The impressive programme of free seminars headlining enABLE 08, to be held in the Jaguar Exhibition Hall at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, on 28&29 November, has attracted some notable names as it bids to help people with disabilities seeking an active and independent life. The wide-ranging seminar topics will meet the information needs of visitors and include Education and Family Life, Work and Careers, Financial, Home, Travel and Health and Fitness.
In the Education and Family Life seminar, Phil Conway will talk about Inclusion and will reflect family experiences and latest thinking about disabled young people growing into adulthood. Phil leads a new social enterprise established last year called Cool2Care, aimed at supporting families with disabled children, which won top prize at the Global Social Venture Competition in Europe organised by London Business School.
Phil campaigns regularly on behalf of disabled children in the media and via public speaking engagements. In 2007 the Cabinet Office appointed Phil as a ‘Social Enterprise Mentor’, to encourage and advise social entrepreneurs, and contribute to the development of social enterprise across the UK.
In the Inclusion section visitors will be able to hear real stories from parents and students of the transition from school years into further education and learn how Inclusion is a key word when it comes to the rights of young people. There will be information about new support structures that can give families and disabled young people short breaks, and enable them to realise their full potential. This session represents both sides of the spectrum as it will present speakers who are carers and those that have been cared for.
The Education and Family Life seminar will also feature Catering business owner and Westminster University graduate Adrian Carter, otherwise known as the voice of Ozzy the Owl in the Creature Discomforts Leonard Cheshire Disability adverts.
The vision of Employment Opportunities is a society where the full potential of people with disabilities is recognised in every workplace. Supporting Leonard Cheshire Disability’s Work and Careers Seminar, Employment Opportunities Chief Executive Karin Pappenheim’s Top Tips for Inclusion at Work presentation will help people with varying degrees of disability to build a career or return to work.
With 20 years experience in charity management specialising in health and social care issues, Karin’s former senior management roles include the UK Family Planning Association, Alcohol Concern and the Great London Association for Disabled People. Karin is also a former trustee of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.
In the Financial seminar, the Department of Work and Pensions will be represented by Samar Syed who will take visitors through a quiz asking, How much do you know about disability? A short film about DirectGov in action together with a presentation explaining government disability and carers information will answer the many questions people with disabilities may have about claiming disability benefits.
Other notable attendees include adventure traveller Judy Woolfenden MBE who will host a Travel seminar, just one of the topics being chaired by Able Magazine. Judy, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, undertakes massive personal challenges including endurance marathons worldwide to raise money for various charities while promoting a positive awareness of disability. Jayant Mistry, one of Britain’s best Paralympic tennis players and ambassador for the 2012 London Olympic Games, will also join enABLE 08 to present the What Sport Did For Me seminar.
To register for free tickets to enABLE 08 and for the latest show news log onto www.enableshow.co.uk
Notes to Editors
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 information contact:
Emma Spearing
Tel: 01202 862 410 Mobile: 07736 341 828 E-mail: enABLEpr@hazelpr.com
Cathy Metcalfe
Tel: 01327 352 199 Mobile: 07802 332 398 E-mail: enABLEpr@hazelpr.com