Articles Tagged ‘Independent Mobility’
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 …
Read all of SEVERELY DISABLED MAN SETS OFF ON MARATHON 714 MILE CYCLE JOURNEY FROM ABERDEEN TO LONDON, SHOWING THE PUBLIC THAT ‘EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE’
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 …
Read all of Pablo’s Story
So Im in the shower thinking of what to blog today. I realised it has been a few days and while singing along to Jack Johnson I thought I have been rather sick/car update orientated for the past 3 decades it feels, so I wanted a different angle. For those who do not know a thing called christmas is coming so a blog around this made sense. I got to thinking about Mr.Claus and his reindeers and how Rudolph had a weird nose (it was red for any morons out there). Yet despite this he triumphed and led that god damned sleigh with all his heart making christmas happen. This seemed to fit with a blog because despite being an …
Read all of If Rudolph was classified as disabled?
What a 24 hours! I headed from my flat last night to come to mums for the hospital appointment this morning. I left at 19.30 to let David help me shower and get dinner and then mum would just have to help me to bed, before we got up and headed to hospital and Beata arrived. Unfortunately Beata had to cover her other employer so good old mum stepped in to sort me until Chris starts Sunday.
So I headed towards the M11 with radio and heater on. 10 minutes later I realised I was cold and my hands were going into that weak claw they do in winter. With the new car, the accelerator is a little tougher but also …
Read all of What a nightmare journey!
Having been off for 2 weeks with a nasty chest infection, a broken car and generally a bit stressed I am back at work and back on the road.
I met with Andy of Andy’s Kars at his garage in Bar Hill on Saturday. He has been working on my vans adaptations in the positive sense through the past weeks of trauma. Not only has he sorted my car after the ongoing problems he is an amazing guy generally. While he runs a garage he also does a lot more. In working with disadvantaged kids he helps them to take responsibility for overcoming their ‘challenges’ as he calls them. While it was amazing to meet Andy and see the great work …
Read all of My aspirations; Aiming high!
Guess what??!! The car broke down again last night. The same problem as last time, no battery and just wouldn’t start. I think quite rightly I have ranted on this recurring subject. However I promised myself these posts would not let me get too down or angry but explain the positives of the trials and tribulations I go through. The quick update is that it has gone to a different garage who I hope will sort this once and for all by the end of the week. Taxis to get to work until then.
What I do want to do is an overarching blog on transport bouncing off of an interesting book I’m reading. Its by Ben Elton and called …
Read all of The car broke down again, and other transport stresses
So I have had a new car since early August due to my older van being too large, uneconomical and the new Motability scheme being recommended. The benefit of the new scheme is that I receive a new car, adapted for me to drive, with insurance and servicing covered too. This was in return for a nominal up-front fee (varying with the financial means test carried out) and foregoing the mobility part of my monthly government money (paid due to the known extra costs of being disabled).
The financial assessment and adapting of the car was smooth, unlike 6 years ago when getting my first van. Historically the paperwork and preparation was so time draining it put people off even looking. …
Read all of The trouble with Motability!
In March 2009 The Priority Trust made a grant of £30,596 to provide mobility equipment to seven children as requested by Newlife Foundation. As of the 15 September 2009 is that all equipment has been delivered. Priority and Newlife are working together to develop feedback on the impact the equipment is having on the children’s lives and this has been received from six of the seven families involved. More updates will follow as information is received, but here are the stories so far:
Imaan is 5 year old girl living in the west of England who has a diagnosis of global developmental delay, microcephaly and epilepsy. She has profound learning disabilities and is unable to communicate verbally. She has disturbed sleep …
Read all of Priority funds mobility equipment for 7 disabled children
Well its been a busy time recently. I’ve been busy with fundraising work, visiting Guildford and Peterborough in the past 5 days via Cambridge to see my parents and grandparents. Also 2 weekends ago I was in Manchester delivering a talk to the youth group at the JTSMA charity that I am a trustee of.
The talk was on learning to drive from a wheelchair. So with all my driving and this talk I gave, I thought it to be a good blog topic.
I do not want to drone on too much about the processes. I hope by stating it is do-able, some of you may have your own views or even questions which I’m happy to answer.
Seriously though, it really …
Read all of Learning to drive
