Contactless Payment using bPay Loop

J's been getting out and about quite a bit lately... and with increasing outings, there's been a need to 'sort out' money and paying.  Having a problem dealing with social situations and with the additional difficulties his essential tremor brings meant we were on the look out for something to allow simple transactions.

Last year I was part of the Barclays #AccessHealthCare hackathon and have kept in touch with them through their twitter @BarclaysAccess account.  I'd mentioned that I felt there must be a way to meet J's needs without him having to carry around cash.  Having kept looking for potential options to assist J, nothing had met with his requirements.

Then, in the summer, we were sent a bPay loop by Kathryn as she thought it may be what I was looking for... I attached it to J's lanyard and activated it online.  As the lanyard is something J's very familiar with, he was happy to 'have a go' with the bPay loop once he understood it allowed him to pay without needing to "mess about with coins". 

His first trial was at a local cafe where he usually struggles to get his money ready.  It was a great success and he was even able to ask "do you take contactless payment?" and then use the loop to pay.

J's next success was finding the sports centre where his weekly club is held also has a contactless terminal at the front desk.  We no longer have to remember to ask about change and find the right coins to pay - J just taps to pay and it's all done!

An interesting development when out and about with his bPay loop is that J is willing to engage in conversation with people about contactless payment, and is happy to explain how it works.  Spending is tracked through auto top up texts sent to my phone and we are working together talking about budgeting so J understands this is not just 'magic money' which appears from nowhere.  He loves his bPay and says it, like the name Felipe, as if it's his friend.  A great tool for our family in certain situations.

Special Mission to see the LB Quilt

Some people may know that we have been keen followers of #JusticeforLB .  In case not - here's my very potted summary - Connor Sparrowhawk, also known as LB, was admitted to a STATT (Short Term Assessment and Treatment Team) as an inpatient (Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust ran the unit) in 2013.  107days after admission, LB drowned in the bath on 4 July 2013. An entirely preventable death. 

Just this month (June 2016), Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust FINALLY admitted that both Connor and his family had their Human Rights breached - more details here in Sara's blog.  I have absolutely NO IDEA how LB's family has made it through the last almost 3 years with such dignity, tenacity and utter resilience.  The personal toll has to be immense.  Without their persistence many facts revealed through numerous investigations and, horrifically, LB's inquest would not be known.

Inexplicably, as I type, the CEO of the organisation whose neglect is acknowledged as the cause of LB's preventable death remains in role. You can check on her status here  - you never know, one day she may be given her marching orders seeing as she is not willing to go of her own accord.

As part of the #107days campaign, which ran up to the first anniversary of LB's death, people were asked to contribute panels to be included in a quilt. The Justice Quilt was completed in September 2014 and has been displayed all around the country... we made it our aim to get to see the quilt.  J's followed the twists and turns in the #justiceforLB campaign and, when our MP was successful in the Private Members Bill Ballot last year, he sent an LB Bus postcard in support of the LBBill.

Anyway... to the Special Mission... I'd tasked J with planning a visit and taking pics (on his iPod) of the quilt.  He attempted this on Tuesday but was thwarted by the request for an entry fee - £10 in total for his support worker and him - but this was not possible.  They returned home somewhat disappointed but took some learning from the experience - J had managed to keep calm, had a break and visited The Herbert Museum (which he enthused to me about - reliving all of the exhibits he'd seen!)

Armed with a better understanding of where we needed to park, and J providing "Sat Nag" in car directions (he sits in the car and nags the driver!!), today we made a return trip to the Coventry Cathedral.  And The Herbert Museum... with a few other 'spots of interest' along the route.

Here's a picture story (of sorts) from the visit...

This way to the Cathedral...

Passing a handily-placed electric vehicle charging point (much to J's glee)

"I hate these bits... they frighten me... where am I supposed to walk?"

"Spotted the Cathedral, Mum!"

Remains of remains

THE QUILT!

"Take a picture of this, Mum. I like the yellow dude."

A rare 'image' of J... he spotted this malfunctioning display screen and was finding its error message amusing.

"This is like my brain... seeing detail in things you miss"

 

"Look, Mum, it's different here"

"Take a pic of the ammonite"

Fluorescing minerals...

Narwhal tusks... "feel them... they're spiral (or helical)"

"Part of a TAVERN (that's a PUB) from 1406"

Back to the car... passing the surveyors learning how to use theodolites... 

At this point I must admit to being overcome with tears in the Cathedral... the LB Justice Quilt is fantastic.  I left the building still blubbing but at least I had my lovely lad with me to give me a hug and say "Are you alright mum? Are you alright mum? Are you alright mum?"  How lucky am I?  It was a LOVELY way to spend the morning.

For info - I mentioned at the entrance to the Cathedral that we were only wishing to see the LB Justice Quilt and today we were allowed to enter without being asked to pay (or for J to 'prove' his age).  Phew.  "Thanks Coventry Cathedral till lady", says J.