January’s Vancouver calendar features important dates and events in the Lower Mainland including shows, concerts, spring festivals, markets and events.

Link to January events around the city: https://www.tourismvancouver.com/events/calendar-of-events/vancouver-events-in-january/

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Collingwood Neighbourhood House 

Join us in celebrating Valentine’s Day with CNH and PLAN (Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network) on Saturday, Feb. 15th! This collaboration aims to bring community members together through dance and music.

RISE Community Health Centre (CHC)

We are excited to announce the launch of RISE Community Health Centre (CHC)! RISE connects Renfrew-Collingwood community members who have difficulty accessing health care to a health care team and social supports. RISE also provides health promotion programs and events to the broader Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood.

In April 2020, RISE will begin to offer its full range of services at 3425 Crowley Dr. Currently, limited services are available at CNH Joyce on a referral basis.

Learn more about RISE and Community Health Centres.

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ACCESSIBLE PUSH

Providing transformative performing arts experiences to as broad an audience as possible is a PuSh Festival core value. We remove physical, social and financial barriers wherever possible to ensure everyone has an opportunity to experience the performing arts.

Bookings and Inquiries

For feedback, more information, or to discuss your specific needs, please contact Accessible PuSh Coordinator Anika Vervecken at access@pushfestival.ca or call 604.605.8284 ext 204. For Ticket Bookings, please contact Audience Services.

Performance Introductions

Some performances without ASL-interpretation, captions or live description are still accessible. For the elements that are essential to appreciate or follow the show we provide a written introduction. These introductions are written by or with artists specifically for audience members who are Deaf, hard of hearing, blind or live with vision loss.

Introductions are available for download on the show page and a printed version will be at the box office. They can also be requested via email at access@pushfestival.ca.

Blind or Low-Vision Patrons

We worked with our consultant Deborah Wong to choose shows to be described and designate shows as low vision friendly and are currently able to offer:

• Live audio description by VocalEye at select performances to describe the visual elements in real time.
• Introductions for all shows that are low vision friendly.
• Complimentary ticket for companions.
• Sighted guides.

To request a sighted guide (or theatre buddy) for shows described by VocalEye, please contact Donna at buddies@vocaleye.ca, at least three days before the show. To request a sighted guide for any other show email Anika at access@pushfestival.ca.

Click here for all low vision friendly shows on our website
Click here for the PDF info-sheet of these shows
Click here for the Word doc version

For Deaf and Hard of Hearing Patrons

This year, we are proud to partner with a Deaf advisor: Aastrid Evensen. We provide the following for performing arts lovers who are Deaf or hard of hearing:

• ASL general informational vlog (right below)
• Vlogs for all DHH friendly shows (on show pages)
• ASL-interpretation at select performances and events
• ASL interpretation can be requested for non-performance events, subject to availability. Request ASL interpretation.
• Captions or surtitles for select performances
• Written introductions for DHH-friendly can be downloaded on show pages, and paper copies are available at the box office.
• Training in basic ASL for our accessibility volunteers
• We encourage Deaf and hard of hearing arts lovers to volunteer and see shows for free. Register as a volunteer.

See all DHH friendly shows on our website
Download PDF info-sheet on 2020 DHH friendly shows

Relaxed Performances

These select performances welcome patrons who benefit from a relaxed theatre environment. They may be more welcoming / comfortable for (but not limited to) people on the autism spectrum, and people with sensory and communication disorders or learning disabilities. At Extra live shows, all performances are relaxed.

We want to stress that we do relaxed performances to help people feel welcome. This in no way means people are not welcome to attend other shows. Everyone is welcome at any show!

Download PDF info-sheet on 2020 Relaxed and Extra live Performances

Relaxed Performances Include:

• A visual story for the venue
  • A guide with pictures designed for people with autism, but helpful to anyone
• A visual story of the show
  • A show guide with pictures of performers
  • What to expect of intense or shocking moments
  • A complete breakdown of the show
• Adjusted Show Environment
  • House lights are never completely off for the audience
  • Sound and light are lowered
• Suspended theatre audience norms
  • No shushing; it is ok to make noise
  • Outward reactions are welcome
  • Ok to move around and fidget
• Chill-out space to relax if the show is too intense
  • A video feed of the show is provided where possible

Support Persons

Support persons who accompany patrons requiring assistance to attend a show receive a complimentary ticket. The PuSh Festival participates in Easter Seals Canada’s Access2 program and partners with VocalEye and Canucks Autism Network. No one who needs a ticket for a support person will be turned away. Need support but don’t have a support person? We can provide one, info in the section right below.

Getting to the Venue

Specially trained PuSh volunteers are available to assist patrons to attend shows, meeting you at nearby public transit stops, guiding you to and from venues and supporting you at the shows.

Tickets for support persons & sighted guide requests

Email access@pushfestival.ca or call 604.605.8284 ext 204. Sighted guide requests are ideally made 72 hours in advance. Subject to availability.

Surtitles & Captions

Performances that use spoken languages other than English may have surtitles [ST]. This can make the show accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing patrons, especially when offered in combination with a performance introduction.

Old Stock, a Refugee Love Story will have captions on Jan 26.
Cuckoo will have open captions on Feb 5.

See all DHH friendly shows on our website
Download PDF info-sheet on 2020 DHH friendly shows

Accessibility Venue Audits

Detailed audits are conducted for all Festival venues, providing technical specifications about a range of accessibility considerations. Consult the accessibility audits online to find out more about each venue.

Community Ticketing

The PuSh Festival works with partner social services organizations and community groups to distribute complimentary or reduced-price tickets to people who may experience barriers to attend the Festival.

If you know a group of people that would benefit from coming to a particular event or show, you can request Community Tickets here.

Gender Inclusivity

Inclusivity is one of our core values and that extends to creating a gender-inclusive environment. We provide training to our volunteers and have a gender inclusive washroom policy for all our venues and events.

If you would enjoy sourcing some art material, fabric samples, tiles and carpet samples for a lady in Ladner who has taken it upon herself to collect from stores and distribute these materials to schools and crafting circles, so that they can be recycled and not end up in the land fill, this may be something you would like to do. It’s a big job, and most of the stores she picks up the samples from are in Vancouver. She is looking for volunteers to pick up the material and possibly distribute it or even just have it in one place so that she can pick it up and keep it until people can come to get it.

Here is her contact information and she can give you more information if you know anyone who is interested 🙂

Nicole@mtsquareinteriors.com

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Thank you Kara for sharing this gem.  Her team has been using this service periodically and have found, ” I was impressed by the value, it’s a local company, convenience and packaging is eco friendly.  Meals look delicious too.  Thought it might be helpful for others to know about ”

Better Meals offer a selection of meal plans to meet varied dietary restrictions and are delivered to your door.

Our preparation and delivery service saves you time and the worry for preparing meals and allows you to focus on the activities that you enjoy doing in life:

• Delivered weekly to your door
• Packaged meals that are easy store and carry.
• Save time for dish washing, grocery and cooking
• Packaged meals are easy to serve: 5 minutes for microwave and 30 minutes for oven to serve
• Deliver meals in biodegradable containers for environmentally friendly disposal

http://bettermeals.ca/index.php/main/links/index

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