Inclusion Scotland are responding to various consultations and are looking for your views on the following:
• Affordable Rented Housing: Creating flexibility for landlords and better outcomes for communities
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/02/9972
• Personal Independence Payment assessment criteria
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/pip-draft-assessment-regulations.pdf
If you wish to comment on any of the above consultations please contact Pauline: pauline@inclusionscotland.org
VisitEngland are seeking the views of SIS members on accessibility needs. This is the background with links to the survey:
VisitEngland, the national tourist board, works with tourism destinations, organisations and businesses across England to improve the accessibility of holiday travel in England.
We know that people with access needs – particularly people with impairments – require certain information regarding their chosen holiday or short-break destination to be able to plan their trip.
We are interested in the views of people with access needs and also people who care for or help arrange travel for people with access needs.
This survey focuses on what specific accessibility related information you require about the destination. This may cover getting there (e.g. accessibility of train station), getting around (e.g. provision of blue badge parking), the local environment (e.g. if it is hilly) and assistance during your stay (e.g. hospital contact details). On this occasion we are not seeking views on the information you require on individual tourism venues e.g. hotels.
Please follow the link below to complete a short online survey. Your views will help tourism destinations across England to provide you with the information you require.
Should you have any queries or difficulty completing the survey online, email the VisitEngland Research Team at VEResearch@visitengland.org
The survey will close on March 20th at 12pm. Many thanks for your input.
Go to the survey: https://response.questback.com/visitengland/hw5pjltjzw/
An SIS member has contacted the office to advise that they are selling their adapted vehicle. Please see below, details of the vehicle for sale.
Make:- Citroen
Model:- Dispatch 1.9d
Engine & cc:- 1868cc
Colour:- Red
First Reg:- 25/03/05
Mileage:- 71557
1 previous owner
The vehicle is Mot’d until July 18th 2012
Price:- £3995 ono
If you are interested please contact Rod McIver on 07977758766
Disabled drivers and passengers are to be given double the waiting time at the drop-off and short stay parking facilities at Edinburgh Airport.
For more see:
Keith Thom
Winning Wheels, the wheelchair tennis club based at Craiglockhart Tennis Centre is pleased to announce that they have secured funding from Awards For All to help support travel and hotel expenses for Scottish players that are traveling to the 2nd Edinburgh wheelchair tennis tournament. Keith Thom (pictured) from Dumfries, winner of the inaugural Tennis Foundation development series last year said “Having the Awards For All funding to support Scottish adult and junior players will hopefully encourage more disabled people to travel to this event and also help to raise awareness of wheelchair tennis throughout Scotland”
The 2012 Edinburgh wheelchair tennis tournament is part of the Tennis Foundation’s development series and will take place at Craiglockhart on 14thth and 15th April. Entry is open now, the closing date is March 22nd . Please contact tournament organiser David Hogg or Andrew Raitt for details.
If you would like to try wheelchair tennis weekly coaching sessions take place in Aberdeen, Stirling, Edinburgh and Glasgow. New players are always welcome and all equipment is available at the tennis centre. For more information and details of sessions please contact Andrew Raitt.
davidhogg472@gmail.com or 07835 222 533.
Andrew.raitt@tennisscotland.org or 07908 091 820
Adrian Kennedy has brought wheelchair rugby league to Scotland and is keen to develop a Scottish team.
He has already been in Scotland and had several ‘come and try’ sessions.
Wheelchair rugby league is not only for full time wheelchair users, exactly the opposite. People who are able bodied can also take part and this leads to interesting games. In basketball and wheelchair rugby there is a points system depending on your level of ability whereas in rugby league anyone who can push the chair can play.
If you want to know more about the sport CLICK HERE
There is a training session taking place on Saturday 3rd March between 12 and 4pm
This training session is being held at:
Scotstoun Leisure Centre
72 Danes Drive
Glasgow
G14 9HU
Why not go along and give it a try, you never know you might just enjoy it
If you are going along, please bring plenty to drink.
The following article is taken from The Telegraph on 24 February 2012 and may be of interest to members. It tells of a horse rider who was paralysed from the waist down in a fall from a horse and how she is now hoping to take part in the London marathan with the aid of a robotic suit
This is an ideal opportunity for spinal injured to be involved in a discussion about future plans of actions by the UK Government to help disabled people reach their full potential.
The UK Government’s Office of Disability discussion with disabled individuals and organisations is an ideal opportunity for everyone with a spinal injury to provide positive and practical advice on what works well for them as well as suggestions on how the Government can make further improvements.
‘The Government’s ambition is to enable disabled people to fulfil their potential and have opportunities to play a full role in society. To realise this ambition, we want to tackle barriers to realising aspirations and individual control, as well as change attitudes and behaviour towards disabled people’
The Government is looking for helpful, positive ideas regarding all aspects of living with a spinal injury, whether it is living independently, in education, employment or participating in leisure activities as well as how you feel about others attitudes and behaviour towards disabled people (Newspapers for example).
Taking Part
The more people who take part the more informed the discussion, the stronger our voice, the better any future outcomes.
There are three ways to respond to this discussion (listed below) and to help your response there are twelve questions listed below the response details to help you take part in your own words in the discussion and if you are comfortable with the idea, please send a copy of your ideas to our office so as to help us with our future planning.
Deadline for responses is 5pm on 9 March 2012.
Respond online
https://www2.dwp.gov.uk/odi/disability/disability-strategy-discussion.asp
Email your Response
Through the SIS office info@sisonline.org
Post your Response
Office for Disability Issues (Disability Strategy Team)
Ground Floor, Caxton House,
6-12 Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA
The Twelve Questions – Realising Aspirations
1. What ideas do you have that could make a difference to you in getting an education, getting a job or being able to live independently?
2. What would help you manage better at times of change in your life?
3. In those situations, how are you supported or held back by other people?
Individual Control
4. What helps you to have choice and control over your day-to-day life and the support you get?
5. What else would help you to have more choice and control over your day-to-day life and the support you get?
6. What would help you to access services and activities which suit your needs? For example in education, transport, health, social care, and sport, social and recreational activities
7. How can you be involved in decisions that affect your local area?
Changing Attitudes and Behavior
8. What works well in changing the way other people treat disabled people?
9. What else is important in changing the way other people treat disabled people?
10. What can we do to make sure that everyone recognises the contribution that disabled people can make?
Anything Else
11. Do you have any suggestions for how we should implement and monitor the Strategy once it is developed?
12. Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
If you would like further information please go to:
http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/odi-projects/fulfilling-potential.php/
A massive Thank You for taking part, your views count and collectively we can bring about change.
It is with great sadness that the death is announced of Stephen Bradshaw, founder member and first Director of the Spinal Injuries Association. A leading figure in the disability movement, Stephen died on 6 February in Stoke Mandeville Hospital after a short illness.
Stephen became spinal cord injured in 1967 when he broke his neck in a diving accident. Following rehabilitation at Stoke Mandeville, during which time he competed successfully at the Paralympics, winning a number of Gold Medals, he resumed his career in the print industry. In 1974, he became a founder member of the newly emerging Spinal Injuries Association. Two years later, he became its first Executive Director, a position he held until 1995 when took on the role of the Association’s Director of Public Affairs. He remained in this role until he retired in 2001.
Stephen’s contribution to the disability movement was immense. On behalf of SIA, he was instrumental in the establishment of the British Council of Disabled People, now the United Kingdom Disabled People’s Council (UKDPC). He chaired the Rights Now! Campaign to fight for anti-discrimination legislation and his knowledge, negotiating skills, sense of fair play and ability to communicate at all levels made him a popular and well-known figure in the disability world.
Stephen’s funeral will be held at Golders Green Crematorium on Friday 24 February 2012 at 11.00am. The family request no flowers but, if wished, donations in lieu can be made to the Spinal Injuries Association.
Spinal Injuries Association (SIA)
Tom Doughty, (www.tomdoughty.com) a Professional Lap Slide guitarist who has been a tetraplegic since 1974, has secured Arts Council funding to hold a series of workshops and concerts at every Spinal Injuries Centre in the UK and Eire. First priority for workshops will be given to in patients and ex patients with the initiative taking place between mid April and May 2012. Confirmed dates can be found on Tom’s web site www.tomdoughty.com As well as gigging, session work and recording, Tom teaches lap slide guitar from his home and the internet using Skype.
An amateur guitarist before his accident, Tom spent years re-learning and inventing ways to play the guitar without the need for finger movement and now has an International following and recognition. Recent projects include collaboration with the classical guitarist Craig Ogden where the Duo play duets from Renaissance music to Jazz.
Tom has released 3 CDs, and tours throughout the UK and abroad. Information about some of his work is featured in this short film:http://youtu.be/XavkjayLHQM and here http://youtu.be/5biLdNnC-L8
The workshops will be held at each spinal centre, spanning half a day and will include methods and techniques, equipment and advice on how to teach slide guitar. Yamaha Europe are supplying a guitar for each centre and Bose are loaning an L1 sound system to Tom for the tour. the project may also be professionally filmed.
Evening concerts will be open to all.
To book a place, or for further information, contact tom: tom@tomdoughty.com or on 07989 919 486