News

Optalis respite service centre in Maidenhead that supports people with learning and physical disabilities has officially opened its new sensory garden for customers to coincide with Learning Disability Week 2018.

The service, which is run by social care provider Optalis, enables carers to take an essential break from their caring role. The break can be for a few hours, an overnight stay or several days.

The new garden on Allenby Road, features a special selection of self-watering plants and materials, laid out in such a way to stimulate the senses.

Highlights include a sensory log cabin, a mini-golf course and a wheelchair swing.

Pack up the hamper and celebrate National Picnic Week (18-24 June) and the increasingly warm weather,  a series of top accessible parks and inclusive parks throughout Great Britain feature in an inspiring new guide to encourage people with diverse needs to enjoy a day out.

The revamped The Rough Guide to Accessible Britain, now in its 10th year, offers reviews and details of ramps, accessible toilets, and parking spaces for visitors with more hidden conditions such as autism and mental illness. The guide includes reviews of over 180 venues, including great, green locations perfect for an alfresco adventure.

Justine Harrington, 28, from Basildon, who was born with a visual impairment, is hoping to encourage more disabled people to get involved with physical activity and sport through All Together and the launch of her new song and music video; ‘Don’t Tell Me’.

Having been involved with the inclusive Active Essex ambassador scheme ‘All Together’ since 2017, Justine has used her passion to help break down some of the misconceptions around disability sport. 

Justine strongly believes that everyone, whatever their level of ability or learning, should have the same opportunities to access sport and physical activity.

Spinal cord injury charity, Aspire are once again calling for all challenge-seekers to take part in the annual Aspire Channel Swim, which last year saw over 6,000 swimmers jump into pools across the country to complete the 22 mile challenge over 12 weeks.

Aspire, who provide practical help to people who have been paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury, hope to increase the number of swimmers this year to 7,000; made up of Aspire beneficiaries with spinal cord injury, those with an affiliation to the charity and the general public. For its 17th anniversary, the Aspire Channel Swim this year is estimated to be the biggest so far.

Having been involved with the inclusive Active Essex ambassador scheme ‘All Together’ since 2017, Justine has used her passion to help break down some of the misconceptions around disability sport. 

Justine Harrington, 28, from Basildon, who was born with a visual impairment, is hoping to encourage more disabled people to get involved with physical activity and sport  through the launch of her new song and music video; ‘Don’t Tell Me’.

Justine strongly believes that everyone, whatever their level of ability or learning, should have the same opportunities to access sport and physical activity.

Becky and Henry receive support from Hft, a national charity supporting adults with learning disabilities, they travelled to 10 Downing Street today (Thursday 7th June) to present the gift as part of their Walk in Our Shoes campaign. 

The initiative has been led by the charity’s speak-out group, Voices to be Heard, who feel that their hopes and concerns are not given the same attention by political leaders as those of people without disabilities.

The custom-made footwear has been designed using pictures of Voices to be Heard members and Hft’s signature purple and gold colours. 

THE WINNER of Britain’s Got Talent 2018 has spoken of his pride in representing the disabled community in front of the whole nation.  Lee Ridley, also known as ‘The Lost Voice Guy’ was recently crowned the winner of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, saying that the major source of his satisfaction following his TV appearance was the response he has received from disabled people he’s inspired.

In an exclusive interview with Blackwood, a leading housing and care provider in Scotland, Ridley described his passion for performing and the inspiration behind his act. 

The 37-year-old whose cerebral palsy affects his ability to speak is the first comedian to ever win the show, making his phenomenal achievement even more worthy of recognition. 

Euans Guide, a charity website used by disabled people to review, share and discover accessible places to visit, has launched an accessibility guide to Fife.

The guide to one of Scotland's most popular regions features a range of accessible locations, from the home of golf, St Andrews, to Fife's famous sandy beaches and its picturesque fishing villages.

The Fife guide, the third in an Accessible Highlights series, is free and downloadable from www.euansguide.com/fife-guide/. It is being promoted with a series of digital postcards showing just how accessible the region is for disabled visitors.

A young autistic man from West Sussex who has never been on holiday before because he experiences severe anxiety is celebrating making an overnight trip to Alton Towers.

Sam Motton, aged 25, made the 230-mile to journey alongside two members of staff from Coneyhurst Lodge residential service in Worthing where he lives.

‘It worked out really well,” said Coneyhurst service manager, Elvira Panxha.

“He was amazing. He was really calm and cheerful and took everything in his stride. We helped prepare him for the visit by taking him out on regular short trips to different places and then staying a while to slowly build up his confidence.”