Our latest news

The latest news from Difference.

Step-Free This Way

23 December 2022

A few tips on access guides from Richard Boggie.   When we invited 50 people along to our Disability at Work Summit earlier this year, we spent quite a bit of time preparing an Access Guide for the event. Why? Because we wanted the event to be as inclusive as it could be, and that… Read more »

Disability History Month: Health, Wellbeing, and Disability Activism

1 December 2022

It is Disability History Month and the UK theme this year is Health and Wellbeing. Difference Campaigns and Events Officer, Nic, talks about how we look after our own wellbeing whilst campaigning. Disability Activism We know that activism can often lead to exhaustion and burnout- especially when we come up against systems and cultures that… Read more »

Join us as a Trustee

17 November 2022

Difference is seeking new Trustees and a Treasurer to join our Board. We are a small, award-winning regional charity aiming to change perceptions of disability to create a more equal North East for disabled people. We are run by disabled people, for disabled people and we have some exciting voluntary opportunities for people who share… Read more »

Changing Places

15 November 2022

Star and Shadow Cinema is a volunteer-run DIY space for Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, and the North East UK.  It is set up as an open-to-join co-operative housed in a building it owns, dedicated to culture coming from and/or programmed by the grass roots – particularly cinema and music. And they’re ready to open the doors to… Read more »

Whose rights are they anyway?

5 November 2022

At Difference, we want to dismantle the barriers that exclude disabled people from participating. A rights-based approach seeks ways to respect, support and celebrate human diversity which means not only allowing, but supporting the full participation of disabled people. A Human Rights-Based Approach Last year we took part in a community research project with the… Read more »

Five top tips on Digital Accessibility

1 November 2022

Richard Boggie shares his top digital accessibility tips.   Okay, I know that people and organisations don’t deliberately set out to exclude disabled people from their digital content and services. Why would you? It would be illegal, bad for business and reputationally damaging. But I also know from my own experience that barriers exist online… Read more »

The Rise of the Machines

26 October 2022

This week’s blog is by Difference Director, Christopher Hartworth. He discusses the seen and unseen ‘costs of living’ as a disabled person.   As state sanctioned poverty (or a ‘cost of living crisis’ as the government insist on calling it) sends the UK population into further precarity, disabled people face a worse humanitarian crisis. As… Read more »

Please hold while we sort our s**t out

24 August 2022

By Richard Boggie   Today, I am celebrating a small but significant victory. “oh, really?” I hear you say, “do tell, Richard”. 🙄   So, I was thinking about a talk I have to prepare for an event next month on digital accessibility in the health sector. It’s always easier and more impactful to illustrate… Read more »

Now, where’s my plunger?

5 July 2022

Stop blocking the disruptors! That was the message that was firmly implanted into my brain as I came away from last week’s neurodiversity conference in Liverpool. It had been arranged by the ADHD Foundation and brought together sessions on health, education, business and justice.   It was Rory Bremner, the brilliant comedian and impressionist, who… Read more »

Difference Awards 2022

25 March 2022

At Difference we spend most of our time campaigning, training, and advising organisations around accessibility and inclusion for disabled people. But of course, we all know certain people and organisations who already get it right. These are the people who make sure disabled people are treated fairly and get a great service. These are the… Read more »