At the bottom of this page, I have copied a notification that I tripped over as I checked the movie times at Cineworld. My eyes were drawn to read it, since I had just finished reading ‘House Rules’ by the astonishingly good writer Jodi Picoult. I have read lots of her books and have taken audio books of her stories on some of the long journeys that my husband and I travel in the course of our work in the antiques world and also within our sport of triathlon. House Rules is a 600 page book about a mother with two sons, one of whom has Asperger’s syndrome which is one of the Autism spectrum. I value books and movies and plays by whether or not I learn anything from them. This book is so well researched and so expertly told that it is one gigantic lesson about the life of a family living and coping with such a condition. The book is also a superbly entertaining story; I stormed through it at the speed of light unable to lay the book down. Sleep was lost as I kept begging myself to read one more page… one more page….one more page.
My own little recent problem with my sport governing body dims into insignificance compared to the problems of any mother given a life task, like the woman in the above book. British Triathlon had offended me, when earlier this year, the Membership Services Administrator, Lisa Broughten, was given the unfortunate task of writing to me to explain a ruling. This was that, although I have competed in triathlon events for over twenty five years, and have won eight World Championship titles in my age group over those years, that I was being asked to get a GP to sign and stamp a form to say that I was fit enough to compete in the races I intended to enter this season. The reason is that the insurance company has required this for athletes who are over 75. I will be 77 in August of this year.
Since then I have written letters, argued on the phone and been photographed for my local papers because I felt it was all so ageist and discriminatory. I huffed and I puffed and a small move or two in my direction was made by my governing body. It made me very unhappy for a while and I had some nice letters from fellow athletes but I still felt hard done by.
After reading this book, I realise instead that I am a very lucky person indeed. I am nearly 77 and I can still swim, bike and run, quite impressive distances, in the sport that I so love and have made so many friends in. I have a loving family. I have the best coach in the world, my husband Steve.
I have now renewed my membership and sent the signed ‘Doctors note’ in to comply with these terms. I have climbed down from my high horse and I will get over it, thanks to author Jodi Picoult.
Cineworld, as you can see below are bending over backwards to help to keep happy, some people who find themselves through no fault of their own, in minority groups.
Release date: 01/05/2016….. Zootropolis Running time: 108 mins
Synopsis: The makers of Frozen transport you to a delightful world populated entirely by animals.
Autism Friendly screenings at Cineworld differ from regular screenings.
Some of the key differences are: Lighting will be kept on during the screening.
Volume levels will be reduced.
There will be no advertisements or trailers.
Seating will not be allocated.
Customers will be allowed to bring in their own food.
Films are regularly screened at 11am on the first Sunday of every month.
For further information please ask in your local cinema.
The city of
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