Access Champion

Hello London👋 It's been 2 and a half years since I last visited London and I've missed the hustle and bustle of the big city.  One of my all-time favourite films is Back to the Future. I just love it, it's got it all - sci-fi, comedy and romance. In September 2021, we started phoning the theatre as I heard Back to the Future was on with Audio Description. However, the access line went unanswered. In the end, I missed the one audio-description performance of 2021!  Back to the Future sign At the start of this year, I emailed the theatre to ask when the next audio description show was on. I informed there were none planned. I wrote to the production team who were quite miffed about the misinformation I'd been given as there were two audio-description shows in March! By the time we knew this, there were no wheelchair spaces left. Fortunately, I am able to transfer and the theatre lady (we finally got through on the phone) was very helpful and got us seats near the front, ...

Book Review of "Disability Politics: Understanding our Past, Changing our Future" by Jane Campbell and Mike Oliver What an incredible book!  Told from different people’s perspectives, who took part in creating the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This tells the story of how it came to be. Beginning in the 1960s, where staff snobbery towards kids of working class backgrounds in schools similar to boarding schools. How, if you became disabled in adulthood, your choices were to manage alone or live in a residential home/hospital ward. There were no carers, PAs or support workers to assist you with an independent life.  One man spoke of inaccessible buildings and how employment was (and still is) impossible, unless you work for less or free. The man spoke of how he telephoned the benefits office from the village phone box every week because he couldn't get in to the building. Only to be told there was nothing available. The book talked about life before the blue badge,...

With a fascinating history of community spirit, the Lady Lever Art Gallery sits in the middle of the quaint village. It has parking outside, both the front entrance and the side, where there's a ramp that zig-zags up to the doors. The ramp isn't great for the visually impaired as its all silver/grey with clear Perspex low-down windows that you have to be careful to avoid. It's free to enter, being a public gallery. As you go from the welcome desk area, it's like entering a rabbit warren and is easy to get lost. One room leads to another and another... Its great, especially if you love art and history. Each room is filled with pieces of furniture, some dating back to 18th century. Many paintings, artefacts and fireplaces were from Lord Leverhulme's collection, who built Port Sunlight Village in March 1888. The wheel chair access is good. The doors and an old wood flooring that doesn't squeak, is good for the tyres to roll on. Tables and exhibition/ informa...

The location of thej Light cinema, New Brighton overlooks the river Mersey and Liverpool. The light cinema celebrated 10 years in 2021. I remember writing to the then MP, Frank Field, just after my sight loss began over 9 years ago, regarding the lack of audio description films in local Wirral cinemas. As we will see below, this particular cinema took my comments on board. Previously they advertised themselves as not being audio description equipped. Now they are. The website is a bit tricky to navigate when looking for times/days in advance and in an accessible format. The cinema itself is in the corner of a complex of restaurants, supermarket and shops. The automatic door opens to a level space. There's a restaurant area near the window with tables that were good for wheelchair users! No poles to bash into, just slide under the long table! The table was a good height for my wheelchair control panel. An accessibility feature I thought was great, was, when your food order ...

Seeing as today is the last day of Christmas, I thought I’d share a poem I wrote in the lead up to Christmas. Each line was inspired by a one word prompt from psychological author, Maria Frankland. Over the 12 days leading up to Christmas, the writing prompts were things like hope, faith, love, peace, joy and friendship, charity, giving and receiving, forgiveness, time and patience. I found the individual themes quite a challenge to write a scene, story or compose a phrase so decided to compile it all into one big poem. Hope is a light found in the darkest of times. Faith is the belief that hope is there. Love is the warmth when someone remembers you exist, whether its a kind word of encouragement, time of conversation . Joy is the excitement when inspiration is found. Peace is knowing you are on the right path. Friendship is a bond, strong and tight. Like a delicate flower, it needs care, attention and nurture. Charity is not always a monetary gift to a cause, it can be tim...

Vincent van Gogh Experience comes alive I've always been drawn to the fantastic artwork of Vincent Van Gogh. I love the way he pioneered his own style. I admire his brave honesty about his mental illness. So of course, as soon as I heard about the Van Gogh alive exhibition, I had to go! A construction has been set up in the piazza, a square in media city. Its near to the Lowry Theatre, a little shopping outlet and various cafes, such as, pret a manger. We stopped off first to meet up with my cousin who, due to the pandemic, I'd not seen for over 2 years, so it was great to see her. Pret a Manger was brightly lit and is all on one level so is good for wheel chair users. We were at the window seat table. It did have a pole on the underside, in the middle of the table, which wasn't great. The height was good. The cafe was busy and noisy with coffee machines whirring, microwaves pinging, Christmas music playing on the radio and people talking. I was a bit concer...

Holiday inn express, Salford Quays. Manchester From the tram to the hotel entrance, there are no dropped kerbs, meaning the only way to get in if you use a mobility aid, like a wheelchair or scooter, is via the road. Thankfully, the entrance is totally flat. It opens up into a brightly lit, warm reception. There was no lowered help desk. The staff were helpful as they provided directions of where the Vincent van Gogh experience was. We arrived 3 hrs before check in, hungry and cold, so were invited to get a cuppa and meal as we didn't feel safe enough to eat on the train, as this would mean removing our mask. However, when we went to order, we were told we couldn't order a meal due to the member of staff manning the desk alone, but they offered us complimentary hot drinks. After our drinks we went for a walk to find the Van Gogh experience. A goose attacked our bags! When we returned, hungry and cold with numb toes, my mum and I were just looking forward to a welc...