Invitation from German President to Katya Barakhta to Summerfest in the grounds of the Bellevue Palace
Katya and Ulrike
- Katya and Presidential Family
The Federal President‘s Garden Party is one of the social highlights of the year in Germany. Guests include high-ranking figures from politics, industry, academia, sport, media and culture, together with ordinary citizens and representatives of organisations and companies honoured for their exemplary social commitment. The focus is clear: social commitment in and for Germany. An invitation honours those silent heroes who are a glowing example of helping others and their country.
Our Senior DSA Assessor Katya Barakhta was invited to this party by Ulrike Koehler, the German President’s daughter. Before she came to work at the OU Access Centre, Katya spent several years providing non-medical support for Ulrike who is visually impaired.
Those invited to this glittering event: all are deeply committed to helping others. Famous names included world renowned bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff, singer Jeannette Biedermann, and presenter Johannes B. Kerner
Malcolm Dixon said “I found out about the invitation by accident. Katya and I were talking about another trip with the Bus when Katya mentioned she had been invited to another event, but she wasn’t sure she should go. I asked her what it was and she said, oh its the German President’s Garden Party. When I enquired further Katya brought in the official invitation and she informed me she couldn’t afford to attend. I explained that this was a great honour for her and the Centre and was a just reward for the tireless work she does for disabled people and that the Centre would cover the cost of her travel and accommodation. She then said the accommodation was okay as she’d be staying with the Presidential family in their home.”
The event was a great success and we are hoping a return visit to our Centre can be arranged.
Posted: September 25th, 2009 in General news
About 20 members of West Midlands Regional Centre Staff attended a successful staff Development session on the 21/11/07. The OU Access Bus was positioned on the High Street opposite the Regional Centre and staff taking part in the session were able to spend time on the bus where Patrick O’Donnell demonstrated various pieces of enabling software. Read more »
Posted: December 18th, 2007 in General news, OU Access Bus
Glowing praise has been heaped upon the university’s Access Centre by external auditors in its first audit by the government-backed Disabled Student Allowance Quality Assurance Group (DSA-QAG). Read more »
Posted: December 18th, 2007 in General news
The OU mobile DSA Assessment vehicle the ‘OU Access Bus’ has been rebranded with a striking new livery and upgraded as part of the Centre’s increasing drive to provide for all student needs. Malcolm Dixon the Centre Manager said “The Access Bus is such a unique vehicle. As a fully equipped DSA Assessment and Training Centre, the bus enables the Centre to carry out DSA Assessments whenever or wherever it is required”. Read more »
Posted: December 18th, 2007 in General news, OU Access Bus
News: 19 – 21 July 2007 – Malcolm Dixon (Centre Manager/DSA Assessor) and Katya Barakhta (Senior DSA Assessor) were out and about at Kemble Airfield for the Mobility Roadshow 2007. The event was very well attended. The weather on the 19th was great and our bus looked small in comparison tothe giant Winibago beside us. Then the rains came and the flood waters rose in the surrounding area. By the start of the 3rd day there was widespread flooding in the surrounding area and the request from the organisors for us to drive the bus across sodden fields cast visions of dragging the bus out of deep mud, so we beat a hasty retreat. On the way home we were glad of the high drive height of the bus as we drove slowly along lakes where roads previous stood.
Despite the weather the event was a success.
Posted: July 23rd, 2007 in OU Access Bus
News: 9th - 10th June 2007. As part of the OU Access Centre’s ongoing committment to widening participation for all, Senior DSA Assesser Katya Barakhta and Consultant DSA Assessor Rosalia Samuel took the OU Access Bus to Leeds to join the Open University Widening Participation team at the Leeds – Bollywood in the Park festival. The OU Access Bus whose livery states ‘assessing your educational needs’ is a mobile ‘Disabled Students Allowance’ assessment centre which enables the Centre to undertake DSA Assessments anywhere the Bus can get to carrying out hundreds of crucial assessments for students who are unable to travel to an Assessment Centre.
The days were extremely well attended
Jimmy Saville with DSA staff on his left WP staff on his right
Posted: July 1st, 2007 in OU Access Bus
