Raising awareness and highlighting disabled voices.
Graeme recently visited the Richmond Fellowship in Arbroath to highlight Disability Pride Month.
Disability Pride Month is an international initiative that celebrates the disability community. It takes place every July in the UK and is predominantly a celebration that highlights the creativity, resilience, and achievements of people who identify as disabled. It is also a time to celebrate the diversity in the disability community and to reject the stigma, discrimination, and ableism that prevents equality for everyone.
The Richmond Fellowship is a charity which supports around 2500 people across Scotland with a broad range of needs to live as independently as possible in their own homes and communities. They are the largest provider of social care services in Scotland, providing personalised, high-quality community-based support services for those who require support in their lives. Some may have mental health difficulties, learning disabilities or autism; others may have dementia, alcohol or drug issues or forensic backgrounds.
Disability Pride is not commonly known, particularly in the UK, but the event works to shine a light on physical, learning, hidden disabilities and mental health conditions.
GRAEME
The Richmond Fellowship work closely with medical professionals, social workers, Welfare Rights, Citizens Advice, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists to provide a high quality, flexible service for people they support.
I was particularly pleased to meet with some of the people supported by the organisation to hear first-hand how the Richmond Fellowship is helping people in Angus.
Disability Pride provides a space to end stigmas and promote disability as an identity, culture and to share the positive pride many should feel. It creates awareness of and challenges the systemic ableism and discrimination disabled and deaf people face.
The Richmond Fellowship service has been providing support throughout the Angus area since 2003. They meet the needs of people with severe and enduring mental health problems and learning disabilities. Their team has experience of supporting people with autism, physical disabilities, older people with dementia related illnesses, drug and alcohol issues and homelessness. They can provide 24-hour support packages including sleepovers where appropriate.
Graeme visited the Richmond Fellowship’s Arbroath location where he spoke with some of the people supported by the organisation.
We are proud to celebrate Disability Pride Month. The people we support are active and contributing members of their communities and our role is to help them build upon their strengths and abilities.
WENDY SMEATON, AREA MANAGER OF THE RICHMOND FELLOWSHIP
Disability Pride Month brings into focus the incredible achievements of supported people across Scotland, and also the skills and dedication of our social care workforce. We are in a cost of living crisis and it would be great to see local and national support for increased recognition of the social care workforce in the December government budget setting.
AUSTEN SMYTH,CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE RICHMOND FELLOWSHIP
