Greetings!
I continue to be indebted to those of you who give such good feedback on the newsletter and to know that you are getting some benefit from it.
I am pleased to launch a new feature this month to bring a little more prominence to a recognised charity, starting with Leonard Cheshire Disability, who also helped this month's inspirational person - Jim Ramplin.
Now a question for you...
Do you have any 'barriers' that prevent disabled people from using your premises, goods, and services and facilities?
See below for an example. |
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Look out for 'Barriers' |
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No I'm not just talking about physical barriers...
 You may have level access into your premises or you may have provided a ramp but do you have induction loops at your reception desk, pay points, or conference rooms and if you do, do you know if they are working every single day?
If you don't you are leaving in place a 'barrier' for a significant number of deaf or hard of hearing people. At the last census in 2001, the largest number of disabled people in the UK is the deaf and hard of hearing. 8.7 million to be precise, or 14.5% of the population of the UK, a hugely significant number. For businesses it means that you can't be complacent about disability issues especially in these trying times. If you need advice on how to overcome these problems and others within your business, please call me on 01206 212469 or email me. I am here to help. |
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Disability Etiquette - We're not all the same |
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This month covers some aspects of dealing with people who look different.
- Do not stare. It is human nature to be surprised when first seeing someone with a facial disfigurement for instance, but if you smile straight away so that it shows in your eyes and look directly at the individual, you will make them feel much more comfortable and less insecure.
- Include those who are short in stature within a discussion group for example and whenever possible sit down so that they can make eye contact.
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| Inspirational People - Jim Ramplin |
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 During early 2007 Jim was suffering excruciating back pain as a result of polio as a child and had considered giving up work and claiming Incapacity Benefit. Not something he really wanted to do but the pain from just sitting at a desk was getting to be too much.
 But time was on his side...
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| Don't Get Bitten - An update... |
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| Remember the case of Abercrombie & Fitch worker who was made to work in the stockroom because her prosthetic arm did not fit the shop's image?
She won... A central London tribunal awarded Miss Dean £8,000 for unlawful harassment and ruled that Abercrombie and Fitch failed to comply with employment law. Read more. |
| Future Topics |
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If there is a particular topic or subject that you would like to see in this newsletter, please email me and let me know and I'll do my best to include it in future. |
| And Finally - Go grab a coffee... |
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From the BBC Ouch! website... Naseer Khan is a successful blind entrepreneur from India. Not content with a business empire dealing in leather, property and IT, Naseer moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in film. He lost his sight as a teenager, but is about to star as a fully sighted character as the main role in the Bollywood movie 'Shadow'. As well as dancing he is also involved in a heck of a lot of dangerous stunts such as walking through lions and jumping from a 38 storey building! Read more... |
