News and issues on the disabled 29 Oct 2024
Azmi Anuar
Contents
1. Khmer Times - MoSVY holds song contest for disabled singers
2. WBTW USA - World Blindness Awareness Month highlights what life looks like for the visually impaired
3. The Standard Hong Kong - Promoting inclusivity: Disney's 10K Weekend brings people with disabilities together for annual mega event
4. Belfast Live UK - 'I can enjoy the match' - Blind NI football fan hails new audio service
5. News ERR Estonia - Tallinn mapping public transport stop accessibility
6. Daily Monitor Uganda - How family of blind lost home to land wrangles
7. BBC News UK - Disabled players say football is their 'life'
8. Missoula Current USA - Trailhead updates will emphasize accessible outdoor recreation
9. NL Times Netherlands - Visually-impaired man assaulted by young boys in Rotterdam tram; Witnesses sought
10. Somerset Live UK - Bridgwater MP backs campaign to stop businesses from turning away guide dogs
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1. Khmer Times - MoSVY holds song contest for disabled singers28 Oct 2024
The Ministry of Social Affairs Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) will organise a song contest for people with disabilities to celebrate the 26th anniversary of Cambodia Day of Persons with Disabilities and the 42nd International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which will take place on November 26-27.
According to the Announcement on the selection of candidates for the song contest for people with disabilities award, Chea Somethy, Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation, and Chea Phalkun, Somethy’s spouse, stated the ministry will mark the 42nd International Day of Persons with Disabilities and the 26th anniversary of the Cambodia Day of Persons with Disabilities by holding a song competition for individuals with impairments.
As for the selection criteria, all candidates must be disabled, 15 years old or older, have Khmer nationality, and be able to interpret contemporary songs.
Candidates must apply for the competition to the ministry at the Department of Welfare for the Disabled before November 1.
Spokesman of the ministry, Touch Channy, said yesterday that this programme aims to encourage people with disabilities.
“If they have the ability; they should enter the contest and try and win an award, which will help them to get employment as a singer,” he said.
“Some people with disabilities have the ability to sing very well. Some people with disabilities cannot see but they have a lot of talent, and the ministry pushes and encourages them to display their talent.”
Channy noted that this is the first time that the Ministry has organised this competition.
“I want people with disabilities to show their ability to the public. We always have the view that ‘Do not see their disability but see their ability,’” he added.
He said that some people with disabilities have the ability to sing beautifully like professional singers.
At the same time, he urged all people with disabilities to work hard to increase their capacity.
“Let all disabled people increase their capacity by striving to learn a skill and gain employment to better their life.”
A disabled person from Kampong Cham province Meas Sros said
yesterday that the event is very important for the disabled
“For me as a person with a disability, I think it is very important to reduce
discrimination so people with disabilities can have jobs and have more
opportunities,” she said.
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2. WBTW USA - World Blindness Awareness Month highlights what life looks like for the visually impaired28 Oct 2024
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.— October is celebrated as World Blindness Awareness Month to help people understand what day-to-day life looks like for the visually impaired.
At least 1 billion people globally have a distance vision impairment, which means far away or close objects may appear blurry, according to the World Health Organization. This could cause headaches, eye strain or tiredness.
Melissa Allman is visually impaired and works for The Seeing Eye, a company that enhances the independence and self-confidence of those who are visually impaired. Allman, who has been with her guide dog, Luna, for almost eight years, said there are some misconceptions about people who are blind.
“I think one of the things that people sometimes think is that if you’re blind, you are not living a normal life,” Allman said. “You’re in this world that is dark and not able to do things and get around and have a life, and that is absolutely not the case.”
Valerie Feiling, the principal at the South Carolina School for the Blind, said the school ensures that students who are blind or have a vision impairment are gaining tools such as teamwork, leadership skills and independence to help them succeed once they are on their own.
It’s assumed that many blind people can’t do much for themselves, but Feiling said that is not always the case.
“You’re not seeing the full picture, you’re only getting a snapshot of someone,” Feiling said. “It’s different when you can walk along someone in life and see where their motivation comes from, their imagination.”
Allman explained the importance of knowing how to interact with someone who is visually impaired and is with their guide dog.
“If you want to speak to the handler, the blind person who is working with the dog, feel free to do that just like you would anybody else,” Allman said. “Say good morning. Never, ever, interfere with the dog. It is very important not to speak to the dog, not to make deliberate eye contact with the dog and obviously not to pet the dog because they are working and they have an important job to do.”
Allman and Feiling said it is important to not judge a book by its cover when it comes to a visually impaired person and their guide dog.
“What people think they see, many times, is a lot different than what is really happening because they’re not actually in the relationship,” Allman said. “It’s truly, truly a partnership.”
Feiling said that World Blindness Awareness Month is important because it helps people to say, “Let me just take a snapshot into somebody’s life, let me see what it’s like.”
For more information about The Seeing Eye click here. To learn more about the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind click here.
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3. The Standard Hong Kong - Promoting inclusivity: Disney's 10K Weekend brings people with disabilities together for annual mega event28 Oct 2024
The highly anticipated ‘Hong Kong Disneyland 10K Weekend 2024’ is set to take place this Saturday and Sunday, November 2 and 3, attracting nearly 20,000 runners and Disney fans from Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, and beyond, marking a record number of overseas and total participants.
This year, participants will have the unique opportunity to run through the world’s first and largest ‘Frozen’-themed area at Hong Kong Disneyland’s ‘World of Frozen.’ The event continues to champion inclusivity for all abilities, inviting approximately 80 participants with disabilities—including visual, hearing, and physical impairments—through organizations such as the Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth, the Hong Kong Joint Council for People with Disabilities, and Ebenezer School. This marks the highest number of participants with disabilities in the event to date.
Among these participants is Victor Hui, a visually impaired runner who will be guided by his teacher, Leo Wong. Victor is a 17-year-old Form Four student from Ebenezer School. This will be his first time participating in the ‘Marvel Superhero 10K’ alongside Leo.
Victor lost his sight at a young age but developed a passion for running, inspired by his father, who is an avid runner. He began training with his dad when he was seven, which ignited his love for the sport.
“I love running because it teaches me the importance of endurance and perseverance. I’ve learned to set achievable and progressive goals, allowing me to see my improvement bit by bit as I raise my standards,” Victor shares.
Excited for this weekend’s 10K race, Victor expresses his enthusiasm for being part of this annual event. “I’ve visited Hong Kong Disneyland before just for fun, but this time I’m looking forward to doing my favorite sport in a place I love, enjoying the park’s music and the cheers from my Disney friends while I run!” he says.
Victor aims to complete the race in 60 to 70 minutes, taking
time along the way to capture memorable photos with various Disney characters.
Guiding Victor through different terrains is Leo, the school’s career planning
teacher. He notes that they chose to participate in the ‘10K Weekend’ because
the course is predominantly flat with many long, straight stretches, making it
more manageable for visually impaired runners.
“Many of our students love Disney. At this event, they can meet different Disney characters and receive encouragement from Disney friends and cast members, creating a joyful atmosphere. This helps students immerse themselves fully, gaining satisfaction and confidence. I believe this will bolster their spirits for future long-distance competitions,” says Leo.
Route scouting and preparation
To prepare thoroughly, Victor and Leo visited the park to familiarize themselves with the new section of the race, ‘World of Frozen.’ Leo explained, “I need to stay aware of the road conditions, such as turns and slopes, and pinpoint any areas to avoid accidents. As for Victor, he can feel the environment around him, particularly since different parts of the route include various music and scents that will assist him in orienting himself.”
In addition to the site visit, Victor and Leo also practiced regularly at a sports ground, engaging in collaborative training that included communication strategies and a guide rope to navigate turns.
Unleashing creativity for the new ‘Disney-Style Runway Awards’
This year, Hong Kong Disneyland has introduced the all-new ‘Disney-Style Runway Awards,’ encouraging participants to dress creatively for this special occasion. Victor expressed his fondness for Mickey Mouse’s lively and optimistic personality. On race day, Leo and he plan to dress in outfits themed around Mickey Mouse and Marvel, joining other participants in the festive atmosphere.
With just days to go until the highly anticipated ‘10K Weekend,’ Hong Kong Disneyland has made extensive preparations to welcome the enthusiastic crowd. On race day, water stations will be set up along the route to keep participants hydrated. Runners should also pay attention to weather and traffic conditions on race day and remember to warm up before challenging themselves to complete the race, and most importantly, enjoy themselves at the Happiest Place on Earth.
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4. Belfast Live UK - 'I can enjoy the match' - Blind NI football fan hails new audio service28 Oct 2024
A lifelong Derry City fan who was blinded by a rubber bullet fired by a British soldier during the Troubles has hailed a new audio description system at the Candystripes' stadium that allows him to "enjoy the match like everyone else".
Richard Moore, who founded the international development charity Children in Crossfire in 1996 and inspired people around the world with his forgiveness and compassion after meeting the soldier who shot him in 2006, recalled switching radio channels in days gone by "hoping to find coverage" of the latest from the Brandywell.
He spoke of his frustration dealing with unreliable radio broadcasts that were sometimes "30 seconds behind the action", saying: "While everyone else is cheering, the ball is still mid-air for me!"
But he also recalled the "game changer" moment when he sat next to his old English teacher who was commentating on a match for online video, because he could finally know what was happening while enjoying the atmosphere in the stadium.
The new programme has been designed to allow the supporters to listen to descriptive commentary that will be transmitted to a radio receiver through a headset from anywhere within the stadium. The commentary is provided by local radio station Drive 105.
Writing on social media website X, formerly Twitter, Mr Moore said: "I've attended the last few home matches at the Brandywell, using the new audio description system. I’m delighted to see this initiative and well done to Derry City and Strabane District Council, the Royal National Institute of Blind People Northern Ireland, Derry City FC and of course Drive 105 who are providing the commentary.
"I remember back in the early days when Derry City came back into the league; like everyone else, I couldn’t get enough football and was eager to go to the Brandywell. Unfortunately, back then, not every match—whether home or away—had a commentary.
"I can recall switching between RTE and BBC Radio Foyle, hoping to find coverage; sometimes you’d get just 10 minutes of the match before they’d move on to other sports, which used to drive me round the bend!"
He continued: "Thanks to Felix Healy and Jim McLaughlin, when they realised my enthusiasm for Derry City, they arranged for me to be sitting at the side of the pitch, next to my old English teacher, John Dunn, who was doing commentary for online video at the time.
"This was a game changer for me; being at the side of the pitch, among the crowd, knowing what was happening while enjoying the atmosphere was the perfect setup.
"Nowadays, Derry City matches are well-covered on the radio, and you can listen online—but the issue is that by the time the commentary reaches you, it can be up to 30 seconds behind the action.
"So, while everyone else is cheering, the ball is still mid-air for me!"
He added: "That’s why the new system at the Brandywell is so important. The commentary is in real time; you know exactly where the ball is as it happens.
"I’m delighted that visually impaired fans can now attend the Brandywell with friends, sit wherever they like, and enjoy the match like everyone else. COME ON THE CITY!"
The equipment to provide the audio description service has been installed by stadium owners Derry City and Strabane District Council following a report on accessibility improvements at the stadium being approved by Elected Members of Council’s Health and Community Committee in May.
Campaigns Officer for RNIB Northern Ireland, Michéal Smith said: "RNIB Northern Ireland is delighted to be involved in this initiative.
"Blind and partially sighted fans should be able to enjoy watching a live football match in an accessible environment which welcomes both participants and those who visit sporting facilities to follow the action.
"Too often, access to and within grounds and stadia, the facilities on offer, the accessible communication and the return travel, can be difficult to negotiate or completely absent. In many cases this deters sports fans with sight loss from getting involved.
"Football is for everyone and we commend The Brandywell for introducing Audio Description technology to the stadium. Many thanks to stadium announcer Martin Bradley for all his assistance.
"We thank local RNIB volunteer Rory McCartney and Richard Moore from Derry’s Drive 105 community radio station for their brilliant work together to make this happen. We also thank Derry and Strabane District Council – particularly Councillor Emma McGinley, Councillor Aisling Hutton and Leisure Area Manager Steve Setterfield, for helping bring this project to fruition. This is a great example of the Council’s ongoing partnership with RNIB to help Derry/Londonderry become a ‘Visually Aware City.’"
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5. News ERR Estonia - Tallinn mapping public transport stop accessibility28 Oct 2024
Starting Monday (October 28), volunteers will assist in mapping and photographing over a thousand public transport stops in Tallinn for the city's accessibility information system.
Based on the photos, the project will assess accessibility elements, such as tactile features for the visually impaired or high curbs that wheelchair users need to be aware of.
The project uses the Crowdsorsa mobile game app, which has been employed in Helsinki to map crosswalks and traffic lights.
The Tallinn Accessibility Information System, created in 2020 and available at lips.tallinn.ee, is designed for people with special needs to help them better plan their daily transport.
Although the system already includes information on public transport stops, the data needs updating.
Jako Stein, senior specialist at Tallinn's Welfare and Healthcare Department, said individuals simply need to download the free Crowdsorsa mobile app, create a user account, and select the Tallinn public transport stop survey.
"Be sure to carefully read the instructions before starting, then begin photographing and uploading pictures of the stops," added Stein.
Participants in Crowdsorsa can earn a reward of €1 per stop photographed, provided the stop hasn't already been photographed by someone else.
Crowdsorsa CEO Toni Paju added that all submitted photos are reviewed to ensure they meet requirements.
"The map application shows which stops have already been photographed and where unphotographed stops remain," he noted, adding that the goal is to gather images for all 1,088 public transport stops in Tallinn.
Deputy Mayor Karl Sander Kase said improving accessibility is one of Tallinn's priorities. "Volunteer contributions are vital in helping us reach our goal of a more accessible city for all," he said.
The mapping of Tallinn's public transport stops began today at 9:00 am. Submitted photos will be used to assess accessibility and will be uploaded to the lips.tallinn.ee platform.
The mapping project is organized by the Tallinn Welfare and Healthcare Department in collaboration with selected contractors, Riesa Consultative Oy and Finnora Oy (Crowdsorsa), who have previously used similar methods in Helsinki to map crosswalks and sound-equipped traffic lights.
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6. Daily Monitor Uganda - How family of blind lost home to land wrangles28 Oct 2024
Donning a black skirt and a floral short-sleeved blouse, Ms Florence Ajok, 56, sits on a papyrus mat under an orange fruit tree. Next to her is her three-year-old son who is visually impaired.
Alerted by the sound of a motorcycle approaching the compound, Ms Ajok, who is also visually impaired, slowly stands up to welcome the guests.
With a gentle voice, while offering part of her mat, she inquires about the guests.
A man in his 50s comes out of a nearby grass-thatched hut to join the guests and introduces himself as Mr Bosco Ocitti, Ms Ajok’s husband.
The couple have been married for 14 years and have six children, three of whom are visually impaired.
Since July 3, a grass-thatched hut offered by a neighbour, Ms Harriet Ayot, has sheltered the couple and their six children after a tragic incident left them homeless. Ms Ajok alleges that her brother-in-law, Mr Simon Obowya, set fire to their huts and destroyed their property, a claim Mr Obowya denies.
She says on June 20 at about 2pm, Mr Obwoya, her husband’s brother, arrived at their home visibly angry and carrying a spear.
“When he arrived at our home, he began destroying a solar panel in the compound, which charges the battery. He then asked for the whereabouts of his brother who at the time had taken one of our visually impaired daughters to school,” Ms Ajok says.
She adds:“Obwoya has always attacked me over my condition and the fact that three of our six children are blind, a condition he alleges resulted because of acts of witchcraft. He says I am a witch and that it is because of my witchcraft that three of my children are also blind.”
Ms Ajok alleges that Mr Obwoya took a matchbox from his pocket and threatened to set everything in their home on fire.
She says he then gathered 12 goats, 40 chickens, 22 chicks, a sheep and five mattresses among other household items of the family, locked them in one of the huts and set it ablaze. He also allegedly burnt two other huts in the family’s compound.
Ms Ajok adds that she rushed into one of the burning huts to rescue her three-year-old blind son, who was asleep inside, and, together with her other children, fled into the bush.
“As I was running, he threw the spear at me but I fell and the spear flew over my head and fell right in front of me. Our home is surrounded by bushes and it took him a while to find the spear, which gave me a chance to flee,” she says.
Ms Ajok adds that she sought refuge at the home of another brother of her husband, Mr Odong Atere, who advised her to report the matter to the LC1 chairperson immediately.
“The LC1 issued me a letter and I went and reported the matter at Unyama Police Post the same afternoon. Considering my condition, Mr Odong accompanied me to the police station where a case of arson was filed against Obwoya,” she says.
However, Mr Obwoya denies any involvement in the incident, claiming that the arson was related to a family land conflict.
“I am being framed in the matter but previous community and clan meetings had resolved that the family leaves the place over their unbecoming acts relating to sorcery,” Mr Obwoya says.
While Mr Obwoya was consequently arrested, charged and remanded to Gulu Central Prison, Ms Ajok, and her family, have yet to return to their home.
“We haven’t yet had a moment to reconcile, or hold a family or clan meeting to resolve this problem before we can return,” Ms Ajok says.
The family’s troubles began five years ago when they decided to move back to Mr Ocitti’s home village, Coopil in Unyama Sub-county, Gulu District. He was raised by his maternal grandparents in Paboo Town Council, Amuru District, where he met and married Ajok.
“I first returned home without my wife and children and there were no issues and my brothers and I lived happily,” Mr Ocitti says.
He attributes the problem to a land conflict, noting that he not only returned with his family but also brought one of his brothers. He denies the allegation that his wife and children’s blindness is connected to her misdeeds.
“My brother is only using this as an excuse to chase me and my family away from home because our presence would cause a fragmentation of the family’s estate that we are beneficiaries of,” he says.
Mr Ocitti, 59, the eldest of six brothers, says the incident has left his family homeless and destitute.
“We have been staying here at Ms Ayot’s home from the day the incident happened. My brother has threatened to kill me, my wife and children in case we go back home and I am very afraid,” he says.
“I ask the government to help me. I need to be together with my children and take care of them. That is my humble appeal to the government. My home is not safe anymore. Moreover, I no longer even have a roof over my head,” he adds.
Mr Ocitti explains that three of his children attend Coopil Primary School in Unyama Sub-county, two are out of school because he cannot afford their fees, and one has a mental illness.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Ocitti's extended family were futile by press time.
ISSUE
Leaders in Coopil Village say they are aware of the family’s issues and that several attempts to help resolve them have not yielded fruit. “We have full knowledge of what has been happening to Mr Ocitti and his family, and his brothers have been accusing him of being the source of all the problems the family has been experiencing,” Mr Michael Ocora, the LC1 chairperson of Coopil Village, says.
He adds that he once mediated a case in which Mr Obwoya battered his wife, who was six months pregnant at the time resulting in her getting a miscarriage which he blamed on Ms Ajok’s alleged acts of witchcraft. “Obwoya had fought his pregnant wife after a quarrel, and two days later she miscarried the pregnancy and went back to her village,” he says, adding, “This caused much anger and that is when he decided to go and wanted to kill his brother and wife but luckily enough by the time Mr Obwoya arrived, his brother was not home.”
“We have been struggling to make sure that we provide this family with some necessities. We went to the school where the children study and asked the head teacher to first allow these children to study and he accepted and also promised to assist,” he states.
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7. BBC News UK - Disabled players say football is their 'life'28 Oct 2024
The number of people with disabilities getting involved in football has risen significantly, Somerset's Football Association says.
Its pan-disability league is thriving and now boasts 14 adult teams, five under-16 teams and four under-12 teams.
Disability football is open to almost everyone who may face barriers to mainstream versions of the sport, and all abilities are welcome at teams across the county.
Aaron Richards, goalkeeper for Weston Ability Football Club, told the BBC the sport was his "life", adding: "I'm thrilled to be part of the team."
Nick Hawkins, the disability football development officer for Somerset Football Association, described the format as his "absolute joy and passion".
"It gives them an opportunity they didn't think was there," he said.
"They love football but they don't know how to access it, and now these teams across the county are giving them the opportunity to be able to play.
"It's vitally important in terms of their mental health and their social interactions as well, that they wouldn't necessarily have."
He added that the league strives to be "as inclusive as we possibly can", with the sport open to any disability with the exception of wheelchair users and people who are completely blind.
The league is split into three skill levels so each team is playing others of a similar ability, and different adjustments are made to assist players - for example, using a bright pink ball that is easier to see for visually impaired team members.
Emma, who plays in defence for Keynsham Mencap, said: "I like playing with my friends."
Connor, who plays for Wellington Disability Football Team, added: "I get to meet new people and take away different skills.
"My highlight is being part of a team that's very friendly and always helps each other."
Meanwhile Jason Fox, manager and head coach of the Wellington Disability Football Team, described his role as "probably one of the most rewarding things I've ever done".
"You can start off with someone who comes in who doesn't know how to play football and has never played football before and within a year to two years they're passing the ball and getting involved," he said.
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8. Missoula Current USA - Trailhead updates will emphasize accessible outdoor recreation28 Oct 2024
Sherene Ricci has loved biking since she was a kid. But for the last two decades, she’s had a different experience on the trails— after an amputation of her right leg at age 24, a three-wheeled handcycle is her primary means of transportation.
Although her bike has rugged tires, the tiniest obstacles, like too-close posts designed to keep ATVs out, have kept her from accessing some of Missoula’s popular recreational trails.
Often, she says, the obstacle to overcome is in the parking lot. Beyond that “you have miles and miles of beautiful open space you can enjoy," she said.
Missoula’s Duncan Drive Trailhead will soon address this issue with updates planned for 2025 and financed by a grant from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The improvements will include a new 1-mile trail, wider gates and interpretive signs designed with accessibility in mind.
Jeff Gicklhorn, Missoula’s conservation lands program manager, said that while parking concerns at the trailhead are also a major driver for improvements, expanded access is one of the project’s main goals. And a few seemingly small upgrades can go a long way.
“The trail needs to be a little bit wider, the turn radius needs to be a little bit larger,” said Gicklhorn, who presented the grant agreement to the city's Climate, Conservation and Parks Committee on August 1. “It's not that different from our normal trail-building process.”
The updates will link the trail to a wider network and add a 15-car parking lot off Duncan Drive. Signs will inform users about the Indigenous history of the Rattlesnake and the storied past of the site’s former intake dam. Together, these additions will complete the Rattlesnake Reservoir Recreation Management Plan, initiated in 2019, that included the dam’s removal.
Gicklhorn said that while the packed gravel trail won’t meet official ADA standards, accessibility can mean many different things. He aims to expand the trail’s use to as many people as possible— from hand cycle riders to the visually impaired.
This emphasis on access is one of the main reasons the trail proposal won the $100,000 grant, said Stephanie Clemen, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Recreational Trails Program director.
Accessibility issues appear in nearly every conversation, she said. And she has witnessed a shift in the term’s definition in recent years.
“For a while when we talked about accessibility, we mainly talked about … wide, flat trails,” she said. But now there's also a discussion about how [we can] provide better interpretive opportunities to … folks who [have] different types of impairments.”
The Recreational Trails Program is federally funded, allocating grants to trail-building and rehabilitation projects all over Montana. It’s a highly-competitive process and Clemen expects to see hundreds of applications when it opens again in November.
Molly Kimmel, the director of MonTECH, an assistive technology lending library at the University of Montana’s Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, was excited to hear about the planned Duncan Drive improvements.
Kimmel said MonTECH houses over 3000 pieces of assistive technology that Montanans can borrow at no cost, ranging from iPads to one-handed fishing poles to the hand cycles used by adaptive mountain bike athletes.
One in four Montanans self-identifies as having a disability, Kimmel said, making them the largest minority group in the state and one that deserves to have access to the natural world.
“People in Montana care about outdoor recreation,” she said. “And I do think people are listening and inviting us places.”
Although there’s still work to be done, Ricci has also seen a slow cultural shift as public awareness about disability has grown and assistive technology has evolved, rapidly outpacing the original ADA guidelines. Making a trail accessible, she said, doesn’t take anything away from anyone else’s experience.
"People with wheelchairs aren't trying to pave the world,” she said.
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9. NL Times Netherlands - Visually-impaired man assaulted by young boys in Rotterdam tram; Witnesses sought28 Oct 2024
A group of boys assaulted a visually impaired man on a Rotterdam tram on Thursday, October 17. The police are looking for witnesses who can help them find the perpetrators.
The incident happened between 3:00 and 3:30 p.m. on tram line 25, somewhere between the Wilhelminaplein and Sandelingplein stops. The tram was quite crowded and the victim couldn’t find a seat, so he remained standing.
During the tram ride, he heard a group of boys nearby talking about him and saying hurtful things about his appearance, the police said. When the young perpetrators left the tram, they walked close past the victim and one of them suddenly punched the man in the chest with his fist.
The perpetrators got off the tram, leaving the victim stunned and in shock.
As the victim is visually impaired, he couldn’t tell the police how many boys were in the group and what they looked like. The police are, therefore, looking for other passengers on the tram who witnessed the assault.
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10. Somerset Live UK - Bridgwater MP backs campaign to stop businesses from turning away guide dogs28 Oct 2024
Sir Ashley Fox, Member of Parliament for Bridgwater joined Guide Dog’s exhibition stand at Conservative party conference to learn more about the devastating impact of guide dog owners being illegally turned away from businesses and services.
The charity’s latest survey found that a shocking 88% of guide dog owners have been refused entry or asked to leave a business or other venue because they were with their guide dog.
Thousands of people with sight loss rely on guide dogs to live independently. Yet people are being stopped from going about their daily lives, being turned away from cafés, restaurants, shops and even when going to medical appointments.
Minicab and taxis continue to be one of the most common sources of rejections; 58% said that a minicab or taxi driver or company had refused to take them with their guide dog.
The charity is calling for all taxi and minicab staff to take part in training as part of the licensing process so they understand the role of guide and other assistance dogs, and the legal rights of their owners.
At the conference, Sir Ashley Fox spoke to guide dog owner Paul about his experience of access refusals.
Sir Ashley Fox MP, who is supporting Guide Dogs’ Open Doors campaign, said: “I was surprised and saddened to learn that blind people are being refused service by businesses simply because they are accompanied by their guide dog. We need to change attitudes by both training and enforcement measures. This campaign has my full support”
Eleanor Briggs, head of policy, public affairs and campaigns at Guide Dogs said: “Guide dogs are not a pet, they’re essential for many people to travel and live independently. But too many guide dog owners continue to face frustrating and often upsetting discrimination when trying to get out and about.
“We’re calling for better enforcement and education to prevent access refusals from happening in the first place. The high level of refusals in minicabs and taxis demonstrates the clear need for all minicab and taxi drivers to have high-quality disability equality training to prevent these refusals from happening in the first place.”
For further information contact Guide Dogs at public...@guidedogs.org.uk
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This Google Group news service has been made possible by courtesy of the Society of the Blind in Malaysia