I am a member of the Carlisle People First Research Team. In September we went
to a 3 day Conference at Lancaster University. It was about Disability Research.
People from all over the world attended. We stayed in the students Halls of
Residence – a block called Halker Hall. We nicknamed it Alco-hall! It was great
because we were all on the same floor so we could socialise easily after the
conference!
On our first day, Rohhss and Chloe had gone back to Alco-hall
early, where as the rest of the team – me, Lou, Malcolm, John
and Elizabeth stayed for an extra
presentation. We arrived back at the halls, jumped in the lift, then pressed the
button for our floor. The doors closed but the lift didn’t move. We pressed the
button again and waited. Still no movement! We pressed a button to open the
doors… but still nothing. We tried to open the door ourselves but no luck. Hmm what
to do next! We decided to press the alarm button and we got an automatic
message saying that someone will be in touch shortly.
Then we heard talking outside the lift. “Hello!” we shouted, “we’re stuck in the lift!”
we told them we were ok but we asked them to let Chloe and Rohhss know where
we were just so they didn’t worry… or think we had gone to the pub without them! I
began to laugh – so did Lou. Eizabeth went really quiet. Malcolm used colourful
language and John began a singsong ’Always look on the
brightside of life….’ The lift got very warm very quickly- that was
quite nerve racking! Suddenly we heardfamiliar voices outside
the lift door- it was Chloe and Rohhss! I decided to get the
camera out to document the occassion. As I was taking pictures a voice from the lift
spoke to us quite crossly, saying “Are you actually stuck in the lift or are you just
taking photos?” He didn’t think we were really stuck. We were told a security guard
would come to us shortly to help get us out but if he couldn’t they would have to get
lift engineers or the fire brigade! The security man arrived and couldn’t open the
door. Apparently he told Chloe they would have to ring an engineer but that would
take up to an hour. She told him that was unacceptable and he should call the fire
brigade! Chloe kept trying to open the door. I don’t know why but something made
me look down, at the bottom of the door. “I can see light” I shouted. This echoed
around the lift! I noticed that the inside door was closed at an angle, and at the
bottom there was a space! I tried to open the door from the inside but could only
make the door straight. Suddenly Chloe gave the door one last shove and the door
opened. We had been stuck for half an hour maximum! We all cheered then used
the stairs!
We enjoyed a well deserved glass of wine or two that evening… just ask Lou!
The next night we were talking to some new friends from Iceland. They had heard
about us being stuck in the lift but they had also been told we had been stuck for
hours and that the fire brigade had got us out! Chinese whispers!
The rest of the conference was fantastic. Our presentation on some of the projects
our Research group has done was a huge success and we avoided the lift!
Here’s to Iceland 2011!
Its so funny! Elizabeth Harkness told me it wasn’t funny and that she was cross! When I laughed I just stopped when Elizabeth told me she wasn’t happy about it!
I think its ridiculous- the fire brigade should of came.
It was funny being stuck in the lift- we burst out laughing. Malcolm wasn’t best pleased effing and blinding! I’m glad we got out to enjoy the rest of the Conference!