Latest News

Fancy Being a Mystery Shopper?

DP Consulting, a Disability Equality Organisation, has secured a mystery shopping contract for one of the Train Operating companies which provides services from London to Kent.
They are looking for someone who is a self propelled manual wheelchair user to join their mystery shopping team. All mystery shoppers are shadowed by a member of DP Consulting, which is owned and run by disabled professionals who work to the Social Model of Disability. They only employ disabled people to act as mystery shoppers, believing that they have a heightened sense of the barriers faced by disabled people and a genuine aspiration for change.
This contract is worth £500 plus reasonable expenses for 4 ½ days work (½ a day training, 3 days mystery shopping, ½ day report writing with DP Consulting and ½ day presentation to the managers of the rail company).
For more information about this opportunity, contact Jordan Lee at DP Consulting by email jordan@dpconsulting.org.uk or telephone 020 8642 1490 or their website is www.dpconsulting.org.uk.

KCIL awarded KVA Choosing Health Small Grant

KCIL has been awarded a small grant for a 6-month pilot project aiming to maximise Disability Benefit entitlements for our members. More information to follow.

KCIL's Events Group

KCIL has a willing group of people who are starting to plan events and come up with fundraising ideas - See more....

Stay Independent Factsheets

A series of factsheets on key topics of importance to disabled and older people. See more....

The Kingston Independent Online

KCIL's newsletter The Kingston Independent is available online here.

July 2008 Available now for download in the following formats pdf format or Plain Text format

April 2008 : pdf format or Microsoft Word format or Plain Text format

January 2008

Summer 2007

Local Police want KCIL's views

KCIL has been invited to join the local police Community Advisor Group. If you have views on local police decision-making, policy or practice then please contact Lisa Nichols at KCIL's office with your comments.

English Classes

Free English Classes - Would you like to learn to speak and read English?
Please come along from:10am-12pm every Friday (the next course starts on Friday 25th April) at 10am at the Crescent Resource Centre, Cocks Crescent, New Malden (Next door to the Malden Centre) or 10am-12pm every Tuesday (the next course starts on Friday 22nd April) at 10am at the Milaap Multicultural Centre Acre Road, Kingston. If you would like to speak to someone about these courses please call or email Martha Earley on 0208 547 4680 martha.earley@rbk.kingston.gov.uk.

English for Speakers of Other Languages for Blind and Partially Sighted People (ESOL VI)

This learning programme from South Thames College is for adults who have a visual impairment and wish to study English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) using specialist equipment and software.
Entry on to the course will be determined by an informal interview and an assessment of your level of English. Learners will work towards taking exams at either Entry Level 1, 2 or 3, with special emphasis on Learners improving their speaking and listening skills. Any Learner in receipt of benefits should (subject to assessment) be able to access this course free of charge.
The course will take place at South Thames College's Roehampton Centre, 166 Roehampton Lane, SW15 4HR.
The timetable will be:- *Wednesdays 12.45–15.00, *Thursdays 9.30–15.00, *Fridays 9.30–12.00.
Please contact Fauzia Mirza 07984 434046 or Mary Burke 07786 388751 to arrange an interview or appointment. If you would prefer to meet someone face to face, go to Reception at the Roehampton Centre and ask for Fauzia Mirza.
Reaching the college: Buses 72, 265 and 493 stop outside the college. Buses 85, 170 and 430 stop a short walk away. By rail: train to Barnes station and then bus 72 or 265. By tube: From Putney Bridge station, take a 265 bus.

Kingston Hospital membership

KCIL has received this information about becoming a member of Kingston Hospital NHS Trust. “Kingston Hospital is currently working towards achieving Foundation Trust status. As a Foundation Trust the Hospital will still be part of the NHS, but will be more answerable to the needs of local residents rather than central government. As a Foundation Trust we will have more freedom to decide on how to deliver services and local people can influence these decisions by becoming a “Member”. Membership is free and anyone aged 14 years or older who lives in the Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, Elmbridge, Wandsworth and parts of Merton and Sutton can become a member. Members will be able to make a real difference to how we deliver and develop our services and we look forward to recruiting members from all the communities represented within our Boroughs. So what are the benefits of becoming a Member? As part of the local community you will be supporting your Hospital through becoming a Member. You can choose how involved you wish to be. You can just receive regular information about the Trust and its plans and progress, or become more actively engaged in our work by:* Contributing ideas and suggestions
* Participating in Surveys * Attending and participating in day/evening meetings and events to learn more about our services. * Elect representatives for the Council of Governors, or standing for election.To register as a member please call us on 0870 707 1479 - calls charged at national rate or visit www.kingstonhospital.nhs.uk and complete the online application form. If you have any questions regarding membership please email ftmembership@kingstonhospital.nhs.uk.”

Direct Payments Section

Have a look at our recently updated Direct Payments section!

"Not Seen-Not Heard" - Black & Minority Ethnic Disabled People

A Black History Month Resource compiled in October 2007. This resouce is now available for download in the following formats:
pdf format (please note, file size is 930 kb which will take a few minutes to download on a dial-up connection), or
Microsoft Word format (file size 340 kb).
Also available in pdf format: words and pictures definitions of the Social Model of Disability (file size 270 kb) and the Medical Model of Disability (file size 280 kb).

"Holding Up a Mirror" - Disabled Black & Ethnic Minority People

A Black History Month Resource compiled in October 2006. Download this resource in pdf format. (Please note - this file is 1.21 MB - this will take a few minutes to download on a dial-up connection).

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