What do people like and admire about you?

I am a happy person who is always grateful. People say that I am kind and caring. I am a patient person - my patience will help people get their voice heard. I give them time to get their point across.

I like people to be next to me and talk slowly and clearly so that I understand what they are saying and what they expect from me. I like to process information and think about my answers clearly.

What’s important to you?

The people that support me where I live are very important to me. I like to get to know the people that support me well, so that I can get to know them and trust them. This includes when I go out shopping which is always great. 

I go horse riding every week - I love it. I have learnt to trot and go out on the road, I have also learnt great posture and balance from this. My confidence has really grown due to this activity too. It makes me feel free and happy. 

Meeting with friends and family makes me happy too. Independence is important to my life, this means having consistent support

What is something that you think needs changing to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities, autism and sight loss?

To get around in the community safely, one big thing that needs to be addressed is the state of the pavements and roads. If everything was on the flat, it would be less dangerous and one less obstacle for us to get over. I have tripped a few times when trying to walk on pavements and it would be great if that was something that people didn’t have to worry about.

When I am using public transport, it would be helpful if there was a talking bus so that I knew where the stops were. Also, if it spoke when it pulled into a bus stop to tell you where it was going that would be useful.

I would like to speak with my local MP about the pavements and make it a national programme for improvement. I would also like to speak to national travel companies and services about public transport, which would be a great start in getting them to listen to how to develop their services and deliver them to everyone equally. This would be more inclusive for all.

Why is it important to you that people with disabilities make their voice heard?

It is important that everyone has a voice so that their lives improve and it’s better for everyone. 

I talk to people and share my views. I have ‘one to ones’ with my support and key workers and share how things are working or not, so they can work with me to solve any problems. ‘One to ones’ are important so that I can be confident and speak up. There is less distraction than there would be in a group which is overwhelming for me. I am glad that my support team listens to me, and we always overcome issues.

If you could make one big change to make the lives of people with disabilities easier, what would it be?

Give us a platform and understand how we like to be communicated with. 
Take the time to understand how we like to communicate. 
Include us in all decisions and be inclusive in the community. 

What are your biggest strengths that will help you in this role?

I am grateful to be on the ListenUp! Team and cannot wait to be involved in the campaigns working towards a better more independent life for everyone where we are included in society at every turn. Being kind and patient will help me in my role as an Associate as things do not happen overnight and we need to be prepared to wait for results. The work we do behind the scenes is so important. We need to get our voices heard.