Matt Lester talks to ARC England about his experience of taking part in the ITV News film about being a person with a learning disability in the UK today.
Matt Lester is the Co-Chair of our Together4Change advocacy group and recently featured in a film by ITV News about what life is like as a person with a learning disability in the UK today.
“I’m supported by Dimensions and that’s funded by my local council. I recently found out my support hours are going to be cut and that means I won’t be able to do as much and live as independently as I want to.
I told Paul [Crompton, Public Relations Manager at Dimensions] about it and he arranged for me to speak to Dan Hewitt at ITV News.
I’m used to speaking up about issues that affect learning disabled people so it was easy to talk to Dan and listen to what others in the group had to say. Paul told me bright colours show up best on TV so I wore a pink polo shirt.
In the film I said I’m worried about the future, about how proper funding is needed to make sure people with a learning disability can have the right support services. I especially liked what Heidi had to say about her campaigning against the abortion law for people with Downs Syndrome.”
Matt describes receiving hundreds of messages after the ITV News film aired and is really pleased about the positive reaction to the film because it has led to increased visibility for issues such as Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders and disability rights.
One fantastic achievement to come from the film is the response from Social Care Minister Wes Streeting to say he would take action on automatic Do Not Resuscitate orders. Matt is keen to share this petition calling for an end to automatic DNR orders, and stresses that these decisions should be made with the individual’s input and consent.
Matt’s ongoing advocacy and activism work includes meetings with parliamentarians, continued involvement in Together4Change group and All Party Parliamentary Group on Adult Social Care (APPGASC) and other projects, and the aim to influence policy and funding decisions in social care.
Paul Crompton, Public Relations Manager, Dimensions
Matt first contacted me back in October to say that Southampton City Council were planning to cut some of his support hours. You’ll have seen the detail of this in the Learning Disability Today article. My immediate thought was that if this is happening to Matt, it will be happening to many other people in Southampton and across the country. His story felt emblematic of a wider crisis, not a one-off instance.
I initially approached the Southampton local newspaper, but they weren’t interested. At that point I remembered the sustained work ITV News – and Daniel Hewitt in particular – have been doing on issues affecting adults with learning disabilities and autistic people.
I contacted ITV and asked whether they might want to speak with Matt about what losing support really looks and feels like. I emphasised that Matt was willing to share his experience openly, even though it is emotional and deeply personal, because he wants central government to understand the human impact of council cuts.
Matt also wanted to stand in solidarity with thousands of others in similar situations and offer some hope by speaking up.
Once ITV expressed interest, it was simply a case of bringing ITV and Matt together. Matt was introduced to the team, invited to film in London, and took part in a wider feature alongside others across the country who draw on support.
For us at Dimensions, the motivation was straightforward – doing right by the people we support by helping amplify their voices. And Matt, already active through the All Party Parliamentary Group on Adult Social Care and with ARC’s Together4Change advocacy group, had the experience and courage to step forward.
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