Swansway Motor Group on the Motability Scheme
Leah Pitt, Motability Accredited Dealership Marketing Executive at Swansway Motor Group; “The Motability Scheme is a great way for those who are in receipt of a Mobility Allowance to lease a brand-new vehicle, with the cost of everything except fuel covered. There are 5 types of Mobility Allowances, these are as follows – Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (HRMC DLA) – Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (ERMC PIP) – War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS) – Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) Someone who is looking to join the Motability Scheme can start by finding a participating retailer, there are plenty of makes and models available on the scheme and participating car dealerships across the country will have Motability Specialists to help guide you in your decision. Each quarter, the vehicles available can differ, so speaking with a Motability Specialist will help you to further understand what’s on the scheme at the point of your enquiry. Each Motability driver can add up to three drivers to their vehicle, to allow their family, friend, or carer to also drive the vehicle. Adaptations can also be made to the vehicles at no extra cost, to help suit an individual’s needs. On the Motability Scheme, you will receive a brand-new car every three years and the worry-free package from Motability also includes: – Insurance – Breakdown Cover – Servicing, maintenance, and repairs – Road Tax – Window and Windscreen repar/replacement – Up to 60,000 milage allowance over 3 years (100,00 milage allowance over 5 years for WAV’s) You can find out more about the vehicles available on the Swansway Motability Scheme, from the Swansway Motor Group on their website Swansway.
Trekinetic expand UK dealer network
Trekinetic, the leading manufacturer of all-terrain wheelchairs, is excited to announce the expansion of its dealer network in the UK with the addition of postural seating specialists, Consolor. Based in Southampton, Consolor provides posture, seating and mobility assessment services to NHS wheelchair services and private clients across the UK. The addition of Consolor to Trekinetic’s dealer network will improve its ability to support customers in the South and provide a one-stop shop for customers with more complex seating requirements. “We are thrilled to welcome Consolor to our dealer network,” said Ed Spindle, Commercial Director of Trekinetic. “Consolor’s expertise in moulded wheelchair seating provides another dimension for our products and we look forward to working with them to broaden the accessibility of our wheelchairs to an even wider audience“. “Consolor is absolutely delighted to be chosen as a dealer for Trekinetic, as will all the clients whom we serve and support on a daily basis”, said Simon Keeling, Director at Consolor. “Our ability to enhance the daily lives of our clients through optimised postural solutions, regularly empowers each onto a new journey of discovery, one that is often only limited by the boundaries of accessibility. Trekinetic’s successful mission to challenge these boundaries through thought-provoking design and enhanced function sits seamlessly alongside our own ideals, and together we look forward to making the impossible, possible.” The expansion of Trekinetic’s dealer network is a part of the company’s ongoing commitment to providing customers with the best possible local support. By partnering with companies like Consolor, Trekinetic is able to bring its innovative range of all-terrain wheelchairs to a wider audience, helping to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities around the world. For more information about Trekinetic’s range of all-terrain wheelchairs, please visit their website at www.trekinetic.com.
Twitter update is a blow to accessibility, and disabled people will suffer
Links to news stories were previously clearly displayed on X, formerly known as Twitter, with headlines, and could be read using screen reader technology. However, in a new update to the platform, links are now shown as a normal picture, and the name of the website, written in small text in the corner, is the only clue that the image contains a link. This means people using screen readers won’t know what the link is until they click it and open it. Disability charity Sense believes the new update will make it much more difficult for people using screen readers to engage with tweets and use social media. Any exclusion of disabled people from social media is a huge concern – the charity’s recent research into loneliness found over half of people with complex disabilities (53%) felt lonely, compared to 25% of the general public. Please see below a comment from Steven Morris, who works for Sense and is himself deafblind and a social media user, sharing his concerns about how these changes will affect him and the many other disabled people who use social media. Steven Morris, Campaigns Officer at Sense, said: “This change is yet another example of accessibility not being considered, and once again it’s disabled people that will suffer because of this. “Disabled people should not be left out of life, but this change will make it far more difficult for some disabled people to use social media, where they could meet people, make new friends and engage in conversations. We know that disabled people are more likely to be lonely than the general population – we should be making social media more accessible, not less. “It’s also more difficult to flag issues like this to the social media platform. We’d urge the management at X/Twitter to reconsider this change, to show they are willing to work towards creating a platform that is accessible to all.” Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
Smirthwaite Sales Team Strengthened with Jodie Carter Appointment
Smirthwaite, a respected designer and manufacturer of bespoke equipment for children and young adults with additional needs has extended its sales team with the appointment of Jodie Carter who will be taking on the role of Technical Product Advisor, North East & Cumbria/Lancaster. Jodie’s background involves working closely with children and adults with disabilities, including brain injuries. Most recently Jodie has been assessing and installing technology in people’s homes across North Yorkshire to aid vulnerable people, including those with epilepsy or dementia. Reporting to Ewan McPhee, Northern Sales Manager, Jodie will manage her own territory whilst working alongside healthcare professionals to support children with disabilities with bespoke Smirthwaite equipment that promotes a healthier and better quality life for the user. Jodie’s appointment is another exciting opportunity to further strengthen the team at Smirthwaite and include the promotions of Derek York to UK Commercial Manager and Ewan McPhee to Northern Sales Manager. The new appointment and promotions are part of the company’s continued focus on growing its business, investing in its people and delivering excellence for its customers. Jodie commented: “I am delighted to be joining a market leader in the paediatrics industry & a company that’s renowned for quality products and service. I’m very much looking forward to working with our Occupational Therapists and helping to further the growth of the business.” Ewan McPhee, Northern Sales Manager added: “I am thrilled to welcome Jodie to the Smirthwaite team. I’m confident that her excellent interpersonal skills and sheer enthusiasm will help grow market share and help drive our growth plans; strengthening our position in the market moving forward. Jodie also joins us at an incredibly exciting time as we continue to launch new products such as our Asiento postural support chair, Levitex pressure care relief technology & our Moving & Handling equipment. We wish her a very warm welcome.” Smirthwaite are proud of their dedicated, high-calibre staff; and offer competitive pay and rewards, training, career paths, and the opportunity to progress and achieve. Jodie’s contact details: Email: Jodie.carter@smirthwaite.co.uk For further information about UK TPA roles at Smirthwaite, please contact Derek York, Commercial Manager on derekyork@smirthwaite.co.uk or +44 (0)7971126877.
Evenbreak invite disabled candidates to an exclusive Meet the Sector Arts, Culture and Heritage Webinar
Date: Thursday 19th October, 12:30pm – 1:45pm Location: Online, Zoom. London: 17th October 2023, Evenbreak, the world’s first global disability job board for disabled people and run by disabled people, is inviting disabled candidates to a webinar to hear how diversity helps to support the Arts, Culture and Heritage sectors. Representatives from Arts Council England, the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and Historic England will talk about their organisations and how they support disabled employees. Candidates are invited to explore the roles available within these organisations. This exclusive event held 19.10.23, from 12.30pm until 1.45pm includes a panel discussion with the three organisations, who will share their inclusive recruitment practices and there will also be breakout sessions offering candidates the opportunity to find out how they can thrive within this creative sector. Arts Council England, Assistant Access Support Team, Ruby Ferguson commented, “The Arts Culture and Heritage sector needs a diverse workforce to enable it to truly represent the communities it serves. Through art and music the sector is so influential in ensuring that everyone is included in today’s society and represented throughout history, it’s imperative that disabled people are part of the teams that share these stories and messages. I am looking forward to meeting future colleagues on Evenbreak’s webinar.” Evenbreak’s The Meet The Sector Arts, Culture and Heritage panellist include: Arts Council England Alex Howard – HR Partner and Project Manager Faye Stewart – Senior Manager, Access Changemaker (substantive post – Relationship Manager) Ruby Ferguson – Assistant, Access Support Team DCMS Jelena McDonagh – Resourcing Business Partner Sarah Fox – Deputy Director, Gambling and Lotteries and Co-chair of DCMS’s Ability Network David Rowland – Head of Cultural Property – Collections (I (Danielle Smith) will be participating in the breakout rooms – Head of Recruitment Policy and Strategy) Historic England Kirsty Stratford Financial Controller and Anna Flynn Senior Resourcing Adviser/Recruiter. Candidates are invited to join Evenbreak and find out how their skills can support the organisations that help to create, grow and preserve the UK’s art, diverse culture and fascinating heritage. Registration is free to Meet the Sector and could find the perfect new role that suits the talents of candidates. Click here to register your place
Tri something new as Jorvik Tricycles sets up for a limited time at The Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh
Date: Friday 20th & Saturday 21st October Location: The Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh EH28 8NB Hosted by Jorvik Tricycles, this interactive event will bring a passion for three wheels to Scotland. Grab the handlebars and try out a new hobby at the Exhibition Edinburgh Try-Cycle event this autumn. For those with a lust for the outdoors, now is the perfect time to try getting around on three wheels if you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like. Following an exceptionally popular pop up event in Henley-on-Thames in the summer, Europe’s leading provider of adult electric tricycles is bringing its one-to-one trial ride experience to Scotland for the very first time. The event will run from 10am-4pm Friday 20th and 10am-3pm Sunday 21st October at The Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh. Discover an alternative way to travel and enjoy the freedom of three wheels in this iconic venue, just outside the city! Visitors to the Exhibition Edinburgh Try-Cycle event will have the exclusive opportunity to test the full range of models and see what makes a Jorvik different, as well as the chance to win a tricycle for themselves. The venue will be complete with an indoor track, set up so visitors can experience the exhilaration of riding a tricycle for themselves, as well as the chance to speak to experts from the Jorvik Tricycles team about the products and features, and a limited number of products will be available to purchase on the day. Accessible and easy to use; Jorvik Tricycles was created by founder James Walker after he struggled to find a solution to aid his father’s love of cycling whilst living with Parkinson’s disease. James said: “We’re really excited to showcase our tricycles. There really is nothing better than getting to try the tricycles out and that’s what these events are all about. There’s no obligation to purchase, it’s just a chance to come along, try a tricycle for yourself and enjoy being out and about. “We can’t wait to see everyone and help them try out a new way of getting around.” The third installment in a series of events across the UK, the Exhibition Edinburgh Try-Cycle encourages visitors to saddle up and pick from eight models to test ride, using the custom built indoor track. To find out more and register your interest, click here.
Invisible Disabilities Week: How support a dog changes perceptions
Judging looks have turned to smiles and admiration – that’s how one mum of an autistic child describes a major difference a support dog brings. Emma Mills’ son Sam was diagnosed with autism at the age of five, followed a year later by depression. He has sensory difficulties, which means he struggles with noise and crowds and can often lash out and have meltdowns. Sam – who, like most autistic children has no sense of danger and can run into traffic – couldn’t leave the house, never felt safe and had “lost his smile”, said Emma, of Sheffield. But in 2017, support dog Willow entered Sam’s life – and things changed for the better. This week is Invisible Disabilities Week, which aims to highlight non-apparent, or hidden disabilities and break down barriers by making people more aware of the different types of conditions people have to manage on a daily basis. Emma said Willow, an eight-year-old black Labrador trained by the Sheffield-based Support Dogs charity, has been instrumental in helping to improve understanding and reduce judgement when they’re out and about. She added: “Prior to having Willow, when Sam was dysregulated in public and may run away, get upset, scream, shout, swear and maybe lash out, people would look at him like he was a naughty child. “They would stop and stare and you could feel their judgement, or other mums would ignore us or look the other way walking to and from school. “This all changed with Willow – we started to get smiles or at the very least not stopped and judged. “People were more likely to offer support like a quiet room to wait in or give us more space and privacy. “Having Willow turned stressful and uncomfortable situations in public to something more positive for everyone. Instead of staring and seeing a naughty boy, people would look and see a boy being comforted by his support dog.” Emma, who is also mum to Ellie, added that not only did having Willow aid understanding, it also took the focus off of Sam, now 13, as people would notice Willow and admire her and what she was doing. “Willow took the burden of social stares away from Sam and absorbed it all for him,” she said. “She would lay down with him and he would lay his head under hers and then she put her paws over him. She’s very protective of him and would always lay in such a way Sam could hide from the world when it got too much.” They once spent an hour on Llandudno Pier with Willow laying just like that on Sam while he calmed. “Instead of hearing people make judgemental or upsetting comments, we could hear people saying how amazing Willow was, and ‘look at that dog!’,” said Emma. “The pressure it took off of us all as a family was amazing, it was such a relief for us all to know that Willow took away that burden of judgement, awkwardness and upset when Sam did struggle when we were out – not only for Sam but for the whole family.” And it’s not just difficult situations that Willow helps with – she has made everywhere more accessible for Sam. Emma says seeing Sam enter places with Willow opens people’s minds and they immediately see he might need “something different” so they will offer a quiet space to wait, turn the music down “no questions asked”, or make space for Willow or offer her a drink. “She was also the focus for people so instead of raising Sam’s anxiety by trying to talk to him they would talk to Willow or ask about Willow and this reduces that social pressure on Sam,” she added. “Plus, he loves talking about Willow and it gives him something to connect to people.” Emma says Willow has made Sam’s invisible disability visible, in a positive and a “wow, there’s such an amazing dog there” kind of way. Now people look at Sam and Willow and smile, awe-inspired by seeing them together supporting each other. Willow even supported Sam on a holiday to Disneyland – a trip that in Sam’s younger years would have been unfathomable. “Willow had superstar status that week,” added Emma. Iggy is another canine hero making a real difference to how one boy makes sense of the world – and how others perceive him. The yellow Labrador has been the lifeline of 13-year-old Louis Neylon, who is autistic and has global development delay, since he was just seven. Louis has limited speech and has occasional meltdowns and mum, Kelly, of Hull, says Iggy has made a world of difference in helping to make people more aware of her son’s condition. Describing the public perception to when Louis has had meltdowns, Kelly said: “You do get the reaction that he’s a naughty child. “When he was younger, people just thought he was a typical cute child having a tantrum, and went about their business. “But now he’s older and he’s quite a big lad, the looks you get from people are different – people do stare as because he’s big it can look quite scary. “You try not to let it bother you, but it does bother you. “Having a support dog now is so much more vital than when he was a child.” Although Louis doesn’t have Iggy attached to him now he is older, the pooch still goes everywhere with him. “It’s good to have Iggy out and about with his Support Dogs jacket on, just to highlight Louis’ condition. You don’t have to explain yourself to strangers,” said Kelly. “People seem to be more understanding than if you haven’t got the dog. “The UK is quite a dog-loving nation, so it’s a talking point and people will be more accepting and approach Louis more. “People will say ‘what’s your dog’s name?’ and it encourages social interaction and encourages Louis to talk to someone he wouldn’t normally talk to
Bagel – giving the support for freedom in water
One of the biggest restrictions for anyone with limitations- and their carers- when bathing or participating in aqua therapy is achieving strain-free support in the water. AAT’s Bagel removes that restriction. It restores the person’s ability to free float without any risk of head immersion by stabilising and supporting their head above the water without restricting their body. Utilising innovative vacuum technology, the core cushion can be precisely and infinitely moulded to each user. Hook and loop straps round the body secure the cushion in place, thereby positioning he buoyancy on the chest and torso. This relieves pressure on the neck and head, ensuring safe, proper stability and relaxation whilst immersed in the water. As a result, it enables all areas of the user’s body to be easily reached and cleaned during bathing, and allows full movement and thus flotation benefits of hydrotherapy to be enjoyed. “Bagel supports all involved to get the most out of basic ADLs such as bathing or aquatherapy,” explains AAT Director Peter Wingrave. “It ensures the client receives the full benefit of their hydrotherapy or bath experience, by having the safety and freedom to free-float. “As importantly, it relies the carer of the physical strain of having to support them- particularly an issue in bathing, when you’re trying to balance properly supporting the head above the water, over the side of the bath, and perform the hygiene routine.” Find out more and book a free, no obligation assessment here: Bagel is just one element of AAT’s innovative support solutions to help with water-based scenarios. Details of the full range of options are available here: https://www.aatgb.com/bathing-solutions/
Empowering Disabled Individuals to Shine in Media and Journalism: Ability Today’s Trailblazing Opportunity
Are you a person with a disability, or know someone driven by a passion for journalism? Ability Today, the ground-breaking social enterprise dedicated to empowering disabled individuals, is thrilled to unveil a golden opportunity for disabled people of all ages from across the UK to embark on a journey into the world of media and journalism. With an unparalleled commitment to inclusivity, Ability Today has already enabled over 80 disabled individuals to upskill and transition into successful media careers. Now, the doors are wide open for even more to join this extraordinary movement. Limited spots are available for the prestigious and highly sought-after Diploma in Journalism, offered in collaboration with the Academy for Disabled Journalists and accredited by the esteemed National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). The introductory level Certificate in Foundation Journalism is also available through their academy. Dismantling the barriers that have held back too many, these courses have harnessed cutting-edge technology to make education accessible to all. Founder Grant Logan, himself a visionary who overcame adversity, established Ability Today in 2014, from his base in Surrey, to unlock the potential of disabled individuals of all ages. The resounding success stories of past students who now thrive at renowned media powerhouses like ITV, the BBC, and numerous other news organisations stand as testaments to the transformative power of Ability Today’s programmes. One such success story is ITV journalist Jamie Green aged 29 from Didcot, Oxfordshire whose journey exemplifies the impact of Ability Today’s support. “I couldn’t have done it without Ability Today,” said Green. “Their accessible approach to the NCTJ diploma made my transition into journalism a seamless experience.” Grant Logan, 51 and lives in Chobham, Surrey is the visionary founder of Ability Today, himself a survivor of a life-changing accident, embodies the organisation’s unwavering dedication. “Our mission is to spotlight what people with disabilities can do, rather than what they can’t,” said Logan. “We are lighting up new paths, bridging the gaps, and ensuring that the world of journalism becomes an open avenue for disabled individuals to shine.” Many of the Academy students who have studied for the CFJ have gone on to undertake the Diploma Course including James Nelson in Edinburgh, Joanne Halliday from Annan, Dr Julie McElroy from Glasgow, Lisa Kavaney of Norfolk, Victoria Scholes from Sunbury on Thames, Ellie Forrester in Shropshire, Tom Jackson-Wood from Hertfordshire, and Kim To and Georgie Morell, both from London. The rallying cry of Ability Today is to break down barriers that for far too long have stifled disabled individuals’ ambitions. By fostering accessibility, support, and reasonable adjustments, Ability Today is levelling the playing field, and creating a host of new opportunities. “We are forging pathways that empower disabled individuals to embrace meaningful careers, raising their self-belief, confidence, motivation, and integration into the workforce,” said Logan. The social enterprise expanded its educational offering, launching an SEO course with Novos earlier this year and is also creating the Academy for Disabled Bookkeepers with Kaplan Financial Services and in talks with CX Training and website development companies for further courses as Ability Today continues to pave the way for countless disabled individuals to forge impactful careers. If you’re ready to script your journey into the captivating realm of media and journalism, seize this moment. Interested applicants are invited to submit a 300-word story via the Ability Today website by September 15. For successful candidates, an induction awaits on September 26, followed by enlightening online lessons every Tuesday from October 3. Course highlights include modules on Essential Journalism, Media Law, Ethics, PR and Communications, Video Journalism, Digital Audience Engagement, and Public Affairs. Students can also opt for additional modules in shorthand, practical magazine journalism, and sports journalism. To glean a deeper understanding of the Academy for Disabled Journalists, and to witness the inspiring journeys of former students, visit the Ability Today website.