All-in Programme Spring 2018

The All-in programme offers a range of clubs, activities, and groups where staff and facilities are equipped to support children/young people with additional needs and disabilities. In the past, these have ranged from trampolining clubs, swimming, horse riding, football training, youth groups, and activity day trips. Below you will find the complete programme for Spring 2018.

Click here for full programmeall-in-newsletter-spring-2018-final

All In Registration Word Document: all-in-registration-form-v8 (1)

All In Registration PDF: all-in-registration-form-v8

Friendly Hour at Sainsbury’s

This Monday, 5th March Friendly Hour will take place between 0930 and 1030 at Sainsbury’s at Telford Forge Retail Park, Colliers Way, Telford TF3 4AG

For more details, click this linkhttps://shropshiredisability.net/friendly-hour-at-sainburys-telford-forge-store-0930-1030/

Focus on equipment services and assistive technology.

Healthwatch Shropshire runs a series of ‘Hot Topics’ through the year where they focus on gathering experiences of a particular area of health and social care.

During February and March they are focusing on equipment services and assistive technology. Healthwatch Shropshire have asked us at Shropshire Disability Network to encourage any of you who might have experiences around NHS and Social Care provision of equipment and aids to tell us about them about your experiences of the service.

This could include:

  •  how people discover what is available
  •  how the assessment process was handled
  •  receiving the aids
  •  returning equipment if it is no longer required or needs exchanging.

Your responses will be treated confidentially and your experiences will be fed back collectively to service providers and those who commission the services.  Any experiences received are passed on anonymously.

Poster: HWS Feb’18 Equipment Services hot topic poster

Full details of how to contact Healthwatch Shropshire are here: www.healthwatchshropshire.co.uk Telephone: 01743 237884 or email: enquiries@healthwatchshropshire.co.uk

Debate on Personal Independence Payments (PIP) Wednesday 31st January

We know many of our members, friends and families have had bad experiences when migrating from DLA or making a first claim for PIP (Personal Independence Payment) 

Laura Pidcock MP for North West Durham is delighted to have secured a Westminster Hall debate on Personal Independence Payments (PIP) tomorrow (Wednesday 31st January. She said “As debate is focusing on claimant experience, it would be really useful if people could share their experiences of the PIP process” For those using twitter please leave your message at this link  https://twitter.com/LauraPidcockMP/status/956282022800052224 or if you use Face book, you can leave a comment here  https://www.facebook.com/LauraPidcockMP/ alternatively please email  laura.pidcock.mp@parliament.uk

Friendly Hour is back at Sainsbury’s (Telford Forge Store) 0930-1030

Last year, Sandra and Margaret PR Ambassadors at Sainsbury’s Telford Forge store, with support from the Store Manager launched a special time in store called “Friendly Hour”.

The next “Friendly Hour” will next take place on Monday 5th February and on the first Monday of each month from 9.30 am to 10.30 am. Anyone who would appreciate a quieter time to shop may like to take up this opportunity.  While lights can not be dimmed, there will be no tannoy announcements and no music. It will be quieter with No roll cages on shop floor to cause noise. 

Ruby, SDN Chair said “We support this initiative as we know people with Dementia, or with Autism Spectrum as well as those who with other long term conditions and those who need help from Carers, often appreciate quieter times to shop. We are pleased to be able to promote Friendly Hour at Sainsbury’s Telford Forge Store”

Note: This is an initiative by the PR Ambassadors at this particular store and is not available at other stores. Watch this space for more information.

Sight Loss Groups (SLOG’s) Activities for February 2018

All sessions are FREE unless otherwise stated.

Oswestry Group meets on Wednesday 7th February 10 am to 12 noon at Oswestry Library, Arthur Street, Oswestry SY11 1JN. 

We will be joined by Debbie Marais, Branch Manager at Oswestry Library, for a talk about the Library and events that may be of interest to you all.

NB: If anyone is caring for someone who couldn’t manage without them, there is an Oswestry Carers Group that meet on the last Wednesday of each month, 11:00 – 12:00 noon, at the meeting Room, Oswestry Leisure Centre. 

Ludlow Group meets on Monday 12th  February 10.30 am -12.30 pm at St Peters Church, Henley Road, Ludlow SY8 1QZ

We will be joined by Pauline Rose, who will be talking to us all about Vision Technology.  

We made some enquiries about Afternoon Tea at the Pea Green.  Tim has kindly offered to do this for us at an estimated cost of £9/10, however, the Pea Green does not open on Monday’s, do you want to swap your meet up day and time?    If so, please contact me Susann Mitchell susann.mitchell@shropshire-rcc.org.uk

Shrewsbury Cycling at Sundorne Sports Village-Wednesday 21st February 10.30 am-11.30 am

We will be enjoying an indoor bowls session instead of cycling session at Sundorne Sports Village, Sundorne Shrewsbury SY1 1RQ

 

Shrewsbury group meets on Monday 26th February 2 pm -4 pm at The Roy Fletcher Centre, 12-17 Cross Hill, Shrewsbury SY1 1JE

This month we will be joined by Becky Castle from Shropshire Fire & Rescue for a Fire Safety Talk and Quiz.

For more information, please call 01743 342163 or email susann.mitchell@shropshire-rcc.org.uk Susann  will be happy to help.

New Special Olympics Network in Telford and Wrekin

Jessica Lightwood, Sports Inclusion Officer for Shropshire and lead of the Inclusively Fit project, at the start of this New Year shared some good news with us 

Jess said “A new Special Olympics Network has been created for Telford & Wrekin. The network has been set up to connect pockets of existing activity in the community. We want to provide an umbrella network to support the pathway for people to access opportunities to take part competitively, or for fun, at local, regional, national and for many international competitions”.

She continued “We are still in the very early stages of setting up the network, and our next steps are organising training for all committee roles and volunteers, and more importantly reaching out to clubs and coaches who currently offer activity for people with learning disabilities – or clubs and groups that would like to.

We know there is a gap for many people across the county who have a learning or intellectual disability. People want to take part in recognised Special Olympics GB activities like swimming, football and Boccia, but don’t get the opportunity to experience the joy of competitions and meeting new people in that activity”.

SDN raised concerns about funding. Jess informed us-They will be able to draw down funding from Special Olympics GB to set up new activities, up-skill coaches and volunteers, and put on taster events across the community.

Shropshire Disability Network thinks this new network will provide many opportunities not only for our members but other people as well from other organisations. 2018 see Special Olympics hold 50th Anniversary Games in Stirling from 9th-15th August. To find out more follow this link http://www.specialolympicsscotland40.com/

Stoma friendly public toilets coming to Ironbridge.

We are very pleased to share this good news story with our members and wish to thank Cllr Nicola Lowery, Ward Member for the Ironbridge Gorge for her support.

Work to renovate the public toilets in the Museum of the Gorge car park and Market Square in the Ironbridge Gorge will begin on Monday 8th January, 2018.

The work will falls into 2 distinct phases with one set of toilets being refurbished at a time with toilet facilities to be available for public use at each, during usual opening hours.  The Museum of the Gorge toilets will being first on 8th – 25th January with the toilets in the Market Square provisionally beginning on 29th January.

The Museum of the Gorge toilets will be stripped out and the existing sanitary ware including cisterns in service areas replaced along with a complete internal redecoration of male, female, disabled toilets with improvements to baby change facilities and disabled toilets to include the replacement of lighting.  In the Market Square there will again be a complete internal redecoration of male, female, disabled toilets and baby change facilities and refurbishment of sanitary ware and hand wash units and lighting.

Cllr Nicola Lowery, Ward Member for the Ironbridge Gorge said:  “I am delighted to confirm that following on from representations from myself as the Ward Member, The Gorge Parish Council, the Cabinet Member and many local residents and businesses, that both public toilets in the Museum of the Gorge car park and the Market Square will be renovated.  

“The toilet blocks currently aren’t at the standard required for the World Heritage Site and do not create a positive first impression of our destination, therefore this work is vital to ensure our facilities are brought up to a better standard.  The works will see a complete internal redecoration of both toilets as well as improvements to baby change facilities and disabled toilets.  I have also been working with the Council to ensure that the disabled toilets are stoma friendly having been approached by Telford’s Patients First Group as part of their campaign “Not all disabilities being visible”.  I am delighted to confirm that the planned works will incorporate the suggestions made to ensure that the disabled toilets are stoma friendly and would like to thank Telford’s Patients First Group for contacting me about this important issue and to Shropshire Disability Network for also raising this.

“I know the renovation of both toilets is something many residents, businesses and visitors to the Gorge have been keen to see addressed, so it is brilliant to see this joint project come forward and the investment being made to improve the facilities within Ironbridge to ensure the World Heritage site is appropriately maintained”.

 

New Fund Launched for Specialised Disabled Equipment (Merseyside, North Wales and North Shropshire)

Do you need specialist equipment that cannot be supplied by the NHS, education or social services?

The Steve Morgan Foundation, which was founded to support projects that help children and families, people with physical or learning disabilities, the elderly or those that are socially disadvantaged in North Wales, Merseyside, Cheshire and North Shropshire has launched a new Enable Fund. The Enable Fund provides support for disabled people who are in financial hardship to obtain specialist equipment that cannot be supplied by the NHS, education or social services. This can include:

  •  Mobility aids, wheelchairs, buggies, hoists, trikes, etc.
  • Specialised beds and sleep systems, postural chairs, seating and car seats
  • Sensory equipment
  • Communication aids, specialised software, specialist alarms
  • Medical equipment and support wear.

The funding is available to individuals and support organisations. Applicants need to contact the Foundation on 01829 782808, where they can discuss their needs and request an application form.

Here is a link to the Steve Morgan Foundation website: https://stevemorganfoundation.org.uk/how-to-apply/enable-funding/

Safe Place Shropshire

Businesses across Shropshire are very busy with people shopping for the Festive Season. Many people will feel more anxious or vulnerable at this time, so it is good to know what the Safe Place logo looks like in case you need one. Safe Places are there to help you, so if you need a place to sit and be quiet or need help, please use these short term Safe havens.

Here is a link to the Safe Places in Shropshire: https://shropshire-disability.net/safe-shropshire/