Back on the street again

Tomorrow we, as a family, will take to the streets - wheelchair and all (assuming he's well enough) on my first demonstration since I marched against the Vietnam war 40 odd years ago. I don't have the time or energy for this really - being a carer takes it out of you and doesn't leave you much free time. But this is important.

• Our council is reducing the money it pays charities to help care for my son.
• It's taking care away from people with only (sic) moderate learning disabilities.
• It's closing respite centres for learning disabled children.
• It's reducing support for people with personalised budgets and domiciliary care by 20%.
• And the elderly and disabled here are being hit with more than their fair share of these cuts.

If we don't stand up now and say clearly that these cuts are hurting real people and we won't stand for it, they will see us as easy targets and cut even more. People like my son are vulnerable - they need to be cared for. Reducing his service will reduce the quality of his life. Of course we'll protect him as much as we can, but we don't have limitless funds - and care costs. We can only stay awake so long - and care takes time. One day we won't be here to protect him - someone will have to do it and it's only fair they should get paid for this.

We won't be the only wheels on the street - whether it will make a difference, we'll wait and see. I don't really want to have to do this but I have to.

If we all really are in this together, some of us have barely got wet feet and some of us are in it up to our necks - and it's the weakest who are in the deepest. This is wrong.