Together issue 12

Inside: Facebook support groups new Shine app Shine Stars

Greg widenshorizons atebay

New Health Hubplan launched

Challenging theChairman

Issue 12

For more information call Shine on: 01733 555988Star prizes to be drawn on 30th May 2014

2nd Prize: £500 vouchers3rd Prize: Recording Studio Experience at Wendy House

Productions (worth £600) 4th Prize: 12 bottles of wine

5th Prize: e

1st Prize: £1,000 cash

Step 1:Step 2:Step 3:Step 4:

Ticketsjust

£1!

Let’s raise over £15,000 ... Shine!

Grand Prize Draw 2014

Loads of great prizesPurchase tickets yourself or encourage others to buy theirs onlineFor sale to over 16s only

You can now buy tickets online!

3

CONTENTSP4 News

P7 Shine40Plus

P9 The Chairman’s Challenge

P12 Shine Cymru

P14 Benefits update

P16 NPH FAQ

P18 Who do I tell, and when?

P21 Fundraising

P23 Benny Bear

P25 This is Me 11-18 Club

Submission dates forsummer edition• Register of interest to submit: 17/04/14• Final date for submissions: 02/05/14• Publication date: 06/14

Together Editor: Tom ScottDeputy Editor: Louise Tyler

All enquiries and comments to:Together Shine, 42 Park Road,Peterborough, PE1 2UQTelephone: 01733 555988Textphone service: 01733 [email protected] Charity No. 249338

Please let us know if you are happy to receivefuture mailings by email as this saves onpostage and helps the environment.E: [email protected]

In this, our 12thissue, you will findnews about ournew Shine App –download it toaccess all ofShine at the tapof a button!

We have a greatfeature on the lifeof Shine Boardmember, GregSmith, as well asall the latestgossip from Gobi,and healthinformation fromGill Yaz.

This year we are developing part of the HeadOffice facility into a Health and Wellbeing Centre,read more about this on page 8. To raise muchneeded funds for this, Shine Chair, Richard Astle,is embarking on a monumental series of runs andtreks to raise £25,000 through the Chairman’sChallenge, page 9.

If you’ve sold your Grand Prize Draw ticketsalready, or if you need more to sell, then simplyvisit our new online form at W: shinecharity.org.uk/GPD and request more –we really want to beat the £5,000 you all raisedlast year and there are some FABULOUS prizes,including £1,000 CASH!

So, enough from me! Get stuck into this issue andif there is anything you would like to add for nexttime then just get in touch –E: [email protected]

Cover photo: Greg Smith Taken by: Tom Scott

Welcome to Together

A packed 2014The start of the year may seem adistant memory, but we are still veryexcited about 2014!

Fancy that!

News

4 www.shinecharity.org.uk

We are currently looking formembers with Android phones tobeta test it. What is ‘beta testing’?This is the second phase ofsoftware testing in which asample of the intended audiencetries out the product.

The app is full of usefulinformation about spina bifidaand hydrocephalus. It also haslinks to our social media pages,

and lots more; you can even readTogether magazine on it!

Don’t worry, if you haven’t got anAndroid phone, a version foriPhones will be ready soon,whilst one for Windows 8 iscurrently being developed andwill be out later this year.

Many thanks to Chris Ramsey atApp Inc for designing our newapp. W: appinc.co.uk

Shine wishes you an ‘Appy New Year!

Play: www.bit.ly/ShineAndroidApp, Amazon: www.bit.ly/AmazonAndroid or Opera: www.bit.ly/OperaShineApp – and remember to leave comments on the pages, so thatwe can use your suggestions to improve the App!

Congratulations to the Bullen Prize Draw winners!Shine’s corporate partners, Bullen Healthcare,recently ran a prize draw exclusively for Shinemembers. They provided some fantastic prizes:first prize was £1,000 of High Street ShoppingVouchers, 2nd prize was £500 of High StreetShopping Vouchers, 3rd prize was an iPad 2, andfive lucky runners-up received iPod Shuffles.

1st Prize – Sally Askey-Jones2nd Prize – Andy Gray3rd Prize – Gareth RobertsRunners up – Lynn Doe, Devi Wood, Chloe Bright, Michael Bergin, Neil Carrol.

Congratulations to thewinners and thank youto Bullen for creatingthis opportunity forour members.

To download the app please visit one of the following APP stores

Don’t forget that every time you place anorder with Bullen Healthcare, 5% of theorder value is donated to Shine – full detailscan be found in the insert you received with your copy of Together magazine.

Did you know Shine is developing anew app for your phone or tablet?

C facebo ok.com/ShineUKCharity @SHINEUKCharity 5

News

One of our members, Shelia Rodgers,experienced this first-hand on 5th December lastyear. At 4am she received an automated call fromthe environment agency giving a flood warning. Atthis point Shelia thought it was just precautionaryas she lives quite a way from the sea.

Later that day Shelia was encouraged bysheltered housing staff to pack a bag. LuckilySheila’s former Girl Guide training kicked in andshe decided to pack a little more than advised,ensuring that she would have sandwiches and aflask of coffee, just in case!

Later that day a tidal surge hit Lowestoft, Shelia’sground floor was completely flooded and she lost

nearly all of her personal possessions.

Unfortunately, Sheila had no relatives nearby thatshe could stay with and she had to sleep in anarmchair for the next four days, which reallyaffected her IIH quite badly.

Sheila has now been rehoused 12 miles awayfrom her former home; this loss of communityconnections has left her feeling isolated.

However, the Shine40plus group has now signedShelia up to their telefriendship group and thisallows her to have contact with other Shinemembers of a similar age – a really positive end towhat has been a tough time for Sheila.

It never rainsbut it pours…

S

In recent months the news has been full of stories about large areas of the UK being flooded.This is terribly upsetting for anyone, but when you are living with a disability it can make theexperience even more traumatic.

If you are feeling isolated and would like tojoin the telefriendship group, please contactAngie Coster on T: 01308 426372 or E: [email protected].

Specialised Commissioning

6 www.shinecharity.org.uk/specialisedcommissioning

Do we have yourcorrect email address?

Together readers will remember

that people with spinal cord

injury are entitled to such a

service but people with spina

bifida, despite needing almost

identical lifelong services, are

excluded.

In spite of many representations

to NHS officials, excellent

lobbying of MPs at local level by

Shine members, representations

to the NHS from MPs and on-

going correspondence with NHS

Chief Executive Sir David

Nicholson, we are seeing no

progress at all.

The NHS seems adamant that

spina bifida should remain

subject to fragmented services

at local level, dependent on

GPs for identifying issues, and

that these services are the most

effective way of meeting the

healthcare needs of people with

spina bifida. There is no

acknowledgment at all of our

argument that services are

inadequate in many areas,

despite testimony and case

studies from many Shine

members.

Sir David argues that if spina

bifida were recognised as a

condition which merited a

specialised service then all

other neurological conditions

would also make the same

request (we are not sure what

evidence he has for this). He

has yet to explain why spinal

cord injury is treated so

differently, i.e. if you acquire a

spinal injury you get a better

service than if you are born

with one.

Shine CEO Jackie Bland has

written once more to Sir David

to challenge his claims that care

for spina bifida patients is best

delivered through locally

commissioned systems. In her

letter she quotes the rationale

used by the NHS to provide a

specially commissioned service

for spinal cord injury and points

out that exactly the same

rationale, word for word, could

be used for spina bifida.

In the meantime please

continue to put pressure on

MPs and to send in/phone in

with any examples of occasions

when a lack of specialist

understanding has resulted in

less than acceptable health

care for you – T: 01733 421356

E:

NHS still maintains adultservices are adequateIt is over a year now since Shine first protested to the NHS that spina bifida remained excluded

from conditions for which a national, specially commissioned service was available.

He has yet toexplain whyspinal cord injuryis treated sodifferently, i.e. ifyou acquire aspinal injury youget a betterservice than ifyou are bornwith one.

[email protected]

To bring you the latest news, or to deliver Together byemail, we need your most up-to-date email address. Youcan send this to us at – E: [email protected]

Shine40plus

@SHINEUKCharity 7

The 40+ agegroup nowincluded!The funding for one of Shine’s most

successful projects in recent years – the Silver

Dreams – Shine50Plus project ends in March.

The project brought together hundreds of Shine

members over the age of 50 who engaged in thedevelopment of health resources, friendshipgroups, craft groups, telephone support groups,a closed Facebook group and much more. Theproject will culminate in a weekend conferencefor the 50 pluses entitled ‘A PioneeringGeneration’ at the end of March.

The end of funding will not mean the end of thisgroup for our more ‘mature’ members, however,who say they have felt much more involved andvalued by Shine through being part of theShine50plus group.

Angie Coster, the project’s inspirational

and energetic co-ordinator, has agreed to

stay on for two days a week to continue to

support work with mature members, and

we’ll continue to produce a newsletter and

find the funding for other events and

activities as the need arises.

There will be a slight change though.

One of the things members have valued aboutthis group is the opportunity to share thoughts,experiences and frustrations about health andother issues that arise as members with spinabifida and hydrocephalus grow older. We knowthat this a hot topic and that probably the biggestgroup of people with spina bifida in history iscurrently entering older age for the first time – areal ‘pioneer generation’.

However, during the course of the project manypeople in the 40+ age group have beendisappointed to find that they cannot be includedbecause of the funding restrictions on theproject. Many people in the 40-49 age grouphave said that they too are experiencing issuesand anxieties about growing older that theywould like to share.

For this reason, going forward, Shine’s group formore mature/older members will be open toanyone aged 40+ who feels they would benefitthrough being involved. If you are in this agegroup and would like to know more, pleasecontact Angie Coster at E: [email protected] or call ourcentral services on T: 01733 555988 and theycan pass a message onto Angie.

We look forward to hearing much more from thisgroup!

Shine’s group for more mature/older members will beopen to anyone aged 40+ who feels they would benefitthrough being involved.

If there’s one issue that our members and

their families constantly worry about it’s the

quality of the health services that they can

access. We all know that amazing things can

be achieved by our members and that

disability is more about the environment than

how your ‘ability’ compares to anyone else’s.

But we all also know people whose lives areseriously disrupted when ahealth issue arises andservices aren’t quite what theymight have expected.

Shine campaigns constantlyto try to change NHSattitudes and improveservices where we know theyare lacking (we know thereare some great ones too) butwe also provide all the healthsupport we can affordbecause we know ourspecialist staff understandwhere many mainstreamprofessionals might not.

This year we are going to put anew emphasis on our health work to try to reachmore people in more ways and increase thesupport, advice and information available to youall. Shine Health will include all our existingservices both at national and local level. That’s 31

Support and Development Workers divided intocountries and individual regions – so we haveShine Cymru, Shine Northern Ireland, and then inEngland, three regions – the North, the Midlandsand the South.

We also have two specialist health staff atnational level – Gill Yaz, Shine’s HealthDevelopment Manager (see Gill’s latest advice

on page 18), Health AdviserRobin Barnatt and in NorthernIreland, Health Adviser MarieMcGonnell. Shine Health willalso include all our web/mediaand paper-based informationand health-related resources,including new ones andupdated ones this year.

But most significantly Shine

Health will also include a‘health hub’ here at head officewhich will include a health suitewhere people can attend for‘whole person’ health andwellbeing checks; health andindependence-related trainingcourses and occupational

therapy advice, includingsupport for wheelchair users. Shine’s Health staffalso want to include complementary therapies –relaxation, mindfulness, yoga (adapted to ability)etc in what they offer in the course of a year.

New developments

8 www.shinecharity.org.uk/chairmanschallenge

Shine Health Hub and theChairman’s Challenge

I was taken into hospital over Christmas –one doctor came to see me in my cubicleand said ‘how long have you had spinabifida?’; then another came later and said ‘Isee you’ve had spina bifida – has it clearedup?’! Gobi Ranganathan, Shine MembershipDevelopment Officer.

This year we aregoing to put a

new emphasis onour health work to try to reachmore people inmore ways and

increase thesupport, adviceand information

available to you all.

The Chairman’s Challenge

w youtube.com/ShineUKCharity 9

For those for whom this is too far away, or whodon’t want to travel, there will be a range ofremotely accessible services offered by our healthadvisers, including Google ‘hangouts’ (interactivehealth talks and seminars accessed via yourcomputer, see page 15), Skype calls and ofcourse 9-5, Monday to Friday telephone adviceand fast responses to enquiries on social mediaand via e-mail. Of course we will also continue ourprogramme of regional health-related events andget-togethers.

Through developing Shine Health in this way wehope not only to offer much more to our members,but also to continue to compile an accurate pictureof the health needs that our members have andthe gaps in current systems. Ideas for Shine

Health are still being developed; if you havethoughts and ideas about this or want to followprogress then please do contact our health staff:

Gill Yaz T: 020 8805 4181 E: [email protected]

Robin Barnatt in England and WalesT: 01733 421355 E: [email protected]

Marie McGonnell in Northern Ireland T: 028 8676 4748 E: [email protected].

Health suiteplans

To help raise funds for the ‘healthhub’ in Peterborough, Shine

Chair Richard Astle has decidedto try to raise £25,000 in 2014,which coincides with his 10thanniversary as Chair of Shine.

Ambitiously, Richard has decided to reallychallenge himself and undertake ten gruellingevents – one for every year that he’s beenChair – including five half marathons, a forty

mile hill walk, a trek across Morocco, and aSanta Dash!

For more information about the Chairman’sChallenge visit www.chairmanschallenge.co.uk.

To sponsor Richard in this challengingendeavour, please go to www.justgiving.com/thechairmanschallenge14 Every £1 Richardmanages to raise will help support Shine

members’ health needs.

The Chairman’s Challenge

‘I really wanted to show, after 10 years as Chair, how much Shinematters to me – to really test myself and raise this vital money forour members’ health.’

The path to Greg Smith’sinfluential role within ebay hasbeen by no meansstraightforward.

Greg, who has spina bifida, hasovercome many life challenges,and he has done so not bydetermination alone, but alsothrough a healthy dose ofpragmatism.

Greg grew up in Eastbourne, hisfather worked as a butcher, hismother as a secretary. As achild he underwent proceduresfamiliar to many Shine

members. His parents, Barbaraand Geoff, were determined forGreg to have as normal anupbringing as possible, botheducationally and socially, ratherthan growing up as a protecteddisabled child. They ensuredthat he was admitted to amainstream school, at a timewhen parents of disabledchildren had to really fight forthis to happen.

Operations on his tendons tohelp Greg to walk meant that hismainstream schooling wasinterrupted by stays at ChaileyHeritage, a residential hospitaland school for children with avariety of conditions includingspina bifida and hydrocephalus.

Whilst he was an able studentand only spent limited amountsof time there, many of his peerswere permanent residents and

in common with many ‘special’schools of the time, academicexpectations were low. Despitehis frustration with this disruptionto his learning experience,Greg’s last major operation wasin his early teens and he wenton to catch up, and completedhis A-levels in mainstreamschool alongside his originalschool mates.

Although Greg’s parents hadlaid great foundations for afulfilling adult life, he decided,with the support of his family,that the best way for him to fullydevelop his independence wasto move away from home toattend university. He opted forSheffield Hallam and enrolled onan Engineering and Businessdegree course. Having alwaysenjoyed designing and makingthings using his hands, this wasan easy decision to make.

Reflecting on this period, Gregsays, ‘The time at universitymade me. It’s just you, you get abetter perception of how peoplesee you, and you learn that noteveryone is the same in terms ofhow they see you. You can findyour own place, it widens yourhorizons’.

And his horizons have remainedwide. As someone who nowoversees teams of peoplebased in several differentcountries for one of the world’smost famous brands, Greg aims

not only to prove himself, butalso to improve the lives ofothers.

Greg secured a graduatemanagement trainee positionwith Exel Logistics (now DHL)and then developed logistics forautomotive supplier, Unipart. Thiswas in the late 1990s and duringthe birth of the dot com era.

Through his experience withUnipart, Greg sensed thepotential opportunities within e-commerce and was asked tohelp develop a website whichbrought together designers andmanufacturers. Though theproject came to an abrupt end,Greg reflects, ‘It was a greatidea, but it was ahead of itstime – the important thing was Ihad seen the possibilities outthere’.

After some time away travellingin South America, Greg began apostgraduate Product Designcourse, but it didn’t live up to hisexpectations and he left thecourse to start work with theDisability Rights Commission(DRC) as their StrategyManager, later becoming theDRC’s Head of Strategy,Planning and Research.

The decision to join the DRCwas more than just taking a jobfor Greg, ‘I felt an impulsion tojoin,’ he says, ‘The role wasabout social change, I was

Shine interview

10 www.shinecharity.org.uk

Fighting for equalityGreg Smith joined Shine’s Board of Directors last year. In his position as Head of User

Experience Research and Design for Europe at ebay, Greg helps drive the usability of the

platform that we all now use to buy and sell any number of different items. Tom Scott visited

ebay’s offices in Richmond to find out more about him.


Shine interview

suddenly working somewherewith a workforce that was 70%disabled and very different toany of my previous workingenvironments. I also felt I wasgiving something back to thegeneration of campaigners thathad transformed disability rightsin the UK during the 70s and80s’.

It was an inspiring time to bepart of the team at the DRC;Greg was an integral part of the‘Access for All’ campaign, whichtransformed access regulationsfor buildings and transport, and,in addition to this, he helpedshape the Prime Minister’sreport into the life chances ofdisabled people.

All this work affirmed what Greghad learned from his ownexperience – that in order togain equality, you have to fight.

In terms of employment, Gregasserts that this fight is‘essential if disabled employeesare to enter the workenvironment as equals’.

After two and half years at theDRC there were major changesafoot and at this point Gregchose to pursue another avenueand developed his own onlinebusiness selling designermobility products. The businessthrived and after a couple ofyears Greg sold it on to aninvestor. The business still existstoday – W: verko.co.uk

After a year of studying for aMasters degree in HumanComputer Interaction, Gregworked for LBI Digitas, Europe’slargest digital marketing agency,to cement the skills he had beendeveloping in the IT sector. Afterthree a half years with LBI

Digitas, Greg was made awareof the role at ebay, he went for it,got it, and is now very much apart of this powerful globalbrand.

We end the interview inRichmond as ebay’s offices inAmerica wake up. Greg has tomake a call to the US, and weclose with a photo beneath aglowing neon ebay sign.It is clear that Greg is both veryproud of what he has achievedand very passionate aboutworking with Shine to use hisexperience and play his part inensuring that everyone withspina bifida and hydrocephalusshould access opportunities toachieve on a field equal witheveryone else.

We very much look forward toworking with Greg to achievethis together.

Greg’s reflections on becoming a Director with

Shine – ‘I hope that my life experiences as

someone with spina bifida, with work experience

in multiple business sectors, as well as the

disability rights and equality sector, will help me

bring some specialist business and equality

rights knowledge to the charity. As well as

ensuring that Shine can and does support their

members with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus

to make their ambitions come true, as equal

citizens and contributors to society.’

Some of our services would notexist without the wonderfulfundraising support from ourmembers, their friends andfamilies, so here is a big‘THANK YOU’ from us to you…

Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd raised afantastic £300 at their ‘WearYellow and Shine’ day.

Ian Sherwood from SouthWales asked his friends andfamily for donations to Shine

Cymru instead of presents forhis 40th birthday – we’vereceived £1,080 to date and stillcounting!

Little Rosie Williams fromLlantrisant, whose grandparentsand friends at YnysmaerdyCommunity Centre, Pontyclunraised £455.30. This was thenboosted by West and WalesUtilities, which is the companyRosie’s dad works for. Theydonated a further£300. Wonderful!

Tina Davies from Tonyrefail tookorders for some deliciousChristmas chocolates fromwww.chocolates-for-chocoholics.co.uk and kindlydonated the £70 commission tous. (N.B: our Wales Directorbought some and managed toeat them all before the big day!).

Last year, the men’s section ofLangland Bay Golf Clubdonated an Ospreys’ shirt andraised over £125 for us. Theladies’ section has also comeup trumps and donated £50.Just great!

South Wales Support andDevelopment Worker, SianPrince, roped in the help of hersister, the rest of the Shine

Cymru staff, and one of ourmums for a Craft Fayre in Barry,South Wales. We raised awhopping £400.

Shine Cymru update

12 C facebook.com/shinecymru

Rugby fever!There was great excitement inthe Wales camp as Shine

Cymru members of all ageswent along to see the WalesRugby team train at theMillennium Stadium in Cardiff theday before the Internationalagainst Argentina. In a stadiumthat holds 72,000 we were part ofa privileged crowd who met thesquad, collected autographs, andhad pictures taken – providingmemories that will last a lifetime.

Everyone had a fantastic dayand, as any Welsh rugby fan willtell you, meeting the team reallyis as good as it gets!

Thank you!Thank you!

The North Wales Friends ofShine Cymru meet every coupleof months in Llandudno, andfocus on raising awareness ofhydrocephalus and spina bifida,organising fundraising activities,and having fun.

We alternate meetings with themore formal planning forfundraising activities and socialget-togethers.

Both are co-ordinated by BrynRoberts, the North WalesSupport and DevelopmentWorker, so if you are interestedin getting involved, contact Brynon T: 01248 724944 or E:[email protected] is also on Facebook ifyou’d rather connect with himthat way –facebook.com/Shine.Bryn.Roberts

Putting the spotlight on our

fundraisers in Wales

Langland Bay Golf Club

Get involved – join the North Wales Friends of Shine Cymru

If you’d like to get involved

and do some fundraising

of your own for Shine

Cymru, then contact

Hannah Wysocki on

T: 01733 421351 or

E: Hannah.wysocki@

shinecharity.org.uk for a

fundraising pack to get

you started.

Shine NI update

C facebook.com/ShineNI 13

Shine members in the Western Trust area hadgreat fun at a wheelchair hurling taster sessionorganised by Disability Sports Northern Ireland(DSNI) and Shine NI, and facilitated by UlsterGAA coach Paul Callaghan.

Wheelchair basketball coach Steve McCrudden,who helped organise the session, said that theevent was a great success; ‘the members hadgreat fun at the event and the coaching was veryprofessional. Members were able to get to gripswith the basics of the game quite quickly and theequipment that was provided was designedspecifically to meet wheelchair users’ needs’.

Feedback from members has been full of praiseabout this opportunity and as a result Shine NI,DSNI and Ulster Gaelic Athletic Association arepursuing further sessions and are hoping toestablish a regular training session at theUniversity of Ulster's Magee Campus. Shine NImember and North West Eagles WheelchairBasketball Club member Perpetua O'Driscoll

had this to say, ‘I had a fantastic time – can't waitfor more sessions.’

If you are interested in attending wheelchairhurling or wheelchair basketball with Shine at theUniversity of Ulster, Magee (Derry/Londonderry),please contact Shine Support and DevelopmentWorker Sandra Campbell T: 028 7135 4939 E: [email protected]

The Shine NI Award was presented to Michael McKernan.

Michael has been associated with Shine for many years. He isa member of the Portadown and District Local Association, theNorthern Ireland Association, and is the Northern Irelandrepresentative on the Board of Shine. Pictured is Michael, hiswife Margaret, SDW Janet Davidson, and children from thelocal group. Congratulations Michael and thank you for all ofyour hard work over the years.

New Sports opportunityfor members in NIWheelchair Hurling – a great success!

Congratulations!

‘I had a fantastic time – can'twait for more sessions.’

Until recently, if you wereunhappy with a decision madeby the Department for Work andPensions (DWP) about yourbenefits award, you couldappeal. The process has nowchanged.

Instead of appealing, you firstneed to ask for a mandatoryreconsideration. This simplymeans that you ask DWP tolook at the decision again.

You will no longer have theoption of going straight to anappeal.

You have one month to requestreconsideration, beginning onthe day after the date on yourdecision letter.

Shine recommends that you putany request for mandatoryreconsideration in writing andkeep a copy of the letter yousend.

Do not miss the deadline forreconsideration as it is arequired step on the way tomaking an appeal. You will notbe able to make an appeal if thedecision-maker refuses to

reconsider because you are outof time.

The new rules are not expectedto apply to HMRC benefits suchas tax credits and child benefituntil April 2014. These are notexpected to apply to housingbenefit decisions at all. Theintroduction of these new ruleswill be delayed in NorthernIreland.

Mandatory reconsideration

and Employment Support

Allowance (ESA)

If you have applied for ESA, orhad your existing awardreviewed by the DWP, it isimportant to note that your ESAwill not be paid if your initialapplication was unsuccessfuland you have requestedmandatory reconsideration.Whilst you cannot avoid this,you may be able to claim otherbenefits such as jobseeker’sallowance (JSA). If thereconsideration is not favourableyou can then choose to go toappeal. You will be paid ESAduring the appeal period.

Changes in timetable for

introduction of Personal

Independence Payments (PIP)

Plans for rolling out PIP toexisting claimants is at a muchslower pace than originallyplanned. The timetable forexisting claimants with changesin circumstances is as follows:

October 2013 – Wales, EastMidlands, West Midlands andEast Anglia.

January 2014 – Postcode areasbeginning DG (Dumfries andGalloway), EH (Edinburgh), TD (Galashiels) and ML (Motherwell).

3 February 2014 – Postcodeareas beginning CA (Carlisle),DL (Darlington), HG (Harrogate),LA (Lancaster) and YO (York).

From October 2015 – All otherpostcode areas.

Late 2017 – DWP will havecontacted everyone who needsto claim PIP.

New claims to PIP will continuethroughout this period.

Universal Credit (UC)

There have also been delays inthe roll out of Universal Creditand a revised timetable from2014:

April 2014 – UC will start toinclude couples and families.End of 2014 – UC will covermore of the North West.2015 – Roll-out of UCprogramme continues.2016 – 2017 – Most (but not all)existing benefit claimants will bemoved over to UC during 2016and 2017.

Northern Ireland is expected tobe introducing Universal Creditfrom April 2014. However, theWelfare Reform Bill (NorthernIreland) has not yet beenpassed so details and datesmay change.

Benefits update

14 www.shinecharity.org.uk/Benefits

Benefits update

New appeals process for benefits awards.

Benefits application

Decision unfavourable?

Mandatory reconsideration

Reconsideration unsuccessful?

Go to appeal

Let’s connect!Here at Shine we are always trying to think up new ways of connecting our members. We

realise that often the best advice and support comes from those who can truly understand the

challenges you face – your fellow members.

One of the easiest and most effective ways toconnect with others is to use social media. DarrenFower, Shine’s Social Media Development Officer,has recently set up a variety ofFacebook support groups; somecover a geographic area,whereas others focus on aparticular condition.

The best way to find a group is tosearch ‘Shine’ + ‘your location’ or‘your condition’, for example‘Shine Nottinghamshire’.

If you cannot find a group thatsuits your needs or you have anyquestions about Facebooksupport groups, you can contactDarren by leaving a comment onShine’s Facebook page –www.facebook.com/shinecharityuk – or via email E:[email protected]

If joining a Facebook groupdoesn’t appeal, and you prefer face-to-faceconversations, why not try a ‘Google Hangout’with Shine’s Health Development Officer, Robin Barnatt?

A Google Hangout is a group video call. The firstHangouts have proved very successful with topicssuch as spina bifida occulta and shunt issues

being discussed. Whilst there is adefinite topic for each talk, Robincomments that ‘because theseare group discussions, we maystart off talking about one topic,but this will bring up all sorts ofquestions, so we have coveredbladder and bowel issues,mobility and lots more as theconversations have progressed’.

The easiest way to take part isby using a camera phone. All youneed to do is download theGoogle Hangout app. If youwould prefer to use a computer,you will need a web camera, amicrophone, and to downloadthe Google Hangout extensionfor your internet browser (if youhave any problems with this,search ‘google hangout

extension’ online, or contact Darren [email protected]).

If you’re interested in joining Robin for a Hangout,all you need to do is send him a message –E: [email protected].

A GoogleHangout is agroup video call. The firstHangouts haveproved very

successful withtopics such asspina bifidaocculta andshunt issues

being discussed.

Let’s connect


16 More FAQs can be found at shinecharity.org.uk/shine40plus

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

Why is it called ‘normal

pressure’ hydrocephalus and

what is the difference

between this and other types

of hydrocephalus?

It is called normal pressurehydrocephalus because whenHakim and Adams firstdescribed it in 1965, the threepatients that they mentioned intheir paper all had normalpressure at initial lumbarpuncture. NPH normally affectspeople in the sixth decade (thereare, as always, exceptions); theexcess CSF in the ventricles(spaces where the fluid is madein the brain) builds up slowly andthe ventricles expand slowly toaccommodate it. As theventricles expand, they maydamage the surrounding braintissue leading to the symptomsof decreased mobility, somedegree of dementia and,sometimes, urinaryincontinence.

However the slow onset meansthat people with NPH do nothave the symptoms of raisedinter-cranial pressure(headache, vomiting, nausea,sight disturbances, seizures,etc.) that children and youngpeople with hydrocephalus andan acute rise in inter-cranialpressure (ICP) experience.

Now I have a shunt in place,

will my condition deteriorate?

No. Having a working shunt willcontrol your NPH. It will not,however, prevent thoseconditions that are part of normalageing.

Will I need my shunt replaced

after a certain period of time?

If your shunt malfunctions, e.g.blocks (this is unlikely, but canhappen), then it will needreplacing. If everything goes asexpected, your shunt should lastyou for life.

Is NPH hereditary?

No.

What are the short, medium

and long term consequences

of NPH?

You may need your shuntadjusted once or twice. Noteveryone needs this. The mainproblem seems to be lack ofconfidence in walking –particularly if you have hadprevious falls. Some peoplehave difficulty in rememberingpreviously learnt skills i.e. findingtheir way around, map reading,etc. However, with practicethese skills should return.Occasionally it is useful to havea neuropsychologicalassessment but this needs to becarried out by aneuropsychologist with aninterest in NPH.

What limitations should I

expect to arise?

You may get fatigued moreeasily than you expect to;depression is common in anylong term condition.

How often should I have a

check-up with the

neurosurgeon?

Most neurosurgeons see theirpatients with NPH once or twicepost-shunting. After that they

usually discharge them withadvice to go to their GP if theyhave problems and the GP willrefer them back to theneurosurgeon.

Besides a shunt, are there any

other medical and/or surgical

remedies available to treat

NPH?

A programmable shunt is theGold Standard treatment forNPH. There have been trials oftreatment with drugs such asacetazolamide, but these havenot been very successful – andare only prescribed for peoplewho are unfit for surgery.

How and when will my GP be

able to help me, if and when I

detect that my condition is

gradually deteriorating?

Your shunt will stop yourcondition deteriorating. If yourwalking deteriorates, it can be asign that the shunt needsadjusting so you should bereferred back to yourneurosurgeon. Your GP may notknow this – the more commonsigns of shunt problems arethose seen in people with otherforms of hydrocephalus andthese are the symptoms thatmost GPs will recognise(headache, vomiting, nausea,sight disturbance, seizures).NPH is different: if your shuntneeds adjusting, your maincomplaint will be a gradualdecline in walking.

Rosemary Ellis

former Principal Health

Adviser, now Shine Volunteer

at Adult Hydrocephalus Clinic

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Shine SupportNetwork: Frequently Asked Questions

Go Folic!

C facebook.com/GoFolicUK 17

Way back in December 2006,The UK Scientific AdvisoryCommittee on Nutrition (SACN)recommended mandatoryfortification of flour with folic acidin order to reduce the number ofpregnancies affected by NeuralTube Defects (NTDs) like spinabifida. However, since then,successive Governments havemade no steps towardsadopting this proven primaryprevention strategy, despitefortification having been safely(and successfully) implementedin 79 countries across the globe(including the USA and Canadawho have been fortifying since1998) with reported reductionsin NTD-affected pregnanciesvarying from 26-50%.

Lord Rooker (who is also the ex-Chairman of the FoodStandards Agency) shared ourfrustration at the Government’slack of action (both in terms offortification and educationregarding taking folic acidsupplements) and has made it apersonal mission to spur theminto action. The debate that heinitiated in the Lords receivedsome passionate and high-profile support, most notablyfrom Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson (who very kindlyparticipated in the debate) alongwith the Countess of Marr, LordTurnberg and Lord Hunt. Sincethe debate, we have beeninvolved in furthercommunications with the Under

Secretary of State for PublicHealth regarding the primaryprevention of NTDs.

Based on statistics in othercountries, fortification of flour inthe UK would mean thathundreds of late terminationscould be prevented every year,plus up to 100 babies bornwithout having to face theadditional challenges of spinabifida. As the intention is to limitfortification to just white flour,individuals will have a choice, sothat those wishing to avoid it cansimply avoid white bread.

Although the fortification of flourwould not be a completeanswer, it would help to raisewomen’s folate levels, providing

increased protection to the 50%of pregnancies in the UK thatare currently unplanned.

There would be no change tothe long-standing adviceregarding the taking ofsupplements, and all womenwho could get pregnant will stillbe advised to take 400mcg offolic acid daily along with B12 inorder to ensure that they achievethe optimum protective levels ofthese important vitamins.

We will be sure to keep youupdated of any progress as thiswork continues throughout2014.

Martine Austin, Health

Campaigns Officer.

If any members are interested inbecoming more involved in ourGoFolic! work please contactme at E: [email protected] or T: 01733 421349.

Flour power!After a busy year with Go Folic!, we ended on a real high with the topic of flour fortification being

brought to the fore in the House of Lords, having also been championed by the British Medical

Association earlier in 2013.

The debate (that he) initiated in the Lords

received somepassionate andhigh profile

support, mostnotably fromBaroness Tanni Grey-Thompson...

Shine Health

18 C facebo ok.com/ShineUKCharity @SHINEUKCharity

Spina bifida and hydrocephaluscan have a big impact on life.Working, driving, andrelationships can sometimesseem more complicated, andI’m often asked ‘When is thebest time to tell people aboutmy condition?’ Well, it dependson what you want to do.

Work

It’s now against the law for allemployers (except the ArmedForces) to discriminate againstdisabled people. The DisabilityDiscrimination Act definesdisability as ‘a physical ormental impairment which has asubstantial and long-termadverse effect on the person'sability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. Not everyonewith hydrocephalus or spinabifida occulta would feel theircondition has a significantimpact on day-to-day activities,so you will have to decidewhether this Act applies to you.Employers are only allowed toask for limited information onyour health or disability duringrecruitment, and it has to berelevant to the job you’ll beasked to do. However, you needto be honest with yourself andyour potential employers, aboutwhether the job itself is withinyour capabilities; maybe,discussing your application with

someone who knows you wellbeforehand can help.

If you are going to need‘reasonable adjustments’ to bemade to the job itself, such asworking hours, or the workplaceitself (such as needing to benear the loo, or a desk in a quietarea), you will need to tell youremployer about your disability.You can suggest the changeswhich will help you succeed, oryou can ask for OccupationalHealth Officers to help. Doconsider sharing with someoneif you have a shunt in case ofan emergency at work, butmake sure they know that this isunlikely to happen or they mayworry needlessly.

Driving

You must tell DVLA if you havea condition which may affectyour driving, and these includehydrocephalus, spinalproblems, and sleep apnoea.The Medical Assessment formwill give DVLA the informationthey need to decide whetheryou can drive, and for manypeople the answer will be ‘yes’.You need to inform them if youhave had any head surgery,such as a shunt revision,whether your consultant tellsyou to or not. Your licence willusually be surrendered for six

months and you will need toreapply for your licence back atthe end of this time. The reasonfor this is that head surgery canlead to blackouts or seizuresduring recovery which could putyou or other road users atserious risk. Drivers are alwaysresponsible for ensuring theyare fit to drive – if you have anaccident because you are tiredor feeling unwell, you will beheld accountable.

There are heavy fines for nottelling DVLA about your health.More information can be foundat www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving

Relationships

I often get told of people’sanxieties around how much totell about your condition whenstarting new relationships. Myadvice is always the same –take your time, get to know oneanother properly, and when youfeel that you are relaxed andcomfortable and in a trustingrelationship, then the time willfeel right. In the meantime,answer any questions honestly,giving as much information asyou’re happy to at that time. It’syour body, you’re in control.By and large, the details of yourbowel regime or whether youcan have babies are not the

Who do I tell, and when?Shine’s Health Development Manager, Gill Yaz, on some common concerns.

It’s now against the law for all employers(except the Armed Forces) to discriminateagainst disabled people.

stuff of successful first dates.Concentrate on your partner,and find out about them, you’llthen worry less about whatimpression you’re making.People have told me they worryabout their body, that people willfind their scars or stomas aturnoff. Again, get to know eachother. Most people aren’t sosuperficial that this will matter ifthey really care for you.

Schools

For young children, I get askedwhether the whole schoolshould be told about theirincontinence so they‘understand’. The answer to thisis ‘no’. Concentrate on gettingtheir bladder and bowelmanagement as good as it canbe, as young as possible. Don’tbe fobbed off with ‘we’ll dosomething later’ from your

healthcare professionals.Children with bowel issues aremore likely to develop self-esteem/anxiety issues, andchallenging behaviour. Bladderand bowel management isprivate, and ownership of whatinformation is given and whenneeds to stay with the child.Once the information is ‘out’, itcan’t be taken back.

w youtube.com/ShineUKCharity 19

Shine Health

Do consider sharing with someoneif you have a shunt incase of an emergencyat work, but makesure they know thatthis is unlikely tohappen or they mayworry needlessly.

You must tell DVLA if you have a conditionwhich may affect your driving, and theseinclude hydrocephalus, spinal problems,and sleep apnoea.

Shine Stars

Shine Stars

We know that when you lose

someone you love, you might

chose to dedicate a memorial

plaque in a place of personal

significance to commemorate

the life of the person special

to you.

Here at Shine we wanted to beable to offer families a uniqueand special way to rememberthose we love who have livedwith spina bifida andhydrocephalus.

We are now proud to introduceShine Stars, special plaqueswhich are featured on the wallsat Shine’s Head Office and offera personal and permanenttribute in memory of your lovedone.

Shine Stars are appreciated byeveryone that visits Shine, theyhonour the love of our families,the achievements of ourmembers, and show others whyour work is so important for

everyone affected by spinabifida and hydrocephalus.If you choose, your star canalso represent your family’sown personal fundraising byhaving a Shine Star Fund soyou know how much is raisedin honour of the star youdedicate.

Should you wish, every star can also have its own dedicated online memorial pageon the Shine website so thatyour Shine Star can be viewedand shared with your family andfriends at any time – go towww.shinecharity.org.uk/shinestars

There is no cost involved indedicating a Shine Star. If youwould like to talk about having aShine Star placed in memory ofsomeone who lived with spinabifida and hydrocephalus, pleasecall Hannah on T: 01733 421351or E: [email protected]

20 shinecharity.org.uk/shinestars

Emma and James

Lovelace have been

fundraising since their

daughter Ava-Hope,

was born sleeping last

summer. Ava-Hope had

spina bifida and

hydrocephalus and to

date they have

raised over £2,000 for

Ava’s Shine Star in

her memory.

Stars are

openings in Heaven

where our loved ones

shine bright and let

us know they are

happy – Inuit

saying

Emma and James Lovelace

Ava’s big sister, Olivia

Fundraising

www.shinecharity.org.uk 21

British Sugar havegenerously donated£600 towards our topprize for the Grand PrizeDraw and theirgenerosity didn’t endthere! They also ‘Deckedthe Halls’, or should wesay ‘decorated the walls’,on the top floor here at

Shine Head Office justbefore Christmas.

This improvement to thebuilding will enable us touse the space toaccommodatemeetings, and wedesperately needed thearea to have a bit of

TLC so we can rent itout and raise funds.

This was provided by anarmy of British Sugarstaff who camecomplete with paints,brushes, and Christmas-themed outfits! Now thespace upstairs is a

beautiful shiny yellowand we were able towelcome our first under5s support group toHead Office, as it’s nowa warm and wonderfulplace for the little ones to play and the parentsto get to know eachother better.

We have a record number

of runners in both the

Brighton and London

marathons this year. We

would like to wish our

runners all the best for

their challenges from

everyone here at Shine.

Good luck to Mark Barton,Sanja Karanovic, HaydnEverson, James Burrows,Kevin Sedgley, Sarah Edwards, Andrew Kay,Emma Penfold, Andy and Anna Sorrell, DawnGranger, Hannah and Aaron Whitlock (go TeamWhitlock!), James Thompson, Alan Stanworth,Christos Eralleous, Rachel Sargent, AmyHughes, Alan McKeegan, Sean Holland and Sian Wilkins.

We haven’t forgotten of course about all ourother wonderful active fundraisers, so a BIG‘good luck and thank you’ to you all.

Don’t forget if you want to run, swim, cycle, skydiveor challenge yourself to a physical challenge to

raise money for Shine, just contact Clara Gill on

E: [email protected] or call T: 01733 421307.

A massive thank you to our latestFriend of Shine – British Sugar

April is the monthof the marathonfor Shine!

Shine SupportersOne of the growing areas of fundraising for us lastyear was in the field of business. Theserelationships varied from one man bands tointernational corporations, from one-off events tobeing either Charity of the Year or a CorporatePartner. The common thread was that thesepartnerships helped raise significant awareness of

Shine as well as raising funds.

We would love to build on this success to help usreach more potential members as well as increasethe services and support we can offer.

Do you work for or own your own business, orhave friends and family that do? If so, pleaseeither contact Clara to discuss how we may beable to work together, pass on the details of yourcontact at the company, or pass on my details tothe right person!

Contact Clara Gill on E: [email protected] or call T: 01733 421307

The more businesses we work with, the brighter

we can Shine!

We are proud to be working with...

Gobi’s Gossip

22 C facebook.com/shine.gobi.ranganathan

Gobi’s GossipHi All! I hope everyone is having a good start

to the year. It’s fair to say 2013 was a difficult

one for a lot of people – myself included.

In fact, even the last few days of year didn’t quitego as I’d planned as I ended up in hospital for thefestive period. The good news was that myresidency in Stevenage’s Lister Hospital wasn’tanything to do with my Mitrofanoff. The bad newswas that I’d developed a septic chest infection –not good!

Despite my ‘hospitalisation hiccup’, the end of2013 wasn’t all bad. I did manage a few highpoints starting with a Silver medal at the Para-Badminton World Championships in Dortmund,Germany. I then had an appearance on ‘FrankieFryer’s Away Days’ feature on Sky’s Soccer AM. Ifthat moment of glory on television wasn’t enough,I came away as the winner for the HertfordshireService to Sport Award, which was an unexpectedsurprise for me.

If 2014 can continue in that vein of success, I’ll bedelighted! There’s lots being planned and I have anumber of Shine projects which are proving to bea success too. With each region I visit, not onlyam I engaging with more of you Shine members,but, with the priceless help of Media DevelopmentOfficer, Darren Fower, we’re setting up lots ofsupport group pages on Facebook. This will helpmassively in identifying where you’re all located,which in turn will help bring many of you togetherfrom your surrounding areas. In addition to this, ineach area I visit I’m engaging with a number of

professional football clubs who are willing to helpsupport me in raising awareness about Shine,spina bifida, and hydrocephalus.

All in all, there’s lots of progress taking place, withplenty more to come over the next few months. Itlooks as if now, more than ever, I’ll be able to meetmore of the Shine Community. This will hopefullybring many of you closer together to not onlysupport each other, but be better supported byShine as well! So on that positive note, let’s Shine

on in 2014 and move onwards and upwards!

If 2014 can continue in that vein of success, I’llbe delighted! There’s lots being planned and Ihave a number of Shine projects which areproving to be a success too.

Benny Bear

stores.ebay.co.uk/shineukcharity 23

Name

Address

Postcode

Telephone Number

Name suggestion

Send entries to: Shine, 42 Park Road, Peterborough, PE1 2UQ. By 1st May 2014

They have asked Benny to think up a name forher and Benny would like all of his club membersto help him choose. He knows this is a very hardchallenge (I’m sure your Mummies and Daddieswill tell you that deciding on a baby’s name isdifficult because they will have it forever!). Bennyis offering some great prizes for the club memberwho picks the best name!

All you need to do is send back the entry formbelow with your suggestion for the name ofBenny’s baby friend. Entries must be submitted by 1st May 2014

Can you name Benny’s new friend?Benny, has received some exciting news! His

Mummy’s friend is expecting a little baby girl bear.

Just like Benny the little girl will have a special

condition. Her condition is called spina bifida.

First Prize£30 Toys ‘R’ Us Voucher

Runners-up Prizes 3 x £10 Toys ‘r’ Us Vouchers

The weather is very adverse atthis time of the year, so if youknow a member, why not givethem a call to make sure theyare coping. That call could makeall the difference.

SAMC Meeting

The SAMC met for their finalmeeting of 2013 on Saturday16th of November at Shine HQ.In attendance was David Isom,Development Manager HQServices and Midlands Region,apologies were received fromHeather Doughty, Liz Potts andGobi Ranganathan.

Developments

As previously reported in the lastedition, the SAMC made a visitto the SIA (Spinal InjuriesAssociation) in Milton Keynes onMonday 7th October 2013. Wewere made to feel welcome by

many of the staff. JulieBraithwaite, Head of InformationServices, gave a generalintroduction to SIA, and weheard more from Joy Sinclair,Advice Line Officer, KarenMikalsen, Academy Co-Ordinator, Dan Burden, Head ofPublic Affairs, and Paul Smith,SIA CEO. The good news as aresult of this visit is thatmembership is free, so there isan opportunity for our Shine

members to join. There aremany benefits to joining: accessto Academy training courses,10% discount on all SIApublications, event ticketdiscount, outreach services,telephone counselling, andmuch more. You can register asa member at www.spinal.co.ukor by calling T: 0845 678 6633.

Events

Lisa Cain and Jason Merrillattended the ‘Great Minds’ eventin Peterborough on Friday 11thOctober 2013. This was Shine’sfirst event on PsychologicalWellbeing and it was good tosee members coming from asfar away as York, London, andSomerset. A new event isplanned for 2014.

Paul Manning attended thefamily event day in Liverpool on

Saturday 9th November; again,this was a well-attended event.

Appeal upheld

In November 2013, a court ofappeal upheld a legal challengeby five disabled people againstthe government’s decision toclose the Independent LivingFund (ILF) in March 2015. Aunanimous judgment from thecourt held that in December2012, the Minister for DisabledPeople had breached equalityduties when making the decisionto close the ILF. It is not clearwhat effect this judgment willhave on the future of the ILF, orthe long-term implications forpeople who rely on the fund toprovide their care and support,but I will update you all when weknow more.

Finally…

The SAMC hope to recruit anew member shortly and I willbe able to give an update in thenext issue. As always, feel freeto make contact regardinganything you would like to knowor has been achieved on themembers’ behalf.

Michael Bergin

Communications Officer SAMC

E: mike.bergin@shinecharity

.org.uk

SAMC update

SAMC update

24 www.shinecharity.org.uk/SAMC

The good news as a result ofthis visit is that membership isfree, so there is an opportunityfor our Shine members to join.

Hello everyone and a very warm welcome to 2014. I hope you all had a nice

Christmas and New Year.

In fact, the trip to Cadbury'sWorld proved so popular thatsome members weredisappointed not to make it anda second opportunity to visit isbeing organised.

‘This is Me’ is a club withinShine which enables youngmembers to get more involved.Those aged 13+ can chat toeach other and Shine's YouthWorker on a closed Facebookpage, and all members receivea free newsletter in which youngpeople can express their viewson everything from computergames to school life.

In 2014 we hope to expand ouryouth activities at Shine toinclude young people aged 11-18, and to find ways oflistening more to what youngpeople want to do, whatconcerns them, and to work withthem to find ways of reallymaking things happen.

A new part-time Youth Worker,Nic Shaw has just joined Shine

to take this work forward. Nic willjoin the This is Me Facebookpage and will mail out to allyoung people aged 11-18 to

introduce himself. Nic takes overfrom Sarah Harbour who hasnow left Shine for another post.

Nic has many years’ experienceof youth work in this country andin Germany and Canada. He'sworked with young people inmany settings and is an outdoorspecialist and a gifted musician.He's also a trained carpenter!He hopes to use his experienceand talents to develop a varietyof work with young people,listening carefully to what theywant.

If you are 11-18, or want to asksomething about youth work atShine, then please do get incontact with Nic. Suggestionsfor activities, or items you'd liketo see in the newsletter, orthings that concern you aboutbeing a young person with spinabifida/hydrocephalus are all verywelcome.

Nic can be contacted at E: [email protected]

www.thisisme.org.uk 25

This is Me 11-18 Club

This is Me

Shine Youth Worker Nic Shaw

Shine's ‘This is Me’ Club members enjoyed getting to know

each other better at Cadbury’s World and at the Sea Life Centre

in December 2013.

Events information

26

Shine’s Lifelong Opportunities Programme 2014

Morning session 11am - 1pm is for parents

2:00 - 2:30pm Presentation by Bullen Healthcare (open to everyone) Afternoon session

2:30 - 4:30pm is for adultsSessions to be presented

by Gill Yaz, Health Development Manager, and a representative from Peristeen.

Bowel and Bladder Day - The Last TabooShine’

s Lifelong Opportunities Programme 2014Shine’

s Lifelong Opportunities Programme 2014


Shine’

s Lifelong Opportunities Programme 2014Shine’



Time 10:30am -

4:30pm

o book a place co TTo book a place contact Joanne T

: ailor T T: ontact Joanne T Tailor T 01959 534618

Light lunches can be obtained from

Cost £5 per person

01959 534618 / E: joanne.tailor@shinecharity

the cof

Closing date for applications 7th Mar


Cost £5 per person

joanne.tailor@shinecharity

fee bar at the theatr cof ffee bar at the theatre.

ch 2014Closing date for applications 7th Mar


ch 2014

g.uk .oryy.or

fee bar at the theatre.

Events information

27

Events Events

Great news! We have so many great events happening throughout the Shine community that we don’t have enough space to write about them all in Together.

To find out the date and time of your next support group or Shine

social function, please contact Shine Head Office on T: 01733 555988E: [email protected] or visit the events page of the website

shinecharity.org.uk/events

.

.

Putting you in control with Peristeen

If chronic constipation makes you feel like this

Then relief with Peristeen can make you feel like this

0800 307 7973 www.my-bowel.co.uk

12:17

News & Politics

Together issue 12