www.creaturediscomforts.org

www.creaturediscomforts.org

www.creaturediscomforts.org

www.creaturediscomforts.org

Spud is voiced by John Marrows John lives in Chesterfield with his wife, and has two daughters and four grandchildren. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986 and now needs to use a wheelchair to get around. John enjoys the theatre, but sometimes finds the smallest things a bit of a performance. "With the lack of disabled toilets, I've been in more ladies toilets than anywhere else. When you're stuck without a disabled toilet, it's the next best option really". John is very determined to get things done in life: "I never believe people who say you can't do this because you're disabled. I always think that no matter who you are you've got something in you so you can do something".

Slim is voiced by Irving Mellor. Irving lives on the Isle of Man where, until eight years ago, he worked in the hotel industry. It was then that back problems, caused by heavy lifting, forced Irving to give up his beloved job and become registered disabled. Not that Irving likes the term: "People should be able to carry on their lives, regardless of whether they are disabled or not," he says. "Irving walks with a stick, and has to avoid hills and long walks. He relies on the local bus to take him into the island's capital, Douglas. "The majority of local bus drivers are accommodating; they make sure that the ramps are down before I get on". "I don't encounter as many access difficulties as people in wheelchairs," he continues. "I've noticed that there are a lot of shops and pubs without enough space to move wheelchairs around".

Brian is voiced by Kevin Gillespie. Kevin, who has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, often finds going out a problem. "We went to have a look at a pub that we were considering visiting on a group day out which calls itself disabled friendly, but when we got there we found there was gravel outside which made it difficult to move our wheelchairs around, an extremely sharp right turn to get into the entrance, and then a step to get to the bar! That's not what I'd call disabled friendly." "It's things like this that make you feel excluded as there are certain places I'd like to go to but can't because of access problems". These barriers, however, don't stop Kevin getting out and about locally. "It's really important for me to actually live in, and feel part of the community. I must admit, I have lived here for five years and I cannot recall anyone looking at me as if to say 'What planet has he come from?' Everyone has looked at me as they do able bodied people and forgotten about the chair"

Initial animation of a new Creeature Discomforts advert called "Christopher the Chameleon". The advert talks of a schoolboy being bullied because of his disability.