Wednesday, 30 March 2011

Disability projects axed

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:
Disability projects axed
Four council-funded schemes for people with learning disabilities are set to close after no-one came forward to take them over.
Leicestershire County Council's cabinet will decide the future of the schemes next month and they are likely to close in September.
The schemes include the Breaking the Barriers team, in Mountsorrel; the Buffet Car project, in Coalville; Four West, in Wigston; and the Charnwood recycling project, in Loughborough. They run activities such as catering, gardening and recycling.The council had hoped that outside agencies, including charities, could have stepped forward to take over the schemes.
The closures would save £770,000 a year.
Richard Woolerton, 27, is a trainee at the Buffet Car, which gives young people the chance to earn a qualification in catering.
His mother, Jackie, 57, said: "I think it stinks that the council is closing a service that had made such a difference to people's lives for 25 years.
"Richard has a great life thanks to the Buffet Car but they're taking that away. What will happen to all of the people who use these centres? They'll be stuck at home all day."
David Sprason, cabinet member for adults and communities, said the services were not part of the council's core business.
He added: "I'm disappointed that we could not find anyone willing to take over these schemes, but we have to face reality.
"I understand people don't want them to close, but in these hard times, when we're saving £79 million over four years, we have to concentrate our limited funding on the most vulnerable people.
"They are not a core part of our business – especially when there are other agencies out there who are responsible for doing this.
"We're going to ensure that people who use these services have time to find alternatives, which may include our own day services."
However, it is also proposed that two schemes – Breaking the Barriers in Hinckley and the Greenhouse project in Wigston – could continue until September 2012, to allow more time to seek alternative funding.
Russell Harrison, 36, from Coalville, has been visiting Breaking the Barriers, in Hinckley, for three years.
The centres give vulnerable adults an opportunity learn skills such as woodwork and gardening.
Russell's dad, Jeff Harrison, 66, said: "Russell's had some of the best years of his life with Breaking the Barriers.
"I'm pleased that we've been given an additional 18 months at the centre, but we'll continue the campaign to secure its future in the long-term."
Last November, a report by the council said that the schemes had limited success in moving people into paid employment.
The council warned that unless other groups came forward, they would close, because other agencies should be providing this support. County Hall's Cabinet will discuss the issue on April 5.

Tuesday, 29 March 2011

For true Christians, God's law is always God's law

This letter is published in today's Derby Telegraph:
For true Christians, God's law is always God's law
Just what has happened to this once great Christian country of ours? It seems, and not just to me, that if you are not a Muslim or gay, you do not command any kind of respect.
Well, I for one am not a Muslim and I am not gay. I am a Christian that believes in the Bible. You know the book, it has God's word in it, but more importantly it has his law in it as well. The same law that the State is telling us to ignore while we teach children homosexuality is normal and OK.
Would they dare to tell a Muslim to ignore the Koran? I don't think so.
The Bible states: "You must not lie down with a male the same as you lie down with a woman, it is a detestable thing."
I personally have nothing against gay people but, like others, I am sick and tired of the coverage they get on television and the papers.
Now the State has gone one step further by banning a Christian couple from fostering children because of their religious beliefs about homosexuality, so does this mean that all Christians who will not break God's law are banned?
Does Christianity, the religion of our Queen, count for nothing in this once great nation of ours?
There is also the question of how you can be a minister of the church and be gay – I thought that ministers of the church were supposed to teach from the Bible.
You cannot cherry-pick pieces that suit the individual. If you are a true Christian, God's law is God's law, which, if they minister to a congregation, they should be. Can anyone go to our ministers of justice and proclaim I don't accept that law but I will accept that one because it suits me?
I think enough is enough. If you are gay, you are gay, I do not want to know about it. But when it encroaches on our civil liberties, it is time for all Christians to stand up and be counted to regain the respect we deserve.
Alan Walker
Glendon Street
Stanley Common

Tuesday, 22 March 2011

Signing Network


Time for a bit of well-deserved promotion for a group that has helped out at a number of events organised by REDP, including today's training session with the British Institute of Human Rights.

Signing Network is an interpreting co-operative which works closely with Leicester Deaf Action Group. It supports LDAG by donating its profits to it and assisting in setting up a letter translation service and an advocacy service, for which it provides pro bono interpreters.

In the photo above: Karen Sly and Averil Dobson of Signing Network, to left and right (respectively) of Owais Murad from Leicester Deaf Action Group.

Making the most of international human rights


REDP has arranged a training session today with the British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) at Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living (LCIL). Training is delivered by Sonia Omar. Sonia has been here on a couple of occasions before; she tells me that the last time was two years ago. Doesn't seem like that, but it appears to be before the birth of the blog, so she may well be right there.

Sonia's style of leading and facilitating these sessions is relaxed but rigorous, authoritative without being authoritarian, intensive without being intense - as you may be able to see from the photo above (Sonia is on the left, with Averil Dobson, from Signing Network).

Attending today, we have people from the following groups:
  • Age UK
  • Derby and Derbyshire Race Equality Commission
  • Leicester Deaf Action Group
  • Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Centre
  • Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living
  • Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Council
  • One East Midlands
  • The Race Equality Centre

After lunch, we do small group work on some specific treaties and other UN tools:
  • International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
  • International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
  • Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

We're considering each of these on the basis of our own experience gained from working in these fields. We highlight where government has done well in relation to these conventions, covenants or principles or where they haven't been doing so well and may be liable to challenge.

In my specific are of interest, I must look up the Declaration on the elimination of All forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. this would be particularly relevant just now as it would inform discussions with the University of Derby on the project currently looking at Leicester.

We realise that there's a clear need not only to educate the Voluntary and Community Sector about human rights, but also to foreground them in our relations with local and national authorities, service providers etc - especially in relation to mounting challenges to the effects of cuts.

Saturday, 19 March 2011

Arriva, clean up your act

This letter is published in today's Leicester Mercury:
Arriva, clean up your act
I write with reference to Lorna Crane's letter highlighting the attitude of Arriva bus drivers towards disabled people (Mailbox, March ).
I am not permanently disabled but have twice, during the last 12 months, broken wrist bones, thus preventing me from driving, and more or less forcing me to travel on Arriva transport.
What an unpleasant experience it was – mainly due to the attitude of the drivers. Nearly all, with very few exceptions, were surly, morose and looked as if they would rather die than break into a smile.
I realise they can work unsociable hours in difficult traffic conditions, but their attitude as I boarded buses actually put me on a "downer". Very few said a cheery "hello" even when most passengers were pleasant both getting on and off buses (the only exception to this was a very friendly mixed-race or coloured driver who was always cheerful and pleasant).
If Arriva wish people to travel on their buses, they should clean up their act. The fares are astronomical.
The buses are often dirty (not to mention often not on time or being missed out completely).
Together with the reception received from their staff (which I consider of utmost importance) surely people cannot be blamed for using their cars.
I, for one, even as an able-bodied person, will avoid travelling on their buses whenever I can.
Ella Meah, Leicestershire.

Friday, 4 March 2011

Disabled face a threat to their independence

This is the First Person column in today's Leicester Mercury:
Disabled face a threat to their independence 
Shelley Bark has grave concerns over proposed changes to a vital source of financial help 
The Independent Living Fund (ILF) was created in 1990 for disabled people aged 16 to 64 who needed help with their care. This allowed them to employ someone to help them with their everyday personal care needs. The ILF is a Government-funded organisation which has helped 46,000 severely disabled people in its lifetime. Currently ILF helps 20,000 severely disabled people in the UK and employs 160 staff and 90 self-employed assessors. 
In 2009 the Government did a consultation with ILF and its users to see if the users were happy with the service and how they could improve it. Now all of a sudden this Government wants to end this wonderful scheme, firstly by stopping new disabled people joining it; then ending the whole ILF scheme in 2015. Thereafter the money will transfer to local authorities (what we don't know is if it will be ring-fenced). This will mean the 20,000 disabled people will have to be accessed again by a local authority social worker for direct payments which means extra costs and we, the users, might not receive the right levels of funding for the right level of care, especially those severely disabled people on high care packages allowing them full independence to live a productive life – a human right. 
I have severe cerebral palsy which means the only things I can do is drive my electric wheelchair and work my computer my with eyes which allows me to write this article. I am an intelligent lady and I can run my own care package, which entails hiring and firing my own carers, doing my tax and National Insurance, carers' contracts and rotas and making sure that I have got the right type of care for my needs. At the moment I have got four members of staff who pay tax and National Insurance and also I pay the employer's National Insurance which means I'm putting money back into the Government. Having carers in my own home means I can lead a normal life. 
Direct payments can be used for care only, but ILF gives us the freedom to pursue different avenues in life, and can be used for additional expenses that go with having 24-hour care and having carers in the home, for example, electricity, tea- and coffee-making facilities, wear and tear. 
I have always led a full life and have represented my country in sport, having been both a world and European champion. I have also been very active in championing causes for the disabled, none of which would have been possible without ILF. Without this level of care, which I don't think local authorities can provide for us, how many vulnerable people will end up in care homes having their quality of life and dignity taken away from them? And where are the people who would be applying for this help now going to go?

Shelley Bark lives in Syston and wants to make people aware and help other disabled people keep their independence and their dignity.

Wednesday, 2 March 2011

Real hassle on the buses

This letter is published in today's Leicester Mercury:
Real hassle on the buses
I have read the story "Bus drivers humiliated me, says disabled man" (Mercury, February 19).
I received a questionnaire this week from Vista, the blind and partially-sighted people's organisation, asking if they could try to make things better with things like buses, airports, shops and banks, where people have difficulties.
I have emphasised buses, as some of the drivers, not all, are ignorant.
Getting on and off buses when you are disabled is a problem. I am partially sighted. I walk with a stick because I have walking difficulties as well and also carry a shopping bag.
When you ask the drivers to let the bus down, they just ignore you or look at you as if you are not there.
I always emphasise the words "please" and "thank you" when I ask someone to do something for me. I always taught my children good manners cost nothing but it falls on deaf ears with some drivers.
On Narborough Road where the big car showroom is, some of the buses come from the slip road at the side of the motorway. They don't even bother to pull in at the bus stop kerb. They stop in the middle of the road and don't bother to let the bus down. I have very often had to let the bus go and wait for the one that comes round the corner of Braunstone Lane as they do stop and pull into the kerb.
Now I get a taxi if I'm going into town. It's less hassle but more money as I have a free bus pass.
Maybe some more disabled people could write in and perhaps Arriva could sort these ignorant bus drivers out; and it's not just disabled people – it's mums with prams. I've heard drivers shouting at them because the prams are in the way.
Buses are supposed to be a service for the people of Leicester not just a job for a driver. What's happened to courtesy these days? I'll answer that myself. Gone down the drain with "please" and "thank you".
Lorna K Crane, Braunstone South