My dance at Strictly All Ability 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.

Written by Jill 

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

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 26^th 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

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 (25^th) 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 8^th.

 

 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 

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 26^th 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

 

 

 

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)

 

  Written by Jill Clark