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The Editor |
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Managing Director,
Mrs Susan Pattrick |
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My Featured Charity |
There are more than half a million people in the UK today who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and every year another 46,000 - including around 300 men - hear the devastating news that they have the disease. The confusion and fear that this causes will be felt not just by the person diagnosed, but by their family and friends too.
Breast Cancer Care is just a phone call or mouse-click away for anyone affected by breast cancer. Our free helpline, 0808 800 6000, information-packed website and online discussion forums offer a friendly ear and expert guidance to anyone dealing with the turmoil of this life-threatening illness. Across the UK, we also offer skilled emotional and practical support through a range of confidential, face-to-face services, helping people every step of the way.
Our unique strength lies in the way we combine our understanding of people's experience of breast cancer with the clinical expertise of our team of specialist nurses. We care because we've been there, and we know how to help.
For more information about Breast Cancer Care and other useful links to their website, please click here ... |
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Please feel free to nominate a future charity of the month here...
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Greetings!
It's finally here. The Equality Act 2010 came into force on the 1st October. Despite there being plenty of notice, I am aware of many companies who may not be fully compliant, so if you need a little help understanding your obligations, you know where to find me!
To carry on that theme, the series on the Equality Act continues this month with a look at Pregnancy and Maternity.
My inspirational person this month is Lesa Spooner, a very active fundraiser... and as it is Breast Cancer Awareness month, my featured charity follows that theme with Breast Cancer Care... |
| The Equality Act 2010 | |
In last month's issue we covered aspects of Gender Reassignment under The Equality Act. Each month as I address individual aspects in a little more detail, I hope this encourages you to think about how well you / your organisation is placed in understanding your obligations.
This month is about Pregnancy and Maternity ... |
| Equality Act 2010 - Pregnancy and Maternity | |
People who are pregnant and those who are on maternity are part of the protected characteristics and the Equality Act 2010 now covers these people. That means discrimination must be avoided if penalties are not to be imposed by a tribunal.
There is no change from the previous Sex Discrimination Act laws to the following:
- Direct discrimination;
- Indirect discrimination;
They will apply as normal.
Some areas are not covered under the Equality Act such as discrimination by association, discrimination by perception and harassment. Harassment for people who are pregnant or on maternity does however have a caveat. Where there is no specific harassment protection, direct discrimination protection prohibits treatment such as bullying and harassment which results in a person being treated less favourably.
The new act provides changes covering victimisation and positive action and brings changes for Charities in this area. Associations and Private members clubs are now brought under the Act for the treatment of women who are pregnant or on maternity.
SMP Consultancy can provide advice and guidance on all aspects of the Equality Act. If you're in any doubt about your responsibilities then please call me or email me... Next month we will examine Race, religion or belief. |
| SMP Consultancy ... in the News | |
 I was delighted to be given such prominence in the Colchester Evening Gazette with a feature article on the Accreditation Mark. Click here to read the full story. |
| SMP Consultancy ... in the News again!!! | |
 And this is an article that appeared in the Essex Chronicle of me presenting a a buggy to Tracy Shave of Moulding Futures for her Stand Up for Wheels Campaign.Click here to read the full article. |
| Better web access for the disabled ... | |
The government has recently outlined plans to improve public websites, upgrade equipment and provide better online content for disabled people. The measures, announced by communications minister Ed Vaizey, are intended to create a "step-change" in e-Accessibility by the time of the Paralympics in 2012. It will see upgrades to things such as screen readers and Braille embossers and content such as e-books could be made available for those with poor eyesight. |
| The blind architect ... | |
One morning last year, Chris Downey, an architect, ran his long white cane across a pair of floor-tile samples spread out at his feet in the San Francisco office of an architecture firm, SmithGroup. Gathered around him, a handful of architects watched. They wanted to know which tile he preferred for a new rehabilitation center for the blind at the Veterans Administration hospital in Palo Alto. Here's a fascinating story. Read more ... |
| Inspirational Person - Lesa Spooner | | |
 Charity Challenge is a Charity that was founded in 1999 by Lesa Spooner after the death of her mother Susan Spooner to Breast Cancer.
In Lesa's words... my mother was my inspiration to everything I ever did in my life, and that continues with the work I do for the Epping Breast Cancer Research Unit and other Charity's.
During the 2 years helping my mother in the fight against Breast Cancer I learnt so much about the cost of health care for cancer patients and the importance of raising awareness of the clinical trials, costing and work that Unit's like the Epping Breast Cancer Unit get involved in, and this is what pushed me to start raising money.
Read Lesa's story here - it really is quite inspirational. |
| Commonwealth Games - Brown makes history... | | |
Danielle Brown made history at the recent Commonwealth Games by becoming the first disabled gold medal winner competing in an able-bodied sport.
Danielle Brown brought her bow of burning gold to the Yamuna Sports Complex yesterday. She brought her chariot of fire, too. When it came to singing the words of England's victory anthem, though, the young archer for whom the operational troubles of these XIX Commonwealth Games have been mere trifling incidentals managed to fluff the lines to "Jerusalem". Read more ... it's quite an inspirational story. |
| Time Gentlemen Please ... | | |
A report from the government's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Office for Disability Issues has claimed that pubs and other hospitality businesses are missing out on sales because they aren't making their buildings accessible enough for disabled people. The report found that 83% of disabled customers surveyed go to pubs or bars with disabled access and 58% of respondents said how they were treated by hospitality businesses influenced buying decisions made by their friends and family. Read more ... |
| And Finally - Go Grab A Coffee... Optical Illusions | |
I have recently attended a colour and spacial awareness course which helps companies to assess the impact of colours schemes in their working environment to the partially sighted. As an aside I came across the attached articles in the BBC pages which looks at optical illusions. Well worth a few minutes over that coffee! - Click here |
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