Mark Harper MP, Shadow Minister for Disabled People, has backed the UK’s only national
consumer show for people with disabilities who seek an active and independent life.
The very first enABLE show will be completely free to attend and meet the information
needs of visitors, whether looking for financial guidance or seeking assistive aids
to improve mobility, at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on 28&29 November.
Commenting on the forthcoming enABLE show, Mark Harper said: “The opportunity to
live independently and be properly included in society is so important to disabled
people. The enABLE show will help provide them with this opportunity and demonstrate
what is available to disabled people to help them live independent lives.”
The Government’s recently announced welfare reforms aim to help one million people
claiming incapacity benefit back into work, making it potentially more difficult
for sick and disabled people to claim benefits. This will be a burning topic of
conversation at enABLE 08 where the show organiser, Centaur Exhibitions, has commissioned
what is believed to be one of the UK’s largest pieces of research into the needs
and aspirations of the disabled community, conducted by YouGov.
There are currently ten million people in the UK registered as disabled but only
2.6 million actually claim incapacity benefits. This has led to around £6bn worth
of unclaimed disability benefits each year. The enABLE YouGov survey of 2,047 people
with a disability has shown that 30% have had at least one application for financial
benefit refused with a staggering 90% of these individuals feeling that a fair assessment
of their situation was not made by the Government with their application.
The results of the survey will underpin an engaging programme of free seminars at
enABLE 08 which are hosted in conjunction with the UK’s leading disability charity,
Leonard Cheshire Disability, and promise to cover a wealth of topical issues. Education
and Family Life, Work and Careers, Financial, Home, Travel, and Health and Fitness
will all be covered with presentations from inspiring individuals that will help
to guide and motivate visitors.
Supporting Leonard Cheshire Disability’s Work and Careers Seminar, Employment Opportunities
Chief Executive Karin Pappenheim will be on hand to help visitors with her Top Tips
for Inclusion at Work to help people with varying degrees of disability to build
a career or return to employment.
Catering business owner and 2008 university graduate Adrian Carter, otherwise known
as the voice of Ozzy the Owl in the Creature Discomforts Disability adverts, will
host an Education Seminar while adventure traveller Judy Woolfenden MBE will also
attend. Judy has Spinal Muscular Atrophy and every year undertakes massive personal
challenges, such as dog sledding across Norway, to fundraise and raise positive
awareness of disability. Jayant Mistry, one of Britain's best Paralympic tennis
players and ambassador for the 2012 London Olympic Games, will also be hosting a
Health and Fitness seminar.
The enABLE show promises to attract a diverse range of over 100 exhibiting companies,
from corporate businesses to trade associations and charities, offering assistive
aids, leisure activities, financial and professional services, training, recruitment
and education.
The event will be held in the Jaguar Exhibition Hall at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry,
which offers the most disabled-accessible exhibition halls in the country, plenty
of parking spaces and excellent travel links by car and train. That, together with
the estimated core audience of 1.2 million living within a two-hour drive time of
Coventry, makes it the most convenient venue for this first time exhibition.
To register for free tickets and for the latest show news and seminar programme,
log onto www.enableshow.co.uk or call
0870 4866 813.
Notes to Editors
About Mark Harper - Mark Harper was elected MP for the Forest of Dean in
Gloucestershire in 2005. In December 2005 he was appointed Shadow Minister for Defence
and was given special responsibility for the Forces’ Families Manifesto. In July
2007, following David Cameron’s reshuffle of his frontbench team, he was appointed
Shadow Minister for Disabled People as part of the Shadow Work and Pensions team.
Before his election Mark worked for Intel Corporation in a variety of roles including
finance, business operations and marketing before establishing his own chartered
accountancy practice in the Forest of Dean.
About enABLE 08 - To be held in the Jaguar Exhibition Hall at the Ricoh Arena,
Coventry on 28-29 November 2008, the very first enABLE show will be free to attend
and will meet the information needs of visitors while offering an engaging seminar
programme. The Ricoh Arena, which offers the most disabled-accessible exhibition
halls in the UK and thousands of parking spaces, also boasts excellent travel links
by car and train. Around 120 exhibitors will be at the show covering a wide range
of areas from aids to holidays, from fitness equipment to health and beauty and
training and recruitment to education. Visit the official website at
www.enableshow.co.uk for further details.
For further information contact: Emma Spearing Tel: 01202 862 410 Mobile: 07736
341 828 E-mail: enABLEpr@hazelpr.com