GMCDP News

GMCDP convenes the Greater Manchester Disabled People's Panel, one of the regions equality panels. 

The Equality Panels have been established to advise, support and challenge political leaders and policymakers to tackle the discrimination and disadvantage that cause injustice and inequality in society, and champion Greater Manchester as an inclusive city-region. For more information on the Equality Panels please visit https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/equalities/ 

The UK government wants to make changes to PIP.

They have written a document called "Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paper"

You can tell the government what you think of these ideas by the end of Monday 22 July 2024. 

You can email: consultation.modernisingsupport@DWP.GOV.UK  

Or you can write to: Disability and Health Support Directorate,  Department for Work and Pensions, Level 2, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA

"But, you don't look disabled!" was the topic of our May monthly members' meeting. 

We had another great discussion as people shared their experiences of being less obviously disabled. 

People who have both obvious and less obvious impairments talked about how it can be hard to have the less visible one recognised - for example wheelchair users who are also neurodivergent.

People with only less obvious impairments talked about being presumed to be non-disabled, particularly when in certain activist circles. 

After taking a short break, our weekly online coffee meetings return on Tuesday 23rd May.

Every Tuesday afternoon 1:30-3:30pm

Informal online get-together on Zoom.

Come along for the whole thing or just drop in for a few minutes.

Come and meet to have a catch up and see what we have been doing, fill us in on what you have been doing, and advise us on what you'd like to see in any future workshops we will be holding.  

These events will be facilitated by our co-chair, Dennis.

The New Campaign Group had its second meeting on Wednesday 19th April at 6:30pm. The meetings will be every two weeks and alternate between daytime and evening meetings, so that people with different schedules get a chance to attend. You can see the next few months meetings and book on to them here gmcdp.com/events

At the meeting we talked about:

Recapping the Two types of campaign:

Strategic- large issues affecting many.

Peer- smaller issues we support each other to solve.

Self care is important.

The New Campaign Group had its first meeting on Wednesday 5th April. The meetings will be every two weeks and alternate between daytime and evening meetings, so as the first was at 1:30pm the next is at 6:30pm on Wednesday 19th April, please register here, and the one after that will be 1:30pm again, so that people with different schedules get a chance to attend.

We talked about:

Two types of campaign:

Strategic- large issues affecting many.

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.

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

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.