Busy little Beaver!

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Mik Scarlet

Been rushed off my wheels recently. Been writing and appearing at events all over the country. Here’s a round up of events so far!

Proof we can still cut it and look cool!

Things started off rather glamorously as Diane and me were invited to the launch of Firetrap’s Deadly Denim ad campaign in East London. It was a great night, and we even danced.

The Sea Changers panel.

Next I was asked to appear at a literary event in Brighton, called Sea Changers. It was an amazing night, and a real honour to be involved with such talented writers, all of whom campaign to make the world a better place. However, it was a little marred by how inaccessible Brighton is as a town. I wrote an article for the Huffington Post exploring how inaccessibility leads to disabled people being seen as a problem and now part of the community which was then taken up by the local Brighton and Hove Independent.

A stormy faced Mik in keeping with the sky!

Then I went to an event at Channel 4, which I covered for Disability Now. They announced the launch of the channel’s commitment to ensure inclusive casting of disabled actors in their future dramatic output. However, I won’t deny I have been to a few of these things, so I will believe it when I see it. I also met some talented actors, and smoozed as usual.

Posing with New Tricks Actor Storme Toolis

I also began running Disability Equality Training for Leonard Cheshire Disability in November. The plan is to roll it out next year, and if a business wants to hire us they will get a bespoke training course created for their business and sector. It means I have to dress rather smartly too.

Suited and Booted!

Lastly it was off to the BBC, for the Xmas edition of the BBC Ouch podcast. It was a great show and as soon as it goes live I will post the link. I do like getting paid to have a laugh and eat mince pies. I just pity Damon Rose, BBC Ouch’s editor, as it will be a nightmare to cut.

Xmas Ouch fun

This weekend I am off for a break in Cardiff. Two days of respite, with nothing to do but shop, rest and eat. Then it’s off to Roma Sports to collect my new Vida wheelchair. Can’t say too much until I collect it, but it is a totally bespoke wheelchair at the cost of the standard wheelchair. And it looks amazing too. I will be reviewing the chair for Disability Now very soon.

This is all you can see until next week!

So that’s it for now. There was more but I have forgotten it right now. Well, it is nearly Christmas! Can’t wait!

Trip to Cardiff

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Mik Scarlet

Basking in the sun outside the Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay

Just got back from a weekend break in Cardiff. Had a wonderful time and have fallen in love with the city. I am going to write a travel piece for Disability Now Online, that will go out soon, so watch out for that. If you get a chance, do yourself a favour and get yourself to Cardiff asap! For sci-fi fans it’s especially great as it has the Dr Who experience. Oh such fun. Just want so say thanks to all the staff at the Radisson Blu hotel for making our stay so great and to everyone we met in Cardiff. Amazing city and amazing people. Looking forward to coming back soon.

Mik with his Family at the Dr Who Experience

Meeting my family… that’s Dad or Davros and my brothers the Daleks.

Bye, Bye Beardy

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Mik Scarlet

After sporting a goatee for many years, of varying lengths, shapes and colours (thanks to beard dye), this morning I took the step of saying goodbye to the beard. Now this may not be the biggest news you’ve heard this week, but it’s going to make getting ready in the morning easier for me. No more fighting to shape my bit of stubble so it matches on both sides (symmetry is vitally important). And of course I can stop worrying about the fact that my beard is going nicely grey.

I have just returned from spending a week representing disabled performers on behalf of Equity’s Member’s with Disabilities committee at two conferences. I am the co-chair of the committee and so I gave speeches at the Equity ARC and the TUC Disabled Workers Conference on the issues facing disabled performers. It was a real honour to be there and to carry on my work on behalf of the people who elected me.

This weekend Diane and myself are off to Cardiff. I am writing a travel article on visiting the city, which is somewhere we have wanted to go for ages. Then, to kill to two birds with one stone, we are visiting a wheelchair company called Roma to do an article on a new wheelchair they are about to launch. I saw the Vida Active at this years Naidex and thought it looked amazing. It has some really new ideas in it’s construction and you get measured in the totally new way. I won’t say more until I’ve tried out the process, but the guys at Roma promise me the same kind of experience that those lucky enough to be buying a sports car have. So I am looking forward to some first class treatment. I do like that.

The biggest news here at Scarlet Towers is the fact that this evening Di and me are having our first Spanish lesson. For years we have been visiting Barcelona, and while Diane has learned enough of the local lingo to get by, I have always been struck dumb and kept my fingers crossed that whoever I was (not) speaking to spoke English. Well no more! So we have decided that before we go back later this year I WILL be able to speak a bit of Spanish. I shall keep you all posted. Hola.