• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / News Archive / Paralympian stresses need for DLA, and praises activists

Paralympian stresses need for DLA, and praises activists

By guest on 5th June 2012 Category: News Archive

Listen

A member of Britain’s wheelchair tennis squad for this summer’s Paralympics in London has spoken passionately about the importance of disability living allowance (DLA) to her and other disabled people.

Louise Hunt was speaking to Disability News Service as she was named in the ParalympicsGB team to compete at London 2012.

The announcement of the squad came just hours before disabled people gathered outside parliament to protest at how cuts to DLA are likely to make disabled people’s mobility even more difficult.

Hunt, who is 21 and has been playing tennis since she was five, said: “I think it is great that there are people who are standing up for us.”

She receives the higher rate mobility component of DLA. “I think it’s important for people to know that that money is used to buy me a wheelchair, to buy medical things, to basically help me stay alive, and live a normal life, so I greatly appreciate the money I receive.

“That bit of money does help. That money I do receive goes towards helping me live my life in a wheelchair. It really does make a difference.”

She says she is “passionate about disability rights”, but until the games are over her focus will be solely on her sport.

After her career is over, she hopes to follow in the steps of Baroness [Tanni] Grey-Thompson, who has moved from elite Paralympic sport into campaigning for disability rights.

Hunt is an ambassador for the charity Get Kids Going, which supports young disabled people to participate in sport, and which has Baroness Grey-Thompson as one of its vice-presidents.

She said: “I look up to her quite a lot. I want to go down her pathway. I want to do well in my tennis career but Tanni, she did really well, and after that she used it to make a really big difference.”

She said she saw London 2012 as an opportunity “to change people’s attitudes, not just to disability sport but to disability in general”.

She said: “We get to showcase our talent and how hard we have worked on a world stage.

“I want to change that old-fashioned perception that disabled people cannot do anything. I am here because I have worked equally as hard as an able-bodied athlete. I have trained and trained and trained.”

Hunt, who lives near Swindon, only secured her place at the games by winning last month’s Israel Open, which lifted her world ranking into the top 20.

She said she was “absolutely buzzing” and “screaming from the rooftops” when she was told she had been selected.

But she is not setting any targets for London 2012, other than for her performance. “As long as I leave there knowing I have played the best tennis I have ever played, that’s my aim.”

20 June 2012

Share this post:

Share on X (Twitter)Share on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on RedditShare on LinkedIn
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Related

‘Muddled’ blue badge reforms ‘are to blame for renewal delays’
6th February 2015
UN debate will be reminder of true inclusive education
6th February 2015
IDS breaks pledge on PIP waiting-times, as tens of thousands still queue for months
30th January 2015

Primary Sidebar

On the left of the image are multiple heads of different colours - white, aqua, red, light brown, and dark green - all grouped together, then the words ‘Campaign for Disability Justice. Sign up to support. #OpportunitySecurityRespect’
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Access

Latest Stories

‘Disastrous’ cuts bill that leaves legacy of distrust and distress ‘must be dropped’

Four disabled Labour MPs stand up to government over cuts to disability benefits

Silence from MP sister of Rachel Reeves over suicide linked to PIP flaws, just as government was seeking cuts

Disabled people receiving care were ‘ignored by design’ during the pandemic, Covid inquiry hears

Disabled activists warn Labour MPs who vote for cuts: ‘The gloves will be off’

GB News says it has nothing to apologise for, after guest suggests starving disabled benefit claimants

SEND inspections find services in just one in four areas usually lead to ‘positive’ outcomes for disabled children

Disabled MP who quit government over benefit cuts tells DNS: ‘The consequences will be devastating’

Disabled peers plan to ‘amend, amend, amend, amend, amend’ after assisted dying bill reaches Lords

Minister finally admits that working-age benefits spending is stable, despite months of ‘spiralling’ claims

Advice and Information

Readspeaker
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Threads
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web