Another useful bit of intelligence gleaned from my attendance at Foundations' DFG Roadshow in Newcastle.

Macmillan, the cancer support charity, can provide financial grants to help people living with cancer. The money can be used for anything the applicant needs because of their condition, including taking a short break.

Find out more here

 

Applications are now open for Leonard Cheshire's Change 100 paid internships.

These three-month summer placements are open to students and recent graduates with a disability or long-term condition.

The scheme was set up in 2014, to try and change the situation where a disproportionate number of disabled people are unemployed.

We have more information here

 

The Lord’s Taveners Super 1s programme gives young people with disabilities aged 12-25 the chance to play cricket regularly.

Four young disability cricket Super 1s players were recently presented with an ‘Inspire Award’ at a celebration evening at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Read more here

 

The clocks go back this weekend. Do you embrace the idea of an extra hour in bed enthusiastically? Or does it just mean one more hour of tossing and turning?

The more we learn about sleep, the more essential we realise it is for overall health and well-being.

Cats may be able to sleep anywhere, but if you find it more of a struggle, read our top tips for sleeping well here!

 

Euan’s Guide and Disabled Access Day are calling on disabled people and those closest to them to take part in the UK’s longest running Access Survey.

Now in its sixth year, the survey shows an increasing trend toward disabled people visiting places which have been recommended by someone with similar access requirements or where they can see pictures and read reviews before visiting.

You can access the survey here

 

...to what, you may ask? Well the crisis in adult social care, of course. We have all been waiting for the arrival of the Government's Green Paper, which rumours now suggest has actually been written and circulated to relevant parties, with the exception of any information about funding.

According to 24Housing, a beefed-up role for specialist housing for older people is envisaged, with new legislation introducing better protections for residents and more accountability for developers.

Housing and social care should be working in tandem, but despite calls for joint policies continuing for over 20 years, there has been little evidence of this so far in most of the country.

 

If you are reading a copy of the IL newsletter that has been passed on to you by a colleague or friend, now is the time to sign up for your own free subscription – you will also be entered in the draw to win a micro GPS tracker and fall detector, kindly donated by EasyLink UK. 

Don't forget that you can apply to join the Independent Living Facebook group, if you would like to spend more time discussing these themes with other interested people. 

There are various ways you can get in touch with us: email me; visit our Facebook page and leave a message there; or if it's short and sweet, Tweet!

Previous newsletters are archived here.

Until next time, best wishes,

Frances