Disabilities Discrimination Act Question

[Andrew MacLean]

Gareth

I work for a large charity! The DDa made usre that we had done what we ought to have done years ago: make provision for people with a range fo disabilitites to come to church and take part in services.

This meanse enabling people whose disability is with their mobility to make their way up into the church building, making provision for the visually impaired, making adjustments for people who have hearing problems etc, etc.

Charities are not expemt from best practice. Indeed some of us thing that the charitable sector ought to be in the vanguard, not the guard's van!

Sorry about the pun

Andrew

[GarethB]

Finally got through to the Disability Rights Commission.

Charities have to comply with the DDA rules if you receive a wage or get expenses.

If you are a volunteer and/or pay a membership you are excluded from all rights under the DDA.

In my situation where I am considerd a fire risk is a poor argument as the Hospital Radio must comply with Hospital and Local fire regulations and have an evacuation procedure. It is NOT the responsibility of the fire service. Therefore regradless of ability, the Hospital needs to know who is and is not on site should there be a fire.

Therefore I should not be considerd anymore of a liability than a normally sighted person.

[Andrew MacLean]

Therefore I should not be considerd anymore of a liability than a normally sighted person.
Gareth

I am vexed by the first part of your post, but the last sentence is encouraging. What are you going to do next? Would it help if we all started to bombard your hospital radio people with letters and eMails? Or should we contact "Home Truths" on Radio 4?

You are in the driving seat (tee hee .. apt idiom), but I'll lift up the cudgels on your behalf, if you excuse the mixed metaphor.

Andrew

[GarethB]

In the first instance armed with this information I am writting a letter asking a few questions and pointing out there legal responsibility regarding fire evauation.

The way the studio is set up, the chances of starting a fire due to my sight are minimal. No food or drink allowed in the studio, any of thses getting in the mixing desk could cause a short circuit hence fire.

It is a no smoking building so unlikly to drop my fag ends on the patients requests (that is if I smoked in the first place).

Genaeral health and safety is observed in that fire exits clearly marked, phone in studio for emergency use.

The only non exiastant thing in the studio is a formal fire evacuation procedure such as where to evacuate too. So any sensible person leaves via the first available exit but then you need to go to a designated point.

Security or a point of contact within the hospital need to know if someone is in the studio, so when you sign in, the security or reception should be informed of your arrival and of your departure.

Guide dogs I beleived are trained to deal with certain emergencies, plus I know my friend knows where the emergency exits are as do I.

[Andrew MacLean]

For the North American contingent: A "fag" in UK English is a colloquial expression for "Cigarette"

Gareth, so your friend and you both have a positive ADVANTAGE if you are evacuating a smoke filled room.

All the best. I remain willing to begin a letter campaign on your signal.

Andrew

[rosemary johnson]

Gareth

I work for a large charity! The DDa made usre that we had done what we ought to have done years ago: make provision for people with a range fo disabilitites to come to church and take part in services.

This meanse enabling people whose disability is with their mobility to make their way up into the church building, making provision for the visually impaired, making adjustments for people who have hearing problems etc, etc.

Charities are not expemt from best practice. Indeed some of us thing that the charitable sector ought to be in the vanguard, not the guard's van!

Sorry about the pun

Andrew

Well done to your "large charity", Andrew.

I had to give up going to the one in London I used to attend - because there were so many people who *would* keep taking photos during services - and that meant using flash guns, despite it being a "light filled cube" type building that really didn't need flash.
Under their much-vaunted equal opps policy (ha ha) this wasn't supposed to happen. But no-one cared enough to enforce it - it anyone thought to remember, they'd bundle me outside the door, and leave me sitting there all on my own till I gave up waiting for anyone to tell me they'd finished, and just gave up and went home.
Then there was the wonderful day when the rector - who knows damn well the reason for the problem! - was yelling at me across the "forecourt in front of the church about how selfish I was to want to stop people having "memories".
Well, stuff that for a game of soldiers! - I haven't been to mass there since.

Actually, even if they did sort out the flash bulbs, I still couldn't go back - my asthma's also getting worse and I'd promptly have an asthma attack from all the incense. Actually, that was another "known issue" and the agreement was they'd only have incense on certain days - but they never stuck to that, and another person who'd rapidly by hospitalised by it giving him asthma attacks had to give up going there too.

Isn't organised religion wonderful!!!!!!!!
Well, clearly, in some cases it is far better than others.


To return to the original issue: maybe either You and Yours or else In Touch might be a suitable alternative to Home Truths.

Rosemary

[Andrew MacLean]

Rosemary

We don't use insence nor do we allow photography during the service.

A fellow Radio 4 listener! I agree that both "You and Yours" and "In touch" would be suitable addresses, I ust offered to write to Home Truths because I wanted to avoid that nice David Stafford having to sign on the dole.

Although I do miss John Peel.

Andrew