PGP / SPD My story:

 I would just like to thank Great Aycliffe Town Council for tonight’s meeting. It was encouraging to see so many people turn up, and I’m also grateful to the other members of the public who spoke. While it’s natural for people to disagree, I’d personally like to see disagreements handled in a more constructive way by certain councillors. At times, things became a little too heated, and had the meeting been recorded, I’m not sure that the public would have been all that impressed. That said, some councillors did show sensible and balanced contributions, and as a Newtonian, I just want the very best for our town and it's residents. I was also very interested in the discussion around removing councillor positions. I can see the perspectives from both sides, but as one councillor rightly pointed out, we can’t currently compare data to see which decision would truly save money — and for that reason they couldn’t support it. Overall, I am grateful and appreciative of all that the council...

Real resolution matters — not fobbing people off when admins break their own rules. You disable us when you: Make communication unnecessarily difficult. Throw out false allegations of “harassment” when people are simply asking for guidance and reassurance. Fail to understand that accessibility isn’t just about buildings — it’s about community, communication, and inclusion too. 😔 #ReassuranceMatters What’s the point of being in a group if members can’t feel safe from unfair suspension? In my case, it wasn’t even my mistake — it was admins breaking their own rules. This has dragged on far too long. I even offered to help with admin duties, yet somehow I’m treated as the problem. Figures. Community support is important. If you’re going to admin, at least take your role seriously: Treat people kindly. When someone needs reassurance, give it. Follow your own rules. Without reassurance, people can’t feel comfortable engaging in the group. Instead, they feel mistreated — and I can’t even use...

Disability Awareness Speech - Kawaii Doll Decora at The Rotary of Great Aycliffe : In this Disability Awareness Speech, Sarah Wingfield blends personal story, humour, and advocacy to challenge common misconceptions about disability. She shares her lived experience of navigating chronic pain , barriers in daily life , and society’s attitudes toward disability . The speech introduces the social model of disability , highlighting how barriers—rather than impairments—create exclusion. It addresses accessibility, representation in media, and employment discrimination, while also calling out harmful policies that silence disabled voices . Through honest storytelling, Sarah encourages the audience to think differently, act with empathy, and commit to building a more inclusive society where disabled people are seen, heard, and valued. https://KawaiiDollDecora.uk #disabilityinclusion #strongertogether #disability #disabilityawareness #disabilitysupport 

Accessibility Review: North Tees Hospital , Stockton Parking & Blue Badge Issues: Current signage asks disabled customers to break the law by leaving the clock portion of their Blue Badge in the car and bringing the badge to the security office . This is unnecessary and illegal. A picture of the badge is sufficient, preventing disabled visitors from unnecessary travel and legal risk. Conflicting signage exists:  Most signs request the full badge, while one asks for only the clock portion, which could confuse visitors. Clear, consistent instructions are needed. Charging twice for parking when a badge is forgotten, despite the ParkingEye app showing a free extension, is unfair and adds unnecessary stress to disabled visitors. Distance & Accessibility Concerns: The walk to the security office is too long for many disabled visitors, including wheelchair or mobility scooter users. Asking visitors to make two trips (one to fill in forms and another to return the badge) is not...

Alt text: An image of a blue sky with white and grey clouds, featuring a large cloud at the bottom. A grey transparent text box with two curved corners displays the title: “Sunlight, Sand, and the Spaces Between Pain” in white font. The alias “Kawaii Doll Decora” appears in white along the left side and inside a white heart on the right side. Sunlight, Sand, and the Spaces Between Pain : I’m grateful for still being able to make a positive difference, to uplift others, to be as weird and creative as I desire, and for the little things most take for granted. The swaying of tree branches and leaves in the wind . The bird song most people never hear. The sun or the moon and the way their light hits the clouds, shifting the sky into endless colours. I can be outside now, instead of stuck in a room. I can feel the wind on my face—even when it hurts my body. I can feel sand and grass between my toes, and every second reminds me just how precious these little moments are. I had missed them w...

The Despair of Bad Pain Days Some days it feels like I’m being tossed around like a yo-yo. One moment I’m crushed by frustration, the ache of pain, and the creeping sense of uselessness. The next, I’m trying to claw my way back up with affirmations, telling myself to be kind, to be gentle, to hold myself the way I would hold anyone else who was suffering. It’s a constant back-and-forth, exhausting in its own right. The truth is: my energy is low. And when your energy is so scarce, everything feels magnified. Every task on the list grows heavier, looming over you as if it’s urgent, as if not ticking it off makes you a failure. But when I take a step back, I see the truth more clearly. Because I know where I’ve come from. I was once bedbound. Housebound. I spent over a decade within the same four walls, surviving days blurred with pain, surviving nights that felt endless. And even then, even when I was flat on my back in a hospital bed, I still tried to help others, to be there, to give ...