Austerity's Victims - Living with a Learning Disability under Cameron and May

Welcome to the Walk a Mile in My Shoes podcast - I’m your host, Chris young, and I’ll be chatting with all kinds of folk, highlighting the experiences of people with mental health problems, many of whom feel on the edge of society, as I walk around the edge of the U.K. over the next couple of years. 

Following in the steps of a hero of mine, Satish Kumar, a Jain Monk who went on a peace march in the 1960’s, I’ll be taking no money with me.

His guru felt, if he did, he’d lack the motivation to speak with people at the end of the day, and that the only people he’d meet would be hoteliers.

I thought if this amazing man could walk from India into Pakistan - expect and receive wonderful hospitality when the two countries were at war - then I should expect nothing less from the people on this beautiful island of ours. 

So far, I’ve walked the 4 thousand or so miles anti-clockwise from Edinburgh to north wales and the people I’ve met, without exception, have been fabulous. 

Oh, I nearly forgot to mention, I have a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder - a severe and enduring mental health problem - which, although it curtails me, doesn’t define me. 

But this isn’t a story about me - this is all about those fabulous people I’ll be meeting as I go…well…since my mental wheels fell off over Christmas and New Year…I’ll be talking with some of the fabulous folk I’ve met virtually on social media and otherwise until…until I manage to put the wheels back on…

That said, it doesn’t have to be quite so selective…I’m inviting you to be part of the story - we’re told we’ve become a more divided nation in recent years - I’m here to prove that wrong.

Join me...I’d love to hear and share your story…help me on my journey, as we challenge mental health stigma, one conversation at a time. 

You can call me on 07535 035 909

Email me at [email protected] 

Or follow me on Twitter @walkamileUk

In this episode, I’ll be talking with Neil Carpenter, the author of ‘Austerity’s Victims: Living with a learning disability under Cameron and May’ available in paperback on Amazon for £6.57 or on Kindle for the princely sum of 99p 

For those of you who’d prefer not to use Amazon, you can contact Neil directly at [email protected] for a copy. Either way – please buy his book – you won’t regret it. You can also find him on Twitter @NeilCarpenter14 

On the first page of his book, he uses the quote, ‘The mark of a civilised society is how it treats it’s most vulnerable members’ and throughout the podcast you’ll hear time and again about how, as a society, we’re making a complete arse of things…

If you’re listening to this using the Anchor.fm app, then I’d be delighted if you’d leave an audio message I can play in the next episode. I’d really love to hear your thoughts on what Neil has to say.