From Susan Quick

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

I represent the disabled community on the Board of Hebden Bridge Partnership and I've organised a public meeting at Holme Street Arts at 1-3pm on Thurs May 29th to discuss changes needed to make Hebden more accessible for everyone, including, but not exclusive to, disabled people, parents, and elderly people.

We need to hear about changes that are needed so we can lobby for improved access for all of us. I have a range of impairments including being half blind. I walk with a stick. I'm "head injured" the result of a near fatal car accident in snow on the tops. There are several of us in Hebden.
I've invited our MP Craig Whittaker so he can hear what we have to say, and take it back to Parliament.

The current Government strategy "Close the Gap" puts those of us with mental health issues and physical disability in the same box. However, the Dept of Health's 40 page document doesn't really tell us what the effects will be. So we need to ask, and get our MP to take our questions back to Parliament. My impairment, "head injury", which is very common in today's car driving society, combines mental and physical disability. "Closing the Gap" might be OK. But it's really not clear.

The Government is busy reviewing the whole benefit system: those of us who get Disability Living Allowance are being assessed to see if we qualify for the new PIP. The Work Capability Assessment is causing weekly suicides. Is "Closing the Gap" going down the same road?

Please join us on Thurs 29th May. We need as many people as possible to ask questions and share opinions.