Inclusive Christmas card featuring disabled people released by charity

The card depicts a Christmas scene including a wheelchair user and someone using a walking frame.

Cerebral Palsy Scotland release inclusive Christmas card featuring disabled people Website

Christmas cards featuring disabled people have been released by a charity in response to a lack of inclusive cards on the market.

The card, produced by Cerebral Palsy Scotland, depicts a Christmas scene including a wheelchair user and a person using a walking frame.

Cerebral palsy is a lifelong conditions that affects a person’s ability to control their movement, posture and balance.

One in three people with cerebral palsy are not able to walk, using wheelchairs or walking frames in order to support their mobility.

Cerebral Palsy Scotland was established in 1995 and is the only charity dedicated to supporting people living with the condition in Scotland.

The card can be purchased via the charity’s online shop: Cerebral Palsy Scotland (cerebral-palsy-scotland.myshopify.com)

Isla Campbell Lupton, head of fundraising and communications at the charity, explained the reasoning behind producing the card.

“One in 500 births results in a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. That means every year 150 babies born in Scotland will continue to live with this condition into adulthood,” she said.

“We want to ensure that the cerebral palsy community are included and represented.

“The images we see around us really influence our opinion on a whole range of things, including disability.

“It’s disappointing that there aren’t more Christmas cards featuring disabled people available on the market.

“We hope our card makes a small a small difference to raising awareness and conveys the message that people with cerebral palsy who use mobility aids are a positive part of human diversity.”

Rachel Collie, 18, has cerebral palsy and lives in South Lanarkshire.

She thanked the charity for producing the card.

“I think this is a beautiful Christmas card from Cerebral Palsy Scotland, she said.

“It’s lovely to see a Christmas card with a typical Christmas scene that subtly includes disability without it seeming forced.

“Well done to Cerebral Palsy Scotland and thank you.”

Marion Burns lives in Renfrewshire and also has cerebral palsy.

“As someone with cerebral palsy, I was really pleased to see something different on a Christmas card, a card with disabled people on it,” she said.

“Also, it was good to see people with disabilities included in the design with this card, like people using a wheelchair and a walking frame.

“I like the way these people are in the picture and they are mixed in with everyone else, giving you the feeling that everyone is the same and they are all enjoying being out in the snow.

“I think it is important for the general public to see people with cerebral palsy represented in this card and included in Christmas scenes. I like the way it is not looking like a picture with disabled people.”

She added: “In 2022, it is bad that there are not enough people on TV or in books with a disability.

“I hope in the future this issue is not a big deal and there are Christmas cards and TV programmes with people with disabilities in them much more often.”

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