Derwen College in Shropshire for young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is to be part of the national ‘Power of Specialist FE’ campaign. Led by Natspec, the membership body for specialist FE colleges, the campaign will highlight the vital role of specialist further education (FE) in supporting young people with SEND. Derwen College will showcase inspiring student journeys, including that of Performing Arts graduate Anna Redding (pictured above). “

Live to Your Living Room has lots of wonderful shows for you to unwrap this December – from the comfort of your own home.   The festivities kick-off on December 2 with Tim Edey’s ever-popular ‘ Celtic Christmas ’ show.   Curl up by the fire and enjoy stunning songs from Tim’s  A Celtic Christmas  album, as well as many other favourites from his extensive repertoire.   Multi-award-winning musician Tim   (pictured above) has been a leading light on the global folk scene for two

There’s just one week to go before Purple Sock Day 2025.   Now in its fifth year, Parallel Lifestyle’s Purple Sock Day is an annual national act of mass participation on December 3 to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).   Living with Disability is proud to support the initiative. All you need to do is buy and wear a pair of special edition purple socks.   Backed by Victoria Jenkins, founder of the award-winning adaptable clothing brand Unhidden (pictur

England’s most capped and decorated blind footballer, Darren Harris, is set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the National Football Museum.   Darren was diagnosed with a type of cancer in both eyes known as bilateral retinoblastoma aged fifteen months, which led to a gradual loss of eyesight.   At secondary school sports became an important outlet for Darren, giving him focus and direction.  He went to university for mathematics and then worked in the information techno

A rising star in the world of academia who was born deaf has scooped a prestigious award for her PhD research.   Dr Libby Steele, who completed her doctorate in Sport and Exercise Sciences at Bangor University’s School of Psychology and Sport Science, won the Young STEM in Sport Award at the Community Sport and Recreation Awards: Youth Edition 2025.   The academic, who was crowned at a special celebration hosted by the Sport and Recreation Alliance, focussed her doctoral thes

The Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) has delivered a petition to 10 Downing Street calling on the Prime Minister to end the postcode lottery in spinal injury care. A new report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) reveals that thousands of people who sustain spinal cord injuries in the UK face a system where recovery depends on chance, not national standards—leading to devastating physical and mental health consequences. Every two hours in the UK, someone’s life cha

EDGA (European Disabled Golf Association) has unveiled a new campaign to attract new players with a disability to play golf. ‘You Can’ seeks to encourage brand new golfers with a disability through the shared personal experiences of established players. Their highly positive messages and stories aim to ignite the imagination of others to join in and try the game.  While ‘You Can’ is all about putting each golfer first, inspiring each individual to dream, it enhances EDGA’s mi

Trainline has partnered with leading charity Parkinson’s UK on a new campaign to make rail travel more inclusive for everyone.   As part of the initiative, the  leading independent rail and coach travel platform selling rail and coach tickets, has launched a new badge to improve understanding of conditions like Parkinson’s and encourage greater patience among passengers.    In the UK today, someone is diagnosed with Parkinson’s every 20 minutes and around 166,000 people are c

Dance charity Move Momentum is to host a free, accessible wheelchair dance workshop. The community event will be held in partnership with Everyone Active at Winchester Sport and Leisure Park from 1pm to 2pm on November 22. The one-hour workshop is open to all ages and abilities, giving wheelchair users an opportunity to discover the freedom of movement through adaptable dance. It's a chance to celebrate personal strength, creativity, and community in an inclusive and supporti

Serving military personnel and veterans who are wounded, injured or sick (WIS) are to embark on a 2,000-nautical-mile circumnavigation of the UK aboard two tall ships.   The historic voyage will take place next year, ahead of the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, the international multi-sport event for wounded, injured, and sick service members and veterans , founded by Prince Harry.    Called Full Circle, the sailing expedition will carry the inspirational message of The Games

Transport Focus has responded to a new amendment made to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which will help ensure that disabled people are not left behind by the transition to EVs.   The amendment gives the Government powers to mandate public charging standards by law if the accessibility of public chargers does not improve.        “This is an important step forward for disabled drivers who often face considerable challenges in accessing public EV chargepoints,” said Louis

Living with Disability is proud to support Purple Sock Day 2025.   Now in its fifth year, Parallel Lifestyle’s Purple Sock Day is an annual national act of mass participation on December 3 to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).   All you need to do is buy and wear a pair of special edition purple socks.   Backed by Victoria Jenkins, founder of the award-winning adaptable clothing brand Unhidden, and singer songwriter James Bay (pictured below), this ye

Nominations are open for the Blue Badge Access Awards (BBAA) 2025-2026. Rewarding exceptional accessibility and inclusivity shown by venues, organisations and people, in the hospitality sector and beyond, the categories range from Best Bar and Best Historic Building to Best Accessible Home. Once again, by popular demand, the ‘Ludicrous Loo’ Award returns to name and shames bad disabled toilets, like the one where the chef parks his bike or the one that’s used as a storage are

Businesses from across the south-east of England raised £60,000 for Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity (DVLCC) at a charity golf day.   The Aerogolf event was hosted at Oxfordshire Spa Hotel, where guests enjoyed a round of Championship golf and a three-course meal.   In the evening, attendees helped to contribute to the phenomenal final total through a raffle, live auction and some amazing donations to the charity’s Platinum Partners project.   Six Platinum Partners donated £

Disabled access charity Euan’s Guide has launched a new and improved website. Funded by the Motability Foundation, the new website supports the charity’s work to combat inaccessible transport and travel for disabled people. According to the most recent Euan’s Guide Access Survey, 74% of disabled people say inaccessible transport and travel options negatively affect their lives. The new version of the Euan’s Guide website, with additional functionality and improved user experi

This week’s World Ballet Day focusses on access as a way to make dance a welcoming space for all.    Under the direction of Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, and curated and conceived by Robert Binet, choreographer and Artistic Director of Fall for Dance North Festival, this year’s global celebration of dance will invite artists and audiences to experience ballet in transformative new ways.   Companies around the world will explore social questions about accessibili

A glittering cast of famous faces has teamed up to support Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day.   The seasonal fundraiser returns on December 11 to   turn second-hand festive fashion into life-changing impact for children.    One of the many popular personalities getting involved is paralympian Ade Adepitan (pictured above).   “Christmas Day at my house is all about family,” said Ade.    “I like it when all the aunts, uncles and kids come together and there’s lots of eat

The work of a passionate advocate and educator at Deaf-led charity SignHealth has won the prestigious Charity Champion Award at the ScottishPower Foundation Awards.   Robin Ash has been honoured for his groundbreaking work improving healthcare access for the Deaf community and received £10,000 for SignHealth.   Drawing on lived experience, Robin travels across England and Wales delivering British Sign Language (BSL) workshops that empower Deaf people to understand their right

Motorway service operators have signed up to a pledge with independent transport watchdog, Transport Focus, to improve the accessibility of services.  The pledge commits Moto, Roadchef, Welcome Break, Extra and Getlink Customs Services to do more to support disabled drivers including consulting and co-designing with disabled users prior to the build of every new motorway service area or site refurbishment.  The initiative comes after around two thirds of disabled users said i

Clothing retailer Primark has unveiled a number of new styles to its Adaptive range.   More than 20 new pieces have been launched for the autumn/winter season in selected stores across the UK, including warm wardrobe essentials, from red pyjamas and long sleeve tees to a new winter-ready waterproof jacket.    Developed to work as a capsule wardrobe, the collection spans everyday staples from jumpers, tees and jeans, through to nightwear, lingerie and performance wear.   The l