A New Chapter Begins Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for me. After drinking two bottles of champagne on Saturday night (and carrying on into Sunday), I’ve made the decision to start my sobriety journey. Right now, it’s the early hours of Monday 28th April. I couldn’t

Day 2 – One Day at a Time After declaring last Monday that I was starting a journey to live clean (I’ve never liked the word sobriety — I prefer clean), I explained why in my first post. All day Monday, I felt a lot of anxiety and low mood building inside me. I think the

Real Talk: Still Early Days – Still Learning Last Friday, a friend invited me over for a BBQ. That in itself felt good — being thought of, included. I’ve realised how important it is to enjoy fresh air, daylight, and quality time with people, especially as the evenings are

New Logo. Freelance Journey. Same Mission. I'm proud to launch my new Jamesdeafblind logo — bold, clear, and moving forward with purpose. And with it, I'm stepping fully into freelance work. _______________________ Jamesdeafblind Talks | Advocacy | Signposting | IAG |

3 months. 3 sessions a week. Staying consistent and pushing myself every time. Filmed some of my workouts—feeling stronger, more focused, and proud of how far I’ve come. #gym #croydon #deafblind MyPT The Gym

09/2023 (Brighton Lanes) vs 05/2025 (Olympic Park changing room after 5K run) For two years, I hated how I looked. I was stuck in depression, overwhelmed, and honestly felt like I had no control over my body or my mind. The photo on the left? That was me at Brighton Lanes — low

Freelance Debut in Peterborough – Talk No. 38 What a powerful and emotional day. I delivered my first in-person Deafblind Awareness talk in 6 years to a group of 12 amazing students (Deaf and hearing) at ARU Peterborough — part of a special 3-day event organised by Cambridgeshire Deaf

2️⃣ - Must Deaf People Pay for BSL Interpreter’s Food and Drink? youtu.be/BGM_w794kWo #BSL #DeafCommunity #DeafAwareness #AccessMatters #InclusionMatters #DirectPayments #InterpreterRights #DeafVoices #DisabilityRights #DeafUK #SignLanguage #EqualityForDeaf #DeafCulture

Feeling really upset and exhausted today. It’s 17th June — the day I’m supposed to get my Universal Credit payment — but still no statement. No money in. Nothing. I informed them a whole month ago on 18th May that I had started self-employment as a Deafblind Consultant and

Hi HMRC Customer Support I’m Deafblind and urgently need help. I cannot log in to my HMRC account because your system says I have two Government Gateway numbers. One of them is linked to an old mobile number, so I’m completely locked out. I’ve tried everything — over 20 attempts using

8️⃣ - HM Revenue & Customs HMRC Customer Support — This has gone too far. Before anyone suggests it: yes, I’m fully aware of the HMRC app. But the problem is not the app. I cannot access my personal tax account with my current Government Gateway ID because the system says I have another ID. It

1. My brain is sharp. It’s alive. It’s ready. But my eyes… they hold me back. They blur, they dim, they fade. It’s like my mind is racing forward, but my vision keeps dragging me down. Balancing both is exhausting — mentally, emotionally, physically. I’m tired of fighting a

2. I’ve lived with Usher Syndrome all my life. But my vision hasn’t stayed the same. It wasn’t the same when I was 10. It changed again at 20. It wasn’t the same at 30. Changed again at 40. And now at 45… it’s changed again. That’s the reality of living with progressive sight

3. I’ve had yearly check-ups at Moorfields Eye Hospital for almost 20 years. Every time I heard the same words: "Nothing’s changed. Nothing we can do. See you next year." Then, at 45 — just two years ago — the consultant told me: "After 45, be prepared for the worst." But by

4. Everyone — please stop comparing me to other Deafblind or Usher people. We are not all the same. Our vision, our hearing, our minds — they’re all so varied. Just like in the Deaf community: Someone can be totally Deaf with a fire in their mind… While someone else might be

6. Anyone out there who’s LGBTQIA+ and also Deafblind or has Usher Syndrome? Just wondering if I’m the only one… or if there are others like me. Would be nice to connect. 🌈👋 #deafblind #ushersyndrome #retinitispigmentosa #LGBTQIAStayPride

#NewProfilePic

After years of battling poor treatment, I’ve now agreed a legal settlement with the DWP. This wasn’t about money — it was about justice. In March 2024, the DWP failed to provide a registered, qualified BSL interpreter at my Work Coach interview. That was a clear breach of my

❗What happened to me yesterday in #Croydon❗ As a deaf and partially sighted passenger, I was refused a safe drop-off by an Uber driver outside Croydon Library. Instead of respecting my rights, the driver later made false claims against me — and Uber even warned my account

Here’s my 39th talk, this time at Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey Coffee Morning in Redhill. It was such a special experience, full of memories and emotions. The most moving moment for me was sharing the video of my 100th run nearly 9 years ago – a reminder of how far I’ve come and what