GARY MATTHEWS CHALLENGING DISABILITY in the UK and JERSEY

GILL CURTIS MBE was featured on this blog on 25 June 2011 and it was noted that since she died a couple of years ago, no individual or organisation has really taken up the campaigning cause of “disability” in Jersey.

Of course, there are many people who work very hard for specific disability groups and all those who care for a disabled person will know what a struggle it can be - but Gill tried to fight for the rights of ALL disabled persons as one big group.

GARY MATTHEWS is featured in this two part interview and he has arrived at a similar decision.

He will be remembered by some as a States Deputy in St Brelade during the 1990s.

Since then he has removed to England and become blind so that he now experiences disability at first hand just as Gill Curtis did.

Because Gary is a politically motivated person he takes on the difficulties of his disability in a campaigning way and he challenges unfairness when he meets it or it is drawn to his attention. As he explains here, there are hundreds of action groups in the UK and they work together for reform or to protect existing rights and achievements.

It is useful to listen here to his description of the provision to assist disabled persons in the UK compared with Jersey and this is especially relevant in the context of the Jersey Health Department’s “Health and Social Services Review” currently being undertaken.

Another interview with Gary is currently posted on Deputy Tadier’s Blog

mtadier.blogspot.com

and includes an interesting discussion between the former and current Deputy for District 2 St Brelade

Fortunately, Gary has the technology to translate this text into talk so that he will have no difficulty in responding to anybody who wants to get in touch with him, via the comments facility below. Any such contacts will be passed on to Gary in England.