Access All: Disability News and Mental Health

Language about sexuality has exploded and, as a result, the LGBT sign language community has found themselves needing new signs to describe the ideas British people are talking about. We talk to Dr Patrick Rosenburg who helped come up with new signs for things like cisgender, trans man, polyamorous and throuple. How did they do it and what does it look like? Spain has its first parliamentarian with Down's syndrome. We talk to Scott Watkin, a former learning disability co-tsar for the UK government, to talk more about learning disabled people playing an active role in politics and how it works. Plus Nina Tame, star of YouTube and social media, joins us to talk about the "micro aggressions" she experiences as a wheelchair user and how her kids sneakily run upstairs when she plays hide and seek with them. Presented by Emma Tracey, featuring Aidy Smith from The Three Drinkers podcast. Recorded and mixed by Dave O'Neill, produced by Niamh Hughes, Beth Rose, Emma Tracey and Alex Collins. Editor is Damon Rose, senior editor Sam Bonham. Email accessall@bbc.co.uk and follow on @bbcaccessall on X, formerly Twitter.

Impulse spending, losing glasses and misinterpreting conditions on credit cards can mean a great deal of unnecessary expense for people with ADHD. Within the community some refer to it as the "ADHD Tax". Rach Idowu from the Adulting with ADHD newsletter and Prof Amanda Kirby from the University of South Wales who is also chair of the ADHD Foundation Charity, join us. Convicted murderer and Paralympian Oscar Pistorius has left prison on parole. The BBC's South Africa correspondent Daniel De Simone speaks to Access All from Pretoria about how the focus of the news locally is on violence against women and girls. Is There Anybody Out There? Ella Glendining went looking for someone who has the same rare impairment as she does, and made a film about it. Find out what discoveries she made along the way. Presented by Emma Tracey and Nikki Fox. Recorded and mixed by Dave O'Neill. The producers were: Beth Rose, Alex Collins and Niamh Hughes. The editor is Damon Rose, Senior Editor Sam Bonham. Email accessall@bbc.co.uk or find us on X.

Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey present some of our favourite interviews from 2023. From celebs through to people with amazing stories that we've helped bring to the public's attention. At 41, Melanie, a disabled Australian woman, had never had sex so she hired a sex--worker or "sexpert" called Chase who helped her to understand her body and give her the confidence she needed to form new relationships. After we featured it, her story went round the world. When comedian Rosie Jones joined us earlier in the year, she was in the middle of filming a documentary for Channel 4 about the trolling of disabled people - a programme whose title went on to cause plenty of headlines. And polific writer Jack Thorne, a man who has lifelong connections with disability, had just come out as autistic. He spoke to us ahead of his then latest drama, Best Interests, about a 13-year-old girl called Marnie on a life support machine. Her parents wanted to keep her alive and were battling the hospital and the courts. Mixed by Dave O'Neill and produced by Emma Tracey, Beth Rose, Keiligh Baker and Alix Pickles. Editor is Damon Rose, senior editor Sam Bonham. Share this podcast with people you know will appreciate it. If you don't , they may never know it exists. Follow us @BBCAccessAll on X, or mail accessall@bbc.co.uk

Mims Davies is the new disability minister but she's in a lower ranked role than her predecessor with other duties to attend to. We speak to James Taylor, Scope's Director of Strategy, plus Caroline Nokes, MP, and Vicky Foxcroft, Labour’s shadow minister for disabled people, about what many interpret as a de-prioritising of disability issues. Radio 3's Dr Hannah French, a former flautist, joins us to talk about how her relationship with music changed after she became disabled. She's on air across the festive period including Christmas morning to help set the day up with carols and classics. And, Nikki and Emma on sleep and adorning your house with accessible festive goodies. Presented by Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey. Recorded and Mixed by mixman Dave O'Neill. Produced by Damon Rose, Beth Rose, Emma Tracey and Alex Colins,. The editor is Damon Rose, senior editor Sam Bonham. Follow us on the X platform where we are @BBCAccessAll - or email accessall@bbc.co.uk

From fresh-water wells flooded by salty sea water, to avoiding inaccessible emergency shelters, we hear from Ari in Samoa and Melvina in the Solomon Islands about the impact climate change is having on their very exposed corner of the world. It comes as COP28, the UN summit which convenes annually to try and solve the climate crisis - draws to a close in Dubai. This year’s event was meant to be the most inclusive ever – but was it really? The European Disability Forum’s Gordon Ratray, who attended, gives us his lowdown along with Jodie Santos from The Disability Justice Project who is based in Massachusetts, USA. With Christmas party season under way, presenters Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey give their best tips for accessible fashion, with help from a couple of YouTubers. And world-renowned poet Raymond Antrobus joins the duo to talk about poetry, getting his work on the GCSE syllabus and his children’s book Can Bears Ski? About his deaf experience it has been turned into a theatre show that he can’t wait to take his son to see. Recorded and mixed by Dave O’Neill. Produced by: Beth Rose, Emma Tracey, Damon Rose, Alex Collins and Betty Douglas. The editor is Damon Rose, senior editor Sam Bonham. “Alexa, ask the BBC for Access All” plays the latest edition of the programme. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @BBCAccessAll and on email we’re accessall@bbc.co.uk.

Access All collaborates with BBC Radio 3 on an item about the Clarion, a musical instrument which can be played by anyone by anything - from fingers to Eyegaze technology. Our guests are Barry Farrimond-Chuong, the CEO of Open Up Music, who helped design the software instrument, and Alessandro Vazzana a player of the Clarion in the National Open Youth Orchestra who is enabled to chat with us by his mum, Anne.Do you find it hard getting a wheelchair through the traditional means? Nick Goldup from the Wheelchair Alliance talks about its latest report which uncovered a postcode lottery when it comes to wheelchair services. We meet 19-year-old Lachlan from Devon who has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and needs a wheelchair most of the time, but he's been waiting nearly a year for a chair that fits him properly.And at 24, Ellie Middleton was diagnosed as being autistic and having ADHD. Her book Unmasked talks about why women and girls often get diagnosed late in life, and how she felt vindicated that she wasn't a bad person - something she had come to believe.Presenters: Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey. Recorded and mixed by MC Dave O'Neill. And Produced by Beth Rose, Alex Collins, Hayley Clarke and Emma Tracey. The Editor is Damon Rose, Senior Editor Sam Bonham."Alexa, ask the BBC for Access All" plays the latest edition of the programme. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @BBCAccessAll and on old-fashioned email we're access.all@bbc.co.uk

We head to Cologne, Germany, where we catch-up with the man they dubbed the parastronaut - former Paralympian and surgeon John McFall. He was recruited by the European Space Agency one year ago to work out how space travel might be different for disabled people. He tells us about his findings so far and we ask about recent headlines which claim his prosthetic leg would poison those aboard a space station. Gogglebox's Simon Minty, and former host of Ouch, joins us and chats about growing up with his non-disabled sister and fellow Goggleboxer Jane and how in recent years he has been competing at the World Dwarf Games…and winning medals! Plus Nikki Fox, host and BBC Disability Correspondent, is given 60 seconds to round-up the latest benefits situation introduced in the chancellor's Autumn Statement. Presenters: Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey. Recorded and mixed by DJ Dave O'Neill. Produced by Alex Collins, Emma Tracey and Damon Rose. Edited by Beth Rose, senior editor is Sam Bonham. Find us on BBC Sounds every week and subscribe there, or wherever you get your podcasts. Holler "Alexa, ask the BBC for Access All". Contact us by email: accessall@bbc.co.uk and follow us on X, formerly twitter, on @bbcaccessall.

Actor Ruth Madeley plays wheelchair-using Shirley Anne Bingham in the first of three Doctor Who anniversary specials, with the first one kicking off on Saturday 25 November. Joining her is super-fan Tom Harries, known as Tharries on his YouTube channel. The surprises are being kept tightly under wraps so take a listen to see if you think Ruth has given away any clues to die-hard followers of the blue police box. Shadow disability minister Vicky Foxcroft joins us to talk about her vision for improving the lives of disabled people. From education to cost of living, mental health act reforms and more, see how her plans differ from those currently out there and overseen by Tom Pursglove, her opposite in government who we spoke to a few weeks ago. Plus, with the new series of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here having just hit our screens, which reality show would Nikki be able to do? Our two presenters kick this about with some surprising revelations. Presented by Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey. Recorded and mixed by DJ Dave O'Neill. Produced by Beth Rose, Alex Collins, Betty Douglas and Emma Tracey. The editor is Damon Rose, the senior editor Sam Bonham. The podcast drops late every Monday evening, subscribe on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Also, say "Alexa, ask the BBC for Access All" and you'll hear our very latest episode. We are @bbcaccessall on the X platform - follow us like a baby bear cub follows its mom. Doctor Who is 60 this week, and the first of three anniversary episodes go out on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 25 November.

Harry Potter stuntman, David Holmes, opens up about his life-changing accident when he dislocated his spinal cord on the set of The Deathly Hallows Part 1, leading to paralysis. He also talks about his firm friendship with Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe. There’s a lot going on at the heart of government – and that’s not including the government shuffle. The BBC has uncovered potential benefit changes for people who are unable to work due to health conditions. Social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan, who got the scoop, fills us in. And Mental Health Act reforms failed to be included in the King’s Speech at the Opening of Parliament which sets out the government’s priorities. What does that mean for the 40-year-old Act widely thought to need an update? Olly Parker from the charity Young Minds breaks it down for us. Presented by Emma Tracey and Nikki Fox. Recorded and mixed by Dave O’Neill. Producers are Beth Rose, Emma Tracey and Alex Collins. The editor is Damon Rose. Senior editor, Sam Bonham. Follow us on X - @bbcaccessall or email accessall@bbc.co.uk. You can hear the latest edition on Alex by telling Alexa “Ask the BBC for Access All”. A transcript of this programme is available too – best found by googling it.

This week we look at the challenges and financial risks of using the Equality Act when it comes to transport services. Anna Lawson, professor of law at University of Leeds, and Tim McSharry who volunteers with Access Use-Ability Group give us their insights. We talk to 17-year-old Ava Jolliffe, an artist and clothes designer who has found her way onto this year's Disability Power 100 list. She is deafblind with other complex needs and uses bright colours and designs that work for everyone. Kirkmoore is a new short comedy film about a residential six form college for disabled young people for BBC Three. Writer Andrew Bogle joins us, as does actor Keron Day who also appears in the latest season of Sex Education on Netflix. Presented by Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey. Mixed by Dave O'Neill. Producers are: Bethan Ashmead, Alix Pickles, Emma Tracey and Beth Rose. The editor is Damon Rose, Senior Editor: Sam Bonham. Follow and contact Nikki on @bbcaccessall on the X platform. And don't forget you can hear the latest edition by telling Alexa "Ask the BBC for Access All". A transcript of this programme is available on the BBC site, best found by googling it.