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Meet Jo, a first year disabled fast streamer. 

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Meet Jo, a first year disabled fast streamer. 

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Beauty is a Verb: The New Poetry of Disability - Edited by Jennifer Bartlett, Sheila Black, and Michael Northen

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Beauty is a Verb: The New Poetry of Disability - Edited by Jennifer Bartlett, Sheila Black, and Michael Northen

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“a ground-breaking anthology of disability poetry, essays on disability, and writings on the poetics of both… This is where poetry and disability intersect, overlap, collide and make peace.”

Image Description - An image of the book cover which shows a woman using her wheelchair at the bottom of a swimming pool.

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Put into practice what you have learnt about disability and inclusive practices

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Put into practice what you have learnt about disability and inclusive practices

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'Laughing at my Nightmare' - Shane Burcaw 

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'Laughing at my Nightmare' - Shane Burcaw 

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This book is a very humorous account of Burcaw’s experience growing up with spinal muscular atrophy. His work is very relatable to teens as he was only 21 when he wrote his book, and makes difficult discussions accessible through humor.

Image Description - An image of the book cover showing the author in his chair with a speech bubble showing '$hi#' with the title of the book above.

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You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental condition that has a substantial and long-term (12 months) negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
It is possible to become disabled or to stop being disabled, it is not a fixed state.

This definition of disability encompasses many conditions and/or impairments, including some which people do not always realise can be classified as disabilities, such as mental health conditions, learning difficulties, and neurodiversity.

For more information on what 'counts' as a disability have a look at this post from Citizens Advice

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The Equality Act 2010 says you mustn't be discriminated against because of your disability.

Discrimination which is against the Equality Act is unlawful. If you've experienced unlawful discrimination, you can take action. If you want to take action for unlawful discrimination, you will have to show you have a disability which meets the definition given in the Act.

Read this page to find out more about what counts as a disability under the Equality Act.

Top tips

The Equality Act 2010 has its own definition of disability. To decide if something's a disability, you need to check:

is it a physical or mental impairment?

is it automatically a disability under the Act?

if not, what's the effect of the impairment on your daily life?

It's not the cause of the impairment which is important, but the effect it has on your life.

What's meant by disability?

A disability is a physical or mental condition which has a long-term and substantial effect on your daily life.

Some conditions are automatically treated as a disability under the Equality Act. If you have one of these conditions and suffer discrimination because of it, you can make a claim for unlawful discrimination.

If you don't have one of these conditions, and you want to make a claim for disability discrimination, you will have to show you have a disability which meets the definition given in the Act.

How does the Equality Act 2010 define a disability?

The Equality Act says a disability is a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day- to- day activities.

Which conditions are automatically treated as a disability under the Equality Act?

The following conditions are automatically treated as a disability under the Equality Act:

cancer

HIV infection

multiple sclerosis

severe disfigurement - this does not include tattoos and piercings

if you're certified blind, severely sight impaired, sight impaired or partially sighted by a consultant ophthalmologist.

If you have one of these conditions and you suffer discrimination because of it, you can make a claim for unlawful discrimination.

Conditions which might be treated as a disability under the Equality Act

There are some types of physical and mental conditions which might be treated as a disability under the Equality Act depending on the effect they have on your daily life.

Here are examples of physical and mental conditions which might be a disability under the Act:

problems with your sight or hearing

conditions where the effects vary over time or come in episodes such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and ME

progressive conditions such as motor neurone disease, muscular dystrophy and forms of dementia

conditions which affect certain organs such as heart disease, asthma, and strokes

learning disabilities

learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia

autistic spectrum disorders

mental health conditions - for example, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorders, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder

impairments due to injury to the body or brain.

If you want to claim you've experienced discrimination because of one of these conditions, you will have to prove the condition has a long-term and substantial effect on your daily life.

Conditions which don't count as a disability under the Act

Some conditions don't count as a disability under the Equality Act, regardless of their effect on your daily life . They are:

a tendency to start fires or steal

a tendency to physical or sexual abuse of others

exhibitionism or voyeurism

hay fever- except where it aggravates another condition.

If you're addicted to drugs or alcohol

If you're addicted to non-prescribed drugs such as alcohol or nicotine, this doesn't count as a disability under the Equality Act. But conditions which are caused by or linked to your addiction - for example, liver disease or depression, could be a disability under the Act.

Discrimination because of a past disability

It's unlawful to discriminate against you because of a condition you've had in the past which counts as a disability under the Equality Act.
Example
You've suffered from a mental health condition in the past, although you've since recovered. Your condition had a substantial and adverse long-term effect on your ability to carry out normal day- to- day activities. This means it's treated as a disability under the Equality Act. It would be unlawful to discriminate against you now because you had this mental health condition in the past.

Next steps

Other useful information

Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS)

If you have experienced discrimination, you can get help from the EASS discrimination helpline.

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

Euan's Guide

Euan's Guide features accessibility reviews and recommendations from disabled people and their friends and families for venues nationwide to assist all individuals with accessibility needs, and the people they spend time with.

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The Equality Act 2010 says you mustn't be discriminated against because of your disability. Discrimination which is against the Equality Act is unlawful. If you've experienced unlawful discrimination, you can take action. If you want to take action for unlawful discrimination, you will have to show you have a disability which meets the definition given in the Act.

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Respect disabled people's boundaries (emotional, social, and physical) - accept it when they say they can't do something

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Respect disabled people's boundaries (emotional, social, and physical) - accept it when they say they can't do something

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Barham-Brown is a disabled doctor and equality campaigner. Her disability-related activism has earned her a place on the Disability Power 100 and the Health Service Journal Annual List of the 100 most influential people in healthcare.

Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HannahPopsy

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Dr Hannah Barham-Brown

Bio: Disability and Gender Equity Advocate, GP Trainee, Speaker and Media Commentator. BA Hons in English and Theology with Arabic (Durham), BSc Hons in Paeds Nursing (Northumbria), Medical degree from St George's, University of London, and now training as a GP in Leeds, primarily in a wheelchair. This website has three main sections - Rants (blogs), where I discuss a range of subjects, including disability, medicine and issues around gender and feminism; Reviews, where I share my thoughts on some of the books I've read (when I get time to both read AND review them!) and Revision Notes; I got through Medical School partly thanks to my obsession with breaking topics down onto post-it notes, and I'm very happy to share them, (though they are a few years old now, so don't rely purely on these!). I'm an experienced medical politician, on the British Medical Association's Council, Junior Doctor's Committee and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group (amongst other things!) but everything on this blog is from me personally, and I speak only for myself. I am also an active member of the Women's Equality Party, and I'm rolling as a local Councillor in Roundhay, Leeds in the elections on the 2nd May. I'm very happy to discuss speaking and media requests; either email me (HannahBarhamBrown@doctors.org.uk) or drop me a Tweet (@HannahPopsy).

View complete profile

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Disability and Gender Equity Advocate, GP Trainee, Speaker and Media Commentator. BA Hons in English and Theology with Arabic (Durham), BSc Hons in Paeds Nursing (Northumbria), Medical degree from St George's, University of London, and now training as a GP in Leeds, primarily in a wheelchair.

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Imani describes herself as:

"I am a disability representation and inclusion advocate born with cerebral palsy. As a communications professional, public speaker, writer and blogger, I explore disability culture as well as society and business’s perceptions of disabled people from the perspective of a disabled black woman. A graduate of the Masters in Global Communications program at the American University of Paris, I use my skills to advocate for the representation, inclusion and empowerment of disabled people at the intersections of race and feminism both in the United States and globally. Familiar with the ways in which stereotypes and preconceived notions isolate disabled people and dictate the ways in which we interact with the world, I seek to break every single one of them."

Follow her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/Crutches_and_Spice/

Follow her on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/Imani_Barbarin

And use the link below to go to her website:

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Natasha Lipman is an award winning chronic illness blogger and journalist. Follow her on instagram here:
https://www.instagram.com/natashalipman/

Or use the link below to go to her website

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Natasha Lipman - Chronic Illness Blogger

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Natasha Lipman is a chronic illness blogger & journalist from London.

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Alex is a disability activist and fashion designer who uses her platform to push for body positivity, accessibility and inclusivity.

Follow her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/wheelchair_rapunzel/

Follow her on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/dacy_alex

Or go to her website using the link below

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WheelchairRapunzel & Co. is a small online shop that is ran by disabled boss babe & Instagram blogger Alex Dacy.

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Julian Gavino, "the disabled hippie" is a trans masc person with Ehlos Danlos Syndrome. Follow him here:

https://www.instagram.com/thedisabledhippie/

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Author of "Sitting Pretty" and disability activist.

Follow her on instagram here:
https://www.instagram.com/sitting_pretty/

Or go to her website using the link below

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Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body

OUT NOW!
From disability advocate and creator of the Instagram account @sitting_pretty comes a beautiful, nuanced portrait of a body that looks and moves differently than most.

Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw disability depicted as something monstrous (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), inspirational (Helen Keller), or angelic (Forrest Gump). None of this felt right; and as she got older, she longed for more stories that allowed disability to be complex and ordinary, uncomfortable and fine, painful and fulfilling.

Writing about the rhythms and textures of what it means to live in a body that doesn't fit, Rebekah reflects on everything from the complications of kindness and charity, living both independently and dependently, experiencing intimacy, and how the pervasiveness of ableism in our everyday media directly translates to everyday life.

Disability affects all of us, directly or indirectly, at one point or another. By exploring this truth in poignant and lyrical essays, Taussig illustrates the need for more stories and more voices to understand the diversity of humanity. Sitting Pretty challenges us as a society to be patient and vigilant, practical and imaginative, kind and relentless, as we set to work to write an entirely different story.

About the Author

REBEKAH TAUSSIG, PH.D. is a Kansas City writer and teacher with her doctorate in Creative Nonfiction and Disability Studies. She has led workshops and presentations at the University of Michigan, University of Kansas, and Davidson College on disability representation, identity, and community. She also runs the Instagram platform @sitting_pretty where she crafts "mini-memoirs" to contribute nuance to the collective narratives being told about disability in our culture. She lives in a tiny, old house with her fussy family of tender-hearted snugglers.

ALSO!

We are partnering with Reader to Reader to donate copies of Sitting Pretty to underfunded libraries across the U.S. that are in need of books that share diverse perspectives. To be a part of the campaign, order a book through Amazon Smile directly to Reader to Reader-just select Tracy Carr/MS Library Commission as the ship-to address. From there, Reader to Reader will make sure Sitting Pretty is accessible to anyone who wants to read Rebekah's story!

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Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body OUT NOW! From disability advocate and creator of the Instagram account @sitting_pretty comes a beautiful, nuanced portrait of a body that looks and moves differently than most. Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw disability depicted...

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'Disability Visibility' - edited by Alice Wong

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'Disability Visibility' - edited by Alice Wong

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In this book, activist Alice Wong brings together an incredible range of personal essays by disabled people.

"From Harriet McBryde Johnson's account of her famous debate with Princeton philosopher Peter Singer over her own personhood, to original pieces by up-and-coming authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, eulogies, testimonies to Congress, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse of the vast richness and complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community."

Image description: The book cover of 'Disability Visibility'. The book's tagline reads: "First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century." At the top of the image is a quote from Gaelynn Lea, musician and artist, which reads: "These essays are the heart, the bones, and the blood of Disability Rights."

The cover is cream coloured and decorated with coloured triangles.

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Ask your colleagues: "Do you have any accessibility requirements?"

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Ask your colleagues: "Do you have any accessibility requirements?"

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It is impossible to know what accessibility requirements someone has without asking them. Different people, even with the same disability, are likely to have different needs.

Asking this question when meeting a new colleague allows you to take action to effectively support and include disabled colleagues in the work place. Based on your colleague's answer, you will know whether to provide them with image descriptions when sharing visual content or whether to ensure you select an online platform for calls that has a closed captioning feature.

You may not have been asked if you have any accessibility requirements before. This is likely to be because currently, the onus is often on disabled people to seek out adjustments for themselves, rather than being proactively asked. Further, most people automatically assume that other people are not disabled - an unhelpful and often incorrect assumption (considering that 22% of the UK population are classified as disabled under the 2010 Equality Act!). Changing this narrative and anticipating potential needs can be hugely beneficial in terms of achieving inclusion and workplace equality.

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'Disability: The Basics' by Tom Shakespeare

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'Disability: The Basics' by Tom Shakespeare

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Shakespeare's 'Disability: The Basics' is an engaging introduction to disability. This book aims to provide readers with an understanding of the lived experiences of disabled people and the continuing gaps and barriers in social responses to disability.

Image Description: The book cover for 'Disability: The Basics'. The cover has a black and white artistic print with black and red text.

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Dr. Frances Ryan is a journalist, broadcaster and campaigner whose work earned her a place of Britain's Disability Power 100 in 2018.

'Crippled' explores the effects of austerity in Britain for disabled people.

Image description: The book cover for 'Crippled'. The cover has the tagline: "Austerity and the Demonization of Disabled People'. The following quote by the Guardian is printed on the cover: "A blistering polemic, full of telling details." The cover is blue with an illustration of a stick-figure wheelchair user.

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Accessibility is a right, not a privilege 

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Accessibility is a right, not a privilege 

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“If I have to feel thankful about an accessible bathroom, when am I ever gonna be equal in the community?” – Judith Huemann

Under the 2010 Equality Act, disabled people are entitled to 'reasonable adjustments'. Essentially, this entails a right to accessibility.

Accessibility is a right, and it should be anticipatory and automatic. We should not be expected to show gratitude for having basic rights that allow us independence, dignity, and autonomy.

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"I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much". 9 minutes.

"That quote, 'the only disability in life is a bad attitude', the reason that's bullshit is... No amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever made it turn into a ramp. No amount of standing in the middle of a bookshelf and radiating a positive attitude is going to turn all those books into braille." - Stella Young

Transcription and captions available.

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Stella Young: I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much

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Stella Young is a comedian and journalist who happens to go about her day in a wheelchair - a fact that doesn't, she'd like to make clear, automatically turn her into a noble inspiration to all humanity. In this very funny talk, Young breaks down society's habit of turning disabled people into "inspiration porn."

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"Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution." Documentary released earlier this year. Available on Netflix. 1 hour 48 minutes.

“What we saw at that camp was that our lives could be better. The fact of the matter is that you don’t have anything to strive for if you don’t know that it exists.” – Jimmy Lebrecht

A documentary about activism, community, and fitting into a world that wasn't built for you.

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Watch Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution | Netflix Official Site

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A groundbreaking summer camp galvanizes a group of teens with disabilities to help build a movement, forging a new path toward greater equality. Watch trailers & learn more.

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She/Her/They/Them 🏳️‍🌈👩🏻‍🦽
Crip therapist
Disability activist
Often wordy
Sometimes sweary
The Disabled Step-Mum you never knew you needed
Follow here: https://www.instagram.com/nina_tame/

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'differently-abled'; 'challenged'; 'special needs'; 'handicapable'. No more.

DISABLED is not a bad word. Being disabled is not something to be ashamed of, and using these alternative phrases erases disability and reinforces stigma around the word.

#SayTheWord

For more info on this see this article that discusses disability and social justice.

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Erasing the term disability from the collective vocabulary is misguided and has harmful sociocultural implications, according to a new article by leading scholars and rehabilitation psychologists in the field of disability identity.

The article is part of a special issue of the journal Rehabilitation Psychology that explores disability and social justice in rehabilitation research.

Disabled people are reclaiming our identities, our community, and our pride. We will no longer accept euphemisms that fracture our sense of unity as a culture.

, assistant professor at Vanderbilt University's Anjali Forber-Pratt Peabody College of education and human development, is one of six authors on the paper, which outlines the rationale behind and importance of the broader #SaytheWord movement, a social media call to embrace disability identity. Notably, all six authors identify as disabled female scholars and psychologists.

"Decisions about language have important sociocultural meanings in the disability community, and erasure of the term 'disability' can evoke fear and frustration among those who claim a disabled identity and align with disability culture," the authors say. "Disabled people are reclaiming our identities, our community, and our pride. We will no longer accept euphemisms that fracture our sense of unity as a culture."

Terms that are used or substituted for disability include "differently-abled," "physically challenged," "special needs" or "handi-capable."

"Disability is not a dirty word. These words actually diminish and erase disability from the picture," Forber-Pratt says. "Having a disability is not something to be ashamed of, and such euphemisms deny the existence of disability and reinforce the stigma surrounding disability rather than embracing it as a valued aspect of diversity."

In the article, the authors reflect on the role of disability within the field of psychology, including the underrepresentation of disabled psychologists and trainees with disabilities and the lack of mentorship opportunities available in the field.

"The field of psychology has a rich tradition of appreciation of cultural diversity and individual difference," Forber-Pratt says. "Yet, disability has largely been left out of these efforts. The disability movement is moving toward the status of a diverse cultural group with a social justice agenda parallel to those of other marginalized communities."

The authors posit that psychology must play a stronger role in advancing the human rights of people with disabilities. Nondisabled psychologists can be disability allies by supporting efforts to normalize the word disability by recognizing and speaking out against offensive language and efforts to replace disability with euphemisms. Further, psychologists should honor patient language preferences in culturally appropriate ways.

Additional Authors

Erin E. Andrews, University of Texas at Austin; Rochelle Balter , The City University of New York; Emily M. Lund, Mississippi State University; Linda R. Mona, VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach, California; and Carrie R. Pilarski, University of Michigan.

Read the Report
Download a PDF of #SaytheWord: A disability Culture Commentary on the Erasure of "Disability"
More about Anjali Forber-Pratt

Anjali Forber-Pratt is an assistant professor in the Department of Human and Organizational Development with a secondary appointment in the Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt's Peabody College.

She is amember of the prestigious Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development . She is an elite wheelchair racer who earned two bronze medals after participating in the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, and the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

She was honored by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education as a 2018 Emerging Scholar.

For interviews or to learn more, call 615-322-NEWS.

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Disability is not a dirty word; 'handi-capable' should be retired

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Erasing the term disability from the collective vocabulary is misguided and has harmful sociocultural implications, according to a new article by leading scholars and rehabilitation psychologists in the field of disability identity. The article is part of a special issue of the journal Rehabilitation Psychology that explores disability and social justice in rehabilitation research.

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What does it mean? Why do we say it?

The phrase "Nothing About Us Without Us" has served as a mantra for the disabled rights movement.

The phrase, which was also the title of James Charlton's Book (2000), emphasises that disabled people know what is in their interest through their direct experience of disability.

Too often, disabled people are either not consulted about disability-related issues and policies, or the thoughts and opinions of disabled people are dismissed.

"Nothing About Us Without Us" is a cry for representation, autonomy, and respect as agents who have valuable contributions to make to the discussion on disability.

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Kavanagh is a visually impaired activist whose extensive work has been earned her a place in Britain's Disability Power 100 List.

Kavanagh is the creator of the #JustAskDontGrab campaign, which emphasises the importance of not touching visually impaired people without their consent, even if you're just trying to help.

She is also the founder of 'The Staying Inn', an online platform providing inclusive events.

Follow her on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/BlondeHistorian

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Check the emergency pull cords in your department's accessible toilets.

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Check the emergency pull cords in your department's accessible toilets.

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Accessible toilets (which you might have heard referred to as 'disabled toilets') built to the 2004 Building Regulations Guide or later must have an emergency alarm system. This usually takes the form of a free-hanging red pull cord.

A common people for accessible toilet users is that the emergency cords are tied up or tucked away. Sometimes, cords are also too short. Cords should hang approximately 10cm from the floor to ensure they can be easily reached from the floor if required. If the cords are tied up, tucked away, or too short, this can prevent a disabled person from requesting help in an emergency.

Check whether or not this is a problem in your department. If you find that cords are commonly tucked away or tied up, alert the relevant staff. Don't try to fix them yourself as you may accidentally set off the alarms.

You could also consider putting up some informative materials about why this is problematic. Materials for this purpose can be requested free of charge from Euan's Guide (linked below), or self-designed and printed.

An anticipatory approach to reasonable adjustments is vitally important for genuine inclusion - don't wait until someone needs to use a cord to check it is appropriately functioning.

For advice on this topic, contact the Fast Stream Disability Network.

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A lifeline making accessible toilets safer!

This lifesaving project educates people about the importance of red emergency cords and makes accessible toilets safer. Thanks to the support of individuals and venues across the UK we've already given out over 60,000 Red Cord Cards!

What is a Red Cord Card?

Red Cord Cards are pocket-sized splash-proof notices designed to hang on red emergency cords in accessible toilets. They remind everyone of the importance of keeping the cord hanging freely so that it could be reached by someone lying on the ground.

The text on each card reads: 'This red emergency cord must hang freely all the way to the floor. If it does not, it may prevent a disabled person from asking for help.'

Our cards are designed to easily slide onto emergency cords without setting off the alarm and are printed in an easy-to-read font.

What is the problem?

Far too often red emergency cords are cut too short, tied up or placed out of reach. This means that someone in distress might not be able to use the cord to raise the alarm to ask for assistance. Sometimes people can be left stuck for extended periods of time without any other way of asking for help.

How to use Red Cord Cards

Add Red Cord Cards to every red emergency cord you see, that way it will remind everyone to leave correctly positioned cords as they are, and it will alert venues and staff to cords that are not safe and need to be fixed.

Thank you for your interest in our Red Cord Cards. Help us improve the safety of more accessible toilets by requesting your own Red Cord Cards using the form below.

You can also help us raise awareness of this safety issue by talking about it on social media, please feel free to use the hashtags #RedCordCards and #SetTheCordsFree .

We would really appreciate it if you could also spare some time to leave a review on Euan's Guide for the places you leave Red Cord Cards! It lets other people know how accessible the venue is and is a great opportunity to tell the venue about anything they have done well and how they could improve their disabled access.

Tags: Red Cord Cards, accessible toilets, toilets

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This lifesaving project educates people about the importance of red emergency cords and makes accessible toilets safer. Thanks to the support of individuals and venues across the UK we've already given out over 60,000 Red Cord Cards! Red Cord Cards are pocket-sized splash-proof notices designed to hang on red emergency cords in accessible toilets.

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Save the stamps from any letters or parcels you receive this year and send them to RNIB (for free!) so they can use them to generate funds to support visually impaired people in the UK.

Even better, start up the initiative at your office. Request a free collection box from RNIB for people to drop their stamps into when it's safe to do so.

It costs you absolutely nothing and is a great initiative to get involved with this winter.

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This Christmas, collect stamps for RNIB and make a difference to blind and partially sighted people.

If you receive cards and letters through the post, could you save the stamps to send to us? We will recycle them into much-needed funds for our services, such as our Letter from Santa in accessible formats for children with vision impairment to help them feel included at Christmas.

Be a stamp collector for a good cause

Step 1: Get pre-paid collection envelopes or boxes for your stamps by completing the request form, or by calling our Helpline on 0303 123 9999.

Step 2: Start collecting stamps as they come through your post box or at your work. Stamps don't need to be thoroughly sorted, but it helps if you can separate them into British and foreign stamps (Channel Islands and Isle of Man count as foreign). Make sure you leave a centimetre of envelope or packaging around each stamp.

Step 3: Pack up your envelope or box, and pop it in the post using our pre-paid address labels.

Request stamp envelopes or boxes

How stamps make a difference

By collecting stamps you're helping to break down the barriers that stop people with sight loss living life to the full. We accept all stamps: new or used, first or second class, foreign, first day covers, presentation packs or albums. Stamps are sold by weight and we raise £20 per kilogramme of stamps, so it's a brilliant way to raise money.

Get everyone involved

Saving stamps is an easy way to support us at home, work, or in your local community. You can request a handy little collection box for your office reception, school or local community centre. We've put together a Q and A and some posters so you can get your friends, family and work colleagues involved too:

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This Christmas, collect stamps for RNIB and make a difference to blind and partially sighted people. If you receive cards and letters through the post, could you save the stamps to send to us? We will recycle them into much-needed funds for our services, such as our Letter from Santa in accessible formats for children with vision impairment to help them feel included at Christmas.

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Meet Ebie, a first year disabled fast streamer.

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Meet Ebie, a first year disabled fast streamer.

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Hello! My name is Ebie, I’m a first year Generalist Fast Streamer, and I am disabled.

Disability activism has been a huge part of my life for several years. As a university student, I campaigned extensively on issues surrounding disability, accessibility, and higher education in Britain. My work on this earned me a place on the Disability Power 100 List (Britain’s 100 most influential disabled people) this year. Check out the Power 100 here:  https://disabilitypower100.com/

In 2019, I completed the Summer Diversity Internship Programme with FSET. Getting my reasonable adjustments in place wasn’t a smooth process, but once they were, I found the internship to be a positive experience which provided me with really valuable insight. However, there were undeniable problems surrounding disability and accessibility in the workplace – from general ignorance about disability to practices and initiatives which were poor at best and discriminatory at worst.

Nonetheless, I still decided to apply for the Fast Stream. I was nervous to join as a disabled fast streamer and that nervousness has proved very valid. Problems with ableism at Base Camp, again with securing reasonable adjustments, and the lack of anticipatory accessibility provided at FSET events is not exactly what I was hoping for.

I want the Civil Service and the Fast Stream to do better. Disabled fast streamers have a lot to contribute and we will not be able to work to our potential unless the environment is one in which we can thrive. I want the Civil Service and the Fast Stream to implement best practice when it comes to disability – right from the start. If we are to be future leaders, let us be leaders who ensure the future is inclusive and accessible to all. I have joined the Fast Stream Disability Network to work towards this reality.

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When Ebie joined Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College Leicester aged 16, she experienced for the first time how an anticipatory approach and inclusive practice can enable all students: no longer was she being asked to mask her autism for the convenience of others or made to feel an inconvenience for requiring adjustments for a musculoskeletal disorder.

With this insight, Ebie became determined to challenge systemic inaccessibility. In 2017, Ebie began studying at the University of Oxford and soon became a leading figure in the university's movement for disabled students being elected as both the Disabilities Officer for New College and as chair of the Student Union's Disabilities Campaign.

Ebie's resolute approach and advocacy has secured advances in the provision of mental health support and accessible communications, and the introduction of an accessible sports program. As co-author of the Oxford Library Accessibility Guide and Recommendations Paper in 2018, Ebie campaigned extensively for the implementation of the recommendations, securing substantial improvements. She has also raised awareness of issues such as the disabled students' attainment gap. In recognition of her achievements, Ebie received a University of Oxford's Vice Chancellor's Social Impact Award.

In 2019, Ebie contributed to the Disabled Students' Inquiry Roundtable at the House of Lords, explaining the importance of amplifying the voices of disabled students, recognising the barriers faced, and seeking to deliver equitable education for all.

Ebie speaks openly and unashamedly about disability. As she graduates this year, Ebie is committed to broadening her activism and continuing her contribution to the fight for accessibility, equality, and justice for disabled people.

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Ebie Edwards Cole - Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 List

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When Ebie joined Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College Leicester aged 16, she experienced for the first time how an anticipatory approach and inclusive practice can enable all students: no longer was she being asked to mask her autism for the convenience of others or made to feel an inconvenience for requiring adjustments for a musculoskeletal disorder.

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Hi everyone! I’m Tilly and I’m a first year generalist fast streamer. I am disabled by the chronic condition fibromyalgia, alongside hypermobility (and a few as of yet undiagnosed comorbidities).

I became disabled at university, where the symptoms I had been struggling with for a decade suddenly became much worse, thanks to the stress I was under with my university workload. I became so exhausted I would pass out in the middle of walking around town. I didn’t have the energy to do basic things, such as wash, cook for myself, or clean, and the pain I was in began to severely effect my ability to walk. After around a year of fighting actively for someone to recognise my symptoms as a chronic illness, I managed to get diagnosed.

Since then, I have learned how to manage my illness as best I can. I use mobility aids, such as walking sticks and a wheelchair, when I need to. I try to work with my illness and my body, rather than fight against it, and see it as a huge part of myself. I really dislike when people try to separate me from my illness, as it has led to so many of my formative experiences.

For example, when I first became disabled whilst at university, I started to read up on disability politics and disability ethics. I ended up specialising in this field of ethics, writing my dissertation on it, which was called “Conceptualisations of active citizenship and the ableism they perpetuate: if we take political justice for disabled people seriously, should we endorse theories of active citizenship in their current forms?”

Before I became a fast streamer, I had another life as a folk musician. I used this platform to sing and talk about disability – my second album and the resulting tour focussed heavily on my experiences as a disabled musician. It was a hugely rewarding way of advocating for the disabled and chronically ill community and I have missed it very much since COVID began. If you’re interested in hearing some of my music and reading/listening to some of my advocacy work, I’ve put some links below!

I joined the fast stream partly because the civil service are supposed to be an excellent disability employer. I was struggling to find other jobs and my dad – a civil servant of almost 40 years – encouraged me to apply. I couldn’t believe when I got in! Although the fast stream have been great with some of my accommodations, I have found them very difficult with others, and it’s clear a great deal of change still needs to happen in order for disabled civil servants to have the same level of support and opportunity as their able colleagues are given. This position on the disability committee means so much to me, and I am really looking forward to making meaningful change.

Thanks for reading!

An article about my experience as a disabled musician is here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-49911276

My appearance on the BBC Ouch Podcast is here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/disability-50857163

My spotify profile is here:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/636fe2p3BSdACmYjxEiF1d

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"I won't let you make me feel bad for the things I cannot do, I am tired of being talked over by people like you."

To watch Tilly Moses perform her folk music on stage, there are no visual clues she's disabled - although the message is there loud and clear in some of her lyrics.

A year ago, Moses was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes pain and fatigue. It often comes after a big shock to the immune system: Moses, who grew up in Stanton, Suffolk, had meningitis when she was 11.

She says her fibromyalgia can leave her so tired she passes out. It also affects her cognitive function and she can be in a lot of pain, and she sometimes has to use a walking stick or a wheelchair.

"When people see me, because I'm young and I'm performing, people assume you can't be those things and be disabled."

The misconception annoyed her and so she started writing songs about it.

Moses, 21, says it wasn't until she started to class herself as disabled that she felt "liberated", although she's been shocked by the responses of some people.

"Disabled people aren't represented in the media fairly; there's a lot more to being disabled than what people think," she says. "It's a societal issue; there's this attitude that a disability is something to overcome."

On one occasion when she had her walking stick, she sat on one of the disabled seats on a bus. A woman was talking loudly about her, saying she must have been faking it because her makeup was done so nicely, she says.

"It's as if we're not full people and that we live such tragic lives that we wouldn't think about makeup and dressing nicely. I couldn't believe what I was hearing; I was gobsmacked."

Another time, she was at an airport and her boyfriend was pushing her in a wheelchair. He was messing around and pushed her quickly down a ramp, causing her to laugh because it was funny, she says.

"A man looked at me and was so perplexed. There's a perception that my life must be tragic and why would I be laughing. My life is fine, I wouldn't change anything.

"I'm happy but people find that really perplexing, as if being disabled is almost worse than being dead. I've got friends, family, a boyfriend, a career, my music. Sometimes I can't get out of bed but that's fine."

The University of York politics graduate, who released her first album in 2017, says she built up an audience base and enjoyed some "minor success" before her diagnosis. She hopes to use her platform to continue to talk positively about disability, and share people's stories and ideas that "don't get aired in a musical capacity".

"I'm making a small difference where I can and I'm really honoured to be in that position," she says.

Disabled academic Gill Loomes, who has multiple conditions including fibromyalgia, says what Moses is doing is "really quite important".

"One of the things that amazes me is how she manages to get some quite complex political social theory into song lyrics and makes them lyrical and accessible without losing the context. A "stand-out" song for her is The Social Model.

"I am not broken nor a problem to solve, I am not a learning tool to make you more evolved,

"I'm a passion and a person, I have ambition, love and drive,

"I could be free of all the shackles you draw on me in your mind if you'd let me be."

"To have someone in Tilly's position, who not only has a grasp of the condition with all its nuances and complexities but also can put it in a way that grabs people's attention, is a really achievement," says the 36-year-old, from Halifax. "It's almost an agenda for disability rights politics; it's great to have somebody actually putting these issues on the public agenda."

For Moses, who says she's "really proud" to have written songs that resonate, her music doesn't just give her a voice - it also helps to muffle the negativity faced by disabled people.

"I find it empowering to stand up on stage, singing about my life and what it's like to be disabled without fear of anyone interrupting me and telling me I'm wrong."

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'They think disability is almost worse than being dead'

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"I won't let you make me feel bad for the things I cannot do, I am tired of being talked over by people like you." To watch Tilly Moses perform her folk music on stage, there are no visual clues she's disabled - although the message is there loud and clear in some of her lyrics.

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Sitting Pretty is an honest and funny memoir that shares Rebekah's experiences, reflections and thoughts as a young woman and disability advocate. While this book wasn't written to educate, I certainly learned a lot from it, particularly how deeply ableism runs through our society and how important all types of representation is.

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Don't give unsolicited advice to disabled people about how to manage their conditions and disabilities

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Don't give unsolicited advice to disabled people about how to manage their conditions and disabilities

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Assuming that we are looking to be "cured" comes from a very ableist standpoint in itself, and we've probably heard (and maybe tried) your suggestion before anyway! Please don't give advice unless you're asked for it.

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McNicoll's debut novel follows the story of autistic 11-year-old, Addie. The novel follows Addie's campaign for a memorial in memory of the witch trials that took place in her Scottish hometown and throughout, provides an interesting and accurate insight into the life and experiences of a young autistic individual.

Image description: The book cover of 'A Kind of Spark'. The cover is pink and blue with yellow text and shows an artistic depiction of a girl with wavy hair.