Articles written by Martyn Sibley
Hi readers. Another week has passed already. I am keen to tell you about a new project I am working on for Sunnier Days (my social enterprise). Therefore I will share Thursday nights debauchery and this weekends fun in a separate blog over the next couple of days on my site.
Sunnier Days is the very personal name I have given to the ‘vehicle’ enabling me to make some of my ideas around disability a reality. Those close to me refer to my positive attitude, my love of sunny holidays and because my projects (the blog, work with Hackney council and DisabilityLib) are about improving things – Sunnier Days felt right and was born!
So what is this project about? You may …
Read all of Sunnier Days launches 1st Online Disability Seminar with JTSMA
Dear all elected officials and decision makers (at a national and local level)
In light of the recent cuts to government spending, we (Martyn Sibley of London and Richard Currie of Manchester) are writing to convey our deep concern at the affects they will have on the disabled people of the UK. We are only 2 of 10 million disabled people in Britain, but our views are by no means unique. This letter forms our contribution to a large online campaign – 1 month before heartbreak. Many people are blogging today to urge your good selves to consider aspects of the Disability Living Allowance and general disability reforms, and how they will truly …
Read all of One month before heartbreak
As always my life has been fast paced and on the tiring side. I am glad to say despite winter and general work tiredness, I am feeling good and looking forward to xmas. Due to things being busy, this blog on the recent Independent Living Fund (ILF) proposals is not the heavily researched or laid out as an intellectual thesis, as I would usually prefer 
In some ways this is no bad thing either. You can easily google for what the ILF is, their history and for policy documents on independent living. What is more difficult to find is the real way in which recent events affect an individual such as myself. While I am going about my intricately balanced …
Read all of Worries and conerns about the end of the Independent Living Fund
With current political news on benefits and social care funding cuts, my recent trip and more fundamental parts of my life would be compromised. I am now turning my thoughts to halting such political nightmares for disabled people and ensuring everyone can live a full, independent and self directed life, as I have done up until now. Without the government foundations underpinning my care, life would be very different for me and many others. Lets hope the recent announcements are questioned and stopped. More to come!
The drive to our hotel in LA, near to LAX airport took 4 hours. This would have been sizeable, but it flew compared to San Fran to Vegas. I was kind of glad to leave Vegas in the end. I would go another time with a bigger budget to gamble and maybe one crazier drunk night, but while our trip ticked everything I hoped for, I did find it a little over bearing and claustrophobic. It definitely had a big thumbs up on accessibility though.
Arriving at the Best Western hotel, which Srin booked while we were in San Fran, we hit the same initial problem. Yep, the shower was not a roll in. On asking at reception there was nothing …
Read all of California dreaming – teething problems and Jack Black
With our car problems behind us we embarked on the longest car journey I have ever taken in my life. It didn’t make sense to go to LA then Vegas, before back to LA for the flight home. So we plunged for the 10 hour trip to save time in the long run. It actually wasn’t as bad as I thought. We chatted, listened to tunes and I read my new Amazon Kindle (much easier for me than a heavy book). The video shows the vast amounts of desert and then the fantastic bright lights as you hit the Vegas strip.
We had managed to book the Vegas rooms before leaving the UK too. We went for the MGM Grand on …
Read all of Accessibility in Las Vegas
So this is the first of 3 blogs on my recent trip to the US of A. Part 1 will show the importance of planning and then layout the awesomeness that is San Francisco! ‘Awesomeness’ is a word as I heard it on American radio – ok.
It is not unheard of to say planning is key, but with my disability and additional needs it is 10 times more important. Having completed my trip of a lifetime to Australia 5 years ago much of the steps were the same. However this trips original idea was conceived back in May at the Sunnier Days event I ran http://martynsibley.com/video-of-sunnier-days-event-3. My friend Srin said during the seminar he was planning a trip to …
Read all of Travel planning – with my disability it’s 10 times more important
First of all do not fear! This is not a “I went away for 12 days and found myself” blog. I am still the same old me. However probably due to the time away I did gain some clarity on my blogs.
I know people follow my blogs because there is some fun stuff and inspirational pieces from time to time, but I have appreciated others would like more detailed information. For example in the holiday video I shot how I am lifted from the plane to my wheelchair. The trip also highlighted the many extra things I have to plan and think about. Therefore my new beginning starts with the coverage of the California and Vegas road trip by giving …
Read all of A new beginning
So the long awaited and highly debated spending review finally took place. I was asked by Scope if I would mind watching the coverage, write some tweets and have them fed into their website. It was a pleasure to take part in such an event and interact with others on the issues. The first wave of emotion I felt was relief, just at the realisation we could finally hear the plans and not have to wait any longer. The normal prime ministers questions were a non event and a definite calm before the storm.
At 12.30 the chancellor took to the floor and began. The next feeling I felt was confusion. The …
Read all of A message to Mr Osbourne – the CSR from a disabled perspective
The last blog was actually a week ago. When I first realised I was concerned as I take pride in my regular contact. Then I realised partly ‘quality beats quantity’ and partly it was a sign of my new found self honesty. There have been many times the past year I have pushed my body a little too far. You will remember the recent blog on how I had realised my health must come first. So in slowing down, there has been less to report. Furthermore I have felt a little tired to conjure up a good article.
Also I have been busy and preoccupied this week with my annual sleep study. To some extent I could say “please see blog …
Read all of Quality beats quantity: my health comes first!
