ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ

• Whether championed by PR companies or disabled people themselves, it seems that these days, all 52 weeks of the year are earmarked for the awareness raising of one disability or another. This, the third week in May, is a bumper week. It aims to get people talking about both and

• Sleep, or lack of it, is the focus of 2011's Mental Health Awareness week. A campaign to highlight the importance of getting some shut eye for good mental wellbeing is being run by the and includes a Pocket Guide to Better Sleep and some useful MP3s, which are all available as free downloads.

• Last Friday the Guardian ran a on disclosing a mental health problem to employers. It followed a related piece by Mind's CEO, Paul Farmer, and comes very soon after his charity published research which revealed that "one in five people who had disclosed had been sacked or forced out of their jobs".

• Last weekend was a biggy for deaf entertainment. Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin [Children of a Lesser God] came second on Celebrity Apprentice USA. And the Lighthouse Theatre Wolverhampton hosted Deaffest, described on their website as "the UK's only Deaf-led film and television festival, celebrating the talents of Deaf filmmakers and media artists from all over the world". Many of the UK entries, including Cotton Clouds, which won in the best film category, and My Song, by Charlie Swinbourne and William Major, which received over two thousand YouTube views during its first 24 hours online, can be watched on the website.

• The second edition of online magazine, has just been published. It is edited by young disabled friends, Martyn Sibley and Srin Madipalli, and features lots of other voices. The over-arching theme of the publication is travel, but it also includes an interview with Paralympic hopeful Fran Williamson and a piece on changes to special educational needs provision.

It's time to download the latest Ouch! Talk Show to your computer or MP3 player. Rob Crossan and Kiruna Stamell present this one, show #70.

Hear the show or subscribe to the feed by following this link.

In these difficult economic times, Kiruna wonders whether this might be the right moment to put some long-held politics aside and agree to playing the part of a restricted growth stereotype.

magazine editor Ian Macrae joins Jono Lancaster [Love Me, Love My Face and So What If My Baby Is Born Like Me] and [Beyond Boundaries and Britain's Missing Top Model] for a passionate debate on what's good and what's not so good about taking part in disability documentaries.

Presenting a six piece indie, jazz, folk ensemble with added wind instruments and Asperger's Syndrome. Brothers and founder members Miles and Jon Peckover join Rob and Kiruna in the studio for quick fire questions and some uncanny Simpsons impressions.

Read a transcript of the show.

Off air: I spent some time in the cafΓ© with the Captain Angelo boys and can report that they are as chatty in real life as they are in front of a microphone. Listen out for Jon's ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔr impression. It's unbelievably accurate.

As you'll hear, the disability documentary discussion gets quite heated and everyone involved had a very strong point to make. I won't lie to you, there were some tense moments in the control room. But the very silly quiz in the middle even had the studio managers laughing.

Don't keep the Ouch! Talk Show a secret. Whisper it in the wind, shout it from the rooftops if u can access them, or just take a boombox on the commute and play it loud for all to hear. Disclaimer: Ouch! takes no responsibility for the reactions of angry rush hour travellers.

And don't forget, you can email us for any reason at all, even to tell us how you've been promoting the talk show. We read every one.

If you have ideas about stuff you'd like us to do, people we should be talking to or even a new quiz, tell us using the comments below.
You can also follow Ouch! on @bbcouch or on

Would you like to raise national or local concerns with your MP but lack the confidence or support to do so? Well, read on.

Radar has opened up their MP Dialogue scheme at, what feels like, a particularly poignant moment for the disability community. It gives practical support to disabled people and also encourages Members of Parliament to listen to their disabled constituents.

MPs championing this two-way dialogue include Ann McGuire, Rosie Winterton and Ian Swales.

Radar CEO Liz Sayce, OBE, says: "It's vital MPs hear from their disabled constituents about the issues that affect them."

The scheme gives disabled people advice about how to prepare and conduct a meeting with their MP, along with key facts about topical issues they may want to raise. For MPs, Dialogue information provides communication and access advice and updates on equality legislation. Small grants are also available to cover access costs.

Liz hopes the scheme may go further: "We want the Dialogue to not just get people talking, but to give disabled people the chance to think about becoming an MP or Councillor themselves - as too few are represented in public life."

To take part, email campaigns@radar.org.uk or phone Cheryl Gowar on 020 7503 6176.

The MP Dialogue runs until the end of June 2011.

>Listen - Radio 4 - You and Yours
Julian Worricker investigates whether disabled people are more severely affected by the spending cuts and welfare reform than anyone else.

>Listen - Radio 4 - You and Yours
An examination of calls for change to the way people whose health conditions have symptoms that can fluctuate daily (such as MS, HIV and Parkinson's) are assessed for benefits.

>Watch - World - Click
Jeff Hall, who cannot speak and is paralysed, looks at the prevalence of multi-gesture devices which make it hard for disabled people to use computers and similar devices.

>Listen - Radio 4 - In Touch
Is it possible to earn a living as a blind artist?

>Listen - World Service - Outlook
The remarkable life story of eighties pop icon Adam Ant.

>Watch - ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Two - Children's Craniofacial Surgery
A programme following the surgeons of the Children's Hospital Oxford and their young patients

Get Involved

Are you on Incapacity Benefit? Have you received a letter asking you to go for a reassessment to see if you can be moved onto Employment Support Allowance?
Or are you about to appeal against an earlier decision?

ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 is looking for volunteers to take part in a documentary programme about these assessments. We want to follow people through the process of assessments or appeals.

Please get in touch, by phone or email, if you have received your letter and would like to be involved. Contact: Julia Ross 0207 973 6228 julia.ross@bbc.co.uk.

Talk show 69 has just arrived online and it is simply begging to be downloaded to your iPod or alternative portable player. Rob Crossan and Kiruna Stamell present.

Listen or subscribe to the show by following this link.

• Kiruna is glowing with new romance. Find out what clever insult was yelled at her during a recent first date.
• News junky and mental healther Liz Main wows Rob and Kiruna with some incredible stories about drugs in the drinking water and whether spring babies are more likely to develop eating disorders.
• Introducing , the Brighton-based radio show presented by people with learning disabilities. Two of the hosts, Ryan and Jacob, explain what happens during their monthly programme. Zombies and a blue camel feature, while the deep doctor helps Rob out with a pressing problem. Be warned, you may cry tears of laughter. We did.

Read a transcript of the show

Off air: Rob and Kiruna have never presented the show together before, but both came to the production meeting bursting with ideas and ready for action. It's a high octane show this one. Other behind the scenes highlights included an argument between the Shut Up and Listen crew about who got the most air time and a brief sighting of the one and only Hugh Laurie in Broadcasting House reception. He's not disabled in real life you know.

Please don't keep the Ouch! Talk Show to yourself. Tell your real-life and virtual friends, oh and be sure to mention it to the other disabled who always gets on your bus. Spread the word and email us telling us how you've been promoting us.

If you have ideas about stuff you'd like us to do, people we should be talking to or even a new quiz, contact us or leave them in the Comments below this blog entry. We read every email that comes to the Ouch! inbox and yours might even make it on to the show.
You can also follow Ouch! on @bbcouch or on

The organisers of yesterday's Hardest Hit protest in London were suggesting last night that they intend to replicate the success of the protest across the country.

Late in the afternoon, RNIB's Steve Winyard, chair of the march's organising committee, told the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ: "We believe there were around 8,000 people present and the Met Police have confirmed this."

"Only about one and a half thousand signed up online, so we're all really pleased," said a steward earlier in the day as crowds began to get larger.

In disability terms, this is a very big turnout. To get lots of disabled people in one place takes a lot of energy and planning from organisers and participants alike.

At the midday rally, Jane Asher, actress and president of Arthritis care, acknowledged "the supreme effort" that those present had made to be there, and "those at home worrying and frightened at just what these cuts are going to mean to them".

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Visible on the day were many accessible portaloos, toileting areas for assistance dogs, a big screen, sign language interpreters, palantypist/stenographers and quiet areas in the nearby Methodist Central Hall for people overwhelmed by the level of activity. Leading up to the march, information was created in many accessible formats: video, braille, large print and digital.

Previous big disability events in the capital have included the campaign against ITV's 24 hour Telethon fundraiser in the early 90s, and the Rights Now protests which led to the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act in 1995. Exact figures for attendance seem lost in the mists of time but are generally thought to be in the early thousands.

Steve Winyard said: "What's great is that it was the Disability Benefits Consortium working hand in hand with the UK Disabled People's Council and the disabled people's organisations. A lot of people said this couldn't work but it's worked brilliantly."

"This will be the basis of new and potentially even more effective campaigning round the country. We're going to take the campaign around the UK working to affect MPs at a local level. We can do the same sort of link between local independent living centres, disabled people's organisations and local arms of the big charities to create effective coalition."

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The DBC and UKDPC led The Hardest Hit march from Victoria Embankment to a mass lobby of parliament on Wednesday afternoon. Disabled people and their allies in the form of organisations, friends and families, made up the crowd.

The organisers maintain that disabled people are "the hardest hit" in the budget cuts being spearheaded by the coalition government.

A combination of benefit changes and reductions in budgets given to local councils could result in many local care services being pulled and less money to live on. Campaigners say this stops disabled people from being able to contribute to society.

Speaking on Tuesday's Call You and Yours on Radio 4, Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller, reminded listeners that the reform policies are not yet finalised, saying: "It's in the government's interest to understand how our reforms are going to work and, where necessary, for us to be able to refine that. We're working on an ongoing basis on all of our reforms with disabled people and disabled people's organisations; it's in our interests all to get it right."

On the same programme, Broken of Britain's Kaliya Franklin said: "We know that the overall amount that George Osbourne wants to cut from the deficit is 89 billion pounds, of which at least 9 [billion] is going to be lost directly from disabled people."

Bystander, 9 year old Daisy Holland and her father: β€œI’ve never seen so many wheelchairs in one place. It’s great” she said.

Organisers say they were "massively disappointed" that Maria Miller did not accept an invite to address Wednesday's rally.

The larger coalition plan is to address a perception that too many people are now living free on taxpayers' money. In a speech last year, David Cameron talked about benefit fraudsters: "When you work hard and still sometimes have to go without the things you want because times are tough, it's maddening to know there are some people who could work but just don't want to. You know the people I mean. You walk down the road on your way to work and you see the curtains drawn in their
house. You know they could work, but they choose not to."

A recent Com Res poll for the charity Scope, found that 92% of disabled people are concerned about the impact of government spending cuts on them personally. The government say they need to focus more on those most in need.

The Disability Benefits Consortium is made up of 50 member organisations, including: Scope, RNID, Sense, RADAR, Rethink, MIND and Guide Dogs.

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An estimated five to eight thousand disabled people are expected to take part in 'The Hardest Hit' march on Westminster on the 11th of May, over cuts and welfare reform.

Today, ahead of the march, You and Yours with Julian Worricker, on Radio 4, asks, are disabled people more severely affected by the spending cuts and welfare reform than anyone else?

Taking part in the discussion will be minister for disabled people Maria Miller, Rebecca Rennison from the and Mark Littlewood from the

To join the debate, email youandyours@bbc.co.uk or call 03700 100 444. The lines are now open.

If you missed the programme's original Radio 4 broadcast, catch it for seven days afterwards on iPlayer.

Are disabled people the hardest hit by government cuts and welfare reform? Will you be attending the march in London tomorrow? Tell us in the comments below.

> Listen - Radio 4 - In Touch
Tony Shearman is the UK's first blind football manager to be recognised by the Football Association. He tells In Touch how he follows the game and manages his team of sighted players.

> Listen - Radio 3 - The Essay: The Father Instinct
Writer and director Lou Stein reveals how his four year old son, who has Down's syndrome, has been a positive influence on his work and life.

> Watch - ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Two - Wanna Be A Rockstar
Eight musical tracks recorded live at the Roundhouse with young learning disabled musicians and their backing group.

> Listen - Radio 4 - All In The Mind
This month sees the start of a new support group run by the Samaritans and Cruse Bereavement Care for those grieving after the suicide of a loved one.

> Watch - Film Network - Time Goes Nowhere
Carer Janet's time with Tommy, a young man with low functioning autism, is drawing to a close as he transitions into adult services. Janet reminisces over their time together and sees the world through his eyes one more time before realising she needs to let go.

> Watch - Film Network - Floating Is Easy
Alison has devoted the last three years of her life to caring for her mother who has Alzheimer's. When she wakes one morning to find the front door of her house open and her patient gone, Alison fails to raise the alarm. A decision that has grave consequences.