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‘Study Higher’ Webinar on Accessibility in Higher Education

Disabled students often face extra barriers in access to Higher Education. ‘Study Higher’ are running a Webinar about this.

The webinar is run by Study Higher which aims to deliver impartial advice to young people in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Swindon about their future options in higher education. They also work with under-represented groups in higher education, such as disabled students.

The Study Higher webinar called Accessibility in Higher Education is aimed at students who would like to find out more about disability support at university or college. The webinar will take place on 8th July 5pm-6pm and students will be sent in the post an accompanying handout including an ‘applying to higher education as a disabled student’ checklist and a ‘questions to ask at open days’ checklist.

The session will cover:

  • Advice on where to go for disability support (from a Disability Support Officer at Oxford Brookes)
  • Advice on questions to ask when researching higher education
  • Advice on the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)
  • Insight from a recent university graduate on accessing disability support
  • Hear from a disabled graduate about the transition from school to career

Find out more and register here

Note that you will need to register before the event, the link is to a registration site, not the the event.

Students will be sent in the post an accompanying handout including an ‘applying to higher education as a disabled student’ checklist and a ‘questions to ask at open days’ checklist.

For more information download their flyer.

Accessibility_in_Higher_Education_Flyer__2___4_Download

Putting the Fun into FUNdraising – an Electionathon !

It is always exciting when our members take the initiative to raise money for our club activities, especially since this is the first such event since our online Donations system moved from BT MyDonate to Virgin Money Giving. Please support his activity – where he will stay up all night to watch the election results, and remember to vote yourself. You may not be as interested in politics as Tom is, but we are fortunate to live in a country where we have the opportunity, and we should not waste it.

Tom’s Donations Electionathon page is at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TomBucknell/1 – please visit it and support him

Leslie and Caroline Wedding

Oxford Phab members were very happy for the opportunity to help Leslie and Caroline, two of our members, celebrate their wedding.

We gathered at Wesley Memorial Church to go down to the Registry Office for the ceremony.

Leslie and Caroline go by car, the rest of us make our own way.

The ceremony was lovely and the Registrar and staff very helpful, followed by the traditional photo opportunity on the steps.

Then it was back to Wesley Memorial for the reception, where Phab members and their families and friends had been involved with makings cakes and sandwiches, decorating the Hall, preparing music and tidying up afterwards.

Club Night with Tennis

We followed our previous Club Night with Indoor Tennis in January with another tennis session, giving members an opportunity to have a bit of exercise.


This session was more co-operative then competitive with a focus on trying to have longer rallies across the net. Impressively, given how high the ceiling is, the ball managed to be bounced off the sound deadening blocks a few times, which returned it in random directions. Luckily we play with a soft foam ball, which is safer for players, spectators and fitments.

Phab Southeast Fun Weekend 2017

The Fun Weekend organised by Phab Southeast in 2015 was very enjoyable, so a dozen members of Oxford Phab signed up to go again in 2017.

Friday

Taking the minibus and a car, we set off on Friday morning, hoping we might even arrive at the coast in time to see the sea before we checked into the hotel. Unfortunately the A34 was completely closed southbound, leading us to enjoy a scenic tour of  Hampshire instead, with a highlight of the services at Sutton Scotney.
Finally we arrived at the hotel, checked in, unpacked and mingled with members from other Phab clubs in the bar until it was time for dinner.

Chatting in the bar

Dinner was a buffet, with a selection of  hot dishes, and was accompanied by entertainment and followed by disco and karaoke .
Part of the buffet – before we ate.

Saturday

After a buffet breakfast, and a presentation by the CEO of Disabled Motoring UK, we split into groups for activities in the morning and afternoon with a buffet lunch in between.

Edible Christmas Crafts

In the this activity we learnt how to make a snowman, a wreath and a mug of chocolate out of marshmallows, biscuits and other edible goodies.

Edible Christmas goodies

Room full of Christmas crafters

Amazing Animals

We saw, and in some cases got close to, a range of animals.

Dinner

We got dressed up for a posh dinner.

Dinner was followed by a Disco.

 

Sunday

After an Act of Worship for anyone who wished to attend, and who had got up in time, there was a Team Building exercise, once again making things out of edible material.

This was followed by a full Sunday Lunch, with Roast Beef, Pork or Turkey, and then we had a wrap up session and all went home.
 
 

Darren and Maria Hen and Stag party at Hinksey Heights Golf Club.

Darren and Maria, who are getting married later this year, had a combined Hen and Stag party at Hinksey Heights Golf Club.
We had an abundance of Hen and/or Stag party themed drinking straws, ice cubes, pasta ! There was also plentiful and tasty meal.


There was fancy dress – here are some of the Pink Ladies

There was singing


and presents for the bride and groom to be

We also, sadly, said farewell to Mary, who had been making us welcome at Hinksey Heights Golf Club since we started being their Captain’s charity, but is moving on to pastures new. She had put a lot of effort into making this party very special, and we hope she will stay in touch.

 

Oxford Phab at Avon Tyrrell in June 2017 – the beginning

When does a Phab holiday begin ? The official start was everyone assembling at 10:30 to board the Minibus, and three cars (we were joined by another one later with members who had to work during the day on Friday), and set off for the New Forest.
Before that plans had been made, food and other supplies bought, meals cooked and frozen and a host of other activities to make sure the holiday was a success.
The actual loading was very much the same as in 2015 and 2016, and the journey uneventful, but we were still pleased to arrive,  have a picnic lunch in front of the house, and then, once our chalets were free, unload.