Page 3 - Community Living Magazine 36-1

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This is a call to arms – never
Community Living
an admission of defeat

ISSN 0951-9815
Volume 36, no 1, autumn 2022 quality, inclusion, rights and championing a life in the community – our founding
principles since this magazine was launched 35 years ago.
Published by E To acknowledge our anniversary, and in my first issue as editor, we ask what
CL Initiatives Ltd
Link-Ability, Conway House, Ackhurst Business community living now means to people with learning disabilities, their families, support
Park, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 1NY staff and allies (page 16). Although a snapshot, these views reflect the hard-won
achievements so far – and what we still need to fight for.
 www.cl-initiatives.co.uk
t @CommLivingmag_ Much has undermined our sense of community from Brexit to social care cuts,
f @CommunityLivingMagazine austerity and benefits reform, the last of which Neil Carpenter excoriates (page 12). The
l company/community-living-magazine catalogue of care and abuse scandals has also weakened our sense of belonging.
 clienquiries@outlook.com On top of being hardest hit by Covid, as Gary Bourlet of Learning Disability England
 01257 241899
points out (page 10), people with learning disabilities now face the cost of living crisis.
Editor Government help is welcome but minimal, as Charlie Callanan explains (page 7).
Saba Salman,  saba@cl-initiatives.co.uk, The harsh backdrop to all this is the plan to reform the Human Rights Act.
t @Saba_Salman
As Joe Powell of self-advocacy organisation All Wales People First told me: “A
Publisher and subscription enquiries cacophony of political and socioeconomic crises has exacerbated the already daunting
Jo Adshead, Link-Ability (address as above), challenges facing those
clienquiries@outlook.com
fighting for social justice.”
Subscriptions and general enquiries However, his words are Much has undermined our sense of
Christine Mottley, christine@cl-initiatives.co.uk a call to arms – not an community, from Brexit to social care cuts,
Production editor and designer admission of defeat.
Christy Lawrance, www.clcomms.com Fighting for the right austerity and benefits reform. The
support is what drove catalogue of care and abuse scandals has
Contributors
Welfare rights: Charlie Callanan Manni Coe when his also weakened our sense of belonging
Legal: Belinda Schwehr LLM, legal framework brother Reuben’s mental
trainer and consultant, Care and Health Law, health problems spiralled
belinda@careandhealthlaw.com
Research: Juliet Diener during the pandemic.
Photographs and interviews: Seán Kelly, He gives a powerful exploration of brotherhood and belonging, accompanied by
www.seankellyphotos.com Reuben’s bold drawings (page 14).
Illustrator: Robin Meader, robinmeaderartist@
gmail.com, https://tinyurl.com/robinmeader Why people are still being denied a life in the community is the subject of Seán
History: Susanna Shapland Kelly’s interview with Sir Norman Lamb, the former Liberal Democrat MP and care
Columnists: Shalim Ali, campaigner, self- minister who wrote the foreword to Transforming Care a decade ago (page 18).
advocate and DJ; Ian Goldsworthy, parent
campaigner; Chris Hatton, academic; Jan Transforming Care, the government’s response to the abuse at Winterbourne View,
Walmsely, independent researcher has failed to live up to its promise. Many people remain locked away, as Ben McCay at
Contributors: Suzanne Gale, social care and self-advocacy organisation My Life My Choice reminds us (page 20). He explains why his
health consultant; Simon Jarrett, academic
charity pulled out of the official care and treatment review programme, which aims to
Editorial board move people out of places like Winterbourne, and sets out what must happen next.
Jo Adshead, chief executive, Linkability
Helen Atherton, lecturer in nursing, University
of Leeds Belonging in a bigger world
Noelle Blackman, chief executive, Respond As well as highlighting the challenges, we feature solutions that need to be replicated.
Jo Clare, consultant and coach Alicia Woods of Beyond Words calls for current affairs to be made more accessible
Isabelle Garnett
Jenny Garrigan, director of quality and (page 26). If you are not included in conversations about the world you live in, how can
involvement/director of strategy, Thera Trust you belong in your community? As we went to press, Beyond Words was creating
Richard Keagan-Bull, self-advocate and a free excerpt from its book When Someone Dies to help people talk about the
researcher
Seán Kelly Queen’s death.
Gill Levy We also feature People First Keighley and Craven’s podcast as a platform to raise
Gabby Machell, chief executive, Learning awareness about issues that affect people with learning disabilities (page 21).
Disability Network London
Sue Pemberton, chief executive, Integrate This issue introduces two new columnists, academic Professor Chris Hatton and
Lynne Tooze, independent sexual violence self-advocate Shalim Ali. Both approach, in different ways, the importance of money
adviser, Respond matters, security and independence, and give hopeful insights (pages 23 and 11).
Sally Warren, managing director, Paradigm
Much of this issue was commissioned with my predecessor Simon Jarrett. I’m
Printed by delighted he is staying with us – read his reviews on page 28. Over the coming months,
Character Graphics, Taunton, you might notice changes in this magazine. Our aim is to stay true to our goals and
Tel 01823 279008
reinforce our campaigning ethos while bringing Community Living to a wider audience.
Cover image: Eddy Pearce Registered charity no 1141176 – good and bad – and ensure we reflect both the aspirations and the concerns of our
Our growing network of readers, contributors and supporters help us highlight issues
©CL Initiatives Ltd 2022
Company registered in England no 7530680
broad, vibrant, diverse, forward-thinking and determined learning disability movement.
Saba Salman

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Editor Community Living Vol 36 No 1 | Autumn 2022 3