Saturday 26 November 2016

TheBlindJournalist: Black Friday

DO YOU HAVE FOMO? WELL YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY ONE, AND BLACK FRIDAY DOES NOT HELP. A SURVEY OF ONLINE SHOPPERS HAS SHOWN THAT NEARLY A QUARTER OF THOSE SURVEYED SAY THEIR “FEAR OF MISSING OUT” LEADS TO THEM LETTING THEIR GUARD DOWN WHEN SHOPPING ONLINE. SHOULD YOU BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS THAT COME WITH THIS AMERICAN TRADITION? OUR REPORTER MOHAMMED SALIM PATEL DONNED HIS MAN BAG TO FIND OUT MORE.


Monday 15 August 2016

TheBlindJournalist: Using A Smartphone Whilst Driving

Smartphones should have "drive-safe" modes similar to the flight-safe option as too many people can get "distracted or overwhelmed with information" at the wheel, according to the RAC Foundation.

Britain has 38.5 million drivers, and two-thirds of the population now owns a smartphone.  We went out in Blackburn to ask local drivers if they’d use a drive-safe option.



Tuesday 9 August 2016

TheBlindJournalist: Saying Goodbye Routine

New research from charity British Heart Foundation reveals that 3 in 5 people neglect to tell their partners they love them before they leave the house each day and with more than three quarters of all deaths being caused by heart and circulatory disease I asked local residents if they have a saying goodbye routine when they leave the house..

TheBlindJournalist: North South Divide In Public Transport

A report has been released  by the IPPR which says there is a North South divide when it comes to money being spent on public transport. These are opinions of residents in Blackburn about the public transport services here in Lancashire.

Monday 6 June 2016

TheBlindJournalist: Impact Of Fasting On Students

Radio package produced for BBC Radio Lancashire looking at the impact which fasting has on students, especially those preparing for or taking exams


Tuesday 24 May 2016

TheBlindJournalist: Penny Coin Future

Your glovebox, at the back of the sofa and in your grandmas house… These are all places you’re likely to find the forgotten about one penny coin.You’ve probably forgotten about it thanks to inflation because the 1p coin is now worth less than the 1/2p was when it was abolished in 1984.
Although there are no plans to phase out the penny, our reporter Mohammed Salim Patel  went out to explore if people think it should be.


 

TheBlindJournalist: Acoustic Rifle Shooting



Saturday 23 January 2016

TheBlindJournalist: A Dogged Campaign For A Doggy Cause


A Dogged Campaign For A Doggy Cause

TheBlindJournalist reports from Herefordshire.

Blind man seeks legal change to involve police in guide dog access issues.

Stephen Anderson BA, 25, a politics graduate from Harrow has launched a campaign, in the form of an online petition, to improve legal protection for guide dogs and other service dogs.

Pending the success of the campaign, Stephen hopes to give the police the powers to instantly sanction businesses, buildings and taxi companies/ddrivers whom do not provide access to guide dogs and their owners.

Although, the current legislative provision works in theory, the practice is very different. As seen by a recent report carried out by the Guide Dogs Organisation, which stated that three quarters of all guide dog owners have been denied access somewhere.

Mr. Anderson BA feels that the government should implement the example of countries like France and the Republic of Ireland.

Stephen was galvanised to take action after continuously coming across incidents of guide dogs being refused at point blank.

Stephen said:
"If you go onto Google or YouTube and search ‘guide dog refused’, the numbers are pretty constant and all follow a similar pattern – bouncers and/or business owners claim that they didn’t know guide dogs had to be allowed in. If the police were involved, nobody would dare try their luck."

Other countries like the Republic of Ireland and France have made this simple change and in both countries guide dog owners have seen a real difference.

People who experience discrimination can currently take those who refuse a service dog to county court under the Equality Act, often at their own expense, which can be a long  and stressful process.

Mr. Anderson wants the police to become involved when a guide dog owner is denied access to a public place or business, issuing on the spot fines which rise for repeat offences. 

"If I could have one hope for this campaign it is to shine a light on the constant discrimination that guide dog owners face on a daily basis. The status quo doesn’t work and the Equality Act doesn’t do what it says on the tin. It’s time to make a simple legislative change to give blind and partially sighted people more piece of mind when going outside, trying to live life like everyone else. Parliament has nothing to lose by making this change, but we have so much to gain from it." furthered Stephen.

The petition is published on HM Government’s petition website and can be signed here - https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/119134

Wednesday 13 January 2016

TheBlindJournalist: Letter To My MP

Dear Ms Hollern.

My name is Mohammed Salim Patel.  I am a 21-year-old, Blind journalist from Blackburn and have interviewed Mr Jack Straw in the past.

I am writing to you today because  Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are designed to make a contribution towards the extra costs caused by long term health conditions and disabilities. They are very important to blind and partially sighted people who face a wide range of additional daily living costs. These include, for example, payments to a reader, higher food bills due to difficulties cooking, higher heating costs, the cost of house cleaning and maintenance and the purchase of a wide range of aids and appliances. The help provided by DLA and PIP towards these additional costs makes a real difference to people's independence and quality of life.

Unfortunately this looks set to change. The proposals in the current DWP Consultation on PIP eligibility, if implemented, would mean a dramatic reduction in the amount of help provided or, in some cases, no help at all.

The DWP’s consultation is specifically seeking views on whether to make changes to the current policy on aids and appliances, in the context of the PIP daily living component. If any one of the five proposals go through it will put at risk the support blind and partially sighted people receive to tackle the additional costs faced as a result of their disability.

To make matters worse, the loss of PIP could impact on entitlement to other benefits, such as Carer’s Allowance or benefits that have premiums if you get PIP.

This cannot be right. I am writing to ask you to contact the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to ask him to re-examine the proposals in light of this significant impact on blind people. The consultation (Cm 9171) closes on 29 January.

I rely  heavily on these components of benefit and my independence and quality of life would be taken  Away  if legislation was to change. As you are my  MP  I urge you to please do something about this and contact Mr Smith. 

 Thanking you in advance

Kindest Regards:
TheBlindJournalist
Mohammed Salim Patel
theblindjournalist.blogspot.co.uk