Leftwing Idiot’s been laughing on and off all afternoon. But it’s not my tics that are making him chuckle – it’s a collection of smart metal signs unearthed by some of the children.

They found them in an old box of Christmas decorations they’d got out to use for making cards with. At the bottom of the box were ten metal signs with a symbol for a wheelchair user and the word ‘Handicapped’ emblazoned them.

They must’ve been in the box for a very long time. ‘Handicapped’ hasn’t been an acceptable word to use in relation to disability for years. It’s negative and evokes the idea of being weighed down by something, held back, or inferior. It’s still used in some countries but in the UK it’s largely recognised as an out-dated and objectionable term. In fact, in 2004 disabled people voted it number nine in the top-ten worst disability related words.

Leftwing Idiot put them on his desk out of the way of the children but each time he caught sight of them, he couldn’t help laughing. He finds the out-dated language presented in such a glossy way hilarious.

Predictably, he’s keen to find a use for the signs. I’ve already vetoed using them on the spoke guards of my wheelchair, or crafting them into an executive nameplate for my desk. I am however open to other suggestions for how they could be used creatively.

If you’ve got a bright idea for how these shiny signs can be used, please share it in the comments section below.