Slough Borough Council

DisAbility Matters to Margery

A Langley woman has been nominated for a national award for raising awareness of disability issues in the borough.

Margery Hitchman, the chairwoman of DisAbility Matters, is one of only two people in the South-east to be nominated for the Government's Community Champions Award.

She helped set up DisAbility Matters in 2003 - a local forum made up entirely of disabled people to campaign for the rights and needs of disabled people.

The group received a grant of £1,810 in 2004 from the department for education and skills via the Community Champions fund.

The five members organise a weekly self-advocacy course to help disabled people learn about their rights, pick up new skills and build confidence.

They also lobby for improved disabled access and help businesses and organisations understand the new Disability Discrimination Act.

Margery, 37, said: "This nomination is not just for me but for the whole group - we are a team working together.

"The group has really helped me a lot - I had to give up work and this has helped me learn things, especially with computers."

DisAbility Matters is also represented on the new Slough Physical Disability and Sensory Needs Partnership Board, which includes Slough Borough Council, Slough Primary Care Trust and members of the voluntary sector.

The board formed in December 2004 to look at what services are currently available for people with physical disabilities and those with sensory needs, identifying gaps and making recommendations on how services could be developed.

Megan Moore, commissioning and development manager for disability for Slough Borough Council and the Primary Care Trust, said:

“Margery has already been a valued member of the board since it was set up last year and we’re delighted to hear she has been nominated for this award.

“It’s a brilliant recognition of her hard work and commitment to disabled people in Slough.”

Evania Inward, deputy director of community development for Slough Race Equality Council, said: "Margery has faced difficulties with health and disability herself, yet uses her experiences positively to strengthen both herself and her colleagues.

"She has been the hub of activity, determination and drive to form the DisAbility Matters group, negotiating bureaucratic problems with banks and organisations from the very beginning.

"She has been 100 per cent supportive of enabling each of the individuals in the group to become active and confident themselves and make the most of their potential, focusing on their abilities, not their disabilities.

"Margery is a credit to Slough and a role model to Community Champions everywhere."

The group meets every Thursday from 2pm until 4pm at the Phoenix Day Centre in Langley Road, Slough.

Last published Wednesday, February 09, 2005