Keep up to date with the latest news and contributions from Forum members!
The Forum is made up of a wide range of people with different disabilities and experiences and we want our blog to reflect that. As such, you might hear from someone with a visual impairment in one post and someone with epilepsy in another.
If you have an idea for a blog post, get in touch! See our blog submission guidelines for more information.
Dropped kerb policy consultation
We know dropped kerbs are a big issue and now is your chance to have a say on the issue. City of York Council are currently consulting on the process involved in applying for vehicle crossings which by…
Take Action on Vehicles Parking Across Dropped Kerbs in York
When you rely on dropped kerbs to get around in York it can be so frustrating and even dangerous when your route is blocked by a vehicle parked across them. Thanks to some detective work by ‘Our Helen’…
Getting a COVID-19 Vaccination in York
Here is some information on getting a COVID-19 vaccination in York that might be useful for anyone feeling anxious or apprehensive about the process. Information is based on some individual experiences of people in York who have received…
Meet: The York ME Community
In this post we talk to Bill Clayton to find out about The York ME Community and his views and experiences of life with ME. Bill is a member of the Forum Steering Group and is a vital…
What should I call you…?
People worry about using the wrong language or accidentally insulting someone by using the wrong terminology. Whilst it’s obviously important to treat people with respect, it’s also ok to get it wrong now and then. So long as…
Meet: Eleanor and MySight York
In this post we talk to Eleanor to find out a bit more about her and her time with MySight York. She is a member of the Forum Steering Group and brings some valuable perspectives and experiences to…
Where Are We Now…? One Family’s Reflections on Another Lockdown.
This is the follow-up to a previous Member’s Voice post about one family’s experience of lockdown. We suggest going to read the post ‘Where Were We Then…?’ before this one to learn more about Ben and Anna. Here…
Where Were We Then…? One Family’s Reflections on the first Lockdown
In this post we hear from Anna about the ups and downs she and her son Ben, who lives with learning disabilities, experienced during the first lockdown. A bit about Ben Ben’s passion for music and phenomenal music…
Give Your Old Devices a New Home This Christmas
If you’re getting a new device or bit of tech to replace last year’s stuff then why not donate it to York’s IT Reuse Scheme and give it a new lease of life, along with the opportunity for…
Wait a Minute… a Wheelchair-Christmas-Rom-Com-Mashup?
Yesterday I watched the festive rom-com ‘Christmas Ever After’. Admittedly, I’m not a fan of romance films, not a fan of Christmas and certainly not a fan of the combination of the two! However, I had heard that…
Our Highlights from York Disability Week 2020!
This was our first time joining in with York Disability Week, and we’re so happy we did! There were lots of fantastic events available throughout the week, giving everyone in York the chance to come together to learn…
Our first public meeting!
We held our first public meeting on 3rd December, also known as the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities! It was also part of York Disability Week which included some other great events. At the meeting, we…
The War on Disabled People
As part of York Disability Week, Helen met with Ellen Clifford, author of the incredible book, The War on Disabled People. Ellen began the event with an introduction to herself and the book, and read a small section…
“City of York Council remains disingenuous in its treatment of disabled motorists.”
Today we hear from Mick, one of our members, about the city centre blue badge parking issue. Welcome to Disability History Month (18th November – 20th December) and in particular the run up to York Disability Week (28th…
Statement Presented to the Council on City Centre Access
Today we spoke at a meeting of the Executive of City of York Council on the future of the extended footstreets, or the pedestrianised areas of York city centre. Below is the statement we delivered. The full meeting…
Job Vacancy – Applications Closed
An exciting job opportunity for someone passionate about disability rights in York is open for applications now. The position is for a coordinator with York Human Rights City Network in their disability programme. This is an exciting opportunity…
Digital Accessibility for the Individual: Get Involved in a Website Personalisation Study
Recently, Joe, an MSc student from the University of York got in touch to tell us about his research into the accessibility of interactive media. He’s specifically looking at whether personalisation of websites and user interfaces can be…
What is ableism and why does it matter?
What is ableism? “In its most boiled-down, squished together, simplified form, ableism is the process of favoring, fetishizing, and building the world around a mostly imagined, idealized body while discriminating against those bodies perceived to move, see, hear,…
Finding Covid 19 Support
England is once again facing lockdown, and we know, from our own experiences and our recent annual survey, that restrictions are hard on people’s physical and mental health. We expect this is going to be worse given it’s…
Update – Blue Badge Parking
Over the summer, changes were made to Blue Badge parking in the city centre as a result of Covid 19 and the need for social distancing. At the time, we received numerous emails from people in York and…
Website Launch
After lots of hard work tinkering with words, pictures and html, we’re really excited to announce the launch of our new website! We have a lovely new home on the web and hope that you find our content…
Blue Badge Parking
As shops and cafes were allowed to reopen, following forced closures due to coronavirus, social distancing measures were needed in York city centre. In order for people to stay the required distance apart, City of York Council made…
Being a disabled person in Britain today
In 2017, the United Nations declared that the conditions for disabled people in Britain were tantamount to a ‘human catastrophe’ and things haven’t got better since. In this post, I want to give a brief overview of what…
YDRF in the media!
York Disability Rights Forum have been in local and national media regarding the changes to Blue Badge parking in the city centre.
Past Blog Posts
- February 2021 (5)
- January 2021 (3)
- December 2020 (5)
- November 2020 (8)
- August 2020 (3)