Articles written by Martyn Sibley
Guess what??!! The car broke down again last night. The same problem as last time, no battery and just wouldn’t start. I think quite rightly I have ranted on this recurring subject. However I promised myself these posts would not let me get too down or angry but explain the positives of the trials and tribulations I go through. The quick update is that it has gone to a different garage who I hope will sort this once and for all by the end of the week. Taxis to get to work until then.
What I do want to do is an overarching blog on transport bouncing off of an interesting book I’m reading. Its by Ben Elton and called …
Read all of The car broke down again, and other transport stresses
Having read around the Fiona Pilkington case further I am still sticking to my point that less is sometimes more. Without enough knowledge on the legal aspects I would hate to comment in a blaze of glory I would regret later. I will say that any news that highlights crimes against someone due to disability has to be a positive move, even if the solutions are more around general law enforcing practices.
Reading about Fiona and her family’s isolation and exclusion from society got me thinking more on the subject of inclusivity. I think I have always been quite outspoken that my upbringing was more inclusive. However there have been, still are and always will be times when I feel this …
Read all of The wider benefits of inclusion
So I have had a new car since early August due to my older van being too large, uneconomical and the new Motability scheme being recommended. The benefit of the new scheme is that I receive a new car, adapted for me to drive, with insurance and servicing covered too. This was in return for a nominal up-front fee (varying with the financial means test carried out) and foregoing the mobility part of my monthly government money (paid due to the known extra costs of being disabled).
The financial assessment and adapting of the car was smooth, unlike 6 years ago when getting my first van. Historically the paperwork and preparation was so time draining it put people off even looking. …
Read all of The trouble with Motability!
At work I often deliver training on the issues faced by disabled people and I find there are many who do not see why there are issues for disabled people.
When I explain why, they then ask why others are not doing more. Here, I want to explain this ‘issue’ for anyone else who just hasn’t had the bigger picture explained to them.
For me, I didn’t really see an ‘issue’ either when growing up. Sure I worried about leaving my primary school mates to go to the only accessible secondary school 20 miles away. Sure my wheelchair broke down and it distressed me being stuck. Sure I worried if girls would accept my disability in relationships. But the point …
Read all of So what’s the issue about disability?
Apologies for being away from my blogs. I had a much needed break in Lanzarote back at easter, while following on from this I have set up new fundraising campaigns and sponsored events at Scope. On top of this I have been looking at running for local council next year. Anyway needless to say lifes been busy but here’s a blog from the holiday.
Having travelled to the Canary Islands many times before this wasn’t a difficult journey in terms of disability related. However there are a couple of things I’d like to touch on.
Firstly the reason I have been so many time to these islands (beyond more guaranteed sunshine) actually is wheelchair related. Whenever in the past I have looked …
Read all of Getting away….to Lanzarote
Well its been a busy time recently. I’ve been busy with fundraising work, visiting Guildford and Peterborough in the past 5 days via Cambridge to see my parents and grandparents. Also 2 weekends ago I was in Manchester delivering a talk to the youth group at the JTSMA charity that I am a trustee of.
The talk was on learning to drive from a wheelchair. So with all my driving and this talk I gave, I thought it to be a good blog topic.
I do not want to drone on too much about the processes. I hope by stating it is do-able, some of you may have your own views or even questions which I’m happy to answer.
Seriously though, it really …
Read all of Learning to drive
When I made the big decision to move from St Ives (Cambridgeshire, not Cornwall) to London, it was for the same reasons as every other 24 year old. It offered career progression, investment in a share of a London property, which means anywhere in the world is now affordable, and a much more lively social life. OK, so I enjoy the odd night out, but I also like museums and the many other cultural benefits of the capital.
It’s tough for me to describe my move to London as ‘a disabled person, who relies on services from a local authority’, because I did not see myself as particularly disabled.
OK, I use a wheelchair to get from A to B, a hoist …
Read all of My Postcode Lottery
