PA Pool is supporting Colleges Week 2012 , which this year is all about employability and work-readiness. As part of this year’s campaign, the Colleges Week team is issuing a call for employers and employees to sign-up to volunteer for the free ‘Inspiring the Future’ service. Inspiring the Future was launched in July 2012 by [...]

In August 2012, following the success of the London Olympic Games, Beth Davis-Hofbauer from Fareham in Hampshire, created an online petition in response to ticketing issues for wheelchair users; "I am a wheelchair user, with a four-year-old autistic son and a nineteen-month-old baby. Naturally we wanted to sit together and, particularly as it's the Paralympics, [...]

The future of the Independent Living Fund (ILF) is in serious doubt after the Government announced its desire to wind up the fund from 2015 and transfer its financial resources to Local Authorities. The news, which came as the Government launched a three month consultation on the Fund, has generated much debate among ILF users [...]

The Olympic Torch Relay is fast approaching its final journey but two of our PA Pool members were lucky enough to be given the opportunity, via nomination, to carry the flame through their communities. You can find out more via the London 2012 website here. On Wednesday 18 July, Bazza West carried the Olympic flame [...]

To stop and review the cuts to benefits and services which are falling disproportionately on disabled people, their carers and families, sign this online petition and circulate to your colleagues, friends and family: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20968. Closing Date 1 November 2012.

A lovely article written about Katy Etherington for the Hertfordshire Life magazine, following her recent win of the AoC Gold Award. Hertfordshire Life

Katy Etherington, Freelance Graphic Designer and founder of PA Pool was celebrating today after being awarded a prestigious Association of Colleges (AoC) Gold Award by Lord Willis of Knaresborough at the House of Commons. The awards ceremony is held each year to recognise further education alumni as well as acknowledge the vital role that colleges [...]

You’ll know from our latest newsletter that Katy has recently been awarded an AoC Gold Award following nomination by the National Star College.  The AoC Gold Awards are given every year in recognition to former students of Further Education Colleges who, since leaving College, have gone on to excel in their chosen career. The Awards [...]

If you’re a Twitter user, you’ll have noticed recently that #DLA has been ‘trending’ in response to the Government’s proposed reforms. Just search for #DLA and follow the conversations. You can also vote in The Telegraph’s Poll herehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9263453/500000-to-lose-disability-benefit.html or why not let us know what you think via our Facebook group page?  Just search for [...]

Following nomination by the National Star College earlier this year, we are delighted to announce that Katy has won an AoC Gold Award. Other winners this year include Trevor Bayliss, the famous inventor, the CEO of Sainsbury’s and Sir Kevin Smith, now retired but previously Chief Exec of GKN. The Awards Ceremony will take place [...]

This was the online headline from Metro 17 April 2012.  Rachel Tarley went on to write “Tonight's third and final episode of The Undateables followed 27-year-old Sam, who had Down's Syndrome, 24-year-old Haydn, who suffers from a facial disfigurement and 20-year-old Kali, who has Williams Syndrome. There were fewer moments of mirth than in previous [...]

Fish Insurance are the leading disability insurance specialists and have been providing specialist insurance products for the past 35 years. Did you know that your PA - particularly those who are self-employed or deemed self-employed – may not be adequately covered against key risks, such as public liability and medical negligence claims, which can be [...]

Our good friend and PA Pool Member – Martyn Sibley - and his partner Srin Madipalli, have made the Press with a review of them and their online magazine ‘Disability Horizons’. The website aims to counterbalance negative attitudes to disabled people. Read the full article in the Guardian here:www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/mar/13/disabled-peoples-magazine-niche-positivity. To visit the Disability Horizons website, [...]

Earlier in the year we were approached by the Independent Living Fund with information about a charity one of their users had set up. We always like to help and inform where we can, so the details are as follows: The purpose of F.R.I.E.N.D.S Charity (Financial Resource for Independence Educational Needs of Disabled Students) is [...]

We are a group of young people planning a fashion show to raise funds for a well deserving charity (Jennifer Trust for Spinal Muscular Atrophy) whilst putting across the message that people can be disabled AND sexy. We’re all very different people who live in different parts of the UK, but one thing we have [...]

Derbyshire County Council are holding an event on Monday 6th September to share thoughts and ideas on improving support for people who recruit their own staff using Direct Payments, PHBs or Individual Budgets. If you live in Derbyshire and are interested in attending or know someone else who may be interested in attending an event [...]