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 A
happy new TAG Talk year to all our readers and welcome to a bumper
edition of the newsletter. The committee felt that with a new year we
would endeavour to have a focus in each edition and at this time of
year we are thinking of holidays, hopefully in summer sunshine. Hence
we have a three/four page focus on holiday provision. The next
edition will focus on education from as many aspects as we can think
of and fit in! This is the place to say thank you to Sharon for
bringing the holiday information together.
[holiday
information - opens in a new window -
close to return here]
Whilst
we talk of Sharon I am delighted that after many years of
endeavouring to find finance to employ an officer of the Group
following the ending of Diana’s funding some 6 or seven years
ago that the trustees now feel confident that we can offer a
part-time post for at least the next three years and moneys in hand
have been put on one side specifically for that purpose. The post is
effective from the 1st January so Sharon started with three days
holiday! Her hours are limited so please do respect this if you need
to contact her. The funding for this post comes essentially from
monies left to the Group by Elsie Chick from North Wales. Regretfully
we still don’t know her direct connection with the Group other
than a member of her family was affected by the disability. If there
is anyone out there who can enlighten us then please do let me know.
It would be good to say thank you.
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We
are looking forward to an exciting year ahead with TAG camps planned
under the leadership of Kev Whittaker and Conference arrangements
coming to fruition for September. We are also holding again the
training weekend for Regional Contacts and other key workers. If you
consider yourself a key worker and haven’t received an
invitation then apologies are due and please contact me or Sharon to
put matters right!
Two
new regional contacts write to introduce themselves on the inside
pages. We welcome Helen Glassborow in the London region and Donna and
John McGovern who live in Glasgow and are covering Scotland. Those
who have been to Conference will have had the opportunity to meet
them and we look forward to getting to know them better at the
training weekend.
Please
let Kevin know as soon as possible if you would like to attend
either the adult or children’s camp. It is vital that we know as
soon as possible whether your child would like to attend so that we
can get the appropriate number of volunteer helpers organised.
On
the home front, life is has been turned a little upside down with
Nancy’s decision not to continue her degree course. She is a
little undecided whether to continue in higher education or start
life in the big wide world! Jenny continues to enjoy her
physiotherapy course with just twelve months to go. Both girls have
recently dumped all their Uni possessions on us and we were a little
concerned where it would all go. Beware if you live in the north east
as Jenny is on placements in that area for the next few months!
Heather is delighted to have received an invitation for interview for
her teaching degree course from her second choice and is eagerly
awaiting a like invitation from her first choice, Edgehill. The end
of the year was somewhat traumatic for Gail as the “puddle”
she drove into on her way home one evening turned out to be 18”
deep and that was a very abrupt end to the car. She fortunately was
unharmed apart from being wet and cold having to wade out in freezing
(yes, it has been that cold up here) water. We can’t say that
the police, local authority or RAC acquitted themselves well at the
time. Father Christmas managed to deliver the replacement car on
Christmas Day which helped cheer her up!
That’s
about all my space taken up so I’ll close until the next time
when we will let you have a full report of the Swedish Conference.
Lawrence
|
We welcome any
photographs for
use in our
publications. |
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LEE
PEARSON - CONGRATULATIONS YET AGAIN!
Lee Pearson became
one of the all-time equestrian greats with stunning displays at the
2004 Paralympics in Athens where he bagged another three gold medals
in dressage events on his horse Blue Circle Boy. The trophy cabinet
must be enormous because as well as the previous three Paralympic
medals from 2000 and those of 2004, Lee has an MBE, and his awards
include Child of Courage, BBC Midlands Disabled Sportsman 2003 and in
December 2004 he was voted BBC Midlands Disabled Sportsman 2004, as
well as Midlands Sports Personality of the Year 2004. |
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Disability
Discrimination Act Toolkit
Last Autumn,
significant and important changes were introduced extending
disability discrimination law in the fields of employment, goods and
services and education. These changes enhance and develop the law
which, over the past decade, has now established itself firmly as a
major area of specialist practice, impacting on the rights of
disabled people and the obligations of employers, services providers
and the education sector in virtually every way.
Levenes Solicitors
have published the 10th edition of DDA Toolkit (formerly known as
'Notes on the Disability Discrimination Act'). Written by David
Ruebain and Jo-Anne Graham from Levenes, with contributions by |
Joanna Owen from
the Disability Rights Commission. This fully comprehensive and easily
readable resource book provides complete, up to date information on
the law and on all amendments to it. It is an important and key
source book for all advisors and everyone involved in the provision
of services to, or the employment of, disabled people, and also to
disabled people themselves and their organisations.
A copy is in the
TAG office but you may wish to obtain your own copy. It is available
at a price of£ 20 from Levenes by contacting the Levenes
Education and Disability Law Department on 0800 118899 or by emailing dda@levenes.co.uk |
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