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Welcome to our round-up of news for the UK Jewish learning disabilities community. If you know of something you'd like to share let us know here.
Click on the titles below for the full story....
New - Netbuddy What's on Guide to Inclusive UK
Switch off the telly ... It's time to get out there and start having fun! Did you know there are 1,314 events for people with learning disabilities and autism taking place every week around the UK ... and they're all listed in Netbuddy's new What's on Guide to Inclusive UK, which is live now!
We hate to name drop (huh hum) but radio DJ Jo Whiley and Liam Gallagher are just two of the celebrities who have given the new guide the big thumbs up. Together with the Press Association, who will be making the listing available to mainstream press, we'll be promoting it extensively over the coming weeks. So we hope to see more inclusive events listed in national newspapers, magazines and websites from now on ... or else!
Please help us make the guide a roaring success by sending your information about inclusive events and venues to: inclusive@pressassociation.com and please share the guide with all your friends, colleagues and networks. You might also like to check out this great film we made with the Roll Mops on our day out in Leicester Square. Guaranteed to make you smile!
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New Special Needs Parent and Toddler Group
Based in Enfield, Jimminy Cricket Special Needs Toddler Group is focused on providing high-quality play groups for children aged 2 to 5 years of age needing additional support and those on the autistic spectrum.
Mondays and Fridays
10.00 -11.30am (term times only)
Christ Church Hall
Chase Side
Enfield EN2 6NJ
http://www.jimminycricketpreschool.co.uk
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Integrated 0-5s playgroup in St Albans - open all summer
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Did you go the autism-friendly showing of The Lion King on 14 April?
Read one jwebber's blog on the event....This blog post has gone viral and Lizi was asked to talking about it on BBC5 Live Breakfast this morning. If you want to read the blog post that started this all off, you can find it here:
http://throughacceptinglimits.wordpress.com/2013/04/15/hakuna-matata-on-a-sunday-afternoon/
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Mind Theater - The True Power of Audio
Meet Aviva, Chief Visionary Officer of Aviva Productions. For the past 6 years, Aviva has battled - a chronic, incurable autoimmune disease, life threatening multiple strokes and seizures, nearly crippling arthritis, paralysis, debilitating pain and total sight loss in her left eye and almost total sight loss in her right eye - and has come up smiling. With her sight loss, Aviva discovered real vision - the power to see beyond limitations and conventional wisdom. It is this vision and passion that drives us to the very edges of the universe of imagination.
When Aviva became all but blind, she dreamed of once again enjoying great stories and sharing them with children all over the world, but in a whole different way. And from that dream Aviva and her father started Aviva Productions and created Mind Theater - a Cinematic Audio Experience.
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New Guide to the Welfare Maze
United Response has published an easy read guide to the forthcoming benefit changes. The guide was written for people with learning disabilities, to help them understand how the changes may affect them and is tailored to their needs.
You can read more about it and download the guide from their latest blog: http://www.unitedresponse.org.uk/2013/03/an-easy-read-guide-to-the-welfare-maze/
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Pesach can be a very stressful time of year for families of people with learning disabilities. Unfamiliar objects and foods, dietary restrictions, changes to mealtime routines and extra people around the house can all add up to confusion and stress.
Here at jweb we would love to be able to share your tips, ideas and resources for a successful Pesach and Sedar night for a family with someone with special needs. Have you found a good Haggadah that you could share with other jwebbers? What makes a difference to your Sedar night - singing the music slower than normal speed, using illustrations, CDs, books?
Thank you to everyone that has sent us their tips through facebook, twitter and our website. We have put them together in a Pesach Resources Pack which we will keep updating so do check back here for more ideas...
Please get in touch with us and share your tips for a stress-free Passover with our jweb community.
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Deborah Gundle winner of everywoman in Technology award – 'Inspiration of the year' 2013
Exciting news! Deborah Gundle won the 'Inspiration of the Year' category of the Everywoman in Technology Awards yesterday, saying: "This award represents for me all those women who may not have otherwise used technology or who perhaps found it daunting, who have learned how to use it for the sake of the people they are caring for.”
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SmarTrip - Accessible Israel Tours
If you are looking for a disabled-friendly way to visit Israel, try http://smartrip-israel.com/. For 2013 they are offering 7 and 10 day tours in May. Looking for something a bit different? SmarTrip can tailor-make a tour for you.
For more information contact Anna Skourlatova at:
Smartrip Israel
Tel Aviv, Droyanov st. 5/16
Tel: 972-35223622
Fax: 972-35237287
info@smartrip-israel.com
http://www.facebook.com/Israel.SmarTrip?ref=hl
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Postcards from the edge
Disability charity United Response has launched a campaign called 'Postcards from the Edges' which is all about giving a voice to disabled people or people affected by disability.
The project will help disabled people tell the rest of the world about their lives. United Response is asking anyone who has anything to say about disability, illness or mental health to write or draw a postcard to say what they think or tell people about their lives.
The most interesting and creative postcards will be displayed in an exhibition in London later this year.
People can either make a postcard online at www.postcardsfromtheedges.org.uk or email postcards@unitedresponse.org.uk for blank postcards to be sent to them.
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Easy News
Easy News is the first newspaper designed to be accessible for people with learning disabilities.
Politics and the news are often inaccessible to people with learning disabilities because of the use of jargon and difficult language.
There is a high demand for easy read information among people with learning disabilities. Over half of people with learning disabilities supported by United Response told us that they would like to read a newspaper with simple words and pictures.
The first edition of Easy News consists of a summary of some of the biggest news stories from 2012, with subsequent editions focusing on more topical issues.
You can download your free copy of Easy News here: http://www.unitedresponse.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Easy-News-Issue-1.pdf
You can also sign up to receive regular copies of Easy News here: http://www.unitedresponse.org.uk/press/campaigns/easy-news/
Easy News will be published every two months and will be available in print and online. An audio version will also be available on CD and online.
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Get on your bike! Joel & Martin's Sri Lankan Adventure
Thought we'd share this wonderful video of Joel and Martin doing the Norwood Sri Lankan bike ride. If this inspires you, why not join us and ride for jweb at Nightrider™ - a unique 100km moonlit ride past London's iconic landmarks on 8-9 June? Please email anna@jweb.org.uk for details... and tell all your friends too!
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Free Cinema Tickets
Cinema Exhibitors Association (CEA) in association with cinema companies and the Disability Rights Commission have introduced a new initiative, an ID card for those guests wishing to take advantage of our free ticket policy for companions. This card is also accepted by all major Cinema chains in the UK.
The national concessionary "CEA Card" is now available and entitles the holder to one free ticket for a person accompanying them to the cinema. For your assistance CEA information leaflets and application forms are available from our Box Office.
To apply for the card you will need to meet one or more of the following criteria:
Be in receipt of disability living allowance or attendance allowance
Be a registered blind person
For further information please contact The Card Network on 0845 123 1292 minicom/textphone 0845 123 1297 or visit www.ceacard.co.uk.
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Financial help with fuel bills
Hear a podcast from two of our helpline advisers about how you can get helpwith fuel bills.
Our helpline have also put together a list of scheme and grants to help youstay warm this winter. Check to see if you are eligible.
Warm Home Discount Scheme (UK-wide)
Under this scheme, two groups qualify for £130 to help with winter electricity costs - those who receive Pension Credit and 'vulnerable' households. Theseinclude:
• those on low incomes
• those with a disability or long-term illness
• those with a child under five
• or with a disabled child.
Please note 'vulnerable' households are defined differently between each energy company and if you do fall into this group, credit is not automatic. Get intouch with your energy supplier to see if you qualify. Hurry, as some energy companies distribute this credit on a first-come, first-served basis.
Grants from charities (UK-wide)
Some charities provide grants for heating costs (or arrears) to families with a disabled child. Others provide grants for a range of general expenses. Someenergy suppliers and water companies have schemes that help with gas, electricity and water arrears and other essential household costs. Call us for a list of grant-giving organisations and more on help from suppliers.
Cold Weather Payments (UK-wide)
If you are on an Income-related benefit, such as:
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• income-related Employment and Support allowance (ESA)
and
• you have a child under five in your family, or
• you have a child for whom you get Child Tax Credit or Income Support with an extra amount for their disability, or
• you get an extra amount for disability or for being over state pension age and you don't live in a care home
you will receive an automatic payment if the average temperature recorded or forecast over seven days in a row in your local area is zero degrees Celsius (freezing) or less.
Community Care Grants (UK-wide)
These are discretionary grants-you don't have an automatic right to gettingassistance. However if you qualify, these grants can be used to buy items or services which help individuals or families in certain circumstances, for example money for installation of a pre-payment meter, cookers, and furniture. See our guide to Community Care Grants.
Help from social services (UK-wide)
Social services in England, the social work department in Scotland, or the health and social services trust in Northern Ireland, may help with any problems related to fuel bills or fuel supply. In some situations, they canprovide financial assistance to help a child. This could be a cash payment, a loan or payment in kind.
Check your benefits (UK-wide)
Check that you're not missing out on benefits. See our benefits benefits webpages for more information or for a quick look at the main entitlements and sources of practical help, see our checklists of entitlement in England, Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you need further help, as ever you can call our freephone helpline on 0808 888 3555.
from - http://www.cafamily.org.uk/know-your-rights/help-with-fuel-bills/financial-help-with-fuel-bills/
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