
Coronavirus vaccine – Easy read version
You may have heard about the new coronavirus vaccines that have been produced.The vaccines will help protect you from the …
You may have heard about the new coronavirus vaccines that have been produced.The vaccines will help protect you from the …
Please see here for great job opportunity for a person with learning disabilities. This is for a 12 month contract …
There is a new strain of the virus which is spreading a lot quicker. We must now all stay at …
British sign language video about what the rules are for people living within tier 3 areas.
Plans are underway to roll out a vaccination that will protect people from COVID-19. To help these plans, we want …
Damian from our Monday group has made this video about what he wants to achieve in the new year. Damian …
Here is an interview with Anthony from our Monday group talking about his plans and hopes for the new year.
Saul is a member of the Hear Our Voice project and attends the Wednesday group. This is a book I …
Simon is a member of our Hear Our Voice Monday Group. He has made this video about what he wants …
We’ve been a little quiet on the Hear Our Voice project recently. The groups have been working hard on their …
The government have made some new rules for the Christmas holidays.
This easy read booklet is about the bowel cancer screening test.
There are now 3 alert levels for coronavirus in England. This is called the Tier System. Different areas in the …
An easy read booklet with advice and tips on keeping happy and positive during lockdown.
The government have made some new rules. They start on the 14th of October.
Anthony from our Monday Group talks about Zoom and it’s pros and cons!
Hana from our Monday Group has made a video at home about her love of video games.
Simon from our Monday group has been working on a blog about one of his passions; comics. What are some …
OCD Awareness Week My name is Simon. I wanted to write an article about my experience because this week is …
Damian’s View on the Lockdown and Mental Health I’ve been thinking about another national lockdown and how it’s going to …
Hana from our Monday Group has made a video at home about her experience of lock down. Hana joins the …
Chris is part of the Wednesday group and is a brilliant writer. He has written short stories and poems as …
Anthony received a tablet from BTM through the Keeping Connected project. This means he has been able to stay in …
Saul made this video diary a while back and we’re only just sharing it now! ‘Here’s my latest video diary …
I have a condition called Complex PTSD which is a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Follow this link to understand more about this condition as it will help you understand why I feel the way I do.
The main issue with my condition is that I’m constantly looking out for anything that might be a threat. This means that I’m always anxious and watchful for danger. Hearing the neighbours or people talking outside puts me on edge and I go into fight, flight, or freeze mode.
When I am outside, I become overly watchful and this affects my spatial awareness. I feel quickly overwhelmed by busy places with lots of people and will feel frustrated because I want to get out but feel trapped.
For this reason, I don’t mind social distancing or staying at home but I feel isolated when I’ve had flashbacks or nightmares. I experience emotional flashbacks which means I am more likely to panic than relive traumatic events. This is because I can’t remember a lot of the traumas, I simply remember how they felt.
The virus itself feels threatening and when I go out it adds to my anxiety. Signs in shops, masks, and restrictions are a reminder of this threat. I try to challenge these fears by going out and accepting that much of my anxiety is based on past events. I’m still aware of the need to slow the progress of the virus so I follow government guidelines as much as possible.
Part of having CPTSD means I am prone to overthinking and catastrophizing. I often worry that things will never change and that the restrictions are now permanent. Again, I try to challenge this by questioning the likelihood of this happening. It doesn’t help that the restrictions seem too complicated and inconsistent in how they’re enforced. I often feel like things aren’t changing or that they’re getting worse.
This undermines my confidence in how the authorities are dealing with the virus.
Most of the time I’m able to deal with the difficult situation by accepting that there isn’t much I can do to change government policies except try to follow the restrictions. I try to distract myself by keeping busy and doing things that will make my life better when things get back to normal. This includes learning new skills, doing online courses, looking for work, and planning for the future.
I always try to stay aware of how I feel and remind myself that my condition will make things seem much worse than they are. Practicing self-care is important. I try to eat well, go out for walks and keep in touch with friends.
One of the most positive things about social distancing is that it’s given me space to focus on myself. I’ve used the tools I learnt in therapy to deal with and resolve a lot of my issues.
I feel that when the restrictions are lifted and life returns to normal, I’ll have a different perspective on life. This is exciting but also a bit scary because it’s new, and my natural response is to feel anxious. I’m optimistic though and I know that I’ve got through tough times and changes in life before.
The main thing is to stay aware, keep busy and remind myself that this is a temporary situation and whatever happens I’ll get through.
Over the last few weeks, Saul from our Wednesday group has been putting together some illustrations to go with poetry …
Munim has made a video about his return to Safety First in Bradford. He talks about what has changed.
The government have made some changes to the rules on things we can do during the coronavirus pandemic. This is …
My Opinion on the Government Restrictions How do you find out information about government restrictions? My carers have shown me …
The Wednesday group have been having weekly Zoom calls since April. They are working on individual projects at home and …
Hana is part of the Hear Our Voice Monday group and has recorded this video at home for her BTM …
The Monday Group have been meeting on Zoom for some weeks now. The group are working on their own projects …
This is a video I created while at home during the Coronavirus pandemic. The original object was to pass the …
Simon is a member of the Monday group. Before lock down, he had started a video project about comics because …
Damian from the Monday group has written this blog about his experience and thoughts of the coronavirus lock down. What …
Hello my name is Damian. I am a member of the Hear Our Voice project. Over the coronavirus crisis, I …
From the 24th of July you will have to wear a face covering in all enclosed public spaces. This includes …
From the 24th of July you will have to wear a face covering in all enclosed public spaces. This includes …
It is still really important to have your annual health check.
Some of the Hear Our Voice Monday group met up on Zoom yesterday. We had a great catch up and …
Below is an account written by one of our volunteers on the The National Lottery Community Fund Hear Our Voice Project about their experience during the coronavirus lockdown.
Hi
This is about my visit to Thornton medical centre under coronavirus conditions for David
My visit to Thornton Medical Centre for blood test :I had to go to Thornton because my surgery was closed due to coronavirus.
Thornton is far away so I had to take a taxi.
You couldn’t enter the surgery as you normally would.
I had to stop at the front door.
The door was locked.
I had to press the intercom button to speak to the receptionist.
She asked me if I had any symptoms and if I had been in contact with anyone who had had covid 19.
She then asked me if I was wearing a mask. I had to have my facemask on before i went in.
Then I went to the waiting area.
The chairs were arranged 2 metres apart.
When I had my blood test I was still wearing my mask.
The nurse taking my blood was wearing PPE, a visor, mask and gloves.
S
Here’s a video I made about scintillating scotoma which is a type of migraine with an aura. Not all migraines …
The Hear Our Voice groups are meeting weekly via video call. We’re interested in documenting what people have been doing …
Bradford council is warning you about a new scam. A scam is when someone tries to trick you into giving …
Simon is part of the Hear Our Voice Monday group. During lock down he has been taking note about what …
An easier to read summary about the deaths of people with learning disabilities in England during COVID-19. COVID-19 is another …
Some of the restrictions due to coronavirus have recently been lifted in the UK. In his most recent video diary, …
Yesterday, the Deaf Expressions group, who are part of the Hear Our Voice project, had their weekly video call. We …
Munim has been thinking about the services that he would usually use if the UK wasn’t in lock down at …
Video calling has become an important part of everyone’s lives during lock down. Every week the Wednesday group have a …
Listen to the audio file for Living with Dying – An EasyRead Guide
When we’re at BTM, the Hear Our Voice groups learn a range of computer and digital media skills. A few …