I have been all round London looking for the easiest way to Charing Cross Hospital to see my mate, Andrea, who had just had her major operation. I was dumbfounded when at Charing Cross station they told  me that the hospital is away in Hammersmith. I figured out the bus route and went round Trafalgar Sq several times looking for the right bus going the right direction, and had been on 2 buses before I gave up on public transport and hailed a taxi and then was stuck in chock a block traffic. At that point I decided to abort the planned visit and turn back because  the taxi driver told me that we were going to move at snail's space. The last time I went that way was to go to Rakesh's wedding and it was £30 taxi fare. At any rate, I was due to have dinner with Catherine, who was over for the weekend and staying at Morgan hotel in Bloomsbury (very inaccessible). So we sat at at Taz, 22, Bloomsbury Street. London. WC1B 3QJ. telephone:. +44 (0) 20 7637 4555. They were very friendly, didn't seem to mind that we were drinking tea for ages before dinner. This restaurant has level access entrance but the loo is downstairs in a platform lift. Catherine introduced me to her friend, Tatiana, a Russian law student who is staying at the Docklands.

The next day I set off from Wimbledon  and negotiated my way to  the hospital, changing only twice. Andrea was suitably impressed by all my travelling and I was disappointed the staff would not let me bring in the flowers I got for her into her room. On the way back I managed to bring Hammersmith bus station almost to a standstill because the wheelchair ramp got stuck when the No. 10 bus to take me back to Euston got its ramp out. to let me in. There's nothing to make you more popular than doing that at peak travelling time. The station master explained its because some times the ramps find the pavements too high - it is a peculiar attribute of this station that it was build when there was a different generation of buses. So be warned fellow disabled passengers!

So it took me as long to get to Euston as it did to get back to Coventry. London Oxford Street was very crowded. The trains were overspilling too. Reminder to self - try not to travel on a Friday night especially not at that time.

I've been making more visits to Birmingham  recently - I find it very cosmopolitan and reflect the ethnic mix seen in just a few things that I happened to be at...the market is obvious- I am impressed by the choice of halal meat -


Halal meat stall in Birmingham Market

I was also pleasantly surprised by finding teh tarik ( a special type of 'pulled tea' found in Malaysia) at the market but I think it was a temporary stall.

Stall selling Malaysian food

Last week, I went with some colleagues to Shogun Restaurant for a teppanyaki meal. I did not realise that it was so far (it isnt really but when you can't walk far, it can seem miles) I have a dreadful sense of direction anywy. Its not far to get to the Mailbox from Brindley Place. Alex did not happen to bring his wheelchair and I've never actually taken that route myself. The Mailbox is not my favourite building in Birmingham at any rate. We were staying at a hotel in Brindley Place. There is a Shogun at Brindley Place but the lift thre is rather cramped. They have eat all you can sushi too for about £12 but they did not impress me with the choice.

Round a teppanyaki chef

Normally I would eshew from a teppanyaki meal, it is more of a spectacle - the food is cooked by a chef who does it with flourishes, throwing eggs and such like in the air etc. But it is fun to go with people who have never done it before and experience it. The chef here is a Filipino and he was quite gracious.

The night before that I was having a drink at Pitcher and Piano with Zara, Naomi and John where they ask for IDs and told me to take my hat off!

Yes, I know I am a bit slow.

But I am only now just reading Peter's paper on IL in Malaysia.He wrote:

The support extended by JICA and the Human Care Association since 2005 in organising trainings for disabled leaders coupled with the current advocacy activities have created a greater awareness among disabled people on their rights and the concepts of Independent Living. The time is ripe now for the establishment of IL Centres in Malaysia.

Currently IL-based activities are being conducted by organisations on an ad-hoc basis as there are no IL Centres in Malaysia that adheres to the principles similar to those set by the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) and Japan Council of Independent Living Centres (JIL).

Nevertheless, by the end of 2007 two Independent Living Centres will be officially set up in Malaysia based on established IL Centre principles. One is in Kuala Lumpur and the other in Petaling Jaya, a city next to Kuala Lumpur.

How exciting! I would like to go back to KL and visit.

From one play to the next. And they are very different plays. I saw Flower Girls at Hampstead Theatre in London.

I probably felt much more because the subject is closer to home about disabled women. Reminds me of Malaysia as it  is still now for disabled people and in China.

As for the play, there were times I got a bit lost as they flit between the ages as the unraveling of the girl's stories unfolds. I don't think it was all that effortless. But I was riveted  nervetheless. It shows a community of women - disabled or not - they support each other, back bite and were company and hell all at once.

After the play, I think there was a remark about the loss of the camaraderie of places like The Crippleage because now people live on their own in their own houses or apartments. Maybe I am a solitary person but I prefer my own space. But then i was never a girl gang type of person. Growing up in a mostly non disabled world, its exclusion and when I was young I never wanted to be counted among the disabled. Too busy trying to prove I was ' normal' and in denial about my disability and needs.

And of course, my hat is to Sophie  Partridge whom I met after the play  in the bar!

-------------------------------
Graeae, Britain's foremost disabled-led theatre company, joins forces with The New Wolsey Theare Ipswich to present the world premiere of Richard Cameron's latest play.
Flower Girls is the funny, beautifully observed and uplifting story of a group of disabled women who live and work at The Crippleage, Edgware. Inspired by the personal testimony and reminiscences of real-life Flower Girls, the play shifts effortlessly between the unsettled early years of World War II and the seemingly more liberated world of 1965.

A little back-ground...
In 1866, a 21-year old apprentice engraver called John Groom decided that he must take action to tackle the shocking plight of destitute and disabled women and children in the City of London .
John Groom was strongly motivated by his Christian faith and together with other members of his family this was an essential part of his work and life. His beliefs and Christian commitment continue to play a central part in the mission of John Grooms today.

John Groom was well ahead of his time in recognising the need to break the cycle of dependency for people with disabilities. His philanthropy went beyond generous giving, initially he hired rooms in Harp Alley for the Watercress and Flower Girls Mission which provided food and shelter.

He was, however, keen to do something more permanent and productive. He proposed that the disabled girls and women make hand-made flowers to sell on the streets. This was so successful that he developed a whole industry, enabling the girls and young women to become self-supporting, a revolutionary concept for Victorian England. The hand-made flower industry flourished and soon their products could be found at exhibitions and flower days across the country.

Such was the success of the flower making that by 1908, over 250 women were employed in the Seckforde Street factory and their fame spread countrywide. It was to John Grooms flower girls whom Queen Alexandra turned to make 13 million emblems for the first ever Alexandra Rose Day on 26 June 1912, which became a regular order for many decades.
In 1932, John Grooms built a new set of homes and work rooms in Edgware. It was a flagship project, comprising workrooms for flower-making, together with accommodation and gardens. It began a development programme that continues up to this day.
John Grooms no longer makes artificial flowers. The principles of independence and choice continue to be the central focus of modern day John Grooms. Today, its work includes nursing and residential care, holidays, training and housing.
Although now two separate organisations, JGHA and John Grooms, with their Head Office in the same building, both maintain the visionary ethos that motivated John Groom when he first began his missionary work back in 1866.

http://www.flowergirlsontour.com/

I seem to be going to a number of disability events and nothing else these days but I also have this notification I thought I should mention here:

_________________________________

Tell Us

Equality 2025: taking your views on disability equality to government

Monday 12th November 2007, International Convention Centre, Birmingham

Purpose of the event
Equality 2025 is a new body set up to advise the Government on issues affecting the everyday lives of disabled people across the United Kingdom. We want to know what issues you think the Government should be aware of. For more information about Equality 2025, please click here to view the Key Messages.

To find out what you think, we are holding a series of public meetings across the United Kingdom. Our first meeting is on Monday 12 November, in Birmingham. We will be inviting 100 disabled people to attend.

We want to meet with as many disabled people as possible, from every part of the United Kingdom. To try and make sure there is a diverse group of people attending the event, we will give priority to people who have not been to a similar consultation event before, making sure we include people from each region of England, plus Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If you are interested in attending please click here to register your interest. If we are able to offer you a place, we will write or email you with a confirmation letter, on Monday 29 October 2007.

Who should attend?
The event is aimed at disabled people across the United Kingdom, particularly disabled people who have not attended a similar event in the past.

Cost
There is no fee to attend. We can help with reasonable travel costs if you could otherwise not afford to come (including overnight stays where this is essential). If you are intending to apply for financial assistance, please click here for the link to the expense claim form and guidance. Only compete this once you have received confirmation of your place at the event.

Agenda
A copy of the agenda is available on this site (click here for link to agenda). You will see that two topics for discussion have already been chosen:

A. Developing Centres for Independent Living; and

B. The United Nations Convention on Disability Rights.

A further two topics will be discussed, but we would like delegates to choose these based on what they think is important to disabled people.

When registering for the event, you will be asked what topic you would like to cover in the morning out of the two choices above. You will also be asked to suggest a topic for the afternoon session.

Post event information
If you are not selected for a place at the event we would like to keep your contact details on our database to send you a copy of the Conference Report, and details of any future events you might wish to attend. Please let us know whether you are happy for us to do this.

We will be in touch again on Monday 29 October, to let you know if we can offer you a place at the event. If you have any queries in the meantime please contact the conference office on 020 8481 3340, using Typetalk on 18001 020 8481 3340 or e-mail equality2025tellus@livegroup.co.uk.