| "Anything you want, we want too" | |
|  | | Mary Harris says people with disabilities get a bad deal |
| | Mary Harris from Paignton was born with cerebral palsy. She does voluntary work for the charity, Scope, and is backing the campaigns for equality for people with disabilities. But she has no confidence in new legislation aimed at improving access and rights. |
| | | Mary's story...
"I am on Scope's regional partnership committee and what we do is raise grants for projects and make sure the grants get to the right place.
"We campaign on access and rights issues, and I'm helping with the 'Time to get Equal' campaign.
"We also do workshops for parents who have had babies who are disabled and let them know what to do.
"But we are on our own. We don't get enough help from the authorities. The money we raise is mainly from the public.
 | | Time to Get Equal is the latest Scope campaign |
"I have gone out and done fundraising but a lot of people don't like doing that. They say it's like begging, but under the circumstances I don't think that because the money has got to come from somewhere.
"The Government doesn't do enough. The big problem is that we don't have much impact on the Government.
"And the new Disability Discrimination Act, which came in on 1st October, has got no teeth. Businesses must take reasonable steps to provide access - but the word 'reasonable' is very subjective and a lot of places won't be doing anything.
"The new legislation doesn't go far enough and businesses have still got a long way to go.
Skills are going to waste
"People hear me speak and they think I am mentally disabled. But it doesn't put me off going out because I have a strong personality. I'm very sociable and like to go out.
"But there are a lot of places I can't go to because there is no access, and no disabled toilets.
 | | "I have skills that aren't being used" - Mary |
"We also campaign for employment opportunities, but it's very difficult. I went to boarding school from five until I was 17.
"I'm qualified to teach but I have never been in employment.
"I want to be able to teach, but I can't. I have skills that aren't being used.
"A lot of people have skills that aren't being used. People give up because it's too much hassle - employers don't want to know.
"And it p***** me off when able-bodied actors play the part of disabled people on TV programmes.
"We mustn't give up because of the people who come after us. We've got to do better for them, so they can benefit.
"The biggest thing I want to get across to people is: if people don't talk properly, don't think we're mad and don't think we're not normal.
"We are the same as you. We've got the same feelings and emotions - and we like to go out on the pull!
"Anything you want, we want too."
Article first published: October 2004
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