS (Children’s Cancer Support Group), Knowsley Family Link (SCOPE), Marie Curie Hospice, Liverpool, Stick ‘n’ Step (Helping children with cerebral palsy), Ronald McDonald House at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, and St Joseph’s Hospice, Thornton.

Merseytravel is making sure that Public Transport on Merseyside is easy for everyone to use. We care about the accessibility of our buildings, vehicles and information. All of our staff are trained to be courteous and considerate, particularly when our customers have special requirements. Whether it be automatic door-openers in our head office, availability of textphones for main points of contact, or producing timetables in large print, we want to make public transport easier for everyone to use.

Among our services and facilities are: UÊÊ Merseylink – a door to door fully accessible transport service for people who are mobility impaired. UÊÊ ree concessionary travel for over 48,000 people with disabilities. U Modern, low floor, fully accessible buses, which are developed in partnership with local authorities and bus companies. UÊÊ Information in a variety of formats, including the Merseytravel Access Guide – containing access details for all bus and rail stations on Merseyside.

0871 200 22 33 Calls cost 10p per minute from land lines, mobiles may vary

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Textphone users can dial 18001 then 0871 200 22 33 for a typetalk assisted call.

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February/March 2011

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WIN! WIN! WIN!

Top propagator could be yours

HIGH-QUALITY electric propagator is the key to raising your own plants successfully. But so often small models leave keen gardeners frustrated by lack of space. Well, we’ve the answer with a superb giant capacity version – and it could soon be yours! The Quadruple propagator has been designed and manufactured by Two Wests & Elliott to provide gardeners with a professional-style, variabletemperature propagator. It costs £138 and is supplied fully assembled and ready to use.

Oh they do like to be beside the seaside

The Quadruple has an electrically heated flat GOING FOR GROWTH – our prize propagator aluminium tray 96.5cm long and 38cm wide (38in x 15in) which forms the base. Standing on this are four Stewart Plastics seed trays with adjustable covers. The temperature is easily and accurately controlled by a Standard thermostat. Power consumption is 100 watts and the propagator comes with a 183cm (6ft) mains lead. Gentle heat from the base is essential for ANY of us live near the germinating many seeds, GARDEN sea or in exposed upland especially in cold weather, GUARD: locations. My garden is and the range of trays Escallonia about 100 metres from the shore enables a wide variety of ‘Red bedding plants, exotic of Liverpool Bay with nothing in Hedger’ conservatory flowers, between. loves salt tomatoes, peppers, etc, to I’d call it a mixed blessing . . . sea air be given a good start. The views may be fine but gales Without the seed trays, don’t suit all plants and a the base can be used to greenhouse caked with blown sand provide warmth for striking does not let in as much light as it cuttings or for overshould. wintering tender pot However, anyone can create a plants. horticultural haven on the coast or To enter the competition, in other exposed locations. answer this question: Some of the most reliable How many standard coast include the gold and greenberries. Reliable species are hedging shrubs are native berryseed trays will fit on the leaved Eleagnus pungens; Berberis darwinii which can grow bearing types like sea buckthorn, Quadruple propagator up to 3m (10ft) but can be easily skimmia, the female form of which hawthorn, blackthorn (sloe) and base? kept at a lower level by annual produces a display of scarlet holly. They also do their bit for the Send your entry with pruning. berries as long as there’s a male environment by providing excellent your name and address For evergreen rounded shrubs to bush nearby (both have sweeton a postcard or sealed nesting sites for birds when clipped protect borders from fierce winds, scented flowers); and Garrya envelope, stating where to create a thicket. elliptica, which has long catkins in there are two species both you picked up your copy More exotic hedges can be made winter and is fairly tough but may nicknamed daisy bush for an of All Together NOW! to: of escallonia, which laps up salt be susceptible to some leaf obvious reason – Olearia x haastii, Two Wests Competition, and produces flowers of red, pink a New Zealand native, slowwindburn. All Together NOW!, The or white, beloved of bees. There is Bradbury Centre, Youens growing to 1.5m (5ft), with holly-like For a sub-tropical effect choose even an escallonia variety called Way, Liverpool L14 2EP, leaves and clusters of white, the magnificent Yucca filamentosa, Red Hedger which gives a couple to arrive by Friday, March scented flowers in May and June, with viciously sharp leaves and of clues to its character. 26, or enter online at and Brachyglottis laxifolium, huge plumes of creamy white bells Berberis shrubs not only thrive in www.alltogethernow.org.uk up to 1.8m (6ft) in summer. Yucca formerly Senecio laxifolius, fastsalt winds but tolerate pollution, Please also tell us what growing to around 90cm tall and gloriosa is similar but taller and grow in poor or sandy soil, are you think of All Together flowers later. 1.2m across (3ft x 4ft), with greyuntroubled by pests and diseases, NOW! – and where you Among climbers, most green leaves and bunches of bright and don’t mind some shade. They picked up your copy. honeysuckles will thrive in seaside yellow blooms in summer. make a tough, dense, quickn For a free copy of the conditions as long as they have a Once wind protection is in place, growing hedge for wind-protection, Two Wests and Elliott friendly hedge or trellis to cling to, there is a wide choice of privacy or security. Quality Equipment so will many ivies, including the ornamental shrubs and climbers – Catalogue, phone 01246They’re evergreen with small, best-looking variegated kinds such including most of the viburnums. 451077 or go to dark, holly-like leaves, golden as Sulphur Heart. Good evergreen shrubs for the www.twowests.co.uk flowers in spring and purple

HELPING HANDS

CHECKLIST FLOWERS: For an early display of half-hardy annuals, sow antirrhinums, lobelias, pansies, English and French marigolds under glass in an electric propagator or on a windowsill in a cool room in March. Most need 16C-21C (60F-70F) to germinate, then the seedlings can be grown at 10C (50F). SHRUBS AND TREES: Prune deciduous clematis. Those that bloom in spring should be lightly trimmed for tidiness and to remove dead wood. On summer or autumn flowering types, cut down last year’s stems to two buds at the bottom of each stem. Plant summer-flowering shrubs such as escallonia in mild weather. LAWNS: In a mild spell, start tackling deep-rooted lawn weeds like dandelion, dock and buttercup with a spot weed-killer. More applications may be necessary during spring. PONDS: In the recent formidably cold weather ponds have been covered with several inches of ice. Only one appliance has kept a small patch on my pond ice-free – an electric floating pond heater. This is dish-shaped, has a heating unit underneath and holes which allow the warmed water to form a pool on top. Not only does it maintain a drinking source for birds in icy weather but also allows carbon dioxide to escape from the water, reducing danger to fish and wildlife. Don’t crack the ice - the shock waves are distressing to fish. VEGETABLES: When the soil is reasonably dry, plant shallot bulbs, and sow broad beans, and early peas such as Kelvedon Wonder or the newer variety Cavalier. Plant shallots firmly in well-raked soil with just the tips of the shoots showing. FRUIT: Feed trees and bushes with a general fertiliser, sprinkling it around the trunks on a mild day, hoeing it lightly into the soil and applying a mulch of wellrotted manure or garden compost on top. HERBS: Sow chives and tarragon under glass, and tender herbs like basil and coriander with heat in a greenhouse, a conservatory or on a bright windowsill. HOUSEPLANTS: Stop feeding plants, which have flowered in winter but continue to feed those due to bloom in spring. When cyclamen flowers fade, remove them by grasping the stem firmly and pulling it cleanly TAKE ME HOME! away from the base.

Disabled and need advice on gardening? Contact national charity THRIVE. Tel. 0118 988 5688. www.thrive.org.uk or www.carryongardening.org.uk

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RELAX in our sophisticated new hotel in St Annes. Recently refurbished to the highest possible standard, this stylish 26-room hotel overlooks the sea, and offers a choice of luxurious wheelchair-accessible accommodation - from single rooms up to 3-room suites. The new Bond Hotel, St Annes is the ideal venue for those looking for the chance to unwind in style. ENJOY our de-luxe holiday homes at scenic Marton Mere. If you would prefer a self-catering break, these superbly appointed holiday homes could be just the thing. They sleep up to six, have central heating and all mod cons, are fully accessible, and overlook the beautiful lake and wildlife area at this popular resort.

HOLIDAY HOMES

Marton Mere Holiday Village

LUXURY travel wherever you choose to stay, you will have access to Bond Accessible Coaches Ltd who will pick you up and take you home at very reasonable prices So come and explore a whole world of special holidays for very special guests. Whether it's a week with the stars of “Coronation Street or Emmerdale”, a break on a nature reserve, or a luxury room with a great sea view, we can provide it - and at a great price too!

www.bondhotel.co.uk

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

E! E HOM M E K A T

Tel: 0151 230 0307 ‘We’ve had a huge increase in callers who tell us that they have seen our advert in All Together NOW! We are delighted with the response’

February/March 2011

sales@bondhotel.co.uk

Booking hotline 01253 341218

Win a space adventure

Are YOU a Cosmic Valentine?

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND: Lots of fun in store at the National Space Centre

All Together NOW! has teamed up with the National Space Centre to offer FIVE family tickets to the winners of our super space competition. The centre is the UK’s largest visitor attraction dedicated to space and space exploration, welcoming around a quarter of a million visitors each year since its opening in June 2001. Since then the centre, in Leicester, has hosted an amazing variety of events ranging from visits from astronauts such as the legendary Buzz Aldrin, Helen Sharman, Michael Foale, and Piers Sellars to Star Wars and Doctor Who events. Our prize tickets – two adults, two children – are worth almost £200.

All you have to do to have a chance of winning is answer these three questions: 1) Where is the the National Space Centre situated? 2) Name an astronaut who has visited the centre. 3) What year did the centre open?

Send your entries to: Space Competition, All Together NOW! The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L13 2EP. You can also enter online at: www.alltogethernow.org.uk Please tell us where you picked up your copy of All Together NOW! – and let us know what you think of our paper. Closing date: Friday, March 25.

Help with holiday medical costs . . .

O-ONE wants to spend time in hospital when they’re on holiday. But for those with pre-existing conditions it’s a potential risk. Having good quality travel insurance ensures that the cost of any medical care while abroad is covered. But, until now, it often didn’t make up for the lost days while in hospital – and probably didn’t cover for other costs incurred at home if the length of the time away had to be extended. Now a new kind of policy is available to plug the gap. Iain Sykes, managing director of goodtogoinsurance.com, said: “When someone has to undergo emergency surgery abroad, it means they miss out on some or all of their holiday and could also lengthen their stay in that country, potentially impacting on arrangements at home too. “Because we specialise in providing travel insurance for those with pre-

existing medical conditions, we understand this risk. We have therefore added our extra medical cover to help travellers cope with the added difficulties of a hospital stay abroad. “For example, we will cover for a recuperation holiday if more than five days is spent in hospital, following unplanned surgery, while on the original trip. We also cover for other costs that might be incurred if the stay abroad has to be extended, such as cattery or kennel fees back home. “In addition, once the individual returns home, they may need home help or may even need corrective cosmetic surgery. These can be expensive requirements that many could not afford, but we have added them to the cover in our policy. “We want to make sure that everyone can travel, and gets the holiday they have paid for, even if they have a preexisting condition.” n www.goodtogoinsurance.com

COUPLES can discover the true meaning of love under the stars this Valentine’s Day at the National Space Museum. Not a night for starcrossed lovers, but one for those looking for the unusual, the evening will take people on a journey through our Galaxy and beyond. It’s an opportunity to dine beneath real satellites, sip cocktails under giant rockets and learn about the constellations . . . If some hearts on the surface of Mars don’t prove the point that love really is out there, how about a rose, roughly 130 light years in diameter, from a bunch of hot young stars? The Rosette Nebula (pictured), lying approximately 5,000 light years from our Solar System, is a cloud of dust containing enough gas and dust to make about 10,000 stars like our Sun. Tickets, £29.95 each, include a four-course dinner, space cocktails and entertainment. n Call 0116 261 0261 www.spacecentre.co.uk E! E HO M TAKE M

All Together NOW! inspires and motivates those with supports needs AND reduces isoltation — The Murray Consultancy

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

February/March 2011

All Together NOW!

Key to your dream car C

HOOSING a new car isn’t easy — especially with all the makes and models on the market. But if you qualify for a Motability vehicle then it’s suddenly got a whole lot easier to find that perfect car. Motability’s revamped online Car Search lets you narrow down the wide range of brand new cars to a shortlist of favourites – and it’s easy to use! Instantly you can find the car that best meets your budget and your practical and access needs.

There are three clear search routes to choose from – by car details, such as budget or make and model; by access needs, such as door width and seat height measurements; or by a search option specific to wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs). ike Betts, chief executive of Motability Operations, said: “Everyone has different criteria when it comes to selecting the best car for them, and now the tool can be used to directly compare different makes and models alongside each other.

“Following feedback from our customers, we’ve increased the amount of useful information available as well as adding more images, with the aim of making it simpler to find the right car.” The full search results on each car highlight the specifications of the vehicle including its trim level, engine size, boot

capacity, miles per gallon and carbon emissions. It also provides generic images of the car, a full review from industry experts What Car? and key access information where available. n www.motability.co.uk

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

Elliott, 4, gets a very special set of wheels O

VER the past year, staff at insurance company RSA Motability have raised £24,000 to help disabled people to get mobile. Latest to benefit from their fundraising efforts is four-year-old Elliott Willis, who has Leigh’s disease – a rare progressive condition that affects the central nervous system and has no cure. Elliott’s mum, Danielle, said “I used to drive my own car but it wasn’t big enough for Elliott’s pram and all of the medical equipment that he needs when we go out. “Our community nurse told me about Motability and it has made life so much easier for us. With Motability, I was able to get a car that’s big enough for everything we need, but most importantly, that is comfortable and safe for Elliott to travel in.” Mark Jackson, corporate relationship manager at RSA Motability, presented Elliott and Danielle with the keys to their new Motability car. Mark said: “Seeing how the car helps Danielle to care for Elliott highlights just how valuable each pound raised can be.” Hazel Gotfraind, Motability’s fundraising and marketing director, said: “We are very grateful to RSA Motability and their staff for their continued support and efforts. By selling our seasonal merchandise and organising sponsored events, they have ensured that many more disabled people will benefit from the Motability Scheme.”

www.alltoget

Hey Presto, it’s magic!

IFE’S so much easier – and more range of accessible vehicles. Due to fun – for Ron James, thanks to his problems with arthritis, Ron wanted an new Citroen Presto mobility car automatic car – and the Citroen Presto from Allied Mobility. proved to be the answer. Ron is in his 70s and uses a scooter. Ron said: “The automatic transmission Until recently, his movements had been was an important feature for me. Driving severely limited because he did not have the car is effortless and the compact siz a car which could transport the scooter. makes it easy to manoeuvre and park.” But a phone call to Allied Mobility Ron was particularly impressed with th changed all that! excellent All together now_Jan11_Half:Layout 1 07/01/2011 09:43 Page 1 accessibility features of the ca Ron was visited by his local mobility The lowered floor and FlexiFold ramp advisor who took him through Allied’s meant it was easy to drive his scooter in

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KEY TO FREEDOM: Elliott and mum Danielle Willis with Mark Jackson, left, and Hazel Gotfraind, right

Kind-hearted staff help disabled people get mobile

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IMPRESSIVE FIGURES: Staff at RSA Insurance with Elliott and Danielle

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n Wrightington Mobility Centre, Hall Lane, Appley Bridge, Wigan, WN6 9EP. Tel. 01257 256409 www.mobility-centre.org.uk n Motability, Goodman House, Station Approach, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2ET. Helpline 0845 456 4566 (voice), 01279 632273 (text). www.motability.co.uk

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the back of the car. Ron said: “I’m really pleased with the Citroen Presto. “I’ve always enjoyed getting out but transporting my scooter was always a problem and this limited where I could go. “The Presto has given me much more freedom and has made transporting my scooter stress-free.” Ron, from south Lincolnshire, is not the only one enjoying more freedom thanks to his new Presto . . . “Until I got the Presto my dog Jester had

to make do with walks around our local area. Now I take him to different parks and places in the countryside, which he loves!” The Citroen Presto is fully accredited to the Motability Scheme and is available to buy, rent, or through the Scheme with advanced payments starting from only £395. n Allied Mobility: 0800 916 3062

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Motability — everything you need to know . . .

WALKIES: Ron and Jester ready for another country walk . . .

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All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

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MOTABILITY is the UK’s leading car scheme for disabled people. It provides affordable, convenient, worryfree motoring to over 550,000 disabled customers and their families. Scooters and powered wheelchairs can also be financed through Motability. The scheme is available to anyone who receives the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance or the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement. Customers simply transfer their mobility allowance to Motability to lease a car, powered wheelchair or scooter. Benefits for those leasing a car include a choice of over 4,000 brand new cars, insurance for two named drivers, servicing and maintenance, full RAC breakdown assistance, tyre and windscreen replacement and 60,000 mileage allowance over three years. A range of popular car adaptations are also available at no additional cost. The benefits for those leasing a scooter or powered wheelchair include an affordable and wide range of choices, standard pricing nationwide, insurance, breakdown assistance, servicing, maintenance and repairs and tyre and battery replacement. The scheme is directed and overseen by Motability, a national charity, which also provides financial assistance to customers,

FREE DVD A FREE DVD with detailed information about all aspects of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) is available from Motability. A Steer in the Right Direction follows three families on their quest to find the right vehicle for their individual needs. The DVD ends with a handy list of ‘top ten tips’ to consider including budget, comfort and the importance of test driving any vehicle. n For your copy call 0800 093 1000 who would otherwise be unable to afford the mobility solution they need. Motability Operations is the not-for profit public company, that operates the Motability Car Scheme and the Motability Powered Wheelchair and Scooter Scheme, under contract to Motability. n Motability Helpline: 0845 456 4566 (voice), 01279 632273 (text). www.motability.co.uk

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All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

Princess opens new garden workshop PRINCESS Alexandra opened the newly-refurbished Thrive Gardener Workshop at the charity’s Herb Garden in Battersea Park, London. The Princess is patron of Thrive, which helps people of all ages, with a wide range of disabilities, use gardening as therapy to rebuild their lives. The charity also offers help to older people looking for practical ways to carry on gardening and teenagers dealing with behavioural challenges. n www.thrive.org.uk www.carryongardening.org.uk

Forced marriages: shock new figures

CORES of people with learning difficulties are being forced into marriages against their will every year, new figures reveal. Last year, 35 people with learning difficulties, and 14 disabled people with physical impairments, contacted a government helpline set up to deal with the problem of forced marriages. But the Government figures underestimate the true scale of the problem, as the figures only represent those who used the helpline. The statistics were revealed at the launch of a new easy-read booklet designed to help prevent forced marriages involving people with learning difficulties, increase the reporting of such cases, and provide support to people struggling with the problem. The booklet – Am I Being Forced to Marry? – was published by the charity Respond, which provides

by JOHN PRING

psychotherapy and counselling to people with learning difficulties who have been abused. Much of the work was carried out by members of the Respond Action Group, who all have learning difficulties and act as expert advisors to the charity. Action group member Harry Reynolds said that forcing someone to marry against their will was “a form of abuse and must stop”. He said that both men and women with learning difficulties are being forced to marry. June Patterson, another action group member, said it was important that disabled campaigners were able to spread the message about how people with learning difficulties are affected by forced marriages. Mandy Sanghera, an activist who has been involved in more than

100 cases of forced marriage of people with learning difficulties over the last 15 years, said such marriages were about “abuse of your human rights”. She said: “A lot of decisions about their lives are made by their family and friends. They think they know what’s best for a person with a learning difficulty but people with learning difficulties have a right to a life of their own.” Roxanna Whittaker, a case worker with the government’s Forced Marriage Unit, said some parents forced a child with learning difficulties into a marriage to provide them with a carer, to help other people with claims for residence and citizenship, or to ensure land remains within the family, among other reasons. More than half of the cases dealt with last year by the unit concerned families of Pakistani origin, although there were cases from across many different ethnic groups, she added.

Brighter future for blind book lovers DISABLED people should find it easier to access electronic books after UK publishers signed up to a new agreement. The agreement recommends that all electronic books – e-books – should automatically allow “ereader” machines to turn the text into speech, at least where there is no audio-book edition. An increasing number of e-

readers now offer a text-to-speech facility, with campaigners pushing manufacturers to offer such accessibility features as standard. Publishers and campaigners said they hoped the recommendation to publishers would open up as many titles as possible to people with print impairments, such as dyslexia, and visual impairments. Fazilet Hadi, at RNIB, said:

“These developments have a profound significance for me and for thousands of other blind book lovers. “They point to a future when blind children and adults can buy the same books, at the same time and price as their sighted friends. “E-books could open up a world of reading to people who cannot read print: it is incredibly exciting.”

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

I W A NT MO RE ! Be creative in the fight to halt such cruel cuts Kaliya Franklin is a disability rights blogger and activist. Dedicated to challenging her disability while the bureaucrats challenge her

T FIRST it was talk of fraudsters. Then came newspaper articles demonising people for ‘scrounging’ benefits from behind closed curtains while honest, hard-working people were made to pay for others to ‘choose’ a life on benefits. Now the fraud talk has retreated – due, in part, to a wider understanding that Disability Living Allowance has an official fraud rate of less than 1% – to be replaced by talk of ‘the biggest benefit’ and ‘unsustainability’ Are we really going to accept that in modern Britain supporting disabled people is unsustainable but bailing out banks acceptable? Is that the country we want? User led disability rights groups are emerging as powerful voices in this debate as ordinary disabled people feel let down and unrepresented by big charities busy forming consortia to pursue financially lucrative government contracts. Groups like Direct Action Network (DAN), who organised previous successful civil disobedience protests, are coming back to prominence while new groups like The Broken Of Britain are harnessing the collective power technology gives to disabled voices. In addition to the callous

removal of the mobility component of DLA from those whose care home places are paid for by the local authorities, the Government plans to scrap DLA and replace it with the Personal Independence Payment (PIP). PIP would remove the middle rate care award altogether and is intended to be a way of reducing the entitlement of those currently eligible for DLA by at least 20%, while making vast profits for administrating contractor ATOS. Scrapping DLA and introducing PIP is not a foregone conclusion; the coalition has already backed down from plans to scrap some schemes in the face of huge public protest. Disabled people are unlikely to feel able to take to the streets as the students have so we must be more creative in the way we protest. Contributing to the DWP consultation on DLA reform is something we can all do by speaking out about how the loss of DLA would affect us as individuals. As is signing petitions, using template letters to write to our MPs and the Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller. Resources to do so have been provided by some of the charities and grassroots groups such as The Broken Of Britain.

An arresting sight . . .

ike most with mobility problems I found the recent snowmaggedon a bit tricky. At first it was quite exciting and ever so pretty but that quickly turned to full blowncabin fever as I couldn’t even get out of the front door. Fortunately my best friend came to my rescue on his way home from work. With a very tight grip on my arm he steered me round the icy, snowy road. On our way back we bumped into a neighbour who looked utterly horrified when she saw us and asked with great concern if everything was okay. Only once home did I remember my friend had not changed out of his uniform so it must have appeared to my neighbour that I was being frogmarched home by a burly policeman!

www.benefitscroungingscum.blogspot.com

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

Give us a chance Staff with mental health conditions still ‘a risk’, say employers

LMOST half of UK employers still believe that staff with mental health conditions are a significant risk in the workplace, according to a new report. A survey of 500 British businesses found that the proportion of employers who believe it is a significant risk to employ people with mental health conditions in a role in which they would liaise with the public or clients fell slightly from 46 per cent in 2006, but was still as high as 40 per cent in 2009. And more than half of employers feel that the negative attitudes of co-workers presents a major

barrier to employing people with mental health conditions, with a fall of only two percentage points since 2006. But the number of businesses that said they had an employee with a mental health condition almost doubled, from 11 per cent to 21 per cent. And the proportion of companies that said they would be flexible in offering workplace adjustments to someone with mental ill-health rose from 64 to 81 per cent. The report – commissioned by the charity Shaw Trust, which provides employment services to disabled people – concluded that major barriers remain in the way of

people with mental health conditions seeking work. Sally Burton, chief executive of Shaw Trust, said there had been some improvement in understanding and awareness but that negative views around the capability and reliability of people with mental health conditions were still alarmingly high. Jonathan Naess, director of the user-led, anti-stigma charity Stand to Reason, said: “Shamefully, 40 per cent regard hiring a person with experience of mental distress in a customer-facing role as a ‘significant risk’. The stigma that we are broken, tarnished or downright dangerous remains.”

The perfect route to jobs LIVERPOOL-based charity Greenbank, which offers employment, learning and sport and recreation services for disabled and disadvantaged people, has been successfully delivering Routeways to Employment for Disabled People with 12 partners since October 2008. Funded by the Skills Funding Agency and European Social Fund until the end of March, the REDP has offered personalised help and support to 496 disabled people to find and stay in work –-exceeding its target in both Liverpool and Knowsley. The programme has so far provided participants with 209 work placements, 140 jobs (of which 87 are classed as ‘sustainable’) and 185 employers have given written commitment to the programme.

First job in 20 years! An event celebrating the achievements of disabled job seekers and supportive employers was hosted by Greenbank College in December. Among those recognised was Brian Jones. He said: “Since joining the Routeways to Employment programme, I have passed numerous qualifications and have successfully found paid employment for the first time in 20 years at Greenbank College as a Learning/Job Coach.” Other winners were Paul Mellor, Joyce

McCrystal, Alan Pang, Jack Winter, John Darroch, Lee Taylor, Carlus Herbert, Callum Robinson, Joanne Whitby, Terry Kelly, Andrew Budai, Debbie Kelly, Kahli Morris and Darko Martinovic. Routeways has worked closely with local employers to provide opportunities for disabled people and the following employers were recognised at the event for their contribution to the project: Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradbury Fields, Currys, Everyman, Lee Valley Housing, Liverpool FC Store (Liverpool One), May Logan Healthy Living Centre, Mercury ITC, Natural Breaks Merseyside and Petticoats-A-Plenty. Routeways partner Kerry Edwards, of Mencap, said: ‘LFC Store offered our learner a voluntary work placement and trained her on shop floor duties. She has now been employed by Liverpool FC Store and works between 8 and 16 hours per week. They have made every effort to introduce the learner to all staff and make her feel like a valued member of the team.’ Partners for Routeways – Alt Valley Community Trust, Daisy UK, ELECT, Liverpool ADHD Foundation, Mencap, Merseyside Disability Federation, Merseyside Welfare Rights, Moving On With Life and Learning, Merseyside Society for Deaf People, Network Employment - Merseycare NHS Trust, Neurosupport, The Independence Initiative

Students Emma Loftus, 19, and Andrew Lawler, 20

BRIGHT FUTURE — page 20

Helping disabled people to find and stay in work Routeways to Employment for Disabled People (Liverpool and Knowsley) 496 people supported... 209 work placements offered... 140 job successes*

Congratulations to our 2010 award winners *August 2008 – December 2010

Tel 0151 733 7255 routeways@greenbank-project.org.uk www.greenbankemployment.org.uk Greenbank Lane, Liverpool L17 1AG reg charity no 513814

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

Liverpool Community College

EDUCATION . . . TRAINING . . . JOBS . .

‘Working with Business’

Programmes for better prospects... Thinking about...

Will I get help finding work?

Can I start right away?

Where can I go to retrain or gain skills?

The future’s looking brighter HUNDREDS of young people with learning difficulties and disabilities picked up tons of top tips on how best to plan their future. The ‘Your Future Your Choice’ event – now in its third year – gave young people leaving school, parents and carers the advice they needed to plan their next steps into further education, training, employment, health, housing, adult services, and benefits. Activities at New Brighton’s Floral Hall ranged from building a mini wall, fashion design to mechanics alongside

Let Liverpool Community College equip you with the skills employers want If you are unemployed, recently made redundant or ready to start work we can improve your chances of success in the current job market Let us prepare you for work with relevant training and help match your skills to current vacancies in security, hospitality, business administration, care, retail, and many more. We also provide training in how to set up your own business

0845 013 1515 www.liv-coll.ac.uk

Our future.

It’s in our hands

employment opportunities and housing advice. Peter Burgess, team manager for Transition Services at Wirral Council, said: “It is crucial that young people with learning difficulties and disabilities are aware of the many opportunities available to them. “Opportunities are out there – sometimes you just need a little help to know where to look!” n A new 64-page directory listing the support available for young people and additional information is available at www.i-choose wirral.org.uk

The green revolution!

For further information contact:

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

NORTH-West college is celebrating being chosen to help create a greener future for our children. Liverpooll Community College has been approved as a founder hub member of the National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies. The Skills Academy will play a major role in allowing businesses in the building services engineering sector to access key training and skills in the design, installation and maintenance of environmental technologies. SummitSkills, the Sector Skills Council for building services engineering, is leading the National Skills Academy on behalf of the sector.

City college will help to lead the way forward

Environmental technologies are becoming a key priority for employers as the the UKattempts to meet its low carbon targets. As a result, the Skills Academy will ensure that learners have the correct training, qualifications and ultimately the correct skills. As a hub member, Liverpool Community College will lead a cluster of training providers to deliver high quality training that meets national occupational standards for

existing environmental technologies and new technologies as they emerge. Joanne Ratcliff, the college’s head of facultyconstruction said: “We are delighted to join the National Skills Academy as a hub member to deliver the new QCF accredited qualifications in environmental technologies across the sector. “Up-skilling in green technologies is vital to future jobs and employment in the sector. “Leading the cluster of training providers in our region for the Skills Academy will ensure as the lead hub we play a key role in developing the skills capabilities of the sector and help promote the green agenda to consumers.”

Just the tonic for medical schools MEDICAL schools are to get updated guidance to ensure that disabled students do not face unnecessary barriers pursuing a career in medicine. Research has found that disabled students are under-represented in medical schools. In 2009, less than six per cent of medical students declared a disability compared to 19% of working-age adults in the UK.

The revised guidance reflects changes introduced by the new Equality Act 2010 and highlights examples of reasonable adjustments put in place by medical schools. These include stethoscopes linked to display screens, enhanced lighting to facilitate lip reading, written materials being available in audio format and extra time in written or oral exams.

Promote your good practices

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

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

HANDS UP: Louise Yeaman, left, Courtney Brereton, centre, and Charlotte Copeland

Handy work at its finest! YOU HAVE to hand it to these health and social care students . . . When the chance came for a taste of Indian culture they grabbed it! The students at Mid Cheshire College were given a class on the traditional art of Mehndi – a temporary form of skin decoration often used by Indian brides. Professional Mehndi artist Nasreen

Rajabali showed the students how to apply the henna ink and the patterns that can be made. They also used the art form to decorate mirrors which they then got to keep. “It was great to see what different cultures do around the world,” said student Louise Yeaman. “I really liked how decorative the Mehndi was.”

GOOD SIGNS: Professor Ulrike Zeshan and students at the University of Central Lancashire

Open Evening Thursday, 3rd March 2011 4pm – 7.30pm

Let’s sign in foreign languages A NEW groundbreaking study into how sign language can be improved for people communicating with each other from different countries has been launched at the University of Central Lancashire. Professor Zeshan, director of the International Institute for Sign Languages and Deaf Studies at the university, said: “This project will have a huge impact on the international deaf researchers and communities who will work with us, especially those from developing countries. “Rather than being concerned with deaf people’s challenges and problems, this project showcases

people’s high-level linguistic abilities.” The iSLanDS Institute at the university has been awarded a 1.16m euros research grant by the European Research Council to fund the research. UCLan has pioneered the development of degree courses in Deaf Studies and British Sign Language (BSL), including postgraduate qualifications in BSL-English interpreting. From 2006 onwards, the university has been extending expertise in this area to an international level through the TAKE ME HOME! iSLanDS Institute. n www.uclan.ac.uk

Call us — 0151 230 0307

t Try ou ge a Colle … r Taste

ction introdu a short course to a ege at Coll

A vast selection of established courses in A Levels, BTECs, Diplomas, or even Higher Education courses. A wide range of long and short courses from Art through to Uniformed Services. Top results and achievements – with an Outstanding A Level provision and top for exam points in the government league tables for Merseyside FE colleges. To find out more phone:

0151 353 4444

Hugh Baird College, Balliol Road, Bootle L20 7EW The College is committed to Equal Opportunities.

Student progress into Successful Careers or University Places. Quality marks for our services and support. A welcoming adult environment.

Plus so much more, so come along and find out for yourself! or visit:

www.hughbaird.ac.uk

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

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

★

★ 9

★ 10

★

13 14

★

18 20

19 21

22 23

★

★ 24 24

29 30

★ ACROSS

DOWN

1. Eyeglass (7) 8. Particular form, translation (7) 9. Exempt from duty (3-4) 10. Roman sea-god (7) 11. Breather (7) 14. Append (3) 16. Leave (4) 18. Witty saying (4) 19. Belonging to the second person (4) 20. Gangster (4) 21. Day before (3) 23. Whirling round (7) 26. Importune (7) 28. Violent windstorm (7) 29. Weariness (7) 30. Shovel (7)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 12. 13. 15. 16. 17. 18. 22. 24. 25. 26. 27.

The Accumulator Quiz Each question has four possible answers and is worth from one to 15 points. Circle your chosen answers and keep a record of your points total. Maximum total points 120. QUESTION 1 – for 1 point: How many squares are there on a chessboard? A 36 B 48 C 64 D 84

QUESTION 10 – for 10 points: Which part of Australia was known as Van Diemen’s Land?

QUESTION 2 – for 2 points: Which word represents U in the NATO phonetic alphabet? A Uniform B Universe C Unicorn D Union

QUESTION 11 – for 11 points: In which Conan Doyle story did Sherlock Holmes first appear?

QUESTION 3 – for 3 points: What colour are the uniforms worn by Star Fleet captains in the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation? A Mustard yellow B Sky blue C Sea green D Crimson red

QUESTION 12 – for 12 points: Which bird has the widest wingspan?

A B C D

QUESTION 4 – for 4 points: What is the capital of the Isle of Man? A Barry B Douglas C Hughtown D Murdoch

Driver (8) Connection (5) Welsh dog (5) Flattened (6) Snare (4) Alcoholic drink (7) In the past (4) Bath stopper (4) Cloth strip (4) Stained (4) Wharf (4) Wolfram (8) Degree of excellence (7) Examined carefully (6) French novelist (5) Freeze (3,2) Divan (4) Zoo enclosure (4)

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QUESTION 5 – for 5 points: Which is the third planet from the Sun in the solar system? A Mars B Mercury C Venus D Earth QUESTION 6 – for 6 points: What is the title of Cheryl Cole’s hit single which became a UK Platinum disc in 2009? A 3 Words B Parachute C Promise This D Fight For This Love

SUDOKU

A B C D

TV personality Cheryl Cole. See Question 6

The Northern Territories Arnhem Land Tasmania Cape York

The Sign Of Four A Study In Scarlet The Speckled Band The Valley Of Fear

Albatross Andean condor Bald eagle Griffon vulture

QUESTION 13 – for 13 points: When was the first rugby union international match broadcast on British radio?

QUESTION 7 – for 7 points: What are classified using the Dewey Decimal System? A Library books B Galaxies C Earthquakes D Stocks and shares QUESTION 8 – for 8 points: In which English county is the town of Boston? A Lincolnshire B Norfolk C Northumberland D Derbyshire QUESTION 9 – for 9 points: Which of these TV comedy series has never been made into a feature film? A Dad’s Army B Steptoe And Son C It Ain’t Half Hot Mum D On The Buses

A B C D

1927 1930 1933 1936

QUESTION 14 – for 14 points: In which island group is the largest island called Mainland or Pomona? A B C D

Shetlands Orkneys Faroes Outer Hebrides

QUESTION 15 – for 15 points: What name is given to the brightest star in the constellation of Canis Minor? A B C D

Rigel Capella Antares Procyon

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.

EASY

DIFFICULT

9 2 2 3 5

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

2 8

7 4 1 5 7 9 6 1

9 5

3 4 1

6 2 5 2 8 1

3 5

1 8 2

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 34

23 27

15 7

20 26

12 7 11 21 11

TAKE ME HOME! APART from being very informative on issues All Together NOW! is great to read all the inspirational feats people do when having a disability. It puts one’s own inabilities into perspective — Linda Leadbetter, Bretherton Court, Burscough.

I PICKED my copy of All Together NOW! at Booths supermarket, Highfield Road, Blackpool. I am pleased to have got it as it is full of information I would have never known about. Many thanks! — Mrs B. Harlem, Westgate Road, St Annes

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

6 4

25 6

23 19

7 3

13 20

3 10

10 20

20 18

5 21

22 11

16 8

3 14

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.

I C

MISSING LINK

–––

2 ABC

3 DEF

4 GHI

5 JKL

6 MNO

7 PQRS

8 TUV

9 WXYZ

Spaces and any punctuation marks are represented by 1.

Scientific

quantities

1. measurements 865 863 186 778 622 848 489 184 916 246 384 761 177 377 873 158 318 367 372 887 248 9

317 726 934 646 318

Wimbledon men’s singles

234 748 448 262 356

2. winners 564 616 236 763 173 831 726 772 712 674 712 325 371 263 731 242 774 154 669 126 666 771 764 371 333 373 717 281 227 414 672 614 826 473 842

3. Workers who wear uniforms 765 423 966 261 767 837 176 534 371 767 862 618 723 342 192 733 612 627 848 273 124 714 678 377 128 786 671 633 423 717 272 633 42

5. Dances 352 636 261 765 521 876 819 258 914 291 366 717 862 215 262 192 551 826 461 765 473 126 537 612 421 146 767 473

6. English monarchs 945 542 618 431 266 767 184 286 742 174 731 263 871 331 546 663 125 373 318 431 281 627 918 836 712 83

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 the surnames of 18 female Wimbledon singles champions.

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 14?

369 467 384 662 242

S M A

H M

A M N

O M

A MAKE A DATE

A W

R M A

CAGE

RIGHTS

M O O

A W D

WILD

––––––

UPPER

–––

POOR

––––––

FOOD

N G N O O TRANSFORMER

BOILED

–––

HEAD

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

OUT

–––

COURT

GLASS

4. Words to do with water 423 193 551 356 631 727 437 175 338 128 773 681 748 853 819 447 576 651 227 223 313 358 217 774 641 773 247 482 846 618 742 882 79

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

SPARE

1 []’–

8 23

1 17

8 8

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?

24 20

10 4

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

DIALLING CODES

CROSS CODE 20

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

WORD WIZARD

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

E D

783 242 612 473 268

TEGUEXIN 1) A protein

produced by rodents to aid digestion; 2) A large South

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

American lizard with

1. Sir Walter Raleigh is found guilty of treason but his death sentence is commuted to one of life imprisonment.

black and yellow colouring;

2. Queen Elizabeth I dies at the age of 69.

3) An additional

Clue: Wrongdoer inside loses his head.

_____ +S=S_____

3. The English and Scottish crowns are united when James VI of Scotland becomes King James I of England.

protective

WAS IT? a) 1597; b) 1603; c) 1609; d) 1615; e) 1621.

insects.

wing present in some

ALL THE ANSWERS

7 8 4 3 9 1 5 6 2

3 1 9 6 2 5 7 4 8

6 2 5 8 7 4 1 3 9

9 3 8 4 6 7 2 1 5

SUDOKU EASY

2 5 7 9 1 3 6 8 4

4 6 1 5 8 2 3 9 7

5 4 2 1 3 8 9 7 6

8 9 3 7 5 6 4 2 1

1 7 6 2 4 9 8 5 3

2 8 9 5 6 4 7 3 1

5 1 3 7 8 9 4 6 2

7 6 4 1 3 2 8 9 5

3 7 1 9 4 6 2 5 8

S W Z

14 1

15 2

16 3

M E

17 4

18 5

G O

19 6

22 9

24 11

CROSS CODE

9 5 2 8 1 3 6 4 7

8 4 6 2 7 5 3 1 9

1 3 5 6 2 8 9 7 4

SUDOKU DIFFICULT

6 2 7 4 9 1 5 8 3

4 9 8 3 5 7 1 2 6

11 21 11 15 9 27

3 7

9 23 8

7 12

2 6

5 26

5 34

9 1 8

KAKURO MEDIUM

7 15 11

6 5 27

7 9 6 22

Star Name: NELLY FURTADO Down – 1 Motorist; 2 Nexus; 3 Corgi; 4 Evened; 5 Trap; 6 Liqueur; 7 Once; 12 Plug; 13 Tape; 15 Dyed; 16 Quay; 17 Tungsten; 18 Quality; 22 Vetted; 24 Dumas; 25 Ice up; 26 Sofa; 27 Cage. Across – 1 Monocle; 8 Version; 9 Tax-free; 10 Neptune; 11 Respite; 14 Add; 16 Quit; 18 Quip; 19 Your; 20 Thug; 21 Eve; 23 Eddying; 26 Solicit; 28 Tempest; 29 Fatigue; 30 Dustpan. Starspot Crossword 1 – C; 2 – A; 3 – D; 4 – B; 5 – D; 6 – D; 7 – A; 8 – A; 9 – C; 10 – C; 11 – B; 12 – A; 13 – A; 14 – B; 15 – D. Accumulator Quiz

Word Wizard No 2 is correct. A teguexin is a lizard. Dialling Codes 1. volume; torque; radioactivity; viscosity; magnetism; weight; pressure; luminance; temperature; velocity. 2. John McEnroe; Pete Sampras; Boris Becker; Andre Agassi; Jimmy Connors; Roger Federer; Pat Cash; Goran Ivanisevic. 3. policewoman; porter; soldier; postman; traffic warden; coastguard; air hostess; customs officer; paramedic. 4. ice; well; flood; rapids; sleet; current; rivulet; whirlpool; cascade; delta; spring; precipitation; tributary.

disease with my family’s help. Now he has had to go in a nursing home. We’ve been married 59 years I miss him so much! But I’m so grateful the help we get — Mrs D Moloney, Ormskirk

Pathwords: Williams; Graf; Navratilova; Jones; Hingis; Martinez; King; Novotna; Cawley; Mauresmo; Goolagong; Lloyd; Wade; Daventport; Court; Evert; Sharapova; Mortimer.

5. flamenco; polka; foxtrot; waltz; Gay Gordons; rumba; Lambeth Walk; tango; polonaise; bolero; chacha; hornpipe. 6. William the Conqueror; Victoria; Richard Coeur de Lion; Anne; Alfred the Great; Mary Tudor; Canute. Spot Check A = 6; B = 4; C = 1; D = 5; E = 3; F = 2. Missing Link rib; animal; cut; health; egg; law. Name: Rachel. Make a Date The year was 1603. Transformer Inner + S = Sinner.

I REALLY enjoyed reading All Together NOW! I’m a disabled pensioner of 79 years and have nursed my husband for nearly 6 years with Alzheimer’s

TAKE ME HOME!

All Together NOW! is the bESTt read ever. It provides excellent information doe disabled people. It’s well set out too! — Doris Davies, Sandy Lane, Liverpool

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

Thanks, Alfie!

by Beatrice Fraenkel chair, Mersey Care NHS

Y CONTRIBUTION for this first edition of All Together Now for 2011 is being penned on ‘Blue Monday’, supposedly the most depressing day of the year. Blue Monday is the day identified according to a formula devised by happiness and motivation expert Cliff Arnall, formerly a researcher and lecturer. He argued that a combination of factors made the third Monday in January collectively our worst day – taking into account the weather, outstanding bills and debt, time since Christmas, failing New Year resolutions and a general lack of motivation at this time of year. While I don’t want to add credence to theories such as this, nor make light of anyone who is suffering hardship, or is genuinely depressed, it does prompt me to think of how Mersey Care is placed for the year ahead. In my view it has been a good start to 2011. Realistically our organisation is, like many others, facing changes brought about by public sector savings, but we have a five-year plan that will see us through and we are determined to improve our services.

Your voice counts We’ve had the excellent news that our plans for the old Walton Hospital site have been accepted by the city council, paving the way for a new inpatient mental health facility this year; and our other proposed new in-patient facility in Liverpool, close to Rathbone Hospital, will be part of plans for the Edge Lane retail park due to be considered by the Secretary of State.I was delighted to make the welcome speech at our first Members’ event. Membership is an important part of our future as we progress towards becoming a new type of NHS organisation equivalent to a foundation trust and I am keen to encourage everyone to join in as Members - your voice really does count. So as I sit in my office, with the winter sunshine streaming in over a calm River Mersey, and despite the cold, I think it’s a good start to 2011.

PARENTS of a premature baby were so grateful to get him home safe and well, they raised more than £3,500 for the hospital ward where he was treated. Alfie Bebe was born in August 2008 at 34 weeks, and spent a fortnight at Leighton Hospital ‘s neo-natal unit before being allowed home. His parents, Paul and Lucie, were so impressed by the hard work which the staff put in during Alfie’s stay that they decided to hold a fundraising ball. Through an auction, a raffle and ticket sales, ‘Alfie’s Ball’ raised a total of £7,549, which was then split between the neo-natal unit and a neuro muscular centre in Winsford. Lucie said: “The unit is an amazing place with amazing staff. They all have a fantastic caring attitude and made a hard time much easier. We can’t thank them enough.”

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ALL SMILES: Lucie Bebe and Alfie with, from left, Leighton Hospital staff Lynn Pessol, Janet Smith and Julie Bearpark

‘ Tip top event!

One in three readers — 80,000 people — say All Together NOW! has helped them become more active — The Murray Consultancy

MORE than 400 people affected by learning disability and mental health issues were given some top tips on improving their overall wellbeing. The event, held at Trafford College, was jointly organised by mental health trust Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP), Trafford Council, Trafford College and Trafford Carers Centre. Avril Devaney, CWP’s director of nursing, therapies and patient partnerships, said: “This event was a great way of encouraging people with learning disabilities to take their personal health and wellbeing into their own hands.” Activities included zumba classes, healthy food tasters and health checks.

‘Fantastic services’ Anita Appleton, Trafford College’s head of foundation and supported skills, said: “Students and staff on health and social care courses, and supported learning staff, benefited from the event by engaging with the breadth of healthcare professionals from across the borough. “Continued partnership work in this area can only improve awareness of personal health and wellbeing.” Executive councillor Michael Young said: “Events like this are an excellent way to showcase some of the fantastic services we provide in partnership with other agencies, but more importantly to promote and introduce new ways of how people can help themselves to have a healthy lifestyle.”

All aboard at Wythenshawe! PATIENTS with mobility problems at Wythenshawe Hospital can now travel in style. A new motorised buggy, donated by the hospital’s League of Friends, transports patients who are coming in for surgery – picking them up from the newly-opened admissions lounge and taking them to theatre. Julian Hartley, Unversity Hospital South Manchester’s chief executive, said: “The ongoing generosity the

League of Friends has shown to us is just outstanding. “They do an incredible amount of good work for the hospital, helping us to buy in equipment and services.” Last summer, the League of Friends, a 100-strong volunteer team, celebrated 55 years working at UHSM where they run two cafes. To date, they have raised over £2 million to help provide improved services for patients at the hospital.

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February/March 2011

All Together NOW!

Saints go marching into wards STARS from St Helens Rugby Club sprang a surprise visit on young patients at Whiston Hospital. Gill Dixon, nurse clinician in the children’s and young people’s department, said: “I would like to thank the Saints players and staff for taking the time to visit the children. The rugby heroes gave the children a real boost. I’m sure that many of the parents and staff enjoyed the visit too!”

Heat treatment H

OT chillies and curries could help pave the way for new methods of pain relief. Scientists have discovered a ‘switch’ that turns on a gene that lets us feel pain. The researchers also found that capsaicin – the compound in chillies that gives them their kick – can turn the switch on. The team spent five years looking for the switches that turn the substance-P gene on in a group of cells called sensory neurones. Dr Lynne Shanley, post-doctoral scientist at the University of Aberdeen , said: “Finding the switch was like looking for a needle in a haystack. “However, by comparing the genetic sequences of humans, mice and chickens we were able to find a short stretch of DNA that had remained unchanged since before the age of dinosaurs.

The new ‘recipes’ that could help fight chronic pain “We were delighted when this little bit of DNA turned out to be a genetic switch, or enhancer sequence, which could turn on the substance-P gene in sensory neurones.” Mrs Marissa Lear, the head technician on the project, said: “Because the switch was active in these sensory neurones we applied capsaicin, the ‘hot’ chemical in curry and chilli to see if the switch could be turned on and, amazingly, it was.” Chronic inflammatory pain in the form of arthritis or cancer pain affects many thousands of people in Britain each year and, in many cases, is untreatable using current therapy.

For many years capsaicin - which recreates many symptoms of chronic inflammatory pain - has been explored by researchers investigating chronic inflammatory pain. It has also been used as treatment for chronic pain. Understanding the genetic mechanisms that allow capsaicin to induce inflammatory pain will allow a better understanding of the pain process. Professor Ruth Ross, head of the Kosterlitz centre and a co-author on the paper, said: “Understanding the genetic processes that trigger inflammatory pain is essential to developing new therapies. “Finding this new substance-P enhancer sequence, and showing that it can respond to capsaicin, has allowed us to add another part of the complex jigsaw puzzle that makes up the inflammatory pain response.”

Staff and patients celebrate the ‘good life’ at Aintree A MERSEYSIDE hospital has been highlighted for its very low mortality ratio in the Dr Fosters’ Good Hospital Guide 2010. That means fewer patients die at University HospitalAintree than are predicted based on the general health problems of the area and procedures carried out. According to Dr Fosters, a total of 303 extra lives were saved at the hospital between

September 2009 and August 2010 than were predicted for that period. James Birrell, chief executive of Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said: “The mortality ratio is probably the single most important indicator of quality and safety at a hospital. “A range of projects are improving safety at our Trust some have been going for

years, while others are brand new. However, the most successful workstreams all have one thing in common - the engagement of frontline staff. “We know that when doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and other supporting teams are working together to improve standards then that is when their efforts make most impact. Building this safety culture across the hospital is what’s improving the

quality and safety of our services.” Mr Birrell added that the use of business intelligence and information systems was giving the clinical teams access to the data they needed to sustain improved standards of care. The Guide also highlighted the Trust’s success in having very low repeat operation rates over three years for a procedure called transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).

Mums sing praises for Arrowe Park NEW mums have been passionate in their praise of a Cheshire hospital. They gave a glowing report of the maternity services provided by Wirral Women and Children’s Hospital at Arrowe Park. The 2010 National Maternity Survey found that 91% of new mothers giving birth at the hospital – run by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – rated the care received as “excellent” or “very good”. That compared with an average of 83% of women at other trusts across the country. The survey found that during labour and birth at the Trust: n 98% of new mums had confidence and trust in the staff caring for them (compared with an average of 95% nationally) n 90% of women felt that their partner/companion was definitely made welcome by staff (83% nationally) n 88% of women were always spoken to in a way they could understand (82% nationally) n 81% of women said that they were always involved in decisions about their care (70% nationally) The survey also revealed that significantly more women at the Trust, compared with trusts elsewhere in the country, received a choice about where their antenatal check-ups would take place and where they could give birth to their baby. Linda Birch, head of midwifery at the Trust, said: ““This really does provide us with evidence that we are doing the right thing for our patients.”

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

The FIVE ways to wellbeing . . .

HEALTHY DECADE AHEAD: That’s the message from Liverpool Primary Care Trust

LET’S LIVE IT! O

VER the next ten years people in Liverpool will be asked to focus on feeling good and functioning well, as the city celebrates the Decade of Health and Wellbeing. The ten-year programme follows the success of Liverpool’s Year of Health and Wellbeing in 2010, which led to thousands of people making an individual pledge to lead a healthier, happier life. Gideon Ben-Tovim, Chair of Liverpool Primary Care Trust, said: “Our population faces some major challenges in terms of both physical and mental health. In fact, in a survey conducted last year people from Liverpool scored lowest in the north west for overall mental wellbeing. “The Decade of Health and Wellbeing

will allow us to build on the success of 2010. This is partly about key organisations working together to ensure that health and wellbeing remains a priority for the city, but it also involves encouraging individuals to look at making some small, achievable lifestyle changes that could have a big effect on the way they feel. “From simple things such as taking a regular walk around your local park, to longer-term commitments like learning a new language, there’s something we could all do to improve our own wellbeing.” 2020 Decade of Health and Wellbeing will continue to highlight the Five Ways to Wellbeing – five simple ways to improve personal wellbeing by making small, achievable lifestyle. Councillor Roz Gladden, Liverpool City

Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Health and Social Care, said: “Tackling some of the major health and wellbeing inequalities in this city is a major challenge which cannot be solved overnight, and requires time and commitment. “The city council is pledging to work closely with its partners to raise awareness of the small steps that people can take which can make a big difference to their life. “With the squeeze on public spending over the next few years, it is absolutely vital that we pool resources, ideas and health messages with partners to encourage and support people to improve their lifestyle.” For more information and details of events happening near you visit www.2020healthandwellbeing.org.uk

Connect... With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day. Be active... Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Take notice... Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters. Keep learning... Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun. Give... Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.

. . . with JAN LOCKYER

Lifehouse is a new approach to providing services for disabled and older people in Liverpool.

InAll the summer of 2007 the under following moved together to Lifehouse: these teams are now oneservices roof, working to provide the information and advice people need toDock. be as safe and an accessible, newly renovated building at Brunswick independent as possible .

Wheelchair Service 0151 296 7765 Fax:0151 0151296 296 7764 Wheelchair Service Tel: 7765 Assessment for and provision of wheelchairs for people who live in Liverpool. Disabled Living Centre 0151 296 7742 Fax: 0151 296 7743 7748 Disabled Living Centre 0151 296 7742 Minicom: 0151 296 7744 Moving and Handling Team Tel: 0151 296 7750 Fax: 0151 296 7749 Independent information, assessment and advice on choosing daily living equipment and how to get it.

Communication Aids 0151 296 7408 Fax: 0151 296 7764 Moving and Handling Team Tel: 0151 296 7750 Practical advice for disabled people and their carers on moving and handling people. Adaptations Team 0151 296 7757 Fax: 0151 296 7758 Communication Aids Falls Team

0151 296 7769

Tel: 0151 296 7408

Assessment and provision of communication aids for people who live in Liverpool.

Lifehouse is a newTeam approach to providing services for disabled Adaptations Tel: and 0151older 296 7757 Installation of adaptations to safely people in managing in their ownroof home.will improve people in Liverpool. Having allassist these services under one accessibility. Falls Team Tel: 0151 296 7769 A multidisciplinary team providing practical advice and assessment for people who have fallen. Services will be able to work together to provide the independent information, advice and practical assessment people need to make the rightTel: choices 0151 about 296 7782 Telecare service 7733 Advice, assessment and installation of Telecare equipment. equipment. The existing services will be joined by others which will greatly increase theinformation range of information and available. For further call thethe service youadvice require or contact main reception forDay a further information call service you require or visitour a Lifehouse Open list ofifehouse Lifehouse Open Days.

Lifehouse Lifehouse Lifehouse ifehouse Units 4–5 Dempster Building Units 4–5 Dempster Building Summers Road, Brunswick Business Park Summers Road, Brunswick Business Park Liverpool 4BL Liverpool L3L3 4BL Main Reception: 0151 296 7733 Main Reception: 0151 296 7733 www.liverpoollifehouse.org www.liverpoollifehouse.org

DID YOU know there are over 20,000 products on the market designed to assist disabled and older people? If you need equipment to help you stay independent how do you make the right choice? Disabled Living Centres provide independent

information and advice and the opportunity to see and try a vast range of products with the aid of expert advisors From beds to bath aids, showers to stair lifts, local Disabled Living Centres provide equipment info helplines. All Together Now! has

teamed up with Liverpool Disabled Living Centre to help readers of all ages and abilities stay independent. If you have a question contact the team on 0151 296 7742. Minicom: 0151 296 7748.

Bathtime blues

I CAN get in the bath but I can’t get out! I have been offered a chair that will lower and lift me in the bath but I would really like to lie right down and have a soak. Is there anything that may help me?

YOU can get inflatable bath cushions and strap-type bath lifts which lower the user right down to the bottom of the bath so that they can lie down. You need to have good balance to use these and it is really important that you see and try

www.liverpooldisabledliving centre.com

this type of equipment before you get it. If you don’t, you could spend a lot of money on something that might not be suitable for you! Disabled Living Centres offer you the opportunity to try equipment and get the advice from independent experts who are not trying to sell you anything. They will explain the advantages and disadvantages of products and will help you find the equipment that suits your needs best – not just now, but in the future too. So make contact with your local DLC.

Four in every five readers — almost 200,000 people — say All Together NOW! has helped them become more aware of the issues disabled people face . . . and how those issues can be overcome — The Murray Consultancy

TAKE ME HOME!

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February/March 2011

All Together NOW!

Save water and money with our FREE water saver’s pack At United Utilities, we’re always looking at new ways to help you save water and money in the home. That is why we’re offering all our customers a FREE water saver’s pack. The pack contains a clever gadget* which is easily connected to your existing shower hose, helping to reduce the amount of water used every time you have a shower. It will also save money on your energy bills (as you are heating less water) and, if you have a water meter installed in your home, will reduce your water bills too. To order your free pack, visit our website: unitedutilities.com/freeoffer or send your address details to us in the post using the form below. *This shower regulator is NOT suitable for electric showers or those with multiple jets. Further information available at unitedutilities.com/freeoffer

Visit our water efficiency house

Need a little ExtraCare? We offer a range of free services to help customers who: • are older • have a disability • have a serious illness • have sight, hearing or learning difficulties Our services include: • personal notification of water shut-offs • large print, Braille and talking bills

If you have access to the internet, our website has a wealth of information on how you can save water in the home and garden. Visit unitedutilities.com/waterefficiencyhouse to see how simple it is to save water.

To order a free water saver’s pack, visit unitedutilities.com/freeoffer. Alternatively complete your details below and return it to the following address (no stamp required): FREEPOST ANG8097, Owen Road, Diss, IP98 3HH. NAME

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

POSTCODE EMAIL TEL

Only one pack per household. This offer applies to customers of United Utilities only and is subject to availability. Please allow up to 14 days for delivery.

To find out more call 0845 746 1100 or textphone 0808 143 1195

We may use your details to inform you about special offers, products and services which may be of interest to you. Please tick this box if you are happy to receive information from United Utilities. Please tick this box if you are happy to receive information from SaveWaterSaveMoney Ltd on behalf of Ark-H Handling (who will send the water saver pack to you).

01/11/SD/4428

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

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ARIES (March 21st-April 20th) By holding your head high you will start to attract the attention of faces that can help you. LOVE is never an easy subject for you to talk about, as you’re the kind of person who delves into a relationship with great speed and then pulls back realising that perhaps you’ve been taking things too quickly. With Saturn the planet of structure in your seventh house, those of you in bad relationships will be getting out of them, something you previously felt unable to do. With Jupiter entering your sign I want you to make it your resolution to face those MONEY problems as for once you can get out of the red and back in the black. You no longer have to look over your shoulder so you can breath again. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: Have faith in who you are. Accept who you are, faults and all. Learn that any dents in your character add colour and definition. These are the lessons you need to have a successful future.

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st) I think your thoughts about the world have changed and you’ve discovered that not everything is an open and shut case, but that change in any area is possible if you have faith and believe. MONEY is always a sensitive issue with you and although you may not want me to talk about it, I know you’ve learnt a lot from the events that happened in the summer of 2010 and that you won’t make those same mistakes again. Your house of LOVE is my favourite subject to talk about and if you’ve lost faith in someone or just in the art of romance then you’re in for some very pleasant surprises in both February, June and July. Make sure you take more care of your appearance in the coming 12 months. You’ll thank me when you see how expecting the unexpected can pay off in your favour. YOUR 2011 GAME PLAN: You are always worried about money and often leave it too late to face financial dilemmas. Your strength is that you are the most able sign in the zodiac when it comes to making money. Trust in the decisions you make with finances and stick to it.

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st) A sign such as you often likes to flit between different jobs or needs the kind of career, which has many different levels of requirement to it, so that you don’t get bored. This is something you can find, but between January and March try to stick to what you had promised superiors and colleagues or you will tarnish your reputation. From March onwards your house of LOVE pushes you to ask for more than you normally would. Some of you will be making or receiving proposals or offers to take things to the next level. Is this a good idea? If you feel it is with both your head and your heart then yes Gemini, indeed it will be. The temptation to do something you shouldn’t in love in August could see you ruining all you have, so think before you act and don’t let lust get in the way of all the effort you have put into your life before then, or you’ll be kicking yourself for months or even years to come. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: You know what you want to say, but you often spend too much time talking about everyone else’s problems before addressing your own. Keep bringing the focus back on you instead this year and remember you deserve to put yourself first for once.

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)

TAKE ME HOME! You no longer blame yourself for

all that has happened but you become a bigger and better person

because of all you’ve been through. As you enter 2011 your LOVE life comes under the spotlight and you suddenly find the nerve to wear your heart on your sleeve, something it’s been at least two years since you’ve been able to do properly. Your finances are favoured by the Sun and you get several opportunities to earn money and to pay off debts. Don’t ignore this opportunity but make this the year you pay off those store cards and put any bad debt behind you. Your sign needs to do something that shows compassion and maybe even something that has a charitable link. You know how to lift other people up and to help them make the best of their lives. It’s a shame then isn’t it that you haven’t yet applied that same talent to your own life. You can in July though, so use this month as your power time to find your true calling in life. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: You often have issues with your mother. You place great importance on the past and where you come from. Deal with this in a constructive way, even if it means seeing a counsellor or even just talking to a good friend.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd) With Uranus your LOVE planet moving into your ninth house, you’ll be the sign setting the world alight. Passion is so strong that you won’t mind travelling long distances or even moving towns or countries in order to chase it. Just be careful of believing what an ex says, remember that a leopard never changes its spots and you’ll be getting the same deal not a new one if you go back to something that didn’t work. These are great opportunities to earn MONEY, too, but just make sure you save any money you earn and don’t

squander it on your personal life, as your chart indicates that the best fun will be had for free. Family prove demanding, but stand your ground and set the boundary lines for the future so that you and they know where you stand. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: You need to trust in your flair for knowing the right thing to do with your life. You are all too often held back by less inspirational signs and you need to be encouraged to break the mould and dare to be different. Great things can and will be achieved this year if you are.

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd) Many of you from May onwards will be making some pretty major crossovers into new professions or even going into training for something completely different to anything you’ve tried before. Neptune your LOVE planet makes you promise to raise the stakes and you can no longer accept second best, even if you wanted to. May and August promise you’ll be asked for commitments romantically but aspects suggest there will have to be an element of compromise involved for it to suit all involved. Saturn is encouraging you to throw good money after bad midyear and it’s going to be hard for you to resist. Remember this warning and save don’t squander.You need to show those you love that you can do so if you are to get the backing and support the end of the year requires for success. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: You really can make your mark professionally, but your health and lack of energy has often let you down. A healthy mind leads to a healthy body, so you need to address your emotional state. Get into a routine — then the sky will be the limit.

Together we can make it a brighter future for everyone!

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February/March 2011

YOUR YEAR AHEAD with CLAIRE PETULENGRO

What does 2011 hold in store for you? Find out with our top astrologer LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd) Saturn continues to be in your sign and so there really is no stopping you in 2011. If you really focus then anything you want can be yours. You no longer believe the jealous faces that did such a good job of putting you down in 2010, and you are ready, willing and able to take on the world. Foreign links beckon from May and many of your sign may find yourselves going back to visit a place, which has come to mean a lot to you. You can’t keep away in fact and may find yourself making two if not more journeys there during 2011. LOVE is never an easy subject for you, as you know you give in to emotional blackmail and that you fall in love truly madly and deeply. Some of you appear to be a little upset with yourselves over how you’re acting at the beginning of 2011. Don’t be. Let me assure you, according to your stars, this is one year where it will be far better for you to wear your heart on your sleeve. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: You need to know that you are loved and that you have the faith and trust to build a really secure base. If you don’t have this you are like a flower without water. If you know your current partner can’t give you this it’s time to move on and make this the year you find the one who can.

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd) LOVE has been a rather mixed bag I know, but by that same token, you will have to admit that you’ve had some great fun my friend. If a certain person had committed you would be reading this wondering how to get out of such a commitment, so you can thank your lucky stars that you

got such an escape. Romance beckons and will be knocking at your door throughout the coming year, so if you’re not in a relationship then don’t commit too soon but enjoy playing the field until you’ve fed that appetite for adventure. Those of you who are committed should enjoy experimenting with the depths of feelings you have and try going to new places together and peeling off the top layer of you as a couple to see what lies beneath. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: You must do what you enjoy in life. To force you to pursue something your heart is not in can only lead to disaster. No matter how crazy an idea it may seem, close ones should and must support you. You are a sign who will surprise us all with the success you can achieve when focused.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st) YOU find it hard to wear your heart on your sleeve. You want the other party to declare everything to you so that you don’t have to risk feeling embarrassed about looking or feeling the fool. Don’t worry for I can assure you that if you see in the new year with someone then you will end it with them and if you’re looking for love then it’s the summer sizzle that will be your starting point for true and lasting love. MONEY: Finances have not been as flexible as you would like and these restrictions continue for a while. By March you will start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and Saturn puts the structure back into monetary matters and opens up a whole new world of opportunity for you. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: You find it hard to get in touch with your inner self. You spend so long trying to make money and find success in the rat race that you rarely pay attention to your spiritual and emotional needs. You need

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to be encouraged to do so and then you can achieve anything.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th) Friends are important to a sign such as you but it is clear that you have been shutting them out recently. Change this NOW! You’ll be glad you did. You think you want someone you no longer have, but you are wrong and events in LOVE in June will back me up on this. It’s a really flirtatious year for you in fact and I feel confident that you’ll be falling harder and faster than ever before, if you can let down those defences. Jupiter and Uranus have joined forces to ensure that important names and faces in your career know who you are. They will be offering you opportunity but it will take some time for them to work out just how you fit into their plans. You do and you will so try not to sell yourself short but play the waiting game. By the time you reach October you’ll see that you have the world at your feet. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: You need to be allowed to put your work first when you need to without feeling guilty and then the other areas of your life seem to fall into place naturally. You need support from close ones to put your dreams first and success will follow at lightening speed.

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th) You may find yourself having to take care of someone who is not as able as they thought to take care of themselves. You may think they don’t appreciate it, but by April you will have some sort of firm proof that they do. MONEY: It’s time to pull your finger out and even if that means getting involved in a job that you don’t particularly enjoy, then it will be worth doing so, as it’s only likely to be temporary but is sure to be able to solve several problems or hiccups, in one fell swoop. LOVE is not on your mind but by the time June comes around, you won’t be able to fight the feeling that you’ve fallen hard and fast and commitment from this month onwards is imminent. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: You need to be allowed to dream and then you will surprise close ones by turning your dreams into a reality, not to mention a very large pay cheque. Believe in the impossible.

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th) You have some fabulous opportunities ahead and although you may think you can’t take advantage of them all you are wrong. LOVE has been playing games with your heart and you’re attempting to shut out how you feel about a certain person, but by the time you reach the end of February you’ll experience a change of heart from the contact that you have with them in some formagain. MONEY: A bit of a sore point for you, as it would seem that someone owes you money you have not received, or did they really owe it to you. Things got so heated that the facts are no longer clear. Why don’t you make it your new years resolution to leave the past in the past and to get on with enjoying the future. Let love in and start enjoying life. Bitterness can bring no joy, so leave it in the past where it belongs. Grab life with both hands and start living it again. This can be your best year yet if you do, my friend. YOUR 2011 GAMEPLAN: Take a little time out to take stock of what is going on. To force your hand can only lead TAKE ME HOME! to you making bad and very dramatic decisions. Believe in yourself and others will too.

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SHOPMOBILITY n ALTRINCHAM. Tel 0161 929 1714 n ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. Tel 0161 339 9500 n BARROW. Tel 01229 434039 n BIRKENHEAD. Tel 0151 647 6162 n BLACKBURN AND DARWEN. Tel 01254 690566 or 07757 502217 n BLACKPOOL. Tel 01253 349 427 n BOLTON. Tel 01204 392946 n BURY. Tel 0161 764 9966 n CARLISLE. Tel 01228 625950 n CHESTER. Tel 01244 312626 n CHORLEY. Tel 01257 260 888 n COLWYN BAY. Tel 01492 533822 n CREWE. Tel 01270 580 031 n ELLESMERE PORT. Tel 0151 355 1420 n KENDAL. Tel 01539 740 933 n LEIGH, Wigan. Tel 01942 777 985 n LIVERPOOL. Tel 0151 707 0877 n MANCHESTER Trafford Centre. Tel 0161 747 8046 n MANCHESTER Arndale Centre. Tel 0161 839 4060 n NELSON. Tel 01282 692 502 n NORTHWICH, Vale Royal Tel 01606 353525 n ORMSKIRK, West Lancashire Tel 01695 570055 n OSWESTRY. Tel 01691 656882 n PENRITH. Tel 01768 895 438 n PRESTON. Tel 01772 204 667 n RHYL. Tel 01745 350665 n ROCHDALE. Tel 01706 865 986 n RUNCORN, Halton Lea Tel 01928 717445 n SHREWSBURY. Tel 01743 236900 n SOUTHPORT. Tel 01704 546 654 n ST HELENS. Tel 01744 613 388 n STOCKPORT. Tel 0161 666 1100 n WARRINGTON. Tel 01925 231941 n WARRINGTON. Birchwood Tel 01925 822 411 n WIGAN. Tel 01942 776 070 n WINSFORD. Tel 01606 557550 n WREXHAM. Tel 01978 312390 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM. Snow Hill Railway Station. Tel 0121 236 8980. Level 2, Centre Car Park, Bullring. Tel 0121 616 2942 n STAFFORD. Tel 01785 619456 n STOKE ON TRENT. Tel 01782 233333 n SUTTON COLDFIELD. Tel 0121 355 1112 n TAMWORTH. Tel, 01827 709392 n WALSALL. Tel 01922 650781 n WEST BROMWICH: Sandwell. Tel 0121 553 1943 n WOLVERHAMPTON. Tel 01902 556021

February/March 2011

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New autistic info evenings start in Cheshire PARENTS of children with Aspergers syndrome and autistic spectrum disorder are invited to a series of information evenings at The Blue Cap, Sandiway, Cheshire. “It’s a great chance to hear from local experts and to learn from other parents in similar situations,” says Jo Garner at

Cheshire Aspergers Support (ChAPS). The meetings take place on February 24 and March 31 – and will continue on the last Thursday of the month, 7pm-9pm. To reseve a place call Jo on 01928 722384. Email: info@asparents.org.uk www.asparents.org.uk

Jean: a friend and a campaigner OUR deep sympathies to the family of many friends of Jean Price, who died just before Christmas – after a long illness. A tireless campaigner and big supporter of All Together NOW! Jean was loved, admired and highly respected by so many people across the North West. Her many achievements included helping to get the new wheelchairfriendly E4 taxi cab onto Liverpool streets. “Jean did so much to help the campaign,” said Donald Pow, from Glasgow-based Allied Vehicles, who

make the cab. “She was a huge inspiration.” John Bruce, secretary of the Liverpool Wheelchair Group, said: “Jean was someone ready to help and encourage anyone in need, to challenge injustice and find solutions to the many barriers to access and support that so many people with disabilities face. “There is a saying that indignation changes nothing but your blood pressure. Jean is someone who got on and did something about it, and with great commitment and inspiration.”

HELP AT THE END OF A PHONE n ANGLESEY:

TARAN Tel 01407 721933 n BLACKPOOL Disability Information and Support. Tel 01253 472 202. Textphone 01253 476 450 n CHESHIRE Dis Federation Tel 01606 888400 n CHESTER Dial House Tel 01244 345655 n DENBIGHSHIRE Tel 01745 354445 n ELLESMERE PORT DICE Tel 0151 355 1420 n HALTON Disability Service Tel 01928 717222 n KNOWSLEY DISABILITY CONCERN. 0151 480 4090 n LANCASTER DISC Tel 01524 34411 n LIVERPOOL Association of Disabled People. Tel 0151 263 8366. Text 0151 260 4076 n MERSEYSIDE Coalition of Inclusive Living. Tel 0151 260 4001 n NEUROSUPPORT Centre Tel 0151 298 2999 n MANCHESTER (GTR) Coalition of Disabled People Tel 0161-273 5154 n MOLD Flintshire Disability Tel 01352 755546 n NELSON: Pendle Pakistan Welfare Association. Tel 01282 603 616 n PRESTON DISC: Tel 01772 558 863. Textphone 01772 204 787 n RHYL Tel 01745 350665 n STOCKPORT: Disability Stockport. 0161 480 7248

n WARRINGTON

Disability Partnership. 01925 240064 n WIRRAL WIRED Tel 0151 670 1500 n WEST LANCS HELPLINE Freefone 0800 220676 n ST HELENS DASH Tel 01744 453053 n WREXHAM Tel 01978 262955 MIDLANDS BIRMINGHAM Disability Resource Centre Tel 0121 789 7365 Disabled People’s Network Solihull Tel 0121 788 1544 STOKE: Disability Solutions Tel 01782 683800 WOLVERHAMPTON Elder and Disabled Group Tel 01902 448552 ORGANISATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND n ACCRINGTON Tel 01254 233332 n BARROW Tel 01229 820698 n BIRMINGHAM Action for Blind Tel 0121 665 4200 n BLACKBURN Tel 0125 554143 n BLACKPOOL Tel 01253 792600 n BURY Tel 0161 763 7014 n BURNLEY Tel 01282 438507 n CARLISLE: Action for Blind People Tel 01228 595121 CHESHIRE & N WALES: Vision Support. Tel 01244 381515 n CUMBRIA (West) Tel 01946 592474 n CUMBRIA (Sth Lakeland) Tel 01539 726613

n GUIDE DOGS Tel 0118 983 5555 n HENSHAW’S 0161 872 1234 Tel 0151 227 1226 n LIVERPOOL: Bradbury Fields.Tel 0151 221 0888: Action for Bind Tel 0151 708 9008 n MANCHESTER: Action for Blind Tel 0161 787 9252 n PRESTON: Action for Blind People Tel 01772 320550 n OLDHAM Tel 0161 682 8019 n ROSSENDALE Tel 01706 873256 n SIGHTLINE (North West) Tel 0800 587 2252 n WIGAN Tel 01942 242891 n WIRRAL Tel 0151 652 8877 ORGANISATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF n BIRMINGHAM Institute for Deaf Tel 0121 246 6101 n CHESHIRE Deaf Society Tel 01606 47831 n CUMBRIA Deaf Society Tel 01228 606434 n LANCASHIRE (EAST) Deaf Society Tel 01282 839180 n MANCHESTER Deaf Centre Tel 0161 273 3415 n MERSEYSIDE Society for Deaf Tel 0151 228 0888 n ST HELENS: Deafness Resource Centre Tel 01744 23887 n WOLVERHAMPTON Centre for Deaf Tel 01902 420904 n N WALES Daf Association, Tel 01492 542235

CARERS’ CENTRES n ACCRINGTON Tel 01254 387 444 n BLACKBURN with DARWEN Tel 01254 688 www.bwdcarers.org n BLACKPOOL Blackpool Borough Council, Tel 01253 477 716 n CUMBRIA Carlisle. Tel 01228 542 156 Penrith. Tel 01768 890 280 Barrow-in-Furness. Tel 01229 822 822 Kendal. Tel 01539 732 927 Whitehaven, Tel 01946 592 223 n CHESHIRE Helpline: 0800 085 0307 n KNOWSLEY Tel 0151 549 1412 n LANCASTER Tel 01524 66475 n LIVERPOOL Tel 0151 705 2307 n MANCHESTER Tel 0161 835 2995 n MORECAMBE Tel 01524 833456 n PRESTON Tel 01772 200173 n RUNCORN Tel 01928 580182 n WIDNES Tel 0151 257 7767 n SALFORD Tel 0161 833 0217 n SEFTON Tel 0151 288 6060 n ST HELENS Tel 01744 675 615 n STOCKPORT Tel 0161 456 2808 n WARRINGTON Tel 01925 644 212 n WEST LANCS Tel 01695 711243 n WIGAN & LEIGH Tel 01942 683711 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM Tel 0121 675 8000 n SOLIHULL Tel 0121 788 1143 n WALSALL Tel 01922 610 810 NORTH WALES n ANGLESEY Tel 01248 722828 n BANGOR Tel 01248 370 797 n CONWY Tel 01492 533714 n DENBIGHSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 0845 603 3187 n DOLGELLAU Tel 01341 421167 n FLINTSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 01352 751436 n WREXHAM: NEWCIS, Tel: 01978 310414.

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Jack’s off to a cracker

Judo glory for GB

RITAIN’S visually impaired judo team returned with five medals at the German Open in Heidelberg. For the third time in both their careers, Ben Quilter (Dartford) and Darren Harris (Bath) returned with gold medals at the Open. After his gold medals in 2010 and 2006, Quilter made his way to the top of the rostrum in the -60kg category once again, by winning each of the fights in his pool of five. Darren Harris’ two wins earned him the gold in the pools (round-robin) competition format. Joe Ingram (Dartford) took a silver medal in the -100kg competition for the second year in a row. The Brit faced the same challengers as last year in Oliver Upmann, of Germany, and 2010 World bronze medallist Myles

All Together NOW!

February/March 2011

Porter of the USA. Winning her first German Open medal, Lesley Reid (Royston) picked up silver in the 70kg weight category – an amalgamation of -70kg and +70kg fighters. Reid overcame Erica Freidmann, of Sweden, and

Barbara Schmidt, of Germany, but lost to current world champion, Russia’s Olga Zabrodskaya after a lengthy fight. Meanwhile, Liverpool-born Daniel Powell picked up a bronze in the -81kg category.

TEENAGER who only took up table tennis when he heard London was staging the 2012 Olympics has won a place in the prestigious British Table Tennis Disabled World Class Performance Squad. Jack Hunter-Spivey, 15, was presented with his GB tracksuit by Halton Table Tennis Club chairman Karen Tonge, who has plotted his progress since he took up the sport. Jack, from Widnes, said: “I have a lot of work ahead but I am optimistic that I can keep on improving in the months ahead.” Since October, Jack’s school, SS Peter & Paul, has worked with the club to devise a personal school time table to fit in a programme of one-to-one sessions with a variety of coaches and players from the area. Jack now visits the English Institute of Sport at Sheffield once a week, and spends two mornings a week at Liverpool John Moores University building up his strength and conditioning as part of his Talented Athlete

Great Britain Britain Wheelchair Wheelchair Basketball Basketball Association Association Great RGK Super League Feb 12: Capital City RF v Sheffield Steelers Feb 12: RGK TCAT Rhinos v Essex Outlaws – Telford College of Arts and Technology, Telford. Feb 12: Knights v Tameside Owls – Antrim Leisure Centre, Antrim. Feb 26: Tameside Owls v Sheffield Steelers – West Hill Sports Centre, Stalybridge, Cheshire. Feb 26: Aces v RGK TCAT Rhinos – Stoke Mandeville Sports Stadium, Guttmann Road, Aylesbury Feb 27: Essex Outlaws v Capital City RF – Riverside Ice Leisure Centre, Victoria Road, Chelmsford. Mar 5: Knights v Aces – Antrim Leisure Centre, Antrim. Mar 5: Capital City RF v Tameside Owls Mar 6: Capital City RF v Essex Outlaws

First Division North Feb 12: Newcastle Eagles 1 v Celtic Warriors – Percy Hedley School, West Lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Feb 12: Jaguars 1 v Sheffield Steelers 2 – Magnus Sports Centre, Earp Avenue, Newark. Feb 13: Lothian Phoenix 1 v Tameside Owls 2 – Bathgate Academy, Edinburgh Road, Bathgate. Feb 26: Tameside Owls 2 v Sheffield

Steelers 3 – West Hill Sports Centre, Stalybridge, Cheshire. Feb 26: Celtic Warriors v Sheffield Steelers 3 – Darland Sports Centre, Chester Road, Wrexham. Feb 26: Jaguars 1 v Newcastle Eagles 1 – Magnus Sports Centre, Earp Avenue, Newark. Feb 27: RGK TCAT Rhinos 2 v Newcastle Eagles 1 – Telford College of Arts and Technology, Telford. Mar 5: RGK TCAT Rhinos 2 v Jaguars 1 – Telford College of Arts and Technology, Telford. Mar 5: Sheffield Steelers 3 v Lothian Phoenix 1 – Sports Hall, Spinal Injuries Unit Northern General Hospital, Sheffield. Mar 6: Sheffield Steelers 2 v Lothian Phoenix 1 – Sports Hall, Spinal Injuries Unit Northern General Hospital, Sheffield. Mar 6: Sheffield Steelers 3 v Tameside Owls 2 – Sports Hall, Spinal Injuries Unit Northern General Hospital, Sheffield. Mar 12: Newcastle Eagles 1 v Jaguars 1 – Percy Hedley School, West Lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Mar 19: Celtic Warriors v RGK TCAT Rhinos 2 – Darland Sports Centre, Chester Road, Wrexham. Mar 26: Jaguars 1 v Celtic Warriors – Magnus Sports Centre, Earp Avenue, Newark.

Mar 26: Newcastle Eagles 1 v Lothian Phoenix 1 – Percy Hedley School, West Lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Division 2 North Feb 5: Liverpool Greenbank 1 v Manchester Mavericks 1 – Greenbank Project, Greenbank Lane, Liverpool. Feb 5: Bolton Bulls v Furness Falcons – Smithills Sports Centre, Bolton. Feb 6: West of Scotland v Leicester Cobras 1 – West Dunbartonshire Council, Play Drome, Clydebank. Feb 12: Manchester Mavericks 1 v Derby Wheelblazers – YMCA, Liverpool Road, Manchester. Feb 13: West of Scotland v Liverpool Greenbank 1 – West Dunbartonshire Council, Play Drome, Clydebank. Feb 13: Leeds Spiders v Furness Falcons – Morley Leisure Centre, Queensway, Leeds. Feb 13: Bolton Bulls v Leicester Cobras 1 – Smithills Sports Centre, Bolton. Feb 26: Furness Falcons v Liverpool Greenbank 1 – Hoops Basketball Centre, Barrow-in-Furness. Feb 27: Derby Wheelblazers v Leeds Spiders – Derby College, Derby. Mar 5: Liverpool Greenbank 1 v Leeds Spiders - Greenbank Project, Greenbank Lane, Liverpool. Mar 6: Leicester Cobras 1 v

Scholarship Scheme. Halton Council’s executive member for sport, Cllr Phil Harris, said: “Jack has now to work hard to stay in the squad to fulfil his original dream to play in 2012 Paralympic Games but is now well on the journey. “He now has to meet very tough targets and is expected by UK Sport to reach the top 30 in the world by July - and play in foreign events. “Halton Borough Council has been supporting him every step of the way.”

www.gbwba.org.uk www.gbwba.org.uk

Manchester Mavericks 1 – Leicester Leys Leisure Centre, Beaumont Way, Leicester. Mar 12: Furness Falcons v Leicester Cobras 1 – Hoops Basketball Centre, Barrow-in-Furness. Mar 12: Manchester Mavericks 1 v West of Scotland – YMCA, Liverpool Road, Manchester. Mar 13: Leeds Spiders v West of Scotland – Morley Leisure Centre, Queensway, Leeds. Mar 19: Furness Falcons v West of Scotland – Hoops Basketball Centre, Barrow-in-Furness. Mar 19: Manchester Mavericks 1 v Leeds Spiders – YMCA, Liverpool Road, Manchester. Mar 20: Liverpool Greenbank 1 v West of Scotland – Greenbank Project, Greenbank Lane, Liverpool. Mar 26: Manchester Mavericks 1 v Bolton Bulls – YMCA, Liverpool Road, Manchester. Mar 27: Derby Wheelblazers v Leicester Cobras 1 – Derby College, Derby.

Division 3 North Feb 6: Stoke Spitfires v Sheffield Steelers 4 – Dimensions Leisure Complex, Scotia Road, Stoke-onTrent. Feb 12: Jaguars 2 v Sheffield Steelers 4 – Magnus Sports Centre,

Earp Avenue, Newark. Feb 26: Jaguars 2 v Newcastle Eagles 2 – Magnus Sports Centre, Earp Avenue, Newark. Feb 27: RGK TCAT Rhinos 3 v Newcastle Eagles 2 – Telford College of Arts and Technology, Telford. Mar 5: Vikings 2009 v Newcastle Eagles 2 – Lansbury Bridge School, St. Helens. Mar 5: RGK TCAT Rhinos 3 v Jaguars 2 – Telford College of Arts and Technology, Telford. Mar 5: Sheffield Steelers 4 v Lothian Phoenix 2 – Sports Hall, Spinal Injuries Unit, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield Mar 12: Newcastle Eagles 2 v Jaguars 2 – Percy Hedley School, West Lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Mar 13: Lothian Phoenix 2 v Stoke Spitfires – Bathgate Academy, Edinburgh Road, Bathgate. Mar 20: Sheffield Steelers 4 v Vikings 2009 – Sports Hall, Spinal Injuries Unit, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield Mar 26: Newcastle Eagles 2 v Lothian Phoenix 2 – Percy Hedley School, West Lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Mar 26: Jaguars 2 v Stoke Spitfires – Magnus Sports Centre, Earp TAKE ME HOME! Avenue, Newark.

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February/March 2011

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King of the seas P

ARALYSED sailor Geoff Holt has been named Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year – and announced his next challenge . . . to be the first quadriplegic to sail around the world. The award, made by the Yachting Journalist Association, is in recognition of a series of inspirational sailing feats, culminating in a single-handed transAtlantic crossing. Geoff, 44, became the first quadriplegic to sail the Atlantic when he sailed into the British Virgin Islands on January 7, 2010, overcoming personal adversity and achieving his own ‘impossible dream’. It took 28 days to complete the 2,700mile voyage back to very beach where Geoff broke his neck spinal injury 25 years earlier. Geoff was also the first disabled person to sail solo around Great Britain in 2007 and received an MBE for services to disabled sailing. He said: “A huge thanks to everyone who has supported me, and especially to Susana Scott, the lady who provided my care across the Atlantic. Without her

Paralysed Geoff is Yachtsman of Year

help, I couldn’t have made the voyage. “This award is the biggest accolade in our sport and I’m still grinning from ear to ear. “The list of past winners is humbling Dame Ellen Macarthur, Sir Robin KnoxJohnston, Dee Caffari, Sir Francis Chichester. The list reads like a “Who’s Who” in the history of yachting in our country – I am really so proud. “In what other sport could a quadriplegic’s name sit alongside such a prestigious list of yachting heroes on a trophy like this? Now begins the really hard work . . . “Winning the award has strengthened my resolve to get my around-the-world sailing challenge running. “Hopefully prospective sponsors will see my CV and will want to be part of the next great adventure. “Getting to the starting line is going to be my toughest challenge yet . . .” n www.geoffholt.com ON THE CREST OF A WAVE: Geoff Holt

ANYONE FOR TENNIS?

THE Tennis Foundation is inviting people to sign up for a place at an exciting wheelchair tennis camp at Bolton Arena on the weekend of February 19-20. The Bolton camp is one of six events taking place across Britain throughout the year. Beijing Paralympic medallist Jamie Burdekin, one of the North West’s most successful wheelchair tennis players, said: “From the first time I hit a ball I was hooked on the sport and it’s given me so many great experiences and taken me around the world.” The camps are the perfect way to try your hand at one of the most popular Paralympic sports, with expert coaching and guidance and the chance to try out purposebuilt tennis chairs. To book your place on any of the camps, you can download an application form from the Tennis Foundation website: www.tennisfoundation.org.uk/disabilitytennis/Wheelch air-Tennis/Playing-wheelchair-tennis/ Alternatively, call the Tennis Foundation on 0845 872 0522 or email disabilitytennis@tennisfoundation.org.uk The 2011 training camps: Feb 19-20: Bolton, Lancashire Mar 26-27: Taunton, Somerset July 23-24: Nottingham Aug 15-16: Stoke Mandeville (Juniors only) Sep 10-11: Loughborough Nov 12-13: Swindon

Wheelchair rugby boost SOME of the UK’s top wheelchair rugby players put on a fantastic demonstration at Liverpool’s Greenbank Sports Academy. Team boss David Pond said: “It’s a really exciting time for us. Not only is Team GB progressing well towards the Paralympic Games but, thanks to the funding support of UK Sport, the Lottery and Sport England, it means that the sport is able to grow at all levels and be in a position to challenge for Paralympic gold.” The game is a terrifying fusion of ice hockey, handball and rugby, and was founded in Canada in 1977. It was originally dubbed ‘Murderball’ – but it’s not just about brute force. Tactics play a major part. Eight rolling substitutes make up squads of 12, with four players on court per team at any time. The aim is to thunder across your opponents’ goal line with two wheels in contact with the hardwood floor and the ball in your hands. Players in possession have to bounce the ball or pass within 10 seconds of receiving it. n Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby

has also just launched its new website: www.gbwr.org.uk

Tennis Foundation Wheelchair Tennis Camp Bolton Arena, Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th February Offering beginners an ideal introduction to one of the world’s most popular Paralympic sports All ages welcome Coaching from licensed tennis coaches Tips from experienced players Try out a tennis wheelchair Information and advice on playing locally, coaching and competitions Accommodation options

For further details and booking forms contact The Tennis Foundation Tel: 0845 872 0522 Email: disabilitytennis@tennisfoundation.org.uk

TENNIS FOUNDATION Registered Charity No. 298175