Volunteering with Mecoco
In October 2020, Mecoco were delighted to welcome Niamh into the team of volunteers at their social enterprise. Offering disabled adults and young peo…
Blogger Features
Canvas & Campfires
As a full-time powerchair user, I used to think that any sort of camping would be off-limits. And even though glamping is a much fancier set-up than c…
Columnist Bhavini Makwana – The Importance Of My Guide Dog
In June 2018, I was asked by the charity Guide Dogs for the Blind to come in for an informal visit to meet some of the dogs who were in the later stag…
Columnist Hannah Deakin – Get active with Superhero Series and Parallel London
The Superhero series and Parallel London are two accessible sporting events open to all. The Superhero Series was founded by Paralympian Sophia Warner…
Columnist Caroline Butterwick – Disabled Student Support
Starting university was daunting enough. How would I cope living away from home? Would I make friends? Would the workload be okay? These are all fears…
Columnist Holly Tuke: Ticking the right boxes
To disclose or not to disclose your disability when applying for a job. For many disabled people, trying to find a job can be daunting and frustrat…
Columnist Ciara Lawrence – Babies
I come from a very close family, which has always been the most important thing to me. Starting my own family is something I’ve thought about and I’ve…
Columnist Hannah Deakin: Adjusting to life with a disability
It can be difficult to adjust to life with a disability. You are thrown into this unknown world that you never knew anything about. Things are tough. …
Columnist: Ruby Jones – Why Social Media Can Be So Important To Disabled People
In an age where the majority of people are quick to criticise how smartphones and social media are ruining our society, I often find myself biting my …
Columnist Chloe Tear: Adjusting to using a long cane in your 20’s
When you imagine your 20’s it’s the decade of freedom, self- discovery and making the most out of life. It’s painted to be the best years of your life…
Columnist Elin Williams: Anxiety And Sight Loss – My Struggle
There are so many different layers to life with sight loss, it’s not all black and white and I believe that the best way of filling in that grey space…
Columnist Chloe Tear – Lessons Of A Disability Blogger
Every once in a while it’s important to reflect on how far you’ve come, and consider experiences, both good and bad. After reaching six years of blogg…
Columnist Heather Lacey: Bringing my whole, true self to work
For many disabled and chronically ill job-hunters, the dreaded thought of whether to tick that box to say you’re disabled is something that can be pos…
Interview: Frances Ryan speaks to Able about her new book on Austerity and the Demonization of Disabled People
Crippled: Austerity and the Demonization of Disabled People is the first book from Guardian and Able Magazine contributor, Frances Ryan. She spoke wit…
Columnist Ciara Lawrence – Sex and Relationships
It all started for me when I was 10 years old. I was a flower girl at my cousin’s wedding and I saw the love between her and her husband. I felt like …
Columnist Mary Doyle: The Power Of Not Yet
Fixed and growth mindsets (terms coined by Dr. Carol Dweck) are used to describe the underlying beliefs people have about learning and intelligence. W…
Columnist Emma Muldoon – Caravans and cassette tapes
Some of my fondest childhood memories are of caravan holidays with my family. We loved nothing more than packing up the car with a week’s worth of foo…
Columnist Elin Williams: How Blogging Helps Me To Combat Loneliness
When I typed up my very first blog post in 2015, I had no idea where this new online space would take me. I wanted to document my feelings in the hope…
Columnist Holly Tuke: Disabled people miss out on meeting their favourite bands and artists
For many of us, music is a lifeline, it’s something that has got us through some hard times. We have bands and artists that we look up to, who have he…
Columnist Shani Dhanda: It’s time to bring our authentic selves to the table – the importance of intersectionality
I love being of Indian ethnicity. My family holidays were always hot with regular trips to India - a melting pot of different cultures and religions, …
Columnist Ruby Jones: Student Carers – The Invisible Help
I came to university in 2016. Despite my disability, I chose to begin by not having a carer whilst I was studying unless I discovered I really needed …
Columnist Shona Louise: How my Powerchair changed my life
February 1st 2019 was a special day for me as it marked 1 year since my life changing powerchair was delivered. A year on and I still can’t quite beli…
Columnist Elin Williams: From one disabled person to another: You are not alone
The feeling of loneliness and isolation has been one of the most prominent when my experience with disability is concerned. When I was younger, I f…
Columnist Holly Tuke: Please don’t be offended if blind and visually impaired people don’t accept your help
I’ve been blind since birth so have come across my fair share of people that have ideas, opinions and attitudes surrounding visual impairment, and var…
Columnist Chloe Tear: Are The Needs Of Disabled Students Being Fully Met?
Education is something many of us take for granted. We start around the age of five and are set free in our late teens. For people like myself who cho…