Sarah Storey’s win celebrated with ParalympicsGB Gold Medal stamp

To celebrate ParalympicsGB’s first gold medal win at the London 2012 Paralympic Games Royal Mail has released a stamp to honour Sarah’s gold medal triumph in the Cycling: Track, Women’s C5 Pursuit.

The win makes Sarah the first member of ParalympicsGB to appear on Royal Mail’s Paralympic gold medal stamps.

It’s the first time that a set of stamps has been issued to celebrate Paralympic gold medallists from the host country.

The Paralympic gold medal stamps will be on sale within five working days in over 500 Post Offices across the UK. 

Residents of Sarah’s home town of Disley will be able to buy the stamps in the Post office in Market Street, Disley.

Customers can also buy the stamps from tomorrow at www.royalmail.com/goldmedalstamps and from Royal Mail’s customer service centre on 08457 641 641.

London Festival breaks new ground

Following last night’s spectacular Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the London 2012 Festival is today beginning an 11-day showcase of its ground-breaking commissions by disabled and deaf artists that will run throughout the Paralympics. 

The wide-ranging season at London’s Southbank Centre builds on the key themes of the ceremony, of challenging perceptions and celebrating the empowering possibilities of ideas, science and creativity, through which everyone can realise their full potential.

The 29 works featured cover dance, visual arts, music, comedy, circus and theatre. They were each commissioned for the London 2012 Festival and Cultural Olympiad Unlimited programme – the largest ever celebration of disabled and deaf artists that has been running since 2009 and highlights their work on an unprecedented scale across the UK. 

Ruth Mackenzie the director of London 2012 Festival and the Cultural Olympiad said: “The Unlimited programme is unprecedented, offering more commissioning for disabled and deaf artists than any Cultural Olympiad or festival to date. 

“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work with world-class artists who have created brilliant work that will inspire and change perceptions when we welcome the world to London during the London 2012 Paralympic Games. I hope this will be one of our most important legacies for future Games and for disabled and deaf artists both in the UK and internationally.”

For more details on the programme, to download the London 2012 Festival official guide and to sign up for information www.london2012.com/festival

Pictured: Creating the Spectacle by artist Sue Austin - an original piece of work in which the artist ‘dances’ underwater in a specially adapted, self-propelled wheelchair, allowing her the freedom and joy to move gracefully and un-hindered. (Osprey Leisure Centre, Portland, 29 August & 1 September 2012).  A film documenting the performances will also be shown. (FREE, Southbank Centre, London, 31 August – 9 September; ICCI 360 Dome, Weymouth, 1 – 9 September)

Wide choice of vehicles available

Disabled motorists can now choose from more than 2,000 cars through the Motability car scheme, with around 400 available at no Advance Payment, meaning there’s no upfront additional cost when leasing a reliable car. There are also hundreds of automatic options, with over 40 available at no Advance Payment.

The Toyota Yaris 1.33 SR and the SEAT Ibiza 1.2TD SE are both available at no Advance Payment. For those who require more room, the Hyundai i30 1.6 Active automatic and the Suzuki SX4 1.6 SZ4 are also available to drive away at no Advance Payment.

Anyone who receives the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance or the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement can exchange the weekly payment – currently around £50 a week – to lease a new car through Motability. Insurance, servicing, RAC breakdown assistance and replacement tyres are also included in the cost of the lease.

Mike Betts the chief executive at Motability Operations said: “We always aim to offer Motability customers a wide range of vehicles to choose from to enable them to get the right car for their specific needs. Our summer price list includes many popular options including automatics, diesels and green choices – ensuring that disabled people have access to affordable motoring.”

Motability also offers a wide and affordable range of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs) and drive-from wheelchair options. There are around 50 small WAVs available for under £995 Advance Payment, from a range of converters, with manual and automatic options. If required, a wide range of affordable adaptations for cars are also available, including a selection of more than 120 popular driving adaptations at no extra cost.

For more information on leasing a car from Motability visit the online Car Search tool at www.motability.co.uk or call 0800 093 1000.

Good luck to all our Paralympic athletes

The London 2012 Paralympic Games will see 4,280 athletes compete – the largest numbers ever to attend a Paralympic Games. More than 503 gold medals will be awarded over the course of 11 days of competition. 

Samsung has launched its Paralympic Bloggers scheme to provide a unique window on the games to help to bring ‘Everyone’s Games’ to life.

Fifty Paralympic athletes will share their own exclusive behind-the-scenes accounts as they take part in the London 2012 Games.

The project is part of Samsung’s ‘Sport Doesn’t Care Who You Are’ campaign which aims to challenge the public’s attitude towards Paralympic athletes and sport, and to encourage a focus on ability not disability.

Find out more on http://www.youtube.com/paralympicsporttv

Brands Hatch – the internationally-renowned motor racing circuit near Sevenoaks in Kent will host 7,500 spectators each day over four days of Paralympic Road Cycling competition

Stoke Mandeville’s special place

To celebrate Stoke Mandeville’s history in the Paralympic Games around 3,000 people attended a special ceremony at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium to watch the Torchbearers create the Flame.

German neurologist Dr Ludwig Guttman introduced sport including wheelchair polo and basketball to the rehabilitation programme for injured Second World War servicemen at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and the first archery competition for wheelchair athletes took place at Stoke Mandeville on the day of the Opening Ceremony of the London 1948 Olympic Games. 

From this time the Games were held annually. In 1952 competitors from the Netherlands took part as well and the event went on to become the International Stoke Mandeville Games.
The first Paralympic Games took place in Rome in 1960 and featured 400 athletes from 23 countries. 

The Paralympic and Olympic Games have taken place in the same city since Seoul in 1988.

When the Paralympic Flame enters the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London this evening it will have been carried by 580 Torchbearers, on its 24 hour 92 mile journey.

As the years have gone by the Paralympic Games have grown bigger and become more high profile, and in terms of size and scale they are now the second biggest world-wide sporting event after the Olympic Games.

Transformation from Olympic to Paralympic Games

After a hugely successful Olympic Games, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, LOCOG, has been involved in a massive transitional operation to make the Paralympic Games equally successful.

The venues were designed with both Games in mind but there have been a number of specific changes to undertake. 

All sites have had their look and signage refreshed, the flags of the nations have been revised and changes to field of play have been necessary, as sports in each venue are slightly different.

In five days the Olympic and Paralympic Village has taken been transformed between 16-21 August from an athlete's village that hosted over 10,000 Olympic athletes to welcome 4,280 Paralympic athletes, 3,500 team officials, 1,225 Games Officials and 22 assistance dogs.

There will be 1,800 wheelchair users in total. 14 tonnes of workshop equipment and spare parts has also arrived for Ottobock’s service provision for athletes, this includes a wheelchair repair centre.

The giant Olympic Rings in cities across the UK and in London have been switched for the Agitos, the symbol for the Paralympic Games. The Paralympic Flag features three ‘agitos’ (Latin for ‘I move’) in red, blue and green – the colours most represented in national flags around the world. 

There are also two new competition venues for the Paralympic Games:

- Eton Manor – situated in the north of the Olympic Park, features nine courts for the Wheelchair Tennis competition, all designed in a striking blue colour. During the Games, it will also house temporary training pools for Paralympic Swimming events.

- Brands Hatch – the internationally-renowned motor racing circuit near Sevenoaks in Kent will host 7,500 spectators each day over four days of Paralympic Road Cycling competition.

Some venues are now all set to be used for different sports, including:

- ExCeL for Wheelchair Fencing, Boccia, Sitting Volleyball and Powerlifting 

- Copper Box for Goalball 

- Riverbank Arena for 7-a-side football and 5-a-side football 

- North Greenwich Arena for Wheelchair Basketball 

- Royal Artillery Barracks for Shooting and Archery

Rutland Water earns award for accessability

This year’s Alan Faulkner Memorial Award has been won by Rutland Water near Oakham in Rutland. 

Created in memory of the founder president of Wheelyboat Trust this is the tenth year of the award presented annually to the game fishery that provides disabled anglers with the access, service and facilities.

The Wheelyboat Trust is a registered charity that helps fisheries, public waters, groups and organisations acquire wheelchair accessible Wheelyboats. It has supplied 153 Wheelyboats since the Trust began work in 1985. It offers four different types of Wheelyboat to suit different activities – two of these have been designed specifically for fishing.

Previous winners include Chew Valley Lake, Eyebrook Trout Fishery, Grafham Water and Lake of Menteith.

The presentation took place at Rutland Water Fishing Lodge. The main prize was a 4hp outboard motor provided by the award’s sponsors, Suzuki GB. 

Rutland Water, owned by Anglian Water, is England’s largest reservoir at 3,500 acres. It was built in the 1970’s to provide water for households and industry in the driest part of the UK. 

It is one of the country’s most popular trout fisheries and is a fly-only water stocked annually with 130,000 brown and rainbow trout.  

It has a large fleet of fishing boats and in 2008 was the first fishery to acquire the new Coulam 16 Wheelyboat, the Trust’s purpose-built fishing boat with roll-on, roll-off wheelchair access.  

Rutland Water is an important venue on the competition circuit hosting national and international disabled fly-fishing competitions.

John Seaton the head ranger at Rutland Water, receives a framed certificate from Andy Beadsley the director of the Wheelyboat Trust, and a Suzuki outboard from Steven Foy the sales manager at  Suzuki GB. Also taking part are Jake Williams (head of recreation, Anglian Water), Jon Marshall (fisheries manager, Anglian Water), Danny Peet (Trustee, Wheelyboat Trust) and his wife, Kay, and rangers from Rutland Water

Fifth national independent living awards

To celebrate businesses, voluntary groups and individuals that excel in promoting the independence of disabled people Breakthrough UK has launched the National Independent Living Awards 2012.

The awards for those who “go the extra mile” to remove barriers faced by disabled people are now officially open for entries.

Breakthrough UK’s acting chief executive Michele Scattergood said the awards “publically acknowledge the fantastic work of those commercial and voluntary organisations that consistently go the extra mile for disabled people.

“Following the success of last year’s awards, we’ve decided to host the awards online once again - saving on both the costs and carbon emissions which occur when staging such an important event.

“We now want to receive entries from all those who constantly ensure that disabled people live independent lives.”

Winning organisations will feature in a short film which will be shown on Breakthrough UK’s website on 3rd December – which is International Day of Persons with Disabilities – and receive a specially commissioned trophy.

They will also be entitled to use the Breakthrough UK 2012 National ILA logo for a year.

The closing date for entries is 15th October. For more details www.breakthrough-uk.co.uk.

Charities hold complex epilepsy event

Parents and carers of children with complex epilepsy from across the UK are invited to attend an Information Day so they can learn more about the condition.

The day-long event in the West Midlands is a joint venture between Young Epilepsy and Matthew’s Friends. It offers an opportunity to increase understanding of complex epilepsy and meet other families in a similar situation.

Young Epilepsy chief executive David Ford said it will give anyone caring for a child with complex epilepsy  the “rare chance to hear from psychologists, consultants and specialist epilepsy nurses. “

He said: “We know parents and carers find these events useful and we encourage anyone raising a child with complex epilepsy to attend.”

Emma Williams the chief executive of Matthew’s Friends said: “As a mother of a child with complex epilepsy, I know the struggles families go through every day. Practical information and support will help empower a family to work effectively with all the different professionals they will encounter during their child’s life and this information day will hopefully help to do just that; empower the family.”

The Information Day is on Saturday 13th October at St John’s Hotel, Warwick Road, Solihull. For further information see youngepilepsy.org.uk

Pioneer of disabled rights legislation, Lord Morris has died

Leading disability rights campaigner and former Manchester Wythenshawe MP, Lord Morris has died in hospital at the age of 84.

Alf Morris served as an MP from 1964 to 1997. In 1974 he became the UK’s first minister for disabled people, introducing benefits for disabled people and their carers, including a mobility allowance.

His work led to the first disability rights legislation – the 1970’s Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

Lord Morris was known throughout his political career for championing the rights of disabled people, including injured service personnel.

He died on Sunday 12th August following a short illness.

Spare Parts exhibition

Amputee Priscilla Sutton the founder and curator of Spare Parts, an exhibition which gives an artistic new lease of life to prosthetic limbs is staging a show in London to coincide with the Paralympic Games.

The exhibition at the Rag Factory, just off Brick Lane, from 25th August to 9th September will feature a collection of prosthetic limbs turned into artistic creations.

Priscilla Sutton, an art enthusiast based in Brisbane, Australia, is an amputee after suffering from a debilitating bone condition.

She first got the idea to transform prosthetic limbs into works of art when she came across two disused prosthetic legs when spring-cleaning her house five years ago. She didn’t want to keen hoarding them for sentimental reasons and decided to commission an artist to recreate something original – using the items as a blank canvas.

A new batch of prosthetics has been donated for the latest exhibition, only five were part of the original Brisbane show. 

To find out more see spareparts2012.com

Paralympian Karen Darke backs internet access campaign

Adventurous handcyclist Karen Darke is keen to support a new campaign aimed at helping disabled people access the internet. 

Karen, who will be competing in the handcycling time trial and road race events on September 5th and 7th, said the Go ON Gold campaign provides a vital service to people who would otherwise not know where to turn for help in getting online.

A partner project of Go ON UK, the new national charity to get everyone online supported by the BBC, Age UK and the Post Office, Go ON Gold has also been backed by 16 times medal winner Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson.

Karen who was paralysed in a rock climbing accident at 21 and whose challenges include handcycling over the Himalayas, sit skiing 600km across Greenland and sea kayaking around Corsica, says the internet is a powerful tool – all the more so for those with disabilities.

“Everywhere I go I have my laptop and my phone with me,” Karen told Go ON Gold. “Technology can offer so much, an ability to stay in touch with people, to know what’s going on, to find out information at the press of a button. I can’t imagine not using technology – but actually there are a lot of people out there who don’t use it, and it’s not part of their everyday life.

“It’s a great thing to help someone access all that information and technology.”

To find out more about the campaign www.go-on-gold.co.uk 

Backing the Go ON Gold campaign: Paralympic medal hope Karen Darke has a clutch of world cup and world championship handcycling medals and a PhD in geology

Record Paralympic ticket sales

With just three weeks to go to the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has confirmed that a record 2.1 million Paralympic tickets have already now been sold.

With more than 600,000 tickets snapped up in the last month, the total number of tickets sold has now surpassed the previous record of 1.8 million tickets sold in 2008 for the Beijing Games.

Seb Coe the chair of LOCOG said: “We are absolutely delighted with how the British public has responded so far to tickets for the Paralympic Games. The Olympic Games have shown us that the UK has taken the Games to their heart and with the tickets sold so far and more still to come I look forward to even more people getting the chance to join in and to form memories that will last a lifetime.”

Currently there is good availability for sports at ExCeL – including Wheelchair Fencing, Sitting Volleyball, Boccia and Powerlifting.  

Remaining Paralympic tickets are available at www.tickets.london2012.com and more will be available online next week.

Interactive display promotes Paralympic excellence

An exhibition has opened in the main atrium at the Westfield London Shopping Centre in Shepherd’s Bush to promote Paralympic sports and showcase the technology used by athletes

‘Passion for Paralympics’ is being staged by Ottobock Healthcare, the official technical service provider for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and the International Paralympic Committee.

It runs until 12th August to raise awareness of the paralympic movement, sports and competing sportsmen and women at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. 

Philip Yates the managing director of Ottobock Healthcare in the UK said: “Ottobock is committed to helping people enjoy the Paralympic Games and we believe the activities at Westfield London will prove an invaluable tool to educate young audiences on the running blades in a fun and engaging way. 

“As well as encouraging greater participation, we hope to transform the perception of disabled people in society and promote greater understanding of issues around accessibility and inclusion and their importance beyond the Paralympic Games.” 

Ottobock’s interactive exhibits will provide visitors with a hands-on experience of the most exciting Paralympic sports. These include one designed to enable visitors to feel the strength required to power a carbon fibre running blade and compare themselves with the Paralympic athletes that use them.

Visitors will also have the chance to take part in a hand cycling race and add their speed to a national leader board where they can compare it with other racers around the country. 

They will also be able to get involved by pledging their support for the London 2012 Paralympic Games by sharing what they are passionate about and taking a picture to upload to a fan wall on the Passion for Paralympics website www.ottobock.com/paralympics

Campaigners warn of another Winterbourne View

Charities have received 260 reports from families concerning the abuse and neglect of people with a learning disability in institutional care – since the Winterbourne View abuse scandal was uncovered by the BBC Panorama team in June 2011. 

Mencap and the Challenging Behaviour Foundation are highlighting the risks of moving patients hundreds of miles.

Their joint report, Out of Sight details a number of serious incidences reported by families, including physical assault, sexual abuse and the overuse of restraint – both physical and in terms of overuse of medication. 

Vivien Cooper, founder of The Challenging Behaviour Foundation, said: “Many hundreds of people with a learning disability are being sent away to care institutions hundreds of miles from home, where they remain for years unnecessarily, at risk of neglect and abuse. 

“Our report details the deep concerns that families have for their safety and welfare.”

Mark Goldring, Mencap chief executive, said: “We fear that unless the government commits to a strong action plan to close large institutions and develop appropriate local services for people with a learning disability, there is a very real risk that another Winterbourne View will come to light.”

The Care Quality Commission’s inspection programme of 145 hospitals and care homes for people with a learning disability revealed that half of services failed to meet essential care and safeguarding standards.

The Out of sight report can be viewed at www.mencap.org.uk/outofsight

Paracycling athlete going for gold

Paracycling athlete Jon-Allan Butterworth is gearing up for the ride of his life as he prepares to compete in the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Originally from Sutton Coldfield and based in Manchester, Jon-Allan is due to compete in the 1km time trial 4km individual pursuit on the track, plus the road race and road time trial. 

He is one of the favourites to win gold, having broken the 1km time trial world record at the Paracycling Track World Championships in Los Angeles earlier this year, with a time of 1:07:212.

The 26-year-old joined the RAF in 2002 and served as a weapons technician in Afghanistan and Iraq. A rocket attack on Basra Air Station in Iraq in 2007 meant he was forced to undergo an above-elbow amputation on his left arm. He has been cycling professionally since 2009. 

Jon-Allan is backed in his endeavours by the independent living solutions provider AKW, and he has been working with the company, based in Droitchwich Spa, to help highlight independent living for those with specialist needs. 

Campaigns have included a ‘design a mascot’ competition with children at Regency High School in Worcester and Chadsgrove Specialist School in Bromsgrove, as well as officially opening a new cycling track at Chadsgrove Specialist School. He also helped launch a new in-house cycling proficiency course at the Bromsgrove school. 

Paul Massey the chief executive of AKW said: “We know how much this event means to Jon-Allan, and how hard he has been training for it. Local communities in Worcestershire have really got behind his Paralympic campaign and from everyone here at AKW, we wish Jon-Allan all the luck in the world.”

To find out more about AKW’s showering, daily living and kitchen solutions for inclusive living www.akw-ltd.co.uk

Wrong direction for deafness

As One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson becomes the latest in a line of young pop stars to announce he is suffering from noise-induced deafness and tinnitus, Deafness Research UK is reminding everyone that hearing conditions are no respecters of age and this latest case is part of a worrying trend of hearing loss among the young that needs to be tackled now.

Louis joins Plan B, Leona Lewis, Gary Newman, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and others in publicly admitting deafness and tinnitus symptoms as a result of excessive noise levels at live concerts.

One Direction now wear high tech earpieces to reduce the volume, so have at least taken action; but until a cure can be found, the damage can be permanent. 

Vivienne Michael the chief executive of Deafness Research UK points out that although not all of us have access to high tech gadgets, “low tech ear plugs are cheap and freely available and are a must to protect your hearing.”

The website has a wealth of information www.deafnessresearch.org.uk. Anyone can also call the Advisory Service on Freephone 0808 808 2222 or e-mail info@deafnessresearch.org.uk

Paralympic Games set to welcome thousands of athletes

More than 4,000 athletes are due to take part in the Paralympic Games later this month. 

On 28th August, the day before the Opening Ceremony, four flames from London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh will be united to form the Paralympic Flame. 

The flame will then be carried 87 miles by 580 torchbearers, working in teams of five, on a 24-hour relay from Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire to London.

Key events during the games include the 100m when Oscar Pistorius and Jonnie Peacock are set to battle for gold, wheelchair racing rivals David Weir, Marcel Hug and Kurt Fearnley will each be looking for Paralympic glory, and in the pool, Ellie Simmonds and Natalie du Toit hope to add to their previous medal haul. 

The London 2012 Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony,  ‘Festival of Flame’ on 9th September, will see Coldplay, perform a live concert in the Olympic Stadium, broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 750 million. 

Tickets are still available for Paralympic events, including both main ceremonies, athletics in the Olympic Stadium and swimming in the Aquatics Centre. For more details on ticket availability www.tickets.london2012.com.

Marking 50 days until the Paralympic Games the Agitos – the Paralympic symbol of the IPC – was dug into the sand in Rhossili Bay, on the Gower, by a group of volunteers and schoolchildren in association with the National Trust. Photo: LOCOG