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MERGER between the Disabled Drivers’ Motor Club and the Disabled Drivers’ Association moved a critical step closer last month. The boards of both charities agreed an outline way forward and broad proposals to put to their respective memberships at General Meetings to be held in June.
Ed Passant, DDMC Chief Executive said: “We’re delighted that discussions have gone so well. There is still a considerable amount of detail to be worked through, but I would say that a merger is now extremely likely.
“The case for merger is compelling– we would remove costly duplication and be able to focus on creating a single organisation capable of representing the interests of all disabled drivers and passengers, rather than competing with one another.
“Of course, our members will have the final say and we’ll be putting the case to them at our AGM on 26th June at the Radisson SAS Hotel at Stansted Airport,” he added.
A merger between the DDMC, founded in 1922 by a group of disabled people at St Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton, and the DDA, founded in 1948 as the Invalid Trike Association, will mark the culmination of a long struggle to unite. Discussions on possible merger took place in 1963, 1971, 1979 and 2002, but every time the attempts were ultimately unsuccessful.
Each organisation has a proud history; both played a key role in issues such as the introduction of Mobility Allowance (now DLA), the creation of Motability, and the fi ght for the Orange (now Blue) Badge scheme.
In recent years they have worked jointly on a variety of initiatives such as Baywatch and the “Changing Gear” conference.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The DDMC AGM will be held on Sunday 26th June 2005 at 11.00am at Radisson SAS Hotel, Waltham Close, Stansted Airport, Stansted, CM24 1PP.
Further information, details of resolutions etc. will available in due course.
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First rally for disabled drivers gets green light
THE FIRST UK rally for disabled drivers is to go ahead over three days this summer.
The Motorsport Endeavour England Rally 2005 is the culmination of years of knocking on doors by Graham Raphael, (right) who broke his neck while surveying the route for the 1977 London- Sydney Rally.
His efforts have been boosted by his appointment by the Motorsport Development Board to develop its strategy to encourage disabled people to take part in motorsport.
The England rally will be the fi rst major event for Motorsport Endeavour, which would one day like to stage a London-Sydney rally – via the USA – for disabled drivers.
It will run from July 22-24, based around Stoke Mandeville, Bucks, and aims to use routes “through some of the most picturesque countryside in middle England”.
Entrants don’t need a competition licence, nor indeed any experience and can use their own car for the event with no additional preparation, although there will be an induction day at either Haynes Motor Museum, Somerset, or the Pararallying School, Lincolnshire.
The entry fee, which is still to be announced, also includes four nights’ accommodation at Stoke Mandeville, breakfast, lunch and dinner on rally days and a prize-giving dinner.
The rally is also expected to include visits to Prescott Speed Hill climb, The Bugatti Trust and various motor sport venues en route. Entrants may even get to take a slow drive around a race circuit, visit a Formula One team and enjoy the experience of the co-drivers seat in a rally car.
Motorsport Endeavour involves people with a wide range of disabilities and is not exclusively for drivers, so there will be opportunities to play a role as navigator, marshal, timekeeper, administrator and spectator.
Graham told Disabled Motorist the rally would “show to disabled people that if you have got a car and you can drive it and you want to get into a bit of motor sport, here it is. If you have got a car, you can go down to shops in it or you can do something exciting.”
To fi nd out more about the rally, call Joy Rainey on 07768 497 474 or email
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Council drops bombshell on Blue Badge credibility
SUFFOLK County Council has provoked the wrath of disabled motoring organisations by handing out Blue Badges on the word of the applicant alone.
Under new proposals, people who do not automatically qualify for a badge will not have to be assessed by a GP or health professional, but will simply provide self-assessment information on the application form.
Council staff argue that most people are honest about the nature of their disability, so the new procedures will be based on trust. They say this will allow staff at Suffolk County Council's Customer First contact centre to be able to send out new badges more quickly and issue renewal badges a few days before the old badge expires.
Disabled Motorist spoke to Shirley Hamilton, Social Services Assistant Director (Head of Business Development). She hadn't heard of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) and said they were“building an improved scheme based on trust for the 90 per cent of honest applicants
with a sting in the tail for the 10 per cent who might abuse it.” She stated that they were now using a database that could cross-check the status of applications and that there would be regular random checks using this.
Ed Passant, DDMC Chief Executive, said: “I'm all in favour of reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, but this decision beggars belief. There is substantial concern about the credibility of the Blue Badge scheme, with perceptions of widespread abuse. The number of badges issued under the discretionary criteria varies enormously from area to area, suggesting that there are major problems with this element of the scheme.
“The DPTAC Blue Badge Review, which involved responses from more than 300 organisations and consultation with key stakeholders, recognised the need to tighten up the procedures for issuing badges under the discretionary criteria. They suggested specialist assessors rather than GPs – they certainly didn't envisage handing out badges with no independent evidence, and neither did the Government in their response to DPTAC.” Coun Terry Green, Suffolk County Council's portfolio holder for adult care and health, said: “This is exactly the sort of improvement we have all been working to achieve. I think the public get fed up when we stick to procedures that are not entirely necessary any more, so full marks to staff at Customer First for helping us to deliver better service, at less cost to the taxpayer.”
But Douglas Campbell, Executive Director of the Disabled Drivers' Association said, “I find it hard to believe, in the light of the Blue Badge Review, that any issuing authority can act in this way. I think it is high time that this work is transferred to a central Government agency.”
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London atlas lists disabled bays
DISABLED drivers can now plan journeys in central London with the help of an up-to-the-minute guide. The PIE (Public Information Exchange) street atlas, launched by the ALG (Association of London Government), provides detailed information about driving and parking in the city.
The atlas incorporates a full street index as well as the locations of all Blue Badge parking bays, bays on red routes, and all car parks and petrol stations.
Parking facilities have been categorised by accessibility and cost.
The guide costs £4.50 from WH Smith and London bookstores. Or see it online at www.parkingforbluebadges.com
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Allied expands its range of chair-accessible vehicles
LEADING wheelchair accessible vehicle supplier Allied Vehicles is expanding its range of wheelchair passenger cars and minibuses.
The new Peugeot Horizon, specially adapted from the Peugeot Partner will accommodate driver, wheelchair passenger and two other passengers.
The vehicle is fully adapted for wheelchair passenger use and is equipped with lightweight folding rear ramp, electric winch system and sophisticated four-point wheelchair restraint system.
The company says safety is of high importance and every vehicle is tested to the highest standards.
Competitively priced, the vehicles are second to none in terms of being built to a high specification to meet the needs of wheelchair users.
The Peugeot Access, with a“unique” ramp is being launched at the Independent Living Scotland exhibition at the SECC, Glasgow on 6-7 April on stand B40.
For further information and a free brochure call Allied Vehicles Mobility Advisers on 0800 916 3062 or visit www.alliedvehicles.co.uk
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Disability and work do mix
MORE THAN a quarter of British workers believe their boss would be unlikely to help them keep their job if they become disabled, a report reveals.
The MORI poll for the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) found that 28 per cent of non-disabled workers felt their employers would not make adjustments to help them stay in work following a serious accident. The poll found that people working in the retail sector, men, and part-time workers felt they were less likely to hold on to their jobs following onset of disability.
The poll's findings show a marked contrast between workers' and bosses' attitudes. A DRC survey of 1,000 small employers found that the majority (85 per cent) said they would be flexible about hours or minor parts of the job if the employee had the right skills and enthusiasm.
The MORI poll and employer survey were published as part of a DRC campaign aimed at Britain's small business owners to dispel some of the myths around retaining disabled staff. The campaign follows the introduction of new laws for small employers, introduced in October 2004, which lifted the exemption of small firms from the Disability Discrimination Act.
Bert Massie, Chairman of the Disability Rights Commission said:
“Getting the message across that employers are prepared to make adjustments for disabled workers will give much needed confidence to all staff.“Most people are not born with their impairment, they become disabled or develop a long term health condition during their working life. The findings should not only encourage disabled people in work but also those who will become disabled. Smart businesses realise that providing support to workers rather than showing them the door makes good business sense.”
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That’s £500 gone!
PROUD owners who drove away new 05-registration cars on March 1 have already lost an average of £500 in depreciation.
Latest figures from RAC Financial Services' Motoring Index show that depreciation is still the biggest single cost in owning a new vehicle, accounting for over a third of the cost of running a car and equates to £5.00 a day for the average car's first three years.
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GPs show the way
THE Royal College of General Practitioners' Disability Care Award 2004 has been won by The Margaret Thompson Medical Centre based in Speke, Liverpool. This forward-thinking GP practice won a £5,000 prize, sponsored by Leonard Cheshire, for its innovative systems of care for disabled people. It has fitted a ramp outside and a lift inside, installed two disabled toilets and lowered a section of the reception desk for wheelchair users.
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Fighting fit
THE Stroke Association and its sister charity Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland have teamed up with health and fitness chain LA Fitness, to highlight how regular exercise and a healthy diet can help prevent strokes.
The partnership involves local fundraising and awareness raising activities during April in LA Fitness gyms throughout England and Scotland.
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The ultimate convenience
MEDICAL company DayCar have developed a revolutionary product that provides a private convenience system in the back of your car.
The Indipod offers peace of mind and independence to anyone who may require toilet facilities while travelling in their vehicle. It fits into a bag the size of a small suitcase and can be used in virtually all MPVs, 4x4s, estate cars and small motorhomes. When needed, the outer protective bag is unzipped to reveal the pod's bubble, inflated in under a minute to fill the rear of the car using a fan plugged into the vehicle's power supply. The toilet is housed in the base of the pod and the user simply zips up the bubble for an instant, hygienic and private sanitary sanctuary. Barbara May, director of Worcestershire-based DayCar, said:
“We are biomedical engineers by trade and have been developing this product for the last two years, originally for ourselves for travelling, as many public toilets weren't up to scratch.
“However, there could be many reasons why people require a toilet for their cars - not least those with a medical condition such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colitis or Crohn's Disease.
“We understand there is nothing similar to this product in the UK and indeed the world.” The Indipod launches at Naidex 2005
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Space-age technology on display
THE WORLD'S first set of “moving shelves” will be shown at Mobility South, the disability event and exhibition on Friday May 6 and Saturday May 7 at the Newbury Racecourse.
The unique, ingenious SpaceStation is a cupboard with shelves that move up or down at the touch of a button, bringing the items to the perfect height. SpaceAce, the company that
invented the system, says that neither a wheelchair user nor their family members need ever stretch or bend again to reach the items they need.
Show organisers Gowrings Mobility will be giving away a converted Vauxhall Zafira as part of their 40th anniversary Seize The Day promotion.
Britain's most successful Paralympic athlete, Tanni Grey-Thompson, will be at the show on Saturday May 7 to hand over the keys to the lucky winner.
Visitors to Mobility South will also get the chance to try out a host of vehicles in the popular Car
Zone. There will be standard cars on Motability, cars with adaptations for drivers and passengers from Steering Developments and Autochair, and a range of WPVs to choose from and
compare.
Inside, there will be equipment and ideas for independent living including wheelchairs, scooters, ramps, bedroom, bathing and kitchen products. Mobile technology giants Vodafone will be
displaying their portfolio of accessible products; there will be a variety of mobility aids to browse through from Keep Able, and a sensory area courtesy of Kirton Healthcare.
The Disabled Drivers' Motor Club will be there, as will representatives from Motability, REMAP. The Blue Badge Network will be also present to offer advice and support.
n Opening hours for the show are 10am - 5pm. Admission is free – to register for advance tickets, Lo-Call Gowrings Mobility on 0845 608 8070 or visit www.gowringsmobility.
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Naidex shows the latest living aids
AS WELL as providing a platform for the launch of new products like the Indipod ), Naidex 2005 will feature the very latest in mobility and daily living aids. The show, held at Birmingham's NEC from May 24-26, also includes KideQuip, the UK's leading paediatric exhibition for children
with special needs.
Brand new features for this year's show include a Moving & Handling Zone, a Pressure Care & Management Zone and kitchen and bathroom room sets in which visitors can see many different
pieces of equipment at work.
To pre-register for Naidex 2005, call 0870 429 4428 or visit www.naidex. co.uk.
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Relax with a tilting chair
ON STAND C110 at Naidex, Balder UK will be exhibiting selected models from the Finesse and Liberty range of powerchairs.
Among the chairs on show will be the F290 and F290 Junior, both of which have the capacity and technology to raise their owners gently from a sitting or lying to an upright position with a stop/start control.
In addition to moving to a standing position, the F290 can also tilt forward and back. This range of movement helps to make everyday life much easier for both the user and carer. Increased manoeuvrability is provided by the F290's front wheel drive, and with a maximum width of just 640mm, standard household doorways present no problem.
As well as incorporating all the cutting edge technology found on the F290, the F290 Junior is available in a wide range of fun colours and fabrics and as with all Balder powerchairs a huge variety of accessories is available.
Complementing the F290s will be the F280 and F280 Junior which feature a 45-degree “tilt in space” movement, and the L280 rear wheel drive model. Also on show will be the Balder Clamp Down System that works in conjunction with the powerchairs when travelling by car.
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Flying high at Scottish exhibition
INDEPENDENT LIVING Scotland will see the debut of an award-winning charity set up to enable people with limited or no use of their legs to fly gliders.
Walking on Air's specially-adapted glider aircraft is flown by using hand controls. Eileen Donald from Walking on Air said: “We'll be at the show to convince people who thought they'd never be able to fly that it's very easy to get going. It's been proven that not using your legs does not affect your skill or ability to fly in any way.”
The show, set to be larger than ever before, will reflect an increasingly vibrant homecare market that these days offers a much wider choice of products, many of which will be on display for the very first time in Scotland.
Among the new items on display will be the Alph4mer, a wet floor showering area design concept from AlphaCare, which can be fitted into concrete or wooden floors, saving installation time.
MetaCog, the only Scottish stockist of Phiten's range of sport and pain relief products, will launch new Japanese technology to the Scottish market.
A special martial arts workshop, designed to suit those with a disability, will be available to visitors by UK rehabilitation specialists Physability.
Sensory Plus will be providing a sensory room, accessible for all children.
A Mobility Loan Point, run by Kincaid, will allow visitors to borrow a powered wheelchair, scooter or manual chair to manoeuvre around the show.
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New home for London show
ALEXANDRA PALACE is the new venue for Independent Living London in 2005. The exhibition for London and the South East was based at Wembley Conference and Exhibition Centre for
many years but needed a new home when the building was demolished for the stadium redevelopment.
Show organisers Emap Healthcare opted to stage the event at the historic Palace from September 21-22.
Emma Yandell, of Emap Healthcare, said: “It's the start of a new era. There is work to be done at Alexandra Palace to improve access but it will be carried out in good time for the show. Once that
happens, it will be an ideal location with its superb building, impressive parkland setting and good transport links.”
Many of last year's record number of 214 exhibitors have already committed to make the move, and the show offers a great opportunity to meet exhibitors faceto- face for advice on choosing the right product. Many charities and associations will be available to guide visitors.
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