My day in London at a Trailblazers event

18th June 2014 Parliament 

I went to The Houses of Parliament for a TrailBlazers event. It was about high street and shopping centre accessibility. I arrived in the room and thought "oh shit! Access!" because there were so many wheelchairs nobody could move! MP's need to understand about access in Houses of Parliament because we have The Equality Act 2010. I know that it is a listed building but I know many disabled people who go there for disability rights campaigning so why was the access not better?

I felt empowered when I spoke but they said try and speak to the local council. I know that today didn't work the way I had hoped because councils don't want to spend money on wheelchair access. I hoped that these people at the event would have the power to make a difference but they they sent me back to speak to my local councils! Surely this is an MP's job, not mine to go back and do it for myself! I had hoped for more from the MP's and that they would listen and make changes from the inside, from the The Houses of Parliament. Why are they not taking some responsibility?

Disabled people asked questions but I wanted MP's to listen to all our experiences. The questions we read were sent in advance but they still didn't seem to have answers. I travelled all the way from Halifax today to help but left feeling disappointed because I felt like I didn't have the chance to share my personal insight to help the MP's find a better way to improve disabled people's shopping experience.

I hope that MP's in the future will make more time to listen and will support disabled people to make a change from The Houses of Parliament and not sending us back to where we are from and ask us to do it ourselves. MP's have power, please help us by using it!

Thank you for organising this day TrialBlazers, it was great to have spoken in The Houses of Parliament and I hope to do it again very soon!

P.S. This has been translated from BSL and AAC to English

Deaf and English

Hello everyone!

Thank you for reading my blog about problem with university last week. So, my PA was helping to change English but I think it was not my words because I want to show people.

I try explain, I have 3 different languages British Sign Language BSL, English and speak communication aid called DynaVox. My brain full BSL and change to write English on DynaVox use every days make me tired, slow and difficult.

My experience with English, I went to mainstream school grown up but my supports staffs had no time taught me how is improve with English because busy in school. My mother told school please teach English for many years but never happened. Grown up I was lazy use DynaVox because I was scared people didn’t understand I was saying it and I didn’t know how was writing English. I remember one time, I had GCSEs exams in room with 2 supports staffs and 1 person watch me. I saw exams paper I thought I can’t read and write make me sick and dizzy. It was so terrible! When I was 17, I went to mainstream college. I did study Health and Social Care and 1 person taught me how improve English it was fantastic, I felt better and make me confident with English but I had exams failed 3 times because people didn’t understand about deaf. I left to college, my mother was trying to find teacher English for me. Few months ago, new teacher English came to my house I was so excited it. But he was not coming to help with me because he didn’t understand about deaf again and I think he was bastard attitude.

I need to learn how improve English and strong words because I want fantastic job in the future this is important for me. I think it is better to go to deaf college somewhere. If I confident to write my blog make to show people.

I believe use BSL and English this is equality everyone!