Gay group awarded grant of £390,000
A support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Derbyshire has been awarded more than £390,000.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has offered Derbyshire Friend £393,120 – the largest amount from its latest round of grants that has seen 61 projects share £10m.
Derbyshire Friend will use it to encourage more reporting of hate crime and harassment, develop a newsletter and pay for additional posts to help run support groups.
Toni Montinaro, manager at Derbyshire Friend, said: "It's brilliant news, not just for us but by the fact that this money is coming into Derby.
"One of the first things we want to look at setting up is developing support systems for young people who have become victims of hate crime and homophobic bullying."And we also want to improve awareness of same-sex domestic violence which our studies show affects one on four people locally."
Mr Montinaro explained that the money would be awarded over three years and depended on the organisation achieving goals set out by the commission.
Baroness Margaret Prosser, deputy chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said that the grants went to projects that had good understanding of how to provide benefit in their local communities.
More than 2,000 organisations applied to the commission for grants, with just 61 being successful.
Grants ranged from £40,000 to the £393,000 awarded to Derbyshire Friend.
From today's Leicester Mercury:
Race rant Leicestershire Councillor is suspended
A Leicestershire county councillor has been suspended for a month and told to undergo further diversity training over remarks he made at a public meeting.
Robert Fraser has admitted that he was "stupid" to say that Romanians would "stick a knife in you as soon as look at you", and that some Europeans "make the Irish look like complete amateurs".
A County Hall standards sub-committee found the councillor for Groby and Ratby behaved in a way that could have brought his position, and that of the council, into disrepute.
Members agreed he had breached Leicestershire County Council's code of conduct and he was reprimanded officially at a hearing on Tuesday.
Despite already having been to sent to diversity training by the county's Tory party, the committee ruled he must go again, ideally on a one-to-one basis, and pay the first £250 of the cost. For his month's suspension, which has started immediately, all allowances for that period will be withdrawn.
An investigation began after complaints were made about his conduct at a Groby Parish Council meeting to discuss plans for a site for about 50 caravans off Sacheverell Way in Groby.
The outburst was recorded and released on internet video site YouTube.
It was seen by hundreds of people online as well as hundreds more at the public meeting.
He responded to a comment from the audience by saying: "Some of these European ones, they make the Irish look like complete amateurs and I would dread, I would dread, to see them in Groby.
"The Romanians; they're lovely people they are. They'll stick a knife in you soon as look at you.
"There might be some good ones. Excuse me if there are any Romanians here. Hopefully without a knife. I've got to get out of here. I'm a bit slow.
"What's going to happen to the loved ones that have been buried in a cemetery with a transit site around the corner? We know what's going to happen there straight away. You can only imagine it.
"Over my dead body will they come here."
When the remarks came to light in March this year, two months after the meeting on January 8, chairman of the Leicester Gipsy Council liaison group, Alfie Kefford, called for Coun Fraser to resign and said the comments were akin to "incitement to racial hatred", adding: "To do it in a public place is totally unacceptable."
The Romanian ambassador to the UK, Dr Ion Jinga, said the comments were "extremely regrettable and totally unfair".
At the hearing on Tuesday afternoon, Councillor Fraser said only a few words and questions were directed to chairman of Groby Parish Council, Peter Batty, who was representing him.
Mr Batty argued that while Mr Fraser did not deny saying these things, he did not believe he was there in his capacity as a county councillor, so could not bring the authority or his position into disrepute.
He also argued it was the public's view which best showed whether he brought himself or the authority into disrepute, and he was re-elected in July.
He said: "He is not denying that he said those statements. He bitterly regrets them and is not making excuses.
"The video does not establish any relationship with Leicestershire County Council. You have no evidence that he was acting in his official capacity.
"The most reasonable test is of public opinion. I would suggest that Mr Fraser passed this test at the county council elections."
However, these arguments were firmly rejected by the panel.
Panel chairman Martin Caple said: "We are satisfied Mr Fraser made a derogatory statement and the comment did not fall into part of an acceptable opinion.
"Your conduct is in breach and you brought your office into disrepute and could have brought the authority into disrepute."
Theme park asks Leicester teenager to prove disability
A teenage wheelchair-user was left angry and upset after staff at a theme park asked him to prove he was disabled.
Mohamad Hussain, 16, was challenged by staff at Alton Towers' guest care centre when he asked for a special wristband which would enable him to jump queues for the Staffordshire attraction's rides.
Mohamad has muscle-wasting Duchenne's muscular dystrophy.
He is unable to stand or perform tasks such as dressing or feeding himself.
His mum, Jamila, eventually managed to convince staff her son qualified for disabled access.But the teenager then discovered that the extent of his disability meant there were few attractions he could access anyway.
Mohamad, from Highfields, Leicester, said he "could not believe it" when staff challenged him to prove he was disabled.
He said: "It made me feel very bad. We were asking for wristbands which they give out to people with difficulties so they don't have to queue for a long time."
He added: "I went to Disney World not long ago and it was amazing. We were treated really well.
"I think some theme parks are behind the times when it comes to caring for the disabled."
Mum Jamila, 43, said: "I didn't know what to say when the young man asked me to prove that Mohamad was disabled. He was in a wheelchair in front of him.
"Maybe if Mohamad wasn't in a wheelchair then I could understand. But I don't usually carry a doctor's letter because no one has ever asked him to prove it before."
Jamila said that despite having the wristband, her son was unable to enjoy many of the attractions because access required more mobility than Mohamad was capable of.
She said: "After going to all the trouble of getting the wristbands we couldn't get on any of the rides anyway.
"They said there was disabled access to all the amusements but he wasn't able to go on a single ride.
"We spent the day walking around looking at the rides and shops and then went home.
"It's really disappointing and more should be done to accommodate people with disabilities, especially at big theme parks like Alton Towers."
A spokeswoman for Alton Towers said: "We offer various attractions, for example our sea life aquarium Sharkbait Reef, a variety of animals to meet and greet in Old McDonald's Farmyard and numerous shows, which means guests have other options than just rides.
"In terms of us requesting proof of disability, this is company policy and for auditing purposes.
"In some circumstances we do not require proof of disability, however we need evidence of why a wristband has been authorised."
Good verdict in disability survey
An undercover survey has found Leicestershire is better than average when it comes to providing disabled students with the things they need to get the most out of university life.
Campaigners from Trailblazers carried out investigations at 77 UK universities to find out whether halls of residence, lecture theatres and bars had disabled access.
They also wanted to know whether the universities had societies for disabled students, disability guides and accessible transport.
The universities were contacted anonymously and asked 15 questions about what they provide for disabled students and then given a percentage score.
The average was 73%, but De Montfort University scored 88%, and the University of Leicester and Loughborough University both scored 83%.
The survey was carried out because Trailblazers, part of the Muscular Dystrophy Society, is concerned many disabled people are missing out on the best university experience – or even being put off going – because of a lack of the things they need when they are there.
Nick Willis, of East Midlands Trailblazers, said that while the Leicestershire scores were higher than average, changes still needed to be made.
He said: "Some universities fell well short of having the right facilities for disabled people but the Leicestershire ones were quite good.
"There is, however, room for improvement and hopefully our report will lead to that."
The investigation found none of the three Leicestershire universities have an accessible toilet with a hoist in every one of their buildings.
The University of Leicester was found to have no group or society for disabled students and its website was given nought out of five because it lacked information on disability access, while not all of Loughborough's teaching rooms had disabled access.
Mr Willis, 25, a graduate who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and uses a wheelchair, said: "Although the facilities at universities may be good, sometimes the social side lags behind. It's a culture thing that needs to change."
University of Leicester spokesman Peter Thorley said: "We were pleased to see the University of Leicester rated well, but we're not complacent."
A spokeswoman for De Montfort University said: "De Montfort University is leading the way in the region and we are proud of the work we do."
This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:
Pair stage sit-in bus protest
A disabled man and his carer staged a sit-in protest on a bus after they were told there was no room for them.
Stuart White and Roger Hartshorn, who is in a wheelchair, tried to get a ride home to Highfields, Leicester, on the No 17 bus from Yeoman Street in the city centre yesterday afternoon.
But a mother with a young baby in a buggy were taking up the space that can be used for wheelchairs or buggies.
Mr White, 65, was told that he and Mr Hartshorn, 79, could not be on the bus as well as the woman with the buggy. But Mr White refused to budge.
The stand-off lasted around 45 minutes, with the other passengers – including the woman with the buggy – getting off and taking other buses pulling up into Yeoman Street.
A First Bus supervisor arrived and Mr White and Mr Hartshorn were taken to Highfields on the bus with no other passengers on board.
Eyewitness Selina Eagle, 21, from the city's West End, said: "The driver was trying to kick the man in the wheelchair off. The passengers were getting angry because the driver refused to drive the bus."
A spokesman for First said: "The whole idea of having easy access to buses is for us to make them more usable for people in wheelchairs and for people with children in buggies as well. But there are occasions when we will have conflicts."
Hundreds sign up for disability ID scheme
MORE than 1,000 people in Notts have signed up to a pioneering scheme allowing them to prove they have a disability.
The cards, which are being produced by the county council, help people who are not obviously disabled use services they are entitled to.
Since being launched last summer, 1,200 people have been given the photo-identity cards.
The authority, the first in the country to offer the scheme, is now planning to provide free cards to disabled children.
Youngsters will be able to choose from designs featuring a giraffe, a leaf or a dove if councillors give the go-ahead.
The scheme has now been recognised nationally after being shortlisted for two awards.
Paul McKay, director of adult social services for the county council, said its success had been "phenomenal".
He said: "It has given people more respect and dignity and improved their well-being.
"Not everyone has an obvious disability and this scheme gives people a lot more confidence."
The cards are designed to fit in a purse or wallet and include the holder's picture.In some cases, people with colostomy bags have been able to use the card to prove they are disabled when entering nightclubs.
As many as 40 people a week in Notts are now applying for the cards and the council has taken on a new part-time worker to deal with requests.
Arnold resident Terry Gallagher – who has had his bladder and large intestine removed but doesn't use a wheelchair or walking aid – came up with the idea.
He said: "The council deserves a tremendous amount of credit for doing this. I know a lady who suffers very badly from asthma who found a disabled seat on the bus and started using her inhaler.
"A group of young mums started calling her names for using the seat, but the poor woman was fighting to breathe and was so frightened she wouldn't go out.
"But she now has a disability card and is able to go out because she has the confidence. It is a wonderful scheme."
Michael Northridge, 69, of Hucknall, often needs to use the toilet at short notice after having an ileostomy.
He said: "When I saw this I thought it was a brilliant idea. I have already used it twice in emergencies.
"Once I had to visit a pub to use the toilet and I had the card already at hand. I felt very confident about it."
Leaflets and application forms for the cards are available at most libraries and all county contact points, where advisors can are on hand to help.
They are also available by phoning 08449 808080.
From today's Leicester Mercury:
Traveller site "will stop racism"
A travellers' site should be built in Groby to improve relations with residents, the leader of a gipsy group has claimed.
Alfred Kefford, chairman of Leicester Gipsy Council liaison group, made the call in the wake of "racist" comments made by a councillor at a public meeting to discuss plans for a travellers' site in Groby.
At the meeting, county councillor for Groby and Ratby Rob Fraser said Romanians would "stick a knife in you as soon as look at you" and that some Europeans "make the Irish look like complete amateurs".
Today Mr Kefford said: "They definitely need a site in Groby to stop the racism that came out of that meeting.
"Maybe if there was a site there, there could be better relations with the people there."
He said there was a "definite need" for a council-owned site in Groby.
Mr Kefford said: "If it is a council-owned site I am prepared to run it."Mr Kefford already runs a residential traveller site at Aston Firs, in Hinckley, which has 50 pitches.
But Peter Batty, parish council chairman and borough councillor for Groby, said he did not believe such a plan would do anything to improve relations.
He said: "Mr Kefford is entitled to his opinion.
"It's not one that will be shared by the majority of Groby's residents, or me.
"We've had more than our fair share of problems with travellers over the years.
"If he's interested in fostering relations, he needs to look at the experiences Groby residents have had with travellers.
"His viewpoint is naive. In the past the area has seen travellers moving in illegally, and they have not exactly covered themselves in glory.
"Groby is bursting at the seams. Our facilities are overstretched.
"It's got nothing to do with race. Our encounters with travellers have not left a pleasant memory. I think Mr Kefford needs to work on improving public relations and convince everyone that they can improve their behaviour."
Groby resident Frank Spurr, 81, said: "I don't think it would improve the relationship between residents and the travellers if they moved here.
"Property prices would no doubt come down and I think people may grow to resent that."
Fellow resident James Rose, 23, said: "Even if they were given a chance and there were no problems, I think people might still be unsure about them."
Hundreds of residents attended the meeting at Groby Community College on January 8 to discuss plans by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council for a transit site off Sacheverell Way.
Coun Fraser's comments sparked outrage from Mr Kefford when they were uploaded to the video website YouTube.
Coun Fraser was suspended from the Conservative group and ordered to take a diversity and equality course.
This article is published in today's Nottingham Post:
Notts police accused of racial and disability discrimination
A police officer claims he was refused a permanent post near home, despite his chronic back problems.
Jaswant Singh, 45, from Leicester, is claiming disability and racial discrimination against Notts Police after his request for a permanent post at East Leake station was refused.
Mr Singh has had chronic back problems for ten years. He was transferred from frontline duties to West Bridgford and then to Carlton police station.
But Mr Singh said driving to Carlton was aggravating his back. His request to be re-stationed at West Bridgford and then at East Leake was refused.
Mr Singh told an employment tribunal in Nottingham: "There was a total denial that I was even suffering a disability."
Mr Singh claimed he was pressured to work more hours and was later diagnosed with high blood pressure and a heart condition.
Chairman of the bench Peter Britton said: "What is suggested... is that this gentleman is proud to be a policeman. His back problem gets worse as time goes by and it means he cannot sadly continue in an operational role. His back problems are chronic, he has to have epidurals, he would like to take really strong painkillers but he can't because if he does he can't drive."
Mr Singh acknowledged that his shifts were changed so that he wouldn't have to drive at peak times, and that he was referred to occupational health.
This letter is published in today's Leicester Mercury:
Bus problems
In response to Lorna Crane's letter (Mailbox, March 6) provision of the easy access buses on service 50 and 51, is a matter for the operator, Arriva, not the city council.
Arriva took delivery of a fleet of easy access Volvo single-deck buses last year, which should help. But at present, their fleet is a mixture of easy access and step-entrance buses.
Bus operators are not required by law to have a 100 per cent easy access fleet until 2017, and Arriva's fleet should conform to this well before then.
But Arriva don't help their own case by scheduling easy access and step entrance buses on the same roads, without showing any indication in their timetables which journeys will be run by which types of bus.
Until the step entrance buses are eliminated from the fleet, it would probably be better to restrict them to certain routes and specify clear which routes are easy access and which are step entrance.
Terry Kirby, Barwell.
This letter is published in today's Leicester Mercury:
Plea answered
While I have every sympathy for the disabled in respect to travelling on Arriva buses 50 and 51, I would like to point out to Mrs Lorna Crane (Mailbox, March 7) the facts relating to the change of the city centre terminus from the ludicrous Causeway Lane stop back to the Haymarket.
I campaigned to get the Haymarket stop reinstated. Both the city council and Arriva listened to my pleas on behalf of pensioners and disabled people and discussions were entered into.
I must praise Mr Julian Heubeck, the city's public transport co-ordinator, for the way he dealt with the problem, keeping me informed of progress.
With regard to special buses for the disabled, it should be remembered that both the 50 and 51 are mainly on rural routes and capital expenditure by Arriva on the special buses has to be restricted. As far as I am aware, the city council has no influence on this.
Mrs Crane, in her original letter, was out of date because the route changes had already been made, but may I wish her the best of luck if she campaigns for disabled buses and hope she gets more support than I got in my campaign.
Peggy Brooks, Leicester
From today's Leicester Mercury:
"Racist" remarks probed by police
Police are investigating remarks made by a councillor at a meeting to discuss plans for a travellers' site.
Robert Fraser, county councillor for Groby and Ratby, said Romanians would "stick a knife in you as soon as look at you", and that some Europeans "make the Irish look like complete amateurs".
Travellers' spokesman, Alfred Kefford, said he was outraged by the Conservative councillor's "racist" comments.
He heard them after footage of the meeting was posted on video website YouTube. He complained to the police.
Today, Coun Fraser, a former county council member for equality, apologised and said he regretted the "spur-of-the-moment" remarks.
He made the comments at a Groby Parish Council meeting called after the Leicester Mercury revealed plans for a site for about 50 caravans off Sacheverell Way, in Groby.
Responding to an audience member who spoke about the level of knife crime allegedly linked to the travelling community, Coun Fraser said: "The Romanians, they'll stick a knife in you as soon as look at you.
"There might be some good ones. Forgive me if there are any Romanians here (the audience laughs) and hopefully that's a 'no' because I wouldn't get out of here (he points at a walking stick). I'm a bit slow."
He also told the audience: "By gosh, some of these European ones, they make the Irish look like complete amateurs and I would dread, I would dread to see them in Groby."
Mr Kefford, chairman of the Leicester Gipsy Council Liaison Group, said: "I'm appalled, shocked and disgusted at these comments.
"They are racist. A lot of damage has been done and seeing these comments on YouTube, of all places, is very, very hurtful.
"If they were directed at any other ethnic group, there would be a public outcry.
"We are trying hard to break down barriers between the gipsy community and the public, and things like this certainly do not help."We are a race of people who have been around for hundreds of years. We are an ethnic group."
Calling for Coun Fraser to resign, he said the comments were akin to "incitement to racial hatred", adding: "To do it in a public place is totally unacceptable."
Dr Ion Jinga, Romanian ambassador to the UK, said the comments were "extremely regrettable and totally unfair". He said: "I would like to remind your readers that Romanians are citizens of the European Union, like the British people are."
"Romanians living in the UK are, in an overwhelming majority, highly skilled, hard workers and respectful to the laws, just as the few thousands of British citizens living in Romania are."
After being contacted by the Mercury, Coun Fraser said he "bitterly regretted" the "spur-of-the-moment comment" which "may have caused offence to the majority of decent, law-abiding Romanian people".
He said: "There was no intent on my part to introduce any racist element into the meeting, but I accept I may have allowed my judgement to become momentarily clouded.
"I would like to stress my awareness of the fact that an increasing number of Britons now holiday perfectly safely in Romania each year, and if the opportunity arose, I would quite happily holiday there myself. I don't regard myself as a racist in any way. In fact, I have an excellent record of positively working with, and on behalf of, Leicestershire's minority groups in my time as county council member for equalities."
Coun Fraser said he did not know the meeting was being filmed and said he did not think he should resign over the matter.
Hundreds of residents attended the meeting at Groby Community College on January 8 to discuss the travellers' site plan by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.
Among the speakers was Conservative MP for Charnwood, Stephen Dorrell.
He told the Mercury he thought Coun Fraser's comments were "extremely unwise", but not racist.
He said: "I don't think what he said should necessarily lead to his resignation, but his words were extremely unwise and plain wrong in my view.
"Romania is a country of 50 or 60 million people and the majority of those are fine, law-abiding people.
"I don't think it's racist because I don't think that Romanians are a race of people. The comments are anti-Romanian."
Peter Batty, parish council chairman and borough councillor for Groby, also spoke at the travellers' site meeting.
He said: "I think you must look at the context of that meeting. There was a lot of anxiety from a lot of people. Maybe Coun Fraser shouldn't have responded that way. I can't defend that comment. I wouldn't have said that, but I can't tell you what was going through somebody else's mind."
There were nearly 400 visits to the website footage of the meeting on YouTube. It has now been removed.
A police spokeswoman said: "The matter referred to on YouTube was brought to our attention on Friday.
"We are now carrying out an investigation to establish if any criminal offences have been disclosed."
A spokesman for the county council said the comments "will be formally investigated within the council's procedures".
