By Irma Heger MARTIN Yates has based his first book based largely on personal experience. Martin has cerebral palsy and needs round-the-clock care - which he had to organise himself when he "flew the nest" nine years ago.

Now aged 33, Martin finally feels he has got absolutely everything in place and the lessons he learnt, contacts he made and red tape he untangled all form an information-packed, 250 page book entitled "When is Support Most Effective? When it's not Visible - An essential guide to establishing and managing your own support package."

The book addresses how people can establish their own package of care and looks at the effects of the recent Community Care (Direct Payments) Act.

"I want to encourage disabled people by giving them the tools to take control of their own lives," explained Martin, who works as an Independent Living Consultant and is a member of the monitoring group The Action Research Centre for Inclusion at Bolton Institute.

"For a severely disabled person, independent living can't mean doing everything for ourselves, but it can give us the freedom to choose what time we get up in the morning and how we spend our day."

It was 1989 when Martin set up his own trust to employ Support Workers and his team of six work around the clock, on a seven day rota, 365 days a year.

"It has been an emotional book to write, as I have relived the traumas of landmark decisions, fought for as part of my quest for independence," added Martin, who can now feel a great sense of achievement.

Researching and writing the book have been a twenty month project for Martin, who estimates his typing speed at six words a minute.

The cost of research and production is not reflected in the price, which has been pegged at a nominal figure of just £7.50.

"The whole project was only made possible by a grant from The Barrow Cadbury Trust, for which I am extremely grateful," said Martin.

The book is available in printed format, or on disk for both Apples and PCs. Simply send a cheque for £7.50, made payable to MYT, to Martin Yates, 49 Gloucester Avenue, Blackpool FY1 4EH, and state which format you wish to receive.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.