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P3 Positives #2

15 February 2021

We bring you more good news from P3 and around the world to put a spring in your step…

Album released in lockdown

Andrew is a keyboardist and songwriter who has performed at venues all over the world, including New York and the Montreux Jazz festival, under the stage name Tin Alien.

Andrew, who lives at P3’s BeWell personal budgets service in Derbyshire, has been working on an album ‘Have a Good Night’ which was released late last year, available to buy here:
tinalien1.bandcamp.com/album/have-a-good-night

Asa Hudson supports Andrew as a volunteer, and said:

“Andrew has not been able to perform gigs since the pandemic began and it’s really got him down sometimes. I always tell him to start writing more songs and practising in preparation for when he can perform live and that seems to help.

“He also started busking in Chesterfield (when lockdown restrictions were relaxed) and often in Derby too and got a lot of attraction from passers-by which was nice to hear.”

Asa, a musician himself, has also had an album out last year, as well as a single which was featured as BBC’s Track Of The Week!

Free Nature for Wellbeing course

Grow Outside are offering a free online course that covers everything from making your garden wildlife-friendly to how to grow your own veg, all in the name of benefitting the environment, and your wellbeing.

It can be done completely remotely or if you want to join in with the social side of things, they also have a dedicated Facebook group.

Nike launches accessible trainers

Nike’s new trainer is called the ‘Go FlyEase’ and it’s been specifically engineered so that you can take it off hands-free, making it a lot more accessibly for people with a range of needs.

Nine years ago, a teenager called Matthew Walzer who has cerebal palsy wrote to the company asking for a design that would enable him to put on his shoes without needing his parent’s help. This shoe is partly inspired by his idea.

The trainer features a tension band which is tightened when the shoe is put on and can be released simply by stepping on the heel, making them easy to use for everyone from older people who have trouble bending down to people with prosthetic limbs.

And finally ...

The annual Mardi Gras carnival is almost synonymous with New Orleans, and the joyous street parties, costumes and parades that lead up to ‘Fat Tuesday’ itself in February (that’s Pancake Day to us in the UK).

Normally a key part of the celebrations are the giant decorated floats that are driven through the streets, but of course, this year, there won’t be any parties, parades or floats due to the ongoing pandemic restrictions.

However, some residents have brought the party home, converting their house-fronts into colourful, vibrant works of art. Some are hiring the same production studios and artists who would normally create the floats, ensuring support for the arts and the people who rely on the festivities for income.

Image by milan.ilnyckyj is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.