International Day of Disabled People

Representatives from Disability Action in Islington (DAII) and Islington Disabled People Against Cuts (IDPAC) joined forces with disabled writer Penny Pepper and local resident Edward Richards, who are working with Islington Museum on a joint project to showcase the borough's disabled people past and present.  

Residents will be invited to contribute ideas to the project.

Cllr Janet Burgess, Islington Council’s executive member for health and wellbeing said: 

"International Day of Disabled People is a chance for us in Islington to champion local disabled people. 

"There's never been a more important time to support disabled people with the impact of welfare reforms hitting  hard, making life a struggle for many in receipt of benefits.

"This year, the Paralympics have given us new sporting heroes to inspire everyone and a positive legacy which we musn't lose."

"We'll continue to lobby the government and challenge these reforms which threaten our most vulnerable residents."

Islington Council wants all residents to enjoy healthy active lives, and in the case of disabled and vulnerable residents, to help them live with dignity and independence.

Recent research by the 'Hardest Hit Coalition' has shown that many disabled people feel that they are living on the edge, and that the loss of even a small amount of income could tip their already complex lives into greater dependence and insecurity.

Islington Council will continue to work with DAII and IDPAC to lobby against the welfare reforms from central government and to provide support for disabled residents as the changes are implemented. 

Rahel Geffen, Chief Executive of Disability Action in Islington said:

"While this day is for celebrating disabled people in all their diversity, talents and contributions to society, we must also remind everyone that they are currently under attack from government reforms.

"This threatens to strip disabled people of all the gains achieved by 40 years of a social and political disability movement that has brought about advances in independent living and civil rights.

"But it has also galvanised a new generation of disabled people to organise and campaign for their right to maintain choice, control and independence.

"So this is another cause for celebration today."

Islington Council and Disability Action in Islington will be hosting Islington Day of Disabled People on 15 January 2013 at The Assembly Hall on Upper Street, N1.

The event will run from 11am until 3pm and there will be performances from Penny Pepper and also Baluji Shrivastav who played the sitar at the London 2012 Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony.