I've had some passionate responses from you regarding my last column about my experiences trying to recruit a P.A.

Ironically, I thought it was one of the dullest columns I'd written, as I had just arrived back from Thailand and was battling jet-lag and post flight trauma (I hate flying). But it's clearly a topic many of you can relate to, although not all your responses were supportive.

Some comments that were e-mailed to me were just unfounded, like the suggestion that I'm being sexist wanting a female assistant (excuse me for not relishing the idea of a man other than my partner helping me bathe, dress and take me to the loo. I am clearly single-handedly disintegrating the feminist movement.)

Another reader accused me of being racist because I wrote that many of the calls for my advert were from men with "thick, foreign accents" and that my use of the word "thick" implied I was saying these men were stupid! Grrrrrrr!

What is the world coming to when you can't simply relay a perfectly innocent experience without being called some sort of an 'ist'?! It's got to stop I tell you! I mean no harm, I am not evil; I only want to spread love and laughter. Chill out my brethren, I come in peace.

I was also the subject of a discussion in the Youreable Community section.

A Kate O' Leary wrote regarding my attempt to find a PA and said: (put on a "Right to Reply" style voice for this bit):

"Who on earth does this woman think she is? I cannot believe she has the audacity and sheer immodesty to say "I'm looking for someone who doesn't bring their problems into work; someone with a sense of humour." The woman must live in a dream world or one where she is protected from reality (which I suspect she is)…Lara is looking for a robot!"

Talk about extreme reaction to a completely mundane statement! You'd think I'd written: "I'm looking for someone to worship daily at the alter of Lara; someone who will laugh loudly at all my jokes and will offer their opinion only when I give it to them."

And I take exception to the suggestion that I'm "protected from reality" in some way. What exactly is that comment insinuating? That because I happen to be a minor celebrity, my problems are somehow less real than anyone else's, my needs less valid, that I've become out of touch with reality and delusional?

Get those claws back in! There are ways of making a point clearly without resorting to being just plain nasty.

Thankfully, I did get some support after this attack. Alan Taylor reminded Kate that: "(Lara) is in a unique position… it's great that she is 'up' there in society at all to be shot down, so maybe other disabled people (and carers) could be a little more supportive and less critical."

I couldn't have put it better myself.

Richard Parker also answered Kate: "You are talking absolute rubbish!", he wrote. "Lara isn't asking her PA's to be robots, but people who employ PA's don't want someone who is going to bring a load of emotional baggage to the job with them"

Thank you both for defending me. I must admit that when I'm so misunderstood and I get these vicious letters, I do feel like giving up this column or at least taking away the "want to contact Lara" option. Luckily for the people that do enjoy my writing, I haven't been completely ground down yet; I'm still a fighter and I'm up for a ruck! (You have to read that bit carefully!)

And on the subject of the assistant: I still haven't found one but am interviewing loads and I feel it won't be too long now…

I recently got a new, flashy power chair which is fab, and considerably reduces the amount of back pain I used to experience in my old chair. The only problem with the new one is that it's very heavy and impossible to get into the back of a standard sized car. So, I'm having to re-think my vehicle arrangements so that I can have a ramp fitted and drive the chair into the back without dismantling it. The people that delivered the new chair brought it in a Ford Galaxy and because I was their magazine cover girl for winter I thought I'd contact them first.

To my surprise, I discovered that Ford had set up a call centre specifically to deal with queries regarding mobility issues when purchasing a car. (I'm sure loads of you already know this info but it came as a revelation to me. I'm sadly not the over-flowing fountain of disability knowledge that many assume me to be. But I do know a lot about popular music and all major brands of confectionary.)

I went to the Ford Magic centre to find out exactly what they did and was amazed to discover that they have such a comprehensive database; they can advise on how to get onto the Motability scheme, who in your area teaches driving with adapted vehicles, where you can get your car adapted AND if your requirements cannot be met by a Ford vehicle, they will provide information on other car brands that will be right for you!

What's more, they have no maximum talk time, so you can ask them as many questions as you need to and it's all FREE!!

20% of their staff are disabled and I was very impressed with all the disability friendly gadgets. Outside, there's loads of disabled parking and a heated ramp leading up to the automatic doors, so it can't get icy and dangerous in the winter.

Inside there's a Braille printer and the facility to convert any of their information into Braille. There's a Minicom, an induction loop, a reception desk split into two levels, numerous and stylishly decorated disabled loos and of course perfect access throughout the building. It was like disability nirvana; the model that all large companies should be emulating.

Needless to say, I'm hoping to be picking up a Galaxy in the not too distant future.

• Want to contact Lara? Email lara.masters@youreable.com.
  
• There are some Youreable calendars available NOW AT REDUCED PRICES!
• Ford Mobility And General Information Centre (MAGIC) can be contacted on 0800 240 241 or e-mail; help@fordmagic.co.uk.

Posted: 30 Jan, 2002