A spinal injury in 2006 left me injured and a wheelchair user, so i have 26 years of living as a non disabled person then 18 years of being injured. I went from the corporate world to the social enterprise world and i believe real people with real expereinces should represent us... from the NHS, hospitals, charities, corporate companies, charities, i have lived them all...
i remember 12 years ago when I organised my first event ... to clean up a local park after a storm, 100 people turned up ... fast forward 6 years and i managed social enterprises that put 150,000 people in sports wheelchairs to promote being active while disabled, and today i work for a charity supporting people that are clients of mental health services, as a lived experience facilitator... i listen to real people, real stories of real lives everyday, and the Green Party is the only Party that now reflects real people.
In May 2023 i lost the local elections by 1 vote... I had a load of abuse during that election run-up and it made me stronger... I believe the other main political parties have all moved to the right and that voting Green is the way forward.
I have 18 years in a wheelchair... I also have real life experieces of mental health, years of community and charity work...
I will never be able to fix my own life or walk again but i can make changes for other people in the future.
There is so much retoric out there aimed at disabled people... and it is getting worse, i represent disabled people, marginilised groups, thats ALL groups.
i was also disgusted at the latest Brighton budget that are cutting back so many cuts to charities that will effect so many disabled people, low income housing, minorities... I wish i had 1 more vote in May 2023 so that the Labour leader would have to look in the eye of a disabled person while they rubber stamped cuts to victims of abuse charities, disability charities, and youth group charities all over the city.
I want to be local to my area... I ran in the local elections in central Brighton but i live in East Brighton... I know this is Labour area but everyone knows me here, I helped set up charities, food banks, food co-ops,socail enterprises ... local events all see me in my wheelchair ... i talk to everyone