Grassroots movement targets 2015 General Election to promote learning disability issues

Learning disability charity Mencap wants to see the voices of millions of people united during the run-up to next year’s General Election, having today launched its ‘Hear My Voice!’ campaign.

Aiming to ‘mobilise the grassroots movement’ that saw the Royal Mencap Society emerge 70 years ago, campaigners are hoping to draw the resources of hundreds of local groups, campaigners and families of adults with a learning disability in order to ensure the issue becomes a key priority for political parties as they look to gain voters.

Seeking equality

As Jan Tregelles, chief executive for Mencap, explains: “People with a learning disability and their families have achieved great things over the past 70 years, but we still have a long way to go until they are treated the same as everyone else, valued equally, listened to and fully included in society. Many of our hard won achievements are unstable in today’s political and economic climate, where fights are won today only to be fought again tomorrow.

“We have to make sure the next Government makes a lasting difference to the lives of every person with a learning disability and their families. To do this, we need to make sure the learning disability community’s voice is heard – loud and clear. When we were founded in 1946, almost 300 campaigning voices were able to influence huge changes for people with a learning disability. We now have millions of voices, so imagine the difference we can make together!”

Urging the public to support its cause, the charity highlights that an estimated three people with a learning disability die avoidably in the NHS every day, that a quarter of adults with a learning disability spend less than an one hour outside their home each day, and that eight in ten family carers are at crisis point.

Personal account

Campaigns assistant at Mencap, Ciara Lawrence, who herself has a learning disability, comments on her own experience.

Ciara says: “I can still remember the day I was told I had a learning disability. I was angry and upset. The kids at school told me I was thick. The teachers told me I wouldn’t be able to do anything with my life. But here I am. I’m married, living in my own home, and working in a job I love. These are things I could only dream about when I was little. Sadly, these things are still a dream for many other people with a learning disability. This has to stop.

“I have a right to make decisions about my own life, just like everyone else does. It is really important that the voices of people with a learning disability are listened to because they are the experts in what matters to them.

“Having grown up with a learning disability, I know that having the right support from people around me, from my family and friends, makes all the difference. With that support, I can choose the things in life that I need and want to achieve. I don’t want any child with a learning disability to go through what I went through – to be told you’re worthless, no good, stupid. Around 12,000 children will be born who are likely to have a learning disability from now until the General Election, so this is our chance to make a difference for their futures.”

Disability and politics

Sara Pickard, another adult with a learning disability who is a local community councillor in Pentrych in Wales as well as a project officer for Mencap Cymru, says:

“It is really important that people with a learning disability are listened to by politicians and, if they want to, become politicians themselves. I hope that by being in politics and having a learning disability, other people see me as a role model and believe that they can do it too. We need more people with a learning disability to speak out, and we need politicians to hear our voice. Through working together we can do this.”

Ann O’Neill, Executive director of Brent Mencap, Ann O’Neill, also comments: “Brent Mencap supports people with a learning disability to find out what is happening locally and give them a platform to voice their opinions on the issues that matter to them. The ‘Hear my voice’ launch event in Brent will showcase the hard work and determination of these individuals to be heard. We’re hoping that our united voice will concentrate the minds of all local candidates to ensure they seek out and speak up on behalf of all groups in Brent.”