Clarky Blogs
A DISABILITY IS A ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Monday, April 7, 2025
New funding for Changing Places toilets in Scotland
It has been a while since I wrote about changing places toilets, but as the Scottish Government has announced the £10m funding for changing places toilets across Scotland, I thought I would write something about it.
For the
people who don’t know me well, my name is Jill and I have Cerebral Palsy,
therefore I use a wheelchair all the time and I require a hoist to get in and
out of my wheelchair. I have another name; this is The Toilet Woman as
I campaign for Changing Places toilets. Standard accessible toilets do not meet
the needs of all people with a disability. Over ¼ million people in the UK with
a disability need extra equipment and space to allow them to use the toilets
safely and comfortably. These needs are met by Changing Places toilets. So, a Changing
Places toilet has the all right equipment in it such as a hoist, a changing bed
and it is very big to move around for a wheelchair user and 2 carers.
On Thursday
the 20th of March I was at Glasgow Science Centre getting interviewed by BBC, STV
and Scottish Government’s media, as a £10m funding was announced by Scottish Government
for a lot more changing places toilets in Scotland. Just now, there are about
270 CP toilets in Scotland and this should increase by 50% thanks to this
funding. Maree Todd MSP, Minister for
Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport was there too on the day. I spent time talking to Maree about Changing Places
toilets and my campaign work, it was nice and she is lovely.
What are my
thoughts of the funding? As a changing
places user and a campaigner who experiences a lot of barriers due to lack of CPT,
I think this is fantastic news. Even
although there are a lot of more changing places toilets from when I started my
campaign, many areas don’t have a CPT, like small towns. Even though I live in
a big city, I would love to see Glasgow getting more of these toilets in coffee
shops, restaurants, hospitals, hotels and parks.
In 2025, I still
worry if I can get to the toilet when I am out and about, but with this funding,
I hope I don’t have to worry any more.
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Clarky dancing diaries 13/03/2025
Welcome to
another Clarky dancing diaries, I know it has been a while but life has been
busy!
For my other
Clarky dancing diaries check them out on my Website Clarky Blogs
Well, training
is going really well.
Our first training
was the last Wednesday in February. We never
danced at first training, we just talked through things and decided on our
music. I am not saying what it is but it
is mix of 3 songs. The people who know
me can guess 2 of songs but I am not saying any more just wait and see 😊
The 2 last Wednesdays
we have been starting to put our dance
together and it feels good to dance! I
am really loving dancing, even although I listen to music every day, I don’t dance
about but on a Wednesday night I do.
Leah and
Chloe have been great to work with. They
have come up a great routine and I have come up with some ideas too. Even although I am loving it, I am finding it
a bit hard remembering all of the moves but I will get there. Everything takes
time!
I am really
looking forwards to the event. Only 44days to go until Strictly All Ability!
Thanks for
reading and keep dancing
Here is a
link about Strictly All Ability, if you have any questions just ask. Buy
tickets – Strictly All Ability - 2025! – DoubleTree by Hilton, Cambridge St
Glasgow
Sunday, February 9, 2025
Clarky dancing diaries 08/02/2025
Happy Sunday everyone, I hope you had good a
weekend 😊
Welcome to another Clarky dancing diaries. If you missed my other Clarky dancing diaries
go to the Website Clarky Blogs
Well, the
launch happened yesterday and what a great day.
Yesterday morning I was a bit nervous to meet my partners but it turned
out to be nothing to be nervous about. While we were waiting for the launch to
get started, we were sitting about. I noticed two girls across the room and I
said to my carer I think these girls are my partners.
The launch
got started and there was a buzz in the room with the Strictly Come Dancing music
playing in the background. It was great to see all of the dancers meeting their
partners. When it was my turn to meet my
partners I was Right my partners are the two girls that I noticed. I was delighted to meet them. They are called Leah and Chloe and they are lovely
girls.
Once
everyone got to meet their partners, we had time to talk to them. This was nice to have a chat to them to get
to know each other and about our dance then we got interviewed (watch out on
The Advisory Group social media for the interviews)
Our training starts on the 26th of
February for 8 weeks. Can’t wait to
start and see what we come up with 😊
I am really
excited to get my dancing journey started
Have a nice
week everyone and keep dancing!
Here is a link
about Strictly All Ability, if you have any questions just ask.
Buy
tickets – Strictly All Ability - 2025! – DoubleTree by Hilton, Cambridge St
Glasgow
Monday, January 27, 2025
Clarky dancing diaries 27/01/2025
I hope
everyone had a nice weekend and got over the storm. Did everyone jump out of their skin when the alarm
went off on your phones about the weather warning? I did!
Thanks everyone who read my first Clarky dancing
diaries, if you haven’t seen it yet check it out here: Clarky
Blogs : Clarky dancing diaries 23/01/2025
As I said in
my first diary, it was supposed to be the launch for Strictly All Ability on
Saturday there (25th) but because of weather warning and a lot of
travel was still affected on Saturday they had to change it so the launch is next Saturday the 8th.
Even although I was disappointed that the launch
didn’t happen my Sunday was better as I went to the Strictly Come Dancing tour
which was a fantastic show.
I had the
best seats where I could see everything
and all of the dancers which was amazing!
When I was
watching the show, I was thinking, dancing looks so fun! You must get a buzz
from dancing. Can’t wait to do it myself.
I can’t remember who said it in the show and the Right words but it was
something like “It doesn’t matter how perfect
the dance is, it is all about how it makes you and everyone feels. I thought that’s right! I know my dance at Strictly All Ability won’t
be perfect but I know for a fact that it is going to be a lot of fun!
I am a T
shirt person; I like to buy a T shirt everywhere I go. So yesterday I needed to get this T shirt 😊 (see the picture below)
Well, I hope
the weather is OK next Saturday to let us have the launch 😊
Have a great
week everyone!
by Jill
Thursday, January 23, 2025
Clarky dancing diaries 23/01/2025
Welcome to Clarky
dancing diaries. Firstly, let me
introduce myself in case you are not familiar with me.
My name is
Jill Clark and I have a Disability called Cerebral Palsy which affects my
muscles, movements and my speech therefore I use a wheelchair all of the time
and communicate through a communication device.
At the moment
I am studying Journalism and I am a campaigner for changing places toilets. And
also, I am a Blogger (writing is my happy place) I have decided to start Clarky
dancing diaries to share my journey over the next few months as I am taking part
in a fantastic event called “Strictly All Ability” on the 26th of
April. This event is hosted by an organization
called The Advisory Group (TAG) that I am very involved in.
Strictly All Ability is an inclusive dance
competition, where 10 adults with disabilities take part in a “Strictly Come
Dancing style” event. There are participants coming from all across Scotland to
represent their region in the competition, they will be partnered with a
professional dancer and have 8 weeks of lessons,
TAG hosted
the first Strictly All Ability in April 2023 which I went to and it was great. It went through
my mind it would be good to do but never thought of it again.
Back in the summer,
I got an email to ask if I would like to take part in the next Strictly All
Ability. At first, I said yes let have a
chat about it then but I was thinking “Oh no! why I said yes to it, is it really for me” but
once I had a chat with TAG and found out more about it, it seemed great fun! I always think that life is too short so do a
lot of experiences either good or bad so I decided that I am doing it as I love
the TV show “Strictly Come Dancing” and I want to try something new.
This Saturday
is the launch of Strictly All Ability
where we meet our partners and we should know more about the training.
I am really
excited about Saturday to meet my partners and start my Strictly All Ability journey.
For more
info please follow the link below;
Clarky
Blogs : Glasgow does Strictly for disabled people
Written by
Jill
Thursday, November 7, 2024
Glasgow does Strictly for disabled people
Ten disabled people across from Scotland
travels to Glasgow to take apart in an inclusive dance event “Strictly All
Ability” next spring
Strictly All Ability 2025 sees dancers from
all over Scotland from Glasgow, Argyll and Bute, Stirling, Falkirk,
Renfrewshire, Easter Ross, South Ayrshire and Stranraer.
Strictly All Ability is an inclusive dance
competition, where 10 adults with disabilities take part in a “Strictly Come
Dancing style” event. There are participants coming from all across Scotland to
represent their region in the competition, they will be partnered with a
professional dancer and have 8 weeks of lessons,
Clair Murphy, the “Participation and
Inclusion co-ordinator” for TAG and the organiser of Strictly All Ability
explains: “Strictly All Ability is an inclusive dance competition, where 10
adults with disabilities take part in a “Strictly Come Dancing
style” event. There are participants coming from all across Scotland
to represent their region in the competition, they will be partnered with a
professional dancer and have 8 weeks of lessons.”
The charity “The Advisory Group” (TAG) is
having a fantastic, fund raising and inclusive dancing event held in at The
DoubleTree by Hilton, Cambridge St Glasgow on the 26th April 2025 from 6.30 to
midnight called “Strictly All Ability”
All of the money which fund raised will go to two great charities, which they are The Advisory Group and Giving hope.
The Advisory Group is an organisation
run by people with disabilities. It promotes social inclusion and the
creation of a Scotland where the gifts and talents of everyone are recognised
and every citizen is seen to have equal value in society.
Giving Hope charity support the mental health of children and
young people and their families. They also help vulnerable families with food
vouchers.
Both charities work in partnership to host the event and all profit made on the night is split between both charities to help them continue their work promoting inclusion.
back in 2023, TAG held the first Strictly All Ability which it was a huge
success, people who took part had
the opportunity to showcase their talents and be celebrated with all their friends and family cheering them on. Some of the audience felt so inspired by the dancers that they jumped at the chance to compete next year! Following the event, one of last year’s pro’s has started an accessible dance class in the south side of Glasgow where people get together to enjoy their love of dance every week!
Stephanieann Mcewan took part in Strictly All Ability 2024 and really
enjoyed dancing, she adds: “I really enjoyed it was a great experience”, I got
to meet lots of other people and it was exciting to be on stage in front of my
friends and family.
Clair adds; “The idea of Strictly All Ability comes after TAG were
running an accessible dance class in Paisley,” where TAG hired studio space
from Giving Hope charity. They organised Strictly style events to raise money
for their charity and asked if TAG would like to organise an event together.
That’s where it all began!
Tickets are £60 adults and £40 for children, this includes a three-course
meal, wine on the table, great entertainment and a disco. You can get tickets here: Buy tickets – Strictly All Ability -
2025! – DoubleTree by Hilton, Cambridge St Glasgow (tickettailor.com)
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