Monday 25th March 1991 I had a major surgery on my spine at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, Middlesex, England. Today marks the 30th year anniversary of the crucial event in my life and I cannot believe where the time has disappeared to. On one hand, it feels like it was yesterday and on […]
Thursday Truths: 30 Years On And Still Going Strong
Thursday Truths - Targeted: The Truth about Disability Hate Crime
This evening I watched Targeted: The Truth about Disability Hate Crime on the BBC. Congratulations to everyone who took part in this programme and shared their harrowing stories, including my friend Terry McCorry from Leonard Cheshire in Northern Ireland. Watch here: bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rh4p Every disabled person has their own stories about being the victim of a hate […]
Thursday Truths: Disabled People Are Here and SEN Is Sustainable
On Tuesday 29th September the Belfast News Letter posted a report based on Kieran Donnelly’s Audit Report into SEN services. He found that it was “not financially sustainable” and reveal “the expenditure over the past five years has exceeded £1.3 billion”. newsletter.co.uk. Ben Lowry, the Deputy Editor of the Belfast News Letter then tweeted that this […]
Thursday Truths: Shop Local, Is the Purple Pound Accepted?
This week in the UK is #ShopLock week, from Monday 10th August to Monday 17th. This could not come at a more crucial time, as the local economy is under extreme pressures, due to the effects of COVID-19. It is part of a wider UK initiative to encourage more people to #EnjoySummerSafely and support their […]
Mandatory Face Masks Should Not Equal Ableism: A Family's Plead Over Invisible Illnesses
A guest blogger, who wishes to remain anonymous. Today we awaken to mandatory face coverings in Northern Ireland, but has our Government done enough to protect those who are exempt? My first phone calls this morning was to a local shop, where my brother would get his necessitates. I asked the manager to be mindful […]
20th July 2010: The Day That Changed Me
Today is a real milestone in my life. Today marks 10 years to the day that my health took a sudden and serious deterioration. On returning home on a chartered flight with Diocese of Derry from Lourdes, I turned blue and passed out. With the high altitude, my respiratory system could not cope with the […]
Thursday Truths: Authentic Representation Matters, Does "Come As You Are" Deliver That?
I have seen the trailer for Come As You Are. I have seen many disabled talking about this online and wanted to check it out for myself. 3 non-disabled men, playing disabled men. Going on road trip together to “get laid”. Reinforcing a few negative stereotypes from the beginning there. Hollywood is getting backlash for “whitewashing”, […]
Thursday Truths: Disabled People Need Their Voices Heard
We are now in Month 4 of the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of Ireland and the UK have began the process of lifting some of the restrictions of lockdown, to allow people to regain some normality back in their lives again. Many disabled people are beginning to leave left out, as we have been sidelined in […]
Thursday Truths: My Second Month COVID-19 Lockdown
Here we are with the first week of May behind. Yesterday marked 8 weeks in Lock-down for me, today marks Day 57 in Lock-down for me and this coming Monday marks 2 calendar months for me in Lock-down. So how am I coping I hear you asked? Probably about the same has everyone else is. […]
Thursday Truths: My One Month COVID-19 Lockdown
Last month I was excited and preparing for my first overseas holiday since 2010. I was going to the Eden Project in Cornwall, with Will Convey, to take part in a workshop to promote environmental and disability awareness. I was supposed to travel to Belfast on Thursday 12th March and head to England on the […]