Bristol Disability Equality Forum
Newsflash
Voscur Equalities Network Event
It is important to raise the profile of the range and depth of work Equalities groups are undertaking in Bristol that contributes to the Bristol Partnership 20/20 plan. This event will give you a chance to put your views across on creating healthier and stronger neigbourhoods.
The event will be held on Tuesday 23rd March 2010 from 9.30am until 1pm at The Black Development Agency, Russell Town Avenue, Redfield, Bristol, BS5
Further details can be found on the attached flyer and if you would like to book your place please contact the number in the flyer which can be found by clicking the link below:-
Voscur Flyer with information on above event
RNIB CONSULTATION EVENT
The RNIB are holding a Consultation Event for people with Sight Loss and invite you to attend the event:
DATE: Wednesday 24th March 2010
TIME: 1.30pm until 4pm
VENUE: RNIB/Action for Blind People Offices, 10 Still House Lane, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 4EB
RNIB and Action for Blind People have been approached by UH Bristol NHS Foundation Trust to support a consultation event to help the Trust get feed back particularly on:
- How do you find getting around the hospitals that the Trust is responsible for?
- What needs to change?
Your contribution to this consultation would be extremely value and be used to influence change at UH Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.
The booking form and the programme of the day are availabled by clicking on the links below:
As numbers are limited, it would be appreciated if you can confirm your attendance by 3rd March 2010, by completing the attached registration form and returning it to: Stuart Duncan at RNIB on stuart.duncan@rnib.org.uk or you can call him on 0207 874 1308 and he will take your details over the telephone.
Painting Projects needed from you!
If you have a room or space that you would like decorated for FREE, then please get in touch with Ellie on 0117 907 4436 or by email er@youngbristol.com
Young bristol provide the volunteers for the job, but you would need to provide the paint.
Bristol Dementia Strategy Event
Bristol Link and Health and Adult and Social Care Scrutiny Commission are holding the Bristol Dementia Strategy Event on Monday 1st March 2010 at the Vassall Centre.
If you would like more information or to book a place on the event please click on the link below:-
Bristol Dementia Strategy Event
International Women's Day and Women who make a Difference Awards event - Saturday 6th March 2010
Women across Bristol are invited to join in on a day of fun, storytelling and buidling a better future for all women in Bristol.
The Bristol Women's Forum and Bristol City Council's Equalities and Community Cohesion Team are working with a number of community groups to organise a FREE celebration for International Women's Day on Saturday 6th March 2010.
The fun starts at 10am and workshops will be run thoughout the day until 4pm. There will be a whole host of activities to be involved in including playback theatre, storytelling, dance, discussion groups, an exhibition from local Bristol artists, information stalls etc.
The Women who make a Difference Award is in recognition of the invaluable contributions women are making to improving and sustaining communities in which they live and work. So if there is a woman in your community (she could be your partner, mother, sister, daughter, friend, neighbour or colleague) who has inspired you or been a role model - who has made a difference in your life - please put her name forward
Please click on the links below for futher information:
Women who make a difference awards - flyer
Women who make a difference awards - nomination form
Equality 2025
Local Disabled activist Rowen Jade has been appointed as the Chairperson of Equality 2025, the Government's consultation committee on equalities.
Rowen has been the temporary Chairperson since 2007 and some of you may recall she spoke at an Accessible Communications Consultation at the Council House at about the same time.
Bristol has for a long time been at the forefront of the Disabled People's movement and now has influence at a national level, with Rowen in this role and Alun Davies as a member of the Disability Committee of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission.
The DEF would like to congratulate them both, but especially Rowen given her new appoitment. We would also like to offer them our support whenever they feel they would like it.
Forum Newsletter
The Winter and Spring 2009 newsletter is now on our website. Please see menu on the left.
About the Forum
The Forum was set up in 1995 so that Disabled people in the city could have access to the City Council in order to make their views heard and to help the City Council to understand the experience and requirements of disabled people.
The City Council in its integrated equalities policy has made a commitment to take account of disabled people's requirements with respect to employment, services and access.
In order to get things right they want to hear the views of disabled people. These views are gathered at the Forum meetings and are given to the Officers and Councillors by the Disability Advisors who are elected by the Forum.
In this way you can feel that your own particular views actually reach the Council and will help to make the changes you want made in a whole range of things - education, housing, social services, transport, leisure and so on.
What will joining the Forum mean for you?
By joining the Forum you meet with other disabled people to share experiences, to discuss the difficulties you have with respect to Bristol City Council and to help create the opportunities for change.
It is only when disabled people have the same rights as any other groups in society and can take part in activities run by Bristol City Council on an equal basis with everybody else that we will feel the job has finally been done. As you can imagine there is much to do and everybody is welcome to give what time and energy they feel they can afford to working with the Forum.
What the Council can offer you as a Forum Member?
We feel that for disabled people to be able to attend meetings and get information about the Forum we have a duty to make it as accessible as possible to you, whatever your impairment.
We therefore offer all information in several formats — large print, braille, tape, computer disk, e-mail.
As well as the telephone we have a minicom number.
All meetings are held in buildings with wheelchair access, accessible toilets and loop systems. BSL and SSE interpreters and personal assistants will be present at every meeting. Personal assistants offer you the kinds of support you might need to take part fully in a meeting.
One of the difficulties we have as disabled people is to find cheap and accessible transport, so we will pay any transport costs, including taxis, to and from the meeting.
Disabled People - A Definition
By disabled people we mean anybody with a physical or sensory impairment, learning difficulty or who experience mental/emotional distress. Anybody can define themselves as disabled if they feel they have been treated unfairly because of any one of these.
Contact us
Disability Equality Forum
Community Engagement Team
FREEPOST (BS 6935)
6 York Court
Wilder Street
St. Pauls
BS2 8QX
Tel: 0117 922 2660
Minicom: 0117 922 2661
E-mail: equalities_team@bristol-city.gov.uk
If English is not your first language and you need a translation, we can get one for you.
If you need any information reproduced in a different form (such as on tape, in larger print or in Braille), please contact us.
Links
Below are links that are connected to other Disability Organisations.
Ableize is the UK's largest web site covering all the UK's Disability needs from access, sports, the arts, care resources and education plus detailed information on specifie disabilities and conditions. http://www.ableize.com
A third year student at Nottingham Trent University, who is studying Building Surveying (Hons) is undertaking a dissertation titled:
"An investigation into the impact of the Disability Discriminiation Act (1995) on historic public libries within the UK".
As part of his investigation he would like to seek the opinions of library users with different impairments to assess whether libraries are meeting their needs. It will focus on the access to and use of Bristol Central Libary, a Grade 1 listed building located on College Green.
If you would like to take part the questionnaire can be found at:-http://ess.ntu.ac.uk/sutton/formfiles/n0135689/access5.htm
Young People's Inclusion Network work with Disabled People aged 11-25 to examine the barriers that prevent their inclusion in youth and leisure services and to come up with potential strategies to overcome them. If you would like further information please contact info@yp-in.biz or look on www.yp-in.net
