There are many ways in which you can make improvements to your home in order to cater for someone suffering from a disability.
Here are some tips on how to go about these new renovations.
1. Apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant from your local council. This will help towards the cost of adapting your home to enable you to continue to live there. For example, products and designs such as the stairlift mean you can get up and downstairs with ease.
2. Remember to apply for planning permission or building regulations approval. This will need to be done seperately from the Disabled Facilities Grant application. Even if you are going to do some DIY, make sure the local council knows.
3. Appeals: If you are unhappy with the amount you have been awarded, or if you have been refused, you can make an appeal against the decision by contacting your local council for the Local Government Ombudsman.
Good Luck!
Money makes the world go round. I fear these days that statement is probably more true than ever. We're in the middle of a recession, every bodies out of work or scared losing their jobs. Times are tough and money seems to be at the centre of the whole problem. The deregulation of the banking system seems to have been the start of it, catalysed by irresponsible lending and massive public debt that took the country hostage. We should have seen it all coming really.
When news headlines display fury at bank profits and bonus' when the rest of the country is coppering up to buy food, we shake our heads in disgust. But what is the answer?
Is there anything we, as individuals can do to better our financial situations? Should we use this as an opportunity to cease control of our own finances and do our best to make ends meet? Should we seek financial advice ourselves? Do we march to Rowan Dartington and demand they offer free public advice to individuals facing financial crisis? Perhaps not. But amongst all this doom and gloom it would be nice if there was a shard of light at the end of the economic tunnel, or at least someone who can give us some of the answers to the questions we have.
Image by Toban Black.
Aladdin trousers or Harem trousers are all the rage of the moment.
From plain black ones, to bright colours or floral designs they are a real big hit. What is great about them is they look good in the daytime or evening with some heels and the are perfect for the summer. If you are sick of wearing dresses or skirts they are a great alternative. Nice and cool!
But don’t be fooled – some of the trousers that are around look VERY chavy so do not be tempted to walk around with you Ugg boots tucked into them. That is a big NO, NO!
A Perfect Harem look:
Picture: asos.com
Photography is quite an important part of my life, I've done it for myself since getting my A-Level a number of years back now.
I've had a fair few good and bad experiences, so here is my top tip list to help any other budding shutterbugs:
1. Keep your lenses clean. Use a lens cloth and trusted lens cleaners. Use a blower on the back of the lens and always keep it covered when not mounted on the camera.
2. Always carry spare camera batteries. There's nothing worse than having great photographic opportunities and running out of charge - trust me!
3. Take your time. Think about the shot, the set-up, the background - there shouldn't be any rush.
4. Edit well, make selections, think about your images, and make well-judged adjustments in your editing software.
5. Enjoy yourself! If it feels like a chore to take your photos, edit and share them, you're probably not doing this for the right reasons!
Photo: NatalieTracy (Flickr)
I'm sick of being stuck in front of a computer all day studying, so I've taken a couple of days off to help my mum redo the back garden for summer.
So far we've been weeding and planting and tidying. It's really nice to get some air in my lungs, and spend some time thinking of something natural and not computer-related!
Next we have to find some decent garden solar lights, but it's hard to choose when so many of the non-solar ones are prettier!
I never thought I'd get much joy from gardening, but it's quite therapeutic I think, and I get to spend some quality time with mum!
I also never thought I'd go to a garden centre, or not mind being all grubby and covered in compost, maybe I'm turning into housewife material without even realising!
Photo: Marionzetta (Flickr)