Welcome to the Level Playing Field August Newsletter!

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London 2012 Paralympics are coming

Jack Praised by Jill

Table Tennis athlete and LPF member Jack Pegram, aged 20 and from Oxhey, was among those who carried the Olympic flame. Jack, part of the Great Britain table tennis development squad, was nominated by Sport England and the English Federation of Disability Sport to carry the torch through Bexley on the 22nd July.

Jack, who is an undergraduate at Brunel University where he is reading Sports Science, described carrying the torch as a great honour and a once in a lifetime experience.

Meanwhile, Jack’s mother, Jill Pegram said that "Jack had a brilliant time and it was such a good feeling to see him carry the torch. We were really proud of Jack, as we are always proud of him."

Wendy Morrell’s moment to shine strikes twice

They often say that lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place, but that's what did happen for LPF member Wendy Morrell this year, when she was given the opportunity to carry the Olympic Torch for a second time!

Wendy first carried the Olympic Torch in April 2008 across London Bridge when the Olympic Flame visited London en route to China for the Beijing Games. It was a day of challenges, and many people remember it for the demonstrations that took place, rather than the joy of the Olympic Flame crossing our capital city.

So, when she heard that she’d been successfully nominated for a second time, Wendy was absolutely delighted. She’d also nominated her partner, Karen Ruddlesden and she too was given a place in the relay on the same day, Friday 13th July, in Poole, Dorset.

To read Wendy's story in full please see here.

(Photo published with permission from Heidi Hudson)

LPF Board Trustee Carries the Paralympic Torch

London born LPF board trustee Kush Kanodia will proudly carry the Paralympic Flame as part of a team on 29 August 2012 in Lewisham.

Kush was recommended to be a Paralympic torch bearer through the Charity Disability Rights UK, having graduated from their Leadership Development Programme. Kush is now an adviser to both the Charity and to their leadership network, Radiate. He was given the honour of carrying the torch due to his dedication to Disability Rights throughout his career.

Kush tell us that “It's a great honour and privilege to carry the Paralympic Torch” We think it is also encouraging to know that his tireless dedication to Disability Rights has been recognised. Hopefully this will now stem the rise in disability hate crime, as we as a nation celebrate new, British Paralympic champions. “Who knows?” asks Kush “they may even do better than our Olympic champions!”

Pictures on Kush’s torch bearing experience will feature in next month’s LPF enews.

Channel 4 providing audio description for Paralympic Games Opening ceremony

Channel 4 will now be providing a bespoke audio described commentary for the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games. This follows RNIB's work to push Channel 4 for this provision.

The ceremony will be ‘simulcast’ in full on More 4, with a bespoke Audio Described commentary. This will be an open commentary specifically devised and scripted for the broadcast on More 4. There will be two describers who both have a strong pedigree in theatre AD and have been recommended by the artistic directors of the ceremony. The plan is that they will be artistically and tonally in line with the ceremony itself. They are currently working hard to ensure that they give as rich a commentary as possible. AD will also be provided in the stadium, with Channel 4 providing the feed to LOCOG.

Further information can also be found on the RNIB's website.

Assistance Dogs UK- Information on Olympic Venues

Assistance Dogs will be welcome at all Olympic Games venues. Information from Assistance Dogs UK should help to ensure that everyone visiting the Paralympics with an assistance dog will have a thoroughly enjoyable visit (as will their dogs). The needs of these dogs has often gone without provision, but this time we are pleased to report that LOCOG has assured Assistance Dogs (UK) that there will be an assistance dog relief area at every venue.

The Assistance Dogs (UK) site has the latest information.

Other news stories:

The Access Association AGM and Conference 2012: The Legacy of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Future of Accessible Sport in Great Britain

The need and demand to make sport accessible will be discussed at a Conference opening on the 25th September 2012 at the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton. The keynote speaker is Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, which will also be addressed by LPF Chair Joyce Cook, OBE, who will be joined later in the meeting by our Vice Chair, Gary Deards as part of an expert panel.

Also speaking is Neil Smith, Head of Inclusive Design at Buro Happold Ltd, whose work includes the London 2012 Masterplan, Basketball Arena and Media Centre, the Glasgow National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome, as well as the Legacy Community Scheme for the Olympic Park.

For more information on the conference please visit here.

Football Against Racism in Europe announce Action Weeks and grants

FARE has this week revealed that their Action Weeks will take place from 16-31 October 2012. For more information on the FARE Action Weeks, and to find out how you can apply for a grant, please visit here.

Spennymoor Town – creating improved access

Non-league Spennymoor Town emerged from the demise of two North East clubs - Spennymoor United and Evenwood Town - in 2005. Whilst it may not be the first name on the lips of football fans around the country, the club is a shining example of recognising the value of the support it receives from disabled supporters - and what can be achieved on a limited budget.

Some £34,000 has been spent on improving the facilities for disabled supporters. The club made the decision to go ahead with this work after discovering that some disabled fans were staying away. The scheme includes improved access, a level viewing area, as well as disabled toilets. For more information visit here. 

Spennymoor Town clearly understand the good business sense of creating an accessible stadium for all supporters.

Interesting Access Solution- Bespoke wheelchair Access Solutions

The LPF crew were all intrigued to see a video of some really innovative designs for accessibility. It shows the ‘Sesame Access for All’ designs of retracting stairs which fold back to a platform lift for wheelchair users, enabling (we like that word) them to enter previously inaccessible areas; the lift then lowers back into the floor, allowing the retracted stairs to move back into position. The video can be viewed by following the link below

• Access for all at the New Inn, Stowe
  

New Disabled Supporters Association at Meadow Lane

A new DSA which aims to improve the club’s provision for disabled supporters has been set up by followers of Notts County.

The Notts County DSA will make sure that the views of disabled supporters are voiced to help improve facilities at the club. Notts County FC are keen to encourage all disabled supporters and their carers to participate in this new venture, with the AGM taking place at 7.30 pm in the Wheelers Suite, on the 13th September 2012.

‘Uplifting Decision’ sees Disabled peer make history

Baroness Campbell will make history this autumn when she becomes the first peer to be allowed to take a personal assistant (PA) into the main chamber of the House of Lords.

For more information see here.

Hate Crimes hit 65,000, claims ITV

Further to the article we did on hate and ‘mate’ crime in our July e newsletter, we would like to draw your attention to the ITV programme ‘Don’t hate us’ which was aired on Thursday 23rd August, see here for more details.

The following resource might be of interest to you and your contacts:

• Local Government Association Document on Anti Social Behaviour and Disability Hate Crime
  

We would like to remind our readers if they witness any form of hate crime at any sporting event they can report it to LPF,  the relevant sports governing bodies or their clubs in complete confidence. LPF and its partners are commited to eradicating hate crime in and around sporting venues. You can contact us by phone at 01244 893 584, or by email at info@levelplayingfield.org.uk

New Fans Comments:

New fans comments have been added see below for details:

• Cheltenham Town FC
• Chelsea FC
  
• Fleetwood Town

News in Brief:

PAN Disability Player Development Centre Manchester 2012/13- Manchester FA has announced a renewed license to deliver the PAN Disability Player Development Centre. For more information see here.

Kick It Out’s annual awareness raising drive takes place from 18-29 October 2012-The important year for sport continues with football focusing on issues around discrimination and diversity throughout October. For more information on the weeks of action and how you can get involved, please see here.

The charity Shine is inviting nominations for their Awards for 2012- which will be presented at their Annual General Meeting on 29th November 2012. For more information on how to make a nomination, please go to here.

Community Games Event, 8th September, Coram’s Field, London- sensory Football matches, as well as a mini games tournament, including cross bar challenges and penalty shoot out competitions (England & Team GB take note). Free to enter. For more information see here.

LPF takes your views very seriously and we can and will contact clubs and organisers to make sure that where there are problems, these can be resolved - where things have gone well, we'd also like to give the appropriate words of praise as well. Your views, more than any, are so important to us.

There are a number of ways that you can get in touch with us and you can be assured that if you want us to treat something in confidence, we will respect that.

You can email us at info@levelplayingfield.org.uk telephone us on 01244 893 584 or 0845 230 6237, or write to us at the following address:
LPF, c/o CAFE, Regus House, Herons Way, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QR.
 

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Helpline: 01244 893 584 | 0845 230 6237

Email: info@levelplayingfield.org.uk | Web: www.levelplayingfield.org.uk. 

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