Ask Vera Newsletter Summer2010 - EasyRead

Ask Vera Newsletter— Summer 2010
Ability, not disability Summer

2010
ASK VERA Newsletter
Welcome to the „Ask Vera‟ newsletter!
„Ask Vera‟ has been doing more work to help

people with disabilities.
We have held training workshops. Members of

our team have been trainers and co-trainers.
There have been workshops about Disability

Awareness
We also had Easy Read workshops in January,

March and May, and hope to hold more soon.
We also went to Basildon Hospital to do

training with hospital staff.
The training was about making health

services better for people with
learning disabilities.
1
People have said our training is really good.

We hope to have more training workshops in the
future!
Ask Vera is working really hard to help people with

disabilities.
We want to raise awareness of the problems they

face every day,.
We went to the “Ways 2 Work” Conference held

at the Charter Hall, Colchester on 12th
February 2010.
Ways 2 Work helps disabled people in Essex find

jobs.
Ask Vera talked about making information easier to

read and about making things better for
disabled people.
People at the conference thought our presentation

was really good.
2
Ben Lee Colin Glenn
Vicky Ryan Fiona Phil
Stuart Jack Darren Clive
Victoria Heather Shakka
Ask Vera has been getting bigger.

We want to grow and do even more in 2010.
Find out about who works for „Ask Vera‟ in the

„Meet the Team‟ section. This is on page 16.
3
Mencap have been trying to get

more „Changing Places‟ toilets.
This means they want toilets that are better

suited for people who need lots of support.
Parents and carers have had to help the
people they support on the floor.
This is not good.
These toilets make it easier for carers to help

people.
It means people can go out and visit places.
There are not many “Changing Places “toilets.

It means people are still having problems when
they are out and about.
The Changing Places group are trying to get
more toilets built.
This is also supported by famous people.
Craig Kelly from Coronation Street and Strictly

Come Dancing has shown his
support.
4
By Stuart Peacock, Easy Read Coordinator for Ask Vera
People have been writing letters to the

Government, to ask if they can build more
“Changing Places” toilets.
We have to take action and make sure that

more new buildings have these toilets.
If you live in the

East of England, there are only 10
“Changing Places” toilets in the
whole region.
And they are not all public toilets—

some of them are in leisure centres
or day centres.
This is not good enough!
Ask Vera thinks there should be

“Changing Places” Toilets in every town in
the country!
Find out more on the Changing Places

website, and see how you can help!
www.changing-places.org
5
The Ask Vera Easy Read Dictionary
By Lee Bone, Easy Read Assistant for Ask Vera
I want to tell you about something

that we been working on at Ask
Vera.
Lee Stuart
It is the Ask Vera Easy Read Dictionary.
I made it because I want to help people with learning

disabilities, and people who have trouble reading.
We are really fed up with jargon and big long

words!
We‟ve seen them in NHS documents and information

from the hospitals and other places.
In the dictionary, I am trying to point out the

jargon and bad words should not be used.
It has easier words you can use instead of the
difficult ones!
6
Stop using Jargon and start using Easier Words!
The dictionary also has pictures.

This helps people who cannot read very well.
Here is an example:
The dictionary has easier words you can use

instead of the jargon.
The complicated words are in red.

The easier words are in green
We will keep adding new words to the Dictionary!
You can look at it on the Ask Vera Facebook group

www.facebook.com/askvera
Or email me at lee@askvera.org
7
Disability Hate Crime—What can we do about it?
What is Hate Crime?
A Hate Crime is when somebody attacks or bullies an-

other person because they are different in some way.
People can be victims of hate crime because:
 Of the colour of their skin or where they come from.
 They are gay or lesbian.
 Their Age
 Their Religion or beliefs.
 Mental health problems
8
By Jack Stevenson, Easy Read Assistant for Ask Vera
People with different kinds of disability have been victims

of hate crime, including:
*People who are Blind or don‟t see very well.
*People who are Deaf or don‟t hear very well.
*People with a Physical disability
*People with a learning disability
Disability Hate Crime is not reported as much as

other types of Hate Crime.
People who attack or bully disabled people are not
always punished.
The victims are sometimes too scared to report it.

People also don’t know how or where to report it.
9
Cases of Hate Crime
Fiona Pilkington and

Francesca Hardwick
Fiona Pilkington and her disabled daughter,

Francesca Hardwick, had to put up with abuse from their
neighbours for over 10 years.
They were bullied all the time and their house was also
damaged and vandalised.
Fiona did not think the Police did enough to

help them.
Fiona could not take the bullying any more.

In October 2007, she killed herself and her daughter.
10
Cases of Hate Crime
David Askew
David Askew was 64 years old.
He had a learning difficulty.
He lived near Manchester.
Most of his neighbours liked him because he was

kind and friendly.
But groups of teenagers kept bullying him
because of his disability.
This went on for about 17 years. It caused David so much stress that
he died of a heart attack in September 2009.
People said that the Manchester Police did not do enough to help.
11
Disability Hate Crime—What can we do about it?
What can we do about it?
Ask Vera had a meeting about Hate Crime.

The meeting was on 10th May 2010.
At the meeting everyone talked about what should

be done. People came up with some ideas.
We had some people come and talk to us.

Emma Tierney from Victim Support told us
about the help victims of Hate Crime can get.
PC Simon Page from Essex Police told us how

Essex Police want to stop Hate Crime, and how
people can report it.
Derek Burnett from the Crown Prosecution

Service gave a talk too.
He talked about what happens when a case goes
to court.
12
Notes from our meeting on 10th May 2010
What do we do now?
*We need to make a plan of how to make more
people aware of Disability Hate Crime
*We are going to make an Easy Read Guide on

how to report a Hate Crime.
*We are going to use e-mail and Facebook to

keep in touch with everyone.
*We will organise another meeting very

soon.
If you would like us to let you know about this,

sign up to our mailing list!
Just e-mail us at admin@askvera.org
13
Ask Vera Workshops

and Training
For training from Ask Vera, you can come to us, or we can come to you!
We hold workshop events at our centre but we also offer in-house training
if you would like the team to come to you!
We can offer training for many things Get in touch with us now
including: to find out more!
 Making information easier to understand
01206 769477
 How to make things easier for disabled
people
 Get a better understanding of law such as www.askvera.org
the Disability Discrimination Act
 Attitudes towards disability and models of admin@askvera.org
disability.
14
15
Ben Pelham (Volunteer)
Hi my name is Ben Pelham. I am 22 years old.
I want more people to understand what it is like to

be disabled.
It can make life very difficult.
I do lots of presentations and speeches to tell

people about this!
I think information should always be easy to read.

I don‟t like it when words are too small.
I need big writing please!
I hope I will be rich and famous one day!
I would like to go to 10 Downing Street and meet

the Prime Minister one day!
I would also like to meet Harry Potter!

(Daniel Radcliffe)
16
Colin Aldridge (Volunteer)
Hi my name is Colin Aldridge.
I have a learning disability and can read and write, but

I get frustrated when information has hard words, or
the writing is too small.
I have always tried my best to help with disabilities.

I volunteered at a project Mencap did called
„Listening to Us‟.
Then I got a paid job there.
At Ask Vera I help with putting information into Easy

Read.
I find the long and complicated words, and try to find
easier words to use instead!
I really enjoy it at Ask Vera as it gives me something

to do, and everyone is really friendly!
17
Lee Bone (Easy Read Assistant)
My name is Lee Bone.

I started at Ask Vera last year and I‟m an Easy
Read Assistant.
I just completed my Travel Training.

This means I get to work by going on the bus by
myself.
I like this because it lets me be more
independent.
It is brilliant doing work that helps people with

learning disabilities.
I help Stuart with the Easy Read work and also

made an Easy Read dictionary!
I go to Colchester Institute to study as well, it is

really great going to college!
18
I also go to Red House, which is a day centre in

Tipree.
I had to make a phone call from the office.

I was a bit nervous at the start, but I practiced
for a while, and then I nailed it!
I have started answering the phone at Ask Vera

too.
I am really proud of the

Easy Read Dictionary I
have made.
You can read more about

this on Page 6!
19
Ryan Jones (Volunteer)
Hi, my name is Ryan Jones.
I have been supporting people with disabilities for 13

years. I have done lots of different jobs and roles.
I have worked as a trainer and given many

presentations. I supported people with disabilities to
be trainers and consultants too.
I am a graphic facilitator. This means I do large

drawings during meetings to capture the outcomes in
a creative way. Lots of people think this is a better
way of doing it rather than usual meeting minutes.
I also use this method to help people plan and help

services to work out problems.
At the moment I am working as Ben‟s

Personal Assistant. And i enjoy helping Ben achieve
his dreams.
I have Multiple Sclerosis myself, so i am passionate
about making things better for people with a disability.
20
Glenn Chapman (Easy Read Assistant)
My name is Glenn Chapman.
I like working at Ask Vera because they are a nice

friendly team to work with.
I like doing something different. I also like helping

people in the office at Ask Vera.
I like helping my friend Stuart with some of the Easy

Read documents on the computer.
I help him make words easier and find pictures.

I also help with sending e-mails and other things in
the office.
21
Darren Sewell (Volunteer Designer)
Hi my name is Darren Sewell and I joined Ask Vera in

March 2009 as a volunteer designer.
I went to college and studied Graphic Design.

I use computer programs like Photoshop.
However I‟ve found it really hard to find jobs in

Graphic Design!
I came across the chance to volunteer at Ask Vera.
This was because of the help I got from Essex

County Council‟s service to help people find
work.
At Ask Vera I have helped design leaflets and

flyers.
I also helped Stuart design an information pack for
the Participation Networks Forum in Chelmsford.
22
I really enjoy working at Ask Vera because I can

use my graphics skills.
And I can help disabled people too.
I hope I will be at Ask Vera for a long time to come.
I would really like to work there full-time one day.
I want to help make things better for people with

disabilities.
23
Vicky Cole (Project Manager)
Hi, my name is Vicky Cole and I am the project

manager for ASK VERA
ASK VERA wants to help disabled people who

have problems accessing services.
We try to find solutions to these problems.
A lot of the people who work for us are disabled

themselves.
Everyone on our team has different skills.

We all have our own ideas to make things better
for people with disabilities.
But we do this by working together!
24
Jack Stevenson (Easy Read Assistant)
Hi my name is Jack Stevenson and I have worked

for Ask Vera since November 2008.
This is my first job.

It has really helped me get used to working and
helping out in an office.
I help out with putting documents into Easy Read.

I also help with sorting out the computers when
there is a problem!
I really enjoy working at Ask Vera.

It gives me something to work for, and some-
where to go during the day.
Since joining Ask Vera, I have started another job

at Essex Cares who I also enjoy working for.
I like studying a lot of different things, including

history and Japanese culture. I am trying to learn
Japanese too!
25
Fiona Reynolds (Administrator)
My name is Fiona Reynolds and I joined Ask Vera as

an Administrator in October 2009.
I help with the office work in the office.
This means I type up letters, do some filing, keep

things organised and also sort out payments.
I have had other office jobs as well.
I have worked at an estate agent, and a solicitors.
I also studied Administration courses at

Colchester Institute and Chelmsford College.
26
Stuart Peacock (Easy Read Coordinator)
Hi, my name is Stuart Peacock.

I have been on the Ask Vera team since
November 2008.
I started my job after I graduated from the

University of Essex. I studied English Literature.
I have always enjoyed reading books.

I write my own things as well when I get the time.
At Ask Vera I help put information into „Easy Read‟.

This means making the words easier, and also
putting in pictures.
I also give help and support to members of the

team who have a disability.
I really enjoy working at Ask Vera and find it very
rewarding!
27
Heather Dewdney (Volunteer)
Hi, my name is Heather. I joined Ask Vera as a

volunteer in May 2010.
I have helped a lot of people with learning

disabilities.
Sadly, people like this used to be kept in
institutions—they didn‟t have their own home!
I helped people get out of places like that, and back

into the community!
I also did some training at Mind, a charity that helps
people with learning disabilities and mental health
problems.
I studied Health and Social Care at

Colchester Institute as well.
After this I worked at Open Road in Colchester.

They help people who have had problems with
drugs and alcohol.
28
Because of health problems, I have not been able to

work for the last few years.
But then I heard about how I could volunteer at

Ask Vera.
It has really reminded me of how much we need to

fight for change!
We have to try and make things better for

disabled people.
In my spare time I really like dancing.
I do samba and salsa dancing!
I like cooking as well.
I also do yoga.
I go swimming and love going to the beach!
I love music, watching films, and books as well.
29
Phil Lee (Trainer)
My name is Phil Lee, I have a visual impairment.

I help out with the training at Ask Vera.
I have to use a Guide Dog to help me get around.

My guide dog‟s name is Nan.
I have had a few problems in my jobs because of

my disability.
But now I want to help other people with disabilities
and make things better.
I have set up a group called

„Fair Access to Colchester‟ .
We meet up to talk about the access problems
disabled people have in Colchester.
I have worked at many places, including the

Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), the
NHS, and Essex County Council.
30
Shakka Phipps (Volunteer)
Hi my name is Shakka Phipps.

I am a volunteer at Ask Vera.
I get to meet a lot of people and make friends.
At the moment I am learning about computers.
Since being at Ask Vera, I have put photographs

onto the computer, and practiced typing.
I love riding on buses, and finding out the history

about them!
My favourite thing to do is drawing and painting.

I have been told I am a good artist!
31
32
By Clive Potter, Volunteer for Ask Vera
My name is Clive Potter, I volunteer and help out at

Ask Vera.
I have a mild learning disability.
I have to go to my doctors quite a lot.
I also have a consultant psychiatrist.
However, sometimes health staff are not very

helpful!
They don‟t always listen to me.
They don‟t think I can speak up for myself.
If my support workers are with me, they talk to

them instead of me!
I get really annoyed when this happens.
This makes me feel really bad about myself,
I know I can do things for myself but sometimes

people think I can‟t.
If you have problems like Clive, maybe our

Consultancy Service can help! (see next page)
33
34
By Victoria Riley, volunteer for Ask Vera
Hello, my name is Victoria Riley. I am 42 years old

and I live in Colchester.
I love going to places like the beach at

Brightlingsea and Colchester Zoo with my friends
I like to watch a lot of TV in my

spare time.
I watch things like the news,
Doctor Who, and Eastenders.
I like reading and writing as well.

I write a lot of my own poetry and stories!
35
I started volunteering at Ask Vera in

March 2010.
I have helped Stuart a lot with the Easy Read
documents.
I have also done work at the

Wilson Marriage Centre.
It is an adult college in Colchester.
I had to answer the phone and use the

printer.
I want to start doing this at Ask Vera.
I love coming to Ask Vera, because I was

excited to have a job in an office, and I really
like the people here.
I hope you have enjoyed reading the newsletter!

ASK VERA
01206 769477
Unit 31, COLBEA Business Centre
www.askvera.org 1 George Williams Way,
Colchester, Essex, C01 2JS
36

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Ask Vera Newsletter— Summer 2010

Ability, not disability Summer

ASK VERA Newsletter

Welcome to the „Ask Vera‟ newsletter!

„Ask Vera‟ has been doing more work to help

We have held training workshops. Members of

There have been workshops about Disability

We also had Easy Read workshops in January,

We also went to Basildon Hospital to do

The training was about making health

People have said our training is really good.

Ask Vera is working really hard to help people with

We want to raise awareness of the problems they

We went to the “Ways 2 Work” Conference held

Ways 2 Work helps disabled people in Essex find

Ask Vera talked about making information easier to

People at the conference thought our presentation

Ben Lee Colin Glenn

Vicky Ryan Fiona Phil

Stuart Jack Darren Clive

Victoria Heather Shakka

Ask Vera has been getting bigger.

Find out about who works for „Ask Vera‟ in the

Mencap have been trying to get

This means they want toilets that are better

These toilets make it easier for carers to help

There are not many “Changing Places “toilets.

This is also supported by famous people.

Craig Kelly from Coronation Street and Strictly

By Stuart Peacock, Easy Read Coordinator for Ask Vera

People have been writing letters to the

We have to take action and make sure that

If you live in the

And they are not all public toilets—

Ask Vera thinks there should be

Find out more on the Changing Places

The Ask Vera Easy Read Dictionary

By Lee Bone, Easy Read Assistant for Ask Vera

I want to tell you about something

It is the Ask Vera Easy Read Dictionary.

I made it because I want to help people with learning

We are really fed up with jargon and big long

We‟ve seen them in NHS documents and information

In the dictionary, I am trying to point out the

Stop using Jargon and start using Easier Words!

The dictionary also has pictures.

The dictionary has easier words you can use

The complicated words are in red.

We will keep adding new words to the Dictionary!

You can look at it on the Ask Vera Facebook group

Disability Hate Crime—What can we do about it?

What is Hate Crime?

A Hate Crime is when somebody attacks or bullies an-

People can be victims of hate crime because:

 Of the colour of their skin or where they come from.

 They are gay or lesbian.

 Their Religion or beliefs.

 Mental health problems

By Jack Stevenson, Easy Read Assistant for Ask Vera

People with different kinds of disability have been victims

*People who are Blind or don‟t see very well.

*People who are Deaf or don‟t hear very well.

*People with a Physical disability