Give us a Chance - Sign our Open Letter to the First Minister

The Scottish Government has announced budget cuts are coming and SBH Scotland are calling for the First Minister to protect disabled people from cuts - giving everyone a chance in life. Help us by signing our Open Letter.

SBH Scotland could be facing a 22% reduction in Scottish Government funding, but this is about much more than that. The services that we all rely on to give disabled people a chance in life could be affected. We need to show that we won’t stand for it. 

Dear First Minister,

We are urging you to make sure that disabled people are protected from future cuts.

We and our loved ones are more reliant on good quality public services to live. Many of these services are already feeling the strain and further cuts could be devastating. 

Half of all households living in poverty have at least one member with a disability. Disabled people are over twice as likely to experience loneliness compared to non-disabled people.

Charities like SBH Scotland give us a place to belong, to meet people who are going through the same things and for kids with spina bifida and hydrocephalus to have fun and just be kids. They are facing a 22% cut in funding from your government this year unless further funds are confirmed. We need the work of this charity more than ever.

We cannot let these inequalities become further entrenched. Please, protect disabled people from cuts and release funding for vital charities like SBH Scotland.

We all have so much to give our society and our economy. Give us a chance.  With your support we can be unstoppable.

Yours Sincerely,

Lawrence Cowan, CEO SBH Scotland

Elenor Leckie, Parent

Why your support matters...

Elenor Leckie, whose eleven year old daughter Gemma, has spina bifida and hydrocephalus, knows the value of the services that SBH Scotland provides firsthand.  

Elenor and her husband Stuart found out that their baby had spina bifida and hydrocephalus at the 20-week scan. They were handed a post-it note with the words ‘spina bifida’ and ‘hydrocephalus’ on it and were offered no further information and support. They felt pressured by doctors to terminate the pregnancy. 

Not knowing where to turn, they found SBH Scotland online and were able to access the support and information they needed. They have been involved with the charity ever since and have attended the baby and toddler group and the family groups over the years. Gemma currently attends SBH Scotland’s youth group. 

Elenor Leckie said: 

“I am proud to join forces with SBH Scotland for the ‘Give us a chance campaign’. Until you are living with disability, you don’t know the issues that people face. 

“When you have a disabled child, it seems as if you are fighting for everything. You are always having to fight to get something that’s easily accessible to most people. 

“Gemma can’t do a lot of activities that most children do. Even just playing out on the street with a bike and running about – Gemma can’t do that. So SBH Scotland’s groups are essential for her. 

“At SBH Scotland’s groups, other kids use wheelchairs so she’s not any different. At school and at other groups, she’s the only one that’s got a wheelchair. At SBH Scotland, most of the kids are in wheelchairs so she feels like she belongs.” 

Share this post on …