Jill and I, top row and left, led our team of managers of the Kirklees government section that provided services to disabled people, in the 1990s.
Disability Services included day and residential centres, equipment and adaptations to their homes, WORKLINK to get integrated employment, daily meals, care at home, social work and housing.
I have very fond memories of our time together and the dynamic team we created that made a difference in so many people’s lives.
We were fortunate and known for a programme of work (LEVEL BEST) to be able to involve disabled people in telling us what they wanted from the services leading to a series of innovations, including ….
– information service
– advocates to help people understand and get the services they needed
– community based daytime activities
– integrated housing
– disabled people’s electronic village hall providing access and training to computers
– a shop selling equipment
– accessible transport service to the wider disability community.
…and a conference to pass on our learning to other organisations.
We were a wonderful team, at a special time who found ways to do things differently .
Thanks guys.
Footnote
LEVEL BEST was a campaign of different methods such as: a reference group, market research panels, public meetings, interviews, to involve disabled people in telling us what they wanted from a reorganised public service. It led to a business plan and fundamental reorganisation of the overall service.
After footnote
That was thirty years ago. Unfortunately the money available to provide such services is reduced and demand has increased. Political priorities change. People are however continuing to provide essential services in difficult circumstances.
South West Wales, a wonderful location, where we spent our annual camping holiday for many year.
Ramsey from Whitesands
A boat trip around RamseyMy son Oliver and his partner Rachel, visiting from VancouverSt David’s, the cathedral that makes the village, the smallest city in the country. Manjula and my beautiful tent makes it’s first appearance of the year.
Gale force wind and rain then sunny Unpredictable British weather. Normal camping and holidays in the U.K.
Trips to the beach often require heavy coats! whitesandsOur favourite pub, the Sloop Inn in Porthgain.
Reading an article and it’s photographs are flashing me back to work in the 1970s while still at school and later, the gap year before attending university.
I worked in a different location to the one featured in the article but similar situations in the steel city of Sheffield.
One crazy job, from age 17, was when the electric arc furnaces — creating steel — were switched off for the weekend. We’d climb on top of cranes that tipped scrap into the furnace then carried molten steel to be poured into giant moulds.
We’d clip our safety harness on to the structure, then walk along narrow gantries to brush the dust that had accumulated during the week, shovel it into bags to be carried down.
Here’s a photo of a similar crane in the Turbine Hall of the Tate Art gallery in London, formerly a power station.
It’s probably ten metres long and rests on tracks along each wall. The equivalent in the steel works was many (five?) times larger.
It was still really hot, even though the furnace was shut-down and always dusty. By the end of the shift, the dust had worked it’s way through two layers of protective clothing and ingrained into our skin. With sooty faces and light patches (Hanuman style) around our mouth and nose showing the masks did have some protective effect.
Footnote.
It provided insights into how others live that I value to this day. Men and women often working twelve hours, sometimes seven days a week.
It was my first opportunity to supervise a small team.
I’ll not bore you with full details. But I have to apply for another business visa and my status in India is not secure as MAnjula died.
My mug shot for uploading. Accepted after five attempts. Just don’t ask.
Next day visa issued. Now relax!
Ok will do at the cinema. With Poppy and Alice to see the latest Indians Jones action movie.
Travel again, to SW England, to visit Jony, Ruth and Sally
Underground aka tube Advertising what? Alice, Ben and Poppy are wonderful hosts. The least I can do is give flowers and take them out for a meal. Train station Orderly waiting Named after Paddington Bear. Reserved seat, clean and on time.
Occasional photos to show what it’s like in England.
Step one London.
Aerial view as I arrive. There’s lots of well known places in the photo. Including the river Thames and Tower Bridge.
Ben, Alice and Poppy live in north London
The roads are busy
A cycle lane separated from the other traffic by a simple white line. It works as the motorised vehicles stick to their lane
First impressions on arriving on Thursday. Manjula realised how diverse London is on her first visit. The local shop near our friend Gina and Angus’s house was run by Punjabs
Hire cycles are everywhere.
Here on Haringay Green lanes it’s residents include people from Poland, Turkey and Asia, including India.
The Post Office is an ordinary shop And it’s busy just like in IndiaSome new drivers add these signs on their car to show other they’ve inly recently passed their test. Available in the post office. The equivalent of 300 rupees for a plastic rule! It’s not cheap in England.
I’m remembering last years visit and thinking through what I’ll do this time. All rather last minute.
I’ll definitely go camping again this trip, hopefully with my son Oliver and Rachel.
In 2022 I revisited Dorset where we had a family camp on Manjula’s second holiday in England.
The lovely tent I bought for MAnjula and I to camp together. My Indian friends can’t quite believe this sea side tradition I visited Ruth again Our hostess at ‘the hive’ who remembers my previous visit with the full on family including that beautiful Indian woman. Just making friends with other northerners visiting the south coast. More friends. A lot of effort for a little yacht.
Me and MYCycle 