Directions Inside

Special Edition

DWYW Service Provider Event

Disability Direct will be hosting the East Midlands largest service provider event at Derby Arena joined by organisations who provide equipment, activities, advice, home support and much more.

The 8th annual Do What You Want disability service provider event is back this June after missing last year due to our Celebrate Derby event.

Read on to see what some of the 100 + organisations will be bringing you this year.

• Where — Derby Arena (Velodrome Pride Park)

• When — Wed 6th June 2018

• Time — 10.30am to 3.30pm

• Cost — Free for everyone

• Special Guest — Richard Blackwood (Vincent from EastEnders)

Event Info including:

• Word from our CEO

• Event Info

• DWYW Event

• Scooter Hire

• Derby Arena

• Welfare Rights

• 3 Peaks

• P2P Open Day

• Plot to Plate

• MM Drum School

• Interactive Activities

• DD Payroll

• Charity Award

• Cyclone

• Access Card

• Enabled Centre

• Blue Sky

• Beechtree

• Remap

• Travel Grants

• Contacts

Welcome to this special summer 2018 edition of Directions.

As you’ve probably already guessed, this one is all about our very successful yearly event – Do What You Want: Live 2018. We are truly delighted and extremely proud to bring the DWYW event back to Derby after the fantastic response and success of previous years and we look forward to meeting new and exciting service providers who you may not have known existed!

This year’s event is sponsored by Nimbus Disability and DD Payroll Services, both highly committed affiliated bodies of our charity which work nationally but donate all their yearly surpluses to Disability Direct in Derby.

Read on for more details and listings from just a handful of the 100 + service providers who will be at the event.

See you on the day!

Amo Raju—CEO

Want to know what really goes on in the CEO’s head? Follow him on Twitter @syndicateceo

2

Want to know more? Get involved and ‘Like’ our Facebook pages

/DisabilityDirect and /DWYWDirectory

You can also follow us on Twitter for live updates @dowhatyouwantdd

Or check out the website at www.disabilitydirect.com/derby

You can even become a member of Disability Direct and have a vote

on how it’s run. Contact us on 01332 299449 for more information.

With its name inspired by the steepest gradient of the cycle track, the Arena’s licensed café serves a delicious and nutritious range of hot and cold refreshments, including Costa coffee. Café 42 is located on the ground floor within the reception area, and is open to all.

There is plenty of seating, so you can plan your time at the event and take a break with a frothy coffee.

If you want to take a look at the menu before you visit, go to www.derbyarena.uk.com/plan-a-visit/food-drink/

If you want any further information about the arena contact:

Email: derbyarena@derby.gov.uk Telephone: 01332 640011 Text relay: 18001 01332 293111 Minicom: 01332 640666

Café 42

Parking

& Bus Routes

Derby Arena has hundreds of parking spaces right behind the venue.

The car park has a barrier and push button, if you will have problems using this, please let us know and we will be

on hand when you arrive.

From Derby Bus Station, you can get the following buses to the Arena:

• F1 – Fast One (Arriva)

• Park and Ride (Arriva)

Both operate from Bay 15 in the Bus Station, and the fare is £1.00 or free with a Gold Card.

General Information

This year we will not be having the protective flooring laid on the sports floor. We had many complaints about it in 2015 as it was uncomfortable for wheelchair users. Due to this we cannot allow heels on the floor as they will damage it, please bear this in mind when visiting.

Noise Several organisations will be performing during the event which will create some noise, if you or your child is sensitive to loud noises, please be prepared and bring ear defenders.

BSL Interpreters If you require a BSL interpreter, please go to Action Deafness or Communications Unlimited stand who will provide someone whilst you are visiting.

0800 088 3275

We are Rob Barfield and Alison Johnson and are the Welfare Rights team at Disability Direct. Rob has been in post since 2010 and Alison since 2015.

Our role is to provide a free information and benefits advice service accessible across England and Wales by phone, email or through social media.

We provide a form fill service to assist you with claiming, Child Disability Living Allowance for under 16 year olds, Personal Independence Payments for 16 -65 year olds with serious health conditions and disabilities and Attendance Allowance for over 65 year olds with greater care needs due to disability or ill health.

We also help with forms for ESA and Carer’s Allowance.

For claimants who feel they have not been awarded the correct amount of points and therefore incorrect benefits, we will write Mandatory Reconsideration requests and support with the Appeal Process if necessary

It is acknowledged that most mandatory reconsiderations are unsuccessful, this is because we have to ask for the same evidence to be looked at again, however it is not possible to appeal until after this decision has been upheld. Nationally 84% of new claims and 78% of reassessments are unsuccessful at M/R stage and of those that do proceed to appeal 68% of decisions were overturned by the Tribunal Service with a positive outcome for the claimant. Our own success rate at Disability Direct for tribunals is currently 92% successful...so better than the national average something we are very proud of!

Since the migration from DLA to PIP for over 16 year olds; we have noticed that quite a few people have lost or had the mobility element of PIP reduced, the reason for this is that the threshold of distance for a person to be able to walk or mobilise had been reduced from 50 yards to 20 metres. This in turn has significantly increased the amount of M/Rs and Appeals we have taken on in the last two years.

So far the introduction of Universal Credit has not impacted on us greatly, however this is due to the suspension of the roll out, which is due to start again in Derby on 11th July 2018. It is not clear how this will impact on individual claimant’s lives, but we will be ready to help when needed.

In addition to our office based work, we also provide information and advice at our local hospitals on a monthly basis, you can find us at London Rd Community Hospital 9am-12pm and Royal Derby Hospital 1pm-4pm every second Tuesday of the month where we are happy to chat with you about anything. We do from time to time give benefit talks or do question and answer sessions to local groups who invite us in to meet and chat with their members, something we both enjoy.

If you want us to come to a group you attend, please let us know. We can be contacted on 01332 299449 – info@disabilitydirect.com www.facebook.com/pg/DDWelfareRight

5

On the 19th May, 2 members of DD staff and 7 willing volunteers set out on a 23 mile hike up and down 3 peaks in Derbyshire. The Team started their trek near Huddersfield lead by Stu and Paul from Ranger Expeditions and climbed Bleaklow, Black Hill and Kinder Scout, finishing in Edale in Derbyshire. The trek took 12 long hours and all of the team made it back safely (their feet may never be the same though).

The Team were rewarded with 2 nights on Ollerbrook Farm and a well deserved BBQ and drink after.

We would like to thank, Rachel, Lea, Jim, Jayne, Helen, Keith, Chris, Dave, and Pam for tackling this gruelling challenge and so far raising over £2000 for our free projects.

You can still sponsor the team at https://mydonate.bt.com/events/disabilitydirect/453883

If you would be interested in participating in any future challenges, please contact Rachel.walsh@disabilitydirect.com

.

The project has come a long way since we opened to the public in April 2017.

The accessible allotment has continued to improve access with more hard standing areas raised beds and even an accessible toilet thanks to the Little Chester Allotment Association.

The project currently has 10 members who regularly attend to tend to the plot supported by volunteers, Little Chester Allotment committee members and DD staff.

Last year 12 cookery classes using the plots produce were held and several activities which included bird house and bee hotel making were attended by over 50 disabled and older people.

If you would like to attend the plot or have the time to volunteer and support our members or support with the heavy work, please contact lea.omeara@disabilitydirect.com

Plot to Plate is a project originally funded by Awards for All but now funded entirely by donations. The plot was built for disabled and older people in order to give them the ability to access a plot that is safe, accessible and supported.

Crowd Funding - We have set up a Crowd Funding page to raise funds to ensure we can continue with the Plot to Plate project.. If you would like to support us, please go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/plot-to-plate-3

Follow Plot to Plate on Facebook - www.facebook.com/disabledgrowers/

MM Drum School, a CredAble provider, offers award winning Drum Lessons, Drum Therapy Sessions & various services available in Derby City Centre. Specialist programs for SEN & ASD also available. I founded MM Drum School back in 2014 when I was in my last year of a music course and was working in special needs school teaching drumming. From a very young age I've had a good interest in entrepreneurship and even when playing in bands I was always the person handling the business side of things. Being a motivated and brave I decided to unite all my skills to create a business that empowers people to succeed. Battling lifelong health conditions I know all too well what it is like to deal with setbacks and power through to achieve. I always believe in everyone I have worked with and have a talent for getting the best out of people in the worst of situations. This all gave me the idea to launch MM Drum School providing, Drum & Music Therapy and bespoke lessons using all my knowledge and expertise in developing people with any kind of hidden or physical disability. MM Drum School does provide exceptional Drum Kit & Djembe tuition to mainstream clients and we have many taking formal exams. We are very proactive in providing good quality services to anyone and everyone. It's my passion to empower disabled people into success though music that's motivated me to build a SEN part attached to my business. We’re really looking forward to being able exhibit at the Do What You Want Live event and would urge anyone that’s ever fancied having a go on the drums to stop by and have a talk to us! Michael Moore “MM Drum School Rocks! Michael really understands how to work with autistic children. Not many people have been able to work with me and understand my autism. Michael is a fantastic teacher and really inspires me to achieve”

Have A Go At Do What You Want

Throughout the day some organisations will be giving you the chance to have a go at

different activities. If you want a new hobby or are looking to get keep fit than this is the

perfect opportunity to try something new.

11.30 - 12.00 Mobility at Home Try out the latest scooters

12.00 - 12.30 Forever Active Chair based exercise

12.30 - 1.00 Creative Carers TBC

1.00 - 1.30 Cyclone Mobility Hand cycles & wheelchair attachments

1.30 - 2.00 Enabled Centre EC perform with the Music Man

2.00 - 2.30 Derby Wheel Blazers Wheelchair Basketball

2.30 - 3.00 Mobility at Home Try out the latest scooters

Activities and Equipment

The Workshop will be offering simple woodworking from their exhibition area.

Handigolf will be showing the latest in golfing buggies.

See Stuart Mobility for manual wheelchairs

Paramedical First Aid Training will be demonstrating life saving techniques

Visit the Enabled Centre table for arts and crafts including Bracelet and badge making

Plot to Plate will be offering Bee Hotel making lessons which you can take away with you.

Handigolf players at Wheelchair Golf The Workshop Batecs by Cyclone

Derby Wheel Blazers Mobility at Home Stuart Mobility

DD Payroll Services is a social enterprise that was set up in 2004 in order to support the needs of Direct Payment users in Derby with their responsibilities as an Employer. We specialise in supporting people in receipt of Direct Payments, Personal Budgets and Health Budgets who employ support to live independently.

It became clear that we needed to look into offering further support to meet individual’s needs & this is where the managed account facility came from. Since 2008 we have supported users with the financial side of a direct payment. Service users are able to hand over the responsibility of making payments to carer’s, HMRC and agencies.

The services that we have in place have grown over the years and we continue to develop in order to provide the best service possible. DD Payroll now support over 4000 Personal Budget recipients nationwide.

We will be at the DWYW Event on the 6th, so please visit our stand if you want more information.

www.ddpayroll.co.uk - info@ddpayroll.co.uk—01332 293612

Disability Direct are honoured to be short listed for the Charity Governance Awards in the Diversity and Inclusivity category.

The Charity Governance Awards is an exciting not-for-profit initiative created to celebrate outstanding governance in charities both small and large.

They know that effective governance makes a difference. And by sharing examples of inspirational trustees and brilliant boards they want to show how great governance and doing good go hand-in-hand.

Disability Direct has been shortlisted with 2 other charities for this particular award and we couldn’t be prouder. We have a great mix of people on the board and each one brings something different to the table, but they work together to ensure DD offers the best service possible to local people.

The winner will be announced on the 24th May - go to www.charitygovernanceawards.co.uk/shortlist-and-winners/ to see if we win.

After dealing with the immediate surgical implications of their condition, brain and spinal cord injury patients need to consider their wider health, fitness and lifestyle. Neglecting this can have a negative impact on recovery and potentially lead to setbacks. Fortunately, technological advancements, in the last few years, have made this much easier to achieve.

Increasing fitness: Active therapy with functional electrical stimulation

Active therapy allows muscles to do the work they are meant to and reverses muscle atrophy. This is superior to passive therapy, where muscles don’t do any of the work. Functional Electric Stimulation (FES) is a well-established active therapy rehabilitation technique that uses pulses of electrical current to stimulate peripheral nerves, generating muscle contractions and patterned muscle activity.

FES cycling solutions are excellent at:

• Relaxing muscle spasms

• Preventing or reducing muscle disuse atrophy

• Increasing local blood circulation

• Maintaining or increasing your range of motion

By focussing on weak and paralysed muscles in the arms, legs and trunk, it enables muscles to work and perform activities. Allowing them to become more conditioned and patients to reach their rehabilitation goals.

Enhancing mobility

A wheelchair is no longer just a functional way of getting around. Modern wheelchairs are all about improving their user’s quality of life in a way that reflects their originality and desire for independence.

This evolving requirement has led to an increase in the number of hand-crafted wheelchair designs built with high quality and lightweight materials like titanium and carbon fibre. Helping to turn the wheelchair from a functional aid, into an expression of the user’s personality which will help improve everyday quality of life.

Similarly, a wheelchair user no longer needs to be limited by having to propel themselves. Lightweight handbikes, with click-and-go technology, instantly turn a manual wheelchair into a 3-wheel motorised tricycle, with speeds of up to 30km/h and a range of up to 28km.

Technology is now evolving at such a rapid rate that new solutions that can help brain and spinal injury sufferers are being announced regularly. This can only be good news as their impact on health, fitness and lifestyle will be beneficial and ultimately help in long-tern recovery.

E: info@cyclonemobility.com T: 0800 180 4850 W: www.cyclonemobility.com

Access Card - an update It's been 3 years since we first properly exhibited the Access Card at Do What You Want Live and what a 3 years it’s been!

The Access Card was something we started working on around 4 years ago as a way of reducing the need to keep showing things like benefits paperwork and blue badges at events, or to just quickly and simply demonstrate that you might need support from a business. It was initially designed to ease booking tickets for concerts and festivals and we had started to work with a couple of the big festivals across the UK. Over the last 3 years we’ve grown beyond all recognition. We’ve grown the card holder base from a few hundred to nearly 12,000 members. The directory of services using the cards has grown not just in size but also diversity. You can now use your card at places like Windsor Castle, Tottenham Hotspur, Glastonbury Festival, Disneyland Paris or as one card holder thanks us for: “Just on the off chance I took my Access card to Crete with me. It got us free entry into Knossos, the Heraklion archaeological museum and the Venetian fortress on Heraklion harbour. Saved us about 40 euros!”

The next 3 years don’t look like they’re going to be any quieter. We’ve penned best practice guides on accessible ticketing and are continually adding new venues, providers and more. Simply put there's never been a better time to get yourself an Access Card!

Tel: 0330 808 5108 Email: cards@accesscard.org.uk Web: www.accesscard.org.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CredAccessCard/

The Enabled Centre offers people the opportunity to get creative with a wide range of activities that include arts, drama, needlework, and music in a safe supported environment.

Learning opportunities are also available with meal planning and cookery, budgeting and money management, safe computer use and friendships and relationships.

There is something for everyone at the Enabled Centre.

COME ALONG TO A FREE TASTER SESSION AND SEE FOR

YOURSELF.

A welcoming space providing a range of activities & learning

opportunities for Disabled Adults.

“An amazing place—full of life”

“A wonderful place to use skills and socialise”

Visit us at the DWYW event

The Enabled C entre

New Enterprise House, St Helen’s Street

Derby, DE1 3GY

Tel. 01332 242202

Www.enabledcentre.co.uk

We will be at DWYW Live 2018 at Derby Arena on

Wednesday 6th June 10.30am till 3.30pm

We will be answering all your questions around the following:

• What is a Personal Budget?

• How to get a Personal Budget?

• How you can become an Employer?

• How to manage staff?

• What is a Personal Health Budget?

• What costs are involved when employing staff?

• How to do Supervisions?

• How to get an up to date Contract of Employment?

• Support Planning

Much more advice and guidance will be given on the day, so make sure you

come and visit us. We look forward to seeing you and working with you to

achieve your goals throughout the year.

Blue Sky Brokers , 20 Royal Scot Road, Pride Park, Derby DE24 8AJ

Telephone—01332 404040 Fax—01332 404041

Email—info@blueskybrokers.org Website—www.blueskybrokers.org

Blue Sky Brokers is a trading division of The Disability Syndicate Company No. 08038048

Come and speak to the Blue Sky Brokers Team for free information and

advice around Personal Budgets and Support Planning

Beechtree Day Services

01332 767073 www.beechtreedayservices.co.uk—info@beechtreedayservices.co.uk

Beechtree Day Service ,St Stephens Church Family Centre. 311 Sinfin Lane, DE24 9GP

We are a well established day care organisation providing a safe, secure and interactive environment for adults (over the age of 18) with learning difficulties, physical disabilities and

autism.

Our staff team at Beechtree are diverse and have excellent skills around communication, positive behaviour support, support planning and promoting independence.

Transport –We offer a door to door pick up and drop off

service in our private minibus, escorted with a qualified bus guide. Our minibus has a tail lift to cater for our wheelchair bound clients.

Location – Safety is extremely important to us – our

location was chosen specifically to suit our organisation, which is set back off a main road in Sinfin, allowing easy access to local amenities (shops, park, bus stops etc)

Building – We have a very spacious building with specialised rooms to cater for every

foreseeable need of our clients. (sensory room, spacious gardens, multi activity hall, art/craft room, music room & library)

Activities –We offer an extensive range of both leisure

and educational activities (indoor and outdoor) which are tailored to suit each individual’s level of ability.

Education – We encourage and promote college

learning courses as well as indoor learning to improve and develop education for each client.

Staff – Beechtree has a strong team of qualified and DBS checked staff who offer full support to

each and every client to enhance their existing skills, learn new skills and promote independent living which they can use in everyday life such as travel training, money skills and use of community resources.

‘…going the extra mile to help improve the quality of life for adults with learning difficulties, physical disabilities and autism…’

Welcome to Remap

Free custom made aids to help people of all ages with

disabilities achieve more independence and enjoyment of

life's opportunities.

Remap is a very special charity, working through a nationwide network of dedicated volunteers. These inspiring people use their ingenuity and skills to help people of all ages with disabilities to achieve much-desired independence in some aspect of their lives, or to enjoy leisure opportunities previously closed to them.

Remap’s unique pieces of special equipment are tailor-made by volunteer experts and provided free to the people who need them.

The volunteers focus on people for whom mainstream services have not been able to provide suitable equipment to counteract their disability. They give their time and energies for free, taking the trouble to ensure that each item they make really suits the individual person concerned and does the job it is meant to do.

Remap has over 80 local branches (panels) across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and helps about 4000 people with disabilities each year.

How Remap works locally

The Remap Panel covering Derbyshire and East Staffordshire is:

The Derby, Burton & District Panel

Remap can be asked to help by:-

• Request from a Health Professional.

• Self-Referral by the prospective Client or a third party.

The most common approach at present is through a health professional such as an occupational therapist. These are usually the people most aware of a potential client’s needs.

For more information visit the Local Website: www.derbyremap.info

National website: www.remap.org.uk

Examples of Remap Help

Fishing rod holder

Cloth wringer

Childs cycle

All staff here at Disability Direct are happy to help. If you have an enquiry please do not hesitate to contact us. All staff can be reached on 01332 299449 or by emailing the following:

Event Coordinator/Director of Operations Sally.austin@disabilitydirect.com Event Control/Deputy Manager Natasha.jacobs@disabilitydirect.com Event Assistants/Centre Administrator Stephanie.taylor@disabilitydirect.com Event Assistants/Welfare Rights Officer Rob.barfield@disabilitydirect.com Alison.johnson@disabilitydirect.com Event Assistants/Plot to Plate Lea.omeara@disabilitydirect.com Claire.whitehead@disabilitydirect.com Event Assistant/Fund Raiser Rachel.Walsh@disabilitydirect.com Do What You Want Team DWYW@disabilitydirect.com

Staff Contact List

The Do What You Want Event has been made possible, thanks to:

Our Sponsors

Supported by

If you want any further information about the event or any one of Disability

Directs projects, please contact Sally Austin on the above contact details.

We look forward to seeing you at the event.

Disability Direct is a registered charity (No. 1079831)

Disability Direct, 20 Royal Scot Rd, Pride Park, Derby, DE24 8AJ

Tel 01332 299449 ǀ Type Talk 18001 01332 299449 Email info@disabilitydirect.com ǀ Website www.disabilitydirect.com