On Sunday 23 April 2023 at 3pm, there will be a national test of the UK Emergency Alerts service. Many (but not all) mobile phones will make a loud siren-like sound, vibrate, and a test message will be read out to you. If your phone can receive alerts, you will still hear the test unless your mobile phone is completely turned off or is in flight mode. Compatible mobile phones set to silent will still receive the alert and make noise. Read on for more.
Read MoreArticles in News
Articles in Help in a Crisis
- What’s Causing the Rise in Cancer?
- Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 26 April 2026
- BuDS Welcomes Failure of Assisted Suicide Bill
- Temporary Pause of the BuDDies Scheme
- Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 19 April 2026
- Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 12 April 2026
- The US & Israeli Conflict With Iran
- Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 5 April 2026
- Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 29 March 2026
- Assisted Suicide Bill In Westminster Falls
- Bird Flu
- BucksWorkability
- BuDDies
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- Comms and Social Media
- Covid-19
- Enquiries
- Fair4All Attitudes and Hate Crimes
- Fair4All Card
- Fair4All Education
- Fair4All Events
- Fair4All Public Spaces
- Fair4All Services
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- Neurodiversity and Learning Disability
- Offers and Discounts
- Reach4Work
BuDS Fair4All Access & Inclusion Survey At Whiteleaf Cross
On Thursday 16th March, a group of disabled volunteers from BuDS visited the nature reserve at Whiteleaf Cross and Brush Hill, Princes Risborough, to carry out a Fair4All Access & Inclusion Survey on behalf of the Chiltern Conservation Board. This was a paid survey, but the conclusions made and recommendations given are entirely that of BuDS, and are not influenced in any way by the Chiltern Conservation Board.
To learn more about Fair4All Access & Inclusion Surveys from BuDS, click here.
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Spring Covid-19 Booster Vaccination Campaign
The Government have today released details of the Spring 2023 Covid booster programme. This includes who is eligible for the booster, when people will be offered a dose, and future booster doses. Read on for more.
This article was updated on 11 April to include new information stating that clinically vulnerable children will be offered 2 doses of vaccine.
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Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 10 April 2023
The risk of meeting a Covid-infected person in your everyday life this week is now Extremely High, as we pass the peak of the latest wave. Around 1 in every 45 people in Bucks have Covid.
As an example of the risk of catching Covid, a typical busy supermarket will have between 7 and 12 infected people breathing out virus which you could catch.
The current wave of infection has now passed its peak, and will probably continue to decline over the next few weeks. However, the risk of meeting a Covid-infected person will probably remain Extremely High for the rest of April.
BuDS continues to recommend that disabled and clinically vulnerable people avoid indoor spaces unless they are wearing a filter mask (FFP2/3). For more advice on how to avoid catching Covid, use this link.
This data is based on the Zoe Health Study for Covid-19, adjusted to take account of its limited coverage. To learn more about this, use this link.
For more Covid information and help, please contact BuDS and we will be happy to help.
Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 4 April 2023
The risk of meeting a Covid-infected person in your everyday life this week remains Critically High. Around 1 in every 23 people in Bucks has Covid.
As an example of the risk of catching Covid, a typical busy supermarket will have between 9 and 13 infected people breathing out virus which you could catch.
There are early signs that the current wave of infection has passed its peak, and will decline over the next few weeks. However, the risk of meeting a Covid-infected person will probably stay Extremely High for the rest of April.
BuDS continues to recommend that disabled and clinically vulnerable people avoid indoor spaces unless they are wearing a filter mask (FFP2/3). For more advice on how to avoid catching Covid, use this link.
This data is based on the Zoe Health Study for Covid-19, adjusted to take account of its limited coverage. To learn more about this, use this link.
For more Covid information and help, please contact BuDS and we will be happy to help.
To The Edge of Despair and Beyond
Written by Siobhan Meade
Disclaimer: this is a personal blog by a BuDS member. The views expressed are personal, and don’t necessarily represent those of BuDS or our Trustees.
24 years ago, I heard five words that will haunt me forever, “you’re never going to see again”.
This is how an Ophthalmologist at a Kent hospital broke the news to a distraught 16 year-old girl, who’s one remaining optic nerve finally gave up the ghost and snapped after I walked into a door at school.
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Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 24 March 2023
Covid infections in Bucks nearly doubled last week. The Covid risk has been raised to Critically High, with more people with Covid going into hospital.
This is the last risk post in this format, as the Government have deliberately closed the Office for National Statistics’ Coronavirus Infection Survey, which measures how many people have Covid in the UK. However, we will continue publishing risk assessments using other data – more on this next week.
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What Is The Equality Act 2010?
Overview
People are legally protected from discrimination in the workplace and in larger society by the Equality Act of 2010.
The Equality Act 2010 replaced over 116 separate pieces of legislation with a simpler single piece of legislation. The 9 main pieces of legislation that were merged to create the new Act are:
- The Equal Pay Act 1970
- The Sex Discrimination Act 1975
- The Race Relations Act 1976
- The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
- The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003
- The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
- The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006
- The Equality Act 2006, Part 2
- The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007
Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 17 March 2023
Covid infections in Bucks remained constant last week. The Covid risk remains Extremely High, with more people with Covid going into hospital.
The Government have made several changes recently to hide the true extent of Covid in the UK. One of these changes is that they are stopping the ONS Infection Survey, which is the most reliable way of finding out how many people have Covid in the UK. Because of this, next week’s risk post will be the last in this format. To find out more about these changes, and BuDS’ reaction to them, use the link below.
Read MoreChanges To Disability Benefits – Budget 2022
The Government have announced as part of their 2023 budget today (15 March) changes to the disability benefit system. BuDS is reading the press releases and papers carefully, and will update this page when we have a fuller understanding of what has been announced. Below, however, are the headlines from the Budget announcement.
The Chancellor announced that the work capability assessment for benefits will be abolished, so that disabled people can seek work without worrying about losing their benefits. It was also announced that a new ‘Universal Support’ programme will be set up to help get disabled people into work, with up to £4000 being spent per person. More details to come on this.