"Whatever the apparent cause of any riot may be, the real one is always want of happiness".
Quote from "Rights of Man" by Thomas Paine.
Protest is an inevitable result of government.
This Blog provides a space for those individuals and groups who want to express their views and grievances in a democratic and considered way - especially where elected representation has failed.
voiceforchildren: He Blew It.: After all the negative National and International Press Jersey has received over the last few years from being labelled as "kiddie fiddler...
voiceforchildren: He Could Be In The Toilet.: Further to our PREVIOUS POSTING where we published an open letter from Former Senior Investigating Officer of Jersey's Child Abuse Enquiry,...
voiceforchildren: Serious Complaint (2): As stated in our PREVIOUS POSTING and interview with DEPUTY BOB HILL we reproduce Senator Phillip Ozouf's interpretation of the finding...
voiceforchildren: The Lions Sleep tonight?: Yesterday, Thursday 6th of January 2011, saw the final conviction(s) of the cases from “Operation Rectangle”. Anthony Jordan was sentenced t...
This has been up online since June 5th 2012. They thought this report might expose to much wrong doing. The Verita Report is just a starting point, Read at the link above
voiceforchildren: "Deep" questions remain.: On the 12th November 2008 Mick Gradwell and acting Chief Police Officer David Warcup issued a press release, which was re-produced on VFP ...
voiceforchildren: Summary of Evidence: "Jon/Jane Doe Raped Here WHO WILL SAVE US?" The piece of "graffiti" above, taken from the wall of the south west wing toilets at Haut...
voiceforchildren: The Three Goons.: Former Jersey Deputy Chief Police Officer and Senior Investigating Officer of Jersey’s “Historical” Child Abuse Lenny Harper answers the qu...
voiceforchildren: He Could Be In The Toilet.: Further to our PREVIOUS POSTING where we published an open letter from Former Senior Investigating Officer of Jersey's Child Abuse Enquiry,...
“Changing Places” is the name of a UK campaign to improve public toilet facilities for those of us with severe disabilities.
A new facility has just been opened at the back of the St HelierTown Hall in Seale Street and should be in full operation by the time that this blog hits the stratosphere. Admission to the facility is strictly controlled in accordance with user criteria and requires a “swipe card”
Enquiries should be addressed to the Town Hall tel. 811811 for details.
For this video we looked at the toilet facility and interviewed some of those in attendance for what was billed as the “public opening.”
Of course as a mere blogger we received no press release and just turned up on the day having heard about on BBC Radio Jersey.
We video recorded the ceremony and proceeded to interview some of those present alongside the BBC reporter but having done this without complaint Deputy Hilton then got to work over the orange juice to agitate those interviewed.
As a result of this intervention several said they did not want to be posted on the blog so that is why the faces of those speaking do not appear here.
Deputy Hilton, that well known protector of freedom of expression further explained that she would be reporting fully to Scrutiny about my appalling behaviour – especially because “I” have made life so difficult for “them” at Scrutiny in the past….It is nice to be appreciated.
Deputy Hilton will no doubt also be promoting the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities as a priority now in Jersey….
This all prompted me to return to the empty facility the day following in order to video again and this turned out to be doubly useful.
In fact the room is bigger than it appears when full of people and is much better designed than it seemed. It is about the size of a double bedroom. Certainly much larger than the average bathroom and has been produced in consultation with Changing Places – see www.changing-places.org/ or changingplaces_blog.aspx
(sorry but I cannot do links),
The WC is a combined bidet/wc (standard in Japan for everybody’s use but very rare in Britain).
The wash basin is adjustable in height.
The hoist is on a double track so that all parts of the room can be accessed. Thus a user can be hoisted from wheelchair to WC or changing platform or to the wash basin and back to wheelchair. This is very important – but the user must provide his or her own sling – so must be planning in advance to use this facility.
Presumably the user must also come equipped with own towels and clean clothes - and it was a very sunny warm day for the May opening - hopefully it will be just as snug in mid-February.
Of course this facility is not cheap. The equipment is expensive. About £88,000 they advised and of course the structure of the building already existed. So something built afresh could be well over £100,000 and we should bear in mind that the Home Disabilities Adaptations Fund operated by Social Services only has a total annual budget of £50,000 and that is not ever spent!!! Wonder why?
This facility has been funded through public/charitable involvement but the Health Department proposal for future Care in the Community proposes that more aged or disabled people will look after themselves in their own homes – not in “institutional” care at all.
Obviously very few private homes could be altered to this standard – even if the funds were available and these issues were discussed on this blog in previous postings.
See the video interviews for 5th and 6th January 2012 and listen to what Paul Harding (Architect) or Senator Le Gresley (Minister for Social Security) had to say on these particular matters.
If you are approaching retirement and expect to be alive in 20 years time you should be very worried…especially if you do not own your own living accommodation, or will not have fit relatives to care for you.
The Parish of St Helier has a similar changing places facility waiting to be opened in the new Gas Place/Town Park but as always there are fears of vandalism.
It will be interesting to see how long before other Parishes undertake similar projects and how successful this facility is in practice and how often it is used.
The Jersey Building Regulations have already been amended following a proposition from Deputy Green so that certain larger “public” buildings (which can include buildings in private ownership) shall provide facilities to this standard.
In a community that shows no great enthusiasm for employing persons with “disabilities” at all, the likely provision of “changing places” must be very low.
We will try to do a follow-up visit with a user in a few months.
So there you have it – the true cost of being a severely disabled
Is a Jersey pressure group dedicated to protest against unfair social and economic policies. It has been formed by the people for the people and promises to exert pressure and publicity until changes are made to bring equality justice and quality of life to the most vulnerable in society.
Let us remind the politicians that they are only in office for as long as the people want them there.
Never have so many been made to suffer by so few
CHANGE CAN COME IF ENOUGH PEOPLE DEMAND IT
Issues to be tackled:
Social Security Benefits
Social Housing Rents
Housing Issues
Electoral Reform
Public Transport
Unemployment
Traffic Pollution
Primary Health Care
Reform of the Criminal Justice System
Role of the Judiciary
STOP THE ROT will use democratic means to make sure the people of Jersey are heard and listened to.
Sonia Poulton Abandons Large Parts of Case
-
I have seen a surprisingly upbeat post from Sonia Poulton about Sam Smith’s
appeal against her. In fact, like so much of what she says, she is
misleading h...
On Bread & Butterflies – Ripples of War?
-
It is still not clear if war is coming – although there is certainly that
ominous building of tension that comes before the thunderstorm. How much of
that ...
Re: Covid 19 and Jersey Governments response ?
-
I find this interesting. Jerseys' Government is asked for money to keep
business going even though the profits disappear to owners in other
destinations. A...
Jersey Holocaust Day 2020 - and Human Rights
-
On 27 January 2020 the annual Jersey Holocaust Memorial remembered that
Auschwitz camp was "liberated" 75 years ago.
It is also 75 years ago that Jersey was...
The Death of the Jersey Way?
-
Former Senator Frank Walker, who was Chief Minister in 2008
"*There is no hiding place in Jersey for anyone who abused children or, who
in any way may h...
Hacking the Atom - Cold Fusion lives - or does it?
-
Some readers may have noticed this little bit in my sidebar personal
description
*"Cold Fusion Advocate (but sceptical)"*
Here is news of a new book - Ha...
Don't Throw Your Vote Away On An Abuse Of Process
-
I count the leading figures of Jersey's “Reform Jersey” political party
among my personal friends. I wish them to remain so, thus I shall take
pains to be...
Letter to St Helier ratepayers
-
Dear Ratepayer
The annual sending out of Rates Assessment notices, which are not a request
for payment but notification of how your rates bill will be calcu...
AMBITION
-
Ambition is not bending over backwards, to fulfill the dreams others have
dreamt for you; it is having the courage to dream your own dreams and the
will ...
On the election trail...
-
The rosettes are finally being worn! Bought four years ago in anticipation
of my first election campaign, Elaine and I are wearing our rosettes and
tak...
Hell Bent...and Hell Deserving
-
Those who are not privileged to call themselves Old Victorians can only
imagine the pride and sense of entitlement that is imparted on donning the
blazer o...
-
*Letter to the Editor of the Jersey Evening Post 12th October 2010 *
John Heys
*The worst anti-Jersey decisions are ....... ours.*
For years now I hav...
The End
-
*Three times unlucky.* That is what they said in the trenches during *World
War I*. If you were a soldier taking cover in a trench and lit one
cigarett...
