I’ve been living at the castle for almost ten years! But, surprisingly, moving home was a lot less dramatic than some of the other changes that were going on in my life back then.

My tics had been affecting my mobility for several years and a month after moving in I got my first wheelchair.…

Since his first day in Number 10, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been promising a plan to reform our ailing social care system. It’s something that successive governments have been promising for at least a decade, but so far, no workable proposals have been put forward.…

I knew it would happen sooner or later. I’ve watched friends go through the same difficult and time-consuming process over the last few years, and I knew my turn would come.

Today’s post brought a brown envelope from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).…

When Teresa May called a snap general election just seven weeks ago I felt a flash of hope, followed by an overwhelming feeling of apprehension.

I desperately want to be part of a society that’s more socially just, where there aren’t massive discrepancies in life expectancy depending on where you live, and where millions of people aren’t forced to use food banks to survive.…

I’ve just been to the toilet.

To be able to do this safely I need a number of aids. Some of these are permanent and stay in the bathroom, like the grab rail and the emergency alarm. Others are things I need to replace regularly – for example the kneepads that protect me when I move onto the floor to pull up my knickers – or the leggings I wear so I don’t have to worry about fastenings – or the panty liners to help when I don’t make it to the toilet in time.…

On May 8th, in Brighton, I woke up to the crushing news that the Conservative Party would again be forming the next Government, this time with an overall majority. Straightaway I determined to turn my great sadness at this outcome into positive action.…

The general election’s just three days away and I can’t wait – I’ve never been so ready to vote. The last five years have felt like the longest years ever – they could’ve been five decades.

My life looks very different now from what it did half a decade ago.…

In the last couple of weeks I’ve been working on a big funding bid at work for our inclusion project. In the process I’ve looked at a lot of research by some great organisations and it got me thinking about all the fantastic groups and services that have helped me and the families I support.…

A couple of days ago the renewal form for my Disability Living Allowance (DLA) arrived in the post. I was relieved to see they were for DLA because it meant I wasn’t yet on the list to be assessed for the controversial new Personal Independence Payment (PIP).…

I’m going to start with an apology for that dodgy pun, but I think it’s appropriate for a post about the many moments of pure joy I’ve experienced over the last few days, all thanks to my wonderful wheels.

Warmer weather and lighter evenings are usually associated with positive, hopeful feelings, but in recent years I’ve tended to feel frustrated and low at this time of year.…