Delicious Dinner Made Easy

Nothing is as easy to throw together, or as hearty on a cold winters evening, as a delicious Minestrone. This recipe is so simple and accessible for anyone and can be made in minutes.

QUICK AND SIMPLE MINESTRONE

A healthy recipe that you can make to your own taste and needs, this Minestrone takes only 8 minutes to cook and serves 4 or more people.

INGREDIENTS:

1l of chicken or vegetable stock 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 100g of spaghetti or pasta of your choice 350g of frozen mixed veg

Serve with:

green pesto to taste Grated or roughly chopped parmesan or vegetarian cheese to taste

METHOD:

1. Bring the stock to the boil with the tinned tomatoes.

2. Once boiling, add the spaghetti (or pasta of your choice) and cook for 6 minutes or until done.

3. Just before the pasta is ready, add the frozen mixed vegetables and simmer for 2 minutes, or until everything is cooked.

Dish up:

Serve the minestrone in bowls, drizzle with pesto, as much or as little as needed, and sprinkle with the cheese of your choice.

Also serve with:

Can also be served with a side salad or some crusty garlic bread straight out of the oven.

Enjoy!

SHOULD I PROTECT MY BLUE BADGE FROM THEFT?

IT’S vile to think that someone would stoop so low as to steal a disabled person’s parking permit, but the reality is that Councils have limited resources and budget allocated for the enforcement of the Blue Badge Scheme. Misuse of Blue Badges is rife, and with many Councils not making any prosecutions to protect the integrity of the scheme, people are continuing to use them without authorisation.

Blue Badges are attractive due to their exemption from parking fees, congestion charges and the ability to use them to park closer to amenities in cities and town centres. However, the misuse of Blue Badges by those not entitled, means the people who have been medically assessed as needing these rights are denied important independence.

This prolific misuse of Blue Badges without consequence has led to a surge of Blue Badge thefts across the country, as unscrupulous thieves steal Blue Badges to sell onwards for anywhere in the region of £200-£1000. Thieves use smash and grab techniques to steal the badges whilst in use - damaging vehicles, causing costly repairs and leaving the owner with stressful Police reporting and long waiting times for Blue Badge replacement.

It’s clear that you need to protect your Blue Badge from theft so what can you do?

Never leave your Blue Badge in your car or on display when it is not in use. Given the value of your Blue Badge to thieves, leaving it sat out when not required is like leaving cash on your dash.

Why not contact your local Blue Badge team to see whether you quality for a disabled parking bay outside your house as this often negates the requirement to display your Blue Badge overnight. A handy website where you can find up-to-date details for all Blue Badge teams across the country by local authority is

parkingforbluebadges.com

Finally, there are devices on the market to secure your Blue Badge from theft. Most notably is the Blue Badge Protector which has been developed over 15 years. This handy device locks your Blue Badge in a metal and Perspex case and secures to your steering wheel. It is approved by the Police, endorsed by Councils and is available to buy from Halfords online, or from stockists found on their website - bluebadgeprotector. co.uk. Prices from £24.95. As Christmas approaches, why not consider gifting a security device bundle to your loved ones for a little of what they like and a little of what they need? As with any valuable commodity, if thieves really want your Blue Badge they will find a way, but the same is true of your house, your car or your bike, but you would still lock those up wouldn’t you? Blue Badge Protectors and lockable holders are an excellent visual deterrent to opportunistic, smash and grab thieves. In a row of parked cars displaying Blue Badges they are not going to target yours if it is displayed in a Blue Badge Protector.

Woefully, as long as parking charges and congestion charges remain so high and the Blue Badge Scheme isn’t effectively enforced, thefts of Blue Badges will also continue in shocking numbers. If you are concerned about the theft of your badge or that of a loved one, you need to take action to provide protection.

Author: Caroline Overton,

Operations Manager

Website: bluebadgeprotector.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/

bluebadgeprotector

Instagram: instagram.com/

bluebadgeprotector

REVITALISE IS HERE TO HELP CARERS

Revitalise’s purpose-built holiday centres in Essex and Southport offer disabled people a fun and relaxing holiday experience with 24-hour expert care alongside activities, live evening entertainment and quality full-board hospitality.

Their breaks give carers the chance to hand over the caring role and switch off. They can choose to accompany their loved one to Revitalise or enjoy their own break elsewhere. Either way, they can be safe in the knowledge that their loved one is in good hands.

THERE were 9.1m family carers in the UK at the start of lockdown, and it is estimated that a further 4.5 million have taken on caring responsibilities since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are solely responsible for the wellbeing of a loved one who may rely on them completely, sometimes 24/7, without any form of break.

National charity Revitalise provide accessible breaks for disabled people and their carers, a lifeline from the unrelenting pressures faced by carers.

During lockdown, Revitalise received calls from carers in desperate situations, some talking of self-harm, an inability to cope, and even suicide.

Diane has been caring for her son Wesley, 27, all of his life, after he was born with cerebral palsy and is a full-time wheelchair user. She said; “Wes needs someone to physically feed him, he can’t do that himself. There’s no switching off, at all. I’ve been doing this all Wes’ life. The only time we get a break is when Wes is away on respite.”

Another carer, Hilary, cares for her son, Shaun, who is brain damaged after an accident in Ibiza when he was 19. She said of her caring role:

“For the last 15 years I’ve been caring for Shaun but I definitely wouldn’t call myself a carer, it’s just something I do as his mum. There’s no let up, no way forward, no support. I’m never, ever, going to give up on my son. Life is too short you know; you need to keep fighting.”

The nation’s carers perform such a vital role in keeping the country running, saving the NHS millions every year and going far beyond the call of duty to provide for some of the country’s most vulnerable people. We owe them a debt of gratitude. For more information please visit revitalise.org.uk or contact their team by calling 0303 303 0145.

Author: Rebecca Young, Director of External Affairs at Revitalise

DRM | WINTER - 2021/22

Classifieds

At Royal Holloway, University of London, we are a close-knit community and proud of the egalitarian spirit of our founders, which we continue to foster today. We value diversity and promote equality of opportunity for students and colleagues, whether they work in academia or professional services. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, particularly people with disabilities, both students and staff.

https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk

D R M

To advertise, please call 01959 543 650

Dedicated to providing accessible holidays for families & groups with special needs or vulnerabiliies since 1985

www.lyneal-trust.org.uk

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SCAN ME!

Our vision is for everyone who lives with autism and/or intellectual disability to have the opportunity to grow, realise their individual potential by finding the right strategies to enjoy life.

A passionate service transparent in our work, reliable and responsive. We always put each individual at the centre of his or her support

You can access our services by:

We empower every individual whom we work with to take an active role in their support and make their own decisions.

At Robin Specialist Autism Services we are:

An Outreach Service specializing in supporting individuals with Autism and/or associated complex mental health conditions like Hoarding over the age of 18 years. A management team that has over 8 years experience managing an autism accredited service and providing bespoke personcentred packages Proud of delivering personalized support centred around teaching strategies to manage anxiety and develop independent skills to improve quality of life and become more independent. We pair you with the right member of staff who will match your personality, and understand your specific needs and your interests Making a self-referral A referral from the GP, Social worker or another healthcare professional

We offer our services in the London boroughs of Newham, Waltham Forest, Islington, Hackney, Redbridge and Tower Hamlets

Funding streams:

You can pay for your care directly instead of receiving services directly from the Local Authority. Your care can be paid for by the local authority (commissioned)

Contact us on for an informal chat on:

Tel: 08000460552 | Email: info@robinautismservices.co.uk Further information can be found on our website:

robinautismservices.co.uk

76-80 Baddow Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 7PJ