All Together NOW! June-July 2021

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S

ARAH MOORE has been taking steps to thank the children’s charity supporting her son – half a million of them.

She took on the 500,000-step challenge – equal to 236 miles or nine marathons – to highlight the work of CLIC Sargent, which has provided vital assistance to her and son Lewis, 20, since he was diagnosed with mixedphenotype leukaemia.

The 38-year-old mum from Huyton, Merseyside, said: “It’s been hard – my back’s killing, my knees are killing but it’s nothing compared to what Lewis and other kids have to go through.”

CLIC Sargent provides wide-ranging support for young people and their families who are affected by cancer.

Sarah added: “It’s been great bumping into people and explaining what CLIC Sargent is about.

“I wasn’t a fit person before and I didn’t used to walk anywhere, but now I’ve lost over half a stone and it’s been great for my mental health as well. I feel brilliant – I even did a little dance through the park!”

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

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Editor: Tom Dowling 0151 230 0307

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STEPPING OUT: Sarah Middleton

Sarah says she has received so much support from the charity, especially social worker Jane Kean, who helped the family throughout their difficult journey, including successfully applying for a grant to help provide Lewis with financial support during his cancer treatment.

William Hampshire, CLIC Sargent’s events manager, said: “We are so grateful for Sarah’s incredible dedication and commitment. When cancer strikes young lives we fight tirelessly to limit the damage it causes beyond their health. We rely entirely on donations to fund our work and so we can’t thank Sarah enough for her fantastic effort.

“Covid-19 has had a significant impact on our income so fundraising challenges such as these are absolutely crucial in helping us recover and continue our work to support children and young people facing cancer.”

Every day, 12 more children and young people in the UK will hear the devastating news that they have cancer. n Clic Sargent: Tel. 0300 330 0803

Free sound kits for kids

FREE musical sound kits that help disabled children develop new skills while they play are now available to borrow.

National charity Newlife say the Playtronica sound kits, which are often used in the music industry, create different sounds when children touch various objects.

The kits are included in the charity’s Exploring Sounds Play Therapy Pods, aimed at children over five.

Other play pods available from Newlife include a Sensory Pod, suitable from birth; a range of five Adventure Pods, suitable from 18 months; and five different Discovery Pods, aimed at children over three.

Each pod is packed with specific specialist toys and are loaned free of charge to families for 12 weeks. n Newlife, 01543 462777.

Going up ...

MERSEYSIDE’S new stairlift demonstration and advice centre opens for business on June 16.

The LOVE Stairlifts premises in Edge Lane, Liverpool, showcases the UK’s largest selection of stairlifts under one roof.

The company’s CEO, Andy Rees, said: “Visitors can visualise what a particular stairlift might be like in their home and realise how easy they are to operate.”

Dads’ videos

FATHERS of disabled children have created a set of online videos to help other dads.

The dads share their tips and speak about the positive experiences they have enjoyed with their children.

Dr Emma Langley, from the University of Warwick, said: “We set up the Dads of Disabled Children Research Advisory Group and it soon became clear that the dads wanted to create something practical to help others in their situation.”

To access the videos, go to www.warwick.ac.uk/fac/ soc/cedar/ family research/ father advisorygroup

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JUNE-JULY 2021

Editor Tom says he’s miraculously 20 years

All Together NOW!

LEFT: June 3, 1974 The roadside in Iran where Tom was shot

RIGHT: June 3, 2001 Tom and family after the Chester-Liverpool bike ride

BREAKING THE AGE BARRIER!

BELOW: June 3, 2021 Back on his DaVinci handbike

YOUNGER

O

NE of the good things about getting older is sometimes you get the chance to actually be more adventurous, to do something a bit out of the ordinary.

Well, I’ve just done it. Miraculously, with a quick stroke of a pen, I’ve made myself 20 years younger …

You see, I’ve never thought it fair that the monarchy could have “official” summertime birthdays to celebrate in the sunshine, while the rest of us who were born in the cold winter months, just had to get on with it.

King George II’s forward-thinking decision way back in the 18th century should have given all of us the same rights.

Well, whether it’s legal or not, I’ve now claimed mine – and gone further by changing my birth year.

My new Official Birthday is June 3, 1974 – the day my old life officially changed forever on a roadside in Iran. The day I became disabled and when my new life began.

At dawn that day, as a huge blood red sun crept up over the horizon, I began opening my 20-year-old eyes to the world.

Seconds later, a bullet from a bandit’s gun blasted through my spine, instantly paralysing me from the chest.

Until that moment I knew nothing about the devastation and heartache that disability brings to millions of people – and not just for those directly in the “firing line”, so to speak.

As I soon discovered, disability affects your whole family and friendships. Nothing is the same – except the love and care that some of us may be lucky to go on to receive. From then on, it’s like starting afresh, finding out what is still possible, and what support you can get to achieve your new ambitions.

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That’s what All Together NOW! is all about – bringing people together to overcome all kinds of challenges and inequalities.

And that’s why we are so appreciative to those who keep this free newspaper alive and kicking – our key partners, the Steve Morgan Foundation and United Utilities, our other funders, and, of course, our advertisers.

Without all this generous and ongoing support, we just wouldn’t be around.

So, back to my Official Birthday … apart from getting a few extra birthday cards, do I really feel any benefits of being “younger” again? Definitely!

Chuck away the mirrors and I’m a new man, even though I still can’t stand or walk. The sinews and bones may still be creaking, but I’ve re-joined the gym, resurrected my old DaVinci handbike that’s getting me to places I never thought possible, and I’m now plucking up the courage to go swimming again.

Whatever your age, and health issues you may have, I really hope you can get out and about a bit and enjoy this special summer – it’s been a long time coming!

And if on your travels you see a venue you think might be a good stockist for All Together NOW! please let us know! We want to spread our good messages far and wide – and help even more people.

Meanwhile, I hope you like this edition – and that you’ll find out something within these pages that will help you or a friend …

Stay positive. Keep smiling. We’re back in August.

See you then!

TOM DOWLING, editor

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NEWS

Urgent call for more retirement homes

AN urgent increase in the supply of retirement homes is going to be needed to keep pace with the numbers of people living longer.

In some places, one extra retirement property for every existing two will be needed just to keep up, says a new report by experts looking at the impact of living longer on society.

More than a third more homes will have to be built by 2040 to meet demand from older people – including many couples – says the International Longevity Centre.

And there is no time to lose, with an 8.8% growth required by 2025 alone.

The biggest demand for homes in retirement communities – those designed specifically with emerging care needs in mind – will continue to come from single women.

Peter Aldous MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on housing and care for older people, added: “The ICL’s report sets out a tremendous opportunity for the retirement housing sector. However, stakeholders must adapt their approaches to ensure that they can not only meet this increased demand but provide a supply of housing which caters for the needs of residents.”

Time for action

MORE than 50 business leaders have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister urging him to deliver on his promise of a truly transformative National Strategy for Disabled People.

In the letter – organised by the Centre For Social Justice’s Disability Commission – the signatories say: “Disabled people have waited long enough; now is the time for action”.

According to the Office of National Statistics, disabled people have been hit particularly hard by Coronavirus.

Currently, just 52% of disabled people are in employment compared with 81% of non-disabled people.

Tackling carer abuse

A YEAR-long review into the protection and support available to disabled people abused by their carers is to take place.

The inquiry will look at existing criminal and safeguarding laws, regulation by the Care Quality Commission, the protection available for those using non-regulated care, and the support available for survivors of abuse by carers.

It comes after the Government refused to extend protections included in its domestic abuse bill to disabled people abused in their homes by paid care workers and personal assistants, and friends and neighbours who carry out unpaid caring.

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

‘The support system is broken’

T

HE SUPPORT system for disabled people in the UK is broken, with almost half of all people in poverty either disabled or living with someone who is, says a damning report.

ago, according to figures produced by the two organisations.

Their report has sparked calls for urgent action over the impact of Covid-19, with recent Scope research showing more than a quarter (28%) of disabled people said their finances have worsened during the pandemic.

Repeated changes in disability policy have failed to provide either sufficient financial security for disabled people or help for those who can and want to work, the SMF said.

The report estimates that had the Government met the 2015 Conservative manifesto target of halving the disability

BROKEN PROMISES

Decades of reforms and political promises have failed to help disabled people and “now is the time to think again”, says the report by leading charity Scope and think tank the Social Market Foundation.

There are now 1.8 million more people in poverty living in a family that includes a disabled person compared with 15 years

‘We can’t go on like this’

C

HARITIES are outraged at the Government’s failure to deliver on its promises to reform social care.

employment gap, nearly one million more disabled people would be in work today, boosting Treasury coffers by around £17 billion a year.

By contrast, providing disability benefits has risen by almost 50% since 2000, costing an extra £16 billion. The SMF forecasts that spending on disability benefits will increase by another £4 billion up to 2024/25.

Matthew Oakley, from the Social Market Foundation, said: “The system for disabled people is broken. Successive governments have repeatedly failed disabled people for decades. Now is the time to think again.”

Ex-Mayor backs Black Access course

A UNIQUE social work degree is taking on people from communities which are under-represented.

And there’s still time to apply for September’s start date.

The course – Black Access to Social Work - a Route Into the Profession for Diverse Communities – is being run

by Liverpool Hope University in conjunction with Liverpool city council.

Spearheaded by former Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Anna Rothery, it’s an extension of Hope’s existing BA in Social Work – with 15 extra spaces for people living in the Liverpool City Region.

Anna Rothery – the first black Lord Mayor in the OPPORTUNITY : Anna Rothery history of Liverpool, and

There’s been a widespread call for a plan to reform and fix the sector, which Boris Johnson pledged in his first speech after becoming Prime Minister nearly two years ago.

But the Queen’s Speech contained just nine words on the subject: “Proposals on social care reform will be brought forward.”

Here’s some of the reaction …

Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK: “Until this Government sets out concrete measures for social care reform, the reality for millions of families is that they have no choice but to take on more and more care for their older or disabled relatives, costing them their livelihoods, relationships and at the expense of their own physical and mental health.

“Without England’s millions of unpaid carers our health and social care systems would have collapsed in the last year. Carers desperately need a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Richard Kramer, chief executive of Sense: “It’s been nearly two years since Boris Johnson promised he would ‘fix’ social care, and after a year of immense pressure on an already outdated system, long-awaited and promised reforms still fail to materialise.

Without immediate reform, disabled people and their families will continue to experience hardship and this cannot be allowed to continue.”

Kirsty Matthews, CEO of Hft: “This is yet

another missed opportunity and broken promise – sentiments the sector has heard repeated for countless years.

“Social care, at its heart, is centred on the people it supports, ensuring they can live with greater independence and choice. It is vital the Government finally listens to our call and takes action to bring forward the change needed to reinvigorate the sector and create a sustainable future. This cannot happen soon enough.”

Edel Harris, chief executive Mencap: “It’s time the Prime Minister matched his words with action to level up the social care system.

“We need social care to help everyone in this country who needs it, including working-age people with lifelong needs. The Government must deliver ambitious reforms and proper

To advertise . . . 0151 929 3912

who has just been appointed as a Visiting Fellow at Hope University – says the scheme could stop members of the black community becoming “eternal students” – excelling academically but still unable to secure employment in the city.

She said: “This new project is an opportunity to significantly change the way we do things.”

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) census data from 2011, 18.6% of residents in Liverpool classified themselves as “not White British and Irish”.

Meanwhile, 11.7% of Liverpool City Council social workers are from diverse communities.

funding to create a world class social care system we can all be proud of.”

Kathryn Hill, director of programmes at the Spinal Injuries Association: “After at least 17 government inquiries on social care reform, the meagre nine words in the Queen’s Speech was a blow to everyone affected by spinal cord injury.

“We weren’t expecting a breakdown of the plans in full, but this brevity speaks volumes.

The care sector can’t go on like this.

“Each and every day, we’re seeing first-hand the devastating impact of Government inaction on social care, with the 50,000 people affected by spinal injury bearing the brunt. Real-terms cuts combined with unmet care needs has been further exposed during the pandemic.”

helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

Game changers for blind people

www.alltogethernow.org.uk NEWS

Act now for our children

DISABILITY charity Sense is calling for a comprehensive plan from Government that recognises the need for additional health and social care support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

This follows a new report from the Public Accounts Committee that found that disruption to schooling during the pandemic had a “particularly detrimental impact” on the education and health of children with SEND. The report shows that children with SEND “found remote learning especially difficult, and some lost access to specialist support and equipment, increasing risks to their health and welfare”.

Sense chief executive Richard Kramer said: “We urgently need a clear recovery plan for disabled children – with appropriate funding and resources.”

B

LIND people could soon be casting their votes in secret in future elections.

Currently, blind voters need a polling staff member or sighted companion to read out the candidates so they can cast their vote with a Tactile Voting Device – or TVD – a plastic sheet that attaches to the form and shows where marks should be made.

This means they are unable to vote independently or in private – a fact which led to the TVD being

declared unlawful in 2019 in a legal case brought by campaigner Rachael Andrews.

But a new audio device could prove a game changer after being trialled at last month’s elections.

Mike Wordingham, at the Royal National Institute of Blind People, said: “Our research shows just one in every 10 blind voters were able to vote independently and in private in the General Election.

“That means thousands of people are still not able to exercise our fundamental human right to vote

with any degree of secrecy, which undermines the entire voting process.

RNIB, the Cabinet Office and Broadland and South Norfolk councils arranged the trial of the device which allows blind and partially sighted people to hear for themselves who is on the ballot paper and vote without assistance.

“We will be monitoring feedback very closely, but we are cautiously optimistic,” said Mr Wordingham.

“Everyone should have the right to cast their vote in secret.”

Charities come together to help visually impaired students BLIND and partially sighted students are being failed by a lack of support in further education, say the Thomas Pocklington Trust.

To address this, Thomas Pocklington Trust and the Royal National Institute for Blind People have has created new guidance for further education

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providers and urges them to take action now. n Delivering Accessible Learning: A guide for Further Education providers supporting blind and partially sighted students n Tel. 020 8995 0880 n www.pocklington-trust.org.uk

RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITIES

New station lifts will make going easier

NEW passenger lifts are being installed at five Liverpool City Region rail stations giving step free access to platforms.

Stations at Broad Green, Hunts Cross, Hillside, St Michaels and Birkenhead Park will all have lifts by early next year.

Lifts have also been installed at Formby, Birkenhead North, Orrell Park and Meols, and £8m worth of improvement works at Prescot station is well under way.

Steve Rotheram, pictured, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “I want our region to have a London-style transport system that is quick, simple, affordable and accessible to all.

“We’re investing nearly £10m to deliver step-free access at a number of local stations.

“When it’s finished, it’ll make things so much easier for people and drive us toward my ambition to make our transport network the most accessible and inclusive in the country.”

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NEWS

JUNE-JULY 2021

www.alltogethernow.org.uk n CBD in the form of a food containing cannabis ingredients is NOT medicinal cannabis. n The term “medicinal cannabis products” excludes both the recreational use of cannabis and foods containing cannabis ingredients such as CBD. n Dried flowering heads, plant extracts and preparations containing one or more cannabinoid may be regarded as medicinal cannabis.

Top employer signs up to ‘Disability Passport’

A MAJOR UK employer has signed up to the GMB union’s ground-breaking “Disability Passport”.

Developed by GMB and the TUC, the passport aims to remove the stress and uncertainty many disabled workers face in the workplace.

The Disability Passport is a model “reasonable adjustment agreement” between union representaives and employers. It aims to stemp the flow of disabled people quittng their jobs because employers fail in their legal duty to make reasonable adjustments.

Security firm Securitas, which employs 355,000 people in 48 markets including more than 9,000 UK employees, has agreed to recognise the passports.

Back-to-work guide

NEW guidance to support disabled workers safely returning to the workplace following the Covid-19 lockdown has been published by the Business Disability Forum. Topics include: n Travelling to the workplace. n Creating a safe working environment. n Carrying out roles safely. n Mixing with colleagues. n Accessing facilities. www.businessdisabilityforum.org.uk

Why so long for a prescription?

A

LACK of access to prescriptions for medicinal cannabis is delaying potential health benefits for people with serious ill health, campaigners claim.

Of the 8.84m adults who bought cannibidiol – better known as CBD – in the last year, just over two-thirds said they did so to ease pain, according to a survey. And 32% were using it as an aleternative treatment for a diagnosed serious medical condition.

The UK is one of the 39 countries in the world which have now legalised or partially legalised the use of medicinal cannabis – a broad term for any sort of cannabis-based medicine used to relive symptoms.

Following a high-profile campaign by the families of Alfie Dingley and Billy Caldwell, both children who suffer from epilepsy, the law was changed in November 2018 to allow access to medical cannabis under prescription.

But since then, very few patients have been prescribed medicinal cannabis on the NHS, and most NHS Trusts refuse to prescribe whole-plant cannabis medicine.

GPs unaware

In Germany, 25,000 medicinal cannabis prescriptions were issued in September 2020, compared to just 250 in the UK. Overinflated claims by some CBD traders, uncertainty and lack of knowledge among GPs, and limited scientific evidence have all contributed to the small number of prescriptions issued.

Medicinal cannabis is only likely to be prescribed to children and adults with rare severe forms of epilepsy, some adults undergoing chemotherapy, and people with muscle stiffness and spasms caused by

multiple sclerosis, the NHS says.

According to the official NHS website, “there is some evidence medical cannabis can help certain types of pain, though this evidence is not yet strong enough to recommend it for pain relief”.

Epidyolex, a pure cannabidiol, can be prescribed for children diagnosed with two rare types of epilepsy.

Professor Trevor Jones, chair of European Medicinal Cannabis Association, said: “Our research suggests that the CBD market continues to run unchecked with vulnerable patients potentially being misled by the apparent therapeutic benefit statements made by opportunist traders.”

Prof Jones added: “The EUMCA is broadly in agreement with the UK Government’s position on medicinal cannabis prescribing, in that: The UK Government has made it legal for properly diagnosed patients to receive medicinal cannabis on the prescription of an adequately qualified medical practitioner. There is not strong enough evidence to support prescribing and general access to preparations containing THC. “However, the EUMCA also sympathises with patients and their parents/carers who cannot wait for the results of lengthy randomised controlled trials and are unable to get medicinal cannabis prescribed and reimbursed by the NHS. “There is a case for ‘real world studies’ as an alternative to traditional clinical trials to accelerate access to medicinal cannabis prescribing in the UK.”

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JUNE-JULY 2021

Making a difference . . .

T

HE Steve Morgan Foundation aims to make a real difference by changing the lives of thousands of people across the region.

after Steve committed £250m additional funding to the Foundation in 2017.

Enable Funding for individuals was also introduced to provide grants for adults and children with disabilities in financial hardship, who require specialised equipment.

There are three types of funding available for organisations which fit the application criteria: n Major grants and one-off capital funding for large projects; n Regional grant funding; n Enable Funding for specialised equipment, which includes the brand new Smiley Buses.

If you need help, contact us – details below

THE PERFECT BOOST Founded by Steve Morgan CBE in 2001, the Foundation supports projects that help children and families, people with physical or learning disabilities, the elderly, and the socially disadvantaged across North Wales, Merseyside and Cheshire.

More than £50m has so far been awarded to over 650 charities and organisations, and this number will increase dramatically over the coming years

W

E LOVE to hear of projects that get people moving.

That’s why we are backing an initiative aimed at getting more people in Liverpool get on a bike and stat cycling.

Domestic abuse support hubs open

HELP AT THE LIGHTHOUSE: Ruth Dixon (Steve Morgan Foundation projects manager), Jane Harris (director of regional grants); and trustee Ashley Lewis

A NEW domestic abuse centre has opened in Wirral after receiving funding from the Steve Morgan Foundation.

The Lighthouse Centre is part of the Involve NorthWest charity, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

The new service is the only one in Wirral that tackles domestic abuse from the family perspective.

It’s all been made possible thanks to £249,530 in Community Match Challenge (CMC) funding from the Steve Morgan Foundation and the Department for

Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.

Domestic abuse manager Keri Lockhart-Thomson said the centre’s name reflects its approach to tackling domestic abuse.

“A lighthouse doesn’t go into the storm to rescue ships but rather guides them to safety,” she said.

Keri added: “Reports of domestic violence have soared during the pandemic so there’s never been a more urgent need for the Lighthouse Centre than now.” n The Lighthouse Centre.

Tel: 0151 644 4839

ON YOUR BIKE: Jim Yeoman, coordinator at Liverpool Wheels For All

WE ARE delighted to hear that the Paul Lavelle Foundation, a charity the Steve Morgan Foundation is also supporting, is doing so much to help male victims of domestic abuse.

During the past year the Foundation, set up in 2017 in memory of 50-year-old Paul Lavelle, from Rock Ferry, has received 65 referrals.

Charity manager Sharne Williams had been friends with Paul for 14 years before his death and said: “We had no idea he was the victim of domestic abuse until his killer’s court case.

Speak out

“ He had a big group of friends but his girlfriend isolated him from everybody and he even stopped going to the football.

“After he died we realised there was a huge gap in the system for the male victims of domestic abuse. It’s really important that the victims feel able to speak out.”

Last year, the charity, based in Birkenhead, received £5,000 from the Steve Morgan Foundation. This was followed with £69,408 in Community Match Challenge (CMC) funding. n Paul Lavelle Foundation, Support Line 0151 651 3777

www.stevemorganfoundation.org.uk Tel 01928 797900

Together with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Steve Morgan Foundation are providing £147,842 to the Liverpool Wheels for All project, based at Springfield Park, next to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

The scheme is open to everyone and will also provide inclusive and accessible cycling equipment facilities to make sure that disabled people don’t miss out.

It’s hoped that patients at the nearby Alder Hey Children’s Hospital will also be able to take advantage of the facilities as part of their rehabilitation.

The project has the backing of Liverpool City Council, as part of their plan for better cycling routes and their goal of creating a city that is inclusive for everyone.

‘Best facilities’

Steve Morgan, chairman of the Steve Morgan Foundation, said: “I know the value and benefit of regular exercise and by providing the best facilities we hope to open it up to everyone.

“This is exactly the type of initiative the Steve Morgan Foundation and DCMS came together to support as part of the Community Match Challenge Fund.”

Ian Tierney, director of Cycling Projects, which is behind the Wheels for All project, said: “We want to ensure that disabled people have the skills, knowledge and awareness that cycling is available and accessible for everyone in the city and we’ll be building strong partnerships with many of Liverpool’s disability support organisations and delivering regular inclusive cycling activities across the city.” n Wheels for All, tel 01925 234213

Steve Morgan Foundation

@stevemorganfdn

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Heartbreak hits your health, too FAMILIES

A chance to preserve the story of your life

MOST of us wish we had taken the time to get to know our grandparents better – before it was too late.

One in three people have no idea what their grandparents did for a living, a UK-wide study has found.

Just two in every 10 people know how their grandparents met, with a third admitting they don’t know how their parents met either!

Despite this, 66% of people involved in research said they would like to find out more about their family’s history, while almost half wish they’d kept a diary.

Researchers from non-profit life story organisation, Augr, quizzed 2,000 people in a bid to find out how much the nation knows about their families’ past.

Three quarters of those asked admitted there are stories from their past that their families don’t know about, with a third of those aged over 65 believing those stories will die with them.

As a result of their findings Augr are launching a campaign to encourage people to share their stories before it’s too late.

Justin Hopkins, co-founder of Augr, said: “Our mission is to give everyone the opportunity to record and share the story of their life with friends, family and the wider world.” n www.augr.tech

JUNE-JULY 2021

H

EARTBREAK and hardship have a profound influence on how we grow old, a new study shows.

From being raised by an emotionally cold mother to experiencing war and bereavement, difficult life events have a major effect on wellbeing in later life, researchers found.

People who experienced the greatest levels of hardship, stress and personal loss were five times more likely to have a lower quality of life, with significantly more health and physical difficulties in old age.

Dr Nick Steel said policies aimed at reducing inequalities in older age should take into consideration events across the whole course of people’s lives.

“Everybody lives a unique life that is shaped by events, experiences and their environment,” said Dr Steel, from the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School.

“While the impact of adverse childhood

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events is well recognised for children and young people, the negative events that shape our entire life courses are rarely discussed for older people.”

Stressful and often heart-breaking life inequalities included losing an unborn child, financial hardship, involvement in conflict, violence and experiencing a natural disaster.

Those brought up by an emotionally cold mother were also significantly less likely to experience a good quality of life and more likely to have problems in later years, such as anxiety, psychiatric problems and social detachment.

Oby Enwo, who led the research, said: “We looked at the life history of each participant and compared it to their quality of life and

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how well they can perform activities like dressing themselves, bathing, preparing hot meals, doing gardening and money management.

“We found that people who had suffered many difficult life events were significantly less likely to experience a good quality of life than those who had lived easier lives.

“They were three times more likely to suffer psychiatric problems, twice as likely to be detached from social networks, and twice as likely to have long-standing illness.”

We can help cut your bills

F

AMILIES with disabled children across Merseyside are being urged to use a service that has could help cut household costs by over £1,600.

Caudwell Children has a range of support on offer to help families with disabled children save money on their monthly bills and overcome fuel poverty after the charity was awarded a grant from the Energy Saving Trust.

The cost of energy bills and many other utilities rose significantly for more than 15 million people in the UK earlier this year, after the price cap was lifted in April – potentially costing hundreds of pounds extra each year.

To help families in Liverpool and the Wirral reduce their monthly bills, Caudwell Children is offering support through its Warm Homes service.

Families referred through the service since its launch in October 2020 are an average of £1,650 better off.

The service offers families tailored support, including: n Personalised budgeting and financial advice. n Help to identify benefits and support they’re entitled to. n A free home energy survey. n Funding for essential appliances such as refrigerators, cookers and freezers.

The service is delivered in partnership with the Auriga Services, an organisation that works with utility companies to help families reduce financial hardship.

Caudwell Children and Auriga use their combined expertise to identify, engage and support families with disabled children – helping them to address their needs and get access to services or additional support for them or their child.

Trudi Beswick, CEO of Caudwell Children, said: “We’re proud to be have been able to help families in Liverpool and the Wirral get extra support – especially during the tough winter months of the pandemic.

‘We CAN help’

“What we’re increasingly realising is that lots of families with disabled children don’t know that they’re entitled to all kinds of additional support – whether it’s financial support or something as simple yet lifechanging as applying for a blue badge so that they can park their car more easily.

“We’re here to help them get that support, because they deserve it. Please get in touch with us, because I’m sure we can help.”

So far, the service has supported 17 families across Liverpool and the Wirral but has the capacity to support hundreds more. n To apply, visit: www.caudwellchildren.com/warmhomes

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All Together NOW!

JUNE-JULY 2021

9

Keep your garden blooming lovely 6XPPHU LV D ZRQGHUIXO DQG H[FLWLQJ WLPH IRU JDUGHQLQJ ZLWK EHDXWLIXO Lj RZHUV FRPLQJ LQWR EORRP Follow our water saving tips to keep your garden looking lovely and vibrant all summer long.

Plan your garden TOP Try planting drought-resistant plants, such as lavender.

TIP It looks fabulous and requires a lot less water.

Water out of hours

TOP TIP

Water your garden in the early morning or late evening, when less water is lost through evaporation. Aim for the plant roots, not the leaves.

Use mulch for moisture

TOP TIP

Add a layer of mulch (e.g. bark chips, manure) over your soil to help retain moisture and keep weeds at bay.

Ditch the hosepipe A watering can uses far less water than a hosepipe or sprinkler, and the smaller droplets are better for your plants.

If possible, invest in a water butt so you can use all that lovely rainwater in the garden.

TOP TIP

We’ve got 10 water butts to give away. To be in with a chance of winning, simply send your name, address and phone number to Water butt competition, All Together Now, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool, L14 2EP or email your entry to competition@ DOOWRJHWKHUQRZ RUJ XN with “water butt” in the subject line. Entries will be accepted until the end of the day on 23 July 2021.

Terms and conditions apply, see unitedutilities.com for details.

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10

Be an expert in cutting your carbon footprint

COMMUNITY groups across the Liverpool City Region are being encouraged to play their part in the war against climate change.

Local charities Energy Projects Plus and Faiths4Change, together with social enterprise Zero Carbon Liverpool, are offering FREE Carbon Literacy training to community group members.

Participants will gain an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities, together with the ability and motivation to reduce harmful carbon emissions, on an individual and community basis.

On completing the course, learners will be declared ‘Carbon Literate’ and receive a certificate issued by the nationally recognised Carbon Literacy Project.

Peter Owen, chief executive of Energy Projects Plus, said: “By working together we can achieve improvements to our local areas while tackling this global issue.”

Funding is being provided by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Community Environment Fund. n If you are part of, or work with a community organisation and would like to find out more, call 0800 043 0151. n www.epplus.org.uk/carbonliterate communities

Shock care figures show need to quit JUNE-JULY 2021

S

MOKERS find themselves in need of social care a decade sooner than non-smokers.

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have social care needs as a result of smoking, receive no support.

Current smokers and recent ex-smokers are 2.5 times more likely to have unmet care needs than people who never took up the habit.

The high level of social care need has a significant impact on council budgets.

It’s estimated that providing 102,500 people with local authority care as a result of smoking adds up to £1.2 billion each year, equivalent to 8% of the country’s social care budget for home and residential adult care.

Ms Arnott added: “Achieving the Smokefree 2030 target won’t be easy and requires investment at a time when the Government has a massive budget deficit.

“Tobacco manufacturers on the other hand remain extremely profitable and should be made to pay a levy on their sales as they do in the US, to help make smoking obsolete.”

ANYONE who’s tried to stop smoking knows how hard it can be.

But there is help out there, with books, websites, drop-in services and even a BBC series.

GPs can enrol you in a “stop smoking” clinic, and prescribe nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches and gum, or stop smoking medication such as Champix. n www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/take-steps-now-to-stopsmoking n smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/pick-your-path/i-want-to-quit n www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p037727 n Smokefree National Helpline: 0300 123 1044

A shock new report found that – as a result of smoking – 1.5 million people need help with everyday tasks, such as dressing, walking across a room and using the toilet.

Of those, more than a million are receiving support from a partner, relative, friend or neighbour, who work unpaid to meet their care needs.

Deborah Arnott, head of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: “This report reveals the shocking extent to which smoking damages the quality of people’s lives, and of those around them.

“On average smokers need social care at 63 – 10 years earlier than non-smokers, so if the Government truly wants to extend healthy life expectancy by five years by 2035, ending smoking is a priority.”

The report, commissioned by ASH, also reveals that: n More than 100,000 people receive local authority-funded care as a result of smoking (85,000 in their home and 17,500 in residential care). n Overall, current smokers and recent exsmokers are 2.7 times more likely to receive support provided unpaid and informally by a relative, friend or neighbour, than those who never smoked. n A further 450,000 people in England, who

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

JUNE-JULY 2021

From humble beginnings to national innovators . . .

How Medicash revolutionised Health Cash Plans

All Together NOW!

11

Here for EVERYONE

Medicash introduced the first ambulances in Liverpool in 1929, transferring over 365,000 patients before they were incorporated within the NHS

O

NE hundred and fifty years ago, public healthcare in Britain was a world apart from what we know today. The National Health Service was yet to be established and the idea of a welfare state was nonexistent.

In the absence of state-funded hospitals, local voluntary hospitals provided a vital lifeline for Liverpool workers and their families. These hospitals relied solely on donations and by the late 1860’s they were struggling to survive. With the need for urgent healthcare increasing, the idea of weekly contributions from Liverpool’s workers was put forward.

“It started off as one man pushing a wheelbarrow around the city’s docklands, collecting a penny from every pound earned by each of the workers” explains Sue Weir, Chief Executive of Medicash.

A lot of people throughout Liverpool still refer to Medicash as ‘The Penny in the Pound’ for this very reason.

The first collection raised £4,685 to support the local voluntary hospitals which were in desperate need of support and funding.

Shortly before the National Health Service was introduced in July 1948, founder Nye Bevan wrote a letter of recommendation to the Merseyside Health Benefits Council as Medicash was then known. He congratulated the organisation for their achievements and expressed gratitude for laying some of the groundwork for a public healthcare system.

Sue says: “I’m sure Mr. Bevan would be amazed to see how far the organisation has come and how modern technology is continuing to enhance the wellbeing of our population.

“In 2014, Medicash launched the first claims app in the health cash plan industry, making the process of claiming quicker and easier than ever before.

HEARTLINE . . .

LEFT: Medicash chief executive Sue Weir, Bill Addy (Liverpool BID Company) and Rob Sharples (North West Ambulance Service) at a city centre phone box converted into a life-saving defibrillator kiosk

“We have continued to innovate since then, launching new benefits and services including a Virtual GP service, a Skin Cancer detection app and mProve YOURSELF – an app designed to help individuals look after both their physical and mental wellbeing.”

Although Medicash has survived several notable pandemics throughout its rich life span, the Covid-19 virus truly transformed public awareness and attitudes towards modern healthcare.

The effects of the pandemic led to a rapid rise in the number of businesses wanting to use a health cash plan to support the health of their workforce. Medicash now covers over 310,000 people throughout the UK.

RIGHT: Actor Ricky Tomlinson backing the CardiACT project.

People are now never more than two minutes from a defibrillator in Liverpool city centre

“It made people look at their healthcare in a whole new light,” says Sue. “The topic of employee wellbeing was pushed up the boardroom agenda. Our acquisition of Health@Work, which delivers the nationally recognised Workplace Wellbeing Charter, has allowed our clients to demonstrate their commitment to care for their staff as the pandemic transformed our working lives.”

In 2018, Medicash was awarded the Freedom of the City of Liverpool for its longstanding contribution to healthcare and commitment to charitable giving.

Explaining the charitable roots, Sue says: “The Medicash Foundation was set up to enable the organisation to give back to the community and

reflect the charitable intentions of our founders.

We want to form a healthcare legacy and ensure future generations continue to be protected.

“Some of our most significant projects include CardiACT, a project designed to ensure that no person in Liverpool city centre is ever more than two minutes away from a defibrillator including converting a disused telephone box into a publicly accessible defibrillator, and the donation of vital PPE to the NHS, North West Ambulance Service and local care homes in 2020.”

Medicash celebrates 150 years of health innovation in 2021 and the organisation is looking forward to providing new benefits as well as supporting even more worthy projects. n If you are aged 16 to 65, or are a business looking for a health plan to support the mental and physical wellbeing of your workforce simply go to www.medicash.org

12 All Together NOW!

JUNE-JULY 2021

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We need tactile surfaces NOW!

D

ISABILITY rights organisations are calling on Network Rail and the Department for Transport to urgently install missing warning tactile surfaces on railway platforms in Britain.

Last year Cleveland Gervais, a partially sighted man, was tragically killed by an oncoming train after falling from a platform without tactile at Eden Park Station in southeast London. A report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), found that the lack of tactile was a likely key factor in Cleveland’s death.

Eleanor Thompson, head of policy and public affairs at the Royal National Institute of Blind

People, said: “Up to 15% of people falling from platforms are blind or partially sighted.”

In a statement to the transport bodies, the charities say: “While we welcome Network Rail’s commitment to install tactile across all operational platforms, their current timeframe for completion by 2029 must be urgently brought forward.

“Tactile is a vital safety measure for everyone.

Evidence from America shows us that when tactile was introduced, people falling from platforms was reduced by 65% among those with sight loss and 45% for the general public.

“We cannot wait until 2029 for platform safety.”

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14 All Together NOW!

The group of sea anglers who JUNE-JULY 2021

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Young people hardest hit

THE mental health crisis caused by Covid is hitting children and young people the hardest.

A year on from the first lockdown, figures show that while the crisis is affecting people of all ages, it is under18s who are suffering most.

And mental health services for young children are at risk of being overrun if promised Government money does not arrive quickly, says the Royal College of Psychiatrists, which found that: n 80,226 more children and young people were referred to mental health services between April and December last year – up by 28% on 2019 to 372,438. n 600,628 more treatment sessions were given to children and young people – up by a fifth on 2019 to 3.58 million. n 18,268 children and young people needed urgent or emergency crisis care, including assessments to see if someone needs to be sectioned because they or others are at harm – an increase of 18% on 2019 to 18,269.

The college is calling for the additional £500 million in the Government’s mental health recovery plan to urgently reach the frontline so that people can get the support they need.

Lifelong illness

Dr Bernadka Dubicka, chair of the child and adolescent faculty at the college, said: “Our children and young people are bearing the brunt of the mental health crisis caused by the pandemic and are at risk of lifelong mental illness.

“As a frontline psychiatrist I’ve seen the devastating effect that school closures, disrupted friendships and the uncertainty caused by the pandemic have had on the mental health of our children and young people.

“Services were already struggling to cope with the number of children needing help before the pandemic hit, and they risk being overrun unless the Government ensures the promised money reaches the frontline quickly.”

The crisis is affecting adults too. Over one million more treatment sessions were given to adults between April and December last year, an increase of 8% on 2019. There was also 159,347 urgent or emergency crisis referrals made for adults, an all-time high.

Dr Adrian James, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “The extent of the mental health crisis is terrifying, but it will likely get a lot worse before it gets better.

Back from the brink

NET GAIN: Adam Hoolahan says fishing with Ben “has done a lot to help me to overcome stress and anxiety, much of this exacerbated by Covid restrictions” PICTURES courtesy of fotopiaimage.com

news@alltogethernow.org.uk

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Tel 0151 230 0307

are turning their lives around

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‘

JUNE-JULY 2021

FIGHTING BACK: Ben Koba with his angling friends on the banks of the River Mersey

A

“I knew I had to change something about my life or I was going to die,” he said.

“I had been into sea fishing as a youngster and decided to try it again. So when pay-day came around, instead of buying drugs, I bought a rod and reel and got back into fishing.

“It immediately gave me something to focus my energy on and I have never looked back,” he says.

Through despair and determination to turn his life around, Ben started the ‘Wirral Sea Angling Academy.’

Word of Ben’s project got around and other people addicted to drugs started asking him to take them sea-fishing and teach them how to do it.

“It just snowballed from there,” Ben explains. “Soon I had all kinds of people wanting to go sea-fishing – veterans, disabled people, those with mental health problems, and people who just wanted to try it out.”

The Wirral Sea Angling Academy is a not-for-profit organisation and since starting it, Ben has held around 300 trips with over 200 people taking part.

One of Ben’s fishing protégés is Adam Hoolahan, who is registered blind. He said: “I first met Ben last summer and quickly became friends.

“I had never fished before and I knew very little about what it entailed, but I found Ben’s passion for it electrifying. I like to give everything a go and as far as

A HEALTHY brain is just as important as a healthy heart if you are to make the most of life.

When your brain is healthy, you’re better able to pay attention, communicate, finish your crossword, and a whole lot besides.

It could also safeguard against cognitive decline and diseases like dementia.

Here are some good ways to keep you and your brain in shape.

Eat well

n WIRRAL Sea Angling Academy, a not for profit organisation, promotes recovery and wellbeing through fishing. n Headed by Ben Koba, an ex-heroin addict who credits getting back into fishing with sorting his life out, the Academy has organised more than 300 therapeutic fishing trips Extremely positive since 2018.

“Fishing has done a lot to help me to overcome n The group supports stress and anxiety, much of this exacerbated by Covid people in recovery from restrictions, so I saw this as a great opportunity to substance abuse and involve other visually impaired people. people with mental health “I am delighted to say that quite a few service users of Wirral Society for Blind and Partially Sighted people problems, and especially have come on trips facilitated by Ben and his fantastic those with visual team of volunteers and the feedback is extremely impairments and positive. disabilities.

“I would recommend sea-fishing to anyone, visually n Contact, tel 07379 impaired or otherwise. You meet people, sometimes you catch, sometimes you don’t, but that is part of the 662384 or email excitement, and you get to remove yourself for a little w.s.a.a.bkh@gmail.com possible, not allow my lack of sight to be a barrier to trying new things.

“So, I took up sea fishing last August, with Ben giving me one-to-one tuition. What I loved was not only being out by the river, which I found extremely calming and therapeutic, but Ben’s knowledge of the Mersey and the many species which call it home.

“Ben was very reassuring and patient, explaining what different parts of the rod, line and reels were used for and giving me hands-on demonstrations, making this a tactile experience for me. Catching my first fish was exhilarating and I was incredibly proud of myself when I caught a baby cod and a flatfish in one four-hour session.

from the constraints and stresses of modern life.”

OUR THANKS TO THE BIRKENHEAD NEWS FOR PERMITTING US TO USE THIS ARTICLE

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15

Gain and retain a healthy brain

I had to change something about my life or I was going to die . . .

FEW years ago Ben Koba was homeless, addicted to heroin, and living in a tent in a train station car park.

All Together NOW!

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Tel 0151 230 0307

Experts suggest the best diet for brain health is Mediterranean, with the focus on low-sodium food such as olive oil, veggies, nuts, beans and cereal grains.

Healthy fats, such as Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, sardines and mackerel, can also boost brain health.

Other sources of Omega-3 include coconut oil, egg yolks and liver.

Listen to music

Listening to music releases the moodboosting hormones – endorphins – in your brain. Playing music encourages you to move, relax, feel emotion, and use your voice.

Any kind of music can positively impact your mental state. Music is an excellent way to switch off and focus at the same time, and with many people returning to work, listening to your favourite album could be the best way to stay mentally balanced on the commute.

Keep up lockdown hobbies

Many people have picked up new hobbies during lockdown, while seeking focus and entertainment at home. But try to find time for them post-lockdown too.

According to studies, activities that may help maintain your mental wellbeing are those that are “cognitively stimulating” – and include the likes of brainteasers and educational activities, as well as creative hobbies like baking, art, drama and dancing.

Stay active

It’s well known that exercise is essential for good physical health but staying active can also boost mental wellbeing.

In fact, regular exercise can have a positive impact on depression, anxiety and ADHD, improve memory and encourage better sleep.

According to a study on exercise and the brain, it appears exercise can have a broad rejuvenating effect on the brain.

Yoga is one of the best forms of physical activity for mental health, as it brings together your mind and your body. n www.boltburdonkemp.co.uk/ braininjuries/mental-health-training/

16 All Together NOW!

RUNNING FOR JUNE-JULY 2021

www.alltogeth

Marathon mums who owe it all to Rachel

R

ACHEL Brown was out doing what she loves best when it happened.

Her epiphany, she calls it. The moment she recognised, in a blaze of exhilaration and tears, that this was something she could no longer keep to herself.

By accident, Rachel had found the remedy to a cocktail of depression, low self-esteem, a deeply unhappy marriage and suicidal thoughts that had taken her to the bottommost point of her life.

Where hospitals, counsellors, psychologists and pills had failed, finally the answer came in the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.

From barely able to jog to the bottom of the street without stopping for breath, the fortysomething mother of three ran marathons – to date, 11 and counting. More significantly, the running that begun as a means to lose weight, had brought the smile back to her face, along with her confidence and a level of contentment she had believed unattainable.

And then, during a routine run through the fields and lanes of the Wirral peninsular, came that moment of recognition, the realisation that what had worked for her could do the same for others.

Two weeks later, a group of around 20 women, most of whom had not run since their schooldays, introduced themselves to each other and Mums to Marathons was born. Today, the M2M running club’s community is nearly 1,000-strong, with followers from Chester to Australia. All credit Rachel with changing their lives, some with saving their lives.

Doctors refer patients to her, a crisis team has turned to her, and mental health chiefs have picked her brains, keen to learn how she has managed to make a positive difference to so many lives.

Physical fitness was not an issue for Rachel when she was a dancer at a Wirral nightclub, and on cruise ships across the Far East; nor, when things were going well, was her state of mind.

But by the time her third child came along, the toll of pre and post-natal depression, psychotic episodes and a troubled relationship, together

GERRY CORNER on a woman who’s

with being four stone heavier than her dancing days, had taken her to “rock bottom”. What Rachel didn’t know then was that her mental health was also being affected by severe ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), which would not be diagnosed until much later.

She admits were it not for her mother and the children she adores, she may have “thought long and hard about getting rid of myself”. But while she couldn’t seem to control her psyche, her size was something she was determined to influence.

“A friend had said to me if you want to lose weight, just pound the streets, so I did.”

And so it began, her first run the mile or so to her Zumba class. “I must have stopped six or seven times. By the time I got there I was so puffed out I thought they wouldn’t let me in.

“Even though it was hard, the feeling of what I’d just achieved was amazing. Then, I’d leave a bit earlier and run the longer way. Before long I would go out and I would just run and the next minute I’ve done 17 miles.”

She recalls running past a railway station “and

this guy getting off the train and saying ‘excuse me, I saw you two hours ago in Wallasey (nearly 10 miles away). Are you still running?’

And I said, ‘yes, I just keep going’.”

It wasn’t only Rachel’s running that got noticed. “People could see me from being down and low to suddenly wearing a big beam.”

When the opportunity arose to run the London Marathon for the local Claire House children’s hospice, she asked her mother if she would look after her children while she took part.

“My mum said, Rachel, if it carries on bringing that twinkle back in your eyes, you go for it’.”

Six months on from that first London Marathon, life was good, Rachel was happy, a state of mind she “never, ever” thought she would experience again.

“It was beautiful”

She recalls: “I was out running. I’d run London and I’d had the wonderful community around me spurring me on and giving me lots of encouragement.

“The sun was shining, there were trees and cows and it was beautiful and I had my music in, and Elbow was playing One Day Like This, and I was just alone running.”

While she ran, she began to talk to her longdeceased father. “I was thinking, ‘I can’t believe it, I’ve ran a bloody marathon. Can you believe that, dad?’ And the next minute I stopped and I can only describe it as runners rush, this wave, this shiver, and I burst out crying and felt utter, utter joy for the first time in years.

“It was my epiphany. I thought, this has happened to me by accident, I didn’t set out for this to happen but it has and it is awesome. And I remember thinking there must be loads of women sat at home, and men, who are feeling hopeless and I can help them.

“People need this like they need water. What I’ve discovered, they need it to live, they need it to not commit suicide, they need it to stop hating themselves.

“And it wasn’t until that moment that I thought ‘I need to do it, I have to do it’, almost like ‘I’m keeping a top secret here, this isn’t mine to keep’.

“So I went home and went on to Facebook, and poured out my heart about how low I’d been and how bad I felt, and over the next 24 hours got tons of messages, a hundred, hundred and fifty, saying ‘I’ve just read your story, I’m crying’, ‘I feel like you’re talking about my feelings, do you think you could help’?”

R OUR LIVES!

hernow.org.uk

JUNE-JULY 2021

s changing hundreds of lives Early one evening, a fortnight on, 20 or so women, apprehensive but desperate for change, were greeted by Rachel at the gates of a local primary school. An hour later, the inaugural, highly informal outing of Mums to Marathons was done.

“Ladies of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities turned up,” remembers Rachel. “I could see a lot of them were nervous but I have the gift of the gab and they were soon laughing and looking more relaxed.

“One girl came over to me and said her mum was too scared to get out of her car. I went and got her out of the car and she also soon relaxed. I think it helps that I’m just an ordinary woman, I didn’t look like an athlete.

“On average, you can run around one to two miles on your first night with the right posture, speed, very slow, and breathing techniques.

Most women were overwhelmed at the end.

Some even shed a tear – so emotional that they could run that distance.

“Lots of the ladies were low in self-confidence.

Some suffered anxiety and some admitted to depression. Many different reasons, but all felt united somehow. And still do.”

Since that first evening, M2M has become a community interest company, with an offshoot

for husbands, a membership close to breaking the one thousand barrier, and, by the by, has raised more than £500,000 for charity along the way. Achievements due in no small part to its founder’s uniquely persuasive approach.

More than a running club, “we really are a family,” says Rachel, who has won mental health awards and been nominated for Merseyside Woman of the Year.

“So many people have said to me you must be really proud. But no, I don’t feel proud, I just feel dead lucky.” She feels like an imposter, she says, because “it’s easy”. The more she runs, the happier she becomes.

“Step by step by step”

“People think, ‘there’s no way I could run 26 miles’. No, you couldn’t, but you could go out tomorrow and run half a mile, you could run for two minutes, or a minute.

“I ran one mile, then two, then I ran two and a half, and maybe the next time I had a crap day and only ran one, but you go up step by step by step.

“Women have said to me that if they hadn’t joined Mums to Marathons they wouldn’t be alive. I’ve had women who say it’s completely changed their life, it’s changed their family life,

MARATHON MAM Rachel above and, far left, at Hadlow Road Station, Willaston, where many of the runs begin. Centre, some of the mums taking a welcome rest I’ve had husbands say to me ‘what a change in her’.”

Now 50 and in a happy relationship, Rachel is eager to spread the word, to show how the healing power of running can help others struggling with mental health issues.

She says: “I’ve never been more passionate about anything in my life. I almost feel I haven’t got enough time left to help enough people.

“I want platforms, I’d do it for nothing, as long as I can feed my kids. If I won the lottery I’d go round the world shouting to people ‘come on!’.

“The nicest compliments I’ve ever had are ‘if Rachel tells you you can do it, you believe her’.

Because I’ve been there and I’ve done it.”

One morning recently, Rachel and a group from M2M set off on a six-mile run. “We ended up doing nine and a half, right along the peninsular. We stopped by a field full of lambs, the sun was warm and it was such a gorgeous day. We were all chatting away, loving each other’s company, like we were family.

“And at this moment, one of the girls said, ‘what a great day to be alive’.

“They feel like I feel, and they’re so grateful, and that’s how it makes you feel when you run.” n Mums to Marathons: Tel. 07754 28298 n www.m2m.org.uk

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JUNE-JULY 2021

FEATURE

Pal put my life on track – now I do it for others n STEVEN SMITH recalls how he spiralled into depression, shutting himself away from family and friends. n Then a friend came to his aid and life became so much more manageable. n Now he is helping people in similar situations . . .

A

FTER more than 10 years in a high pressure sales job followed by redundancy, Steven Smith found himself spiralling into depression and social anxiety.

Steven recalls how mental health issues “absolutely crippled” him, Now working as a recovery worker for others with mental health conditions, he credits his best friend with helping him to turn his life around.

Now 41, Steven experienced a breakdown when he lost his job as an estate agent after the 2008 financial crash. He stopped leaving the house or properly looking after himself.

“After my redundancy and being unable to find alternative employment, I also encountered a number of other setbacks in my life in a relatively short space in time,” said Steven, from St Helens, Merseyside.

“This resulted in a downwards spiral with regards to my own mental health. At my lowest I shut myself away from all my friends and most of my family, basically not moving from my room all day for many months unless I really needed to.”

Self-help courses

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Steven’s closest friend, Andrew, was becoming increasingly concerned about his wellbeing and suggested he contact a local employment service for people with mental health conditions.

Later, Steven said that the support he received helped him to start living again and to consider his future.

“After referring myself to the service, I attended an appointment with an amazing advisor, who after speaking to me felt I would benefit from attending some self-help courses being run by an amazing local charity,” he says.

by SARA TEIGER

“I was extremely cautious attending my first session but after the completion of my course I really felt like a changed man. I’d grown confident from interacting with people again, from being in a group and had learned some great coping strategies in regards to my anxiety issues.”

After much soul searching, and another heart-to-heart with his friend, himself a support worker, Steven decided to leave behind the stressful sales environment and find a job where he could give something back.

His first role in social care was at a residential care home for older people, run by national adult health and social care charity Making Space. Initially nervous, Steven found he took to the part time job quickly, enjoying listening to residents’ life stories and helping them to get the most out of their days.

But Steven knew he really wanted to work in mental health, and kept in regular contact with the Making Space HR department. After four months, he was found a full-time position at a supported housing service for people with mental health conditions run by the charity.

Three years later, a full-time permanent position came up at Greengate House, a residential home for people with mental health conditions, within walking distance of Steven’s home.

He has been employed as the home’s STaR worker (Support Time and Recovery) since 2015, a role which involves supporting people to access services, organisations and activities in their local community.

Steven helps residents with shopping and cooking, with their finances, benefits, days

out and holidays. He is also the volunteer coordinator at Greengate House, as well as the unofficial IT helpdesk.

He is open with residents about his own mental health and he says it helps to break down barriers. “I just want to help others with mental health issues lead a better quality of life,” he says.

“Mine haven’t gone away, but I do manage them better. I like it though when someone thanks me for my help, it gives me a sense of satisfaction that I’ve made a difference to their life, however minor.

“The people who use the service say they see me as someone on their wavelength rather than an authority figure because I am open about my own mental health issues with them.”

But one of the main pieces of feedback he receives from residents is why is he the only male worker? “They would prefer more male staff as they don’t feel confident telling female staff about personal problems, especially ‘men’s problems’,” he says.

“This causes an issue on my days off as sometimes residents wait until I’m next in and they may be sitting on a serious health problem.

Male staff needed

“We currently have 12 male and only one female resident, but apart from myself and the cook, all the other staff are female. I do think we need at least another member of staff who is male, but I understand recruitment is very hard.

“I didn’t think I was qualified, but you’ll be surprised how much you can contribute.

“We desperately need more men in social care.” n There will be a predicated shortfall of 1.1m care workers by 2037. Men make up just 18% of the social care workforce.

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

WE NEED FAR MORE FACE-TO-FACE HELP www.alltogethernow.org.uk

JUNE-JULY 2021

NEWS

O

NE in four people receiving NHS treatment remotely for their mental health say their condition worsened as a result.

Mental health charity Mind’s survey also reveals that more than one in three found support from NHS mental health services given remotely difficult to use.

Of those who took up the offer of support by phone or online, the data also showed: n Almost two in three said they would have preferred to have been given face-to-face support. n One in 10 people said they often or always had technical issues. n One in three people said they were often or always worried about confidentiality.

However, there were some positives, with two in three appreciating not having to travel; almost one in two grateful for greater flexibility over appointment times; and two in five saying that waiting times were shorter.

The survey data has informed Mind’s latest report – Trying to Connect – which aims to make sure that everyone can access the mental health support they need and deserve.

Geoff Heyes, Head of Health Policy & Influencing at Mind, said: “In the past year, we’ve seen an increase in the number of people contacting us about their mental health and a surge in demand for our information.

“NHS mental health services delivered over the phone or online have been a lifeline for many, with lots of people telling us having the choice helped with things like childcare responsibilities and working schedules, particularly for those struggling to get to face-to-face appointments.

“Others, however, told us about stressful experiences and concerning breaches of confidentiality.

“Online therapy cannot be seen as an easy answer to fixing growing pressures on overstretched mental health services. There is no cheap fix.”

ALISSA, 31, from Warrington, has been dealing with mental health problems for some time, and last September tried to take her own life.

She says: “When I came out of hospital I was told to contact my GP for mental health services, but I had no idea.

I was put in touch with a counselling service through my occupational health team at my workplace, where I was directed to self-refer to Talking Matters. The first three sessions were over the phone, although these were adapted to a zoom call, I still felt they lacked a personal touch.

“For someone who isn’t competent in technology, accessing Zoom calls was quite stressful. I ended up asking them to postpone my counselling session, but this left me without any sessions for the last three months.

“The fact that mental health services have been quick to adapt has been brilliant and allowed people to keep in contact when they can’t see each other physically.

However, I do feel that face-to-face is always going to be preferable over technology. In my lowest points, I didn’t leave the bed and I hardly saw anyone. I think face-to-face therapy helps with the isolation of struggling with your mental health.” n Mind’s confidential information and support line,

Mind Infoline: 0300 123 3393 (lines open 9am - 6pm, Monday – Friday)

Vets’ great kayak challenge

A

GROUP of veterans with life-changing injuries are set to embark on an epic mission – kayaking from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

The Kayak 4 Heroes team aims to raise £100,000 for charity during their 1,400km journey along some of the UK’s most challenging waters.

A world-first for a disabled crew, the expedition is in aid of the Armed Forces ParaSnowsport Team, which helps with the physical and emotional revovery of military personnel and veterans who have been wounded or suffered psychological trauma.

Leader Darren Edwards, from Shropshire, took up kayaking after a climbing injury left him paralysed from the chest down.

He said: “We want to raise as much money as possible to enable other veterans to benefit from

the incredible support we have all received from the charity, which has certainly helped us with our recovery processes. We also want to show that you can do anything you put your mind to.

“Training has been a struggle given Covid regulations, and we haven’t been able to train together as often as we’d like. But we are all very solutions-focused.”

Darren will be joined by Luke Wigman from Nottinghamshire, Jonny Huntington from Devon, Carl Simmons from Worcestershire, and Ben Gallagher from Herefordshire.

Supporters will also be able to watch the team’s progress through a series of videos being produced by Wanderlust Action Films.

A Virtual Kayak 4 Heroes Challenge has also been set up for groups who are collectively walking, running and cycling 1,400km between them to raise funds for the charity. n www.kayak4heroes.co.uk

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Support is a must for unemployed

RISING unemployment and job uncertainty during the Covid-19 pandemic will have a profound effect on mental health across the country, a new report warns.

Sustained Government action will be needed to help protect people from these effects, says the report from the Mental Health Foundation and Cochrane Common Mental Disorders.

The Foundation is calling on all the UK governments to put practical and emotional support in place for the hundreds of thousands of people struggling with unemployment.

The report finds that the impact of increasing unemployment and job uncertainty on mental health is multi-fold.

Jenny Burns, associate director for Wales at the Mental Health Foundation said: “If we are to prevent a mental health crisis, we need to do much more to offer practical and emotional support to people experiencing unemployment, both during and after the pandemic.” n mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/stategeneration-uk-themes-adulthood

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MEDICAL NOTES

Diabetes: time for some myth-busting

by Babylon GP Dr Claudia Pastides

MYTH: Diabetes is caused by eating too much sugar. There are two types of diabetes, type 1 (an autoimmune disease, where the body’s cells that produce insulin are destroyed) and type 2 (a metabolic disease, where the body can’t process sugar properly). Eating too much sugar is not the cause of type 1 diabetes, and although eating a lot of unhealthy sugary food can contribute to someone developing type 2 diabetes - it is not the sole cause. Type 2 diabetes is often caused by a combination of genetics, diet, lifestyle and increasing age.

MYTH: Type 2 diabetes is a milder form of diabetes. Both types of diabetes can cause serious health problems and complications if not managed well – using diet, lifestyle and medication, as well as support from a team of healthcare professionals.

MYTH: All people with diabetes end up having to inject insulin. Although in type 1 diabetes people need insulin as their own cells can’t make it, in type 2 diabetes there are a variety of treatments available. Some people can manage their type 2 diabetes with diet and exercise, others also need to add tablets or noninsulin injections, and sometimes insulin is needed too. Diabetes is a long-term condition which can change over time.

Fortunately we’ve got lots of treatment options available which we can tailor around every individual person.

MYTH: You can catch diabetes from someone else. This is an old myth that still does the rounds now and again.

Diabetes is not infectious. You cannot catch it by being close to someone or by sharing their belongings.

MYTH: People with diabetes can’t do sports. Exercise is a very important part of managing diabetes for most people.

Diabetes doesn’t have to stand in the way of exercise, even elite sports. There are a number of very successful professional sportspeople that are diabetic, for example Sir Steve Redgrave (olympic rower) and Melanie Stephenson (sprinter).

MYTH: Diabetes causes you to go blind.

Although diabetes can cause eye problems, including blindness, people with diabetes have very regular eye checks to keep watch over the health of their eyes and treat any potential problems early. Controlled blood sugar levels, cholesterol and blood pressure, combined with attending annual eye screening will help lower the risks of eye disease.

JUNE-JULY 2021

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The long road back to normality

S

OONER or later, as the pandemic eases, normal life will start to resume.

But going about life in the way we did before Covid will be easier for some than others.

And there are fears that so-called Covid-19 anxiety syndrome may cause a significant number of people to struggle with reintegrating back into daily life.

In a UK study of nearly 300 people, one

in five scored highly on the Covid-19 anxiety syndrome scale.

Findings from the new research include: n 54% strongly supported avoiding public transport because of a fear of contracting the virus. n 49% strongly supported avoiding touching things in public spaces. n 38% strongly supported avoiding going out to public places.

Marcantonio Spada, professor of

addictive behaviours at London South Bank University, said: “We believe it will take time for some people to return to normal daily life after the pandemic and we will need to support them. Mapping out how we will do this is a priority.”

The study was carried out by London South Bank University, in partnership with Kingston University.

Set your phone to follow your heart

STROKE ALERT

P

EOPLE in Black African and Caribbean communities are being urged to be extra vigilant about warning signs of a stroke.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi, head of the Caribbean and African Health Network, said: “Black people are twice as likely to have a Stroke and at a younger age than the majority of the population; these statistics have not changed over the last few decades.

“As a Black-led health organisation, we are delighted to be working in partnership with Public Health England to raise awareness and reduce this stark health disparity.”

Every year, more than 100,000 people suffer a stroke. Early treatment not only saves lives but results in a greater chance of a better recovery, as well as a likely

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reduction in permanent disability from stroke.

Stroke survivor Charles Bosah, 62, was at home alone when he had a stroke. He had been in the bath when he began to feel unwell.

“I had to drag myself out of the bathroom,” he said.

His left leg was paralysed and his face had also dropped on one side.

“I looked into the mirror and my face was not what it used to be.”

Charles was experiencing two common signs of stroke – paralysis and face falling on one side.

However, although family members had suffered strokes, he did not immediately realise the seriousness of his condition.

After reaching his bedroom he fell down.

Realising he needed urgent medical assistance, he called 999.

During the call his speech began to slur, another sign of stroke.

Charles now walks with a stick and has to use crutches on occasion. It also affected his kidneys. He now requires dialysis and will need a transplant in future.

“My life has changed completely,” he said.

ACT F.A.S.T Face – has your face fallen on one side? Can they smile?

Arms – can you raise both their arms and keep them there?

Speech – is your speech slurred?

Time – time to call 999.

Some other signs of stroke or mini stroke can include: n Sudden loss of vision or blurred vision in one or both eyes. n Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of your body (including in your leg). n Sudden memory loss or confusion.

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SCIENTISTS are testing whether smart phones can be used to help people with heart rhythm problems.

An implantable cardiac monitor, a device the size of a paperclip and injected under the skin, tracks the heart and can accurately detect AF, a condition that causes an irregular heartbeat.

The latest Apple Watch also has the ability to detect AF, as does the Sky Labs CART ring – and all three devices connect to a smartphone.

Professor Timothy Betts and a team at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will be looking at how effective smart devices are at detecting heart rhythm problems in 50 volunteer patients with AF. Professor Betts said: “It is always fascinating to see advances in new technology and the wide range of applications that they can have.

“This project will allow us to understand if these new and innovative technologies can aid us in improving the treatment of the millions of people with AF in the UK. “If successful, we will be able to tailor treatment to individual patients, increase the efficacy of treatment and reduce unnecessary medication.”

The study is funded by Heart Research UK.

Tel 0151 230 0307

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All Together NOW!

JUNE-JULY 2021

How exercise could transform lives WHETHER exercise can improve brain function in people with Down’s Syndrome is to be the subject of a major international study.

And researchers are looking for people in the UK to take part in what has been hailed as “a landmark study”.

If successful, the Mindsets study could mean exercise becoming an integral part of life for people with Down’s syndrome.

There is anecdotal evidence that exercise

SUCCESS: Sarah and Stephen Kay and dog Bertie

can lead to an improvement in mental fitness for people who have Down’s syndrome, but the effect hasn’t been studied extensively.

A lack of data means many doctors don’t prioritise physical fitness for people with the condition, and some medics are even said to actively discourage energetic exercise due to worries about the effects.

A pilot study has begun, and the partnership between the Canadian Down Syndrome Society, BrainHQ, and Anglia

Ruskin University is looking to recruit over 200 people, aged 18 or over, to take part in the next stage.

Dr Dan Gordon, who is leading the study, said: “Even a slight increase in cognition can lead to an incredible shift in the quality of life for a person with Down’s syndrome.

“This would allow for more independent living and make activities of daily living much easier to accomplish.” n www.mindsetsstudy.com

‘IT’S LIKE A MIRACLE’

P

EOPLE with cystic fibrosis have been describing how a new drug therapy has saved their lives.

The patients at the specialist Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital say Kaftrio – a triple drug treatment – saved them from serious illness and potential lung transplants.

Celebrating the success of the treatment, the hospital’s head of respiratory medicine, Dr Martin Ledson, said: “I did not think it would happen in my lifetime; all the patients suitable for the treatment have had huge benefits.

“If it is possible, we are as pleased as the patients – we have been watching and waiting for these therapies to be developed and made available and now it is a reality.

It is a wonderful success.”

In total 222 patients at LHCH have had their lives transformed by treatments with Kaftrio.

Sarah Kay missed much of her secondary school life due to repeated stays in hospital with serious chest infections and pneumonia.

New drug proves a lifesaver for cystic fibrosis patients

Aged 15 she was in hospital for two weeks out of every month.

The first time she was admitted to hospital with a collapsed lung she thought she was on a downward, final spiral. She was 28 and had lost a friend to cystic fibrosis the previous year.

Instead, painful treatments followed, then a chest infection that left her completely dependent on oxygen and the help of others, and forced her to leave work – a massive psychological blow.

But after starting treatment with Kaftrio, Sarah, from Crewe, said: “I felt the impact in just six hours.

“It was incredible, very exciting but also overwhelming to get my head round it, after

news@alltogethernow.org.uk

always thinking I would die before my mum and accepting it. It has changed my view of the future.”

At the start of last year, Jody Lewis, 31, was fighting for her life having contracted flu.

Her lungs were weak and damaged after two years of multiple hospital admissions to treat blood clots and narrowed veins.

Jody, from Pen-y-lan near Wrexham, but treated in Liverpool, faced the prospect of a double lung transplant but surgeons were reluctant to put her on the list while she was so frequently ill.

Within a week of starting Kaftrio “I was putting on weight and my energy levels were rising. I was waking in the morning actually feeling refreshed and not drained.”

Jody now sees the possibility of having a family – which she had previously ruled out.

“It took a long time for me to get my head round the fact that I wouldn’t be able to have kids and now, thanks to Kaftrio, it is a possibility. It has saved my life and given me a new lease of life, it is like a miracle.”

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

MEDICAL NOTES

Don’t let cancer creep up you

COVID-19 and a lack of awareness will combine to cause a surge in liver cancer deaths, fear doctors.

A survey commissioned by the British Liver Trust also shows that although most people know of a link between alcohol and liver cancer, only half know viral hepatitis or being overweight are two other common causes of liver cancer in the UK. Dr Abid Suddle, medical advisor to the Trust, said: “These findings once again highlight a worrying lack of awareness and common misconceptions about liver cancer.

“Unless we take action now, this will lead to a surge in liver cancer deaths.”

Liver cancer has one of the highest mortality rates in the UK, caused by a number of factors, one being that liver cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages. By the time symptoms appear, the disease has progressed and treatment options are limited.

Dr Suddle says: “People can be at risk of liver cancer even if they don’t drink. If you’re experiencing symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, a swollen stomach or yellowing of the whites of the eyes, please don’t ignore them – make an appointment with your doctor to get them checked out.”

New factsheet

n The charity has launched a new factsheet for people with primary liver cancer and their loved ones, which outlines the care they should expect to receive and provides useful questions to ask their doctor.

Trust chief executive Pamela Healy said: “It is extremely important that people with liver cancer continue to receive the care and support they need to help them stay safe and well.

“If you are told to go to hospital for a routine appointment, then the NHS has measures in place to make sure that it is safe for you to do so. n To download the factsheet visit: www.britishlivertrust.org.uk n Helpline 0800 652 7330

Hope for liver test

SIMPLE urine tests could one day spot early liver disease, say researchers.

The team at Warwick Medical School hope their findings could form the basis of a simple and cost-effective urine test that could spot those who have liver fibrosis before it progresses, although it may be many years before this is seen in clinical practice.

Tel 0151 230 0307

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22 All Together NOW!

MEDICAL NOTES

New study to help most vulnerable

PROTECTING people with cardiovascular conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure from the worst effects of the coronavirus, is the aim of a new study.

Researchers hope a better understanding of the effects Covid-19 has on blood vessels and blood pressure will help to save lives.

National charity Heart Research UK is funding the project being carried out at the University of Glasgow.

Research has shown that people who are older, obese, male, or those with other medical problems including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer or chronic lung conditions, have a higher risk of developing severe Covid-19.

The virus causing Covid-19 enters the body’s cells through a receptor called ACE2 which is very important for maintaining many of the body’s important processes including blood pressure, inflammation, and wound healing.

Covid-19 can also cause damage to the walls of the blood vessels, which makes the risk of blood clots higher and this has been seen more often in people with high blood pressure.

Combating dementia

FEAR of an older relative developing dementia is a major worry for three out of every four people.

But many people in the UK seem unaware that there are ways to reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life for those with the condition.

Just over a fifth of people (22%) admit they also worry about developing the condition themselves in later years, rising to 28% among older generations (aged 55+), a survey found.

Yet few understand the cognitive condition, which can cause memory loss, mood disturbances and difficulties with speech, understanding and spatial orientation. A quarter (25%) of those surveyed said they believed a dementia diagnosis signals the end of a meaningful life.

The research, by health tech brand Tover, showed up a lack of awareness about the tools available – such as interactive play technology – that can support cognitive wellbeing and increase mental stimulation in those diagnosed. More than a third (32%) of people incorrectly thought “the progression of memory loss and cognitive decline cannot be slowed down”.

JUNE-JULY 2021

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Charity call for monitors on prescription

FREE METERS WILL

H

OME blood pressure monitors could save thousands of lives – and should be available on prescription to anyone with high blood pressure, say campaigners.

Blood Pressure UK say the move would also help overwhelmed GPs. Ten million deaths a year are attributed to high blood pressure worldwide.

The NHS already provides glucose monitors on prescription to help people with diabetes reduce the adverse effects of the condition, and a similar approach should be taken for those most at risk of high blood pressure, according to the charity.

This comes as a new survey found while 32% of those asked took up exercise, and 29% started eating better following lockdown, blood pressure is still not a concern for 66% of respondents – with 60% claiming it’s because they don’t have a problem with it.

Of the 42% of respondents who had high blood pressure, almost half preferred not to say if it was under control. Blood Pressure UK says this is worrying, considering high blood pressure is known as the silent killer

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because there are no symptoms and it remains the biggest single cause of death in the UK. A charity spokesman said: “That’s why it’s important that people have their blood pressure checked regularly, ideally by using a blood pressure monitor at home or via a healthcare professional.

“By doing this, those with high readings may be prescribed appropriate medication and will be more motivated to adjust their lifestyle habits.”

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Of the third (35%) of people who own a blood pressure monitor, only 17% use it once a month. Of those who don’t own a home blood pressure monitor, 42% say they would rather a healthcare professional checked it, despite home monitoring being recommended by NICE, the public body providing guidelines on health and social care.

Even with recent research suggesting that high blood pressure can be linked to a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, 50% are still not certain they’ll check their blood pressure more regularly.

With unhealthy lifestyles and poor diet contributing to more young people in their 30s, 40s and 50s being diagnosed with hypertension, around one in three people in the UK are now living with high blood pressure – with 6.5 million people still undiagnosed.

Key risk factors for developing high blood pressure are eating too much salt and not enough fruit and vegetables, being overweight and not enough exercise.

Interestingly though, the survey findings

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JUNE-JULY 2021

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Home treatment for breast cancer

B

REAST cancer patients in the North West are being offered the chance of treatment at home – saving them time, money and a whole lot of stress.

One of Europe’s largest cancer centres, The Christie in Manchester, has become the first in the country to provide a treatment called Phesgo for breast cancer patients in their own homes.

Phesgo was previously given intravenously in hospital but will now be given as an injection, allowing up to 250 patients a month throughout Greater Manchester and Cheshire to receive the treatment in the comfort of their living rooms.

Patients had to spend around four hours in hospital being treated – add travelling time and that’s most of the day wiped out.

And that’s without bus fares, petrol, parking costs and the anxiety that goes along with a trip to hospital. At home, the treatment can be safely delivered in just 30 minutes.

The Christie has been a pioneer in providing chemotherapy at home and this is the latest step in an ambitious expansion plan for at-home treatments offered by the NHS Trust.

Treating more patients at home than any other cancer centre in the UK, The Christie has almost doubled the number of treatments offered to patients this way in the last three years and hopes to have trebled the number in the next 18 months.”

‘I’m thrilled”

The first Christie patient to have Phesgo at home was retired store manager Jean Woods, from Rochdale She said: “I’m thrilled I’ll be able to have my treatment at home once every three weeks.

It will be so much more convenient and a lot less stressful.”

Chemotherapy outreach manager Stephanie Hechter, said: “Our patients find it much more convenient and it saves them long journeys and long waits.”

EASE PRESSURE!

n High blood pressure has no obvious signs or symptoms. The only way to find out if you have the condition is with a blood pressure check. n Untreated high blood pressure is the major risk factor for strokes, heart attacks and heart failure, and a major risk factor for kidney disease and dementia. n A healthy blood pressure is a level of 120/80mmHg or less. n A blood pressure of 121/81mmHg to 139/89mmHg is on the high side and lifestyle changes such as eating less salt, more fruit and veg and losing weight if necessary should be advised. n If readings are consistently at or above 140/90mmHg, high blood pressure is diagnosed, and action should be taken to lower it by leading a healthier lifestyle, and, if necessary, by taking medication as directed by your doctor.

LESS STRESS: Jean is delighted with the service

How to check levels at home

n Avoid tobacco, alcohol, exercise, and caffeine for half an hour before you take a reading. n Find a quiet place and sit in a comfortable chair, arm resting at chest height, back supported and feet flat on the floor. n Follow your monitor’s instruction booklet to position the cuff properly against bare skin on the upper arm and inflate it. Cuff should be at heart level. n Check the readings. n Finally, establish a routine for checking your blood pressure at home.

Also:

n While there is a wide range of home blood pressure monitors available, it is important to be sure that the blood pressure monitor you choose is accurate and the right cost for you. Remember to choose one with an upper cuff which is the right size for your arm and make sure it’s UK approved n Quarantine your monitor for a minimum of 24 hrs after using it, or use a plastic bag or plastic gloves to cover and handle the machine – it will still work through a plastic layer – then throw the plastic away after use. n Make sure you wash your hands before and after using your machine. If your friend or family member are unable to operate the machine themselves and you check their blood pressure for them, make sure you’re both wearing face masks.

news@alltogethernow.org.uk

n Cut down on salt – reducing your salt intake is the quickest way to lower your blood pressure. Don’t add it when cooking or at the table, avoid using stock cubes, gravy and soy sauce, check food labels and avoid processed foods high in salt. Aim to eat less than 6gms a day. n Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables – at least five different portions every day. n Watch your weight – try to reach the right weight for your height. n Exercise regularly – that doesn’t have to mean the gym, how about a regular lunchtime walk? Thirty minutes five times a week is ideal. If you are unsure about taking up exercise, ask your GP. n Drink alcohol in moderation – up to 14 units a week for both men and women. A glass of wine or a pint of beer is 2-3 units.

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MEDICAL NOTES

23

City’s Covid jab hope for poorer nations RESEARCHERS on Merseyside are working on a new treatment for Covid-19 by repurposing a cheap, existing drug.

And the team at Liverpool University’s Centre of Excellence for Long-acting Therapeutics (CELT) hopes the one-off injection can be made available to poorer countries struggling with vaccine supplies.

Professor Steve Rannard said: “Niclosamide is an ideal candidate to be taken forward as a potential long-acting injectable therapeutic to treat Covid-19.

“This is still in early-stage development but the CELT team are currently working with a contract manufacturing organisation to take this forward towards scale-up and clinical manufacture.

“This work is progressing well and, if successful, human trials would be next.

We envisage a future test-and-treat scenario where infected people are treated at the point of diagnosis with the full course of therapy in one injection.”

Professor Andrew Owen added: “The formulation has shown great promise in preclinical studies at a time when it is increasingly evident that drugs are urgently required to complement the vaccines.

“A global pandemic requires a global solution, and it is critical that interventions are available to everyone and not to the privileged few.

“Accordingly, we are currently working to remove obstacles to availability in low and middle income countries to ensure equitable access if clinical success is ultimately demonstrated.”

Loneliness linked to serious health issues LONELINESS could be a big factor in middle-aged men developing cancer – and may be as big a health risk as smoking or being overweight, say researchers at the University of Finland.

Taking account of loneliness and social relationships should be an important part of health care and disease prevention, insist the researchers.

A study was launched in the 1980s with 2,570 middle-aged men taking part, and their health monitored since.

A quarter of the participants developed cancer, and 11% died as a result. Loneliness increased the risk of getting cancer by about 10%, regardless of age, socio-economic status, lifestyle, sleep quality, depression symptoms, body mass index or heart disease.

Tel 0151 230 0307

24

All Together NOW!

SUMMER CHECKLIST

FLOWERS: Spend a few minutes every day dead-heading container flowers and sweet peas. Make sure the compost in containers does not dry out and give a liquid feed once a week.

SHRUBS: Remove the fading flowers of roses, pruning the stems back to an outward-facing leaf joint to encourage a second flowering in appropriate varieties. When trimming a hedge, particularly evergreens, shape it so the top is narrower than the base, allowing light to reach the lower leaves and avoid dieback.

LAWNS: Grass in which spring bulbs have been grown can be cut lightly.

Lawns suffering from dryness will benefit if the mower setting is raised.

PONDS: Tackle blanketweed and other invasive plants in ponds. Blanketweed can often be controlled for several weeks at a time by removing as much as possible and treating with a proprietary anti-blanketweed product.

FRUIT: In July, if strawberry plants start to wilt, especially any grown in containers, the cause is probably vine weevil – small white grubs with brown heads eat the roots, often killing the plants. Water with a proprietary vine weevil killer at the first signs and again in late summer. Protect ripening raspberries against bird attack.

VEGETABLES: For a crop of late vegetables, sow quick-maturing varieties and water them thoroughly until well-established. Sow pea Kelvedon Wonder or Cavalier, lettuce Little Gem, carrot Amsterdam Forcing, radishes, spinach Sigmaleaf and beetroot Pablo or Boltardy.

HERBS: Take cuttings of shrubby herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme and cotton lavender. Take cuttings under a leaf joint, strip off all but two or three topmost leaves and set them in pots in cutting compost in a shady position.

GREENHOUSE: As tomatoes ripen, keep feeding and watering regularly.

Pinch out the sideshoots and tie in the main stem as it continues to grow, and pinch out the growing tip once five or six trusses of flowers have set fruit.

Cherry tomato types can be allowed to grow taller.

WILDLIFE: Clean bird tables and feeders. Scour off decaying food, which can attract disease, then scrub with a mild solution of bleach. Wash thoroughly with clean water, dry off and then put out fresh food.

HOUSEPLANTS: Repot if roots are showing through the base holes in the pot or on the compost surface. Replant in a pot at least 2.5cm (1in) wider and deeper.

JUNE-JULY 2021

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

Long sunny days on the way . . . perfect SOMETHING SMELLS NICE: Quick and colourful nemesias, sweetscented stocks

Make it pots of fun for the kids W

ITH coronavirus restrictions now eased and spells of fine weather forecast, garden centres will be busy with keen gardeners trailing not-so-keen kids – an ideal time to introduce them to the pleasures of planting.

So here are 10 tips to stir youngsters’ enthusiasm based on my experience with four offspring, six grandchildren and, so far, one great great-grandchild.

1. Make it personal. Allocate individual plots with their own identity. Help decorate each boundary or install an ornament or figurine.

Suggest different flowers and vegetables for each child. If more space is available, encourage them to plant a suitable tree – it will always be “our tree”.

2. Make it small. To begin with, one square metre is more than enough. Where no suitable ground is available, use a large container.

3. Make it easy. Choose a place on good,

preferably light, soil. Do the weeding yourself when enthusiasm dips.

4. Make it sunny. Avoid anywhere overshadowed by trees or walls. Poor light produces poor growth.

5. Make it fun. Show them how to spell out their names in seedlings. There’s still time to sow seeds of quick-growing flowers such as nemesias or stocks and veg like radishes or carrots.

Disguise digging as a treasure hunt and bury surprises in the soil, help make a scarecrow, fix a box round a growing tomato to produce a square fruit, or scratch their name in a young marrow – they’ll love to see

their name expand as the marrow grows.

6. Make it short. Fifteen minutes each session is long enough.

7. Make it selective. Let the kids choose what they want to grow by browsing through garden centre seed displays together but limit the choice to a manageable number of plants which will grow reliably in your soil.

8. Make it grown-up. Get child-size tools like a rake, a hoe and a trowel.

9. Make it competitive. Devise a competition for the tallest sunflower or best Halloween pumpkin.

10. Make it rewarding. Praise the kids’ hard work – even if it has not been all that hard – and award their favourite drink when you stop for a well-deserved cuppa.

As Gertrude Jekyll, the famous plantswoman and garden designer, wrote more than 100 years ago:

“Love of gardening is a seed that, once sown, never dies.”

Want to advertise here? Contact us now: 0151 929 3912 – helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

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All Together NOW!

JUNE-JULY 2021

for young budding gardeners

25

We have FIVE super books to be won!

A

NEW, updated edition of a superb gardening book for beginners, has just been published and we have FIVE copies to be won by ATN! readers.

PLAYTIME: Now is a great time to get children involved in gardening

The Royal Horticultural Society’s How to Garden: A Practical Introduction to Gardening is a £20, 352-page hardback published by Dorling Kindersley It’s not only for beginners – all gardening enthusiasts will find something new.

This easy-to-follow guide explains the principles of good gardening with stepby-step advice, tips, tools, techniques and how to troubleshoot common garden problems. From bulbs to borders and weeds to watering, the book shows how to master the essentials and get your garden blooming.

It also includes the latest environmentally friendly practices; a new section on growing fruit, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, bulbs, and more; and clear instructions with numerous photos on how to grow a garden from scratch.

To enter answer this question: Who publishes How to Garden? n Send your entry with your name and address on a postcard or sealed envelope, stating where you picked up your copy of All Together NOW!, to How to Garden Competition, All Together NOW!, The Bradbury Centre, Youens Way, Liverpool L14 2EP, to arrive by Friday July 23 or enter online at www.alltogethernow.org.uk n For the publisher’s full range of gardening and other books, go to www.dk.com

PLAN YOUR VISIT to RHS Bridgewater – Occupation Road, Greater Worsley, Manchester M28 2LJ. Helpline/ Wheelchair Hire: 0161 503 6100.

26 All Together NOW!

Books

Covid-19: ‘They got it all wrong!’

n Blinded by Coronavirus: How the Pandemic is Ruining Our Health and Wealth, by Professor John Ashton, Gibson Square Books, hardback £30, paperback £12.99

THE only thing the Government got right is the vaccination programme, says Professor John Ashton.

“The Government would say it’s managed the pandemic to their own satisfaction, that’s how their assessment would be I think. But meanwhile there are more than 125,000 deaths, an appalling result.”

Professor Ashton’s book pits two centuries of public health science against the response of senior ministers in the cabinet to Covid-19.

“Whereas public health science says rely on prevention not pyrothechnics, the cabinet instead went its own way and chose to have inexperienced corporations design hi-tech solutions for them from a standing start.

“The cabinet’s approach of placing orders with such companies to come up with national solutions is both contrary to science and is further aggravated by the fact that these orders were overseen by novices in the field of public health.

“Two centuries of learning says that epidemics should be handled on the ground by local public health teams intimately familiar with the social groups in their area. This fundamental science has served Britain well during many epidemics and scares.

“Britain was (and remains) particularly poorly served by its specialist scientists.

Of the four Chief Medical Officers only one (Frank Atherton, Wales) has any public health training and expertise. The others were drawn from the world of research grants and Oxbridge and Imperial College networks.

“In January, the team headed by the Chief Medical Officer of England adopted a clinical definition of Covid-19 that atrophied the ability of the NHS or public health officials to test potential carriers for the virus. While the reason for this is not entirely clear, nor whether it was politically sanctioned, it doomed Britain from the start.” n John Ashton is a Professor at the universities of Liverpool and London. He called the pandemic on Channel 4 News on February 24, 2020 from Manama where he was acting on Bahrain’s Corona preparations. He urged the UK Government to close borders and stop major events on March 11, 2020 in the Telegraph. As North West Director of Public Health England he was involved in the swine flu epidemic and other public-health outbreaks.

JUNE-JULY 2021

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)

be exchanged at the beginning of June. Instead of resisting this person’s efforts to teach you, put your pride aside for the sake of personal growth. A Solar Eclipse on the 10th could bring financial relief in the form of an inheritance, legal settlement, or rebate. On the 24th, the Full Moon brings about a brilliant breakthrough. July sees an overbearing person driving you to distraction. The New Moon on the 10th invites you to expand your horizons in some exciting ways. The Full Moon on the 24th might inspire you to move to a neighbourhood rich in historic detail. Finding a big place within your budget is a strong possibility at the end of July.

Striking a balance between your personal and professional lives will be challenging. It may be necessary to draw firm boundaries with a demanding relative who doesn’t care about your career interests. During the middle of the month, your love life will sizzle with excitement. The Full Moon on the 24th may find you accepting an award, getting a promotion, or accepting a wonderful job offer.

Finding time to kick back and relax will be difficult in the opening days of July, due to social and financial commitments. Breaking promises for the sake of fun could come back to haunt on you. The final days of the month could find you working as a member of an upbeat team. Keep these relationships platonic for the near future.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)

You’ll feel loved and adored in the opening days of June. Erratic behaviour could damage your professional reputation during the middle of the month. Avoid power struggles like the plague. On the 24th, the Full Moon could mark the culmination of an academic programme or trip. You’ll emerge from this experience feeling enlightened and happy.

Family responsibilities could get on your nerves in the opening days of July. No matter what you do, it may not be enough for a demanding relative. Reaching a career milestone is a distinct possibility on the 24th, due to the ambitious Full Moon. After completing one job, you might be awarded one that is beyond your wildest dreams in the closing days of July.

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)

You will be sought for your expertise at the beginning of June. The Solar Eclipse on the 10th inspires you to undergo a dramatic transformation. Have the courage to follow your heart. Going back to familiar haunts is a strong possibility in the second half of the month; this will be a rewarding move. Finding challenges that fit with your experience will be challenging at the start of July. On the 10th, the New Moon could deliver a lucrative opportunity that has lots of potential. You could be attending lots of brainstorming sessions in the middle of the month, either online or with a small group. A legal matter will come to a satisfying conclusion near the 24th, thanks to a justice oriented Full Moon.

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)

You’ll attract admirers like a flower draws bees in the opening days of June; embrace your popularity. On the 10th, the Solar Eclipse will trigger a spiritual awakening. Give yourself permission to abandon some worldly concerns that have been weighing on your heart. In midJune, you might decide to resume a course of study that brings you pleasure. Money could be scarce at the start of July, so budget accordingly. Don’t worry, your luck will shoot through the stratosphere when the New Moon rises on the 10th. This is an ideal time to treat yourself. An exciting chance to share your expertise with an appreciative audience could arrive in mid-July. The Full Moon on the 24th could find you paying off a big bill.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)

It’s possible you’ll take the helm of a prestigious organisation in the opening days of June.

People respond well to your excellent communication skills. A Solar Eclipse on the 10th is ideal for making a speech, publishing a piece of writing, or recording a podcast.

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

RUSSELL GRANT CALLING . . .

Your words will uplift and inspire people. Use the power of the Full Moon on the 24th to complete an important work project. Pushing too hard towards a goal could backfire in the opening days of July. Instead of working around the clock, take a relaxing break and assume that what you want will arrive. You’ll be delighted by the results of this approach. The New Moon on the 10th finds you devoting more time to spiritual pursuits.

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)

Early June delivers some excellent prospects to you. On the 10th, the Solar Eclipse could find you stepping into a leadership role. In midJune, it may be necessary to deal with some unforeseen legal problems. A former romantic partner might make their way into your life during the second half of the month. Let your renewed relationship unfold slowly. The Full Moon on the 24th could find you celebrating an engagement, wedding, or birth. Beating yourself up can drive opportunity from your door in early July. Replace all self-criticism with lavish praise, even if it feels awkward at first.

The New Moon on the 10th could find you joining a group or organisation devoted to your favourite cause.

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)

The opening days of June could have happy news. In mid-June, it might be difficult to find the fun and romance you desire. Don’t take any rash chances for the sake of fleeting pleasure; it’s better to be safe than sorry. The Full Moon on the 24th wraps up a family matter that’s been quite emotional. Reward yourself for staying cool under pressure. Friends may not be sympathetic to your desire for private time in early July. While you long to pour your energy into a creative project, they demand your company. Try striking a healthy balance between. On the 10th, the New Moon could drop a marvellous opportunity into your lap. The Full Moon on the 24th will help you put the finishing touches on an impressive creative project.

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)

Harsh words between you and an expert could

Brainstorming with a respected friend or colleague will be fruitful in the opening days of June. Any ideas you get for a product, service or app are worth developing. On the 10th, a Solar Eclipse could find you taking a close relationship to the next level. During the second half of June, you might devote more time to domestic pursuits. The Full Moon on the 24th attracts a big payment. Learning a new skill will be more difficult than expected at the start of July; be patient. The middle of the month could find you enjoying more domestic pursuits like cooking, decorating and gardening. On the 24th, the Full Moon brings an end to an exceptionally busy time for you.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)

A power struggle with your romantic or business partner could erupt in early June. The Solar Eclipse on the 10th is perfect for launching a fitness regimen. Finances might be tight during the middle of the month, so avoid engaging in retail therapy. Once the Full Moon rises on the 24th, you’ll be in a much better position. However, financial obligations may still weigh heavily on your shoulders at the beginning of July. In mid-July, you’ll receive positive feedback from someone you respect.

The Full Moon on the 24th brings in a big pay cheque that allows you to indulge in some creature comforts.

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)

Your powerful personality will draw admirers from every corner at the beginning of the month. On the 10th, the Solar Eclipse could deliver the ideal partner to your doorstep. Try reining in your spending during the second half of the month or you will feel a sharp financial pinch. On the 24th, the Full Moon will bring a delicious secret to light. Beware of bearing down too hard on your nearest and dearest at the start of July. If loved ones are being irresponsible, let them accept the consequences of their actions while you mind your own business. On the 24th, the Full Moon fulfils a personal wish. This handsome reward will inspire you to set some even loftier goals.

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th)

Love and romance are yours for the asking at the start of June. The Solar Eclipse on the 10th presents a great opportunity to upgrade your living situation. Scaling back social commitments is strongly advised for the second half of the month; an introvert like you needs plenty of privacy to recharge your batteries. The Full Moon on the 24th could find you realising a dream you’ve had since childhood. It might feel like someone is trying to sabotage your plans at the start of July. On the 24th, the Full Moon will mark a spiritual epiphany; prepare to receive some divine guidance. The last week of July will be a time of profound rest and relaxation. Use this time for solitary pursuits that bring you joy.

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250,000

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READERS . . . BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER JUNE-JULY 2021

“WE HAD a brilliant response to your article about our Atrial Fibrillation Ambassador programme – and lots of people phoned us to find out how they could become an AF Ambassador.

Thanks to All Together NOW! many more people with an irregular heart rhythm will now be detected, get the right medication and this will prevent them from having strokes.”

— NHS Innovation Agency

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“WE’VE advertised in All Together NOW! for the past 14 years – and haven't missed a single issue. It's a fantastic publication that does a brilliant job of presenting disability interests and issues in a positive and inclusive manner. We get a great respons to our advertising – and the team is always great to deal with.”

Donald Pow, MD, Allied Mobility “WE HAVE proudly advertised in All Together NOW! for over 12 years. It is an excellent newspaper, with endless, interesting and helpful facts for all readers. We have always received great responses to our advertisements. The newspaper is freely available to so many people throughout the North West and is appreciated by so many.

Heather Maddox, A-Line Mobility

“All Together NOW! is a valuable link to hundreds of thousands of disabled people.

We have used this free charity newspaper to promote the services of our mobility shops and the annual Disability Awareness Day and know that it is reaching huge numbers of people who otherwise would go uniformed.”

— Dave Thompson Warrington Disability Partnership

COST-EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING More than a newspaper – the key to independence

All Together NOW! has been a real help to us. We’ve been involved with the paper since its launch in 2004 and always get a great response to our adverts. Here’s wishing the paper every success — Steve Curran, co-director, DaVinci Mobility “OF ALL the marketing that United Utilities puts into the community, nothing generates as much feedback and response as All Together NOW! It is a great platform that’s helping us to get our messages to our vulnerable customers.”

— Louise Beardmore, Customer Services Director United Utilities

facebook.com/ AllTogetherNews/

@ATNnews

You can benefit from our in-paper and online audiences with cost-effective advertising and sponsorship.

Your advertisement will be

250,000

local, seen by and highly relevant readers – don't let your business miss out on our huge audience!

Contact me now

Helen McLoughlin Tel 0151 929 3912 07511 839397 helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

“WE HAVE supported All Together NOW! for the past 13 years and are proud to be one of the charity’s main sponsors – recognition for the way in which the newspaper helps bring together so many people and organisations. There is no doubting the importance of this excellent publication. All Together NOW! makes a unique contribution to improving the quality of life of disabled people and their families. We are delighted with the huge progress the paper has made, and we know from the number of telephone calls we receive from people who have read the paper that distribution is on the increase and is reaching the right audience.”

— Steve Morgan OBE, chairman Steve Morgan

www.alltogethernow.org.uk Registered Charity: 1106387

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28

JUNE-JULY 2021

The Accumulator Quiz

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

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Later consequences (9) Revolve (6) Thick slice (4) Tight (4) Quick look (6) Abates (7) Tall flower (4) Stupefy (4) Swampy ground (3) Employ (3) European mountain range (4) Freshwater fish (4) US legislator (7) Dreary (6) Stupid person (4) Whip (4) Sikh headdress (6) Traders, businessmen (9)

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

QUESTION 11 – for 11 points: What is an epigram?

A B C D Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. See Question 14

QUESTION 7 – for 7 points: Which island has a parliament known as the Tynwald?

A B C D

QUESTION 5 – for 5 points: What is the name for the soft area of a newborn’s skull?

A Fontanelle B Foolscap C Fontina D Fonticulus

A witty saying A poem on a gravestone A song celebrating a marriage A long serious letter

Jersey Iceland The Isle of Man Sark

A B C D

QUESTION 6 – for 6 points: What do Americans describe as a tuxedo?

A A bucking bronco B A Mexican immigrant C A cocktail made with rye whisky D A dinner jacket

Henry James George Eliot Virginia Woolf Thomas Hardy

QUESTION 13 – for 13 points: Which murderer was portrayed by Richard Attenborough in the film 10 Rillington Place?

A B C D

Sweeney Todd John Christie Jack the Ripper Dr Crippen

QUESTION 14 – for 14 points: The title of singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran’s second studio album, released in 2014, is a single arithmetical sign. Which?

QUESTION 8 – for 8 points: Who was the first person to train three consecutive winners of the Epsom Derby?

A B C D

Luca Cumani Aidan O’Brien Michael Stoute Peter Chapple-Hyam

Plus Minus Multiply Divide

QUESTION 9 – for 9 points: What is the purpose of a fish’s gills?

QUESTION 15 – for 15 points: Which City guilds mark the beaks of swans in the annual ceremony of ‘Swan Upping’?

A B C D

A B C D

To extract oxygen from the water To correct buoyancy To steer To eject unwanted food

Fishmongers and Cooks Mercers and Grocers Salters and Plumbers Vintners and Dyers

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

9 7

Eels Kestrels Hares Llamas

QUESTION 12 – for 12 points: Which English novelist wrote Far From The Madding Crowd?

SUDOKU

1 7

A B C D

A B C D

QUESTION 4 – for 4 points: On which of the following scales are earthquakes measured?

A Mohs B Richter C Libra D Avery

Stumble, hesitate (6) Stamp (6) Morning prayer (6) Fruit basket (4) Neolith (anag.) (3,4) Daybreak (4) Lay siege to (9) Clear up, dispose of (9) Location (4) Footfalls (5) Ship (4) Road surface (7) Affected by bacteria (6) Tuberous plant (6) Girdle (6) Nimble (4) Solitary (4)

QUESTION 10 – for 10 points: Which animals have young called leverets?

QUESTION 2 – for 2 points: What do four quadrants make?

A An octagon B A sphere C A cube D A circle QUESTION 3 – for 3 points: For what do sailors use a marlin spike?

A Beating off pirates B Joining ropes C Tapping rum barrels D Fishing

★

29

Each question has four possible answers and is worth from one to 15 points. Circle your QUESTION 1 – for 1 point: Which disc jockey had an unlikely chart hit with the song Floral Dance in 1978?

A Tony Blackburn B Jimmy Young C Terry Wogan D Simon Dee

9

10

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

DIFFICULT

6 3

9 6 1 3 4

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

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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 15

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4

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

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EACH number in our Cross Code grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. You have three letters in the control grid to start you off.

Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares.

As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check off the alphabetical list of letters as you identify them.

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S

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

1 []’–

2 ABC

3 DEF

4 GHI

5 JKL

6 MNO

7 PQRS

8 TUV

9 WXYZ

Spaces and any punctuation marks are represented by 1.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

1

29

DIALLING CODES

CROSS CODE 12

All Together NOW!

JUNE-JULY 2021

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

1. foods made with pastry 267 647 417 278 917 763 483 765 317 842 431 567 724 631 277 531 787 833 517 287 243 176 551 526 182 781 834 382 253 172 667 212 732 614 676

2. words meaning small 548 853 184 691 754 448 164 687 285 313 464 688 483 173 848 318 336 917 869 174 678 193 316 324 731 646 671 346 316 427 672 674 217 536 337

3. rodents 227 922 721 778 477 351 747 391 767 287 463 172 817 724 743 136 414 846 321 744 166 873 123 283 712 446 244 552 143 724 518 653 124 476 865

4. sources of water 623 261 732 174 837 152 531 637 317 663 178 732 613 788 279 174 885 381 524 666 177 746 412 262 517 373 786 471 874 288 279 127 335 127 665

5. mythical creatures 467 176 214 625 461 537 732 428 619 373 965 317 494 313 724 661 244 366 818 642 676 174 636 491 646 682 871 236 828 712 274 547 514 743 346

6. West End shows 786 671 942 533 184 317 426 866 163 184 316 737 215 371 647 372 253 715 377 391 269 719 271 467 731 931 945 517 625 196 818 431 546 615 464

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 14 famous ships.

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 12?

1

A

U

S

I

T

A

N

B

I

M Y

L

Q

E

A

E

I

L

A M

A

N

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E

U

L

G

B

A

A

R

C

B

C

I

V

K

T

T

D

A

Y

O

K

T

Y

G

R

Y

U

N

R

K

R M

O

R

O

A

S

T

N

L

D

E

N

H

R

E

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U O

B

A

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A

R

Y

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

A

1. The forces of William III defeat James II at the Battle of the Boyne.

I

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T

E

T

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B

R

I

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BASIN

A

L

E

A

T M A

A

S

A

R

N

N

I

––––

CURTAIN

SAND

–––––

RED

––––––

TILE

FRENCH

––––

PIPE

SHARP

–––

PAPER

STAND

––––

CHAIR

E

I E C N I TRANSFORMER

C

T

3

4

5

6

C

E D

EMBLIC 1) An East Indian tree of the spurge family, whose fruit is used in tanning;

F

A

M S

NECK

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

R

C

S

WORD WIZARD

2

MAKE A DATE

2) An adjective descriptive of a symbolic device or badge;

2. John Flamsteed, Britain’s first Astronomer Royal, recorded sightings of the planet Uranus but mistakenly catalogues it as the star 34 Tauri.

3) A Greek prayer requesting deliverance from evil.

3. The French navy defeats the Anglo-Dutch navy at the Battle of Beachy Head.

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

Clue: Caper leads on to becoming wild.

WAS IT? a) 1690; b) 1705; c) 1720; d) 1735; e) 1750.

_____ +FR=FR_____

ALL THE ANSWERS Pathwords: Cutty Sark; Victory; Golden Hind; Beagle; Queen Mary; Lusitania; Ark Royal; Bismarck; Mary Rose; Great Britain; Santa Maria; Bounty; Marie Celeste; Titanic.

1 8 9 7 3 6 4 5 2

7 5 2 1 8 4 9 6 3

3 4 6 2 5 9 1 8 7

2 7 8 6 4 3 5 9 1

SUDOKU EASY

4 6 3 9 1 5 2 7 8

5 9 1 8 7 2 6 3 4

8 1 5 4 9 7 3 2 6

9 2 4 3 6 8 7 1 5

6 3 7 5 2 1 8 4 9

7 5 8 6 3 4 1 9 2

1 3 6 2 8 9 5 7 4

4 2 9 5 7 1 3 6 8

8 1 2 7 4 6 9 5 3

A

14 1

U H O Y R

15

W B 2

16 3

L

17 4

18

C K 5

X

19 6

20

Z

21

J

G S

22

V Q E 8

7

6

7

6

3

1

1

2

N D M

23

24

T

9

P

10

11

25

F

12

26 13

I

CROSS CODE

5 6 7 8 9 3 2 4 1

9 4 3 1 2 5 6 8 7

SUDOKU DIFFICULT

3 8 4 9 6 2 7 1 5

2 9 5 4 1 7 8 3 6

6 7 1 3 5 8 4 2 9

18 27 22 18 8 6 7 13

1

6

4

9 15

1

8

3

7 9 31 29

9 8

4

5

7

15

3

9

9

5

20

KAKURO MEDIUM

2

22

8

16

9

1

8 6

6 5 8 7 37

9 4 7 20

Accumulator Quiz 1 – C; 2 – D; 3 – B; 4 – B; 5 – A; 6 – D; 7 – C; 8 – B; 9 – A; 10 – C; 11 – A; 12 – D; 13 – B; 14 – C; 15 – D. Starspot Crossword Across – 1 Aftermath; 9 Rotate; 10 Slab; 11 Taut; 12 Glance; 13 Lessens; 16 Iris; 17 Stun; 18 Bog; 20 Use; 21 Alps; 23 Dace; 25 Senator; 26 Dismal; 29 Dolt; 30 Lash; 31 Turban; 32 Merchants.

Down – 2 Falter; 3 Emboss; 4 Matins; 5 Trug; 6 Hot line; 7 Dawn; 8 Beleaguer; 13 Liquidate; 14 Site; 15 Steps; 18 Boat; 19 Macadam; 22 Septic; 23 Dahlia; 24 Corset; 27 Spry; 28 Lone.

Star Name: ALAN SUGAR Word Wizard No 1 is correct. The emblic is a

tree also known as the Indian gooseberry.

Dialling Codes 1. Cornish pasty; profiterole; quiche lorraine; apple strudel; sausage roll; jam tart; vegetable samosa; cream horn.

2. little; tiny; slight; minuscule; diminutive; petite; teeny; puny; short; wee; meagre; minor; fine; microscopic; slender.

3. capybara; squirrel; shrew; porcupine; rat; prairie dog; guinea pig; mouse; beaver; chinchilla; gerbil; vole; chipmunk.

4. ocean; sea; river; lake; mere; pond; stream; estuary; rivulet; lagoon; spring; canal; reservoir; tributary; creek; brook.

5. imp; roc; goblin; leprechaun; werewolf; pixie; dragon; Bigfoot; unicorn; phoenix; Minotaur; centaur; basilisk; griffin.

6. Stomp; Wicked; The Phantom Of The Opera; Les Misérables; Jersey Boys; War Horse; We Will Rock You; The Lion King.

Spot Check A = 3; B = 4; C = 6; D = 5; E = 1; F = 2.

Missing Link lace; yacht; carpet; horn; end; easy.

Fruit: lychee.

Make a Date The year was 1690.

Transformer Antic + FR = Frantic.

REACH 250,000 READERS

ADVERTISE HERE 0151 230 0307

30 All Together NOW!

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YouTube star Emily shows how it can be done!

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 349427 n BOLTON. Tel 01204 392946 n CARLISLE. Tel 01228 631564 n CHESTER. Tel 01244 312626 n CHORLEY. Tel 01257 260 888 n COLWYN BAY. Tel 01492 533822 n CREWE. Tel 01270 580 031 n ELLESMERE PORT. Tel 0151 355 1420 n KENDAL. Tel 01539 740 933 n LEIGH, Wigan.

Tel 01942 777 985 n LIVERPOOL. Tel 0151 707 0877 n MANCHESTER Trafford Centre. Tel 0161 747 2684 n MANCHESTER Arndale Centre. Tel 0161 839 4060 n NELSON. Tel 01282 692 502 n NORTHWICH, Vale Royal Tel 01606 288820 n OSWESTRY. Tel 01691 656882 n PENRITH. Tel 01768 895 438 n PRESTON. Tel 01772 204 667 n RHYL. Tel 01745 350665 n ROCHDALE. Tel 01706 865 986 n RUNCORN, Halton Lea Tel 01928 710144 n SHREWSBURY. Tel 01743 236900 SKELMERSDALE. Tel 01695 550066 n ST HELENS. Tel 01744 613 388 n STOCKPORT. Tel 0161 666 1100 n WARRINGTON. Tel 01925 240064 n WARRINGTON. Birchwood Tel 01925 822 411 WIDNES: 0151 511 8833 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

£ottery boost

WIRRAL Mencap has been handed almost £400,000 from the National Lottery to develop its services for people affected by learning disabilities.

The charity’s chief executive, Sharon Nicholson, said: “The money will enable us to make a whole range of services more accessible and inclusive for people with a learning disability and their families.” n Tel. 0151 666 1829.

Disability leader

EAST Cheshire NHS Trust has been re-affiremd as a Disability Confident Leader.

Rachael Charlton, the Trust’s director of Human Resources, said: “As a Disability Confident Leader, we are committed to ensuring that all disabled colleagues within our workforce have equal opportunity to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.”

Log on to help blind gamers

G

AMERS are being asked to play their part in a drive to make video games more accessible for blind people.

Becca McRow-Brewe, community giving manager at the Royal National Institute of Blind People, says: “Sight loss doesn’t have to mean losing your passions.

“We are encouraging gamers from across the UK to support RNIB by hosting a fundraising stream. Every pound raised will help create a world without barriers for people with sight loss.”

Mathew Allcock is a passionate gamer who has nystagmus, a condition where the eyes move uncontrollably. He is part of a gaming group and has helped EA Games improve

the accessibility of some of their games, including FIFA. He said: “I’ve been gaming since I was a child. It was a brilliant form of escapism as it enabled me to play and compete with my fully sighted friends.

“As my vision has decreased my realisation of the need for accessibility settings has increased.

Gaming should be accessible to all and I want to help ensure VI gamers of the future have the opportunity to play any game they want.”

Gamers wanting to set up a fundraising session will be provided with overlays and simulation glasses to increase understanding of how their stream might look with various sight conditions. n RNIB Helpline:0303 123 9999.

HELP AT THE END OF A PHONE

n ANGLESEY: TARAN Tel 01407 721933 n BLACKPOOL Disability Information and Support.

Tel 01253 472 202.

Textphone 01253 476 450 n CHESHIRE CIL Tel 01606 331853 n CHESTER Dial House Tel 01244 345655 n DENBIGHSHIRE Tel 01745 354445 n ELLESMERE PORT DICE Tel 0151 355 1420

n HALTON Disability Service Tel 01928 717222 n KNOWSLEY DISABILITY CONCERN. 0151 480 4090 n LANCASTER DISC Tel 01524 34411 n LIVERPOOL Association of Disabled People. 0151 263 8366. Text 0151 260 4076. n ACSIL (Amputees and Carers), Tel, 0151 261 1166 n THE BRAIN CHARITY 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.

Text 01772 204 787 n RHYL Tel 01745 350665 n STOCKPORT: Disability

IT’S been quite a year for YouTube sensation Emily Nicole Roberts.

From being recognised by The Prime Minister and the Welsh Secretary of State with a Point of Light award for disability advocacy to being nominated as a Positive Role Model at this year’s National Diversity Awards, it’s been non-stop action for the 22-year-old from south Wales.

Now, Emily has teamed up with children’s brain charity Cerebra to use her newfound fame to raise awareness of the issues faced by disabled people.

Emily, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy aged three, uses her How Emily YouTube videos to show how to tackle everyday situations like getting dressed, transferring in and out of the car and even how to get on Radio One! “I’m very grateful to be where I am today,” she says.

“At times, though, I felt different and saw this as a negative, but I started to see the importance in every lesson in my journey – the good and the bad.

“One day I woke up and searched the internet for practical videos for wheelchair users and I couldn’t find anything. I was determined that this content would exist!” n Cerebra: Tel. 01267 244200.

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 MIDLANDS n BIRMINGHAM Disability Resource Centre Tel 0121 789 7365

n Disabled People’s Network Solihull Tel 0121 788 1544 n STOKE: Disability Solutions Tel 01782 683800 n WOLVERHAMPTON Elder and Disabled Group Tel 01902 448552 n WEST MIDS Amputee

Group. 07891 794733; 07585 958322; 07557 228154

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All Together NOW!

JUNE-JULY 2021

Hannah and Joel back brain charity

CARERS’ CENTRES

M

ODEL Hannah Cooper and husband comedian Joel Dommett have become ambassadors for the Brain Tumour Support charity.

Over the past few years the couple have raised funds for the charity, but it was when Hannah’s mum was diagnosed with a brain tumour in December that the impact of the charity’s work became very personal.

Hannah said: “Knowing that Brain Tumour Support is there to guide and support has really helped to sustain us through some very difficult days. Until you’re faced with this experience it’s hard to comprehend just how much there is to take on board, for mum and for all the family, and the range of emotions you go through.”

Joel added: “It really hits you for six, it’s incredibly tough, and if we’d had to deal with that just by ourselves I think it would have been a hundred times worse.” n Support Line: 01454 422701 n www.braintumoursupport.co.uk

Fact file:

n Every day in the UK around 45 people receive a brain tumour diagnosis. n Over 100,000 people in the UK are living with a brain AMBASSADORS: Hannah Cooper and Joel Dommett tumour. n There are more than 120 different types of brain tumour making them notoriously difficult to diagnose. n The cause of brain tumours a professional and allocated a specific VER seen a celebrity fluffing the is not known, they can affect dance style before beginning their training. foxtrot on Strictly Come Dancing anyone regardless of age, The couples will perform their routines at and thought ‘I can do better’? sex, lifestyle or general The Titanic Hotel, Liverpool, in September.

Of course you have! Well, now’s your health.

Tickets for the event will be available nearer chance to prove it – and help raise muchn Brain tumours kill more the time. needed money at the same time. children and adults under 40 Maxine Armstrong, from St. Joseph’s, said: A Merseyside hospice is planning the than any other type of cancer.

“It is the perfect challenge for anyone who ultimate Strictly fundraising event and is n Over 40% of people have has watched Strictly and dreamt what it looking for volunteers to hit the dance floor. to give up work as a result of would be like to hit the dance floor with a St Joseph’s Hospice in Thornton is their diagnosis. professional. partnering with the Marshside School of n Over 55% of people have “We’re looking for 12 non-dancers, aged Dance in Southport to launch Strictly St. to give up their driving over 18. Each contestant will receive dance Joseph’s – and will provide professional licence. lessons but will be expected to raise their dancers and training sessions for the n Over 65% of people own sponsorship for the hospice.” challenge. say a brain tumour has a A dozen participants are wanted but negative impact on their n Applications are now open. Visit there is one important proviso – they must friendships. www.jospice.org.uk for details, call 0151 932 have no previous dance experience. n Brain tumours affect both 6044, or email fundraising@jospice.org.uk.

Successful candidates will be partnered with physical and mental health.

Calling all you Strictly fans

E

VISUAL PROBLEMS n ACCRINGTON Tel 01254 233332 n BARROW Tel 01229 820698 n BIRMINGHAM Action for Blind Tel 0121 665 4200 n BLACKBURN Tel 0125 554143 n BLACKPOOL: N-Vision Tel 01253 362696 n BURY Tel 0161 763 7014 n BURNLEY Tel 01282 438507

HELP AT THE END OF A PHONE

n CARLISLE: Action for Blind People Tel 01228 595121 n 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 872 234 or 0151 708 7055

n LIVERPOOL: Bradbury Fields.Tel 0151 221 0888: Action for Bind Tel 0151 298 3222 n MANCHESTER: Action for Blind Tel 0161 787 9252 n PRESTON: Action for Blind People Tel 01772 320550 n OLDHAM Tel 0161 682 8019 n ROSSENDALE Tel 01706 873256 n SIGHTLINE (North West)

Tel 0800 587 2252 n WIGAN Tel 01942 242891 n WIRRAL Tel 0151 652 8877 HEARING ISSUES n BIRMINGHAM Institute for Deaf Tel 0121 246 6101 n CHESHIRE Deaf Society Tel 01606 47831 n CUMBRIA Deaf Society Tel 01228 606434 n LANCASHIRE (EAST) Deaf Society Tel 01282 839180

n MANCHESTER Deaf Centre. Tel 0161 273 3415 Genie Networks.

Tel 0161 941 4549.

Text 18001 0161 941 4549 n MERSEYSIDE Society for Deaf Tel 0151 228 0888 n SOUTHPORT Centre for the Deaf Tel 01704 537001 n ST HELENS: Deafness Resource Centre Tel 01744 23887 n WOLVERHAMPTON Centre for Deaf Tel 01902

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 nCUMBRIA 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 & WARRINGTON Helpline:0300 102 0008 n KNOWSLEY Tel 0151 549 1412 n LANCASTER Tel 01524 66475 nLIVERPOOL Tel 0151 705 2307 n MANCHESTER Tel 0161 835 2995 n MORECAMBE Tel 01524 833456 n PRESTON Tel 01772 200173 n RUNCORN Tel 01928 580182 n WIDNES Tel 0151 257 9673 n SALFORD Tel 0161 833 0217 n SEFTON Tel 0151 288 6060 n ST HELENS Tel 01744 675 615 n STOCKPORT Tel 0161 442 0442 n WARRINGTON (WIRED) Tel 01925 633 492 n WEST LANCS Tel 01695 711243 n WIGAN & LEIGH Tel 01942 705959 / 486923 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 nDOLGELLAU Tel 01341 421167 n FLINTSHIRE: NEWCIS, Tel: 01352 751436 n WREXHAM CARERS SERVICE

31

16

COMING SOON

32 All Together NOW!

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years of bringing people together

OUT EARLY AUGU ST

250,000 readers 8-WEEK shelf-life

BOOK YOUR SPACE NOW!

helen@alltogethernow.org.uk

Tel. 0151 929 3912

Mob. 07511 839397