Mr. Owen Collumb:

Having an acquired disability and being physically disabled has made my life very different. The big difference with having a disability is constantly asking for our rights, campaigning and so on. It is tiring to have to go back and take steps forward. Moving from institutionalisation to living in my own house and having to manage a personal assistant service is not something I want to do. I do not want more hours than I need. I like time to myself as well.

It is the pure exhaustion of asking for simple human rights that tires out people with disabilities. It is not the disabilities themselves per se. When we get on with trying to live an ordinary life, it is hugely tiring. We can lose our service if we do not meet the right requirements. Everything we do, including the basic things in life, are quite tiring for people with disabilities. We have to deal with simple things like accessing transport, planning our day out before we get out of bed, planning our trip or event and where to go for education in terms of whether it will be accessible. That is the main overview of the situation. We have to do it. We do not give in, but is hugely tiring for an individual on top of trying to live an ordinary life.