Access All: Disability News and Mental Health

The festive season can be a tough time for many people, from financial worries and loneliness to the pressures of making everything perfect. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey are joined by broadcaster Seaneen Molloy, who works in the mental health sector and lives with bipolar disorder and anxiety. She gives tips on how best to protect your mental health over the festive period and what you can do to help yourself the moment you’ve finished listening to this podcast.And investigative journalist, Marjorie Wallace, who founded mental health charity SANE, talks about The Silent Twins, a new Hollywood film based on a book she wrote about June and Jennifer Gibbons - two sisters from Wales who spoke to no one but each other. Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording/mixing: Dave O'Neill Series Editor: Beth Rose Senior News Editor: Damon Rose

The families of seven teenagers with complex needs have just one week to find a new school after they were asked to leave Purbeck View School in Dorset following an “inadequate” rating by Ofsted.Mum, Sarah London, whose son Harrison, is one of those being forced to leave, shares her fears he will end up in an emergency placement on the other side of the country at Christmas.After 20 years of listening to her dulcet tones, Emma Tracey gets to meet her favourite TV audio describer - Georgina Rose, - who has worked on everything from kids TV shows to Naked Attraction. Georgina explains the art of describing television programmes and reveals her fantasy of one day describing a particular scene in Indiana Jones.And James Leadbitter, aka The Vacuum Cleaner, and two young people talk about their experiences of being inpatients at adolescent mental health units and making art there during the pandemic.Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording/mixing: Dave O'Neill Series Editor: Beth Rose News Editor: Damon Rose

He might be the third Minister of State for Disabled People in as many months, but MP Tom Pursglove has plans to stick around. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey take Access All on the road to the Global Disability Innovation Hub in East London to put the Conservative MP through his paces and ask about his plans as the long-awaited new Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work. And the world’s first disabled astronaut, John McFall, chats to the duo about weightlessness, cramming for his surgeon exams and how his kids reacted when the European Space Agency announced him as the world’s first “parastronaut”. Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording/mixing: Dave O'Neill Series Editor: Beth Rose Assistant Editor: Sam Bonham

It’s been one small step for man, one giant leap for disabled people this week as the European Space Agency announced the world’s first disabled astronaut. Paralympian John McFall was revealed as the first ever parastronaut at a glitzy ceremony in Paris. The BBC’s Jonathan Amos was there and gave Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey the lowdown on the event and John’s new career. Did you know England won the world cup? Nikki and Emma celebrate the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup winners after they defeated France, and attempt ‘The Finlay’ celebratory dance, made famous by footballer Jack Grealish. Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording/mixing: Dave O'Neill Series Editor: Beth Rose Senior News Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall

Benefits are set to go up with inflation, according to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement, but what's in it for you if you're disabled? Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey get the crucial lowdown from Fazilet Hadid from Disability Rights UK. If you are disabled and thinking of taking a break to New York, her recent experiences might just come in handy. And Martin Hibbert, a survivor of the Manchester Arena bombing, describes his recovery, how so-called disaster trolls have been questioning that the event ever happened at all, and how this has affected him. Producers: Beth Rose, Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording/mixing: Dave O'Neill Editors: Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall

The Access All team were shocked when Ellie Simmonds left this year’s season of Strictly Come Dancing – the first person with dwarfism to compete on the show. But the dancing competition’s loss is this episode’s gain, as Ellie chats all things representation, ballroom, skydiving and her plans for the future. Why do we only ever hear about disabled dating, and never about long-term relationships? Presenters Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey talk about their experiences, plus provide some tips and advice. Billionaire Elon Musk might have bought Twitter, but he also reportedly sacked half of its staff including the entire accessibility team. So what does this mean for disabled people? BBC Click’s Paul Carter and accessibility consultant Leonie Watson help us make sense of a wild week in social media. Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Series editor: Beth Rose Senior News Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall

Dyscalculia is thought to affect 6% of the population but many people have never heard of it. The learning disability affects a person’s ability to understand numbers and is considered to be part of the same family as dyslexia. Eighteen-year-old Rose, a BBC Young Reporter, explains how dyscalculia affects her on a day-to-day basis from being unable to use the oven to how playing three Taylor Swift songs helps her mark 10 minutes . And Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri, pulls Nikki and Emma aside for a chat to give the lowdown on being the first deaf contestant on the reality TV show, dealing with trolls and what life with her Islander-boyfriend (now housemate) is like, now they’re back in the real world. Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Series Editor: Beth Rose Senior News Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall

Anna Tylor's life changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The Chair of the RNIB, who is visually impaired, says she was "horrified" at not being offered accessible medical information, that she was able to read, while going through treatment - from important leaflets to medical notes and consent forms. Despite a law to ensure all medical information is accessible, we hear that Anna is far from alone in her worries.Nikki Fox talks about her discovery of tandem electric scooters while Emma Tracey confesses she hates Halloween fancy dress because she can't see what she's wearing (bin bags, it turns out).And TV pundit Asta Philpot, 40, reveals for the first time that in 2018 he had no choice but to move into a care home for 18 months after his care package failed. He's now living with his parents and has just found love.Hosts: Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey Producers: Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Series Producer: Beth Rose Senior News Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall

Inflation went up by 10% over the last year, driven mostly by rising food prices, prompting disability charities to call on the government to avoid “disaster” and raise benefits in-line with it. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey chat to Emma from Bristol, who is deafblind, and says she is in debt because her benefits no longer cover her bills. And James Taylor, director of strategy at the charity Scope, reveals he knows people who have started turning off their fridges to save money.Nikki and Emma talk about their appearance at the BBC’s Castfest event in the BBC’s historic Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House in London. Fans of Access All, Newscast, Americast and Ukrainecast watched live recordings of the BBC’s flagship news podcasts. It took place 100 years to the day since the British Broadcasting Company, as the BBC was originally called, was formed in 1922.Access All gets the latest on York's blue badge parking ban. York City Council used to allow blue badge holders to park in the foot streets but that changed last November. We hear about the impact.Fashion designer Victoria Jenkins, who founded an adaptive clothing line, talks about the importance of making accessible but beautiful clothing – and why she hates buttons. Hosts: Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Series Producer: Beth Rose Senior News Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall

In an Access All exclusive, we reveal that rising petrol prices are driving carers out of the profession. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey chat to wheelchair user Natalie from Shropshire, who went from having three carers to none overnight, and to carer Louise who is considering leaving her job.Businesswoman Caroline Casey, who topped the Disability Power List in 2021, reveals why she didn’t realise she was blind until she took a driving lesson on her 17th birthday.And we find out what unusual job our presenters both used to do, plus why they both hate networking!Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Editors: Beth Rose and Sam Bonham