Leisure & Recreation

  • Shape have Moved
    • SHAPE, the organisation providing services for disabled and deaf people to engage with the arts have moved and are planning to make their new premises a centre for exhibitions, learning and developing new work. The new contact details are Shape, Deane House Studios, 27 Greenwood Place, London NW5 1LB. Tel: 0845 521 3457. Shape Tickets 020 7424 7333. Minicom 020 7424 7330. See www.shapearts.org.uk  
  • Conservation Work Attracts More Disabled People
    • An increase in the number of disabled people taking part in environmental conservation activities is reported by BTCV, the UK’s largest practical conservation charity. According to the BTCV Diversity Report 2008, the greatest rise was amongst BTCV’s key volunteers, where the proportion classing themselves as disabled has gone from zero to one-in-ten in just two years. For all BTCV volunteers, the figure has moved from 9% to 11%, while the percentage of paid staff reported as disabled has more than quadrupled from 2.5% to 12%. For information on BTCV see www.btcv.org  
  • Blind Gardeners' Club Spreads its Roots
    • The National Blind Gardeners’ Club run by Thrive and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has launched new resources aimed at bringing the benefits of gardening to more blind and partially sighted people. Two new publications, Getting on with Gardening (Volumes I and II), have been produced in large print, Daisy and audio CD, tape and Braille. Social and rehabilitation workers, will soon be offered an audio CD packed with gardening information which they can give away to blind and partially sighted people particularly who have recently lost their sight. A Blind Gardeners’ Roadshow will tour the country throughout 2008, visiting groups to give talks and information about gardening with a visual impairment, and residential courses will be available at horticultural colleges for those interested in learning more about blind gardening, or who have lost their confidence due to recent sight loss. To find out more the National Blind Gardeners’ Club contact Lucy Morrell at Thrive on 0118 988 5688 or visit www.thrive.org.uk  
  • Children with Learning Disabilities in the UK School Games
    • A ban on children with learning disabilities taking part in the UK School Games has been dropped after the threat of legal action by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The Commission told the Youth Sports Trust, which runs the games, that excluding children was discriminatory and unlawful. The Trust has now agreed that these young people can compete in bespoke athletics, swimming and table tennis events at future games. The move follows a campaign led by Mencap, parents, the UK Sports Association for People with Learning Disability and other agencies to overturn YHT’s following of an International Paralympics ban.
  • NADS Disability Equality Seminar at Wembley
    • The National Association of Disabled Spectators organised their first Disability Equality Seminar at Wembley Stadium at the end of January. Over 120 delegates were present including individual disabled fans, Club Disability Liaison Officers, NADS members and representatives from the various Disabled Supporters Associations around the country. Many examples of best practice were highlighted and commended; however, delegates were also able to highlight areas of ongoing concern. These included a disparity in ticket allocation between disabled and able bodied fans and the inequality of facilities that are on offer at football grounds across the country. NADS urges all those with experiences of disability issues within football, both good and bad, to continue the debate by contacting info@nads.org.uk  
  • Special Olympics Alpine Skiing
    • 62 learning disabled skiers from seven regions of the UK took part in Special Olympics Great Britain’s National Alpine Skiing Competition in Pila, Italy. The skiers representing the regions of Greater London, Eastern, Lothian, South East, Southern West Midlands and Wales now qualify for selection to the GB Team for the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho in February 2009. Attending this year's National Ski Competition were volunteers from National Grid – Special Olympics GB’s new Official Partner.
  • Talking About Disability & Art in Birmingham
    • Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery has installed Talking About Disability & Art audio-visual points at a number of points. These highlight the relationship between disability and selected painting and provide an opportunity to find out what disabled people think of them. For information call 0121 303 2834 or see www.bmag.org.uk  
  • New Website for Amber Trust
    • The AMBER Trust, which exists to nurture musical talent in blind and partially sighted children and young people has launched a new website. See www.ambertrust.org  
  • National Trust Access Guide 2008
    • The National Trust has published 2008 edition of its Access Guide, giving information on accessibilities and services for disabled visitors at its premises throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Individual copies are free from National Trust Membership Department, PO Box 39, Warrington WA5 7WD. Tel: 0844 800 1895. Minicom 0844 800 4410. For a taped version, brailled sections or information on bulk orders contact Access for All Office, The National Trust, Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2NA. Tel: 01793 817634. The Guide is also available on www.nationaltrust.org.uk  
  • Audio Description at Historic Royal Palaces
    • Historic Royal Palaces now have Personal Room Describers, trained by VocalEyes, to guide blind and partially sighted visitors around Hampton Court, Kew Palace, the Royal State Dress Collection at Kensington Palace and the White Tower and Jewel House at the Tower of London. The service is available seven days a week but room describers must be booked a minimum of 14 days in advance to ensure availability. The service is included in normal admission price. To book a personal room describer telephone Hampton Court Palace on 0870 751 5175, Kensington Palace on 020 3166 6106, Kew Palace on 0870 751 5179 or Tower of London on 020 3166 6266 or see www.hrp.org.uk  
  • Wolverhampton Disability Film Festival 2008
    • The First Wolverhampton Disability Film Festival will be taking place between the 17 – 20 April 2008. For further information see www.outside-centre.info
  • NDCS Deaf Friendly Football Club Project
    • The National Deaf Children’s Society has started a 3-year project to remove the barriers faced by many deaf children and young people to participating in football. These barriers include lack of appropriate communication support, lack of local opportunities for participation by deaf children, myths and misconceptions about deafness, lack of qualified deaf coaches, officials and administrators, insufficient and inaccessible information about football opportunities and lack of structured player pathways for progression for young deaf players. The project will work at all levels of the game through the development of information and resources, the provision of training and setting up a youth deaf football infrastructure in England. For information on Deaf Friendly FC contact Hayley Brown, NDCS, 37a Great Charles Street, Birmingham B3 3JY. Tel/minicom: 0121 234 9820. hayley.brown@ndcs.org.uk or see www.ndcs.org
  • The Alternative Map Man
    • Fieldsman Trails, the North Wales based Disability Access and Multi Format Publishing company, has joined forces with a local bookshop to establish a online service supplying maps and other access information in a variety of formats. They have tactile, relief, large print and Braille maps, talking pictures and guide books of accessible places to visit. See www.fieldsmanbookshop.co.uk