By Rowena Mason in The Guardian. MPs’ letter calls for extension of universal credit to be postponed until next year to avoid people suffering Christmas hardship. David Gauke, the work and pensions secretary, has been urged by 30 Labour MPs, and the Green party MP Caroline Lucas, to delay the expansion of the new universal credit benefit […]
By Dan Bloom in The Mirror. Top judges ruled a one-month time limit on appealing for benefits is unlawful – meaning people have been wrongly blocked from justice for years. Thousands of benefit claimants have won a landmark legal victory over the Tory government’s welfare regime. Three top judges today ruled a one-month […]
By Mik Scarlet in The Huffington Post. I called the first entry in my PIP diary The Saga Begins. I had no idea how prophetic that would be. What I expected to be a fairly straight forward enterprise has turned into a nightmare. Surely as someone with a fairly static impairment that will never […]
From The Scope website. Get advice and tips on employment and disability, jobseeking, financial issues and ESA benefits. Do you have questions about Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)? Are you looking for advice about working and budgeting as a disabled person, about housing benefits or claiming carer’s allowance? Ask our community by […]
By John Pring in Disability News Service. More than half of those disabled people previously eligible for the Motability vehicle scheme have lost that eligibility after being reassessed for the government’s new disability benefit, according to a freedom of information response. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures show fewer than half […]
By Shehab Khan in The Independent. The Government has failed to deliver the £4bn of savings it was expecting to make after cutting disability benefit, according to new analysis. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said the Government was hoping to cut spending by 20 per cent by moving from the Disability […]
By Natalie Bloomer in politics.co.uk. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has set staff a target of upholding 80% of the benefit decisions that they are asked to reassess, it has been revealed. In response to a Freedom of Information request, the department stated that a key measure used to monitor the […]
By John Pring Disability News Service 4th May 2017 Statements submitted to MPs have provided further evidence of widespread dishonesty among healthcare professionals who carry out disability benefit assessments, but their inquiry has had to be abandoned because of the prime minister’s decision to call a general election. Despite its inquiry into the […]
From John Pring in Disability News Service. A disabled woman is seeking a judicial review by the high court of the errors she says were made in dealing with her claim for personal independence payment (PIP), and which she believes put her life at risk. Angela Kennedy, from Essex, says the errors […]
From BBC News. Cuts in disability benefits should be delayed until the government clarifies how it will support those in need of extra money, a group of MPs has said. The Work and Pensions Select Committee found there was little evidence that lower payments would motivate disabled people to find work. The allowance is […]
By John Pring in Disability News Service. Labour, the Green party and the Liberal Democrats have called for the government to act on claims of widespread dishonesty by the medical professionals paid to compile benefits assessment reports, following a two-month investigation by Disability News Service (DNS). The three parties spoke out after DNS […]
From The Disability News Service. The chancellor has shocked disabled activists by ignoring the social care funding crisis in his autumn statement, and refusing to scrap a planned cut to employment and support allowance (ESA). Despite weeks of lobbying from disabled people, politicians – including some Tory MPs – and charities, he […]
From Disability Rights UK. Over seventy observers, MPs and peers heard the Secretary of State at DWP Stephen Crabb repeat his commitment that the planned saving in personal independence payment would not be sought from cuts in welfare payments elsewhere affecting more disabled people. He outlined his plans for a green paper to […]
By Frances Ryan in The Guardian. When does reform become dangerous? Over three years ago the Conservatives began to roll out personal independence payments (PIP) – in essence, the mandatory, mass re-testing of disabled and chronically ill people – and the answer is getting stark. A report released today by Muscular […]
From The Press. A man with worsening Multiple Sclerosis disease says he is set to lose his mobility car after eight years – eventually putting him under ‘house arrest’. Peter Danyluk, 61, said that when he was first given a Motability car under the old Disability Living Allowance, his condition was not as bad […]
By Mike Laycock in The Press. A disabled York man with an agonising back condition says he is housebound after officials decided he should lose his mobility car. Former plasterer Chris Paylor, 37, of Poplar Street, off Poppleton Road, said he had had a Motability car for four years after doctors discovered he had […]
One of the three outsourcing giants that assesses people for their eligibility for disability benefits is facing calls for it to be stripped of its contract, after revelations in a Channel 4 documentary. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is investigating concerns raised by this week’s Dispatches, which saw an experienced mental […]
By Cherylee Houston in Standard Issue Magazine. Iain Duncan Smith’s decision to step down over cuts to services to the disabled community has won him some praise. But, as Cherylee Houston tells us, it’s too little too late for many people struggling to cope with reduced support. To read the rest of […]
By Patrick Butler in The Guardian. The House of Lords has defeated the government again over welfare reform and work bill proposals to cut £30 a week from the benefits of ill and disabled people who have been found unfit to work. Peers passed an amendment that calls on ministers to deliver a […]
19 May 2017.
Conditions at base camp were extremely windy (good for flag flying) with intermittent clouds with no particular destination in mind and the sun was not ideal for photos.
17 May 2017.
“We are now at Tingri which is the last stop before Everest Base Camp, the plan is to head to Base Camp early tomorrow morning.
Unfortunately two of our team have been hospitalised with quite serious cases of Altitude Mountain Sickness which can be unpredictable and affect different people in different ways, unfortunately their ride is over and they will be transferred back to Lhasa hopefully within 3/4 days. Naturally the team is extremely disappointed for them, so close to seeing and experiencing Everest. Our thoughts and spirits are with them. Today’s photo of the Flag on route was taken at the entrance to Mt Qomolangma National Park at an elevation of 5248 mtrs which is the highest we should be going. “Qomolangma” is the Tibetans name for Everest. In 2012 this area was awarded the National Park status, it is the highest national park in the world and covers 78000 sq kms. It holds 5 peaks over 8000 mtrs – Mt Qomolangma (Everest), Mt Shishapangma, Mt Chi Oya, Mt Lhotse and Mt Mhakalho.
The park is a holy land for scientists, mountaineers, tourists and pilgrims.
13 May 2017. ME Awareness Flag Update from the group heading to Everest Base Camp for The York ME Community / Invest in ME !
“Here it is on display inside the Potala Palace in Lhasa, built in 7th century and home of Dali Lamas and the centre of local Tibetan Government. Has over a 1000 rooms. Just after this we were approached by Chinese officials who confiscated the flag, obviously with hindsight westerners openly displaying and photographing a flag inside such a highly politically sensitive area was a bit suspect and ignorance on my part.
Anyways eventually they allowed me to continue with the tour. At the end I went back to try to collect the flag but main entrance was closed, there was me in a ludicrous position of banging my fist on the Dali Lamas main door shouting “hello, hello” anyone home” no one answered, only advice I got from a colleague was “pretend you are planting something and I bet the police come running” not entirely wise.
Anyways found a side entrance and a surprisingly helpful security guard, they confiscated 4x flags that day but couldn’t find mine. Eventually they got it, returned it and wouldn’t accept a tip so all good and faith in human being truly restored.”
More updates to follow as I hear back from the guys !
12 May 2017. Just to let you know that The York ME Community / Invest in ME Flag has reached Lhasa in Tibet, on its way to be raised at Everest Base Camp for ME Awareness ! Future communications might be difficult with the Internet and emails in Tibet being controlled by the Chinese, but hopefully it’ll make it !
FEATURED ARTICLE
By
Sally Duffin
Hello to all the members of York ME Community. I’m Sally, a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist at ‘Nutrition in York’ and Bill has asked me to share some nutritional therapy approaches for managing ME.
Many nutritional therapists – myself included – are trained in the Functional Medicine approach to healthcare which means we are less concerned with the name of a condition (ME, CFS etc.) and more interested in the underlying cause and contributing factors of the condition. (more…)
The Coffee Club
Our Coffee Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month for a cuppa and a natter at The Novotel York.
Our next get together is on Wed 20 September at 2 pm. The Coffee Club is open to anyone either with ME, or friends and family looking for support from people who understand.
Due to the nature of the illness, there will be times when numbers are low, but if you'd like to attend, either just turn up on the day, or email me at bill@York-ME-Community.org. If you're a member of our Facebook Group (below), you can of course say you'll be going via the Events area.
STOP PRESS: There will be a Morning Coffee Club on Monday 4 September at 11.00 am at The Bar Convent on Blossom St,York to provide a chance for those who would like to get together for a natter and a cuppa who can't always make it to the usual afternoon gathering.
Raising ME Awareness At York Explore Library
Friday 28 July 2017
We had a brilliant day at York Explore Library raising ME Awareness. Lots of interest in what we're doing from local health groups, charities, the council and most heart warmingly, from those dealing with it themselves who now know we're here for them.
Thanks to the Anne twins, Mal and Dionne who turned out to man and woman the table, but also to all who were there in spirit and would have been there in body but for a certain little beasty we all know so well......
More to come on York TV........
Our Facebook Group
The social element of this site is via a Facebook Group called The York ME Community.
This is available to people in the York area looking for help, advice and support, whether those diagnosed, family or friends. We are a close knit group who discuss more than just ME, as we like to think that we are not defined by this illness. We discuss every day things, have a laugh, and try to meet on a monthly basis if the beast that is ME allows us ! If you apply to join, please check your Facebook messages, as I tend to get in touch for a quick 'chat' before adding applicants to the group.
Please don't apply to join if you are promoting your preferred remedy. I'm happy to mention your company within the group, but it's for individuals to choose what they wish to try in their battle to seek an improvement in their health.
Congratulations to Bransby Wilson Ltd, the York based Parking Solutions company who have won The York ME TGA Inter Company Fantasy Football League sponsored by TGA Mobility for season 2016/17.
If your company would like to take part this season, all it takes is a £25 registration fee which goes directly to Invest in ME Research. We make sure all businesses get a good mention in social media with their business Tweets being re-sent to hundreds more potential new clients, and a link from our site to theirs.
Please get in touch by dropping me an email at bill@York-ME-Community.org to register your interest.
Why not take this opportunity to support your local community and raise the profile of ME Awareness in York, an illness that affects around 800 people in the York area, with 200 being severe, meaning house or bed bound. Tomorrow it could hit you or one of your family, so you could be helping yourself too.........
Calling On All York Businesses !
Would you like to help your local community ? By current research, there are around 800 people in the York area suffering from Myalgic Enecephalomyelitis (ME). This might include the work colleagues you haven't seen in some time, or your friends and family, maybe one of the lads that hasn't turned up for five-a-side for a while.
There is information above to explain how it affects people and ruins lives. These are your neighbours; would you like to help ?
The York ME Community is here to help support those in the area in need whilst raising awareness. Unfortunately, this is hard to do when you have the illness ! I'm looking for more foot soldiers to spread the word. Can I come into your workplace and chat to your HR Staff maybe ? It could be that ME is having an effect in your workplace.
How would you like to take part in our online Inter Company Fantasy Football League in support of Invest in ME Research ? Nestle of York have already donated a prize to the business team that was top of the league at Christmas and there's a trophy to be had at the end of the season. Why not enter a team for next season ?
Is your business taking part in any runs coming up such as The London Marathon, The Great North Run, or maybe something similar ? If you haven't decided on what cause to run for, what about Invest in ME Research ? Any donations can be passed via the Just Giving link at the top of the site, but I'd also be able to advertise your generosity and your business name to thousands across the world via our social media connections.
There are lots of things going on locally to try and raise awareness, but we need your help to help others. Please get in touch. Be a part of your community. The York ME Community. Thanks.
