my bus journey

It took me til 2 to pysch myself up enough to go out. After checking the buses were actually coming I went to the bus stop and managed to make it into town. The bus doesn't exactly go where I want it to, so I have to catch another one 2 stops up the hill, but this bus is at the next stop so its fine.
After getting my 130 pounds refund (I think worth making the effort toget out !!!) I went home.
I had to weigh up the risks of staying in town another 20 minutes or getting a bus now and being over run with school kids. I looked at my phone and seen there were 2 buses running together and so managed to get the one behind. (so the school kids would be on the one in front.
Yes, at this point it is 250pm. Its a 20 minute journey to town, and another 5 once im in town. So by my reckoning i spent all of 20 minutes in town. And yes, I did catch the same bus out as in. After its left town it takes 20 minutes to get to the end of the route and flip around.

When Im on the bus I zone out. I can only sit on the single seats, and this particular bus was a bit of a nightmare as it only has one and its used by pushchairs and their mums, so I was just hoping I didn't get any conflict. I have done before.

so there i am, sitting with my phone and twitter in my own little world when I hear people startingto get more angry, and then i notice the bus has gone the wrong way. without warning. and the bus driver further panics by not stopping and explaining but just shrugging his shoulders and keeping on going.

no one knows where the bus is going, not even the bus driver it would seem. As is apparant from my twitter i had a meltdown. i was only 5 minutes from home at the point of diversion, my bus stop and my house are 2 minutes away. the problem of course with sheffield is the hills, and becuase the bus didnt go the right way it will now involve a longer walk.

but my brains not thinking about that, its not thinking in any sort of logic. Although this area is familar to me, its as though I have just landed on another planet. this is wrong, its not making sense. If the bus driver had said before that he was going on diversion it would have made me panic yes, but at least it wouldnt have completly freaked me out.

Another passenger is saying to me to get off at this stop, so I do, stil lnot quite sure where I am, even though as I say its familar to me. I sit at the bus stop a minute and just calm down enough to work out where i am and how to get home.

but yes, i can mobilze and plan a journey.. i guess thepeople who wrote those descriptors have never walked in my shoes, or even been on public transport. As much as i hate it, i can't drive because I collapse from stress, so I have no choice. its not to bad as i say, the bus stops outside my house and i can track the buses so i know when their coming...

#getwellsuen

I think most people know that Sue is now not well and in hospital. I reckcon she might need cheering up so I thought Id set up a blog as a giant internet get well card. and as a giant twitter get well card can we use #getwellsuen to tweet our good wishes to her. (did you see what I did there?)

I know for me personally Sue has done so much and this is just a little something i wanted to try organise to give a little bit back..

please join me?

writings...

 Im running for disabled students rep, and im filling in my nomination form. these are the questions and these are my answers. any thoughts or help?

 

WHAT EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS WILL I BRING TO THE ROLE: (This could be through your course, part time or voluntary work and/or involvement in the Union, e.g. clubs, societies, volunteering, student rep, etc)200 WORD LIMIT

I am currently studying education and disability studies. This course has quite simply been a revelation to me. It has transformed my thinking around disability. I want to share what I have learnt with other disabled students.

I have been in higher education and trying to get a degree for nearly ten years. I have experienced both good and bad practice and I understand and appreciate what a struggle it is to be a disabled student.

The reason I am doing my degree is because I want to be the change I wish to see in the world. This year I have gone on a protest against disability cuts and I am sitting on union council as a faculty rep. I am also setting up an online student community to help disabled students feel less isolated.

I love to listen and advocate for disabled students. I have been involved in peer mentoring disabled students.

IN THIS ROLE I WILL ACHIEVE FOR STUDENTS (This is explaining what positive change you plan to bring for students)200 WORD LIMIT

Disabed students rep

I want to activate and empower disabled students.

The way i intend to do this is:

-       Initiate a disabled students rep system for each faculty to ensure that students have a voice on campus with any disability related academic concerns.

-       Publicity and awareness campaigns to ensure that disabled students know who they are and what their rights to DSA, benefits, and disabled students support are.

-       Hold workshops for everyone in the above group so that disabled students can become informed and empowered

-       To have/ continue to build on the disabled students intranet forum so that we can communicate with each other.

-       To build communication links between disabled students and the disability team through a similar style as the student rep system of semester meetings.

-       To empower and activate Hallam to recognise that disability and disabled people don’t solely exist in a wheelchair and to educate them with some different perspectives on disability.

-       To have a disability awareness day/ disability history day.

I am solution focused. I don’t like to think of things as problems, but as something to find a solution for.

weakness and anger

If you had known me 7 or 8 years ago I doubt you'd want to be my friend. I had a lot of anger back then and I would lash out at anyone and anything. And then something changed.

When I was diagnosed, the specialist said to me that it wasn't anger, it was energy. And that I had the choice to use that energy in a negative way through anger, or in a positive way through action. I immediately changed, and became solution focused and action and positivity became my mantra. I am still depressed and I still am angry, but instead of seeing a problem, I see a solution.

These last few months since the hardest hit march in october has meant I have been able to channel my anger into something really positive and amazing. The spartacusreport has also meant that I had the opportunity to channel all my energies into helping others and being angry at the right people for the right reasons.

But, as i think is typical, I have one weakness.

I have, since that point also developed my creativity. Especially at the moment when I'm not well, and can't concentrate on things for more than 10 minutes this outlet is essential to get rid of some of that anger. It de stresses me to work in photoshop, and its the only thing I can sit and do for hours. I enjoy it, its as though I lock away that anger inside the image im creating.

which is where my weakness comes from. I love to add visual stuff to mainly written and text based things. and I hate to see my artwork misused or misunderstood. it is a part of me, and a very emotional part, so when that happens, it also releases that emotion and that anger inside.

I did some creative stuff for church and well, i no longer go there. They misunderstood and were not using my creative skills appropiately. I had the same problem with a group at uni. They copied my work and sold it on. All this stuff makes me very sensitive and i get very angry and upset when it happens.

I do things on trust. I never do things to make money, its not who I am, I make my artwork for other peoples enjoyment, and as a strong visual message to aid written messages. Its my expressive art.

which is why it angers me and upsets me to see it being abused in that way. I shouldn't have to watermark these designs. I watermark most of my work, but the stuff I do to spread a message or an idea visually, is something I want people to share. To enjoy and to use in helping them to explain the message.

It upsets me and embarrasses me when I get angry because I really hate that side of who I am, and it winds me up that I let people get to me like that. so I am sorry for my weakness and I hope i have explained it all well.

thanks

first they came for

My brains not thinking so well, so its not as good as I hoped it would be...

Pastor Martin Niemöller said this:

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak out because I was Protestant.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

I think we are listening

Over the last few months I have found this:

First they came for the people on housing benefit

But even though it doesn’t affect me, because my rents cheap I still spoke out for them

Then they came for people who have cancer

And we questioned how terminally do you have to be to get benefits?

Then they came for the disabled children

And we refused to give up on them

Then they came for the workers, the people who’ve paid in all their lives

And we stood shoulder to shoulder in solidarity

So, when they come for us

We have the support of all.

Spartacus week 2 Links

And so here it is.. week 2 and we are still getting publicity...

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/disability/personal-independence-payment/the-assessment-criteria/social-security-personal-independence/
pip consulation different options. I have also made a word version. tweet me @allbigideas if you need that.


radio n tv links
http://www.latentexistence.me.uk/welfare-reform-bill-todays-media-links/ 

thursday
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/19/what-next-sparticus-welfare-campaign?newsfeed=true Hundreds of people have asked me "So, what next for Spartacus?", the welfare campaign named after the report I co-authored with dozens of other disability ...

Friday

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16116
are continuing to protest strongly over the coalition's controversial Welfare Reform Bill, following the publication of the critical Spartacus Report. ...

http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/columnists/adam-and-hannah-off-air/rainbow_warrior_1_3429166  NEW report called Responsible Reform has been drawn up based on ... The document (which has been dubbed Spartacus*) sharply criticises the planned .

http://kerrymccarthy.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/scroungers-fight-back/ 
Sue Marsh and others have done an excellent job campaigning on disability issues, with their Spartacus report and efforts to persuade the Lords to amend the Welfare Reform Bill. They’ve used social media to do this very effectively.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16656818#TWEET65431  
Iain Duncan Smith has told the BBC a planned benefits cap is not "about punishing people", and has said people are "not suffering" under his reforms

Wednesday

http://news.sky.com/home/politics/article/16151452
Tanni GT's ammendment thrown out of HoL


http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4068678/1billion-a-year-benefits-waste.html 800m in over payments for benefits (bad article)


http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jan/17/welfare-reform-bill-amendment-blocked?newsfeed=true The government fought off a fresh challenge to its controversial welfare reform bill on Tuesday night, when peers rejected a proposal to delay the full introduction of slashed new disability payments after ministers offered concessions

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/matthew-norman/matthew-norman-cameron-is-the-david-brent-of-welfare-reform-6291013.html The only freedom the Government has in mind, in seeking to have this benefit reduced or removed by the decision of private firm employees under huge pressure to find reasons to do so, is the freedom from caring adequately for its most vulnerable.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gpsKwDvySVWj9N9JUwwP79AR8qHQ?docId=N1028251326788847266A
The coalition has avoided fresh embarrassment over its plans for a new disability allowance after making concessions.

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16099
By staff writers Conservatives leaned heavily on Liberal Democrat support in the Lords last night, avoiding another humiliating Welfare Reform Bill report stage defeat by only 16 votes. The rejection of a proposal to delay the full introduction of new

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=27267


http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/politics/article-24028559-backing-tories-on-welfare-will-see-disabled-sleep-in-open.do
A senior Liberal Democrat MP today attacked leaders of his party for backing welfare reforms which he says will see "the weak and disabled bed down at night under railway bridges". Andrew George hit out at the "dinner party tendency in our ranks" who ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16596799 
All of this was largely uncontentious in years of plenty, but austerity has brought with it demands that the welfare state be cut back. DLA costs billions and the Treasury is committed to finding an alternative that will see the rising bill reduced by ...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lords-rebellion-fails-to-block-reform-of-disability-benefits-6291148.html
Disability campaigners were dismayed yesterday as the Government narrowly won ... an attempted amendment to its reforms of the Disability Living Allowance.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/18/conservative-party-attacks-disabled-people?newsfeed=true 
Having been a member of the Conservative party since 1992 and a councillor from 2006, I decided to relinquish both of those positions in 2011. A big decision but one that I decided to make because of the government's endless attacks on disabled people ...


http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/01/the-governments-replacement-for-dla-is-not-fit-for-purpose/
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/01/the-governments-replacement-for-dla-is-not-fit-for-purpose/ 
Thursday 12 January's vote against the welfare reform bill was a key victory for disabled people, including those with Parkinson's. In powerful speeches, peer after peer objected to the arbitrary one year time limit that was proposed for means testing .



http://www.publicservice.co.uk/news_story.asp?id=18554

LA is in need of urgent reform so that it can give people the support they need. Under PIP a greater proportion of people will be eligible for the higher rate of help than is the case under DLA. "People understand that the welfare state needs to ...

http://www.hi-mag.com/health-insurance/product-area/income-protection/article389116.ece  The government's plans to reform Disability Living Allowance face a hurdle in the House of Lords today when a group of cross-benchers, including Paralympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, will demand changes to the


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16613900
 She said some people were "terrified" about the proposals, and claimed up to 500000 people could lose out. Iain Duncan Smith said the reform was intended to offer a "sustainable" allowance that would go to the right people, with some losers and some

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16099
ackers of the Spartacus Report, which exposed the deeply flawed official consultation on the Disability Living Allowance, vowed to keep on campaigning. Sue Marsh, co-author of the headlining 'Responsible Reform' report, commented: "Lord Freud had t

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16610020
pmqs as it happened.

http://www.thecommentator.com/article/816/why_britain_is_f_
.. single mother of three who arrived in the UK four years ago can now claim £2600 per month in Housing Benefit to go on top of the £25547.60 per year she already gets in tax credits, child benefits, disability living allowance and carer's allowance. ...

http://www.rethink.org/about_mental_illness/personal_stories_blogs_forum/blogs/jane_harris/dla_and_the_question.html
 What next for DLA?

http://www.papworth.org.uk/news-detail.php?aid=282
papworth trusts response to last night.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16613900

http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/01/the-governments-replacement-for-dla-is-not-fit-for-purpose/ Fit for purpose?

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16095 
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's World at One, ahead of the House of Lords Welfare Reform Bill (WRB) debate today, Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Maria Miller sought to sound reassuring and reasonable.

http://carerwatch.com/reform/?p=492 In the Aftermath our voices will not be silenced

http://www.mstrust.org.uk/news/article.jsp?id=5201 MS trusts response..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16611064 ain Duncan Smith has rejected suggestions that thousands of cancer patients could lose nearly £100 a week due to coalition welfare changes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16618955 UPDATE: The government, according to strong rumour, is about to make defeats a little less likely, by appointing 60 new peers - 40 Conservatives, 15 Liberal Democrats and five Labour. And no crossbenchers.


http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/701/13525/18-01-2012/welfare-reform-bill-lords-compromise-is-no-victory disabled activist On 11 January, the House of Lords rejected the Con-Dem coalition government's proposal in its misnamed welfare reform bill to limit the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) that is contribution-based for disabled and sick claimants to one year.


http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/11976/ Let’s have a proper debate about the welfare state


TUESDAY

this one im putting here becuase its an essential read for all spartcii
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jan/17/disability-spartacus-welfare-cuts-campaign-viral?CMP=twt_fd

All links relating to the amendment here:
http://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/9474781.Baroness_to_challenge_new_disability_benefit/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16588521

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16588953
(video)
http://fullfact.org/factcheck/disability_living_allowance_benefit_20_years-3240

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/221449.html

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/296215/Benefit-reform-fears-for-disabled


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gpsKwDvySVWj9N9JUwwP79AR8qHQ?docId=N1028251326788847266A

(600million 'overpayment' source)
http://fullfact.org/blog/DLA_benefit_claims_without_checks-3112
and another article about the claim
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/reality-check-with-polly-curtis/2012/jan/17/disibility-living-allowance-overpayment?CMP=twt_gu

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/neilobrien1/100130331/reforming-disability-living-allowance-is-the-right-thing-to-do/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/video/2012/jan/17/disability-living-allowance-video-diaries

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jan/17/society-daily-email?newsfeed=true

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16088

(comes with a health warning this one, its Lord Freud)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/17/welfare-reforms-sustainable-system?commentpage=1#end-of-comments


http://www.healthinsurance.co.uk/news/2012/jan/pressure-on-govt-increases-over-planned-benefit-changes.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/17/dla-reform-welfare-lords_n_1209847.html


http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16087

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/blog/2012/jan/17/disability-welfare#block-3


http://lartsocial.org/DLAreform


http://mark-mi-words.blogspot.com/2012/01/personal-story.html


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2087784/Welfare-Reform-Bill-Where-national-conscience.html


http://mark-mi-words.blogspot.com/2012/01/personal-story.html

http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/01/charities-call-for-welfare-reform-bill-pause/

http://sewtired.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/wrb/

http://audioboo.fm/boos/626921-welfare-reform-rushed-through

 live blog on disability reform http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16092

Real PIP losers revealed, just before Lords vote: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16093

Will the government take away money from disabled people on a hunch? http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/01/will-the-government-take-away-money-from-disabled-people-on-a-hunch/

http://boggenstrovia.blogspot.com/


http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16095


http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2012/01/stop-and-think-about-disability-benefit-cuts-say-charities/

http://www.channel4.com/news/campaigners-urge-pause-on-disability-benefits-reform

---------------------------
Saturday
Bendygirls radio interview transcribed
http://www.blogistan.co.uk/blog/articles/kaliya-franklin-interview

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2086770/The-Lords-decent-politicians-left.html#ixzz1jThlaocd

http://www.latentexistence.me.uk/ministers-getting-ahead-of-themselves/

http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.com/2012/01/not-scroungers-any-more.html

http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.com/2012/01/no-data-protection-for-sick-and.html


http://www.benefitscroungingscum.blogspot.com/2012/01/spartacusreport-inspires-sermon.html

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120110/text/120110w0008.htm#12011114000010

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Appeal-MPs-vote-cuts/story-14413648-detail/story.html

Warning, against us, please comment and get involved if you can
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/15/duck-reform-disabled-benefits-disability?CMP=twt_gu

why we need to defend DLA
http://jennymorrisnet.blogspot.com/2011/11/why-we-need-to-defend-disability-living.html 


Monday
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16080

In reference to:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2087165/Disability-benefit-TREBLES-20-years-3-5m-claiming-2015-warn-ministers.html?ito=feeds-newsxml and http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4063358/Disability-benefit-claims-treble.html#comment-rig

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/16/disability-reform-lords-defeat-amateur?newsfeed=true

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16079 

http://anitassessment.weebly.com/spartacus-action.html 

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/districtnews/districtatog/9473418.Disability_aid_cuts____unfair____to_the_sick/ 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16573348

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/blog/2012/jan/16/welfare-reform-bill-cuts-to-disability-benefits?newsfeed=true

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/davehillblog/2012/jan/16/london-housing-benefit-caps-disability

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/16/welfare-reform-pip-three-months-qualifying_n_1208417.html

http://notsobigsociety.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/from-clicktivism-to-activism/


http://www.papworth.org.uk/news-detail.php?aid=279

http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.com/2012/01/lord-freuds-letter-to-peers-re.html

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1509-dwp-tries-to-discredit-spartacus-report

http://www.prlog.org/11773513-spartacus-report-gains-public-support.html 

http://www.ukuncut.org.uk/blog/guest-post-last-chance-to-save-disability-living-allowance#.TxSDvXwRN-4.twitter


http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/16/welfare-reform-bill-lords-rebellion?CMP=twt_fd

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2012/01/16/young-cancer-patients-will-be-pushed-into-poverty-by-government-welfare-cuts-charity-warns-115875-23701297/

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16083

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jan/16/coalition-cuts-disability-benefits?newsfeed=true

weekend Tweeting

hiya

Low on spoons? want to keep tweeting?

Here be some help... il add more as i find them. please comment with any you have seen.

thanks

People on DLA should not be reassessed til we know that PIP is working - #spartacusreport


I bet you've read the #spartacusreport. You must have done, everyone has read the #spartacusreport. No? Well here it is http://bit.ly/xS4Txp

#spartacusreport Robin Hood stole from the rich to give to the poor, Robin Cameron is stealing from the poor to give to the rich.



#spartacusreport It costs 3829.11 per year to support a disabled person with DLA, why does it need cutting?

#spartacusreport All we ask for is 6 months. All we need is 6 months. Pause and listen to disabled people please.

#SpartacusReport support disabled rights to fair treatment and stop the gov's lies


Monthly LOW rate DLA £156, monthly food allowance for an MP £400. Who are the scroungers? #spartacusreport


How can DWP refuse to agree PIP criteria until after reforms. Can't have a complete consultation without criteria #spartacusrepor


Boris says DWP statistics give the overall fraud rate for DLA as being less than 0.5% http://tinyurl.com/7sdk8uq #spartacusreport


I’m as mad as hell & I’m not going to take this any more. http://tinyurl.com/78erjru I support #spartacusreport, will you?


Any reform that impacts the #hardesthit needs to be thought out, well considered, and properly consulted. #spartacusreport


STOP right there! Before you go any further read THIS > http://tinyurl.com/78erjru #spartacusreport #WRB #DLA


100's of ppl came together to fund, write & research the #spartacusreport How d`ya like them big society apples Cameron?


I support the #spartacusreport because disabled ppl shouldn't pay the price for financial failures - nor can we afford to

The #SpartacusReport shows that changes to DLA have not been properly scrutinised – we need a six month delay to these reforms

We get cuts, while mp's want extra expenses and second home allowances. All in it together?....no not really obviously #spartacusreport


Even if you're not interested in disability or welfare, surely you can stil see the injustice in this http://bit.ly/zKQiqo #spartacusreport


its not about right and left its about right and wrong. all #spartacusreport wants is whats right.


People that don't think the #wrb or #spartacusreport are relevant to you,what'll you do if you go off sick?

Once you have read the #spartacusreport please sign @patspetition http://bit.ly/vUDMfN to stop and review the welfare reform bill.