On November 23, the Biomarket will be inaugurated in Barcelona; the first wholesale market in Spain and the second in Europe exclusively devoted to organic products, mainly fruit and vegetables. Located in the Mercabarna facilities, the Biomarket will initially work with ten wholesale companies, some of which have acquired several stalls, and an agricultural cooperative, as well as a dozen small local producers.

"We are pleased to undertake this pioneering initiative in Spain and Europe which will bring organic foods closer to the ever-increasing number of consumers looking for them at their usual stores, retailers and restaurants," says Jordi Valls, General Manager of Mercabarna. "We want to support the growing commitment of the wholesale sector and local agriculture to these foods, concentrating their supply in a market where they will have greater visibility."

The inauguration of this market, which was initially planned for October, has been a real challenge, given the current health crisis. "Fortunately, the set deadlines for the market's construction were met and it was ready in February. From that moment on, it was time for each of the wholesale companies that are in the Biomarket to start the adaptation works, but the sanitary situation prevented it, so there were delays. In spite of the adversities, we are very proud of the work and effort made by everyone and of being able to inaugurate this pioneering market in November, in the context in which we currently are," says Jordi Valls.

Catalonia is the leading autonomous region in Spain in terms of consumption of organic products, with 26% of the total. Besides, a large number of wholesalers and distributors of these foods are based here. In Mercabarna, for example, there are already 40 companies with experience in their marketing and distribution, and a quarter of them will be present in the Biomarket. "The Barcelona City Council has made an important commitment to a fairer, safer, more sustainable and healthier food model, which will become a reality in 2021; the year in which Barcelona will be the World Capital of Sustainable Food," says the director of Mercabarna.

This bio market will cover the whole range of products demanded by consumers, says Jordi Valls. "The share of local organic products that will be sold in the Biomarket will be very high, but we must take into account that we must guarantee the supply of fresh organic food to the population all year round, so we must also work with other origins, always with the focus on minimizing the impact on the environment."

For the buyers, bringing together the entire range to a single market will make it easier to find the product they are looking for. "It promotes competition among wholesale firms, therefore enhancing also the variety of the supply and ensuring the best value for money. Offering specific facilities for organic food and bringing the supply of these products to a single site will also facilitate the controls on health and hygiene, organic product certification labeling and traceability," he said.

Jordi Valls believes that the Biomarket will help boost the purchases of organic products in the wholesale channel. "The demand is growing and Spain is one of the European countries where it is increasing the most. The pandemic has made more people aware of the importance of food to stay healthy. In March and April, the consumption of organic products in Spain increased by 12%, according to the Spanish professional association of organic food producers (ECOVALIA). The latest study from AECOC says that 17% of consumers now appreciate organic products more than at the beginning of the health crisis."

"We expect that the Biomarket will initially account for 20% (23,662 tons) of the organic fruits and vegetables marketed in Catalonia. If the forecasts are met, in 5 years, this share could rise to 35% (50,000 tonnes). Moreover, according to growth projections for the organic sector in Spain published by the Ministry of Agriculture, we would reach 50% (78,100 tonnes) by 2031," said the director of Mercabarna.

"Although we hope that more companies will join this project in the future, at the moment there is very little space available, but if the market works as we expect it to, we could expand its current surface area, which is 8,900 m. We have reserved the adjacent space of the Biomarket in order to make that possible in the future," says Jordi Valls.

For more information: Roser Lapuente Mercabarna T: +34 93 556 35 08 / 93 556 30 00 lapuente@mercabarna.cat http://www.mercabarna.es

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"We expect that the Biomarket will initially account for 20% of the organic fruit and vegetables marketed in Catalonia" - hortidaily.com

The Global Natural and Organic Food Market report by UpMarketResearch.com provides a detailed analysis of the area marketplace expanding; competitive landscape; global, regional, and country-level market size; impact market players; market growth analysis; market share; opportunities analysis; product launches; recent developments; sales analysis; segmentation growth; technological innovations; and value chain optimization. This is a latest report, covering the current COVID-19 impact on the market. The pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has affected every aspect of life globally. This has brought along several changes in market conditions. The rapidly changing market scenario and initial and future assessment of the impact is covered in the report.

Request Free Sample Of This Report At: https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/79364

Market Segmentation

The Global Natural and Organic Food Market has been divided into product types, application, and regions. These segments provide accurate calculations and forecasts for sales in terms of volume and value. This analysis can help customers increase their business and take calculated decisions.

By Product Types, Natural food Organic food

By Applications, Mass merchandise Natural health farms Online Others

By Regions and Countries, Asia Pacific: China, Japan, India, and Rest of Asia Pacific Europe: Germany, the UK, France, and Rest of Europe North America: The US, Mexico, and Canada Latin America: Brazil and Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa: GCC Countries and Rest of Middle East & Africa

The regional analysis segment is a highly comprehensive part of the report on the global Natural and Organic Food market. This section offers information on the sales growth in these regions on a country-level Natural and Organic Food market.

The historical and forecast information provided in the report span between 2018 and 2026. The report provides detailed volume analysis and region-wise market size analysis of the market.

Competitive Landscape of the Natural and Organic Food Market

The chapter on competitive landscape provides information about key company overview, global presence, sales and revenue generated, market share, prices, and strategies used.

Major players in the global Natural and Organic Food Market include Spartan Stores Hain Celestial United Natural Foods Amys Kitchen Whole Foods Clif Bar & Company Kroger Dole Food Frito-Lay Newmans Dean Foods Organic Valley General Mills Natures Path Foods Quaker Oats

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The Natural and Organic Food Market Report Addresses:

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About UpMarketResearch: UpMarketResearch (https://www.upmarketresearch.com) is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves. Contact Info UpMarketResearch Name Alex Mathews Email [emailprotected] Website https://www.upmarketresearch.com Address 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States.

Originally posted here:

Natural and Organic Food Market Expert Guide to Boost the Industry in Global Market Share - Cheshire Media

Organic Food And Beveragesmarket has been analyzed by utilizing the best combination of secondary sources and in-house methodology along with a unique blend of primary insights. The real-time assessment of the Organic Food And Beverages market is an integral part of our market sizing and forecasting methodology, wherein our industry experts and team of primary participants helped in compiling the best quality with realistic parametric estimations.

In4Researchs latest market research report on theOrganic Food And Beverages market, with the help of a complete viewpoint, provides readers with an estimation of the global market landscape. This report on the Organic Food And Beverages market analyzes the scenario for the period of 2020 to 2026, wherein, 2019 is the base year. This report enables readers to make important decisions regarding their business, with the help of a variety of information enclosed in the study.

This report on the Organic Food And Beverages market also provides data on the developments made by important key companies and stakeholders in the market, along with competitive intelligence. The report also covers an understanding of strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities, along with the market trends and restraints in the landscape.

Questions Answered in Organic Food And Beverages Market Report:

Request for a sample copy of the report to get extensive insights into Organic Food And Beverages market @https://www.in4research.com/sample-request/1269 Based on Product type, Organic Food And Beverages market can be segmented as:

Based on Application,Organic Food And Beverages market can be segmented:

The Organic Food And Beverages industry study concludes with a list of leading companies/suppliers operating in this industry at different stages of the value chain.

List of key players profiled in the report:

If you are planning to invest into new products or trying to understand this growing market, this report is your starting point.

Ask for more details or request custom reports from our industry experts @https://www.in4research.com/customization/1269

Regional Overview & Analysis of Organic Food And Beverages Market:

Analysis of COVID-19 Impact & Post Pandemic Opportunities in Organic Food And Beverages Market: The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought along a global recession, which has impacted several industries. Along with this impact COVID Pandemic has also generated few new business opportunities for Organic Food And Beverages market. Overall competitive landscape and market dynamics of Organic Food And Beverages has been disrupted due to this pandemic. All these disruptions and impacts has been analysed quantifiably in this report, which is backed by market trends, events and revenue shift analysis. COVID impact analysis also covers strategic adjustments for Tier 1, 2 and 3 players of Organic Food And Beverages market.

Table of Content: Global Organic Food And Beverages Market

Chapter 1. Research Objective 1.1 Objective, Definition & Scope 1.2 Methodology 1.2.1 Primary Research 1.2.2 Secondary Research 1.2.3 Market Forecast Estimation & Approach 1.2.4 Assumptions & Assessments 1.3 Insights and Growth Relevancy Mapping 1.3.1 FABRIC Platform 1.4 Data mining & efficiency

Chapter 2. Executive Summary 2.1 Organic Food And Beverages Market Overview 2.2 Interconnectivity & Related markets 2.3 Ecosystem Map 2.4 Organic Food And Beverages Market Business Segmentation 2.5 Organic Food And Beverages Market Geographic Segmentation 2.6 Competition Outlook 2.7 Key Statistics

Chapter 3. Strategic Analysis 3.1 Organic Food And Beverages Market Revenue Opportunities 3.2 Cost Optimization 3.3 Covid19 aftermath Analyst view 3.4 Organic Food And Beverages Market Digital Transformation

Chapter 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 DROC 4.1.1 Drivers 4.1.2 Restraints 4.1.3 Opportunities 4.1.4 Challenges 4.2 PEST Analysis 4.2.1 Political 4.2.2 Economic 4.2.3 Social 4.2.4 Technological 4.3 Market Impacting Trends 4.3.1 Positive Impact Trends 4.3.2 Adverse Impact Trends 4.4 Porters 5-force Analysis 4.5 Market News By Segments 4.5.1 Organic News 4.5.2 Inorganic News

Chapter 5. Segmentation & Statistics 5.1 Segmentation Overview 5.2 Demand Forecast & Market Sizing

Any Questions/Queries or need help? Speak with our analyst: https://www.in4research.com/speak-to-analyst/1269

FOR ALL YOUR RESEARCH NEEDS, REACH OUT TO US AT: Contact Name: Rohan S. Email:[emailprotected]

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Organic Food And Beverages Market Research Key Players, Industry Overview, Supply Chain and Analysis to 2020 2026 - The Market Feed

Fri., Nov. 27, 2020

For those of you who dont know, in real life, Im a nutritionist. Which means I spend most of my days justifying the consumption of spinach with campaigns not dissimilar to Popeyes.

Patients often have this charming assumption that I do not suffer the same afflictions of donut lust or question the sanity of putting kale in a smoothie. More than once, I have been asked if I make my own mayonnaise, as if I moonlight as some backwoods version of Julia Child with pet chickens.

And probably, they say, I dont eat sugar or consume alcohol or have any of those sorts of vices because I know better. We all know better. Which is what makes times like these so hard.

On the eve of Thanksgiving I have come to realize that my response to not spending it with family is to make just as much food and eat it myself. In fact, I have been systematically preparing for this by stress-eating my way to the combined weight of myself, a toddler nephew, and one frail but voracious great-aunt.

Oddly, I have been intentionally washing these meals down with red wine, which has caused a kind of teetotalers short circuit in my brain because I dont drink. Or at least I didnt, but then a pandemic and an election and Zoom meetings broke me.

My sustained optimism and commitment to cultivating happiness in my life has been replaced with pie and Buddhist literature on the weakness of attachment. Buddhism is particularly supportive of my inclination to indulge, as enlightenment should happen when I stop feeling so attached to my pant size. At this rate, Ill stop being attached to pants at all because only a toga made from a king-size sheet is going to fit me.

The downward spiral is not unfamiliar to me. I just wish we didnt have to hit rock bottom as a nation before climbing back out. I dont know how you are all faring, but if you are elbows deep in pastries and bad habits, I want you to know you are not alone.

As I bear witness to the painful unraveling of my expectations for this year, I cling to the few healthy survival tools I have left: self-compassion and hope. The former I have learned through years of self-abuse. The latter I read about in Mans Search for Meaning, a title that simultaneously destroys and restores my faith in humanity.

It is OK for us to feel loss and sadness, overwhelm and even despair. For the introverts out there, or those whose therapists recommend they avoid dysfunctional family gatherings anyway, your sense of quiet relief at having a pandemic to blame is also OK.

Some days, we might find we are kinder to ourselves about those less than healthy coping strategies. The pie and eggnog may be serving a unique purpose this year, a kind of emotional triage. And something tells me your New Years resolution will have much momentum behind it come January. I have been drafting mine for weeks.

Some glimmers of hope for the future are already visible. While that could be sequins from the latest home crafting project (not surprisingly, all my new hobbies involve a lot of glue), if Viktor Frankl was even an iota of right in his observations: Any distant sparkle, however faint, is enough to keep our hearts beating.

Of all that I will find to be thankful for today, it is the hope that most fills me with gratitude. It is for the people who give me this hope, the communities, the teachers, the readers, the doctors and nurses, the journalists. It is for the families with fresh babies and the grandparents who remind me.

I might not be able to have you around my dinner table tonight, but I can feel you out there, a collective spirit of hope for brighter days. They will come.

In the meantime, eat all the pie. Next year, youll have to share it again.

Ammi Midstokke can be contacted at ammimarie@gmail.com

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Off the Grid: Maladaptive coping and quarantine pie - The Spokesman-Review

Global Critical Care Products Market Research report 2020 provides information regarding market size, share, trends, growth, competition landscape, challenges and opportunity, revenue, and forecast to 2027. A comprehensive overview of the Critical Care Products Market is recently added by Stratagem Market Insights to its humongous database. The Critical Care Products Market report has been aggregated by collecting informative data of various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities.

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Following key players have been profiled with the help of proven research methodologies:

Novartis, GE Healthcare, Abbott, Plunketts Health Care, Sproxil, Safaricom, Dexcom, Piramal, Mylan, Convatec.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected every aspect of life worldwide. The study provides full coverage of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Critical Care Products market and its key segments. Furthermore, it covers the present and future impact of the pandemic and offers a post-COVID-19 scenario to provide a deeper understanding of the dynamic changes in trends and market scenarios.

Competitive Landscape:

Competitor analysis is one of the best sections of the report that compares the progress of leading players based on crucial parameters, including market share, new developments, global reach, local competition, price, and production. From the nature of competition to future changes in the vendor landscape, the report provides an in-depth analysis of the competition in the global Critical Care Products market.

Research Methodology:

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Critical Care Products Market Enlightenment on Future Scenario by 2027 - The Market Feed

Her debut novel, Stones in my Bra the search for love, enlightenment and the perfect flapjack, is out now.

Set in Sheffield, it features many of the things she loves about her hometown.

Sheffields writing scene

Writing was something I took up as my children got older and I had more free time.

I wrote to amuse myself and my friends and didnt really understand there were skills to be learnt in terms of narrative arcs and plot development.

Then, thanks to an article in the Telegraph, I discovered Joanne Burn, a great writing coach based in Grindleford, and later I found the Sheffield writing scene and joined The Virtual Writers Caff run by local actor and creative, Letty Butler.

Im amazed at how much home-grown talent Sheffield has!

In the current climate, local press has taken a hit in readership. This is such a shame as its vital to have professionally trained journalists to report on issues that affect us.

I always pick up the Sheffield Telegraph on a Thursday to find out whats happening and appreciate that, even in lock-down, theres been a balance between publishing the facts and keeping a positive outlook.

Local radio also keeps us up-to-date and entertained. I love the phone-ins and interactions with the listeners so wanted to incorporate an element of that into my story line.

Sheffields alternative therapies

Im used to being considered alternative by my family!

Whats nice is that in recent years, many of the practices, such as yoga, mindfulness and reflexology that were once considered strange, have now become mainstream.

My novel introduces the reader to several therapies in a light-hearted way and, should they be inspired to try out a gong bath, clear their clutter, or cherish their chakras, then groups such as the Reiki Shining Light Circle here in Sheffield can offer them all.

Sheffields running community

I got into running a few years ago and pre-Covid was a regular at the Endcliffe park run. Im a member of the Millhouses Beginners Group which meets every Thursday at 9.30 am and runs through Ecclesall Woods.

Ive learnt such a lot I never knew there were so many techniques to improve your form.

The sessions are free, fun and open to all ages.

In fact, Im so inspired by them that I had my narrator join a similar club in her quest for self-improvement.

Lockdown has been made bearable by still being able to get a curry from the Bilash on Sharrowvale Road, a pie from the Broadfield on Abbeydale Road and a drink and a meal in our excellent neighbourhood pubs. Theres also no shortage of superb cafes in Nether Edge. But nothing can beat my narrators award-winning flapjack.

Ive had a long career in teaching English as a foreign language and my students always say how theyve been made to feel at home here.

I love the fact Sheffield embraces different cultures and has such a vibrant international community at both universities. Id also like to mention the Migration Matters festival and the charity ASSIST which do so much to raise our awareness of asylum seekers and refugees. And lets not forget neighbourhood groups, like NENG, who organize events such as our quarterly market. In my novel the narrator worries her father is suffering from dementia.

So, reading of the Sheffield care workers who locked down with their vulnerable residents made me feel really proud. Its why I chose to give my Bridget Jones meets Eat, Pray, Love story its unique Sheffield flavour and also why profits from my sales will be going to Alzheimers UK.

Stones in my Bra is rated 4.9 and can be purchased on Amazon.co.uk. or at Wickwire, in Nether Edge.

Link:
MY FAVOURITE THINGS: Amazed at the amount of home-grown talent in Sheffield - Sheffield Telegraph

November 27, 2020 00:00 ET | Source: Archway Publishing

photo-release

NEW YORK, Nov. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Follow one womans mystical journey into the unknown as she pursues personal growth through fear, faith, and courage in Juana Vasquezs new novel, Naked: A Journey to the Unknown (published by Archway Publishing).

Gigi is a woman seeking enlightenment. She realizes that her current state of mind may be her greatest obstacle. She wants to break through old patterns that are holding her back. To understand how she came to be ruled by her routines, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Her quest is to find peace. She believes that a small town called Callicoon, has the quietness that she is looking forward. To get there she must overcome her fears and insecurities as they are connected to her limited way of thinking, there she believes she will meet her true self.

I want readers to understand that changing the way we perceive life can be challenging, but, with determination, is possible, Vasquez states. Many of us are afraid of changes. Gigi, the main character, is no different. She is afraid, however, she embarks on a journey into the unknown, overcomes herself, and lands in a safe place.

Naked is also available for purchase on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Naked-Journey-Juana-Vasquez-ebook/dp/B084RDNBBS.

Naked

By Juana Vasquez

Hardcover | 5.5 x 8.5 in | 116 pages | ISBN 9781480886919

Softcover | 5.5 x 8.5 in | 116 pages | ISBN 9781480886926

E-Book | 116 pages | ISBN 9781480886933

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Juana Vasquez was born in the Dominican Republic in 1971 and immigrated to the United States in 1990. In 1993 she was introduced to metaphysics by an acquaintance she met at a local library in Paterson, New Jersey. Her interest in human behavior and in challenging herself led her to study the science of religion and metaphysics over the course of 20 years. She currently lives in New York City. Her book is also available in Spanish, titled Al Desnudo.

Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the worldwide leader in self-publishing, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit http://www.archwaypublishing.com or call 844-669-3957.

Bloomington, Indiana, UNITED STATES

https://www.archwaypublishing.com/

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New book about change and transformation follows woman's journey to find herself - GlobeNewswire

Donovan, the singer/songwriter once called the next Dylan, who Bob Dylan ridiculed on one of his European tours, has a song that goes:

First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.

Its a reference to a Buddhist text and refers to enlightenment. Something you believe in is present, then its not, then it is. Everything changes. Some changes are unavoidable and some are unpleasant.

Changes in my neighborhood directly effect the way I live my life.

And its really hard for me to accept change. But this time, I had no choice. The proof was right in front of my eyes, even though I wanted to ignore it.

A for sale sign hanging in the right hand window. Vida was gone.

A valued asset of the Stapleton community since 2003, Vida served up fine food in a wonderfully cozy atmosphere, while Cesare Evora played on the sound system. Local art decorated the walls and many a joyful night was spent there with family and friends. Our friend Silva owned and operated the restaurant. Joan and I celebrated our 10th anniversary within its walls.

Vida opened around the same time as The Muddy Cup, signaling a revival to the area that eventually led to three years of Van Duzer Days. The Cups owners, Jim and Rob, were directly responsible for my family moving into the neighborhood. Jim knew our landlord, Joe, and arranged for us to see the apartment that has now been our home for the past 17 years.

Close proximity to both the Cup and Vida helped in our decision.

One night, Jim, Rob, Joan, Silva and I stood in the vacant restaurant, way past closing time. Silva brought out a bottle of wine and proposed a toast to us all. As we drank, a light patina of snow fell. We gazed upon it wistfully. Aint nobody going to work tomorrow, Rob declared. In fact, nobody did.

Through the years, Vida had its ups and down. Severely limited parking outside the restaurant didnt help. Though the area buzzed with activity from the restaurant, the Cup and Martini Reds (which is now the Hop Shoppe), people didnt come much to the neighborhood. To each their own. And, their loss.

Silva sometimes complained that she wanted to leave, that it was too much running the restaurant, cooking and handling its financial affairs. Then, she would change her mind and tough it out for another year. We thought she always would.

This year, we were wrong. This was the year Silva made good on her promise and disappeared, leaving the shell of a storefront behind her.

Then again, this year, nobodys been right about anything. All bets are off. The only sure thing is uncertainty, and that can destroy a local business faster than you can say pita bread.

Times have been tough for Stapleton. The former Cup is now a tattoo parlor. The former Duzer Local looks to be re-opening under the name Amiras Cafe. So many new enterprises were set to begin before the virus came to town. Now, its mostly wait and see.

But, my mind is on Vida, its promise and what it meant to this neighborhood. It absolutely increases the quality of life in a community if you can walk down the block to a decent restaurant. Staten Island has no shortage of great places to eat, but when its your neighborhood, your community, when you see your friends gathering at a local spot to eat or hear music or just hang out, it means a lot more.

That sense of community gets you through pandemics and catastrophes, good times and bad, hustle and hollowness. Each venue is a brick upon which other venues are built. And, when one brick disappears, the rest topple and sometimes fall away.

What will happen now is anybodys guess. The Coop, which is a bar next door, might expand. The storefront might stay vacant for awhile, as did the Cup. Whatever happens, the memories of good times within Vidas walls will not fade. They, too, are bricks in a chain of memories.

I have faith in Stapleton, otherwise I wouldnt live here. On first glance, it might seem unimpressive and maybe even, to some folks, threatening. Stapleton does have a reputation, and a lot of it for unsavory things. But the people are what make a community, and the people that have made their home here like Donna, Frankie and Dave, who have set up businesses like Joe and Ira and the hundreds of musicians who have come to play at the Cup, Martinis, the Hop Shoppe and Duzer Local have made this a place of warmth and solace. Mountains may come and go, but memories are forever.

Hold those grey heads high!

Comments about this and ally columns may be addressed to Talk To The Old Guy on Facebook. My deep appreciation to all who have left lovely thank you notes. You are sincerely welcome!

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The Old Guy: Remembering a beloved Staten Island restaurant that did not survive 2020 - SILive.com

There are 1.5 million learning disabled people in the UK, but they are rarely seen or heard from. Little is spoken of this demographic of people, who in many cases completely rely on others in order to live.

Unless youre a family carer or professionally involved, you may not know or have regular contact with any learning disabled people.

However, in episode 7 of the latest season of The Crown, viewers learn more about the royal family and learning disabled people. Peter Morgan, creator of the series, writes about two learning disabled women, Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon.

In Morgans fictional depiction, Princess Margaret and the Queen discover that Katherine and Nerissa, their cousins on their mothers side, are still alive, despite being listed as dead in Burkes Peerage, and have spent their adult lives in an institution for mental defectives.

Despite being born into wealth and privilege, Nerissa and Katherine found that their background didnt protect them from a harsh truth that still perpetuates today: learning disabled people are, in the main, forgotten.

I would like to be comforting, to ameliorate and to say the Bowes-Lyon sisters were born in another time; an age that lacked enlightenment, far removed from our own. But these institutions are still with us, now called assessment and treatment units, and a recent report showed that within NHS hospitals like these and some specialist schools, learning disabled/autistic people are subjected to prone restraint every 15 minutes.

The world knows how dangerous prone restraint is, because we watched in horror as a version of the technique was used on George Floyd this summer.

Covid-19 deaths must prompt better healthcare for people with learning disabilities

Id like to be able to look back to another time and place when I reflect on the fate of the Queens cousins. I want to say that things have moved on significantly in all areas of life for disabled people. But this month, the BBC is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act and seemingly only physically disabled people are being featured in the broadcasters celebrations.

Learning disabled people are still denied work opportunities; in England, only six in 100 people with a learning disability are in employment, compared with 52.5% of the wider disabled community in Great Britain.

And in the context of the pandemic, learning disabled people in the UK are six times more likely to die of Covid-19 and learning disabled people in the UK aged between 18 and 34 are 30 times more likely to die from Covid-19. Learning disabled people have not as yet been included on the extremely vulnerable shielding list, even though respiratory conditions were the leading cause of death of learning disabled people in 2018 and 2019.

In the episode The Hereditary Principle, Morgan chooses not to forget. He wanted to tell the world that these two women the Queens cousins existed. I loved the episode, and loved too that the production team chose learning disabled performers to tell Nerissa and Katherines story.

Its key that the representation of learning disabled people onscreen is authentically rendered, which is definitely the case with the writing and direction. There is no sentimentality, no inspiration porn on view.

In 2009, I launched a campaign called Dont Play Me, Pay Me after our then 14-year-old child was the first autistic person in the UK to play an autistic character, in the BBCs Dustbin Baby. At the time, it was a radical notion.

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The campaign drew attention to the lack of disabled people in creative industries to highlight that disabled peoples ambitions arent diminished by a lack of talent, only by a lack of opportunity. I met broadcasters including the BBC and the campaign prompted widespread news coverage. I was diagnosed as autistic in 2014 and went back into the acting career Id trained for, but if TV and film representation of disabled people is rare for young disabled actors, its even rarer for those, like me, in middle age.

In The Crown, Morgan puts the reason for the forgotten story of Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyons secret lives and unmarked deaths as being down to the Queen Mothers desire to protect the monarchy from her own personal, perceived family shame.

My question is that in keeping contemporary learning disabled peoples lives away from the public gaze, isnt 21st century society guilty of denying and betraying our shared humanity in a world that would much rather forget that learning disabled people exist?

Read this article:
The Crown's learning disability storyline highlights painful lack of progress - The Guardian

INDIANAPOLIS Theres an old standby rejoinder that debaters use to rebuff outlandish claims:

Youre entitled to your own opinion, but youre not entitled to your own facts.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Anyone tracking social media realizes that Americans dont even agree on facts these days. President Donald Trumps campaign to overturn the 2020 presidential election results is a case in point.

To most Americans, the presidents court battles to decertify ballots and disenfranchise voters are exercises in a dangerous kind of absurdity. They see that, in state after state and court after court, Trumps claims of voter fraud and other forms of election malfeasance either have been tossed out or flat dismissed, often in withering, even contemptuous terms.

They hear the president claim that he has been wronged but see him produce nothing that resembles evidence facts indicating that fraud occurred and they conclude that he is lying.

They are the majority.

But there is a substantial minority of Americans who dont see things that way. They argue, in their own network and now on their own social media platform, that hundreds of thousands of votes either have been manufactured (if they were for Democrat Joe Biden) or thrown away (if they were for Trump.)

These are supposed to be facts things that should be verifiable.

But the verification in the hothouse world that Donald Trumps supporters inhabit is the repeated assertion of the claim. A fact becomes a fact simply because it is said again and again and again.

And not because its truth or accuracy can be established by any sort of objective means.

This might be amusing if the stakes werent so high.

Im not talking about whether the Biden presidency is delegitimized, undercut or opposed. Presidencies come and go. Some succeed. Others fail.

That is the nature of things.

Nor am I speaking now about President Trumps attacks on American institutions the sovereignty of the courts, the oversight responsibilities of the legislative branch, etc. (All of these, by the way, the president took an oath to defend.)

Those are serious matters. The presidents assaults on the bulwarks of a government established by a free people intent on ruling themselves will have lasting consequences and recovery efforts will require years possibly even decades before the damage is undone.

But recovery is possible.

That may not be the case with the war Donald Trump now wages.

In that conflict, the premise animating the American revolution is the enemy, the thing the president seeks to destroy.

The revolution that made us a country was a product of the Enlightenment. The American Enlightenment thinkers many of whom declared independence from Britain and drafted the Constitution under which we still govern ourselves placed their faith in reason. They believed that people who had access to facts would arrive at positions that made sense.

That were fair.

That were just.

The author of the Declaration of Independence, not surprisingly, gave voice most memorably to this creed.

[T]his institution will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. for here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it, Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter to English historian William Roscoe.

But Jeffersons faith in freedom and American deals was based on a conviction that facts matter.

That truth is something that can be tested and verified.

That is the faith that Donald Trump and his followers now challenge.

For them, the truth is a malleable commodity, easily shaped and molded to meet the needs of the moment.

And facts?

Well, they are not much different than fiction.

If Trump is right about this, then Jefferson and the other founders of this nation were wrong. Reason is powerless and cannot prevail when facts do not matter.

These days, Donald Trump spends much of his time focusing on filing lawsuits and going to court.

Among the many things hes putting on trial is the idea of America itself.

John Krull is director of Franklin Colleges Pulliam School of Journalism and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

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Trump's war with America itself | Opinion | washtimesherald.com - Washington Times Herald