Dear Diary,
it’s Wednesday, and I’m so pleased to bring you part two of my series with Matt Stabb. After last week’s review, I wanted to dive deeper into his journey. We sat down to talk about everything from 1980s train travel to the 'brick walls' we face when advocating for ourselves."
On Grit
Q: What was the "brick wall" that felt hardest to climb?
Matt: For me, the hardest bit was to prove to myself that I could achieve what I needed to. And back in the day when I did the Duke of Edinburgh, I felt that I to prove myself to people who were running the DoE, and that's why in my book the person who was giving out the awards said I had "stickability". So I proved that I could achieve my goal. I had faith in myself.
On Accessibility
Q: What is the one piece of modern accessibility... that would have changed your life?
Matt: On the trains themselves, it would be the ramps that we use today. And there is now assistance that you can book ahead, combined with train travel the disabled space in the carriages themselves, rather than in the guard's van! On wider issues, the Motability scheme (cars leased and adapted for use by powered wheelchair users) provides much wider transport access.
On Education
Q: Do you think living away from home for school helped or hindered your independence?
Matt: I feel living away from home did help my independence, especially when I left boarding school and went to Hereward College in Coventry. The transition to college taught me to sit on my own wheels. This was the beginning of making me who I am today. So yes, it did help me, but everyone is different and has different experiences.
On Family & Separation
Q: How did physical distance impact your relationship with siblings?
Matt: Looking back, I was always close to my brother and my sister. And I often think I wish that I been around more for my little sister when she was growing up. Obviously, I missed them when I was at school and college. But you sort of got used to it, and I didn't really think too much about it. It is what it is.
On Community
Q: Why is it important to understand that the "disabled community" isn't a monolith?
Matt: We can empathise with each other, but it doesn't mean we are the same. Even with CP, as you have pointed out, our experiences and journey are and will continue to be very different. But we still face the same barriers and attitudes, so as long as we have each other's backs, to me, that's all that is important.
On "Keeping On"
Q: What’s the one thing you’d tell your younger self?
Matt: You can achieve what you want to achieve; just keep being you and don't give up. Keep on keeping on!
❤
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