The awards went to...

Small Employer

Breakthrough UK Ltd
Having a job, a career or vocation is something most people take for granted, but not so for hundreds of thousands of disabled people. Our next winner leads by example. They meet and exceed best practice guidance from the Disability Rights Commission in recruitment and management. The sickness policy differentiates between sickness and impairment absence. They share best practice with other employers through its website and free information service. Over 60% off their staff are disabled - achieved through fair recruitment practices. Every six weeks, staff development sessions reinforce understanding of equality and diversity issues. One disabled employee said, I feel fully supported and able to get on with my job. they are the best company I have worked for in terms of understanding and commitment to inclusion.
www.breakthrough-uk.co.uk

Historic Visitor Attraction

The Anderton Boat Lift
We would all agree that we should preserve our heritage. But usually heritage and access for disabled people dont go together that easily. A dedicate team have conserved this boat lift in Northwich. A 60ft hydraulic lift system transports narrow boats, working boats and trip boats from varios water levels saving vauable time it would take with locks. An accessible lifts take people between the two floors and on and off trip boats. Unisex accessible toilets are located on all floors. Tactile maps can also be provided from the Welcome desk.
www.andertonboatlift.co.uk

Communications

Central Liverpool Primary Care Trust - Access Through Communication Initiative
Providing alternative communication is often overlooked and can lead to Health Inequalities for disabled people. Our next winner ensures people have access to British Sign Language, Deafblind interpreters, Lipspeakers, Braille, CD and Audio Cassette. Working with Pharmacist, Optician or Dentist, this project has recently been mainstreamed across North South and Central Liverpool Primary Care Trusts. The project team found that visiting these professionals can be a stressful experience for many disabled people especially if you have a viual or hearing impairmentt. Additionally they identified that there was a huge potential risk to patients who couldnt understand their medication and the effects, contra-indications or amounts and how to administer.

Individual

David Lockett
Our next winner has used the power of football to bring the best out of children with learning difficulties and physical disabilities. He runs disability teams for both Witton Albion and the Cheshire County, he promotes and officiates at special needs footballing events and gives hundreds of hours of his own time coaching football in special schools in the area. He is determined to gain the recognition of disability teams within the mainstream community.

Visitor Attraction

Blue Planet Aquarium
Our next winner has ensured that Sea Life can be enjoyed by all. The Aquarium's living exhibition features over 15 different species of fish and 20 different types of coral. The aquarium is fully wheelchair accessible with dedicated disabled parking, lift access to all floors, ramped access and unisex accessible toilets throughout the building. The aquarium also offers wheelchair hire service.
www.blueplanetaquarium.co.uk

Large Employer

Chubb Security Personnel - Workington
There are good employers and excellent employers. Our next winner was nominated by a person who knows the difference. As a Disability Employment Adviser for Jobcentre Plus, they were impressed and heartened by positive attitude towards employing and retaining disabled people. Full support is offered to disabled job applicants, with emphasis on abilities and skills rather than disability and limitations: all potential problems are examined realistically and solutions explored, with the help of Jobcentre Plus schemes wherever necessary.
www.chubb.co.uk

Empowerment

Dual Diagnosis Drop-in Group, St.Helens
Mention mental illness, alcohol or drugs individually and most people turn away, but our next winners have setup a support group and services that are raising the issues faced by its members. The group works closely with staff from the 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust to organise days out, craft & social groups. Fun and a positive attitude are number one priorities, but the serious side of the groups work has seen them develop a theatre based awareness session that highlights the emotional trauma that is endured by people who have a dual diagnosis and their families. In July the group were asked to present the awareness play at Robinson College, Cambridge University.

Employment

Express Gifts Ltd - Accrington
Our most popular catagory is Employment, therefore exemplar and ongoing commitment was required just to get past the shortlisting stages of this years awards. Our next winner has impressed the UK's largest disability employment support organisation Remploy. One of there officers was so impressed that they chose to nominate our next winner over dozens of businesses he works with. For exemplar and ongoing committment to employing disabled people the winner is Express Gifts from Accrington.

Large Service Provider

Mersey Care NHS Trust
The quality of Mental Health services has moved on during the past few decades, and our next winner is playing their part in developing inovative programmes that involve service users and carers. It was the first NHS Trust in the country to train and support mental health service users and carers to sit on selection panels in the appointment of all its staff, with, over 1400 appointments to date. Today over 130 service users and carers are empowered to make sure all staff have both technical competencies, and empathy and understanding.
www.merseycare.nhs.uk

Empowerment

Halton Speak Out
Self-advocacy and peer support are an important commponant to the sucess of our next winner. The organisation provides disabled people with individualised support aimed at ensuring individuals have their say and be heard. This service enables people to gain key skills including speaking up, meeting skills and team building. People who use the service gain confidence and realise that everyone matters and has something important to offer.

Accommodation

The St Annes Hotel
Ask most disabled people and they will tell you about the hotel that advertised full access and facilities but the reality was very different. This is not the case with our next winners, what they say about there facilities is correct, it is exemplar. A modern hotel in pleasant, pleasing surroundings adapted to meet the needs of disabled people. No problem is insurmountable, nothing is too much trouble and guests are made to feel welcome by staff who compliment the excellent accessible facilities that include an excellent hydrotherapy unit, accessible bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms with wheel-in showers and ceiling hoists.
www.st-annes-hotel.com

Education

Merseyside Diversity Mentoring - Outlook Programme
Our next winner offers invaluable advice, assistance and relevant experience to disabled students and graduates, as well as other disadvantaged groups and operates across the University of Liverpool, Liverpool JMU, Liverpool Hope University and Edge Hill University. It links students with employer mentors who have experience and/or expertise in the student's chosen career path. During the programme, students have the opportunity to meet their mentor on several occasions to receive support and guidance on their personal and career development. The programme provides excellent support for the participants through training and workshops. One of the disabled students successfully gained a job as a maths teacher at a local secondary school in Liverpool. She was the first on her course to gain a teaching post and emphasised the support she had received was a significant factor in her gaining this job.

Small Business Award

Parmesan and Pepper Restaurant - Chorley
A meal and a drink out with friends is something most of us enjoy, but its not that easy if you are a wheelchair user. The nominator of our next winner said that they have been to lots of restaurants and none have gone to the lengths that this one has to make it pleasurable. Friendly staff, accessible premises, tables I can get my powerchair under, large disabled toilet and not forgetting excellent food, and all at a reasonable price! Our next winner has proven that you can adapt an older property if you really want to.
www.parmesanandpepper.com
01257 261300

Visitor Attraction

Spaceport
The Disability Advisory Team of last years winners "Merseytravel" were involved in designing the facilities offered by our next winners. Website design and promotional leaflets are designed to promote ease of use. With automatic doors at the entrance the "SpacePod" cleverly utilises light, sound and vibration to create an exciting launch into space, and it is accessible to all. An Induction loop is installed for the reception area and the Space Dome show. Audio headsets are available for blind people and people with low vision, all text panels have been designed for ease of understanding and reading, and are located at height suitable for wheelchair users. Go use of colour contrast have been used to assist people with low vision, height, ease of comprehension etc. Seating is placed throughout the attraction. Accessible lifts and unisex accessible toilets are located throughout the attraction.
www.spaceport.org.uk
0151 330 1333

Education & Training

The Petty Pool Trust
Our next winners have helped to transform the lives of young adults with learning disabilities. Their residential facilities are worthy of an award in its own right. Supporting each individual to achieve and succeed. It demonstrates a commitment to ensure all aspects of personal development are addressed, including academic, vocational, social or emotional whilst promoting independence, equality, inclusion and rights of the individual, through enjoyable and effective education.
www.pettypool.org.uk

Inspirational Individual

Robbie Pendlebury - The Grand Theatre
I'm sure that we have all thought "Why Bother" when the task in front of us seems so large. The winner of our next award has shown extreem determination to provide equal access for all. His employer responded to his passion by asking him to take on the role of Access Manager. The results have seen the transformation of Blackpools Grand Theatre which now has improved access, British Sign Language interpreted performances have increased, and are proving very popular within the Deaf Community both locally and nationally, 3 in-house audio describers have been trained allowing blind and partially sighted patrons to enjoy the full effect of theatre performances, induction loop and infra-red systems are available, all brochure material are now available in Audio/BSL/Braille and Large Print. All front of house staff including box office, have attended disability and deaf awareness training, furthermore many staff have been trained in basic Sign Language.

Empowerment

Vale Royal Disability Services
Our next winner is a charity that set up a learning centre in 2002 and it has now expanded to be the hub of 12 learning centres throughout Cheshire. They offer a portfolio of over 250 courses and a wide range of qualifications. They concentrate on disabled and other disadvantaged people, with the most comprehensive range of adaptive-technology in the county. Their 'Get a Job' programme has proved outstandingly successful at getting people off welfare benefits and into good quality paid jobs. In the first nine months of this academic year they enrolled 294 learners. This year they organised a county-wide employers' conference to emphasise the advantages of employing disabled people, a programme that is now being developed further.
www.vrds.org.uk

Transport

Serco Metrolink- Manchester
Access to employment, leisure, housing, education and life in general relies on one key componant "Transport". It has been reported that our next winners have helped to improved the lives of thousands of disabled people living in the Greater Manchester area. With accessible tram trains which have space for wheelchair users, ramped stops many with lifts, improved communication systems and trained staff available to help.
www.metrolink.co.uk