Priceless
Summer 2012 Ltd
Summer Essentials
Gardening Tips New Recipes Which Phone?
Travel
Railhelp
Health
Lifestyle & Culture with Equality!
Keeping Stress in check e se E! nd r N LI k a you ON co.u of GO rst. sion rite e slfi er ou in w. SL v fav gaz w a w B m
SMS Emergency 999
Summer 2012
Editor’s Letter
Hello,
Editor SL First.
Regular Features 5. Deaf Child 13. Interpreters listings 17. Gardening Tips Cat Johnson
Wellbeing & Health 6. Psychic, Clairvoyant & Medium 7. Vitality Health Club 8. Healthy Recipes
Home & Gardening
Living & Lifestyle 4. Deaf Awareness Training 18. Deaf staff at Carmarthenshire 20. Learning BSL
Twitter @slfirstltd • www.slfirst.co.uk
Front Cover
5. Magazine subscription service 12. Travel info from Railhelp 14. Choosing the best Deaf phone 16. Home design
e: sarah@slfirst.co.uk t: 02920 695185 m: 07786 704223 a: Tredomen Business & Technology Centre, Tredomen Business Park, Ystrad Mynach, CF82 7FN
Contents
Welcome back to the latest edition of SLFirst Magazine! Our mission is to bring together businesses and services that think about, and are accessible to, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities across South Wales. I have a simple philosophy and have one fundamental question: “Are you accessible for a Deaf person?” If the answer is ‘Yes’ then my team and I will work with companies to tell you, the reader, about their services and what they can offer. Over the recent months, some businesses have had their first experiences of dealing directly with Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers and have made changes to what they do. Some of our articles, such as Cat Johnson’s mobile phone recommendations, are as a direct result of meeting with Deaf people. We also have our regular features, Recipes and Gardening Tips, so if you’re reading every word, or just browsing, I hope you’ll enjoy this edition.
Contributors: Shane Andrews Cat Johnson Jeff Brattan-Wilson Linda Day Tessa Padden
SL First • 3
Deaf Friendly is a consultancy service and training provider based in the UK which focuses on Deaf Awareness and British Sign Language. Deaf Friendly is able to provide excellent services in: • Training courses designed to suit your needs • Communication strategies • Registered translation services • Other specialist services Contact: Sarah Lawrence (SMS only) 07786704223 sarah@deaf-friendly.co.uk www.deaf-friendly.co.uk
4 • SL First
Twitter @slfirstltd • www.slfirst.co.uk
Family
Mother of a deaf Child
Having a deaf son came as a huge shock to our family. Nathan was born 8 weeks early and weighing only 3lb 9oz most of his tiny body fitted in his dad’s hand. At yearly check-ups doctors were happy that he was developing fine. As a mum you always worry about your child but Nathan was doing well and so I took the reins off slightly and let him live his life. All of his hearing tests at the typical milestones were fine until the age of three when he kept getting ear infections. He had surgery in his left ear when he was 5 and in his right ear aged 7 to remove Cholesteatoma which had destroyed everything in his ears leaving him with severe hearing loss. It’s hard for any mum to see their child go through surgery and all that follows it but I’m thankful to say that this gorgeous little boy is so laid
back. He has a phenomenal ability to lip-read and can lip-read from across the other side of the room. We have recently found out that the Cholesteatoma has returned in the most recently operated ear and so once again this summer he will have more surgery. He is the most amazing character that lets nothing get in his way. His dream is to play football and he would love to have a kick about with the Swans. He also has a muscular and neurological disease called Charcot Marie Tooth inherited from me, meaning that his nerve endings in his hands and feet will eventually stop working, causing him a lot of pain and fatigue, but in our family we just go after our dreams and simply work around the obstacles to achieve our goals. Life is what you make it, and I know Nathan will be just fine.
Delivered to your door..... Now you can enjoy a guaranteed copy of SLFirst delivered direct to your home or work place with our subscription service. The magazine is still “priceless”; it’ll just cost you the postage, meaning you’ll never miss out on a copy. Simply send us an e-mail with your name and address to info@slfirst. co.uk or go to www.slfirst.co.uk and Twitter @slfirstltd • www.slfirst.co.uk
drop us an e-mail though our Contacts page, and one of the team will be in touch. SL First • 5
Psychic, Clairvoyant & Medium
An evening of Psychic, Clairvoyant & Mediumistic Entertainment In
British Sign Language
Monday 30th July 2012 DaVincis CafĂŠ Bar
Commercial Street, Newport ÂŁ8 per person Doors Open 6.30pm Private Readings Group Bookings Tarot Parties Spoken English or BSL
www.davewinterfeld.com
e-mail:dave.winterfeld@hotmail.com
Twitter: PsychicmediumDW Tel / Text: 07899878338
Philip Marshall Complementary Health Practitioner
Health
via SMS and email, always professional, he takes care of my health. He is exceptional - I’ve had lower back pain for years. It is suddenly wonderful to be out of pain”! The best ever!”
City Marshall is located in the heart of Queen Street in Cardiff. It is an oasis of tranquillity and a place to seek out therapeutic massage and many other treatments. They have been voted as the Best Therapeutic Massage practice in Wales by Wahanda.com and the Best Complementary Therapy practice in the UK by FreeIndex.co.uk – reading their many reviews online certainly shows why! They specialise in tailor making each and every treatment session to suit individual needs and stress levels. Treatments range from Shiatsu Acupressure, Reflexology, Sports Therapy to Aromatherapy, Hot Stones massage, Reiki, Crystal Therapy, Hopi Candling and many more! Whichever treatment you opt for, you can be assured of a wealth of therapeutic knowledge and 14 years of professional excellence. Moreover, each client benefits from free access to their spa, sauna and steam rooms as well as use of the gym facilities.
There is a large body of clinical evidence to support the use of Shiatsu massage for many and varied ailments and muscular problems. These range from Fibromyalgia, RSI and Angina to easing Chemotherapy side effects and inducing labour. Research shows that Reflexology helps individuals of all ages with some 78 health concerns ranging from aggressive behaviour in children to urinary concerns of the elderly, Multiple Sclerosis and even PTSD. Aromatherapy is actively promoted by the Cardiff Velindre Cancer Centre and is highly recommended for cases of depression and anxiety. Aromatherapy is beneficial in Child ADD and ADHD as well as easing Children’s sleep problems in Autism. Aromatherapy is also very effective in regulating Diabetes.
SL First has negotiated a generous 20% DISCOUNT for all our readers quoting “SL First” when making a booking.
CONTACT:
Call or Text: 07502 104 339 Email: info@citymarshall.co.uk Website: www.citymarshall.co.uk twitter: @citymarshall Address: City Marshall is located on the First Floor of Vitality Health Club 8-16 Park Place, opposite The Parc Thistle Hotel and next to Henry’s Café Bar Cardiff city centre CF10 3DN see a detailed street map
Sarah’s experience “I can’t say enough about Philip Marshall. The service he provided is the absolute best. Always prompt
Twitter @slfirstltd • www.slfirst.co.uk
SL First • 7
Recipes
Curried Sweet Potato with Sweetcorn & Avocado Salsa Serves 4
350 Calories per serving Prepare 15 mins Cooking time 25–45 mins
Ingredients:
650g sweet potatoes 2 tbsp Tikka Curry Paste Juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp sunflower oil 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint 4 tbsp natural yogurt 195g can essential Waitrose Sweetcorn, drained 1 ripe avocado, stoned, peeled and diced 6 salad onions, chopped
Method:
1 Light the barbecue or preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1cm slices. Mix the curry paste, half the lemon juice, sunflower oil and mint together in a large bowl. Stir in the yogurt and season. 2 Add the sweet potatoes to the curry paste mixture and mix well until coated. Arrange the sweet potato slices on the hot barbecue and cook for 20–25 minutes, turning regularly, until tender. Alternatively, arrange the slices in a single layer in a shallow roasting tin and cook in the oven for 8 • SL First
45 minutes, turning once until golden and cooked through. 3 Make the salsa by combining the remaining ingredients and serve with the potatoes.
Serves 4
Prepare 15 mins Cook 25–45 mins Twitter @slfirstltd • www.slfirst.co.uk
by Heston & Delia
Mango Chutney With Barbecued Lincolnshire Sausages
Serves: 4
312 Calories per serving Preparation time : 10 minutes Cooking time : 20 minutes Total time : 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 large ripe mangoes 2 shallots, finely chopped 3tbsp red wine vinegar 3tbsp light brown muscovado sugar 1tbsp black mustard seeds
Place the mango in a pan with the shallots, vinegar, sugar and mustard seeds. Season, and cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes until tender, adding a splash of water if necessary. Serve the sausages with a generous helping of fresh mango chutney. Cook’s tips Bamboo skewers are liable to burn on a barbecue so remember to soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes before using. Drinks recommendation Badger Golden Champion (500ml), a light pale ale with hints of honey, is a splendid match for this dish.
Method
Preheat the grill or barbecue to a medium heat. Thread the sausages onto 4 pairs of parallel skewers so they look like two rungs on a ladder. Barbecue or grill for 18-20 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through. Meanwhile, hold the mango firmly on a board and slice down either side of the central stone to remove the ‘cheeks’. Place the two sides, flesh side up and score a lattice into the flesh. Gently push out the skin from underneath and cut away the cubes. Remove and dice any flesh still clinging to the stone. SL First • 9
DEVELOPING BSL WEB PAGES Caerphilly County Borough Council has committed to developing a series of BSL web pages, starting later this year. The Council has a number of ideas about what web pages we want to develop, to tell you about the services we think you should know about, but it is just as important that we find out from you what information you need, what is important for you to know - is it about Council Tax, or car parking fines, or refuse collection, or schools information, or leisure facilities? You can help us develop a set of pages that gives you the information you need, so if you have any ideas or suggestions about this work, we’d love to know what you think! You can email your comments to equalities@caerphilly.gov.uk over the summer, by September at the latest, and we’ll include your ideas in the plan to develop these new web pages.
USING BSL AT POLLING STATIONS If you voted at any polling station in Caerphilly county borough in the recent elections, you may have noticed a new poster on display. The Equalities Team and Electoral Services developed the posters to show people going to vote that they could speak Welsh, use BSL, or speak other languages with the polling station staff, but only if those staff had skills in other languages of course! We would be interested to know if anyone saw these posters and whether any of the staff at your polling station were able to use BSL. We’d also like to know what you think about projects like this and whether you feel it raises the profile of BSL users to the wider community. If you have any comments, please email them to :equalities@caerphilly.gov.uk.
SL First • 11
SL First • 11
Travel
by Shane Andrews
My name is Shane and I run a website called RailHelp.co.uk. Having worked in a variety of customer facing roles at train stations across South Wales, I am very aware of the needs the Deaf community. My website is aimed at providing help and impartial advice about anything rail related and to do this in ways that are easily accessible to all. This is achieved by answering queries from the most popular social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and Google+) as well as via website contact and email queries. More information about this can be found on the ‘Social Media’ menu on our website.
During my time in the industry, I have seen more and more stations become better equipped towards the needs of the Deaf community. Almost every station in the UK now has a passenger information screen to inform passengers of arrivals, departures, platform information and delays to trains that are due to call at that station. Once onboard the train, the more modern or recently refurbished trains will have a scrolling information screen showing the stations that the train is due to call at. Modern trains also have visual indications to events such as when doors are due to close, with flashing lights.
I want to draw your attention to a service that I believe to be of real benefit to the Deaf community called TrainTracker™. This service has been created by the National Rail Enquiry service and can provide you with live train running information on journeys within the next 24 hours. It’s really easy to use, you just text your message to 84950 and the automated service will then ‘read’ your SMS message and reply with journey information direct to your mobile phone via SMS. There are 3 ways in which you can use it. I’ll explain the 3 ways and provide 3 examples for each, with a mixture of full station names and smaller short-code station names, to highlight the flexibility of the service. Live Departures information - Cardiff - depart CDF - depart CDF 0930 Live Arrival information - - -
arr CDF arrive Cardiff Central arr CDF 1935
When you receive the reply, here is a key to some of the abbreviations what may be within the message: o o o o (9)
(OK) = On Time (+3m) = Late (3 mins) CAN = Cancelled Plt:9 or P9 = Platform Number
The only downside I can find with the system is that it costs 25p per message, though rest assured you will only be charged for a text which provides you with the arrival or departure information you have requested. If you receive any error or usage messages then these are free of charge.
Although I am personally not Deaf or Hard of Hearing, I use the text message service myself and I find it really useful and very accurate. With most departure or arrival text messages, a platform number is included in the text, which is particularly useful. I hope you find the service useful. Please do visit my website, RailHelp. co.uk for all your rail needs, including purchasing tickets or asking any questions that you may have. You can email me, anytime, via help@ railhelp.co.uk or tweet me via @railhelp.
Local Interpreters & Lipspeakers Miss Sarah Green RSLI & MASLI Tel: 01495270433 Mobile: 07850 439162 Email: sarah.green_interpreter@yahoo.co.uk Ms Cathryn McShane RSLI & MASLI Mobile: 07806 771275 Email: cathryn@bslterp.co.uk www.bslterp.co.uk Mr Karl Jenkins RSLI & MASLI Mobile: 07918 640914 Twitter: @karljinx Email: karl@karljenkins.co.uk Mrs Tracey Pycroft RSLI & MASLI PG Dip. BSL/English Interpreter, NRCPD Registered Lipspeaker Mobile: 07889 065867 Twitter:@tpycroft Email: interpreter@pycroft.co.uk Mr Stephen Brattan-Wilson TI & MASLI Mobile: 07595 844133 Twitter: @stephenbw Email: stephen_bw@me.com
Choosing the best Deaf Phone?
Phones and Apps for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People. I-com is a telecoms consultancy and our entire business is centred around building long lasting relationships with our clients by delivering a customer service experience that is second to none. I-com consists of Cat Johnson and Nicholas Dunbar and we work very well together. Cat is the networker, new business generator and face of i-com while Nick loves to deal with client issues, contracts, renewals and the day to day running of the business. Together they take care of all the customer service, so all clients see or speak to them both on a regular basis. In our company, we ensure we have the correct package to suit your business. Working with Deaf people on finding a new phone contract for them posed a new challenge for us. Most (if not all) didn’t need phone minutes, but needed a higher number of texts and higher data allowance so that they can use applications such as FaceTime to call other people using BSL. This gave us some serious research to do, trying to understand how we can make handsets and tariffs useful for the Deaf community. We have been introduced to apps such as Tango and Oovoo, which are two of the main free apps which offer a video conference service via wi-fi. They allow Deaf people to communicate through mobiles using BSL. 14 • SL First
by Cat Johnson
As always, there is ‘FaceTime’ which is actually built into the IPhone handset. We then tried to put ourselves into a Deaf person’s shoes and thought about what other methods of communication we could use if we couldn’t use the phone to talk. I then found other apps such as Skype, Deaf Note, Facebook Messenger and there’s always Twitter. There is a new app, which is under construction, called ‘Deaftel Wireless’, which allows a hearing person to communicate with a Deaf person. The hearing person speaks into the app and it then translates speech into text. The Deaf person then texts which translates it back into spoken English for the other recipient to hear. We were also introduced to ‘What’s app Messenger’ which is available to download on the App Store. This allows you to exchange messages, pictures, audio notes and video messages through the App at no extra cost for 12 months. There is a similar free App called ‘Viber’, which offers the same service but doesn’t allow you to send video messages. Twitter @slfirstltd • www.slfirst.co.uk
Application Oovo Tango Skype Face Time Facebook Messenger
Apple
* * * * *
Deaf Note What's App Msngr Deaftel Wireless Twitter Facebook SoundAMP R
* * * * *
We have found a British Sign language app on the App Store – it’s very basic, but at least it allows us to learn something where before we knew nothing at all. Once we had found the services available for Deaf people, we then had to find compatible Smartphones to be able to run them. We want to know what handset is best suited to your needs as there are so many now that can run apps. SLFirst also posed another potential issue for some of their readers who are Elderly or Hard of Hearing, as they may only need a handset with amplified sound. We found the perfect handset for this: the ‘Doro Easyphone’. It has larger, user friendly buttons, a larger display screen and also larger text and fonts. It also has a hearing aid compatible loudspeaker, as well as Bluetooth and MMS capabilities. It’s in no way a smartphone but has been specificallydesigned for the Elderly, Hard of Hearing and visually impaired. So, by working alongside SL First, we have improved our knowledge of Smartphones and appropriate apps for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities; this means we can still provide outstanding customer service.
Android
Windows Phone
* * * * * *
*
* * *
* * *
* * *
I-com Solutions Ltd 25, Clarence Street Pontypool Torfaen NP4 6LG SMS: 07528 525190 Email: c.johnson@i-comsolutions.co.uk Web: www.i-com-solutions.co.uk
SL First • 15
Architecture Service
New Build, Renovations and Extensions for Residential, Industrial and Commerical. Planning and Building Regulation Submissions
For further details: Text Darren Upton on: Mobile (SMS): 07734 865284 Email: info@drudesign.co.uk • Website: www.drudesign.co.uk
Want to save m oney?
Join the Club! (over 400,000 people already have)
I
the Club
Save money or get back 'Double the Difference' Save on phones, broadband and energy! Unlimited free calls. One bill for all your utilities
To start saving, contact: Graham de Vall
Text /call 07800 750704
landline 02920 886037
E-mail graham.devall@ecoways.biz www.yousaveyoumake.co.uk Charges, terms and conditions apply. A 'Fair use' policy applies to unlimited free calls. Some benefits available only to customers with 'Gold Status' (ie. customers who apply for four or more main services, and pay by Direct Debit). For full details of the Double the Difference Price Pro m ise se e th e U tility W a re h o use w e b site .
16 • SL First
Twitter @slfirstltd • www.slfirst.co.uk
Summer Garden What do do...... Even though we have had one of the wettest Springs on record, and a wet start to the Summer, we still need to prepare to face the possibility of hose-pipe bans, or a late Summer, over the next few months. While looking at ways of conserving supplies with water buts and still making the most of our gardens, I have discovered a few clever ideas and have a few tips of my own to help us through the glorious season that is Summer. • Choose your planting: Many of us have already started to plant our annual bedding plants. A widely used favourite is the Pelargonium (Geranium). It is amazing at coping with dry periods and thrives with very little moisture. This is due it being originally from Africa. As long as you remove the dead flowers, you will have a fantastic display of colour right up until the first frost. Another great plant is Saxifrage (house leek) which adds ground cover as well as adding colour with their foliage; it changes from green to red over the course of the Summer. The ‘not so humble’ Lavender is also great as it enjoys free draining soil and will recover from the driest of conditions with just a little water. The Bumblebees love it too!
Twitter @slfirstltd • www.slfirst.co.uk
Gardening Tips
• Supplements: If you’ve not planted your containers yet, take a look at some of the moisture control composts that are available. These have built in compounds that store water. Alternatively, you can buy the gel crystals that you can mix into the compost yourself. • Avoid evaporation: My favourite tip for keeping moisture in the soil has to be: use mulch. There are hundreds of different products available. Mulch adds a layer to the soil and keeps the moisture locked in, keeps weeds under control, conditions the soil and gives plants a great backdrop to make them stand out. However, the most important thing to do is to enjoy your garden. Preferably with a cold drink and a copy of this magazine. Enjoy yourself! SL First • 17
Sir Gaerfyrddin Gwasanaeth newydd ar y we ar gyfer trigolion Sir Gaerfyrddin Mae Cyngor Sir Gâr wedi lansio cyfleuter Iaith Arwyddion Prydain newydd ar y we i gyfathrebu gwybodaeth am wasanaethau. Gan weithio mewn partneriaeth â Deaf Friendly Business Solutions a Chymdeithas Gwasanaethau Gwirfoddol Sir Gâr, mae’r cyngor wedi lansio’r fideo cyntaf mewn cyfres a fydd yn cael eu llwytho i fyny i ardal Iaith Arwyddion Prydain ar y wefan. Mae’r clip cyntaf yn anelu at roi cyflwyniad am y cyngor, ei wasanaethau amrywiol a’r cyfleusterau sydd ganddo ar waith i ymgysylltu â’r gymuned b / Byddar. Bydd fideos newydd yn cael eu hychwanegu dros amser, yn dilyn adborth gan y Gymuned. Nododd Philip Lewis, Uwch Ymarferydd gyda Phobl Fyddar,: “Fel Cyngor rydym wedi ymrwymo i hyrwyddo cydraddoldeb a chynhwysiant, a dyna pam yr ydym yn awyddus i ddatblygu adran benodol ar y wefan y gallwn
18 • SL First
ddatblygu gyda chymorth pobl sy’n fyddar neu drwm eu clyw. “Rydym wedi lansio ein fideo cyntaf, ac rydym yn gwahodd rhai aelodau o staff sy’n fyddar i arsylwi a rhoi adborth parhaus. Ein nod yw sicrhau y gall aelodau’r staff chwarae mwy o ran yn y gwaith datblygu.” Mae’r cyngor wedi gweithio gyda Deaf Friendly a Chymdeithas Gwasanaethau Gwirfoddol Sir Gâr i gynhyrchu’r clipiau fideo. Bydd y Grŵp staff ar Anableddau hefyd yn chwarae rôl allweddol wrth benderfynu ar wybodaeth i staff i’w gyhoeddi ar fewnrwyd y Cyngor safle. Mae croeso i aelodau o’r gymuned gysylltu â ni gydag awgrymiadau ar gyfer clipiau fideo at y dyfodol. Anfonwch e-bost at cydraddoldeb@sirgar. gov.uk mailto:cydraddoldeb@sirgar. gov.uk Am ragor o wybodaeth ac i weld y fideo cyntaf, ewch i’r tudalennau Iaith Arwyddion Prydain ar wefan yr awdurdod www.sirgar.gov.uk
Twitter @slfirstltd • www.slfirst.co.uk
Carmarthenshire Council
New web service for Carmarthenshire residents Carmarthenshire County Council has launched a new British Sign Language web facility to communicate information about its services. Working with Deaf Friendly Business Solutions and Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services, the council has just launched its first in a series of videos that will be uploaded to a dedicated British Sign Language area on its website. The first clip aims to give an introduction about the council, its various services and the facilities it has in place to engage with the d/Deaf community. New videos will be added over time, following feedback from the d/Deaf Community. Philip Lewis, Senior Practitioner with Deaf People, said: “As a council we are committed to promoting equality and inclusion, which is why we were keen to develop a dedicated section of the website which we can develop with the help of people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The council has linked up with Deaf Friendly and Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services to produce the video clips. The staff Disability Improvement Group will also play a key role in deciding which information could be developed for staff use and published on the Council’s interanet site. Members of the community are welcome to contact us with suggestions for future video clips. Please send an e-mail to equalities@carmarthenshire. gov.uk For further information and to view the first video, please visit the BSL pages on the authority’s website www. carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Picture below: Sarah Lawrence of Deaf Friendly Business Solutions, with Carmarthenshire County Council officers Beryl Jones and Michael Thomas, as part of the filming of information about services provided by the council
“We have launched our first video, and we invited some members of staff who are deaf to observe and give us ongoing feedback. Our aim is to ensure that staff members can become more involved in the development work” SL First • 19