Equal Lives Launch at Forum Norwich

Equal Lives Launch at Forum Norwich.

Photo of the launch cake. It says in very neat icing Equal Lives. 

Free from disabling barriers. 

Here is a link to the i-witness report at Archant news in East anglia

Lets bin those barriers, written on a black bin for people to put there barriers in. Having a disability can have many barriers. Mine would be not hearing people properly, having dyslexia, having allergies, eczema and liver problems. The way I eat, write, hear, live, wash, dress, socialise, work is dictated by faults. I have resigned to working as much as possible at home with no one around and creating art. It does not create a proper living, but I can't get any benefits or a proper paid job. I have had proper paid jobs, but in order to get the job, I have had to pretend I am normal and then later suffer from skin problems and stress from not hearing colleagues and costumers and writing things wrong and getting told off. Grinning and bearing and working harder to make up for loss of ability. 

Here is a stall at the forum about Hate crimes. Hate crimes is a new thing where you can report to police, people being rude like calling names or bullying. 

This stall had a game on it for people to join in.

Here is the banner I painted for the NDPAC. The banner is hand painted and can be washed. I expect the banner will be used for lots of occasions.

People checking out the derelick from Doctor Who.

A derelick has the same problems as someone with a wheelchair, as in impossible to get up and down the stairs.

Opening doors stall run by people with learning difficulties for people with learning difficulties. 

This was a music choir stall.

Black dog music project.  Its a music project to bring people with mental health and addictions together to enable them to reestablish or create new music to perform at gigs. More about it on the website.

The banner I finished painting in the morning after another all nighter. I hung it on the washing line to stand back and look at it.

Tea and cake for people at the launch.

Chief Executive of Equal Lives Mark Harrison giving a speech. 

A really big turn out for the launch. I have never seen Fusion at the Forum with this many people. There was a crowd standing at the back too.

George Saunders founding member of NDPAC and Trustee of Equal Lives giving a speech. Later on other speakers were Shaun Hobbs Chair and Kathy Saunders Vise Chair of Equal Lives.

Mobility is very important otherwise the house can become a prison. 

Rethink Mental illness is a place to go for support. Mental health is easier with help and can be a night mare without. Worth getting it where ever its on offer. 

Barrier free campaigners. This is a great one. Be great if the world was barrier free but as it is people don't really think about others till it effects them personally. Good idea to speak up about obstacles. 

A close up of the derelick.

Launch events are happening all over Norfolk 9th April Kings Lynn at the West Norfolk Deaf Association.  15th April, Gt Yarmouth at the Priory. 23 April, Cromer at Cromer Parish Hall. 29 April, Dereham at the Gallery (Memorial halls)

The logo for Norfolk Disabled against Cuts. Still needs fiddling with the writing is the wrong way up.
This is a social movement that is happening across the country. Next post will be about banner making.