Flyer: Children In Need protest – 1993
About
This leaflet was given out on Friday 28 November 1993, when members of GMCDP and UNISON's Disabled Members Group disrupted a live BBC outside broadcast in Albert Square, Manchester. It was objecting to ‘Children In Need’ and their negative portrayal of disabled people.
Catalogue: GB124.G.GMCDP/4/28.
Description
This flyer is portrait oriented on white A5 paper. There are images or words on both sides in black print, with a thin black border.
Most of the front is taken up with a line drawing of Pudsey Bear holding a placard saying ‘Rights Not Charity’.
At the top in block capitals it reads “Children In Need (...Of What?)”.
At the bottom in block capitals it reads “It Doesn't Help and It Doesn't Change the Way Disabled People are Treated”.
The back of the leaflet reads:
When you go home tonight and turn on the television you will be watching Children in Need and thinking how good it is to help the needy?
You might be surprised to learn that 1000's of disabled people up and down the country will not be watching but will be there in person, demonstrating their anger at this spectacle of pity and humiliation.
As disabled people we are sick and tired of the way we are portrayed by such charity events which claim to work on our behalf but neither represent, consult or benefit us.
As disabled people. including disabled children, what we need are Rights Not Charity ...
The right to use public transport. The right to gain employment. The right to get into public buildings. The right to the housing we want. In fact, the complete right to be treated as an equal member of society - not an object of pity!
Description note: in this flyer the words Rights Not Charity and the word right are in block capitals.
Events like Children in Need ignore these issues, in favour of quick publicity, tokenistic gestures and the career advancement of nagging celebrities (who just happen to be in panto at a theatre near you soon).
When you go home tonight do not pledge money but ring the BBC
(0161 200 2020) and express your solidarity with the disabled people's movement and put an end to such events.