OXFORDSHIRE residents with disabilities have made a film to show changes in attitudes and the challenges ahead.

The filmmakers hope to show how attitudes have improved in their lifetime and the battles still to be fought.

They are planning to show their film Speaking Up, Speaking Out and Speaking Easy to school children and the general public.

> night.

The 40-minute film, made with £9,500 from the Heritage Lottery, shows charity members talking about their lives from school onwards.

Andy Law, 52, from Abingdon said: “When I was young we were told what to do and nobody was interested in our opinion. Things are better now but there is lots of work we still need to do.

“We are going to use this film to help make school children and the general public more aware of what it is like to have a learning disability and to remind them that we are part of the great Oxfordshire community like everyone else.”

Some recall being sent to “adult training centres” when they reached 18, where they were made to carry out menial work such as sorting screws, which did not stretch their skills.

Trustee Paul Scarrott said: “We want to show people what we can do. We don’t just sit on our bums, we want to work, we have opinions worth hearing, and we run our own projects and charity.”

Charity co-ordinator Bryan Michell said the film was about getting disabled people’s voices into the mainstream.

Mr Michell, 48, said: “Fifty or sixty years ago, no one gave a damn what they thought or their opinion on any issue.

“People were put in residential homes out of the way of normal society.

“There has been a major change, in that professionals for certain understand, respect and appreciate the opinions of people with learning disabilities.”

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He said one example of the change in attitudes was the fact a charity like My Life My Choice could exist.

But he said the number of registered disabled people in work – just six per cent – was still too low.

The film also features Oxford West and Abingdon MP Nicola Blackwood saying it is “refreshing” to have people with disabilities talk to her like any other constituent, rather than through a carer.

The charity now plans to show the film at special schools then mainstream schools later this year and will make it available online and on memory sticks.

The charity said it received “invaluable” technical support from Oxford Digital Media to help make the film.

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