In today’s blog post, I will tell you a story. My own story about the 2016 freedom pass fiasco in Barnet. I feel that I have found a right time to tell my story to you my readers.
Three weeks ago on Tuesday 17th March 2021 marked 5 years since I first discovered a problem on my disabled freedom pass when I aboard a bus & then next day, it continued to persists. That’s when I found out the reason that my card was illegally stopped by Capita & Barnet council without genuine & proper reason.
That’s when I explained all to Roger (my friend) & that’s when it did came to light with my story, Jenny’s story & others. With the efforts of two Barnet Bloggers Roger Tichborne (Barnet Eye blogger) & Theresa Musgrove (Broken Barnet Blogger) by doing a investigative blogging, it led to the restoration of freedom passes in Barnet. 5 years on, I remember what it was yesterday.
I had some low moments in my life including my freedom pass stopped. So for that I want to thank both Roger & Theresa for that. Including nominating me an award of the Barnet Eye person of the year 2016 which I had received few months later when I collected at the Mill Hill Music Complex (Roger’s studio), It really meant a lot to me.
Without both of excellent Barnet bloggers, I would had use Oyster card or using my bank card to pay fares for public transport on bus & tube train. I am always grateful for what they have done after me telling Roger my story & that how he did published it on his blog which has stayed with me to this day.
Now 5 years later, I got my own blog. Anything happens to me, I’ll explain on my own blog (without having to give my personal details of course for safety & confidential reasons). 🙂
I even done a guest blog when I accepted the award in December 2016 & then finally received it in April 2017.
In case if you have not been aware of my story & the 2016 Freedom Pass fiasco in Barnet (London Borough of Barnet), you can read up two amazing Barnet Blogs the links that I left in the following paragraph below. Not only it gained much of attention in Barnet, it also gained much of attention across London.
I gathered many information & sources here below in the following paragraph.
wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk
It was my honour for me to tell the story on the Barnet Eye blog. Theresa and Roger inspired me as an blogger because now with my blog, I can do anything to express what I feel.
I mentioned my diagnosis (autism = high functioning & learning difficulty = mild) whilst explaining everything to Roger. I don’t normally talk about anything personal so for the sake of it, I will not give out my personal details (since I am very careful person) other than the fact I felt at the time that I didn’t even wanted to mention it (my diagnosis cos I felt it’s personal) which in the end, I had no choice but toto do so (Which I done so consciously) in order to eventually have free bus pass (freedom pass) restored by adding pressure on Barnet council (Conservative owned local authority).
When I tell my story of how selfish & cruel was Capita (private outsourcing firm) & Barnet Council to Roger, it was first being done anonymously (& remained anonymous until sometime in December 2016). Given I didn’t wanted anything of publicity & exposure (not that I want fame or anything like that. Other than just telling my story, that’s all).
Nowadays I am not afraid to say anything what is on my mind. After all, knowledge is power. I even had an interview with Roger in 2018 before the local council election in Barnet.
Finally, given few weeks ago I wrote a blog post about how messed up is the welfare system & that it really people with disabilities who genuinely claim benefits & being treated unfairly as those who doesn’t have disabilities.
This really proves the system in the UK in general is not inclusive. UN panel criticises UK failure to uphold disabled people\"s rights | Disability | The Guardian No wonder the report from UN proves that the system have totally failed disabled people in all levels from welfare to education. All because of austerity policies by the government. disabled people shouldn’t had to being victimised of discrimination & austerity policies including unnecessary benefit sanctions & fit to work test & anything that affects the disabled poorly. google.co.uk
It seems people with disabilities (& those with special needs) have really been deprived in our society in the UK awfully. As someone who has disabled brother who is non verbal, I would rather live in the society that is inclusive without ableism (or disablism) & I am sorry to say this but it is factual that the UK is a disablist country. When the cancellation of freedom pass happened in Barnet, it was nothing but an ableist.
I do not want to live in the country where the system can treat people with different kind of disability awfully. No wonder 11 years of austerity measures under the Tory government have really shown this.
I hope and pray that such event should never happen ever again in Barnet or any London Borough regarding disabled freedom pass.
So that is all I can say about my own story of the 2016 freedom pass fiasco in Barnet.
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