PGP / SPD My story:

 🦿♿ UNDERSTANDING LIMB LOSS, AMPUTATION & LIMB DIFFERENCES Did you know that not everyone with a missing limb uses a prosthetic, not everyone who uses a prosthetic can walk comfortably, and some people experience pain in limbs that are no longer physically present? Limb loss and limb differences are frequently misunderstood. Society often focuses on what someone has lost rather than recognising their individuality, autonomy, abilities and the barriers they encounter. Let's explore the terminology, science and accessibility issues. 🧠 WHAT IS LIMB LOSS? Limb loss refers to the absence of all or part of an arm, leg, hand, foot or other extremity. This can occur through surgical amputation, traumatic injury or other circumstances. A limb difference is a broader term that can also include congenital differences in limb formation. Some people are born without part of a limb, while others experience limb loss later in life. These experiences are not identical. 🔍 TYPES OF AMPUTATION...

🦻♿ UNDERSTANDING DEAFNESS, HEARING LOSS & DEAF CULTURE Did you know that not all deaf people use sign language, not everyone with hearing loss wears hearing aids, and being deaf doesn't automatically mean someone cannot speak? Deafness and hearing loss are frequently misunderstood, particularly when it comes to communication, identity and accessibility. Let's explore the science, terminology and social barriers. 🔊 WHAT IS DEAFNESS? Deafness describes significant hearing loss, although individual hearing experiences vary considerably. Hearing loss can be: • Mild — difficulty hearing quieter sounds or understanding speech in certain environments. • Moderate — difficulty hearing conversational speech without support. • Severe — difficulty hearing many speech sounds. • Profound — very limited access to sound through hearing alone. • Unilateral — affecting one ear. • Bilateral — affecting both ears. Hearing loss may be present from birth, develop gradually or occur suddenly. ...

👁️♿ UNDERSTANDING BLINDNESS, SIGHT LOSS & VISUAL DISABILITIES Did you know that being legally blind doesn't necessarily mean someone cannot see anything at all? Blindness and sight loss are widely misunderstood, and many assumptions about how blind and partially sighted people experience the world are inaccurate. Let's explore the terminology, science and accessibility barriers. 🔍 WHAT IS BLINDNESS? Blindness refers to severe visual impairment that significantly affects a person's sight. However, visual disabilities exist across a spectrum. Someone may experience: • Total blindness — no perception of light. • Light perception — detecting light without being able to distinguish objects clearly. • Partial sight — reduced vision that may affect everyday activities. • Central vision loss — difficulty seeing objects directly ahead. • Peripheral vision loss — reduced vision around the edges of someone's visual field. • Blurred or distorted vision — difficulty interpreti...

🧠♿ UNDERSTANDING ADHD, AUTISM, OVERLAPPING DISABILITIES & SENSORY OVERLOAD Did you know someone can be highly knowledgeable, articulate and intelligent, yet suddenly struggle to remember information, answer a question or even speak? There are neurological, psychological and physiological reasons why this can happen. Let's explore some terminology and the science behind it. 🧩 ADHD — Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting attention regulation, impulse control and executive functioning. Executive functions are cognitive processes that help us organise information, plan, concentrate, regulate our responses and complete tasks. ADHD can affect: • Working memory — holding and using information temporarily. • Attention regulation — directing and sustaining attention. • Information retrieval — accessing previously learned information. • Task switching — moving between different demands. • Inhibitory control — managing distractions and...

🎉🔥 IT'S OFFICIAL! 🔥🎉 I'm incredibly proud to announce that I am now officially a registered Director of Let's Talk Health & Wellbeing C.I.C.! ❤️ As of 15th October 2026 , we're officially incorporated! 👊🏻 Alongside Jason Rossiter, I'm excited to begin this new chapter, turning our hard work, passion and commitment to supporting others into something that can make a real difference in our local communities. Our aim is to bring people together through activities, workshops, mental health and wellbeing support services, community initiatives and so much more! We want to help bridge the gaps in support, tackle isolation and create inclusive opportunities where people feel heard, valued and supported. ❤️ This is just the beginning, and I can't wait to see what we can achieve together! Stay tuned! Big things are coming! 👊🏻🔥 Sarah Wingfield & Jason Rossiter  Let's Talk Health & Wellbeing C.I.C  #LetsTalkHealthAndWellbeing #CommunityInterestCom...

PROFESSIONALISM, COMMUNICATION & ACCESSIBILITY IN THE MUSIC AND FILM INDUSTRIES.🎬🎶 People are NOT mind-readers, homies! 💀 When you offer someone a professional opportunity, agree on the terms and they're ready and willing to fulfil their obligations, you have a responsibility to communicate clearly and honour your commitments. Verbal and written agreements CAN be legally binding, and professionalism works BOTH ways. If you want things organised a particular way, **COMMUNICATE THAT FROM THE START!** Make sure your supporting acts, actors, crew, producers and everyone involved understand your expectations, deadlines, payments and promotional arrangements. You cannot expect people to follow rules you've never communicated, then criticise them for not meeting expectations they knew absolutely NOTHING about. **Poor communication is NOT somebody else's unprofessionalism.** And here's something else that matters enormously to me... **ACCESSIBILITY AND REASONABLE ADJUSTM...

  A Stoner in the UK , written by disability advocate and legally prescribed medical-cannabis patient Sarah Wingfield, explores the reality of cannabis use from a UK disability and patient-rights perspective. Drawing upon lived experience, the book challenges outdated stigma, misconceptions and harmful stereotypes surrounding cannabis—particularly when it is used legally as prescribed medication. Medical-cannabis patients should not be treated like criminals, publicly embarrassed or forced to hide the medication they rely upon. Education, dignity and honest conversations matter. Available on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/1uHEqbv Sarah Wingfield  KawaiiDollDecora.uk #AStonerInTheUK #SarahWingfield #MedicalCannabis #CannabisIsMedicine #DisabilityAdvocacy #DisabledRights #PatientRights #EndTheStigma #MedicalCannabisUK

The time Junction 7 a charity said this to me "But she looked fine at Ayclive" (when I could still go) lmao  and held my food parcel to ransom (years ago) because I wanted to help my community with delivery for elderly and disabled and they claimed that was me slxgging them off lol.  #ableism I avoid any charities that make my life harder now. I don't forget when and how and who has treated me badly, I just advocate so others don't have to endure the same mistreatment, and I'm glad I'm nothing like those who #harmed me when I needed #help instead. ❤️❤️❤️ I never dared ask them for help ever again and never have, and have had their supporters supporting this mistreatment and hating on me.  Tells me everything.  Sarah Wingfield  KawaiiDollDecora.uk

POTS Is Not “Just a Fast Heart Rate” My heart rate was 88 bpm. I stood up. It went to 134 bpm within four minutes. That’s a rise of 46 beats per minute just from changing position. For adults, one of the diagnostic features of Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a sustained increase in heart rate of 30 bpm or more within 10 minutes of standing, alongside symptoms of orthostatic intolerance and without the significant blood pressure drop that would point more towards orthostatic hypotension. So while one smartwatch reading alone does not diagnose POTS, a jump like 88 → 134 bpm shows exactly why simply standing can be difficult. Thankfully, I have been diagnosed and have managed my POTS for years now. And this is something people often misunderstand. Someone with POTS can sometimes manage sitting, moving around or even walking better than standing still. That doesn’t mean the condition is mild. It means the body is having to work differently to keep blood circulating properly while u...

When an Autistic Brain Can’t Just “Move On” Just because an autistic or otherwise neurodivergent person is still talking about something that hurt them does not automatically mean they are attention-seeking, dramatic, “obsessed,” or refusing to move on. Sometimes the brain genuinely has not finished processing what happened. Rumination is when the mind keeps circling back to the same event, conversation, question or feeling, often trying to understand it, make sense of it, work out what should have happened differently, or resolve something that still feels unfinished. For autistic people, this can be especially intense because several autistic traits can make painful or confusing situations much harder to mentally put down. Perseveration can make it difficult to disengage from a thought once it has become emotionally significant. Monotropic attention can cause the brain to focus very deeply on a small number of things at once. If one of those things is an unresolved conflict, injustic...

Don’t talk to me about “real strength”. People don’t see the struggles that happen behind the screens. The pain. The breakdowns. The tears. The days where simply existing takes everything you have. People might look at disabled people and think we’re weak, but some of us are the toughest people you will ever meet — because we endure. We adapt. We stick around. We keep going, even when our bodies are screaming at us to stop. Tonight, I’m in tears. Peter made me a coffee, I’ve got the TV on, I’m doing my pain management, and the sofa has basically been my home for the last fortnight. My hair is knotted up. I’m exhausted. I don’t know how much longer this pain flare is going to last. And this is the side people don’t always see. Chronic illness and disability don’t just affect the person living with them. They affect relationships, plans, routines, independence, confidence, intimacy — and the people who love us too. They affect all those tiny, everyday things able-bodied people can often ...

When Support Becomes Separation: Why Families Need Help Before Harm: Every time I read another story about a mother having her newborn removed, it breaks my heart. I am not naïve about safeguarding. I know there are situations where children genuinely need protection, and when a child is at immediate risk, intervention is necessary. But safeguarding should not mean automatically jumping to separation when support, assessment, rehabilitation and practical help could make a family safe. I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of systems that can be frightening, dismissive and deeply harmful when they get things wrong. I fought for my rights. I challenged decisions. I kept going. I did what I had to do. Reading about women who have not been so lucky absolutely destroys me. What especially troubles me is seeing somebody’s past used as though it permanently defines their future. A woman may have experienced trauma, addiction, mental ill-health, abuse, homelessness, exploitatio...

 @osmanayshea | Ayshea Osman | Mike Davies  Book Review: What He Couldn’t Take by Ayshea Osman — 8/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What He Couldn’t Take by Ayshea Osman is a raw, reflective and deeply personal memoir about survival, the patterns that shape us, and the long, complicated process of reclaiming yourself after domestic abuse. Domestic abuse is a cause very close to my heart, and as a survivor myself, I read this book with a level of understanding that went beyond simply reviewing the words on the page. There are parts of Ayshea’s story that will feel painfully familiar to people who have lived through controlling, frightening or damaging relationships: the gradual erosion of boundaries, the instinct to keep the peace, the hope that love and patience might somehow be enough, and the painful realisation that surviving can sometimes mean having to choose yourself. What gives this memoir strength is the way Ayshea looks beyond a single relationship and reflects on the patterns that began...

THIS ATTITUDE IS EXACTLY WHAT I AM TRYING TO CHANGE. There is a very important difference between disagreeing with somebody and making personal assumptions about their disability, finances, ability to work, relationship, motives and character. An alternative opinion is not bullying. Defending yourself is not bullying either. But repeatedly presenting assumptions as “facts” without actually checking whether they are true is not constructive discussion. The original issue here was disability, benefits and the harmful assumptions disabled people are routinely subjected to. Somehow that became speculation about my partner, my income, whether I “should” be working full-time, accusations of having an “agenda”, references to racism that were completely unrelated to the discussion, and judgement about how I spend my time. That is precisely the attitude I advocate against. Disabled people do not owe strangers a breakdown of their medical history, finances, capacity for employment or personal ci...

When Benefits Become a Weapon Against Disabled People: What disabled people have to put up with online is genuinely exhausting. Today someone commented that anybody receiving benefits should remember “who’s paying for them” and be grateful, and that attitude is exactly the problem. Benefits are not charity handed out personally by random strangers. They are part of a social security system designed to support people through disability, illness, unemployment and hardship, because any one of us could need that support at some point in our lives. Receiving benefits does not mean somebody else owns you, gets to speak down to you or gets to decide how grateful you should be. It also ignores how much disabled people contribute, including through work that is completely unpaid. I spend a huge amount of time advocating, supporting communities, creating resources, raising awareness and helping people navigate difficult systems. Disabled people volunteer, care for others, run support groups, cam...

Why Pride is still needed: Pride is still needed because legal equality does not automatically mean lived equality. LGBTQ+ people can still experience bullying, harassment, discrimination, rejection from family, hate crime and hostility simply for being who they are. Trans people in particular are currently at the centre of intense public and political debate, and young LGBTQ+ people can grow up hearing that their identity is something shameful, controversial or unacceptable. Pride is therefore about more than celebration. It is about visibility, community, remembrance and the freedom to exist without fear. It remembers people who fought for rights that many now take for granted, honours those who suffered or died because of prejudice, and gives isolated people a chance to see that they are not alone. Supporting Pride also doesn't require everyone to have identical beliefs about every issue involving sex, gender, sexuality or policy. People can disagree respectfully on difficult qu...

"Should people really have to verify they're disabled by wearing a sunflower lanyard?" Me: No, but considering some people seem to think my walking stick is a fashion accessory, it doesn't hurt to remind people that they can't diagnose invisible conditions, fractures, dislocations, internal swelling, or any other medical condition with their eyes. People can be incredibly ignorant. If wearing a Sunflower Lanyard helps remind others that not every disability is visible and encourages a little more patience and respect, then that's no bad thing. Respect shouldn't have to be earned by proving you're disabled, but until society stops judging people by appearances, anything that helps challenge those assumptions has value. Sarah Wingfield ❤️  #sunflowerlanyard #dynamicdisabilities Alt text: Selfie of a woman with long pastel pink hair wearing pink-tinted glasses and making a peace sign toward the camera. She is wearing a green Sunflower Lanyard around her n...

Re: Nova Consilia Centre: I can't honestly support this start-up organisation due to a direct conflict of interest. The organisation's founder is involved in an ongoing police-reported cyberstalking and harassment matter concerning me. As saddening as this is, safeguarding always has to come first. To avoid a conflict of interest and in the interests of safeguarding, I cannot approve or promote content relating to this organisation. Thank you for your understanding. Sarah Wingfield Actor • Author • Advocate KawaiiDollDecora.uk #safeguarding #community #novaconsilia #darlington Alt text: A cropped screenshot of a Facebook post preview from the Nova Consilia Centre page, shared by CJC Barbers. The preview headline reads, "HELP US OPEN DARLINGTON'S COMMUNITY CAFÉ" in large bold text, surrounded by coffee cup and sparkle emojis. A blue "Join" button appears beside the page name at the top. UPDATE: for clarification: To those angry-reacting or laughing—which ...