Dutch Imperfect

I met up with my friend Deb yesterday who came over from Holland to come to the RADAR awards party with me last night. I was nominated for 'Young Disabled Person of the Year' which I didn't win unfortunately, but we had an amazing evening! I met Frank Gardener who was host for the evening, as well as so many more wonderful people. Deb was one of the B.M.T.M girls and we have been friends ever since we met on the series so it was great to celebrate the evening with her. (Second on the left, in between Kelly Knox and I)She is an incredibly inspiring person to say the least, loosing her arm in a bus accident a few years ago but never letting anything or anybody get in her way!
Deb is going to help spread the word, and I'm so excited to announce that as of next year there will be a Dutch IMPERFECT!
Like IMPERFECT over here it'll have a lot of work to do, but we are both so excited about the future and I'm so pleased that Deb is involved! Little rock star that she is!

It is so encouraging that the IMPERFECT message is going to be spread to another country. Having spent the evening surrounded by such a strong and empowered disabled community, I recognise the need for continued determination from those individuals who are ardent for a change in disability perceptions.


What IMPERFECT wants to achieve is not a pipe dream, but instead a vision that with enough perseverance will come true. I met people last night who have made their own visions materialise though hard work and genuine intentions and I believe that we will get there in the end, and that IMPERFECT will make a difference, and be a small ingredient in the mix that will see disabled peoples lives bettered.

Love Soph x

VOLUNTEER WORK??

Do you have any spare time (8 hours or more a week on a regular basis)?

Would you like to be a part of something significant and help support those who are in desperate need?

In return for your time you will learn new skills, gain experience, meet new people, and help us to support suffering and discrimination.

The campaign is launching a helpline, which will provide emotional support for those who feel ostracized or discriminated against; we hope to inspire and support disabled people to stand up against intolerance, stir confidence and self-empowerment as well as give comfort and support.

IMPERFECT will provide all our volunteers with induction training, continual support and travel expenses to the office in Wimbledon. This position will give you great satisfaction in being able to help someone who really needs it and give you an excellent insight into disability issues.


REQUIREMENTS
• Disabled and able-bodied volunteers who have an empathetic understanding of all disabilities.

• Reliable and committed as well as patient, considerate and effective listeners.Speak English.

• Ability to commit to a minimum of 6 month and to attend trainings

• Live in London and able to travel to Wimbledon office. Opportunities to work from home also.


please send CV to smorgan@imperfect.uk.com

please forward to anyone you know who may be interested..
thanks so much!
Sophie xxx

IMPERFECT CAMPAIGN

Horizons 'Fix Me' @ 9pm Tuesday 27th

Now i know that this isn't IMPERFECT related but i just wanted to say that on tuesday night there is a show called, 'Fix Me' which is about the various treatments going on around the world and if you are an amputee, have a spinal chord injury or have congenital heart problem then I think you may be really interested in the content.

I don't want to give to much away but the show follows three different journeys to different countries to see what the world is offering in ways of treatment either now or in the future.

While the show does seem to show that my particular journey in life seems to be to find a cure, this isn't exactly the case, i live a very happy and fulfilled life, and my real incentive with the adventure i partook in was actually to find out what was going on out there! For someone like me, who had an accident and wasn't born disabled, i think i'll often compare my two realities and wander if i will ever return to the way i was born..I also wanted to know if going overseas to find treatment was an option and i learnt all bout this and as a result i was able to make a far more informed decision, and i hope, that if you are wandering about this yourself or know someone who is, that the show helps you make your own mind up. I also hope that it gives anyone that is waiting and wanting a bit of hope! You'll see what i mean!!

I will be online after the show on the BBC Ouch! forums which is a great chance to answer any questions and I hope if you have time to see it, you enjoy it!!

As for IMPERFECT news things are zooming along, sorry that things have been quite but we busy getting things sorted! I'll be back this week with some more updates,
Love Soph x

Photoshoot

As i said in the previous post last week we had a brilliant photo shoot. Britain's Missing Top Model Kelly Knox modeled (pictured above center) the beautiful IMPERFECT t-shirt dresses collection that was designed by Joe McCombe (above left) and Ross Fortsythe (above right). The boys were phenomenal, not only creating the clothes but styling the shoot too!
We had Sam Fisher www.SAMFISHER.tv as photographer and as i've said in the previous post, i cant thank him enough!

It was a brilliant collaboration of different talents and in the end we got some amazing images. The theme of the shoot was to have fun with the clothes, nothing too serious or conceited like most photo shoots can be, but instead I wanted the images to reflect just what IMPERFECT believes in, that no one is perfect or imperfect! We are all inclusive! I decided to bring in a professional model without a disability also, as this campaign doesn't want to segregate disabled people. Instead we want to call an end to inequality, to unite in support of each other.
Heather (below second from left) was fabulous and her and Kelly really showed off the garments perfectly!!or imperfectly!!
The final images are up on the website
http://www.imperfect.uk.com/t_shirts.htm
as well as some new inspiring stories
http://www.imperfect.uk.com/ImperfectPeople.htm

xxxx

IMperfecting

So things are coming along nicely at IMperfect. The t-shirts are here and are selling away, there has been a strike - thank you very much royal mail! - so things have been moving slowly, but we're getting there. It was great that we could offer a special 10% discount on all future items of clothing though so the hold up was worth it - i hope! I'm looking forward to pictures of supporters in the t-shirts too, so as soon as they arrive please email them in to smorgan@imperfect.uk.com!

We had a brilliant shoot with Kelly Knox, winner of Britain's missing top model on the weekend also. She was modeling some clothes that have been made out of the IMperfect t-shirts, just for fun and for the website, and we hope we will get the chance to auction some of the beautiful dresses soon too!! The designers/stylists/super genius guys Ross and Joe who made the garments have done the most incredible job, and as soon as the pictures are ready they will be up for you all to admire!!!The photographer Sam was also amazing as always, offering his invaluable services for free to help the cause was amazingly kind, and i just want to thank him, again, for being so great to us - including bumping me up and down the stairs to the inaccessible studio!!

The next step is the biggest and i really can't wait! The ball has started rolling though thanks to the money coming in...the phone line will be set up soon!!!..Its going to take a lot of work and time, and money, but in the end we will get there i'm sure. It will be an emotional support line, that offers support (obviously!!) and an ear for anyone who has suffered discrimination....we aren't going to be offering legal advice, or information as there are lots of helplines out there for that, although we will offer info on where to go if you need that, but really it is simply a place for anyone of any age and any disability to call and have someone to talk to, vent to, cry to or even yell to!! I want to employ disabled councilors as well as non disabled of course to guarantee the best support,and will hopefully one day be in a position to call out for your voluntary services to help man the phones..but that's a way away just now - not long though!!!woohoo!!!

The clothing label is underway also, which is really exciting, and will of course generate the funds needed for the support line, while also spreading the message that we at IMperfect believe in - that we are all unique and beautiful an have the same rights as everyone else!! The clothes will be fun and equally unique, playing with traditional styles and designs as well as manipulating proportion and perception. Some items will be one size fits all, some will be for small, some for tall, some for skinny, some for fat, some for amputee, some for wheelchair people, some for men and some for women but all will be for the IMPERFECT!!!yey!!!

I have also started collecting inspirational stories of people who have stood up against discrimination and fought back. You can see this in the section called, "IMperfect People" on the website. I want to show this to inspire people who have felt that they aren't able to live with the same rights as the next person, to show them what can be done in the face of injustice. But also to simply show that you are not alone, that people continue to suffer, and that things are being done to help establish a change..I also think its important to relay these stories so that people can see how hard things can sometimes be as a disabled person, but that we are not victims in anyway, we are strong and empowered and can take on the world - if we want, need or have to!!so watch out!! hehe!
IMperfect people are examples of disabled people who have implemented big changes in some examples, the incredible Susan Archibald for one, but also live amazing lives, dedicated to altruism, despite the hardships that life has dealt them and if this isn't inspirational well i don't know what is!

It is great to be a part of something that celebrates equality and i hope you are as excited about the future as I am.
Lots of love
Sophie

TEEEE SHIRTTTTTTSSSS

T-Shirts are finally here!!! yeyeyeyey
Soph xx

Bits & Bobs

Hi, it has been a while since we were last blogging. Things have been very busy for the IMperfect team!
We are planning clothes, photoshoots, talks with important people, phone lines, support networks, advice, law changes....all sorts!
The latest news is that there is a rumor that Riam and I may be up for an award, but we will keep you posted!!

Other wise, we are still sorting things out, making the campaign the best that it can be. The t-shirts have had to be reordered again and again, to make sure we get the best quality, and they have finally arrived, and the purchasing page is being created for the website, so fingers crossed, things will be up and running this week. We have gathered support from so many wonderful people, and i cant thank you all enough for your messages of congratulations to Riam after she won the case. Unfortunately she didn't win on grounds of direct discrimination as this is very hard to do. It is complicated but basically the law changed after a case a few years ago, Lewisham vs Malcolm ( more info here - http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/07/25/46885/disability-claims-london-borough-of-lewisham-v-malcolm.html)
The ruling meant that the law has stopped seeing disabled people as any different to able bodied people, and while we'd all like to agree with this, at times there is a difference unfortunately, and we need support from the higher powers. Malcolm lost the case, as the courts decided to treat him the same as they would anyone else, but he isn't the same, he is schizophrenic and accordingly he suffers bouts of illness. In one of those difficult times Malcolm subleased his flat as he needed to go for treatment, and required help for his rent. The council threw him out on the grounds that they would throw anyone else who did this out too.
Its complicated i know. But the equality bill is in court at the mo, and we need to raise awareness of the issue's surrounding direct discrimination, so IMperfect are working on how. We'll let you know if we need you!!!

So that's our news for now,
Stay tuned for more excitement soon!
Sophie
xx

RIAM WON THE CASE!!!!!!!

..waiting

The verdict has been delayed unfortunately, so we are still waiting with fingers crossed.
In the mean time the t-shirt link has been created and we've already had over 100 requests so thank you so much everyone!!
Not much to report at the moment but stay tuned!!
Sophie

Crossed Fingers

Tomorrow is the day that Riam's case verdict will be decided and announced, we are all hoping for the best but in the case that she doesn't win against the Abercrombie and Fitch, i still think that she has achieved a moral victory. She has showed people that discrimination shouldn't be tolerated and that we should fight against it. I hope that her story empowers others, simply to try, because it is in the trying that we will hopefully invoke awakening and in time establish change. let this case be a catalyst..there will be more stories like these to come on our webite
All the love in the world to Riam - everything is crossed!
Soph

The Beginning

Hi Welcome to the IMPERFECT blog where we will be following Riams case with Abercrombie and Fitch as well as all the campaign news! T-shirts as seen on Riam will be on sale next week, so we'll keep you posted! Thanks for reading and watch this space..
Sophie x