New EHRC guide to UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities

Commission seeks assurance from Government that the treaty will be fully implemented

A new guide to the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons (UNCRDP) has been published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission today.

The Commission's guide will help disabled people to know what their rights are and how to use them. It will help people to challenge injustices and improve services for themselves and others and will help organisations understand what their responsibilities are.

The Convention, which was signed by the UK Government last year, sets out disabled peoples basic rights in one place. It covers health, education, employment, access to justice, personal security, independent living and access to information.

The UN convention also describes what the Government has agreed to do to make these rights real. It has until next July to report back to the UN on its progress on this agreement. The Commission's guide also sets out how organisations can report to the UN.

Mike Smith, Chair of the commission's Disability Committee, said:

"The UK signed up to this treaty just over a year ago and we will continue to work with the government to make sure that it is implemented fully.

"The Convention is not just a paper 'declaration' without any teeth. It requires government to take action to remove barriers and give disabled people real freedom, dignity and equality. We can use it in lots of different ways to make sure our rights are respected and to get a better deal.

"Our role is to ensure Britain makes rapid progress towards making the Convention rights a reality for disabled people. You and your organisation can get involved in telling people about these rights. The more people who know what the Convention says, the more likely it is that disabled people will be treated fairly."

Copies of the Commission's guide are available to download from its website at: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/UNCRPDguide.

Printed copies of the guide can also be ordered via the Commission's helpline, either by telephone or textphone: -
England: Telephone: 08456 046 610 Textphone: 08456 046 620
Scotland: Telephone: 08456 045 510 Textphone: 08456 045 520
Wales: Telephone: 08456 048 810 Textphone: 08456 048 820

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'Got Talent' contestant sues Simon Cowell for discrimination

A lawsuit in the U.K. aptly demonstrates the victim mentality that liberals on both sides of The Pond have injected into society.

Simon Cowell and his television program are being sued for $3.8 million by a former contestant that had appeared on the U.K. version of Cowell's "Got Talent" show.

Emma Amelia Pearl Czikai appeared on a May 2009 episode of "Britain's Got Talent."

Part of her claim is that she was humiliated and degraded on the program, which is what most folks think Cowell is getting paid the big bucks to do in his role as curmudgeon judge.

The most intriguing part of Czikai's complaint, though, is a claim of discrimination. The reality show participant filed the charge with the employment tribunal along with her other allegations.

Czikai, represented herself in a pre-trial review that took place at the central London tribunal court. After accusing Cowell's show of "exploitation, humiliation, degradation and barbarism," she additionally accused the program of disability discrimination.

The former nurse told the court that she has a condition called cervical spine neuritis, which may cause head and shoulder pain, and claimed that her condition detrimentally affected her singing.

Czikai further claimed that the reality show failed to make adjustments for her disability, such as turning down the level of the accompaniment and lowering the microphone volume.

Sounding like Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and myriad of other U.S. Democrat pols, she said, "This program makes a select number of rich people very, very rich on the backs of the ordinary man and woman in the street through exploitation, humiliation, degradation and a re-emergence of modern-day barbarism with all its inherent cruelty."

Who knows where this might lead. Liberals may soon be clamoring for reality show reform, which would no doubt be passed against the will of the fans.

Examiner.com

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Glover hails J'can tour by disabled UK cricketers

THE current three-match tour by the United Kingdom's (UK) Pirates disabled cricket team to Jamaica is a positive move which everybody benefits, said Graham Glover, Deputy British High Commissioner to Jamaica.

"This is 'win win' for every one involved," Glover told the Observer on Tuesday, as both teams put on a demonstration on the lawns of the British High Commission on Trafalgar Road.

Graham Glover, Deputy British High Commissioner to Jamaica (right), tries to negotiate a delivery during a demonstration match between the UK Pirates and Jamaican Crusaders on the lawns of the British High Commission. Looking on are some of the disabled players. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

Graham Glover, Deputy British High Commissioner to Jamaica (right), tries to negotiate a delivery during a demonstration match between the UK Pirates and Jamaican Crusaders on the lawns of the British High Commission. Looking on are some of the disabled players. (Photo: Joseph Wellington) 1/1

 

"This is about the development of young people... with disadvantages which most of us are fortunate not to have to endure. But the talent that you have seen here... shows just what people with all sorts of disabilities, whether it be visual, physical or whether learning difficulties, are able to do and it's inspiring," he noted.

Glover added: "The parents from the UK and local parents came out and that's what it's all about -- to get the kind of links that we're seeing here today between the Jamaican teams and the team from the UK. I mean that is going on all the time and it is equally important that we see it in this area as well.

"When you talk some of the persons from the UK, they will never forget and even the local players that played at Melbourne yesterday (Monday), it is the first time for them to be playing on an historic Jamaican cricketing venue and that meant a lot to them as well.

"We have to 'big up' the Chase organisation and Courtney Walsh for what they're doing here with a whole range of cricketing iniative in the UK and across Jamaica," said Glover, who went to the batting crease and failed to make impact swinging a ball from one of the physically-challenged cricketers.

In the two matches played so far in their three-match LIME Disability Cricket Twenty20 Series, the Jamaican Blind Cricket team has won both encounters.

In the first game on Sunday at Mona Hockey Field's astro-turf, the Jamaican Crusaders won by six wickets with Dennol Shim banging 113 not out, inclusive of 25 fours and a six in Jamaica's winning total of 209-4. Gregory Stewart contributed 50.

Earlier, the Pirates made 204-5 off their allotted 20 overs with Ryan Jones hitting 76 not out and Joel Robinson 50.

In the second match on Monday at Melbourne Oval, Jamaica's Crusader won easily by nine wickets with Gregory Stewart getting 38 not out.

Bethan Evans, cricket coach of the Pirates, said it was a tough series and her young team was beaten by a very good Jamaican team.

"We have unfortunately lost both games, which I am gutted about, but my team has done fantastically well and it is a very young team playing against a very experienced team which beat Australia not very long ago," she told the Observer.

She added: "It's a very good team we played against and to get 200 in the first game was fantastic and our effort in the second game was phenomenal as well."

However, there was better luck for the Pirates as they clinched the series 2-0 in the mixed disability team (physical and learning disability).

Blind cricket is a version of the sport of cricket adapted for blind and partially sighted players. So far, three Blind World Cups have been held in New Delhi, India (1998); Chennai, India (2002) and Islamabad, Pakistan (2006). The sport has been played since the 1920s.

The rules of blind cricket are based on the standard Laws of cricket with some essential modifications.

In terms of playing equipment, the major adaptation is the ball, which is significantly larger than a standard cricket ball and filled with ball bearings. The size allows partially sighted players to see the ball and the contents allow blind players to hear it.

The wicket (stumps) is also larger, to allow partially sighted players to see and blind players to touch it in order to correctly orient themselves when batting or bowling.

Various other modifications to the rules apply. Verbal signals are widely used both by umpires and players: in particular, the bowler must shout 'Play!' as he releases the ball.

The delivery is required to pitch at least twice when bowled to a completely blind batsman (once when bowled to a partially sighted batsman), but must not be rolling.

Totally blind batsmen cannot be out stumped, and must be found to be LBW twice before going out. Totally blind fielders are allowed to take a catch on the bounce.

Jamaica Observer

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Snap Shot Report of targeted hostility

 

We are pleased to announce to our readers the publication today of the UKDPC's 'Snap Shot Report of targeted hostility towards disabled people in UK'.

This report highlights cases of targeted hostility towards disabled people in the UK, and focuses on hate crimes carried out within a period of three months.

UKDPC believes such attacks against disabled people are increasing at a time of recession, and huge social and political change.

We have submitted this report to the EHRC as part of their formal Inquiry into disability related harassment.

Please click on the links below to read the report and our press release in full.

 Press Release on Snap Shot Report of targeted hostility against disabled people in the UK.

Snap Shot Report of targeted hostility against disabled people in the UK.

 

UKDPC Site

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Disabled people 'face savage onslaught' from benefit cuts

Disabled people face "one of the most savage onslaughts" on their livelihoods in many years due to coalition welfare reforms, a leading disability campaigner has warned on his retirement.

John Knight, who steps down today as director of policy and campaigns at Leonard Cheshire Disability, said plans to reassess all incapacity benefit claimants on their fitness to work and introduce medical assessments for disability living allowance could reverse "a decade of relative progress" in opportunities for disabled people.

Incapacity benefit claimants assessed as fit to work will lose up to £25 a week in benefits and face tougher requirements to seek work, while the government estimates introducing medical assessments for new and existing disability living allowance claimants will cut caseloads by 20%. Knight, who is disabled himself, said he feared the government could go even further in making welfare cuts for the disabled in the comprehensive spending review, which will set public spending limits for 2011-15 and decide the future of the Independent Living Fund.

Chancellor George Osborne has said there would be a trade-off between making cuts to services and further welfare cuts. Knight said: "When the government comes to see it can't realise the savings from services that it wants to make it will go back again to the welfare reform budget and hit the poorest."

Knight vowed he would "not be silent" on this issue. He is retiring after 16 years at Leonard Cheshire on health grounds, though will retain roles on the board of the Charity Commission and as a magistrate.

He said career highlights included building up the charity's policy function "from scratch" and setting up campaign action groups to help disabled people lobby on local issues.

Knight also cited his spell on the board of the Commission for Social Care Inspection from 2004-9, under chair Denise Platt, during which "service users were central to everything we did".

Community Care

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Children Today Charitable Trust

Children Today is a charity in the UK that helps provide aid and special equipment to children with disabilities who would not otherwise be able to afford the help they need.  An incredible organization that is breaking new ground in terms of helping children in the UK and Ireland, Children Today is at once educational and inspiring.  I spoke with Regional Fundraising Manager Emma Fawcett to learn more about them.


Love + Water- How did Children Today Charitable Trust begin? 


Emma Fawcett- Our founder was Mr. Hugh McCaw. Hugh spent many years working in the voluntary sector, primarily for children's charities.  Around 16 years ago he identified that there was a gap in provision for disabled children and young people in the UK and established Children Today to meet that need.  Specialist equipment and aids enable disabled children and young people to experience the everyday things that we all do, often for the first time in their lives.  Whether it's a walking frame to help them take their first steps outside or a powered wheelchair enabling them to join their family on a walk, it can literally change their life overnight.  

Holly has a genetic disorder that affects her development causing malformed hands, feet and head, and needed special safe play equipment for her to exercise and develop.

L+W- It is amazing that children in need would have a hard time acquiring the equipment they need.


EF- Yes, and it is easy to assume that a child with a disability would automatically get the equipment they need.  Sadly, this is not the case.  This is where Children Today can help.  We provide grants for specialised equipment to improve, assist and enhance the lives of children and young people with disabilities.  Many families are unable to get the help they need from health and local authorities for major items related to their child's disabilities such as equipment or home adaptations.  This means that many families have no alternative but to purchase the items themselves, if they can afford it, and if not they can come to us for help.

This is Luke who has severe cerebral palsy and only has very limited motor control of one hand.  We joined with other organisations to fund this amazing wheelchair that allows him to get around the house and outside, take himself to school, and even stand up, all controlled by a small lever he can manage.

L+W- What role do you play in the organization? 


EF- I am a Regional Fundraising Manager.  As we are such a small charity we only have two RFM's so I have responsibility for fundraising across the southern half of the UK and N. Ireland.  This mostly involves running fundraising events around the country, managing relationships with corporate supporters and community organisations and encouraging our supporters to take on fundraising challenges for us such as climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro or running the London Marathon.  However, because we are so small it also means that I am not removed from the service provision side of the organisation.  I often meet the children and their families and get to see first hand the difference that the right equipment can make to a child.

Joe is autistic and has very limited vision. He needed a special safe trike that can be managed by his parents but still give him exercise. He was so excited when it arrived he wouldn't even wait to put on his shoes before running out to try it

L+W- What are some of the programs Children Today offers?

EF- We offer guidance and support for families through the process of identifying the need for specialised equipment for their child, choosing the correct equipment and then provide grants to fund the purchase.  We provide ongoing support as families can come back to us every year with new requests as their child's needs change.

Gabriella has cerebral palsy and needs very specific support and safety mechanisms in her car seat. It also swivels so she can be easily lifted in and out which will become more and more important as she grows.

L+W- What is the most moving moment you've had so far with Children Today? 


EF- There have been many as you can imagine.  Seeing the difference that we can make to a child and their family is often very moving.  One that I particularly treasure was meeting a little girl called Nasreen.  Nasreen was a happy healthy 8 yr old when she suddenly had a stroke.  Two years on, she had recovered fairly well but has been left hemiplegic, paralysed down one side.  One day at the beginning of the summer, Nasreen was watching her brother and sisters playing outside and she asked her mother if she could ride her bike with them again.  Of course, she couldn't and she just had to sit and watch.  So her mother asked us for help and we funded a specialised tricycle with supportive seating, safety braking and other features.  I have never seen a smile quite like Nasreen's when she rode her new tricycle and could play with her brother and sisters again.

Nasreen

L+W- Is there anything else people should know about this organization?

EF- We welcome anyone who is interested in getting involved with our organization.  People can help either by getting involved in our events or by directly donating.  We receive no statutory funding and are entirely reliant on voluntary donations.  There are 390,000 disabled people under the age of 16 in the UK with 100,000 of them having more than one disability.  There is no statutory right for young people with disabilities to be provided with the equipment they need by the Government or the NHS, so the work we do is an extremely powerful aid for children in need.

Tomas is a 14yr old with cerebral diplegia confining him to a wheelchair. Tomas needed a very lightweight wheelchair to be able to independently get himself around at his school which covers a large campus area and also to travel with his friends.

To find out more, contact Emma directly: emma@childrentoday.org.uk 
Visit Children Today's site: www.childrentoday.org.uk 
Follow Children Today on Twitter: @childrentoday
Join Children Today's Facebook Page

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Get out of jail free?

Today the BBC reported that Two escape from Argentine jail guarded by dummy! The report went on to say that due to a lack of funds only two out of their 15 guard towers were occupied at any given time. And, here is the 'deal breaker' (when I knew this is the best story I was going to read all day) they put a football with a prison officer's cap in a third, to create the illusion of an extra guard.

Sooner or later it all comes down to money, which has me thinking about benefits and the Government's October comprehensive spending review. For sure there are tough times ahead and everyone is going to feel the pinch and nobody is going to get out of jail free. It's easy to say we have to make cuts, but its much harder to live with the consequences of what this means in practice. If we take one crucial benefit - Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - which was created to cover the extra cost associated with living with a disability. If you are a wheelchair user you might need to employ someone to change a lightbulb or someone whose dexterity is impaired might need to buy pre-prepared food at a higher cost. It's very hard to see how those two imperatives can work in tandem.  

We know the storm clouds of belt tightening are gathering and while the pond is only rippling now it's a fair bet to assume it will become increasingly turbulent in the coming months. Whenever amending/cutting/means testing/reducing DLA is discussed by politicians the level of fear is palpable - and that's just from people who call the press office instead of Scope Response, our information and advice line. Oh yeah, DLA isn't a not-for-work or out-of-work benefit - and it never has been!

Where does that leave us - or more importantly - people for whom DLA is a lifeline? If you consider that the level of fraud associated with DLA overpayment is less than 1% (check out the Department of Work and Pension's full stats) I have to wonder where the fat is going to be trimmed from. If DLA bill is reduced by means testing how are some of my colleagues going to afford to get themselves ready in the morning for work, eat decent food, heat their homes, work and pay taxes? But, nothing is set in stone, we don't know how, where and by how much at this present moment in time.

We do know - like a lag guarded by a football - that the current situation will change. Where does that leave a press officer in a large disability charity? Unlike some rather statuesque Argentine prison officers the next few months are going to be busy and we have to guard against the further marginalisation of disabled people in society. 

One final thing - if you would like to share with the media how important DLA (or any other benefit) is for you (you would need to be photographed and named) please get in touch on 020 7619 7702 or press-pr@scope.org.uk

Scope

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Getting level crossings law on track

Level crossings present the largest single risk of catastrophic train accident in Great Britain.

In a consultation launched today, the Law Commissions of England and Wales and of Scotland are seeking views on how the legislative framework governing the use, management and, where appropriate, closure of level crossings can be improved and safety risks reduced.

Regulators, owners and operators of Britain's 8,000 level crossings who want to modernise crossings and enhance safety struggle to do so within a framework of laws that are outdated, complex and hard to understand.

The Commissions have examined the legislative framework covering level crossings from the widest angle, reviewing the laws that govern health and safety, highways and roads, land, planning, crime and disability discrimination, as well as railway law. They are keen to hear comments on topics such as rights of way, access to land, signage and disability issues, as well as ideas on how to encourage greater collaboration among those with an interest in level crossings.

The aim is to recommend reforms that will create:

• more efficient and cost-effective ways of operating, modernising and, where appropriate, closing crossings,
• a better, more coherent safety regime,
• greater balance between the interests of rail and road users, and
• modern solutions for regulating risk.

Sir James Munby, the Chairman of the Law Commission, said: "It is no longer appropriate that the legal framework for level crossings should be based on 19th century private legislation. We need to find ways of bringing level crossing law into line with modern legislation."

Professor George Gretton of the Scottish Law Commission added: "The law of level crossings may be an obscure branch of the law, but level crossings cause very real problems both for the railways and for road users, vehicular and non-vehicular. Until now the law has never been subject to a general review. This gives us an opportunity to put the law into a satisfactory shape. We very much hope to hear the views of individuals and organisations about what the law should look like in the future."

The Commissions seek responses by 30 November 2010. The consultation paper, "Level Crossings", can be found on the Law Commissions' websites at:

http://www.lawcom.gov.uk/level_crossings.htm and
http://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/html/discussion_papers.php

RAC

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Liberty Festival, 4th September

The Liberty Festival is an annual event at Trafalgar Square, celebrating the contribution of Deaf and disabled people to London's culture.

Sports and Arts

Working with visual artist Rachel Gadsden and Wheelpower from Stoke Mandeville, an area celebrating collaboration between sport and the arts.

Aerial Zone 

A programme of aerial and circus performances, including Amici Dance Theatre and Cirque Nova.
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Street Arts

A programme of performances including Kazzum, Epic Arts, Rhinestone Rollers and Chutney.

Children's Zone

This year's activities will have an "up in the air' theme with an Icarus character helping participants to harness the power of the wind as they enter a 'Windy Wonderland" area of wind machines, fabric and sound. The Children's Zone will also include installation work by disabled artists from Arteast. Curated by Emergency Exit Arts. 

Cabaret and Comedy

A cabaret and comedy programme will take place in a dome tent programmed by Hazel Humphreys. Proposed artists include Francesca Martinez, Steve Day, Liz Carr, Mat Fraser, Cooltan Poets and Keith Currie.

Music

A music stage at the foot of Nelson's Column with performances by Yunioshi and Orpheus Centre plus three exciting young bands produced by Heart 'n Soul - The Fish Police, KDNA and Lizzie Emeh. Also extracts from Reasons to be Cheerful; Graeae's new musical theatre production set during a time of political change with Ian Dury's songs providing a powerful emotional backdrop.

Everyone is welcome and everything has been organised to be accessible and inclusive. Programme may be subject to change. Look out for further updates in July and August.

Liberty Festival is looking forward to 2012 and collaboration with 'Unlimited', LOCOG's disability arts, sports and culture programme.

Access information

Liberty welcomes everyone and is organised to be inclusive and accessible. A range of facilities and services are available on the day, including:

• Disability awareness trained stewards
• Programmes in different formats
• BSL interpretation and audio description
• Induction loops at information points
• Wheelchair loan service
• Free TfL Dial a Ride bus from Westminster Tube station to Trafalgar Square
• Free parking nearby for blue badge holders (bookable in advance only, email:liberty@london.gov.uk)

For more details, see the Liberty Festival access information page

Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/Liberty.Festival.London
Website: www.london.gov.uk/liberty

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Seeing disability differently

The Creative Self Help Centre is a community organisation in Papua New Guinea supporting people with disabilities. Youth for Development volunteer Laura Carse, who is herself visually impaired, spent a year raising awareness of the centre's crucial work and challenging attitudes towards disability. 

Your first big achievement was organising a National Disability Day celebration.  Was it a success?

National Disability Day had always been really low key because my colleagues didn't think people were interested in disability, but they wanted to raise awareness so I asked them, "why not try?". At first they didn't believe that they could do it but in the end, the day was bigger than we'd ever expected. 

We got 21 disability organisations involved; we had a bamboo band with hearing impaired students singing a song they'd written about promoting disability. We had five sing-sing groups (traditional dancing and drumming) and the local church choir. Even a local super-star called Kanege wanted to get involved. It was fantastic. 

How did your work change attitudes in Papua New Guinea?

People with disabilities are wrapped up in cotton wool - "we'll do everything for you, I'll do your shopping, you can't possibly carry that bag."  And that means they forget what they can do for themselves.
I wanted to get two girls who were hearing impaired on the radio, but their teachers told me, "they can't talk on the radio - they're deaf". But by the end of the year the girls were on the radio - they had signed and their teachers had interpreted for them. The radio interviewer couldn't believe it and she actually came to the conclusion herself that it's society that makes people disabled. She realised that it's not that the girls can't talk on the radio, it's a case of society not catering for them to talk on the radio. That was really powerful.

Were you also involved in work around more practical issues, such as accessibility?

Ten disabled service users and I undertook a research project, looking at the level of accessibility at 20 local organisations.  We came up with questions such as, what's the floor like?  What's the entrance like?  What's the exit like? To start with people were pointing and whispering because they'd never seen people with white canes or in wheelchairs, but by the end of the project it was like "oh hi!". One immediate outcome of the research was that Madang market had wheelchair ramps fitted.

What a great result.  Do you think the research will be used more widely?

I presented the research at the national disability conference, and the Department Of Community Development asked if they could take it to the Asia Pacific community development conference in Bangkok to demonstrate what steps Papua New Guinea are taking for people with disabilities. The research is now being taken to all the other provinces in Papua New Guinea to encourage them to make the changes that Madang province has.

VSO (UK)

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Sex offender appointment leads to closure of website for disabled

Funding withdrawn after Hampshire Coalition of Disabled People refused to carry out Criminal Records Bureau checks on its chief executive

An innovative website set up with £1.3m of public money to help disabled and older people has closed because of the actions of the charity that ran it.

Equipmentdirect.org.uk was considered to be an example of effective cross-sector working when it was launched in 2007 by the Hampshire Coalition of Disabled People, an umbrella organisation controlled by disabled people.

HCODP received £1.1m to develop Equipmentdirect.org.uk from the Invest to Save Budget, a Treasury and Cabinet Office initiative to improve public services, between 2003 and 2006. It also received £80,000 from Hampshire County Council and £90,000 from the now defunct Blackwater Valley & Hart Primary Care Trust.

But early last year, HCODP employed as its chief executive a man who had been sentenced in 1993 to two years in prison for a sex offence. The council asked the charity to carry out Criminal Records Bureau checks on him, as required in its funding conditions.

But it refused, so the council halted its funding and took down the website, which it had hosted. Prospective funding from other councils then failed to materialise and Equipmentdirect.org.uk closed last year.

Together with Southampton City Council, Hampshire County Council also reported HCODP to the Charity Commission, which opened a statutory inquiry.

The commission reported its findings last month without identifying the charity or the trustees and chief executive. It said it was prevented from publishing names by its obligations under the Data Protection Act and the Human Rights Act.

The report revealed that the commission suspended the chief executive before he eventually resigned in November last year, and ordered the charity to appoint new trustees.

It also summarised the charity's reasons for declining CRB checks, which are intended to protect children and vulnerable people: the trustees did not accept that the disabled people who used its services were 'vulnerable' because of their disabilities, it said.

The report did not include details of the Invest to Save Budget grant or other funding, which were brought to Third Sector's attention by an informant who wanted to remain anonymous. The informant said she and others were concerned by the waste of public money. "This was an excellent service that failed because of the actions of a weak board," she said.

She added: "If it had come out that the council was funding an organisation working with vulnerable adults, and potentially with children, that refused to do CRB checks and employed a convicted sex offender, there would have been an outcry."

The commission report did not mention that the former chief executive was fined in 2000 for an offence of obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception, even though this offence was mentioned in a letter from the commission to the former chief executive when it suspended him.

Ian Loynes, treasurer of HCODP, declined to comment when contacted by Third Sector, as did chair Hazel Peasley, who is on sick leave. The former chief executive also declined to comment. His solicitor asked for his name not to be published on the grounds that it could threaten his safety.

Felicity Hindson, Hampshire County Council's executive member for adult social care, said the authority had withdrawn funding as soon as it discovered the charity had breached its contract.

A Treasury spokesman said an evaluation of the project showed that money awarded for the initial three-year start-up period had been "used as intended". He said that from that point onwards the project was expected to secure sustainable funding.

A commission spokeswoman said: "We cannot comment on any information that is not in the inquiry report."

WHAT DID THE WEBSITE DO?

Equipmentdirect.org.uk was a project to help disabled and older people to find and rate equipment that enabled them to live independently.

It also enabled them, or their carers, to fill in online forms requesting an assessment of their needs from their local social services departments.

The website was conceived as a Hampshire-wide project, but it was hoped that statutory agencies elsewhere would later pay fees to use the self-referral service, making the site sustainable.

The Treasury supported the project because it brought together public and voluntary sector organisations in a project led by disabled people.The Treasury evaluation in 2007 said: "The project has proved that the statutory and voluntary sectors can work together effectively to meet a common goal and save public money."

HCODP received £1.1m  from the Invest to Save Budget, a Treasury and Cabinet Office initiative, to develop Equipmentdirect.org.uk

ThirdSector

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Happiness Heros

 

Who are Happiness Heroes?

We want to celebrate the people and organisations, and in particular mental health practitioners, who make a positive difference to the lives of people with autism. So we're collecting stories about Happiness Heroes - people who have helped someone with autism to be healthy and happy.

A Happiness Hero might be a clinical psychologist, a teacher, someone from Brownies, a youth group worker, a football coach or someone at the local church. It might also be a company or venue that's been really helpful to you.

Our first Happiness Heroes

Nominees so far include singer/actor Keith Duffy, nine-year-old Jaymes Shoreman and our very own Old Barn Cottages service in East Anglia. Find out more.

How do I nominate someone?

Just complete our online form to tell us who you are, who you're nominating and why. You can decide whether or not you want to give us your permission to publish your story in future.

What happens after that?

As soon as you nominate someone, they are a Happiness Hero. We will read your nomination and post you a certificate to give to your Happiness Hero if you want to. If you don't receive your certificate straight away, don't worry - you will get one. We'll be sending them out in batches to help us manage the volume of nominations, so it may take a while to post it out to you.

We'll choose a range of stories that we'd like to publish, so we may contact you to ask if we can use some or all of your story to promote this campaign and our work through local media. We may also choose some stories to publish on our website.

National Autistic Society

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DON'T MISS NAIDEX SOUTH

Naidex South, the new event for independent living, takes place at ExCeL London, September 29th & 30th. With no other disability event in London and the South East, this two day show is one not to be missed.

There will be something for everyone. For healthcare professionals there is the CPD accredited seminar programme, supported by the COT and Healthcare Professionals Council as well as the opportunity to attend Primary Care Live, the leading forum with a choice of 20 conference streams, co-located with Naidex South. 

With over 90 exhibitors showing everything from the latest in independent living aids, mobility equipment, furniture, and clothing to communication equipment, visitors to Naidex South are sure to find it a fantastic and worthwhile day out. Visit the Car Zone supported by Mobilise, and see many of the UK's leading vehicle converters including Lewis Reed and Sirus who will be showcasing their latest vehicles and answering your questions. The Communication Village will be home to companies such as BT, Sky, Q.E.D and RNID, displaying the most innovative developments in assistive technology.
 
Within KideQuip children with disabilities, their family and carers can talk to leading manufacturers of paediatric equipment such as Chunk and Tomcat.  Go Kids Go will be holding fun training sessions in this area, teaching basic wheelchair skills, dance sessions and games. Parents can join in too!

Put Naidex South in your diary today! Register for FREE entry at www.naidexsouth.com quoting Priority Code ER3

About Naidex South
Dates: 29th – 30th September
Venue: ExCeL London
Opening Times: 29th September: 10.00am – 5.00pm, 30th September: 10.00am – 4.00pm
FREE registration is available at www.naidexsouth.com quoting priority code ER3

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Congolese street-band 'amazed' by international stardom

 

In just one year Congolese band Staff Benda Bilili has swapped performing on the dusty streets of Kinshasa to the international limelight and some of Europe's biggest stages.

"We are very happy," says Coco Ngambali Yakala - or Coco - a guitarist and a vocalist who suffered from polio at a young age.

"We travel all around and we take the plane all the time. And it's just amazing."

The band is unique not only because of the style of their music but also because of who they are - disabled and homeless musicians from the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo.
"We have a very busy schedule right now," adds Theophile Nsituvuidi Nzonza - or Theo - another vocalist and guitarist in a wheelchair.
"Even before starting the band, we knew this might happen - we had faith in our abilities."
Staff Benda Bilili has mastered the technique of combining the tales of brutal hardship and street life with the rhythms and melodies jazz and blues.

Theo doesn't sleep on streets any more but is still waiting to buy his own house

One review described their sound as "a curious mix of Afro-Rumba, Latin Rhythms and rich vocal harmonies".
This summer they have more than 50 stage commitments from Canada to Europe to Asia, including China and Japan. They are clearly a band on the move.
But Staff Benda Bilili wants to move even further and leave behind the poverty and hardship that dominated their lives.
"We don't have to live in the street," says Theo, who is still waiting to experience the more tangible benefits of the critical acclaim and international recognition that the band now enjoys.
"We are looking forward to the time when we will actually be able buy our own house," he says. "That is something we are still waiting for."
The band's name roughly translates as "Look Beyond Appearances". Five of the group's eight members are polio survivors. On stage most of them perform in wheelchairs or on crutches.
In their early days in Kinshasa they used to be seen riding improvised tricycles to move around.
"We were trying to make some money every night playing together," remembers Coco.
At the end of each day the men would leave their daily jobs as cigarette vendors, electricians or goods trader and play in front of restaurants frequented by westerners to earn some extra cash.
"All the white people who go to these restaurants, they would give out cash when they've eaten and drunk well," Coco adds. "We were there outside these restaurants to get some money from these happy people."
"Our music is really joyous. Whenever we played, people will start dancing and be full of joy," adds Theo.
This is when they were first noticed by a Belgian record producer who established them as a band by producing Tres Tres Fort, their first album. It was recorded outside at the Kinshasa Zoo, where the band used to hang around and practice their music.
They say that is when their lives started to change: "We slept in the streets. But now we play lots of music and with the European tour there have been lots of changes."

Coco loves flying from one concert venue to another

Staff Benda Bilili is now in France after spending several days in UK taking part in the Glastonbury and Womad music festivals.
Despite a very busy international schedule, the band has squeezed in a few dates to perform in their own country this summer. And now they are not just any other street musician.
"Whenever we return to Kinshasa everyone is very happy," says Coco.
"When we roll around on our wheelchairs they greet us and say: 'Oh you are a star, you are a star, everybody is happy for us."
Theo, however, is thoughtful of the street musicians who didn't make it big like them.
"I don't know what goes on in other people's hearts," he says. "It could be that some people are a bit envious."
The band genuinely believe there is a role for them to play in helping others on the streets. "We want to encourage them to do music and earn their own living," says Theo.
"Our project is to have our own families and our own homes. But we also want to help other disabled people and create a social care centre for them."
Disabled people in Kinshasa currently have very little help.
The group had been singing about social issues even before its international recognition. One of their songs urging people to vote was used during the elections by the UN.
According to their record company, the band never received any royalty payment for the song despite several requests.
But the matter now seems to be a blip in the story of Staff Benda Bilili rather than the question of chasing money they needed to buy food it once was.
"The only thing is, you carry on and never lose hope," believes Theo. "It's never too late in life to do something new."
BBC News

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Prolong The Lifespan Of Your Hearing Aid Batteries

According to The Royal National Institute for Deaf People, there are in total 8,945,000 deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK. For many people, the recommended solution by their audiologist or GP is to use a type of micro-computer to enhance external sound, called a hearing aid.

 

These micro-computers run on batteries which are likely to last anywhere between 4 week to 6 weeks depending on the type and amplification of the device. Therefore, if you are able to extend their use, you will be saving thousands of pounds over the lifespan of the aid.

 

Tips To Prolong The Lifespan Of Your Hearing Aid Batteries:

 

1. Pay attention to their shelf life - This refers to the time an inactive battery can be stored before it becomes unusable. Make sure that the battery which you have bought is still within its calendar life. If you purchase from a reputable source, such as a busy high street or online seller, their rapid turnover will almost guarantee that only new stock goes on the shelves.

 

2. Be sensible - When the device is not in use, switch it off. There are certain activities where you should not wear a hearing aid, such as sleeping, swimming, bathing etc. By switching off the device, you will greatly extend the battery's life. You will also likely to prevent damaging the device due to excessive moisture.

 

3. Avoid exposing the device to extreme conditions - Certain temperatures, either too hot or too cold might expedite the depletion of the battery. Keep the device indoors when it is not in use at room temperature.

 

4. Use dedicated hearing aid batteries - There are number of hearing aid batteries manufacturers such as Rayovac whose batteries are designed for hearing aids, and for optimising performance and longevity.

 

5. Minimise use of extra settings - To maximise battery life, only use the settings you really need. Limit the times you switch between settings and only use the settings you were recommended to use.

 

Despite your best attempts, the battery might lose power when you need it the most. It is therefore recommended to always carry extra hearing aid batteries with you to avoid losing your hearing at critical times.

 

A Guide by hearing aids sellers, hearingdirect.com

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Patients with stroke symptoms 'wait too long for treatment'

PATIENTS with symptoms of stroke are missing out on life- saving operations because they fail to recognise the signs, and even if they do, they are routinely treated as low-priority cases in the NHS, a UK surgical audit has claimed.

Its research has shown stroke sufferers in Scotland face a postcode lottery when it comes to hitting vital referral and treatment deadlines.

The UK Audit of Vascular Surgical Services and Carotid Endarterectomy has prompted surgeons to call for an urgent review of vascular services.

Ensuring high-risk patients are fast-tracked into hospital, would, it claims, avoid hundreds of needless deaths every year.

However, it says a lack of public awareness of the symptoms of transient ischemic attack (TIA), or mini stroke, combined with poor professional understanding of treatment and referral options, means that, instead of being treated as emergency cases at the first sign of symptoms, thousands of patients are waiting weeks or sometimes months for an operation that may be of no benefit by that time.

The operation, called a carotid endarterectomy, should be carried out within 48 hours and no longer than 14 days after symptoms appear.

The figures show that, while Scotland's NHS boards were, on average, either on a par with or better than the rest of the UK in hitting these targets, a breakdown of local performance revealed a patchier picture.

The audit, commissioned by the Vascular Surgical Society and carried out at the Royal College of Physicians, said there was "irrefutable evidence" that patients who show symptoms were at risk of having a severe stroke if they did not receive surgery to the neck arteries as soon as possible.

Rod Chalmers, consultant vascular surgeon at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary - part of NHS Lothian, which returned consistently high treatment scores - said communication across hospitals and surgeries was key to speedy treatment.

"In Lothian some years ago, we went to great pains to hasten the referral," he said. "When a patient is first seen by stroke physicians and if it's in their own hospital that's ideal, because they come to us the same day and are operated on within a few days. But if it is another hospital that the patient is first seen, obviously there can be delays, and we're always keen to improve on that."

Mr Chalmers said there had been a step-change in the amount of work being done to make sure stroke services were available to respond as quickly as possible, but that further work had to be done to make the public aware of the spectrum of symptoms for a stroke.

David Clark, chief executive of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said of the figures: "The Scottish Action Plan for Heart Disease and Stroke has already highlighted the need for improvements in carotid endarterectomy services. This report shows that there is still much to be done in Scotland, as in the rest of the UK, as these improvements will save lives and reduce disability."

WARNING SIGNS

THE symptoms of having a stroke can vary greatly - from as minor as numbness in a patient's hand to loss of consciousness.

The main stroke signs occur in the person's face arms and speech.

Their face may have fallen on one side, and the sufferer may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have drooped.

They may not be able to raise both arms and keep them aloft because of arm weakness or numbness. These symptoms may be accompanied by slurred speech and difficulty speaking.

Other signs can include dizziness, problems with balance and co-ordination, difficulty swallowing, severe headaches and complete paralysis of one side.MPUMinCharsCutOff:210 PageLength:3440
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The Scotsman

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England's Paralympic keeper Leon joins team to coach future squads

Leon Taylor

DERBY Paralympic goalkeeper Leon Taylor will be one of the coaches for an elite regional football team being set up in Nottingham.

Taylor is a member of the England Cerebral Palsy team and has competed in the Paralympic Games.

He will help to coach a squad of players with cerebral palsy and other brain injuries with the possibility of a place in the 2012 Paralympic Games as the prize.

The squad, who are hoping to attract more players from the Derby area, will play matches against teams from other regions in the UK.

 This will culminate in a day-long event on May 24 next year at the England training camp at the National Sports Centre in Lilleshall, Shropshire, with England scouts attending.

Initial trials took place on August 3 at South Nottingham College's Clifton Campus.

Taylor said: "Disability football has come a long way in the last 10 years.

"This is a real opportunity to focus specifically on cerebral palsy.

"And it is a great opportunity for me to put something back in, as I have taken a great deal out of it and had great opportunities."

The event is being organised by the Notts FA and Notts Disability Football Family, who won a bid to host and recruit people for a team of players from across the East Midlands in January.

Notts FA's disability football development officer, Kevin Sanders, said: "It's a big privilege and something we have worked hard to get with our colleagues in the rest of the county."

The trial starts at 10am. To find out more contact Kevin Sanders on 0115 983 7415 or visit www.nottinghamshirefa.com/Development/

~ Derby Evening News

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Norfolk centre gives more independence to disabled people

A brand new centre has been opened in Norfolk to help disabled people in the county to live independent lives.

The centre, at Manor Farm Barns, in Framingham Pigot, near Norwich, has been developed by the Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People (NCODP) to enable disabled people and the professionals who work with them to aim towards a more personal type of care.

As social service funding changes to give each disabled person their own budget to spend on the type of care or facilities they choose, the culture is changing too, with professionals no longer looking after disabled people in the traditional sense, but instead helping them to live full and independent lives.

The Independent Living Training Centre, which will be available to hire for conferences, meetings and workshops, was opened yesterday by Mike Adams, the chief executive of the Essex Coalition of Disabled People and RADAR Disabled Person of the Year 2009.

The charity has taken over the lease of the building and has renovated it to meet the needs of people with any type of disability who may use it in the future.

Mr Adams, who said he was envious of the new centre and had not seen one like it anywhere in the country before, added: "The centre will be a symbol of independent living and disability rights. Disabled people will be able to develop their self-confidence, assertiveness and awareness, and find out more about what their own responsibilities are going to be in terms of personalisation.

"Many disabled people are so used to having people do things for them that this represents a big shift, and it's an incredibly positive step."

Mark Harrison, the chief exective of NCODP, said the centre would help to retrain professionals in the field to enable them to fulfil their new roles of helping disabled people to live independently.

He said: "The Care Quality Commission talks about personalisation being a revolution in social scare, but I don't think we can do that without things fundamentally changing.

"Health and social care professionals were employed on the basis of looking after people, but now personalisation is meaning they have to empower people to live in the community, which is a completely different role."

Norwich Evening News

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Laughing at disability

Adam Hills is set to front a new Northern Ireland comedy show based around disability.

The Australian stand-up, who was born without a right foot, is shooting a pilot next week about people of restricted growth.

He will talk to fellow comedian TanyaLee Davis, who is 3ft 6in tall, as well as spending a couple of days with someone from Northern Ireland with a similar condition, finding out about their life and whether they feel that there is humour to be found in their experience.

The half-hour series, which has not yet got a title, will also feature stand-up from the Abnormally Funny People troupe of disabled comedians, which includes Davis.

It is being made by Dublin-based Mind The Gap Films for BBC Northern Ireland.

Cortle

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Members revolt at MS Society

They claim the society's decision to close care centres was made behind closed doors

Members of the MS Society are calling for the charity to reverse the decision to close its four respite care centres, claiming the plans were made "behind closed doors".

The society announced last month that it would withdraw support for its residential centres in York, Leamington Spa, Surrey and East Lothian, putting 380 jobs at risk. It plans to redirect £2.1m away from the centres and into providing more personalised support for people with MS.

But members of the charity have tabled resolutions for its annual general meeting in September that call on trustees to reverse the decision and criticise the way it was made.

One member, Janice Cook, says in a statement to support her resolution: "The lack of openness and transparency in this decision-making process is despicable on every level and appears to signal an intolerable sea change in the society."

A separate resolution calls for the Leamington Spa home to remain open and says: "The trustee decision to no longer provide residential respite care should be reversed until detailed work has been completed on individual impact and more effective, transparent consultation has taken place."

Cook said the decision had been made "behind closed doors" and some members were "disgusted by the way the decision has been made".

A spokeswoman for the charity said: "The MS Society has been open about the respite care review. Centre staff were informed and regularly updated through staff meetings, manager updates and staff newsletters. MS Society members were regularly kept updated through our various publications, and open meetings were held across the country."

Third Sector Online

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Technology gets disabled-friendly

Manufacturers of handheld devices seem to be more eager to accommodate customers with various disabilities - particularly those with impaired vision.

A recent exhibition sponsored by the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB) - Techshare Mobile in Birmingham - saw a number of producers and service providers displaying technology that aimed to give blind and partially sighted users the same experience as non-disabled people.

Olympus is about to launch a new dictaphone - the DM5 - that has been designed in conjunction with the RNIB and the British Dyslexia Association (BDA).

It has 8Gb of internal storage which can accommodate more than 2,000 hours of recording.

Since most people would never need anything like that capacity to store audio memos and the like, the device can also be used as a personal music player.

Standards compliant

It also supports the DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) format which the RNIB uses to encode audio books.

DAISY is also popular among people who have dyslexia, and the DM5 has been designed to meet their needs as well.

"It's intuitively designed so all of the buttons are very tactile and should be very straightforward," said Olympus product specialist, Georgina Knight.

"Once you get into the menu of the device and you scroll down to the different options, you have voice guidance, telling you what area of the device you're in."

The Olympus device includes talking menus

Some of the DM5's functions can also be controlled by voice commands: for example holding down a button and then saying "audio diary", takes you to the calendar.

Text files can also be transferred from a computer - the DM5 is PC and Mac compatible - and read aloud.

The DM5 also comes with Olympus's Sonority audio editing software that runs on both PC and Mac.

Perhaps conscious of the iPhone's built-in accessibility features - screen magnifier, screen reader and reverse contrast - Research in Motion (RIM) has introduced a screen reader for its BlackBerry Curve smartphone.

However, unlike Apple's Voiceover and Zoom, which are built into every iPhone, RIM's Oratio software has to be purchased from assistive technology specialists, Humanware.

Although not yet available in the UK, US customers currently have to pay $449 (£300) in addition to the cost of the phone.

So why not build the software into every BlackBerry and offer it at no extra cost?

According to RIM's accessibility product manager, Greg Fields, it is because the two companies are approaching the issue from different perspectives.

"If we had a desktop computer and we already owned a screen reader, there would be a different scenario," he said.

"We are smartphone vendors who don't have a desktop screen reader to port across, so we have to work with assistive technology vendors who have that expertise."

Yet another screen reader model is being trialled by Vodafone.

The Vodafone Speak service will be available early next year

Their software comes from Barcelona-based assistive technology specialists, Code Factory.

It is already being tested by blind users in Spain, and is a simplified version of Code Factory's Mobile Speak software.

It is designed to run on Nokia smartphones like the N95 that run on the Symbian operating system.

Vodafone Speak will be tried by a focus group of around 30 people and the product is due for launch in March next year.

Ben Brown - Vodafone's corporate responsibility manager - said the company will probably offer the software on a 30 day free trial, after which there will be a small monthly charge of between £2 and £3.

"They [customers] will be able to get hold of the software by texting a short code to a number and then downloading it straight to their handset," he said.

Mr Brown said that retail and call-centre staff will all be trained so that they can support the product, and that Vodafone Speak will target a different type of customer.

"I think the key benefit is for beginners or intermediate users of screen readers," he said.

"We're looking for people who just want the basic functions."

Whatever the business model on offer, what is clear is that disabled people are now being valued as potential customers by big business; a decade ago this simply was not the case.

BBC News (follow link to see additional media content)

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CarerWatch campaign

As concerns about the planned changes to DLA grow, we're urging you to get involved in the CarerWatch campaign.  Without massive support from disability organisations, opposition to the cuts have little hope of success.  CarerWatch have begun collecting statements about their intentions from disability organisations and publishing them on their website, where you can read the statements and comment on them.  If you have connections with a disability group, please ask them to publish a statement on the CarerWatch site.

Carer Watch would welcome help with their DLA and ESA campaigns.  They have already succeeded in getting people with some severe mental health conditions exempted from the work capability assessment when incapacity benefit claimants are transferred to ESA.  With your help they could achieve much more.  Find out more about CarerWatch and their campaigns.

More information about the CarerWatch campaign is also available on our blog at Join the CarerWatch DLA and ESA campaigns.

 

 

Extract from Benefits & Work Newsletter

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk

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Sacking call over Stockport schoolboy's asthma death

An inquest ruled neglect contributed to Sam's death

School governors have called for the sacking of a staff member after a boy died following an asthma attack.

Sam Linton, 11, died in hospital on 4 December 2007 after being made to sit in a corridor at Offerton School, Stockport, during the attack.

An inquest jury recorded that he died of natural causes and neglect "significantly contributed".

The school's head teacher is suspended and three other members of staff have been issued with formal warnings.

Governors recommended that a member of staff, believed to work in student services, be dismissed.

'Formal warnings'

A Stockport Council spokesman said that the individual had a right to appeal against the decision reached at the end of a three-month governor's inquiry.

He said: "A panel of governors at Offerton School, following appropriate procedures, have reached a decision in relation to most but not all of the staff members.

"We can confirm that there was one recommendation for dismissal, and three formal warnings.

"We can also confirm that the procedures in relation to the head teacher of the school will not commence until the start of the new term.

The governors will decide on the future of head teacher Evelyn Leslie in September.

The inquest heard that Sam, of Dalby Grove, Offerton, was wheezing and using his inhaler at school, but staff failed to dial 999 and told him to sit in a corridor.

His mother was eventually called, who took him to Stepping Hill Hospital, where he died two hours later.

Chairman of governors Paul Beatty declined to comment.

BBC News

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Children's Adventure Farm Trust

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CAFT_openday_invite.pdf (3033 KB)

Please find attached your invitation to CAFT's annual Open Day and Family Fun Day, which takes place here at The Farm on Sunday 22 August from 1pm 'til 4pm.  We'd be thrilled if you'd join us for a fun-filled afternoon!

Highlights include falconry display, brass band, BBQ, bar, tearoom, children's fairground rides, bouncy castle, face painting, plus a chance to view CAFT's fantastic facilities if you haven't already seen them.

Please feel free to extend the invitation to family, friends, acquaintances and colleagues.

Page 2 details opportunities to support the event in other ways ie. sponsorship and in-kind donations.  Any help would be most gratefully received, and will of course be acknowledged on the day.  Any financial contribution or cost-saving donation will help raise more funds for our work with local children in desperate need.

We very much hope to see you on 22^nd August!

Pippa Watton
Senior Events Fundraiser
events@caft.co.uk
Tel 01565 830053
www.caft.co.uk

 

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Nicklinson euthanasia push undermines security of us all

A leading anti-euthanasia group has said that a disabled man's push for euthanasia undermines everyone's security.

No Less Human, a group within SPUC Pro-Life representing disabled people, was responding to the legal challenge launched today by Tony Nicklinson, who is seeking voluntary euthanasia by lethal dose.

Janet Thomas of No Less Human commented: "The killing of vulnerable, innocent people, whether able-bodied or not, is never right, even when those people ask to be killed. The deliberate killing of any innocent person damages the interests of us all.

"Mr. Nicklinson feels he wants to die because of his disabilities - as if human value and worth are to be measured by physical ability. Human worth lies not in what people can do but in what they inherently are. Each human life whether damaged or not whether a short one or a long one is a gift of incomparable value

"Mr Nicklinson says he is fed up with his life and can see no purpose to it, but this is also said by many able-bodied victims, often teenagers or young adults who leap off bridges, hang themselves or jump under trains.

"Many people in No Less Human have found that coping with their disabling conditions can be improved. These improvements come via positive help and support from family, friends and the community, and by a refusal to accept that there is any life which is worthless.

"Society, through its laws against murder and assisted suicide, comes down in favour of life. Every time someone decides that there are lives not worth living, he or she damages the security of all of us", concluded Mrs Thomas.

Society for the Protection of Unborn Children

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