Drive the news - 4 July 2022

July is Disability Pride Month. Most people don't know and you won't see thousands of profile pictures or company logos displaying the Disability Pride flag. Disability Pride Month began in Boston in 1990 and has since spread to become a worldwide celebration of disability as a community and culture, and also an event to challenge systemic ableism. Disability and ableism as concepts are very diverse and can feel intimidating to tackle. So I'm told. But actually, I fear that may be an excuse for leaving disabled people at the back of the equality and diversity queue. Is it really likely that disability is a more complex area of social inequality than race or gender? In a world where we have an almost unchallenged disability pay gap, a growing disability employment gap, where disabled people were discarded like sacrificial lambs during the pandemic and are still suffering disproportionately high levels of poverty in the UK, why is Disability Pride Month not on every TV advert and company website in the land? I won't lie; as a disabled person, this lack of public interest in the daily barriers I face is upsetting. It makes me angry. I feel like I'm a less important piece of society, despite the fact that I work, I volunteer, I raise funds for charity, I'm a partner, daughter, and overly protective mum to an assistance dog. I've channelled this anger into my work as a silversmith. I take antiques that are no longer used in today's society and give them a new life, turning them into wearable art. These themes of reinvention, resilience and adaptation are no accident. They are a direct response to having to reinvent myself multiple times to accommodate health conditions in an inaccessible world. I've channelled this anger into my volunteering, too. I've presented at MP briefing events, campaigned face to face at Westminster, raised funds for disability charities, and shared my story with every newspaper and TV channel that would have me. And I'm not alone: thousands of disabled people and allies are challenging systemic inequality, access failures, answering the awkward questions, demanding change and yet.... We live in a country where our transport policies, employment policies, and healthcare policies all actively disadvantage disabled people. A country where the Government's own Disability Strategy was declared unlawful because not enough disabled people were consulted on its content. Even if you don't care about equality for me, everyone who lives long enough will one day become disabled: you and your kids included. Something has to change. Thank you for listening to my Ted Talk. This was a lot cheaper than therapy.

Indie podcast hits the bullseye! I host an indie podcast 'Making Conversations Count' and entered the British Podcast Awards 2022 under the Business category. I didn't get through to that. Instead, the industry judges deemed the show worthy of a Bullseye award nomination! That means the judges were impressed how I am “producing exceptional listening experiences for niche audiences" helping small businesses learn how to from experts in their field. Out of ten in my category I will be rubbing shoulders with Victoria Derbyshire and Jimmy McLoughlin! Podcasting is accelerating at pace as a fantastic resource. I am proud to be asking the questions I know listeners want to hear. I don’t want them ever to be disappointed they don’t find out how to do something like the experts. Voting is open for the Listeners Choice award until 17th July at 23:59 and winners are revealed when I attend on 23rd July at Kennington Park, London.

NEW WORLD TO EXPAND FINANCIAL PLANNING SUBSCRIPTION MODEL Following the successful launch of their first financial planning subscription model in April, New World have announced that they will be adding new tiers to their range of Future services to enable more people to benefit, from July 1st. The addition of two new tiers to this unique proposition offers higher rate taxpayers under the age of 50, and with liquid assets up to £200,000, the chance to receive a full financial planning service for a fixed monthly fee with no initial charge, or hidden costs. ‘Future Plan’ and ‘Future Plus’ will complement the existing ‘Future Intro’ service that offered basic rate taxpayers with liquid assets of less than £50,000, the chance to receive a lifestyle financial planning service on a monthly subscription basis, without any upfront fees. Co-founder and Director at New World, Sam Tate, explains “It is our goal to reduce the barriers to entry for financial planning and to give everybody the opportunity to begin to make better financial decisions sooner in life. ‘Traditionally the way that financial advisers tend to charge make it difficult for those without large sums to invest to get the guidance they so often need ­– this is something we are focused on changing. ‘We have been working hard behind the scenes to streamline our processes and introduce technology that will help us to meet demand. We have been delighted with the feedback that we have received so far, and we are really excited to be being able to extend this service to allow more people to benefit.” --------- Future Plan is a business channel of New World. New World Financial Group are a financial planning network that are based in Stockton on Tees and launched in 2021. It is our aim to make better financial planning and education available to everybody – not just the wealthy. New World have two business channels, Future – aimed at those up to age 50, and Clarity – which focuses on those in or approaching retirement. In June 2022 New World were shortlisted for Next Generation Advice Firm of the Year at the Money Marketing Awards.

Let's talk about the menopause - eventually!!! I have been invited to introduce and demonstrate TRE (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises) at #Perifest2022 - an event for peri/menopausal women to learn all about how to ease possible dreaded menopausal symptoms by working with their bodies. #Perifest2022 is hosted by the Perimenopause Hub on the 9th and 10th of July, online. There are about 30 experts presenting to give women a ton of take-away advice, tools and techniques to help you navigate this roller-coaster life experience. Are you able to feature this fabulous event or join us? Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3HLX0Sk

Plastic Free July for busy mums. I’m a mum for two small children and own an online store stocking sustainable brands for kids and parents. For a while now my customers told me that they felt really frustrated that they couldn’t do more in terms of sustainability as due to the demands of family life they lacked the time and headspace to take action even within their own home. The majority of my customers are women and making eco swaps and lifestyle changes is a task that’s fallen to them. They struggle to get partners and kids on board so it feels like another chore on top of their already busy life but they want to do something and take some control of what feels like a scary future for their children due to climate change. I’d often support customers to choose products that would fit in with their lifestyle and be sustainable and affordable in the long term and it’s something I love to do. I feel passionately that anyone and everyone can make small changes within their budget and time constraints and want to help frazzled mums to make it a family challenge rather than another job for them. So this year I created Eco Made Easy - an eco subscription box and online membership - to help busy parents make eco swaps and lifestyle changes without blowing the budget or spending lots of time on research. I launched in May with a substantial waitlist and lots of my existing customers interested and keen to know when the subscription box would be available. However, in the first three months it’s been really quiet and I’ve struggled to get much take up. A lot of the waitlist replied to my launch email - unusual as people rarely reply to newsletter and marketing emails - to say that they simply couldn’t justify the cost (£20 a month) due to cost of living increases and that in many cases thier partners had the final decision being the higher or sole earner. They felt really frustrated that this was a barrier they couldn’t really get around at the moment but said that they hoped to be able to commit later in the year/next year. The people who have subscribed have given great feedback and are enjoying being part of the community so I’m as committed as ever to the membership and subscription boxes being really helpful and fun for the parents who receive them. I’ve noticed in the last four days (since 1st July) traffic to the Eco Made Easy boxes has increased and I’ve had a lot more queries. I assume this is due to this month being Plastic Free July and people actively seeking out ways to make changes easily. Hopefully, this will be a boost for Smallkind and the sub boxes but it’s also really good to see more people getting involved with an awareness month which has often been seen as ‘alternative’ for ‘zero wasters’ and young people when it’s actually about reducing and becoming more conscious rather than being completely plastic free, which wouldn’t be realistic at all. It’s great to see people getting curious and asking questions, especially mums and people who don’t fit into the traditional zero waste aesthetic (I don’t either). I’m happy to discuss further please just get in touch if this is of any interest. Natalie Founder at Smallkind and creator of the Eco Made Easy subscription box + membership. hello@smallkind.co.uk

Join UN Special Rapporteur at virtual launch of partnership between Lepra and the University of Essex UN Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy Alice Cruz is helping launch a new partnership between international charity Lepra and the University of Essex. The new partnership is looking to help people affected by leprosy and other vulnerable groups throughout the world including India. Alice Cruz will give the keynote address at the virtual launch event titled ‘We will overcome leprosy together’. Her address will be followed by a panel discussion with people affected by leprosy, doctors, scholars, and WHO representatives. Register for the Zoom Webinar online and see the full programme online. Panel members will include representatives from the University of Essex’s Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing and Human Rights Centre plus the Blue Peter Public Health and Research Centre in India and the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for South-East Asia. Professor David O’Mahony, the University of Essex’s Dean of Partnerships (Research), said: “We’re really excited about our partnership with Lepra, and this event will help highlight how together we will be able to work and cooperate on the important work that Lepra delivers across the world in the combat against leprosy. “There are wide range of opportunities for our respective organisations and for our researchers and students – from undergraduates to PhD students – to benefit from this partnership and we look forward to working together.” Jimmy Innes, Lepra CEO, said, “I’m delighted that we are holding this launch event to celebrate this new partnership between Lepra and the University of Essex. We both share the same physical home in Colchester, and we both come with rich and diverse histories that offer us great complementarity. For Lepra, we relish the chance to work with the university’s students and staff, to help engage in our work addressing leprosy in India and Bangladesh, and in pursuit of a world that is free from prejudice and disability due to leprosy.” Lepra and the University of Essex will be collaborating on projects and academic research where Lepra and the University share common interests, to advance the fields of public and global health. Working together they will address the current and pressing issues such as human rights and advocacy, medical and para-medical science, social science as well as human science. The event panel will include Mr Rajni Singh, Bihar State Coordinator, Lepra; Dr Aparna Srikantam, Director of Lepra Blue Peter Public Health and Research Centre in India; and Dr Venkata Ranganadha Rao Pemmaraju, Ag Team leader, Global Leprosy Programme, World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia; and Dr Asrat Mengiste, NTD Technical advisor, Centre for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa, College of Health Sciences Addis Ababa University. Those attending will also hear testimonials from Ms Manikyamma Kummarapalli, Lab Assistant for Lepra at the Blue Peter Public Health and Research Centre, India, and Businessman and Entrepreneur Mr Md Shah Ajom Shumon, who is a Community Leader and Secretary of Pabna District Federation of the People affected by Leprosy in Bangladesh. Leprosy is an infectious disease, affecting a person’s peripheral nerves, often leaving them with disabilities including the inability to walk, use their hands or see. Leprosy is curable with a course of multi-drug therapy, that is provided free of charge. Due to fear and lack of knowledge, there are over three million people across the world living with undiagnosed leprosy and every day the disease causes more damage to their health, livelihood, and future. Last year, despite the global pandemic and lockdowns, Lepra directly reached more than 290,000 people through diagnosis, treatment and holistic care. More than 225,000 people were further engaged in their home communities through health education and events to raise awareness of leprosy and other neglected diseases, to reduce transmission and promote wellbeing.