Chief Executive, Lucy Vallis, reflects on recent events

After the weekend, and with the constant stream of press and social media stories, some of you may be feeling a bit weighed down by the tone of public debate. More and more, it feels like people are being pushed to turn on one another at exactly the time when working together is the only way we’ll get through big challenges we face.

As a third-generation immigrant, I know from my own family’s stories how quickly blame can be turned on minority groups, and we can see echoes of that now. When refugees, disabled people, women, LGBTQ+ communities, or people of colour are singled out, it feeds division and resentment. History shows us where this kind of blame game leads. We also know that the real pressure on our services and communities comes from something else entirely. We are often asked to look the other way, but in reality it’s years of underinvestment and widening wealth inequality. While the richest grow richer, ordinary folk are being squeezed.

As an organisation, we are clear where we stand. Our mission is, and always will be, to provide much-needed services for disabled people, to stand beside them, and to raise our voice with them to ensure their rights are defended and protected. But those rights do not exist in a vacuum. That’s why we also stand proudly against every other form of discrimination.

We are proud of the diversity within our staff and volunteers, who reflect the communities we serve. Hate or abuse directed towards them will never be tolerated. At Possability People, we are intersectional, inclusive, and positive about difference – because society is stronger when everyone is respected and supported to thrive.

Lucy Vallis

Chief Executive