Difference North East - Changing Perceptions of Disability
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Category: Social Model of Disability

Report 2026 Disabled Northeast: A disabled woman navigating a pavement with accessibility barriers in Darlington town centre

Access to the Everyday Report 2026: What Disabled People in the North East Are Telling Us

February 12, 2026

Disabled people in the North East told us everyday life is still too hard.
77 people shared their experiences.
Many said: Transport is unreliable or inaccessible! There are not enough accessible toilets! Services are confusing and stressful! Workplaces and buildings exclude them! They are treated without respect!
People want to be listened to and involved in decisions that affect their lives.
Access should not be optional. Everyone deserves to get around, use services, work, and be treated with dignity.
Read the full report to learn more and get involved.

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Stylised, colour-filtered image showing Kim McGuinness’ and Mary Kelly Foy faces on the right, one above the other, both looking forward. The background features a large elephant statue and an industrial or urban scene, overlaid with a textured pattern in purple, yellow, and pink tones, giving the image a bold, poster-like appearance.

Building Momentum for Fair Travel: MP & Mayor Support and Voices from Our Community

January 14, 2026

We are making progress in our campaign for fair and accessible travel. After we asked for change, Mary Kelly Foy MP confirmed she supports all of our actions. She will follow this up, and we will share updates soon. The North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, has also responded positively and is looking at our proposal.

This campaign is about disabled people’s real lives. Many people cannot travel when they need to. One member, Delta, shared how limited bus times and high taxi costs leave her feeling trapped. Fair travel would help disabled people live more independent lives.

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Real Stories Shape Employment: A heavily distorted images showing disabled people in various work settings. The image has significant digital glitching effects with purple and cyan colour shifts, horizontal scan lines, and pixelated artifacts that obscure details. The corruption creates a halftone dot pattern overlay throughout, giving it a degraded VHS or digital transmission error aesthetic.

Real Stories, Real Change. Help Shape Better Employment Support in the North East

January 13, 2026

We want to hear from disabled people in the North East who are not in paid work. Share your experiences and help shape better employment support. You will be paid for your time.

We’re also looking for three employers who want to show what inclusive work looks like.

Take part in interviews, discussion groups, creative photography, or filmed stories.

Sign up today using our online form or email us. Every voice matters, and together we can make work fairer and more accessible for everyone.

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Finding Power in Disability History. Historic images of disability protest. Overlaid with colourful geometric patterns

Breaking the Myths and Finding the Power in Disability History

December 1, 2025

Join us for a free talk with Claire Andrews from Difference North East this International Day of Disabled People. Learn about key moments in disability history, from banned sign language to protests that changed the law, and discover how the past shapes our future.
Wednesday 3 December 2025
1pm–3pm (Talk starts 1:15pm)
Billingham Library, TS23 2LN
Free – booking needed
Access: BSL, hearing loop, accessible toilets and parking.
Everyone welcome.
Book your free place and find the power in disability history.

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Donate Books This Disability History Month: Split-screen duotone image separated by bold white zigzag border: left side shows a young wheelchair user with glasses reading a book in vibrant magenta; right side shows a wheelchair user reaching for colorful children's books on shelves in yellow-green tones, creating a halftone print effect

Share Disability Stories: Donate a Book This Disability History Month

November 4, 2025

This November and December, you can help more people learn about disability by donating a book.
We’re working with Drake The Bookshop in Stockton-on-Tees to share stories that show disabled lives with pride and honesty.
You can pick a book from our special list — from children’s stories like What Happened to You? to powerful memoirs like Being Heumann.
Buy it online, choose “Collect from shop,” and we’ll make sure it reaches a local school or community group.
Small actions make a big difference. Let’s share our stories!

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True Cost of Gluten-Free Living. Collage of images from the BBC segment about the NHS consultation. Image is colourise yellow, blue and purple.

How a Proposed NHS Change Shows the True Cost of Gluten-Free Living

September 16, 2025

The NHS might stop giving gluten-free food on prescription. This is bad news for people with coeliac disease. Gluten-free food costs a lot more than regular food. Without help, many people will struggle to pay for safe food. This is not fair. It creates a big problem for disabled people. We believe everyone should get the food they need to stay healthy. Join us to fight this change. Your voice matters. Together, we can make sure everyone is treated fairly.

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Disability Rights Community, Darlington. Stylised image with a purple background and purple overlay. A teapot pours liquid into a teacup that is already stacked inside another teacup, causing it to overflow. To the left is a sugar pot with a spoon, and to the right is a decorated cake topped with macarons and fruit. At the top left, there are two logos: the "Difference NE" logo with the text “Do you want to fight for disability rights? Join!” and a second logo reading “D.A.D” with teal letters bursting through a red brick wall.

Disability Community, Darlington, Tees Valley

June 1, 2025

People met in Darlington in May 2025 to talk about their lives as disabled people. They shared honest experiences about transport, money, health, and support for their children. Many said getting around is hard. Taxis refuse equipment. Buses do not use ramps. Streets are difficult to use. Forms and benefits systems are stressful and confusing. People must fight for help they are entitled to.
Parents said they often battle alone to get support for their children.

Everyone wanted the same things. Fair treatment. Simple adjustments. Enough money to live.
They want a local community, led by disabled people, supporting each other and speaking up together.

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Disabled Advocacy Northumberland. Disability community amble northumberland. A Stylised graphic representing Amble Harbour

Voices from Amble: A Conversation on Disability and Community

May 30, 2025

Voices from Amble brought disabled people, carers and local activists together in May 2025. They shared real stories about life in their town. People spoke about bad pavements, narrow doors and lack of accessible toilets. They talked about being ignored by doctors and about unfair rules for benefits and equipment. The group wanted simple changes: dropped kerbs, wider doorways, fair healthcare and respect for all. They said small community groups make a big difference. They want a town where everyone belongs and is treated fairly. Join local groups, tell your story, and help make Amble more inclusive and welcome everyone.

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