On 11th October, a talk was given at Midsomer Norton’s Methodist Church hall about life with disabilities, and the role local law enforcement play in providing support.

The talk was led by PCSO Rob Hendra, of Avon and Somerset Police, and Simeon Wakely, a speaker who suffers from Spina Bifida.

Rob began the evening with a talk on public safety, and the reporting of hate crimes, which he said has risen due to an improvement of trust between the police and people with disabilities. Rob added: “You are not on your own; there are good people out there, and the police are part of that.”

Simeon’s talk made reference to the negative labels often associcated with disabilities, and how he hopes to spin society’s perception of disabled people, hence the title of the event being ‘Disability Pride’.

Simeon said: “Disability becomes more important than the many abilities we have. It becomes the thing that stops us from achieving our dreams. But disability is only a small part of my life.”

He added that not knowing life without a wheelchair allowed his view of the world to remain unclouded, stating: “The only disibility in this world is a bad attitude towards life.”

Simeon also raised awareness for the accessibility of wheelchair users, covering topics such as stairs, lifts and disabled toilets in his speech. Simeon said that he himself often has to ring in advance of meetings to check if the location is wheelchair accessible, as quite often it will not be.

He also praised the accessibility for disabled people on public transport in London during the 2012 Paralympics, stating that it was the best the UK had ever seen.

Sarah, speaking on behalf of the SWALLOW charity, based in Midsomer Norton, also discussed her experiences with a disability, and how the charity has helped her.

Founded in 1993, SWALLOW is a user-led committee, and aims to promote independence, and be equal for people with learning disabilities. One such initiative was the Base House, in which people can stay overnight with a staff member to develop their social skills and learn how to be away from home.

Trevor Wilmot, Neighbourhood Watch Administrator for South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, also spoke at the event, on how life with MS eventually led to depression, and finally to him becoming wheelchair-bound. Trevor said: “It’s easy to judge people by what you see, but we do have skills as well.”

Trevor added that whilst he was unsure at first if he would be capable of working for Avon and Somerset Police, he believes he has been fully-supported in remaining at work by his co-workers and peers.

Reverend Stephen Robinson told the room that he was “happy to host the event, as you can never know it all,” adding, “God loves everyone, regardless of ability. The chuch is concerned about a whole being; mind, body and spirit.”

Midsomer Norton Methodist Church is to undergo a £7,000 refurbishment of its disabled toilets in January next year.

The evening was rounded off by a speech from Avon and Somerset Chief Constable, Andy Marsh, who said: “We have to look after each other and the community. An event like this is great to get to know each other, and I’ve made a lot of friends this evening. Hopefully we can build on that trust.”