Personal Submission to House of Lord’s Select Committee on Equality and Disability

1.        Executive Summary, Recommendations and Questions for the Select Committee I welcome this opportunity to provide comments to the House of Lords Select Committee into the Equality Act 2010 and disability. This submission is focusing on transport and related issues. These are personal comments. Details of my background and experience are here. https://clivedurdle.wordpress.com/about/ Clive Durdle…

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Food Banks or food coops and celebration?

Many years ago I was involved in food coops, and recently went to Kos.  I was impressed by the many small Greek Orthodox chapels, all with kitchens and dining areas, and looking up the numbers of Saint's days, understood why!Nearby islands are blue zones, with the highest life expectancy on the planet. Why are we handing…

Tool Libraries

I have a cellar full of tools and man stuff.  But why?  As we have libraries and car sharing and car clubs why not share many many more things like tools, gardening expertise, design skills?Why do individuals drag around van loads of stuff when they could be picked up using a cargo bike from a…

Dancing Bicycles?

I am doing a brilliant Coursera course Introduction to Global Health   https://class.coursera.org/globalhealthintro-001/wiki/view?page=syllabus and this is my attempt at an essay!  Thinking about this since writing this, would someone help me invent a form of transport where dancing makes it move - using arms, legs, hips, elbows, knees... A strategy for the prevention of the…

Health for all, health and well being and older person’s strategies

Following a bit repetitive of other posts but never mind! Health and wellbeing, extra care etc! I have recently completed a short on line course presented by John Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health about “Health for All”. I really enjoyed this course as it filled a critical gap in my understanding and also…

Ageing – separately or in communities?

http://www.archfoundation.org/2013/02/time-to-think-differently/?goback=.gde_2472444_member_212085087 Thought provoking! Since the 1960s, there has been a steady increase in the development of environments built specifically for older people including retirement housing, continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), memory care centers, and assisted living facilities.  This occurred because economic development made long life more common. But while this demographic shift was occurring, enormous…

Inclusive Design

Inclusive design should be seen as a continuous process - from the initial concept, the design brief or master plan, through to the detailed design; the planning and building control approval processes; onto construction and the operation, management and maintenance of the completed facility. Each of these stages should be an inclusive process in themselves,…

Microcars and Mobility Scooters

Some synergies are definitely needed! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01n61sc Many of them had three wheels and engines more suited to powering lawnmowers. They looked like they'd escaped from a funfair ride and had names like the Allard Clipper, the Opperman Stirling, the Bond Mark A and the Frisky Family Three. In Cheaper Than Walking Andy Kershaw rediscovers a…

New prosthesis links give touch and feel

http://www.gizmag.com/nerve-prostheses-interface-scaffolds/21646/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=a47992052e-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email Interface scaffolds" could wire prosthetics directly into amputees' nervous systems By David Szondy 16:31 March 4, 2012 Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories have announced a breakthrough in prosthetics that may one day allow artificial limbs to be controlled by their wearers as naturally as organic ones, as well as providing sensations of touch and feeling.…

I have been mentioned in a parliamentary report!

Last year I submitted the following to the JCHR.  It has now been published!   Written Evidence submitted by Clive Durdle (IL 6) I understand a clear right to independent living cannot be achieved currently because the main responses are institutionalised. We are continuing to use and build "total institutions" and have policy proposals like…