Launch Of UK Disability History Month 2013

Last night in London, disabled people, disability activists, carers and supporters gathered to launch UK Disability History Month 2013. Now in its fourth year, the Month continues to grow, and to be recognised and supported by national mainstream organisations. In fact, this year, it was co-sponsored by the National Union of Teachers.

The Month will, as usual, run from 22 November to 22 December. This year’s theme is Celebrating our Struggle for Independent Living: No Return to Institutions or Isolation. It’s a fitting theme, considering the recent victory in court over the closure of the Independent Living Fund, something which came up a few times through the evening.

As always, it was an educational evening of speeches and video clips, rounded off with a good laugh and a chance to socialise.

The evening began with a video clip from a recent BBC4 documentary, Disowned and Disabled, Breaking Free. This showed what life was like for disabled people who were sent to institutions in the past, and how they broke free.

A representative from the National Union of Teachers spoke about how the Union plans to support the Month, and how they support disabled teachers. I learnt that the Union has a section for disabled teachers, as well as a national seat which is always held by a disabled teacher. I had never thought about disabled teachers in the past. However, having been a disabled pupil in mainstream education and being a passionate supporter of inclusive education, I was very pleased to learn that disabled teachers are accepted and supported by their largest Union.

Then there was a speech by  Jackie Downer, a woman with learning disabilities herself who is now the CEO of her own company. She described the struggles she has faced in her own life, and the progress she has made.

Kirsten Hearn, the Chair of Inclusion London, and Professor Mike Oliver, also spoke about their experiences and the importance of inclusion and independent living.

Professor Jan Walmsley spoke about the history of people with learning disabilities, and the importance of hearing, and learning from, the stories of people who lived in institutions and long stay hospitals. She paid tribute to Mabel Cooper, her personal friend who spent most of her life in a long stay hospital, through a moving video in which Mabel Cooper told her own story.

Richard Rieser, Founder and Co-ordinator of the Month, spoke about other events planned for this year.

The evening was rounded off by comedy from Liz Carr, someone whose work I have followed, admired and enjoyed for a long time.

The month may have started as a way to celebrate our struggles, but if, as I hope it does, it continues to grow, be successful and focus on current issues affecting the lives of disabled people, it might just become a way for us to celebrate our successes and victories as well. There’s a long way to go before disabled people stop facing struggles, but if we continue to fight for our rights, and to celebrate successes and victories, we will never again return to institutions, or to isolation.