Seven puppies in training and their volunteer puppy raisers from Guide Dogs UK were invited on stage recently by the cast of Olivier and Tony award-winning comedy The Play That Goes Wrong. The puppies, ranging between 10 months and one year and five months old, went on a special visit to London’s Duchess Theatre in London’s West End as part of their training to become guide dogs. “Introducing our puppies to lots of different sights, sounds and smells early on is incredibly im

Northern Trains has overhauled the way it manages the training of its staff to support disabled passengers following an investigation by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). ORR found the train operator had failed to deliver the required disability awareness training for its passenger-facing staff, as it commits to do in its Accessible Travel Policy, and did not have adequate oversight in place to make sure staff received the right training. Northern subsequently provided an im

Disabled residents at a Newcastle care home will take on the Great North Run on Sunday (September 13). Ross Jones and Nigel Grahamslaw, who are both wheelchair users, will raise money for disability charity Leonard Cheshire. Ross and Nigel live at the charity’s Bradbury Wing home in Jesmond Dene, which supports up to 20 disabled adults. Ross , an enthusiastic character who loves the chance to get out and about, became involved after seeing Nigel enter last year’s event. Watch

A charity supporting people who have learning difficulties or autism, who may also have sight loss, has won an NHS contract to extend its Special School Eye Care Service to tens of thousands more children. In the past year, SeeAbility has reached more than 3,000 children in London’s special schools and colleges under a proof-of-concept service contract. Under the new contract, the charity is expected to support almost 30,000 children in London, as well as 40,000 in the Thames

Live to Your Living Room is back. Sit back and relax in the comfort of your own home on September 11 for a gig featuring singer-songwriters Jenny Sturgeon and M G Boulter. Dreamy, engaging, and nostalgic, this folk duo celebrates the wonder and sheer joy of everyday life. Simply beautiful. Live to Your Living Room delivers the very best live performances to your home, great for anyone who can’t get to gigs because of their disability, insurmountable problems in getting th

Influential figures in disability arts, accessibility and inclusive culture have been brought together to help support the cultural programme for the Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival (ISCF) that will take place in Liverpool next year. The newly formed Cultural Advisory Group will play a central role in developing the festival's £1 million Arts Council England supported disabled-led cultural programme, ensuring it is artistically ambitious, accessible and authentically i

Leading specialist support provider Achieve together, which supports more than 2,300 autistic people, people with learning disabilities in over 400 homes and services across England and Wales, has hosted its Athletics Championship 2026. Taking place at the David Weir Leisure Centre in south London, the event brought together people from across Achieve together – including team members, people they support, and family members - for a day of inclusive sport, friendly competi

With less than a week before the inaugural Naidex Roadshow South there is still time to register to attend. Building on more than 50 years of Naidex success, the roadshow marks an exciting new chapter for the UK's leading event for disability, bringing together the disability community, healthcare professionals, carers, families, suppliers and innovators for a dedicated one-day event on September 9. Naidex Roadshow South will provide visitors with the opportunity to discover

The Royal Opera House is to host a social art installation that explores the experiences of people with ME and Long Covid. Visitors will be invited to step inside The Mirrorbox and take part in an ongoing national conversation between those who are absent from public spaces due to illness and those who are present. The Mirrorbox is a touring interactive sculpture that carries messages from people living with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) and Long Covid to places across the U

It might be nestled in a quiet, lush Scottish valley surrounded by mature trees, local wildlife, and pristine highland greenery but Pitlochry Festival Theatre has found its voice. When the award-winning actor, singer and TV presenter Alan Cumming took on the role of Artistic Director, he promised he would be the Pied Piper of Pitlochry, bringing the world to the Perthshire town and the work of its theatre to the world. Now well and truly in the spotlight thanks to Cumming,

A leading manufacturer of mobility solutions has launched a new Community Fund to support projects that improve accessibility and inclusion for people with reduced mobility. The £5,000 fund has been established to help remove the financial and practical barriers that can prevent people living with mobility challenges from fully participating in their communities and pursuing important life experiences. Sunrise Medical will provide funding for individuals, groups and proje

A new musical exploring love, relationships and disability is coming to London for the first time this September. Sex & Disability, written by stroke survivor and Army veteran Damian Darkness, will be staged at Artsdepot in Barnet from September 15 -19. The musical follows Nick, a young stroke survivor living in full-time care with his mother. Longing for independence and companionship, Nick begins an online relationship with Lucinda. When Jasmine, his new carer, enters his l

The Motability Scheme is creating new opportunities for disabled people, their families and carers to share what matters to them next year. The plans follow a recent commitment made by Motability Operations CEO, Andrew Miller, directly to customers in which he said the organisation would keep listening, keep learning and keep evolving the Scheme. “As the world continues to change around us, we want customers to have a real voice in the Scheme’s future,” said Andrew. “To me, t

Stewart Lamb Cromar has achieved a lifelong ambition after Lego turned one of his designs into an official set. It is an ambition he feared might never become reality after a detached retina left him with a visual impairment in 2020, a complication linked to his Type 1 diabetes. What followed was a series of surgeries and ongoing challenges, leaving him with permanent sight loss in one eye. Lego has always been an important part of Stewart's life. During some of the mos

Annabelle and Harrison Davis will be the Main Stage speakers at September’s inaugural Naidex Roadshow South. The high achieving brother and sister will share their story, experiences and insights as the children of their famous father, Warwick Davis. Annabelle is an actress, casting director and artist, best known for her prominent roles in The Dumping Ground, Willow and Hollyoaks. She has also appeared in major film franchises including Star Wars and Harry Potter. Actor an

Visually impaired secret shoppers are going undercover at Edinburgh Festival Fringe venues to put accessibility to the test. The volunteers, who have helped deliver accessibility training to Fringe staff and performers over the past two years, have been carrying out unannounced visits across the city to identify what's working, highlight barriers, and help drive further improvements for disabled audiences. The secret shoppers, who are members of Sight Loss Councils Scotla

Do you know an inspiring athlete, coach, volunteer, team, or organisation making a real difference in disability sport? The Variety Disability Sports Awards celebrate the incredible achievements, dedication, and impact of individuals and groups across the disability sports community. This is a fantastic opportunity to recognise those who go above and beyond to break down barriers, inspire others, and champion inclusion through sport. Whether it’s a rising star, a committed vo

A leading UK manufacturer of inclusive play equipment which seeks to ensure that no child, regardless of ability, is excluded from play has joined Made in Britain. Inclusive Play manufactured the world's first wheelchair-accessible roundabout, enabling wheelchair users to play alongside friends, family and peers. The innovation laid the foundations for the company's mission to make playgrounds more inclusive and has now seen it join the growing community of manufacturers reco

Scotland’s iconic Pitlochry Festival Theatre is celebrating its 75th anniversary season with award-winning actor, filmmaker and presenter Alan Cumming as Artistic Director. He also stars in the theatre’s current production, ‘A History of Paper’, alongside renowned actress Shirley Henderson, honoured in 2023 with a BAFTA Scotland Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television. A musical about joy, grief, and all the little things that make up a life, ‘A History

One of the UK's leading providers of specialist support for people with learning disabilities, autistic people and those with complex needs, is taking community bookings for its specialist hydrotherapy pool and activity space. Achieve together opened The Third Space to support the wellbeing, independence and personal development of people across Sussex last year. Since then, it has become a valued community hub, providing opportunities for people to connect, learn new