Access Champion

Alton Towers Resort Hotel - Dancing with the Stars. Faye and Mandy on the red carpet with a banner behind.  Faye is wearing an orange dress and Mandy is wearing a red dress, both are smiling  I have never been to Alton Towers. I could take or leave theme parks. But when my mum heard about the Strictly Dance weekend (a show she loves), we had to book! It’s not near a train station, so we drove. It was down narrow, country lanes and surrounded by farmland. Upon arriving, we asked where the disabled parking was and were told, 'now, that is the question!' We found it and went in. The entrance has no steps, but is a bit bumpy, so manual wheelchair users be aware. As the hotel faces north and south, it is naturally quite dark, with dim, artificial lighting, so not great for visually impaired people. The staff couldn’t be more helpful. One man saw the cane and began directing me. The room wasn’t huge. It had a double and single bed, a desk, chair, drawers, tv, and bin all crammed in....

Listening Books is a fantastic charity, run by a small team of book lovers.  It is for disabled people aged 7+ who may have a physical disability, (that makes holding a typical paperback hard), learning difficulties, sensory impairment or mental health condition, that affects reading and concentration.  What I love about Listening Books, is the variety of books you can get on there. I've listened to all sorts, from murder mystery, to a disability activists autobiography and the biography of a blind artist. There is so much choice, its fab!  For just £20 a year you can enjoy up to 10 books a week (2 at a time) via an app or the Listening Books website. For those who find navigating apps or using the internet tricky, you can access audio books on MP3 CD's for just £35 a year. You can also combine the two options for just £45 a year. Listening Books is a cheaper alternative to other audio book catalogues. Listening Books also have a sponsorship system that grants those ...

Faye in her wheelchair, holding her blind cane. Faye has red/brown hair, is smiling, wearing glasses and a blue dress. Faye is on a country lane with green bushes either side and a bright blue sky.  It took me until my hearing started to go when I began to accept my disability. By this point, I was visually impaired, had poor mobility, dystonia, aphasia and a life limiting disease, so you'd think I’d be at the acceptance stage of my journey. When I was new to the wheelchair, so from 12 to 18 years old, I resented it. I rarely had a photo taken in the chair and saw it as a cage, stopping me from enjoying life. Of course, now I know the wheelchair is what enables me to partake in social activities, to travel and have a life. It’s often my own and others attitudes that put up barriers. It was being included in an art exhibition that helped me be ok with the wheelchair. The joy and freedom of getting creative was just exhilarating! I used to hate talking to people, not because I had no...

The Book cover has a dark orange background, in the top left and right corners there are cartoon clouds, top centre in white writing in capitals reads Chloe Hayden. Underneath in yellow bubble writing reads Different, Not Less. Underneath this is white writing which reads A neurodivergents guide to embracing your true self and finding your happily ever after. Below this is a rainbow landscape with hills, paths, a rainbow with some little butterflies and  yellow sun.    Different, not less by Chloe Hayden. In contrast to Me Before You, this was a breath of fresh air. The author herself is neuro diverse and shares her experience of living with autism. Although I'm not autistic, I found the memories of ignorant teachers, the bullying kids, the sensory overloads and social exclusions incredibly relatable. Chloe shares what it feels like to have a meltdown, tips for coping, how others can help. What I found interesting, was, it seems, from the UK to Australia, society is const...

  All three book covers in a row, first is bright pink an in interchanging white and black text it reads Me Before You Jojo Moyes, the second is bright yellow, top reads in black text Jojo Moyes and underneath in white reads After You, the third is a dark blue with white text at the top that reads Jojo Moyes and underneath in pink is Still me with a New York landmark in white to the left. Book One - Me Before You I don’t like doing negative reviews but I can only give my opinion. In the first few chapters of listening to this, I, as a disabled person who needs help and assistance, was saddened and offended by the assumptions and low expectations people have of disability. The story follows Will, a thrill seeking adventurer, whose motorbike accident causes him to lose the use of his legs and have limited arm movement. Will sinks into depression. Lou has lost her job at a cafe and applies to be Wills companion. A few chapters in, I began to like Will and Lou’s banter, but still the s...

I Predict a Riot at the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool. Faye at the front of the picture with a purple/lace top on, brown/red hair and glasses, wearing a mask. In the background you can see the stage bathed in green light and a huge crowd in front of the stage.   By now, you've probably guessed that I love music and am a bit of a rock chick! So, when I heard the Kaiser Chiefs were doing a gig at the Liverpool arena, which is still locally known as the Echo Arena, despite the new owners, I had to book! The car park next to the arena had plenty of disabled parking spaces on every floor (we drove, not feeling it'd be safe getting the train home late at night). The multi storey car park was brightly lit and even had an automatic door, which I think was a fire door. My friend was glad of this as it saved her arms from pushing/pulling the heavy door whilst helping me. The door led to another brightly lit area, where there were two lifts. We got in the right one, pressed the button and...

 Don't assume you know me.  Being visibly disabled, people assume I don't mind if they ask me totally inappropriate questions.  Image description: Background with clouds, dark and pale blues and yellow star like shapes, in the centre is a white box with text that reads; Inappropriate questions that I have been asked: * How does someone like you go to the toilet? My reply: the same way you do, I presume. * Does she have... Then they guess various health conditions, such as cerebral palsy and autism. They are surprised when I give them a full scientific run down of Mito. * What on earth is that? My reply: it's a blind cane. It detects traffic light bobbles and kerbs that I can't see. *What school do you go too? I used to work at a special needs school, do you remember me?My reply: No, I went to mainstream.  When a stranger, someone you’ve just met asks such personal question, it's not on.  My body, my mobility aids and my medical/educational history are no-one's b...