I was at Fife House last week to protest against changes to Fife Council's concessionary rail travel scheme; we gathered outside the local authority headquarters in Glenrothes and warned that we would continue to lobby councillors, with further action planned for next Thursday (November 19).

I joined eight others from Campaign Against Charges, we carried banners and placards stopped councillors at the entrance to Fife House on their way to the full meeting of Fife Council on Thursday morning.

Our protest was arranged because of concerns that the local authority could scrap the popular travel scheme which allows an eligible 900,000 elderly and disabled people to journey to Edinburgh, Dundee or Perth for just 50 pence one way.

Fife Council is looking at various money-saving options for the scheme which currently costs it around £700,000 a year, one of which is scrapping it altogether.

Maureen Closs, a spokesman for CAC, said: "The Council is complaining that people are using the concessions to go shopping or for social activities like going to the theatre.

''But why should disabled and older people not be allowed to have an independent lifestyle and follow their interests like people in the mainstream?

''We're just people who are burdened by poverty.

''This scheme was introduced to combat isolation and poverty in the two groups it recognises.

"Fife Council should be ashamed of itself.

''Not content with carrying out highway robbery on disabled and older people by way of the home care charges, it is now looking at committing the second great train robbery by taking away a really valuable service to the same group of people."

We were also joined by several councillors who supported what we were doing.

Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley joined the protestors, vowing he would continue to fight any cuts to the service.

He said: "These types of schemes have proven to do more for the health and wellbeing of users than any GP can do.

''They support people to get out, travel, socialise and generally keep active and this is being missed in the new approach to services now adopted by the SNP and Liberal groupings that prop each other up in their positions of power in Fife.

As a future Ambassador for The Independent Living in Scotland Project, I will work with all to promote good practice and enable and empower others to make a better society for everyone in Scotland.

To remove this is against everything I stand for, people do not seem to realise the huge effect this could have on peoples lives, how much a day out can make people feel better in themselves, also please remember there are also a lot of people use this service to commute to edinburgh for their work.

Transport in Fife is like a lottery at the moment as all routes are still not serviced with accessible buses, there are also a huge lack of accessible taxis in the area so the removal of this concessionary scheme will one again penalise people who need it the most. This may be the only for of transport accessible to them and now they will have to pay more for it.

I also attended the full council meeting after the protest and will be back here campaigning on the 19th November so if you would like to join me and CAC get to Fife House for 9am.

Till the next time Susanas

I was in the Scottish Parliament speaking at the Freedom of Information Research on accessible housing in Scotland; Inclusion Scotland had a Housing Conference last June and from this raised awareness of the lack of accessible houses to look at how disabled people were struggling with access to their own or relative's homes, how much money was being wasted on removing adaptions instead of moving another family into an accessible house. From this a lengthy Freedom of Information investigation was undertaken contacting the 32 local authorities in Scotland to see how they were addressing with the current needs of disabled people with hardly any fully accessible housing.

The event was hosted by Stuart McMullan MSP, Alex Neil MSP, Minister for Housing, Mary Mulligan MSP, Sarah Hutchison, Head of Policy & Information, Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner, Donna McSwiggan, Information Officer for Inclusion Scotland and me as Vice Convener of Inclusion Scotland.

Through out the research it become very obvious that local authorities had no understanding of what peoples needs were, they did not know how many people were waiting for or needing adaptations done to there homes or know how many disabled people lived in their area, so this was a good opportunity to raise awareness of the need for change, the event was very well attended and I also spoke at this event in great detail to explain the report had shown that there was no where near enough being done to tackle the problems people are facing.

How could the government make the necessary changes needed if it does not have the facts and answers needed to work with other organisations to build homes for life.

You can download a video here where we used examples of good and bad practice to raise awareness of peoples needs in order to influence decision makers and change policies.

You can also download the Freedom of Information report to see how your own local authorise faired in it.

Click this link and you can watch the video on the right hand side or download the report on the left hand side.

http://www.inclusionscotland.org

Trust me, this is definitely worth watching, and the report will also show you how much more things have to change.

I can assure you all the MSP's were shocked by this as they just did not realise how local authorities have not a better handle on it, it was also noted that not all local authorities have housing associations to help them either, the best bit of all was the Housing Ministers comments, he said that they would be redressing this and that his party will be making sure that there work in the future covers accessible housing for all.

So remember Alex, all be watching and will be close on your tail if you don't deliver.

Till the next time Susanas

Good news indeed . . . for some . . . for the moment.

But definitely not for the one and a half million people who depend on Attendance ALLowance.

Neither for the three quarters of a million people aged 65 and over who receive DLA.
Not even for the 400,000 DLA claimants currently aged between 60 and 64, many of whom will have reached the age of 65 by the time labour's proposed National Care Service is introduced.

DLA is not just paid to people under 65. You have to make a claim before you are 65, but you can then go on claiming indefinitely if your needs do not change.
Unfortunately, many organisations who should know better seem to have forgotten that - perhaps just as the government hoped.

Mr Burnham made no secret about why he made this announcement: he wants to stop people raising awareness of it. He said in his speech, given at a conference in Harrogate on 22nd October and also published on the Big Care Debate website:

"One avenue I do want to close down, however, is the debate and controversy over Disability Living Allowance."

If this was his plan then he seems to have succeeded, at least so far as some disability charities are concerned.

Immediately following Burnham's speech, Disability Alliance sent out a press release stating that:

". . . the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) benefit will not be affected by Government plans to merge some benefits with social care funding . . . Andy Burnham's announcement will reassure disabled people that DLA is safe - for now at least."
The Disability Charities Consortium told the media:

"This represents a real victory for disabled people who felt very strongly that the DLA should be retained and made their collective voice heard on this issue. "

Macmillan Cancer Support also issued a press release saying that:

"Whilst we are pleased the Government has said Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will not be used to meet the shortfall in social care funding, we remain deeply concerned that Attendance Allowance (AA) is still under threat."

But that isn't what Andy Burnham said at all. He said DLA for under 65's is not being considered.

This was echoed by Yvette Cooper, the DWP secretary of state who told a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on ME on 21st October that DLA for people of 'working age' is not under review.

It was made very clear by Andy Burnham that there will be no transitional protection of existing awards for current claimants. Instead, 'an equivalent level of support' will be provided by your local authority.

His announcement seems to have had the desired effect, however - the 'debate and controversy' over DLA appears to be over as far as some disability charities are concerned. Yet, in a little over two weeks time the deadline for submissions on the green paper ends.

It's vital that the case for saving DLA for all claimants is still made. Only now there is a real worry that not only have the disability charities relaxed, but also that Andy Burnham will claim that because 3,000 submissions to the Big Care Debate were made before his announcement that DLA for under 65s is safe, they should mostly be discounted.

If you don't want the government to get away with closing down 'the debate and controversy over Disability Living Allowance' there are things you can do.

Contact disability groups you have a connection with and warn them that they still need to respond to the green paper in relation to both Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance.

You can respond to the Care Green paper yourself by making it clear that you are aware that DLA for under 65s is not under consideration and giving your views on axing AA and DLA for people aged 65 and over. Click on the link below:

http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/greenpaper/execsum/

or Email: careandsupport@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Get people involved in signing the No 10 petition, which is gathering real momentum again: it now has over 19,000 signatures and is at number 8 out of over four and a half thousand petitions on the site. Not bad going for a petition that has been running for less than two months.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AttendanceA/

Write to your MP what you think or, better still, go and visit them and tell them face-to-face.

One final thought. The revelation that the government is considering slashing the income of 2.5 million older disabled claimants was made by Andy Burnham in a keynote speech last week.

The subject of that speech was - Outlawing ageism in the NHS.
You've got to laugh eh lol

So just to be on the safe side get campaigning xxxxxxxxxxxxx I would hate to do nothing on this and it turn out they are going to cut all these benefits xxx

Till the next time Susanas

Today, Health Secretary Andy Burnham confirmed that the Government will not be making any changes to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) as part of its ongoing changes to social care funding. He said: "I do not want to close down the debate and controversy over Disability Living Allowance. We recognise that this is an important benefit for disabled people, and I can state categorically that we have now ruled out any suggestion that Disability Living Allowance for people under 65 will be brought into the new National Care Service."

The Government has not ruled out changes to Attendance Allowance, the equivalent benefit for people aged over 65. So we will have to keep a close eye on this one, this is very difficult for people to understand, if you have a disability and claim DLA you automatically can claim attendance allowance but if you inherit your disability after 65 which most of our mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, grandmother, grandfather do, they are not allowed to claim Attendance allowance so therefore are penalised for their health failing at a later stage in there lives.

Lets not forget that this is, the people that have worked hard all their lives and fought for the rights we have today, the government are seriously failing our pensioners and making their lives even more difficult at a time when they should be enjoying their retirement. Many have lost all there savings through the banking crisis and are penalised because of age for a benefit they should be entitled to.

So all keep you posted on any changes I hear about

Until the next time Susanas

I am currently in London as I was at Radar's AGM on Monday and I am really looking forward to judging The People of the Year Human Rights Awards today. I was really honoured to be chosen to judge these Awards, I was actually nominated for The Person of the Year Award last year and was at this event, of course, I did not win an award but had a fantastic night with everyone which was rewarding enough for me. I do not need an award to know I am doing a lot of good work and it is rewarding enough just to help people as this is what drives me.

So to be able to judge them and attend this glamourous event once again is fantastic.

These Awards are for people who celebrate excellence and achievement by both disabled people and those organisations with a commitment to furthering the equality agenda for disabled people.

This year the Awards will be in Battersea Evolution on Monday 30th November. The evening will be hosted by Frank Gardner OBE, the BBC broadcaster, whose own return to frontline broadcasting from a wheelchair after being shot six times by Al-Qaeda gunmen and undergoing 14 operations is a remarkable story of achievement in itself.

This year's theme for the Awards evening is: "Future Proofing Disability Equality". RADAR wants to drive home the message that disability equality matters, regardless of economics - in fact, during tough times, equality matters more. With an Equalities Bill going through Parliament, a pressing need to avoid new inequalities in a recession and an imperative to spend resources where they are most needed, this is the opportunity to help create more equal and effective businesses and a more equal society for the future.

The day will enable measurable challenges to be set for the attending leaders of blue chip organisations operating throughout British society - targets that RADAR will consistently monitor, celebrating high achievers.

In the evening we will be presenting 10 awards celebrating achievement in the strands examined in the day event as well as in traditional categories such as The Person of the Year.

Last year over 500 business and public sector leaders, parliamentarians and key players in the disability and wider equalities community attended the Awards and we expect this year to be no different.

So if you are looking for a fantastic evening out, the opportunity to network with key opinion leaders, a chance to celebrate pioneers of disability equality whilst impressing colleagues and clients with sparkling cocktails and sumptuous cuisine then be sure to put the 30th November in your diary now.

To sponsor or book tickets, click on this link for more details:

http://www.radar.org.uk/awards-2009

Till the next time Susanas

I had joined a new site called couch surfers, hey,you will be like me wondering about people all over the world lazing about on people's couches, how wrong could you be.
This is an amazing network with like minded people all over the world, your couch could mean a double bedroom in their house or in America a Tepee or Lodge outside but it is not about a free bed or lodgings it is all about putting something back and sharing your experiences and skills with others.

You might have just moved here from somewhere else and need someone to show you around, just want to go out for dinner, take in a movie, well this is the site for you.
People posting articles about what their plans are, and asking anyone if they would like to come along, I think the person that thought this up is a genius, amazing to think you could turn up in any city or country and there will be a group that you can automatically join so you no longer have to worry about settling in and meeting new friends from the moment you arrive there are loads of opportunities.

Hey, I have not had the opportunity to fully check this out yet but I will when I get back, I am quite sure will start another new journey in my life, besides I love meeting people and having the opportunity to host some of these exciting people will make it all worthwhile.
I had been invited to a book launch of The Bully State by Brian Monteith on Friday night in the Ramsay room in the New Club in Princess Street, on arriving at this really nice venue, I was amazed at the amount of people who had turned up, the evening went very well and it afforded me the opportunity of meeting a lot of nice people I probably would never have met for a long time, the majority of people attending this event were members of the Tuesday club, or friends or relatives of Brian's, even before leaving did I have the opportunity of speaking to Bryan Taylor, he is the political editor for the BBC, so because I would already be in Edinburgh I decided to answer a link to a Couch Surfer who was having an International Pot luck welcome party on the same night, I got a bit concerned at first as the launch had ran on a bit longer that I expected so this was making me late for the party.

I had thought about it for weeks, and now it was eventually here after arriving at the destination, I pushed the buzzer but no reply, then I thought maybe it was not Place, might be Terrace instead so headed off to find the same number but no amends nothing happening, so sets of home with ma bottle of Cherry Sours and ma tray of homemade Lasagne.
When I get home I send an email to my host saying sorry! Maybe with me being a little late and the party being in full swing no one heard the buzzer.
I got up on Saturday to a lovely message from my host saying she was out with a friend and that I had actually got the wrong night as it was not the 9th but the 10th instead, still laughing about it xxx she also offered me to come for breakfast but I will thank my lovely host and meet up with them all again soon.
I am never usually late for anything quite the opposite either turn up day before, week, or even monthly lol.
So for all of you that have never heard of this, get with it and get Couch Surfing.
And to all the friends I hope to make on CS, hopefully catch up with you all soon.

Till the next time Susanas

I'm going to show you over the next few weeks some videos about different people facing neglect and isolation at the hands of local government and a world of uncertainty for the disability sector and their families.
Having the appropriate care package in place is not just essential but also should help you to become as independent as possible, well that is what it is meant to do but if you take a look at this video this will show you clearly what the world is coming to.
Now click the link and watch this video
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8298015.stm

The problem being people all over the country are undergoing assessments with people that do not understand there entire situation and are making the wrong decisions for the most vulnerable people in the country

As you can tell by the video you have just seen, this person was one of the hundreds of people that fell through the net and how it has taken over a year for friends and organisations to try and help but has fell on deaf ears.

This is a society of party politics, putting it's own manifesto first before anything, do we really want this? Or are you willing to fight for change and replace the politicians with people that will put there communities first.

We voted people in and trusted them to fight for change but we voted them in to view our opinions not for what there parties would decide.

We only have 7 months till the general election and I hope the country is really ready to vote people in that will make a difference and banish party politics for life.

You only have to look at the country to see who has been winning all those years and trust me it is not us.

Till the next time Susanas

I was really quite disgusted to hear that people were trying to oust Gordon Brown out the Labour Party because of health reason, where do people get of and what kind of friends and colleagues does he have.

Yes, I know before people start pointing the finger at me, I do not agree with the entire Labour parties manifesto but I work in partnership with all parties to get what is best for all generations to come.

In his speech he was referring to The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 being one of his party's achievements but I hope this will show Gordon how only too often people are discriminated against in every day life and no one seems to care.

There are thousands of people very capable of working but will never get the opportunity of full filling there careers because of the state of play in today's society.

My message to Gordon Brown is there is still time to act fast and build relationships with organisations that are disabled led before time runs out for all and even if you do loose your sight eventually that does not stop you from achieving your goals in life you will learn through time how to adapt to it and carry on with work regardless.

I personally am finding it very difficult with the new Minister for Disability, Jonathan Shaw as I have met him and given him my card but to date he has not contacted me that would never have happened with Anne McGuire MP at the helm as she truly supported and believed in what we were trying to achieve.

I am going to now try and build relationships with the other parties in London as maybe our voices will be heard, I have given up hope reaching Gordon Brown now as I was told to go through my local councillor and I did but that was over 6 months ago and he never came back to me, just not good enough.

Really difficult when you are trying to change things for people on a local, national and International basis, we have to be taken seriously to help fight for the people who can't fight for themselves.

Also very difficult as I am quite sure he will not be aware of the difficulties that his own constituents are having in reaching him, I say this as one of my good friends has also been having problems and I ended up passing info onto DWP to get dealt with as it was not done by Mr Browns Office or local Cllr.

So this one is for you Gordon even though our words seem to be fallen on deaf ears, we always stick up for our peers, so for all you numpties that want to pick a fight with Gordon's health come and pick a fight with me instead.

How low can people go when they use this as an excuse, what is our country turning into and whether he helps me or not I can't stand by and see this happen.

Till the next time Susanas

Really starting to feel a bit better after my accident, I was hardly mobile for a few months but after a good rest my health is slowly starting to get better.

Hey, I am not ready for any marathons yet but at least I am mobile, I will have to work on building myself back up again slowly so I do not end up back to square one again.

I got a mobility scooter against my own judgement and it has made such an impact to my life already as there is no way I can walk as far as I used to, hope my back starts healing soon as it has caused me so much pain and discomfort over the last few months.

It seems when you dislodge your discs no ones seems to bother with you, you just get sent home from hospital to get on with it, I had to go and buy myself a brace to hold things in place when I move as at least it gives me support. Before having this I could hardly move, well I could a bit but not without excruciating pain. Maybe now all be able to try and get on with my work, I have been building my hours up steadily but not quite ready for ma 70 hr post. lol, well some weeks that's what it feels like.

I have also been missing all my friends in and out of the disability sector, It is not long before you get fed up with your own company and surrounds, If I never se the inside of my house for the next few weeks all be well happy.

I have just found out about a fantastic hotel in Blackpool that is compltely adapted for disabled guests and families so will be checking it out in the next few weeks. If there is one thing about Blackpool it does not matter how many times you visit it but you always get caught up in it x bring it on, got an excuse my youngest son is eleven and never been, did you buy that? I wonder if my husband will. lol

Well better go get the dinner dished out, or they'll all be in the huff.

Till the next time Susanas

A public relations (PR) executive who is currently taking his former employer to a work tribunal was potential risk to himself because of the pressures of his job, his wife has claimed.
Richard Saville-Smith accepted a position as the PR manager for Visit Scotland's Year of Homecoming campaign, but his wife Gillian informed members of the hearing that it started to affect his mental health.
Ms Saville-Smith stated that a recurrence of her husband's bipolar disorder while working for the organisation led to him being a "high-suicide risk".
She also revealed that after experiencing the relapse in his condition, Mr Saville-Smith disappeared for 48 hours, triggering a police hunt.
The PR expert ended up in New Craigs Hospital in Inverness and underwent three weeks of treatment.
He is seeking £50,000 in compensation for wage loss and disability discrimination, after alleging that employers at Visit Scotland increased his work load without providing extra support.
Mr Saville-Smith previously told the tribunal that business practices enforced by his former bosses were "inept".
Wal! This is just one story I can truly relate to as I actually did attempt suicide all they years ago when I was put on a redeployment programme with Fife Council. I felt such a failure as to being the breadwinner then becoming disabled had a huge knock on effect to my life and the barriers put in front of me by my employers were a huge impact on not just my physical health but my mental health at that point was a serious concern. I felt I fought to work and they done everything possible to put barriers in my way,
I also lost all my confidence, this is why I am so passionate about running all over the country trying to help others whom are facing discrimination in the workplace, yes, my court case lasted over 5 yrs and I lost an Appeal, lost a Tribunal in Dundee in a court room up stairs where I had to crawl up the stairs to give evidence, lost in the Court of Session before taking my case all the way to The House of Lords, where I won! my case and changed the UK Employment Laws under reasonable adjustments in 2004.
Without the support of the Disability Rights Commission stepping in at the later stages of my case I would never have won my case and been able to fight the big boys, I had to learn about the DDA 1995 and Employment Laws to enable and empower my own rep to take my case forward.

Reflecting about this allows me to see how far I have traveled since my experience and now help others through raising awareness and promoting good practice in the working environment, I never knew about my own rights all they years ago and now I am helping educate other people like myself to enable and empower them to take control of there lives.

I promised myself all those years ago if I could get myself better and re-educate myself I would fight for all the people who can't fight for themselves. This is what drives me and I have become a huge disabled activist fighting for the necessary changes in legislation and policies on a local, national, International basis.

I am currently setting up the Archibald Foundation which will offer specialist advice and advocacy and legal case work, this by all means has been no easy task but I am a very determined individual that will work hard to achieve this, In the beginning I will be working in partnership with Fife Law Centre, they have secured funding for solicitors so I will be referring people to them but hopefully as the Archibald Foundation is established I hope to be employing my own solicitors and a welfare rights advisor.

I will be recruiting directors for my Foundation very soon so if anyone would like to become a director for the Archibald Foundation please send an email to:archibal3@aol.com

Alternatively, if there is anyone out there that would like to offer any kind of assistance for my foundation please contact me on the email address above.

Till the next time Susanas