Activism and Campaigning

June 6, 2014 0

Camden DPO forced to close as police launch fraud probe

Disabled people have questioned why a council failed to realise that hundreds of thousands of pounds had disappeared from the accounts of a leading user-led organisation. Police are investigating allegations of fraud after Disability in Camden (DISC) was forced to close after a £300,000 black hole was discovered in its accounts. The decision to

June 6, 2014 0

Thalidomide survivors launch long-delayed compensation bid

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Eight thalidomide survivors who have waited more than 50 years for justice have launched a legal action against the companies that manufactured and distributed the drug. Some of the eight were previously denied compensation because they could not prove their impairments were caused by thalidomide or had no proof that their mothers had taken

Activism and Campaigning

June 6, 2014 0

DIY culture and peppercorn rent lead to royal recognition

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Three user-led organisations have been recognised by the Queen for their work in their local communities. CoolTan Arts, in London; The Oyster Project, in East Sussex; and DEAFvibe in Staffordshire, will all receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The award was created by the Queen to mark her golden jubilee in 2002 and

Activism and Campaigning

May 23, 2014 0

Campaign hopes to break facial disfigurement boundaries

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By Charlotte Wingfield A new campaign aims to change the workplace from a “hostile” environment to one that is far more welcoming to people with facial disfigurements. The charity Changing Faces says discrimination is still “rife”, so there is a need for more role models – people with an unusual appearance who are succeeding

Activism and Campaigning

May 16, 2014 0

New idea for funding rail access upgrades is ‘brilliant’, says MP

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A disabled campaigner is hoping to create a new way of funding transport access improvements – by persuading London’s mayor to set up a public fund that would allow individuals, councils and businesses to contribute towards the cost. Conrad Tokarczyk, from Hillingdon, west London, already has support for his idea from his local Conservative

Activism and Campaigning

May 9, 2014 0

Postcards from the edge of Europe call for ILF reprieve

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The campaign to save the Independent Living Fund (ILF) took centre stage this week as part of the first European Independent Living Day. Events took place in Leicester, Manchester and Chesterfield, and on the internet, as countries across Europe celebrated the day, organised by the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL). The events in

Activism and Campaigning

May 9, 2014 0

Pity, quiet asides, fakers… and ‘microaggressions’

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Pity, “microagressions”, sheltered workshops and iphones were just some of the subjects of blogs from around the world that were published as part of the ninth annual Blogging Against Disablism Day (BADD). The aim of the day – created by disabled activist D H Kelly and held every year on 1 May – is

Activism and Campaigning

May 2, 2014 0

Hopes for single UN ‘shadow’ report in tatters

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Hopes that disabled people and their organisations could come together to produce a single “shadow” report on how the UK is implementing the UN disability convention appear to be in tatters, with four separate documents apparently being prepared. The UN committee that will examine how the UK been implementing the UN Convention on the

Activism and Campaigning

May 2, 2014 0

Access day could spur disabled people to new adventures

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Campaigners are hoping that their new access initiative will encourage disabled people to spend one day exploring somewhere new. Disabled Access Day will be held for the first time on Saturday 17 January 2015, with the backing of the disabled-led website Euan’s Guide. The organisers want to encourage disabled people and their families and

Activism and Campaigning

April 11, 2014 0

Campaigners launch new legal bid to halt Independent Living Fund closure

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Users of the Independent Living Fund (ILF) have launched a fresh legal bid to halt its closure, Disability News Service can reveal. Three ILF-users are threatening a second judicial review of the coalition’s decision to close the fund, a government-funded trust which helps about 18,000 disabled people with the highest support needs to live

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