Blog post following Priority
Check out the blog from Fr Tim Finigan, highlighting Priority.
Please send out to anyone you know who’d be interested.
http://the-hermeneutic-of-continuity.blogspot.com/2011/02/priority-trust.html
Articles written by Mark Borland
One month to heartbreak – update
Here’s an update from Martyn Sibley on the One month to Heartbreak campaign….
Wow! What a week. Firstly, since my BBC breakfast appearance and more importantly the blog on the DLA consultation. General feedback from the ‘one month before heartbreak’ blogswarm has been positive. It received coverage on the following links, as only a starter and taster:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/18/disabled-protesters-one-month-before-heartbreak
http://www.goodaccessguide.co.uk/news/info.php?refnum=544
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1285-protests-against-benefits-cuts
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/service-user-voice/2011/01/disabled-people-and-service-users-will-be-heard-we-will-be-listened-to-ombh.html#more
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2011/01/17/does-the-broken-of-britain-campaign-need-celebrity-support/
Thanks to Emma (TweetHandle: @funkyfairy22) for providing this information. Also Kaliya (TweetHandle: @Bendygirl) was on Talk Radio Europe speaking about Broken of Britain and the great campaign http://thebrokenofbritain.blogspot.com/2011/01/benefit-claimants-fight-back.html. Lets hope the government have taken note of this and reconsider their policy decisions around DLA next month, and indeed on disability issues generally!
Talking trains on BBC breakfast
Priority blogger Martyn Sibley talks to BBC breakfast about the good and bad of train journeys as a wheelchair user……….Talking trains on BBC breakfsat
And the BBC article……….
Anna’s ambition: to be a Schoolteacher
Anna has always wanted to be a schoolteacher: “I’ve just always known that’s what I want to do. My friends don’t know what they want to do, but for me it’s always been clear.” To get an idea about what this would involve, Anna has been volunteering at a local school over the summer, working five days a week.
This commitment is even more inspiring given that Anna, who has cerebral palsy, needs a powered wheelchair to provide her with independent mobility. Her previous power chair, provided through local contacts would break down frequently, often leaving her stuck for several hours until her parents could arrange to pick her up. In March, Priority, working with Newlife funded a new powered wheelchair …
Hannah’s getting out and about
Hannah from Dorking loves cycling, swimming, music and social occasions involving cuddles and attention. Hannah has Cerebral Palsy and is unable to walk, or weight bear but has some use of her arms. Her Cerebral Palsy affects her trunk strength so that the only two activities where she can feel totally free are swimming and cycling.
Hannah already has a tricycle which she received in 2003 and which she absolutely loves but she has now outgrown it and it is also extremely worn on several parts such as the knee supports. Following a major operation in 2005 a trike is more important than ever to Hannah because she …
Max Burt and his 714 mile marathon
When Max Burt, 45, received massive head injuries after a freak collision with an out-of-control fire engine 10 years ago, he was left paralysed on his left side and a permanent wheelchair user. The head injury also left him deaf in one ear, with uncontrollable tremors, and severe sight and speech impairments.
Since his accident, Max has learned that, to achieve full inclusion of disabled people in society, 2 barriers need to be overcome: firstly, physical, and secondly, the barriers in peoples’ minds. This has led Max to become involved with many disability-related organisations, in an attempt to overcome real obstacles and prejudices.
Max’s fitness regime (using a reclining exercise cycle) led him to the idea of the Everything Is Possible In …
Pablo’s Story
Pablo is 10 years old and lives with his parents and two younger brothers in north-west London. He attends a local school and goes swimming once a week at the local leisure centre.
Pablo was clinically diagnosed with infantile epilepsy at an early age and this has led to his severe developmental delay. He is unable to weight bear or walk without specialist equipment or assistance and because he has no speech, he communicates by making noises, eye pointing and touch. Pablo is also prone to frequent and repeated infections due to a blood disorder.
To enable Pablo and his family to go out more and access parks and …
Amelia’s Story
Amelia is 4 years old and lives in the centre of Exeter. She really loves arts and 
crafts, playing with her friends, horse riding and making people laugh.
In 2007 Amelia was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II. This neuromuscular condition affects people in different ways. Amelia was able to walk on her own until she was 18 months old, when her condition deteriorated and she now needs a wheelchair to move around independently.
In June 2009 Amelia was given her ‘Koala’ Permobil powered wheelchair, through the support of The Priority Trust. As soon as she received the chair, she worked out the controls and just got on with using …
Hanna and her trike
Hanna lives with her Mum and Dad in Chipping Ongar, Essex. Like other 6-year-old girls she loves to watch television, particularly CBeebies and DVDs such as Cinderella. Chloe also loves to be active and enjoys dancing and swimming.
Hanna was born with Cerebral Palsy and while she has some use of her hands and arms and can feed herself she cannot mobilise unaided unless she is crawling and this she can do for short distances.
She loves her mainstream school but as she has got older it has become more difficult for her to join in and feel involved with the other non-disabled children in her class. Hanna even told …
Amy’s wheelchair
Until recently, Amy was reliant on her manual wheelchair which she used to self-propel. However, Amy was not able to push herself over long distances and Amy and her family realised that her manual wheelchair would not allow her to enjoy the same level of independence as her peers when she started secondary school.
Amy’s family approached their local wheelchair service but they were unable to provide Amy with a powered indoor/outdoor wheelchair which would meet her needs.
For Amy to live an independent and active life she needed a wheelchair that met her social, educational and clinical needs. Through the support of The Priority Trust Amy has recently received an …