Edward Stanton is one of our tenants living in Blackwood accommodation at Argyll Street in Glasgow. Edward was born with cerebral palsy, and over the years his ability to live independently has become more and more of a challenge. But Edward loves a challenge. Throughout his life Edward has shared his experiences and frustrations as a wheelchair user with others in similar situations in order to help them, and ultimately change the way society views and provides services for people like himself.

While growing up in Govan Edward was very much dependent on his family for help and support. His first chair was made of wood and wicker and only had 3 wheels. It did not work well. His Mum would just have to carry him to the doctor and on and off the bus. It is evident that as a child Edward was acutely aware of his disability and the amount of care and attention he received from his Granny and Mum. One of his earliest memories is of his Mum going to the “steamie” a lot; “I always remember this. I suppose a lot of the washing was mine. I was always needing my clothes changed”. Edward’s recollection of his Uncle and Grandad giving him toys and making him laugh is also indicative of how important his family was to him.

Edward did not attend school, and at the age of 13 he was taken away to Caldwell House in Uplawmoor where he remained deprived of any education. The family doctor told them “Edward was an imbecile and should be put away”. Edward remembers how “the staff were kind but the meals were terrible” and “our daily routine was so boring”. When Edward was allowed to sit in the garden he would “get a stick and dig a hole in the ground. I was always keen to do some gardening but this was the only way I could try it” he says. This along with trying to move around without his wheelchair by “shuffling and rolling” across the grass helped Edward “to cope with the boredom”. His Mum could visit every Saturday and he would seek permission from the doctor to visit home twice a year - by public transport. “Mum used to wheel me to the bus then she would carry me on. My chair had to be folded up and lifted in after me”, then they had to take a taxi from the bus stop to their 3^rd floor flat. “We lived most of the time in the room as my wheelchair could not get into the kitchen it was so small. If I wanted to get around the house one of the family would put me on my back so I could slide about using my feet”. On two occasions Edward’s Mum ended up in plaster with a slipped disc after carrying Edward up and down the stairs. It is amazing to realise how drastically technology has developed and disability awareness improved over the last 50 years, especially regarding the need for accessible housing and personal care services. Edward describes how “I once went to a home in Perth to try it but I did not like it. There was no one for me to talk to. I suppose there was not the same amount of provision for people like me in those days.”

Around the age of 17 Edward was transferred to Lennox Castle: “the ambulance arrived one day and I wondered what was going on. In those days no one really came along and explained things as they do today”. Edward was then using a canvas wheelchair with a big handle on the back to manoeuvre it, and he received physiotherapy in hospital which helped to relax his muscles. This period of his life certainly had its ups and downs. His younger sister died on her 21^st birthday after taking an overdose, and the following year his father died of a heart attack. But around this time Edward was also allowed to go home “for good”; he recalls feeling “free” when he was told the news, and for the first time he travelled in the back of a van belonging to a friend which proved far more accessible and comfortable than the bus. Edward shared the house at Eastwood with his Mum and older sister for over 20 years. When his Mum died, Edward took over the tenancy and lived on his own for a while. A home help came in 3 times a week and he says “the rest of the time I managed on my own”.

It was a social worker called John Leinster who introduced Edward to the Hillington Resource Centre. He could not believe Edward had not had any formal education so he encouraged Edward to give it a go. “It was a normal bus which came for me every morning. I used to crawl up the steps. I left my own chair at home and got the use of one from the centre”. There Edward learnt how to melt plastic off copper, attach clips to blinds, make stools, print wedding stationary and check bottle tops. There were no canteen facilities so food had to be collected by van from a residential home in Paisley. However, in 1986 the Centre moved into new premises at Queen Elizabeth Avenue which were very spacious and therefore the Centre could accommodate more workers. Through the Centre Edward could finally access college and learn about social education, literacy, computing, cookery, safety in the home, community support services and leisure activities. Edward’s sister Cathy said her strongest impression of Edward is “the way he tries to learn. He has a great thirst for knowledge. It is as though he is trying to make up for all the years when he got no education”. Perhaps this also explains his determination to implement change in the community. Having experienced a considerable lack of service provision in his lifetime, Edward wants to make sure life is made easier and fuller for wheelchair users and people with learning disabilities in the future.

It was a big step for Edward moving from his own flat in Eastwood into Blackwood housing. “It was difficult to start afresh again and it took me a while to settle in and meet people”. But although he missed his old neighbourhood, he is very happy with his new flat now: “I have it just the way I want it”. Cathy said if their Mum was still alive she would have been so proud of Edward. “She would find it difficult to believe that he has a place of his own and leads an independent life”. Edward has now been involved in Blackwood for 25 years, and prior to living in his present 4^th floor flat, he lived across the road in a downstairs flat with a garden. Up until 10 years ago Edward could still look after himself in many ways, but now he needs constant assistance, and 2 years ago he brought in Blackwood Care to support him 2 days a week when his personal assistants cannot be funded to work. Before various cut-backs were introduced, there used to be 3 wardens living within the building, but now there is no night-time service, which is a concern for Edward and his fellow residents. 

Across the road where Edward used to live, a ramp which ran all the way around the outside of the building and led to the car park could be accessed from every floor. At this time no one had a battery powered chair, so the ramp was installed as a fire safety precaution. In Edward’s new flat there is a very effective sprinkler system which has saved one man downstairs from a fire that started in his room. Residents were reassured that the building has been well designed as the fire thankfully did not spread elsewhere. Edward feels his flat at Argyll Street is far more spacious and accommodating than anywhere he has lived previously - the doorframes are wider and he now has a hoist in his bedroom which he did not have across the road. The Possum intercom system Edward has installed also allows him to live independently. He can control the TV, telephone and front door with the various controls that have been fitted within reach around his flat. However, if Edward is by himself and someone rings the buzzer, the screen keeps cutting out when he answers it - so he cannot hear or see who it is. This is a worrying safety issue which is in the process of being resolved.

Edward compares his life story to that of Christy Brown, an Irishman with cerebral palsy who could only control his left foot – as dramatised in the film My Left Foot. Edward is also making his way in the world of showbiz; not only was he an extra in the 2004 film Inside I’m Dancing which is about two disabled friends living in a residential home – one of whom has cerebral palsy, but Edward has also become quite the local celebrity as a result of his relentless efforts to improve accessibility in and around Anderston, and from his flat into town.

Click here to watch the video Edward made to highlight the disgraceful condition of pavements in his area.  His campaign was a success, as a wheelchair route was soon put in place.

Edward has also made a very powerful DVD which portrays a terrible experience he once had in hospital. It is a “mash-up” of roll-play and interviews which raises awareness of the poor training nurses can receive, and therefore the poor care patients can receive. The DVD is now used in hospitals for training purposes. You can watch the DVD by clicking here.

When asked what improvements could be made to his sense of independence and quality of life on a daily basis, Edward emphasises the public’s lack of awareness and understanding. “People do not look where they are going when they are walking down the street, especially when they are talking on a mobile phone”. On more than one occasion someone has walked into Edward, given him verbal abuse for “being in their way”, and damaged his wheelchair.

Edward has done outstanding community work in the field of social inclusion as well, and he has become a role model for many young people who have disabilities. He is Chairman of People First – an advocacy group which aims to help people who are coming out of day centres to move into supported accommodation. A lot of day centres are closing down, and when this happens, people will no longer have access to these services, and their families will get no respite. This is a widespread problem in Glasgow so Edward wants to get involved with initiatives that help people seek further support and take a step in the right direction with confidence and ease.

Edward has had and continues to have a very full life; he spends a lot of time on holiday in Tenerife and he is a huge football fan so he is attending a Celtic convention in Donegal next year. At the end of November Edward is attending an Award Ceremony where he will receive the NHS Chairman’s Award for all his contributions towards helping patients with learning disabilities in hospital.

Just as we will be featuring more of Marion’s poetry on Bespoken over the next few weeks, Edward is currently making a start on up-dating his autobiography and he will be sharing the latest events and forgotten episodes of his life with us in several instalments over the coming months. 

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