Teen's campaign to raise awareness of disabilities

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Teen's campaign to raise awareness of disabilities

A teenager is campaigning to make teaching children about disability awareness compulsory in schools.

Paige Murray, who has cerebral palsy, believes that including the subject in the national curriculum would help dispel the sort of ignorance that led to her being bullied as a youngster.

The 18-year-old, from Braunstone, Leicester, has started an e-petition on a Government website.

If she can persuade 100,000 people to sign up then the issue will be eligible for a debate in the House of Commons.

Paige said: "My mission is to get the issue discussed by MPs in Parliament, which would be absolutely brilliant.

"The last time I checked there were more than 200 signatures but I'm gathering support every day."

The Gateway College student knows how painful being bullied because of a disability can be.

She said: "My first experience began when I was about 11 and it was from other children and people in my community. It continued for several more years.

"Most of it was teasing and name-calling but there were also more serious incidents like a time someone threw a stone at my head and eggs were thrown at our house.

"It made me angry because I was being targeted simply because I was disabled. It made me feel very low and was not a very nice time."

Paige rose above her tormentors – and her disability – by throwing herself into sport and volunteering to help improve her community.

She is keen swimmer and member of the Leicester Penguins club, she recently competed in the national championships for disabled swimmers in Sheffield.She said: "If we could get disability awareness on the school curriculum I feel there would be more understanding and less ignorance towards people with a disability."

Barbara Howard, director of Leicestershire disability charity Mosaic, is backing Paige's campaign.

She said: "Many disabled adults we talk to have incredibly low self-esteem because of bullying while at school.

"Having disability awareness lessons as part of the national curriculum is an excellent idea and something that should have been introduced ages ago.

"If you can get to young people then hopefully it can stop the kind of negative attitudes which can result in serious anti-social behaviour towards people with disability when they are adults."

Leicester West MP Liz Kendall, who has nominated Paige to carry the Olympic torch next year, said: "This is a brilliant campaign. Paige is an inspirational young woman who has always championed better awareness about the issues affecting young people with disabilities. I wish her every success."

Paige's campaign comes as ministers carry out a review of Personal, Social, Health and Economic education, which sometimes includes disability issues, as well as the National Curriculum as a whole.

Personalisation event debriefing

Members of REDP's Core Partner organisations meet at Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living this morning, to debrief on our recent event, "Are you prepared for Personalisation?" (see blog entry, 6 December).

We consider what we thought worked well, what didn't work quite so well and what we can do better or differently next time. We also compare the Personalisation event to previous regional events we've run, both on the Equality Act 2010 (in Nottingham, June this year and one in Leicester, June last year).

• In future, we should ask attendees to evaluate  events against stated outcomes, rather than against what delegates thought, hoped (or imagined) would be taking place. This Personalisation event was the first at which we overtly stated outcomes; putting them on screen several times, although we didn't put them on the evaluation form: that's what we'll do differently next time.
• We discuss sharing good practice on use of t-loop system, in terms of main speakers, questions from the floor, roving microphone - and of provision by venues.
• Delegates will be encouraged to book on workshops in advance, rather than choose on the day (which would help reception function better).
• Delegate badges to show which workshops they are booked on
• If possible, in future we should have two desks for reception on opposite sides of the room (divided alphabetically and clearly signed).
• We'll favour venues where the entrance for the main hall is at back, so that late entrants don't have to walk past speakers, and staff coming and going don't distract from the speakers or others on the platform.
• We'll create generic signage that can be sued at all events
• We should consider the distance from the main hall to wherever food is being served. Attendees with mobility problems can be adversely affected if this distance is too great.
• REDP personnel should always carry with them info regarding location of workshops etc
• The timing of the main sessions was "crisp" (thanks to our Chair); timing of breakout sessions wasn't crisp enough.
• Few organisations have the clout to organise or host an event on this scale in the present circumstances. We should strengthen this in terms of relationships with hosting venues
• What we're calling the "craft area" was in a nice, spacious and well-lit area, but saw very little traffic
• We should see workshops as mini conferences, with stated outcomes. In evaluation forms, delegates will be asked if workshop(s) met outcomes and workshop presenters will help draw up these outcomes and sign up to them.
• We're obliged to identify equality and diversity issues in all the topic areas we cover. We wonder if we did enough to convey that in the event - and to emphasise equality and diversity themes to members of the Core Reference Group and to other agencies, groups and organisations involved with REDP.
• We'll be discussing how to showcase VCS organisations based in Derby and/or Derbyshire at the forthcoming Human Rights event in a "mini expo".

Faith & Reflection Room at RNIB College Loughborough

I've  accepted an invitation by the RNIB College Loughborough to take part in the official opening of their new Faith and Reflection Room today, during the College's Winter Festival.

The RNIB College Loughborough is a national specialist college, supporting people aged 16 and upwards who are blind, partially sighted and/or have other disabilities, through day and residential places.

I'm met at reception by Norma Curtis, Quality Improvement Manager (with responsibility for Equalities and Staff Development - in the pink top in the photo above), who shows me a space among the tables offering tombola, raffles, crafts and games where I can display our pop-up banner and leaflets (as well as literature from the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership – REDP).

Once I’ve got that set up, Norma takes me to the Faith and Reflection Room ahead of its official opening, so she can show me what’s there and tell me how it has been developed. The room has been designed by learners for everyone's use: fellow learners, staff and visitors. It's reserved for use by Muslims exclusively every week day, 1310-1330.

Given its particular setting, those designing the room have addressed needs and sensitivities that are not often considered: high colour contrast between objects; soft furnishings; appealing to different sensory experiences than might be found in other such rooms (a fragrance diffuser, a basket of stones of varying textures, a speaking clock); use of braille and large type.

There’s a small chest of drawers with space for resources for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Humanism, Judaism, Sikhism (and for Islam, stored in a separate box, as one of the Muslim learners has particular access difficulties). Some of these are less full than the others; hopefully, we can encourage the relevant communities to donate some appropriate material.

Copies of the 2011 Directory of Places of Prayer, Meditation and Worship in Loughborough in large print and in braille are mounted on the wall (and copies to take away).as well as the "Find a Church" directory.

Improving quotations have been printed out and mounted on the wall, amongst which are the following:

"He who sows courtesy reaps friendships, and he who plants kindness sows love." (St Basil) 

"It is easy to do what is harmful to ourselves. What is helpful and good is hard to do." (from the Dhammapada) 

"Life is a progress and not a station" (Ralph Waldo Emerson) "Wonder is the beginning of wisdom." (Socrates)

Leicester Council of Faiths doesn't have any specially adapted material for people with sight loss, but we have tried to bear in mind best practice in terms of layout, typography etc for print and display materials to promote better accessibility (thanks for this advice and guidance to Eric Day, Access Officer at Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living). We’ve tried to do the same for our online presence (e.g. website, blog).

We gather for the official opening shortly after 1100. Following a brief introduction by Tony Warren, Principal of the College (centre, in the photo above), a blessing is delivered by Father Joe Mullan, Roman Catholic Chaplain at Loughborough University (left of Mr Warren in the photo above). Next, I’m asked to say a few words about the multi-faith nature of the room and its resources.

Among the small party a the official opening of the Faith and Reflection Room is Lesley Ansari (far right in the photo) whom I know from Human Rights and Equalities Charnwood and as being involved with Loughborough Council of Faiths. What I didn’t know until today is that she’s also a member of the College's Board of Governors

Above and beyond the particular Protected Characteristic of Religion or Belief represented by opening of the Faith and Reflection Room, it's gratifying to see how the College is dedicated to equality and diversity in their fullest forms.

A statement of the college's Code of Practice on Equality and Diversity is on public display, not only in the Faith and Reflection Room, but throughout the building. There are also names and photos of the college's Equality and Diversity Champions, one for each of the following Protected Characteristics:

• Age
• Disability
• Marriage / Civil Partnership
• Pregnancy / Maternity
• Race
• Religion, Belief & Non-Belief [sic]
• Sexual orientation
• Transgender / Gender Identity / Sex

I speak with Norma about REDP and the possibility of the college’s involvement in our activities. We agree that I should come back out to discuss this specifically, early in the New Year.

After the official opening of the Faith and Reflection Room, we're all ushered into the Arts Centre for a performance by learners of their Christmas show, "The Thief of Christmas". This is tremendous fun to watch (and to perform, by the looks of it). Parts of it are presented as a pre-recorded video, which can be seen on the college's YouTube channel (and I bought a copy of it on DVD as well).

From a personal perspective, I’m interested in visiting the college and learning something about its work. I have several issues related to my sight: diabetes (though thankfully, no sign of retinopathy from my regular scans) narrow-angle glaucoma (treated with a combination of drops each morning and evening – though I had unsuccessful laser surgery to try and correct it a few years ago); I also had a cataract removed and replace earlier this year. So although I’ve had no personal contact or involvement with the RNIB College before this event, I find it reassuring that it’s there and doing what it does for those who need it most.

The College mentions the Faith and Reflection Room on its website.

Disabled face a city of obstacles

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Disabled Face a City of Obstacles 

A campaigner has drawn up a list of challenges facing disabled people trying to get around the city. 

Paul Southwood, disability officer for Leicester and District Trade Union Congress, visited busy parts of the city centre on his mobility scooter, identifying "the good, the bad and the ugly" for access. 

His report has been sent to mayor Sir Peter Soulsby. 

Mr Southwood has Guillian Barré syndrome, a disease of the nervous system which causes weakness and paralysis in the limbs. 

His report said an increase in street furniture from outdoor cafes, smoking areas and advertising boards had created obstacles for the less mobile. 

Mr Southwood said Market Street and streets near Leicester market were the worst. 

He said: "It's nice to be able to sit outside in the summer but it's about getting a balance. 

"The advertising boards are getting worse and in St Martin's the pavement, which is already small, is getting smaller because of them. 

"When you are on a scooter, it can be like going round the chicanes at Donington Park. It just needs common sense to see how that could create problems for some people. 

"There needs to be a limit on the obstacles." 

The report said the railway station was also difficult to negotiate for people with disabilities and the major redevelopment work being carried out had exacerbated the problem. 

Mr Southwood said: "Instead of doing the work in phases, they have chosen to do it all at once, which has meant quite a narrow corridor to get to the cash machine and the area has been boxed in. 

"At one point, the only way for everybody to get to the ticket hall was a narrow ramp with no handrails." 

A Network Rail spokeswoman said: "As a result of passenger comments, we have made improved, secure arrangements to give disabled users access to the station into the ticket hall from the long-stay car park via the storage lift. 

"While not specifically designed to improve disabled access, this should improve the station for all users." 

The bus stops at Leicester General and Glenfield hospitals were also criticised. 

Mr Southwood said the stops needed raised kerbs and the shelters should be upgraded.
He said: "Proper bus shelters – the same as in the city centre – are needed at all hospitals." 

Ruth Ward, travel manager for Leicester's hospitals, said: "We continuously review our travel and access plans and we will certainly bear these helpful suggestions in mind." 

Deputy city mayor Rory Palmer said: "I welcome this report. 

"We take these issues very seriously and we are always looking at how we can improve disabled access in the city."

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson honoured with degree at De Montfort University

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson honoured with degree at De Montfort University 

Civil rights campaigner the Rev Jesse Jackson received an honorary degree yesterday. 

He was a key speaker at De Montfort University's conference on terrorism and radicalism, organised by the Parliamentary Home Affairs Select Committee, chaired by Leicester East MP Keith Vaz. 

Mr Jackson said other cities could look to Leicester for tips on multicultural and racial harmony.
He said: "This is a multicultural city and it shows that when people work alongside each other, together as a team, things can work. 

"Here is Leicester there are many races and many faces from many places." 

Mr Jackson marched with Martin Luther King Jr in Selma, Alabama, in the 1960s and, in 1979, visited South Africa, where he spoke out against apartheid. 

He also won praise for negotiating the release of American soldiers and civilians held around the world and, in the 1980s, became a leading national spokesman for African Americans and twice stood for the Democrats nomination for president. 

When asked what Leicester could do to further fight terrorism, he said: "We must be radical but radical in a loving and caring and peaceful way, fighting together to change our world. 

"We must think about the way we interpret the word 'radical' and remember that Jesus was a radical – but in this peaceful sense I talk about. 

"We must all fight to coexist in peace." 

Mr Jackson spoke at the conference about the lessons to be learned from the US experience of tackling radicalisation and said that we must address the disparity in wealth between the rich and poor in order to achieve peace. 

Other speakers at the conference included Ian Paisley Jr MP, who discussed his experiences in Northern Ireland, as well as Home Office security minister James Brokenshire and Dr Dipu Moni, the foreign minister of Bangladesh. 

At the conference, Mr Vaz announced he would today ask parliament to honour Mr Jackson by nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize.

"Big Society" project lacks clarity and leadership, say MPs

This article is published in today's Guardian Society:

"Big Society" project lacks clarity and leadership, say MPs 

• Civil service, charities and public confused by policy 

• Single minister must take control to avoid failure 

By Rajeev Syal 

David Cameron’s "big society" project is confusing the civil service, charities and the public because it lacks a clear plan and a leader, according to a parliamentary committee.

In a report released on Wednesday, the public administration select committee calls on the government to introduce a single minister to take control of the policy or risk seeing it flop for a fifth time.

The report follows an earlier inquiry by the same committee, which examines the role of the civil service. It found there had been a failure to apply coherent changes in Whitehall to implement the project.

Bernard Jenkin MP, the Conservative chairman of the committee, says there must be an overhaul of the way the government is implementing the policy to end widespread confusion. "Some charities and community groups have shown they can provide some public services at better value for money than those delivered by the state," he says. "The problem is they are likely to experience significant barriers to progress unless the culture and skills in the departments commissioning such services change."

The big society was a central theme of last year's general election campaign. It is intended to devolve power and to foster a greater sense of responsibility by loosening the role of the state.

In May Cameron relaunched the policy for the fourth time.

He said: "The big society is not some fluffy add-on to more gritty and important subjects. This is about as gritty and important as it gets: giving everyone the chance to get on and making our country a better place to live."

The report says that MPs cannot see how the government will engage smaller charities and voluntary groups who wish to help deliver public services without changes.

Francis Maude, the cabinet secretary, and Nick Hurd, the minister leading the policy, are singled out in the report for failing to recognise how uninformed people are about what the phrase "big society" actually means.

The report says: "The minister for civil society [Hurd] did not recognise the problem, arguing that 'people fundamentally understand it [the big society]. I think that national consciousness is one thing we have achieved.' On the evidence before us, we must disagree."

The committee says that early examples of the big society in practice such as the Work Programme have left service providers such as the charitable sector with serious reservations.

"The danger is that big contractors and the largest charities continue to dominate at the expense of small and local providers," it concludes.

The committee expresses concern about the introduction of the private sector to public services in the name of the big society and recommends greater clarity on the roles of charitable, private and public providers of public services.

"The ambition to open up public services to new providers has prompted concerns about the role of private companies which have not thus far been adequately addressed by ministers," it concludes.The report also says the Big Society Capital, the big society bank, which was set up to invest in or set up loans for projects, will not be able to provide a solution for many smaller organisations that have had their funding cut.

"Big Society Capital will not provide the solution to the 'funding gap' for many small local charities who do not wish to take out loans. The government must acknowledge that in the short term Big Society Capital is unlikely to resolve the current funding gap'," it states.

The committee concludes by asking for the creation of a single big society minister to help other ministers to drive through this agenda by April 2012.

It also requests the implementation of an impact assessment, to be applied to every government policy, statutory instrument, and new bill, which answers the simple question: "what substantively will this do to build social capital, people power, and social entrepreneurs?"

A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said that there was already a minister, Nick Hurd, who has responsibility for the project, and disagreed on whether enough has been done for grassroots projects over the last 18 months. 

"Programmes such as Community Organisers, Community First and National Citizen Service will help stimulate more social action by bringing people together in the communities they live in to solve problems and make the most of opportunities and assets. And there is a clear plan of how government will support this. The Localism Bill give power back to local communities, while the Open Public Services White Paper will empower individuals by giving them choice over services and empower neighbourhoods to take greater control over local services. In addition the Cabinet Office business plan sets out a clear set of objectives for the Office for Civil Society.

Treatment of disabled gives cause to worry

The following letter is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Treatment of disabled gives cause to worry

I read with great interest that East Midlands Ambulance Service has missed out on a £130m contract to provide non-emergency patient transport services in the region. 

I must say it came as no surprise taking into account the regular complaints of lateness often mentioned in this paper. What did come as a surprise was to find that Arriva Passenger Services Ltd (yes that is Arriva buses) won the contract for this area. As a disabled wheelchair user I find that worrying. Arriva buses are a complete nightmare to use with a wheelchair. I have been told by one driver "sorry you cannot use the ramp we do not get trained on it." Another stated: "You can't get on, the ramp is faulty." Some of the drivers could not be more helpful but some see us as a hindrance.

If this is the treatment of disabled people on their public transport what assurance – other than at the moment the present EMAS staff will be absorbed in the transfer – have we the treatment be any better under Arriva's management?

Andy Murtha , Enderby.

Core Partners meeting

This morning we have the monthly meeting of REDP's Core Partners:

• Leicester Council of Faiths
• Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living
• Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Centre
• The Race Equality Centre

We meet at Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living, which is the accountable body for this project. Normally we'd have this meeting on the first Tuesday of the month, but that was given over this month to our regional event on Personalisation.

Today we're joined by members of our Working Group, bringing them up to speed with our exit strategy as REDP approaches the end of its initial funding period and on our plans and prospects for sustainability in the medium and long term. This is following up on the meeting of Core Partners last Wednesday morning (see blog entry for 7 December).

This isn't our only topic today, of course. We discuss the remaining three regional conferences that we plan to hold in the first half of 2012, the topics for which are:

• Human Rights (led by The Race Equality Centre)
• Hate Crime (led by Leicester LGBT Centre)
• Localism (led by Leicester Council of Faiths)

These will be spaced about eight weeks apart and each one will be preceded by a short series of seminars in six different parts of the East Midlands.

We also discuss how to set a consistent tone for the public projection of REDP. As well as adhering to a list of inappropriate words and phrases that we hope would never pass the lips of anyone doing anything, anywhere, on behalf of REDP, we'd like to do something that would help define our values. My part in this will be to draft a brief statement regarding the positive dimensions of identifying with one or more of the Protected Characteristics enumerated in the Equality Act 2010. More often than not, identification with a Protected Characteristic is presented as having a negative impact on individual, family and community life - as if being rid of this, that or the other Protected Characteristic would only beneficial. As if (say) a black person's life would be made better if they had been born white; as if a gay person (for instance) would invariably be happier if they were straight; as if giving up one's culture, heritage and identity as a Sikh (for example) would lead to more success in this world. This is ridiculous and patently so. No doubt that belonging to any identifiable group can lead to discrimination, harassment, persecution or victimisation - and we would never deny that that's the unfortunate and unacceptable reality of life for many. However, the solution is not to aspire to some bland, featureless, flavourless "norm" of being British. What on earth would that be like - and who on earth would say that is them, or wish to be like that? This would help differentiate our approach to diversity (after all, it's in our name) as well as affirming our commitment to equality.

University set to pay tribute to Rev Jesse Jackson

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

University set to pay tribute to Rev Jesse Jackson 

Civil rights campaigner the Rev Jesse Jackson will receive an honorary degree from De Montfort University next week. 

Rev Jackson, who twice ran for president in America in the 1980s, will be the keynote speaker when the university hosts a major conference on preventing terrorism on Tuesday. 

The conference has been organised by Parliament's powerful Home Affairs Select Committee, chaired by city MP Keith Vaz, which is looking at the causes of terrorism and radicalisation in the UK. 

The university's vice-chancellor Professor Dominic Shellard said: "We share Rev Jackson's values throughout our university community. 

"We are very pleased to welcome him to DMU and honour his numerous achievements as an inspirational advocate and campaigner for civil rights in the USA and around the world." 

Mr Vaz, who represents Leicester East, said: "This conference is set to contribute significantly to the conversation on radicalisation and I am looking forward to hearing from Rev Jackson when he delivers his keynote speech next Tuesday. 

"The roots of violent radicalisation remains a subject of great national interest and this prestigious institution, with its reputation for hosting and furthering national debates, is the perfect location." 

The conference's findings will be passed to the Government as it creates its Prevent Strategy, which is designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. 

Rev Jackson's keynote speech will look into the lessons to be learned from the US experience of tackling radicalisation. 

After the conference, he will receive his honorary degree at a ceremony at the St Mary De Castro Church, adjacent to the university campus, in front of hundreds of invited guests. 

Other speakers at the conference include Ian Paisley Junior MP, who will discuss his experiences in Northern Ireland, as well as Home Office security minister James Brokenshire and Dr Dipu Moni, the Foreign Minister for Bangladesh. 

The threat from the far right as well as religious fanaticism will also be considered.
Heightened security is expected to be in place across the campus due to the number of high-profile political figures at the event. 

Rev Jackson last visited the city in 2008.

Exit strategy and sustainability

This morning REDP's Core Partners are meeting at Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living, to consider our Action Plan for an exit strategy and sustainability when our initial period of funding ends in June 2012. The Core Partners of REDP are:

• Leicester Council of Faiths
• Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living
• Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Centre
• The Race Equality Centre

We consider our current position, plans and future prospects under the following broad categories:

• Policy and Procedure
• Audit and Performance
• Workforce and Training
• Accountability and Scrutiny
• Health and Safety
• Training and Equality-Proofing
• Website
• Research
• Market Profiling
• Project Delivery
• Seminars and Events

You'll have to make do with that for now. I'm not giving the game away at this stage! You'll just have to keep up with developments.

Are you prepared for Personalisation?

At the King Power Stadium (home of Leicester City FC) today for our latest regional event, "Are you prepared for Personalisation?" This has been designed with three main outcomes in mind:

1. To identify the risks and opportunities that Personalisation presents
2. To demystify the agenda by drawing on expert opinion as well as user experience
3. To provide practical information about developing the services and business models to meet the needs of this new emerging open market environment

More than 100 people have registered for this event. Most of them are here on behalf of Voluntary and Community Sector organisations from around the East Midlands; many others are signed in as "independent". More than 50 agencies, groups and organisations are represented here today. Most of the entries on the list below are live links to the relevant website (in the East Midlands, if one is available). A small number don't appear to have any online presence, local, regional or national (I have checked every one of them) - but they're listed all the same.

• Age UK Leicester Shire and Rutland
• Alzheimer's Society
• Aphasia Leicester Group
• Bradnet
• The Bridge
• Business Box
• Centre Project
• CLASP
• Derby and Derbyshire Race and Equality Commission
• Derbyshire Disability Action Network
• Derbyshire LINk
• Direct Payments Service Users Ltd
• Disability Derbyshire
• Disability Direct Nottingham
• The Disability Syndicate
• Diversity Hub
• Douglas Bader Centre
• Emerald Centre
• Enable Housing Association
• Faith in People
• Genesis Links
• Grasmere Residential Home
• Headway
• Leicestershire Aids Support Service
• Leicester Council of Faiths
• Leicester Deaf Action Group
• Leicester LGBT Centre
• Leicester LINk
• Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living
• Leicestershire Employment for Autism Today
• Lincolnshire Association for People with Disabilities
• Links (Chesterfield & North East Derbyshire CVS)
• LOROS (The Leicestershire & Rutland Hospice)
• Melton Mencap & Gateway
• Menphys
• Network for Change
• Northampton Volunteering Centre
• Nottingham Community Housing Association
• Notts Independent Living Consultancy
• Peepul Centre
• Remploy
• Saffcare
• Savera Resource Centre
• Shree Sanatan Centre
• Somali Disability Solution
• Solutions 4 Community Support Ltd
• The Race Equality Centre
• West Indian Senior Citizens Project
• Westminster Homecare Ltd Nottingham
• Worth-It Projects

Representatives of more than 60 agencies, groups and organisations from the Voluntary and Community Sector attended our last big regional event (on the Equality Act 2010 and its Duties, in Nottingham at the end of June).  That makes more than 110 such bodies across both events - and only 12 of them attended both (that includes REDP's four "Core Partners", who are contractually obliged to be at these events). Quite a spread, then!

Our main speaker (who carries most of the load in the morning session) is David McKenlay, from the Office for Disability Issues. The highlight of his presentation is the first public opportunity to discuss the Coalition's Disability Strategy.

After lunch, there are four workshops, each lasting 45 minutes. Each one runs twice, so everyone gets the chance to attend two of them.

• "Life without contracts!" (Paul Cohead, Direct Payments Service Users Ltd)
• "What's with this Micro Provider?" (Becky Daykin, Notts Independent Living Consultancy)
• "Partnership's, can it really work?" [sic] (Karen Duke, Derbyshire Disability Action Network)
• "Is it for me?" (Rupert Earl, Vice Chair, Spinal Injuries Association)

This is our first big event since Dee Martin retired as CEO of Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living. She's attending, but enjoying being able to sit on the sidelines, where no one is paying her particular attention or making a special fuss over her - that is, until Iris Lightfoote (current Chair of REDP) calls her to the front to take a bow and say a few words (one of which is "bugger").

Good to hear people like Narvel are speaking out

This letter appears in today's Derby Telegraph:

Good to hear people like Narvel are speaking out

Narvel Annable's words about centuries of bigotry and medieval beliefs are so true (Handshake does not deal with causes of prejudice, Opinion, November 25).

Even today, gay women in Africa are being raped to normalise them.If there is a God, thank God for the good name of people like Narvel for speaking out.

I've read some of Narvel's books and I can honestly say they are the best written books I've read in my life.

John Sellars

Carver Road

Burton

Thousands of disabled people in Leicestershire may lose blue badge

From today's Leicester Mercury:

Thousands of disabled people in Leicestershire may lose blue badge 

Thousands of people across Leicestershire could lose their blue disabled parking badges next year under tough new assessments. 

Nearly 50,000 people in the city and county have a parking permit, which entitles the holder or their carer to a disabled parking space. 

But from next year – under new Government guidelines – occupational therapists employed by the city and county councils will take over the assessments from GPs. 

The present system is believed to be inconsistent and it is estimated that up to 5,000 of the badge-holders risk losing their permits when they next try to renew them through the councils. 

Tony Donovan, chief executive of Leicestershire Age UK, said: "This is a worrying development. GPs know the health of their patients better than anyone, and this new assessment will just add another layer of bureaucracy and cost. Genuinely disabled people could lose out." 

But assistant city mayor for adult services Mohammed Dawood said: "People who truly need their blue badges have nothing to worry about. 

"We will make sure that the new system is as fair as possible. However, the new, more rigorous assessments will mean some people will lose their badges. It's unfortunate, but these are Government guidelines." 

In the city and county, 22,000 badge-holders automatically qualify because they are either blind, receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the disability living allowance, or they receive a war pensioner's mobility supplement. These people will be unaffected. 

However, about 26,000 are currently assessed by their doctor. Based on trials using occupational therapists elsewhere in the country, it is believed a fifth could lose out.
They have all been judged by their doctor to have a substantial permanent disability, which means they cannot walk, or find it difficult to walk. 

However, if a council assessment does not support this when they try to renew their badge, they risk losing it. 

Dr Angela Lennox, a GP in St Matthew's, Leicester, backed the move, saying: "This is an area which is ripe for reform. 

"It's very difficult to refuse a patient who you've known for many years if they're right on the borderline. I think it's right the assessment is carried out by someone independent." 

However, badge-holder John Carter, 50, of Leicester city centre, said: "GPs are the ones who have in-depth health records on each patient. Surely they're the best people to decide whether someone is well enough to walk?" 

A 65 year old badge holder, of Loughborough, who did not want to be named, said: "There's a lot of abuse, and a lot of people who don't need them, but I'm worried genuine badge-holders could lose out, too." 

City disability rights campaigner Andy Morris, 55, said: "I'm completely against this. I'd trust a doctor over a council official." 

The price of a badge is also due to rise from £2 to £10. The badges last for up to three years and will be redesigned from next year to make them more difficult to forge.