It is with great sadness that the Coalition heard today that our dear friend and colleague, Joe Whittaker, has passed away. We offer our heartfelt condolences to his partner and family at this sad time.

20th February is World Social Justice Day. The theme for 2023 is "Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice". It seems apt then, that we had a busy day campaigning for the rights of disabled people to have access to rail services. 

Three of our board members, Dennis, Helen and Pete, spent the day getting the message out there that disabled people need guards on trains and ticket offices to remain open to ensure that we can access train services independently.

Manchester DPO Breakthrough UK are recruiting for two new posts

Business Development & Partnerships Lead

Responsible for: Breakthrough staff as directed and Volunteers
Salary: £35,000 
Hours: Minimum 21 hours – possible 35 per week 
Terms: Fixed term until 31st March 2024 (renewable subject to achieving agreed success measures and business growth targets)
Base: Remote Working with occasional access to meetings in Manchester & Greater Manchester

From 1st April 2023, we will be entering into a contract-based alliance with Breakthrough UK. This is a type of partnership working.

This is because Breakthrough has unfortunately been unable to secure funding to continue its employment focused work. The only way Breakthrough can continue as an organisation is to significantly downsize and form an alliance with another disabled people's organisation. This contract-based alliance will provide Breakthrough with a "safe harbour" to consolidate their business strategy whilst continuing their policy, voice and influencing activities.

We are sad to hear that Ron Goulden died on 29 January at the age of 94.

Ron was a founding member of GMCDP, and was present at the inaugural conference at County Hall in 1984, when the Coalition Steering Group was formed. However, Ron’s involvement in GMCDP was as nothing compared to his impact on the wider disabled people’s movement in Greater Manchester. 

We have a brief window of time to affect the upcoming budget on Thursday November 17th.

Our GM Big Disability Survey has the hard evidence that shows further austerity will harm disabled people and lead to loss of life.

So to get that message to Westminster we need you to contact your MP and tell them to look at the survey report and to tell the government that austerity must end.

It's an easy 2 step process:

You may have seen a recent programme on BBC Panorama, about the abuse disabled people are facing in Edenfield hospital in North Manchester. 

If you didn't see it, it's available on the BBC iPlayer at the moment, but be aware it's quite traumatic to watch. 

Paul Hunt was one of the founders of the Disabled People's Movement in Britain, and one of the first activists to argue for the social model of disability. Unfortunately, most of his writings have been out of print for nearly fifty years.

Access and Inclusion Worker

Hours: 35 hours per week

Salary: £23,600 per annum

Line manager: GMCDP Manager (supported by Archives+ for specialist archives knowledge, and supported by Archive Lead on day-to-day basis)

Location: Central Library (primary location) and GMCDP office

Contract length: 2 years

Deadline for applications: 12 noon Wednesday 5th October 2022

Interviews to take place: TBC

In July and August 2022, the Greater Manchester Disabled People's Panel undertook a survey to find out what issues disabled people in Greater Manchester have been facing with the cost-of-living crisis.

Thank you to everyone who completed or shared the survey!