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Most Recent Comments
Alice
09/07/2007
Hehe that's a funny story Dean, I can just imagine the...

Jeremy
08/24/2007
Nice blog mate!! Haven't had any problems like you had...

jane whitley
08/23/2007
Hi Dean, This Blog is a really good idea. I think lots of...

Alick mackenzie
08/23/2007
Thanks for you valuable time yesterday Dean, the film told...

lauren chew
09/27/2007
hey dean, i'm really proud of you! it seems that you...

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Most Recent Entries
My experience as a victim of fraud
A Hair Raising Experience!
A Film Star in Waiting
On my own

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Dean's Blog

Over Christmas 2007 I had a large amount of money stolen.

One evening I went into my local Nationwide branch like I do daily to withdraw cash for shopping. I asked for a mini statement to check how much was in there.

I noticed that a large sum of money was gone and I knew that something was wrong, so I asked if the cashier could find out how much had gone missing. I took the debit card to the front desk and asked if they could check with their visa department to find out what was going on.

The lady at the desk said that she would phone back after she had phoned the head office. Ten minutes later the lady from Nationwide phoned back and told me the amount was much larger than first thought. Over £500.

I was upset because I needed the money to pay bills and to basically live on. I just thought - right it’s here, you can’t change anything and just got to deal with it. Question was how was I going to deal with this and who could actually help me to overcome this?

A few days later I found out the money had been taken from a German bank in Milan Italy. I thought this is kind of insane and crazy to the max.

The bank gave me a £500 overdraft limit. I did not understand what an overdraft limit was and how to use it in the right kind of way - like learning on the job and it’s not an exercise, its real, anything can happen at any moment.

The bank and my care staff taught me to bank backwards, quite odd but easily done if you think about it. You can go under the overdraft limit but not over it.

I had to keep an eye on what I was spending daily. I got used to being in debt which is not nice but what can you do about it?

My landlord wrote asking me for payment and I explained what had happened and they were sympathetic with that week’s rent.

I was angry and upset - how could I give them what they wanted if I had no money to give them? It’s like any business, their main aim is to make money.

I felt upset that my mum had to pay the amount outstanding. I thought - it’s my problem, I will sort it out. Mum paid them what they wanted I thought thank god that part is over.

Then I had to tell the police about the theft - they gave me a crime reference for the bank to claim the money back and they took some details from me and that was that job done.

I’ve learned through this bad experience to never to use outside cash machines.

The bank explained that fraudsters sometimes put devices in the card slot of the cash machines so it was always best to use inside cash points rather then outside ones. I got all my money back within a few weeks.

This type of crime is very rare but can happen to anyone.
This is why I am telling my story so you can have an account of what it’s like to be affected by this.



[ 2 comments ] ( 59 views )   |  permalink  |   ( 3 / 91 )

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On Friday last week I went to have my hair cut at the hairdressers.

I booked the appointment myself and the time which was the easy bit then I went back at 3pm.

They booked me in then I sat in the chair so the lady could cut it anyway a little while later the lady mentioned the salon had no water.

I thought no water you’ve got to admit for a salon to run out of water was quite extreme but funny at the same time !I thought to myself now what! when the hairdresser told me that we would have to do next it made me laugh.

We had to walk to the other salon with white hair bleach and overalls around me this was quite funny I thought, sounds like a good way to start up a trend. We had to walk through the local high street to get to the the other salon. oh I forgot to mention the high street was packed with children adults and other people!.

The rest of the visit went well. I got my highlights in and my hair cut and dried and paid for. Note, what I am writing here is very rare and does not happen normally.

I wonder if anyone else has had a hair raising experience lately?


[ 3 comments ] ( 193 views )   |  permalink  |   ( 2.9 / 1128 )

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On Friday I was asked to take part in a short film about my experience of transition. This will be part of filming that will talk to other young people with learning disabilities about their experiences. Filming will begin quite soon and I am very excited.

I am very proud to be given this opportunity because its not something that happens to me every day.

A gentleman called Alic was asked by the BBC to make a short film about people who have a learning disability who are inspirational role models. This will appear on the BBC website.

I think its important to let disabled people have a chance to express themselves because they all lead very interesting lives and you can learn new skills from them too.

I’m thinking about where I could take the film crew around my local area. I’m trying to let adults and young people know that when you make that massive step from living with your parents to living on your own, your responsibilities change all for the better I guess.

You know with me I kind of found that transition is fun and you find things out that you did not even think you could actually do before. I know this because I’m talking from experience, e.g. cooking and ironing

With this film I want to let people who are not disabled have an understanding that we are cool and want the same things as you or the next person.

That’s what I honestly think myself and I’m trying my best to let other people understand this.


[ 1 comment ] ( 88 views )   |  permalink  |   ( 3 / 1038 )

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Living on my own has open my eyes a lot. Many people say it is easy but if they were living in my shoes for a day their opinion would change.

I have learned new skills while at the same time learning to be independent. 99 per cent of the time it is a right laugh - do what you want when you want, after all, it’s your home, your rules, true eh?

I have learned over the last few months to take two sides of a story and not just one. Let’s just say with contractors, who come out to repair a fault and say it’s the pipe work, when it’s actually the towel rail the wrong way round. The contractors say something different to what the landlord has told you. It’s best to have a full story and not just half of one.

Keep all the documents for reference - this will help the landlord help you to get the fault fixed quickly and also give them a contact phone number. If you have a mobile its best to give them that, you can deal with the fault and you can get a key holder if needed.

Try and delegate (tell some what needs doing) so you can concentrate on college or whatever you are doing. This is a good idea because it helps you think more clearly on college.

Only people who live on their own know how hard it is - many people think “wow, nice home easy life! Oh, I will leave that part to people to find out on their own.”


When you live by yourself you think a whole lot more about everyday choices you make. I know this from my own experiences. You don’t notice for a few days. I understand running a home is a big task and people tell you things i.e. budget well and all that. It would be hard for any young adult to start with. But, as you get used to living on your own it becomes manageable and you feel a sense of achievement in everything you do.

At first there is a lot to take in such as rent payments, mobiles and things. Listen - it does get easy, you just need time to settle in - get to know your flat and you are well away. You will be so full of self confidence 7 months down the line. You have a really big sense of achievement and you get a big pat on the back – that would make anybody’s year, that would. It has done me the world of good. I am very proud of myself.

Just goes to show a what people who have moderate learning disability can do eh? Adults, young people and children who have disability are no different from other people. They still want the same things - nice home a cool job.

We all learn new things all of the time ( “I certainly do”) and you can use what you know to help other people.


[ 19 comments ] ( 492 views )   |  permalink  |   ( 3 / 1116 )

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