Page 15 - Community Living Magazine 30-3

InterVIew

editor again, although Andrew “It’s a vital campaign and we are Levy who has supported the magazine
continued to write perceptive pieces adding our voice to it,” she says. since day one”.
for the magazine until recently.
Underdog So perhaps it is appropriate to
Campaigning Have people’s lives changed for the fnish with Gill’s own recent message
As time went by other organisations better? Elinor refers to the Valuing to Elinor. Her words take us back to
such as KeyRing, Integrate (Preston & People survey in the last issue: the impact that the magazine made on
Chorley), Respond, Three Cs, “It’s fairly clear that some people have progressive staff in the early days:
Linkability and UCLAN joined the benefted but an awful lot have not. “It was absolutely wonderful to receive
editorial board and became Valuing People was like the ultimate the very frst edition. It included so
sponsors of the magazine. Then in postcode lottery in that some authorities many of the issues I was struggling with
2011 the publishing role was taken got hold of it and took it forward but in my new job at RNIB working with
over by a specially created charity others didn’t.“ She is worried that some staff and carers of adults with learning
called CL Initiatives Ltd, chaired by local authorities may be saving money diffculties and complex needs.
Rosemary Trustam. with congregated services. “We might The magazine challenged me to think
be going back to that because of the in different ways and really helped
Elinor with way that local authorities are making me to move from local authority social
her rescue dogs their cuts.” work with children with learning
Heidi and Kit. diffculties to providing a service which
I comment that she has spent 30 years sought to provide advocacy and
rather selfessly promoting the rights of campaign in a variety of settings.”
a group of people of which she is
not a member. “It’s that English thing There it is again, the advocacy word.
of supporting the underdog. It has Autonomy and advocacy are the
been a very satisfying job. A magazine magazine’s watchwords. Let’s always
gives you a bit of power to infuence remember them. Thank goodness and
things. Maybe it’s more a matter of thank you Elinor Harbridge for ensuring
confrming people’s views, developing that Community Living magazine is still
a partnership with the readers. here to make sure we do.
If the magazine is saying something
that people want to do but feel Note: Elinor will be retaining her
worried about, perhaps the link with Community Living and
magazine endorsing it gives them continuing as consultant editor.
a bit more confdence?” You can stay in touch with her on her
website: www.hexagoneditorial.co.uk
Over the years, the magazine has
had its ups and down as well as stiff
competition from other publications.
Community Living describes itself as a It has outlasted Community
campaigning magazine. Does she feel Connecting and Learning Disability
it has helped change the world? Today magazine. I suggest just
She is wary of claiming that, since surviving is a success. She agrees.
change was happening anyway, “I said to Gill Levy (an editorial
but says, “We have given people adviser) our theme song should
with learning diffculties a voice in the be: I Will Survive !”
magazine and promoted the whole
self-advocacy movement. I think we do Progressive
that more strongly than others.” impact
Elinor tells me she is
A more recent focus is on social care confdent that the
law which Elinor says Rosemary magazine will thrive
Trustam has brought to the magazine. under the new editor
Legal expert Belinda Schwehr has Simon Jarrett, saying:
been writing articles in every issue “His values are those I
and leading seminars. Elinor says, have always tried to
“It is campaigning because she is follow and he has
trying to get people to understand their demonstrated his
legal rights and when they can use the editorial skills as arts
law and when they can’t. With our correspondent. She also
annual seminars it has been an pays tribute to all current
important part of what the magazine (and past) members of
has done over the last few years.” the Editorial Board and “our theme song should be:
Community Living is also supporting trustees of the charity. I Will Survive !”
moves to get people out of institutions. “I would single out Gill

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 30 No 3 | Spring 2017 13