Independent living
for disabled people

Full list of news and events

Celebrate International day for Disabled People 2008 – Great Night out!

There will be dj’s, live music form Cypress Grove, poetry, raffle, film and campaigning, in celebration of the rights and support that should be available to the disabled and elderly community. All money raised will go to the Hammersmith and Fulham coalition against Community Care cuts (HAFCAC) in services and support for all disabled and older people. It should be fun and enjoyable, whilst connecting to other people and making new friends.

Planet X – Interactive installations stimulating the senses of disabled children

This exciting event boasts a unique walk-in sensory installation space with the intention to stimulate the senses of 3-16 year old disabled children through sound, light, colour and texture. The space offers many areas and interactive gadgets to explore and are all themed around space travel and planets. There will be facilitators ro help and encourage participation on the different areas and you can stay as long as you want in each space. And all this for only one quid!

Domestic Violence Awareness Raising Week

The 25-11-08 marks International End Violence Against Women day and White Ribbon Day. In Lambeth we are planning to coordinate Domestic Violence information points around the borough in the week commencing 24-11-08 to raise awareness of Domestic Violence, and to highlight the variety of specialist Domestic Violence support services that are available locally and nationally. Depending on venue and space availability, it is envisaged that the information points will consist of a display area with domestic violence information available to members of the public and/ or professionals. There will also be a Domestic Violence information stand at Camberwell Magistrates Court and Inner London Crown Court on the 25-11-08 to raise awareness.

Short breaks programme meeting for parents and young disabled people- have your say!

On the 15th of November there will be a meeting that will help towards formulating a short breaks programme for families with children and young people with disabilities. This follows through from government’s plans to review and develop services for disabled children and their families, as backed up by the 2007 published report ‘Aiming high for disabled children’. Short breaks provide opportunities for disabled children and young people to spend time away from their primary carers, as well as an essential opportunity for carers to recharge their batteries, and disabled children and young people to experience new relationships, environments and positive activities. This meeting is a good chance for mums and dads, children and young people to help Lambeth Council having a say shape the future of short breaks and to have a real voice in the whole process of short breaks delivery.

Better Health, Better Healthcare event

Open for all to attend is Lambeth Primary Care Trusts’s Better Health, Better Healthcare event to learn more about the next phase of the Healthcare for London programme. There will be presentations on a series of displays with information about Healthcare for London and have staff on hand to answer any queries. You can drop in anytime and ask about Healthcare for London's plans to help you stay healthy, and ensure you get the best treatment and care if you become ill.

Healthcare for London sets out a vision of a world class healthcare service for London, reflecting Lord Ara Darzi’s 2007 report A Framework for Action. This is your chance to find out more about it, as well as enquire about general treatments and healthcare.

Free Classics Concert for all Lambeth Carers at All Saints Church.

What promises to be a colourful and glamorous afternoon, sponsored by the Arts Council Lottery Fund and hosted by the beautiful All Saints Church. The performance is for all carers and their cared for and is looking to be very exciting and fun! The programme will be covering some light classics as well as songs from the shows and Caribbean medleys, and the performances are from Maria Arakie, Glenn Wilson, and pianist Carol Wells. So not to be missed and spread the word to other carers too as you can get up to 6 tickets!

A free LSO lead Barbican music and dance performance - Lambeth Mencap project

This is a project involving three talented service users from Lambeth Mencap as well as other London based people, in a unique collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Contemporary Dance school, not to be missed. Tinu Adio-Pereira, Jeffrey Andrews and Maria Alban-Pazos, will be joined by dancers who will create their own piece. The performance will be based on the music of Romeo and Juliet, and performed in the foyers at the barbican. This is a one evening only event so something to definitely put in your diary.

Make disabled people’s rights to the UN a reality – Join others at downing street today!

In a modern twist on the Gun Powder Plot disabled activists and campaigners will present a petition of thousands of signatures to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, at 10 Downing Street. Your support is needed as the UK Government is slow when it comes to making disabled people’s rights in the UN Convention a reality. They have not yet ratified and are still threatening to reserve on immigration, the armed forces, mental capacity and education.

new november issue of the mole on our website now!

We are pleased to let you know you can now find the new issue of our newsletter the mole uploaded onto our website. Simply go to the advice and information section and click again on the newsletter link to access it. This issue will fill you in all the developments on the Direct Payments Service and introduce you to the new Employment and support Allowance benefit. We also welcome our two new members of staff who will let you in their duties and responsibilities and what they aim to bring to the community. Enjoy!

Credit crunch and disabled children

Essential equipment, services and support for disabled children is affected by the recent down-turn in the economy everywhere. And in Northern Ireland, a study found that families with disabled children go without essential food. Worries are also rising over the growing increases in heating and fuel bills. Many disabled people need to keep warm in order to stay well and mobile. One in 14 children, who are disabled or have a medical condition, is living under threat of losing their home. This situation makes existing inequalities worse. The Going Places! report, published by campaigning group Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM), found that disabled children routinely miss out on activities such as going out with friends, spending time away from their parents or going out in their local community.

Mind The Gap Actors Agency for the learning disabled

Mind The Gap's Actors Agency has been set up specifically for actors with a learning disability. It gives TV, radio and theatre producers an easy way to find the right actor for the part. Mind The Gap actors have recently appeared in BBC dramas Doctors, Coming Down The Mountain and the ITV drama, Cold Blood.

Helplines and agencies on dealing with Debt and information on the ESA benefit - on our website!

We would like to draw your attention on two of the new factsheet additions to our website under our advice and information resources list, on the money section. They include all the support agencies within Lambeth and Nationally that would advice you on debt, including legal aid and other support. Also under the same section we have provided you with some more in depth information on the new Employment and Support Allowance benefit that has taken effect from October of this year and for you to familiarise yourselves with. Also make sure you have a good look to all the other signposting available on that section of our website and tell your friends and family about it!

Lambeth Council’s Budget 2009/2010 consultation – take part in suggesting your ideas

Lambeth council is consulting on how it should spend its budget in 2009/2010. The consultation has two stages and has now moved on to the second one, after having spent time conducting workshops, focus groups and public drop-in sessions to get ideas and feedback. They are now entering the second stage and consulting residents, businesses and stakeholders through an online and street questionnaire with 500 residents from a representative sample across Lambeth.

DASL volunteer post deadline this Friday the 7th! Please send in your applications!

We are currently looking for enthusiastic and motivated people to join our Welfare Benefits Team. We need a welfare benefits adviser to be advising clients on all aspects of welfare benefits and assisting them in making their claims. Previous benefits experience is preferred although not essential, as training will be given to successful candidates. Lunch and travel expenses will be reimbursed. You stilll have time to appy and post back your applications by friday! Good luck!

• Earlier news and events