Time-travelling through Manchester’s pioneering disability movement

Comic book The Accessibles gives young people a history lesson in Manchester’s forward-thinking accessibility agenda

The UK is a global leader in disability rights. Improvements in accessibility, including to historic venues, has often been the result of local campaigns. Connecting with young audiences through a comic, the Taking Action Group records and interprets the heritage of the disability movement itself.

Taking Action is a campaigning, discussion and training group for disabled people in Greater Manchester who are aged 18 to 30. It is part of the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, an organisation for disabled people in Greater Manchester that is run, staffed and governed by disabled people. The Accessibles is a comic written and produced by the Taking Action group, working with local artist Jim Meadway, which tells the story of two time-travelling young disabled people who journey through the past to explore the history of the disabled movement in Greater Manchester.

“Manchester is well-known as a forward-thinking city in industry, science and culture. That pioneering spirit in terms of its disabled movement is less well known. The 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games were the first international games which included disabled athletes as full members of their national teams. Thanks to campaigns led by the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, Manchester Town Hall and all the city’s buses, trains, trams and cabs are all fully accessible.”

Josh Coy, Taking Action member

“We made The Accessibles to raise awareness of the disabled movement in Greater Manchester and as an educational tool that would appeal to everyone, not just disabled people. We are very proud of what we have achieved, and I have just started a new job which I was offered through the project. We are planning a second title in the series, but we’re keeping the theme secret for now. Watch this space.”

Dan Lawless, Taking Action member