Chapter 3 - continued

Two other early members of BDRG were Alun Davies and Carl Freeman. Here Carl, who was working for RNIB at the time, describes how he first met Alun and became involved in BDRG following the highly unusual catalyst of a bar room brawl in a Birmingham pub:

“The first I became aware of Birmingham Disability Rights Group was when I attended a one-day disability awareness course on the Birmingham University Campus in the 1980s. It was facilitated by Bob Findlay.

“I was struck by his approach and I guess the session helped to move on my thinking – giving an equality and human rights dimension to disability and to my own disability awareness. I passed on my address to Bob so he could send me more information on the work of BDRG, but I assumed he lost it as I didn't hear anything.

“Some months later I was standing at the bar of the Kings Arms at the top of Harborne High Street. It was relatively early on a Saturday night, but it was quite busy in there. I had noticed a blind guy at the other end of the bar talking to the barman – pint in one hand and folded long cane in the other.

“Suddenly the most almighty fight began between what I assumed to be two gangs – but other drinkers seemed to be joining in with enthusiasm. Fists, glasses and chairs began to fly.

“At this point an exit seemed appropriate. I have never been clear in my own mind as to whether my offer of help to the blind guy was an altruistic act, or whether I felt my chances of self-preservation would be enhanced if I had a blind bloke on my arm (assuming that no one would hit me)!

“Whatever the motivation I found myself performing sighted guide ‘under fire’. It is, perhaps, worth noting that we were both clutching our respective beers as we sought refuge at the top of the stairs that led to the pub's function room.

“This was also the first and only occasion when I have ‘audio described’ a punch-up as the fight spilled out from the bar, into the foyer, past the foot of the stairs and then out on to the street. Introductions did not occur until after the last of the combatants had left the premises and the manager and staff had begun the clean-up operation.

“And so that is how I first met Alun Davies. On discovering his involvement with BDRG, my growing interest in disability rights once again had direction and momentum. This time my contact details made it to the BDRG office and I received an invitation to the first of many committee meetings.

“Now that we have Google and other search engines it is relatively easy to track down ‘shadowy groups’, to read all about their activities online and use the ‘contact us’ link to do just that. But back in the 1980s it was much harder.

“You may have half a name or a rough idea of what an organisation is called, but how do you track them down if that's all you have – no address or phone number and the internet and email yet to become part of everyday life?

“I suspect that many of those who were actively involved in the brawl at the Kings Arms that night ended up with cuts and bruises and a sore head (not to mention a ban from entering that particular pub again).

“The outcome for me was much more positive. I got myself education and the chance to participate in a very different sort of fight. The fight for equality and civil rights for disabled people.“

Alun Davies now chairs the Disability Committee of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Carl Freeman is Health and Social Care Policy Manager with The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

Katherine Walsh joined the fight for equality and civil rights in a slightly different, though no less memorable way, following what she describes as “an exciting and mind blowing day conference” at Tilton Road Day Centre in Small Heath:

“There were quite a lot of people there. Certainly Alun Davies was there as well and Bob Findlay and Geraldine Egan, who did quite a lot of work for the Rights Group. She worked for NUPE at the time and was very supportive.

“Geraldine was instrumental in providing a lot of the kind of procedures that were necessary to form a group because of her union experience. It was quite a different group, it didn’t structure itself in the same way as other groups and it was quite radical really.

“It was interesting to move on from physical access. It is not really about physical access at all – it is about the way society treats you. That is just a by-line. Anybody can do access, but as a disabled person only you know how you feel about the way you have been treated and even ostracised.”