Our yearly quiz is now cancelled we hope to have this event at a later date. The new date will be put on the website

People with epilepsy face a glaring employment gap according to recent government figures highlighted by Epilepsy Action. Statistics show that as much as 66% of working age people with epilepsy are not in work. This has prompted Epilepsy Action to call for fairer access to, and treatment in, the workplace.
The employment rate for people with epilepsy is far lower than for people with most other disabilities, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. The rate for people with epilepsy as their main condition is 34% compared to 53% for people with disabilities generally. This is compared to an employment rate of 81% for those without a disability. Research by the Trade Union Congress (T.U.C.) has also highlighted that people with epilepsy in work are paid on average 11.8% less than non disabled workers.
Some people with epilepsy are unable to work at all. But depending on how epilepsy affects their daily life many people can work with minimal adjustments. Despite this they commonly report experiencing hurdles when applying for jobs or within the workplace. They say that disclosing their epilepsy at interviews can have a negative impact on their application. Many talk about experiencing discrimination from their employer or colleagues.
In a recent Institute of Employment Studies report, employers admitted they were reluctant to hire people with epilepsy largely due to safety concerns.
To access the Epilepsy Action toolkit for businesses to support their staff with epilepsy, visit epilepsy.org.uk/awarenesstraining.
Source Epilepsy Action

Online trolls have deliberately attacked people with epilepsy by posting seizure-inducing videos on Twitter. In November last year malicious users hijacked epilepsy Foundation’s Twitter account @EpilepsyFdn and hashtag to post graphics and videos containing flashing lights and strobe effects. It’s not certain how many people have been affected but the Epilepsy Foundation has decided to press criminal charges against the users involved. The organization has identified more than 30 Twitter accounts responsible for posting the videos. In response Twitter took the measure to ban certain animated graphic files from its platform. This was after the social media organization discovered a bug that caused these types of files to autoplay when tweets were sent.
In a statement Twitter said we want everyone to have a safe experience on Twitter. These graphics were fun but they don’t respect autoplay settings so we are removing the ability to add them to Tweets. This is for the safety of people with sensitivity to motion and flashing imagery including those with Epilepsy.
Photosensitive epilepsy is said to affect around 3% of people with epilepsy. In the UK around 20,000 people are said to be vulnerable to flashing lights or strobe effects such as those in cinemas or nightclubs.
Source Epilepsy Action

Disney has advised that the latest Star Wars film could pose a seizure risk in people with Photosensitive Epilepsy. The Rise Of Skywalker was released in the UK on December 19th 2019 and fans turned up in droves to see it. Fans of the Sci-Fi will know the Star Wars movies consistently feature epic battle scenes, with lasers and lightsabers lighting up the big screen. And it’s possible that the flashing lights and strobe effects during the film could cause seizures for people with Photosensitive epilepsy. Whilst the film has moved from the big screen there is still the chance that it could have the same effects when watching the film on DVD or via a streaming service or television.
A statement from American charity Epilepsy Foundation says Walt Disney Studios and the Epilepsy Foundation are working together to advise Photosensitive viewers to use caution when watching Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker. The film contains several sequences with imagery and sustained flashing lights that may affect those with Photosensitive Epilepsy.
Source Epilepsy Action