News
Hi readers. Another week has passed already. I am keen to tell you about a new project I am working on for Sunnier Days (my social enterprise). Therefore I will share Thursday nights debauchery and this weekends fun in a separate blog over the next couple of days on my site.
Sunnier Days is the very personal name I have given to the ‘vehicle’ enabling me to make some of my ideas around disability a reality. Those close to me refer to my positive attitude, my love of sunny holidays and because my projects (the blog, work with Hackney council and DisabilityLib) are about improving things – Sunnier Days felt right and was born!
So what is this project about? You may …
Read all of Sunnier Days launches 1st Online Disability Seminar with JTSMA
Here’s an update from Martyn Sibley on the One month to Heartbreak campaign….
Wow! What a week. Firstly, since my BBC breakfast appearance and more importantly the blog on the DLA consultation. General feedback from the ‘one month before heartbreak’ blogswarm has been positive. It received coverage on the following links, as only a starter and taster:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/18/disabled-protesters-one-month-before-heartbreak
http://www.goodaccessguide.co.uk/news/info.php?refnum=544
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1285-protests-against-benefits-cuts
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/service-user-voice/2011/01/disabled-people-and-service-users-will-be-heard-we-will-be-listened-to-ombh.html#more
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2011/01/17/does-the-broken-of-britain-campaign-need-celebrity-support/
Thanks to Emma (TweetHandle: @funkyfairy22) for providing this information. Also Kaliya (TweetHandle: @Bendygirl) was on Talk Radio Europe speaking about Broken of Britain and the great campaign http://thebrokenofbritain.blogspot.com/2011/01/benefit-claimants-fight-back.html. Lets hope the government have taken note of this and reconsider their policy decisions around DLA next month, and indeed on disability issues generally!
Dear all elected officials and decision makers (at a national and local level)
In light of the recent cuts to government spending, we (Martyn Sibley of London and Richard Currie of Manchester) are writing to convey our deep concern at the affects they will have on the disabled people of the UK. We are only 2 of 10 million disabled people in Britain, but our views are by no means unique. This letter forms our contribution to a large online campaign – 1 month before heartbreak. Many people are blogging today to urge your good selves to consider aspects of the Disability Living Allowance and general disability reforms, and how they will truly …
Read all of One month before heartbreak
Priority blogger Martyn Sibley talks to BBC breakfast about the good and bad of train journeys as a wheelchair user……….Talking trains on BBC breakfsat
And the BBC article……….
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12176854
As always my life has been fast paced and on the tiring side. I am glad to say despite winter and general work tiredness, I am feeling good and looking forward to xmas. Due to things being busy, this blog on the recent Independent Living Fund (ILF) proposals is not the heavily researched or laid out as an intellectual thesis, as I would usually prefer 
In some ways this is no bad thing either. You can easily google for what the ILF is, their history and for policy documents on independent living. What is more difficult to find is the real way in which recent events affect an individual such as myself. While I am going about my intricately balanced …
Read all of Worries and conerns about the end of the Independent Living Fund
I write this after returning from the second trip of my travels during my time off work. This was a family holiday to Orlando, Florida to visit more family and to allow my father to attend his college reunion which was being held at the hotel we were staying at.
I love going to the US. Everything always seems so straightforward and simple when it comes to all things “disability related”. I have been to the US many times before and I find people over there just seem to “get it” when it comes to disability. By this I mean staff at airports know exactly what to do, finding wheelchair accessible cars or taxis is easy, hotel staff know exactly what …
Read all of Floriddddddaaa!! (more thoughts on accessible travel)
So the long awaited and highly debated spending review finally took place. I was asked by Scope if I would mind watching the coverage, write some tweets and have them fed into their website. It was a pleasure to take part in such an event and interact with others on the issues. The first wave of emotion I felt was relief, just at the realisation we could finally hear the plans and not have to wait any longer. The normal prime ministers questions were a non event and a definite calm before the storm.
At 12.30 the chancellor took to the floor and began. The next feeling I felt was confusion. The …
Read all of A message to Mr Osbourne – the CSR from a disabled perspective
Anna has always wanted to be a schoolteacher: “I’ve just always known that’s what I want to do. My friends don’t know what they want to do, but for me it’s always been clear.” To get an idea about what this would involve, Anna has been volunteering at a local school over the summer, working five days a week.
This commitment is even more inspiring given that Anna, who has cerebral palsy, needs a powered wheelchair to provide her with independent mobility. Her previous power chair, provided through local contacts would break down frequently, often leaving her stuck for several hours until her parents could arrange to pick her up. In March, Priority, working with Newlife funded a new powered wheelchair …
Read all of Anna’s ambition: to be a Schoolteacher
Hannah from Dorking loves cycling, swimming, music and social occasions involving cuddles and attention. Hannah has Cerebral Palsy and is unable to walk, or weight bear but has some use of her arms. Her Cerebral Palsy affects her trunk strength so that the only two activities where she can feel totally free are swimming and cycling.
Hannah already has a tricycle which she received in 2003 and which she absolutely loves but she has now outgrown it and it is also extremely worn on several parts such as the knee supports. Following a major operation in 2005 a trike is more important than ever to Hannah because she …
Read all of Hannah’s getting out and about
When Max Burt, 45, received massive head injuries after a freak collision with an out-of-control fire engine 10 years ago, he was left paralysed on his left side and a permanent wheelchair user. The head injury also left him deaf in one ear, with uncontrollable tremors, and severe sight and speech impairments.
Since his accident, Max has learned that, to achieve full inclusion of disabled people in society, 2 barriers need to be overcome: firstly, physical, and secondly, the barriers in peoples’ minds. This has led Max to become involved with many disability-related organisations, in an attempt to overcome real obstacles and prejudices.
Max’s fitness regime (using a reclining exercise cycle) led him to the idea of the Everything Is Possible In …
Read all of Max Burt and his 714 mile marathon
