The latest news from Difference.
On Monday, 3rd February, our Teesside Development Manager, Claire, attended the Stockton-on-Tees Business Climate Coalition to highlight the disproportionate impact of climate change on disabled people. She emphasized the need for businesses to centre disabled voices—both as employees and consumers—to improve awareness, shape inclusive policies, and create better outcomes for all. Fuel Poverty: The Rising… Read more »
“If the world were truly accessible, what job would you have?” That’s how we started our latest Members Make the Difference discussion, and the answers said a lot about the barriers we, as disabled people, face. Some members shared that they’d love to return to jobs they once had, but has been forced to leave… Read more »
How Can Life Be Better for Disabled People? Have you ever felt left out of decisions that shape your everyday life? At Difference North East, we’re all about changing that. That’s why we recently ran an “On the Table” event for the Community Foundation’s Vital Signs report. This event brought disabled people together to share… Read more »
At Difference North East, we welcome efforts to remove barriers to employment. However, while schemes like “Working Well” provide valuable support, they don’t address the wider structural inequalities that disabled people face every day. The “Working Well” scheme, a government initiative in partnership with local organisations like the North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care… Read more »
Creating an Inclusive Future-response to North East Mayor Transport consultation. Transport accessibility is essential for enabling participation in everyday life, yet disabled people across the North East face barriers at every turn. Our response to the North East Mayoral Combined Authority’s Transport Plan highlights these challenges and offers actionable recommendations to create a system that… Read more »
Mary Greaves was a pioneer of disability rights whose life and activism should continue to inspire and educate. Born in Whitley Bay in 1907, Mary’s journey from a childhood marked by polio to becoming a leader in shaping the social model of disability is nothing short of remarkable. Yet, the way we commemorate her today… Read more »
What Is Coeliac Disease and How Does It Affect the Body? I am coeliac, I have an autoimmune condition and when I eat gluten, it causes the villi in my small intestine to die and then I cannot absorb nutrients properly. Currently, science does not really understand what causes the autoimmune system to start to… Read more »
This week, members of Difference North East gathered to discuss the thought-provoking film, “Then Barbara Met Alan“. The film, portraying the groundbreaking activism of Barbara Lisicki and Alan Holdsworth, offers a reminder of the power of community, the importance and function of direct action, and the need for an ongoing fight for equality. This was… Read more »
Disability History Month starts this week! 14 November 2024 – 20 December 2024 Disability History Month is celebrated between 14th November 2024 and 20th December 2024 and this year focuses on Disability livelihood and employment. At Difference, we are focusing on Mary Greaves from Whitley Bay as our historical figure as she worked tirelessly to… Read more »
Why Should You Avoid Calling Disabled People Superheroes? Over the last two years I couldn’t work in ‘traditional’ paid employment, so I took part in lots of volunteering from home. I spent two years as a patient representative working alongside the British Society of Gastroenterology helping to write the new best practice guidelines. I mentored… Read more »