1. Carers' Rights Day

Carers' Rights Day is tomorrow, if you are reading this newsletter on the day it came out. Once a year, the media spotlight sweeps over daily realities of life as a family carer, before moving on to its next target.

Most carers are probably too occupied doing what they do to even notice. And such rights as they have are few, and frequently undermined by lack of resources.

Find out more here

2. Combined PIP and ESA assessments

The government announced its intention to combine assessments for PIP and ESA (the work capability assessment or WCA) earlier in the year.

It has now revealed that the UK branch of an Australian company, Advanced Personnel Management Group, is carrying out a combined PIP and WCA pilot with almost 1,500 PIP claimants in the DWP’s ‘Health Transformation Area’.

Keep reading here

3. Bariatric Lento care chair

Following the success of their Lento rise and recline chair, Yorkshire Care Equipment has launched a new bariatric version to cater for patients up to 50 stone in weight.

This is thought to be the first fully adjustable bariatric rise and recline chair in the world, and is already proving to be a great success.

Read more about it here

4. 100,000 safer toilets!

Accessibility review website Euan's Guide has passed the 100,000 milestone in its Red Cord Card campaign.

All too often, the red cords used to summon assistance in an emergency are neatly tied up out of the way - so people can't actually reach them when needed...

The cards are designed as a reminder that they need to hang freely in order to be used.

Read more here

5. Winter Wonderwheels

The first post-pandemic live sporting event for Everyday Superheroes, aka people with disabilities, is taking place on 5th December at Dorney Lake, Windsor - or in a living room near you!

Superheroes will race 1km, 5km or 10km around the lake using whatever gadgets or gizmos they want.

They can fly solo or team up with family and friends, with as much or as little time and support as needed. This is a completely open, mass participation event, which is over when the last person crosses the finish line.

Find out more here

6. Changing Places sculpture

I seem to have a toilet-related theme running this week! I can promise you won't have seen anything like this before: Artist Jason Wilshire-Mills has created a giant inflatable Changing Places sculpture, as part of his "Jason and his Argonauts" exhibition at the 20-21 Visual Arts Centre in Scunthorpe.

Visitors walk through the sculpture, viewing stories from the campaign for Changing Places fully accessible toilets.

More details here