Please take a look at the minutes.
Newsletter - April 2009 - Issue 7
Welcome to Disability Backup's Newsletter
There is lots going on in the coming months, see below dates for your diary!
Sunday 19th April
Disability Open day at Clissold Leisure Centre
10-4pm
Thursday 30th April
Disability Backup Forum meeting at Hackney Museum
6-7.30pm
Tuesday 2nd June
Service First Centre Focus Group
11.30-1pm
Friday 12th June
Forum Meeting- Parking in Hackney, Including parking bays and policy. More details to follow in May.
City Edge, 11-1pm
Clissold Leisure Centre Disability Open Day
Sunday 19th April 10-4
Your chance to try some fully accessible sporting activities all for FREE!
Including: Wheelchair Basketball
Swimming
Athletics
Disability Badminton
For transport contact Catherine on 0207 275 0088 ext 209
A night at the Museum
Thursday 30th April 6-7.30pm
Disability Backup has been invited to visit Hackney Museum. They would like us to tell them about how they could improve the access to and in the museum.
'Hackney Museum is about local history with a difference. It explores why are people from all over the world have been settling in this part of London for hundreds of years. Come and find out the Museum's current and future programme and tell us your views about the Museum'.
Please come along to this Forum meeting with a difference!
More details to follow, contact Catherine for more information/to book transport
Catherine will be away for 3 weeks in May and so there will be no Forum Meeting or Newsletter.
However, the Forum Members will still be busy!
Disability Backup will be holding a stall at:
Well Street Common May Festival
Sunday 17th May 2009 12-5pm
We will have flyers, newsletters and some gifts to hand out, if you are free please come along and lend a hand!
While Catherine is away, if you have any issues or questions Please contact Sebastian on 0207 275 008 ext 210
Service First Centre
Hackney is building a 'One Stop Shop' Service Centre which will hold the majority of Council Services.
They are looking for 7-8 Forum Members to establish a Focus Group to discuss access.
The Focus Group needs to be representative of a range of disabilities.
All the outcomes will be raised in Forum Meetings and the Newsletter for all Members to get involved.
The first Focus group will be on Tuesday 2nd June 11.30-1pm with a presentation at our Forum Meeting on 12th June.
If you are interested in being on this Focus Group, Contact Catherine
March's Forum meeting was well attended; there were 28 people in total! The group discussed future topics for Disability Backup. It was proposed that the Forum will focus on the Olympics, parking and the new Service First Centre that is being built. We had Jennifer Wynter and Kevin Barnes attend the Forum to talk about Housing Benefits.
Did you know?
- Disability Relief is available for those who need an extra room, space or bathroom etc, due to their disability (e.g. somewhere for equipment, wheelchair accessible house, downstairs bathroom) those eligible can receive one band off of your Council Tax
- You don't have to pay Council Tax if your property is unoccupied whilst you are in Hospital, a care home or receiving personal care
- Careers can receive 25% deduction from Council Tax where the only residents in the property are the council tax payer and their carer, and where the carer is not their partner or son/daughter
Or Council Tax call 0208 356 3154
Transport for All Information Morning
Some Forum Members attended Transport for All's information morning on the 8th April. The meeting looked at updates on dial a ride, buses, taxi card and community transport. Catherine will forward the minutes from the meeting to members when received from Transport for All.
Some interesting points:
The bendy bus no. 38 will be discontinued by the end of the year
If you have a blue badge you can claim for 2 cars to be exempt from congestion charge.
Transport for All is a charity for disability rights charity and can help with complaints, information and advice.
For more information call their advice line: 020 7737 2339
Disability Living Allowance and Employment Support Allowance training days
CHOICE in Hackney has offered members of Disability Backup access to some specialist training in Disability Living Allowance and Employment Support Allowance (which replaced Incapacity Benefits in October 2008).
This month's courses have been filled by Forum Members but we hope to hold more in the summer.
Future meeting opportunities
We are considering a future evening talk about 'Relationships, Sex and disabled people' We are proposing to invite a specialist counselling psychologist to talk to us about common issues that disabled people may face regarding sex and relationships.
Is this something you'd be interested in? We would like to get an idea of people's interest before we book the meeting. There are many different topics proposed for future Forums, please complete the form to tell us what you are interested in.
We are considering a future evening talk about 'Relationships, Sex and disabled people' We are proposing to invite a specialist counselling psychologist to talk to us about common issues that disabled people may face regarding sex and relationships.
Is this something you'd be interested in? We would like to get an idea of people's interest before we book the meeting. There are many different topics proposed for future Forums, please complete the form to tell us what you are interested in.
Think Feet First Walking Groups
Interested in joining a walking group? 'Think Feet First' are launching a series of walking groups for different abilities.
Call Surbjit on 07891 498150 for more information
Recommended walks are:
Tuesday 11-12 from Hackney Downs Park
Friday 11-12.30 'Get up and Go' from Springfield Park
Saturday 11.30-12.30 from Shoreditch Park
Hackney LINk arrives!
"User Involvement" Tops the Health and Social Care Agenda
Hackney Local Involvement Network (LINk) is a new, Independent statutory body which will give power to Hackney's residents and service users to influence the planning, Commissioning and delivery of all local NHS and Adult Social care services, and monitor their quality and effectiveness.
Hackney LINk will negotiate with the NHS and Hackney Council to improve services that don't meet local needs. The LINk will also report to the public both where services are doing well and, if they fail to meet expectations, will publish its recommendations to the NHS and Hackney Council.
Local people, service users, and organisations wishing to give their views about the quality of our health and social care provision, or become Hackney LINk members, should contact Esther Norman on Telephone: 020 275 2743 or email info@hackneylink.org.uk
To join, follow this link for an application form.
"User Involvement" Tops the Health and Social Care Agenda
Hackney Local Involvement Network (LINk) is a new, Independent statutory body which will give power to Hackney's residents and service users to influence the planning, Commissioning and delivery of all local NHS and Adult Social care services, and monitor their quality and effectiveness.
Hackney LINk will negotiate with the NHS and Hackney Council to improve services that don't meet local needs. The LINk will also report to the public both where services are doing well and, if they fail to meet expectations, will publish its recommendations to the NHS and Hackney Council.
Local people, service users, and organisations wishing to give their views about the quality of our health and social care provision, or become Hackney LINk members, should contact Esther Norman on Telephone: 020 275 2743 or email info@hackneylink.org.uk
To join, follow this link for an application form.
Please note: This LINk is differently from the consultation Sebastian is working on. The LINk covers the whole range of heath and Social Care Services, whilst Sebastian works with Services delivered for disabled people.
Disability Backup's website
Please take a look at www.dbu.org.uk (this website) for information and minutes of previous meetings.
Please take a look at www.dbu.org.uk (this website) for information and minutes of previous meetings.
Polite reminder for Professionals: Please note that the Forum Meetings and Focus groups are for disabled people to air their views. Those representing organisations are asked not to attend the Forum unless disabled themselves or having been invited first. Please contact Catherine to give your views on any topic raised.
All outcomes of the Forums will be made available on the website and newsletter! Many thanks!
Contact us
Disability Backup
Hackney Family Backup
The Print House
18 Ashwin Street
London
E8 3DL
Phone: 020 7275 0088
Fax: 020 7241 0088
Text: 07593 508 288
Text Phone: 18001 020 7275 0088
Email: catherine@hfbu.org.uk
Registered Charity No: 1017015 - Company Registration No: 2422896