Notes: The Brighton and Hove Federation of Disabled People is a registered charity that works to promote independence and dignity for all disbaled people. The Federation offers advice and support to a network of member organisations and other groups involved in disability issues. The Federation also works with various statutory and public bodies, to identify gaps in services that are being planned or developed. Through regular consultation with disabled people in Brighton and Hove, the charity runs various projects designed to meet critical gaps in provision including a Direct Payments Support Service, Disability Advice Centre and a Counselling Service. Our aim is to champion people, organisations and causes within the community ensuring inclusion, awareness and equality for all.

Notes: BLESMA aims to give ex-Service men and women who either lost limbs, the use of their limbs, or one or both eyes as a result of service in any branch of Her Majesty’s Forces or Auxiliary Forces, a counselling and caring service and help in everyday problems. We also assist their needy dependants, in particular their Widows, and also those that suffer the trauma of the above after service. Today we have some 2,500 limbless veterans from the 2nd World War and subsequent campaigns, and still they come from conflict and keeping the peace in so many other places around the world and from accidents suffered in training. In addition we help where we can those ex-Service men and women who lose limbs later in life by facilitating funding and giving support and advice. We make grants for the relief of financial hardship and continuing assistance to Widows. We provide permanent residential and respite care, convalescence, or just a change of air as well as a break for relatives from nursing care, through our two homes in Blackpool and Crieff in Perthshire. We operate a Welfare Visiting Service to the Members and Widows and a counselling service to individuals both pre and post-amputation. We can furnish advice on pensions and allowances, make representation to Government Departments on entitlements and, where necessary, represent Members and their dependants at Pension Appeals Tribunals. Our work does not stop there as we plan and organise rehabilitation programmes for amputees and assist them in finding suitable employment. We even provide limited funding for research and development into artificial limbs and in the training of Prosthetists and Orthotists. Above all though BLESMA is about a special fellowship borne of shared experience.

Notes: Totally independent Access Group facilitated by the local Council