David Blunkett

(born 6 June 1947)

"is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010. Blind since birth, and coming from a poor family in one of Sheffield's most deprived districts, he rose to become Education Secretary, Home Secretary and Work and Pensions Secretary in Tony Blair's Cabinet following Labour's victory in the 1997 general election"

This extract is taken from the wikipedia page on David Blunkett (Click here for more) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Blunkett

Disabled people who have made a difference

Contents: Includes 45 A4 paper copies of Name, Dates, Picture(s) and a short explanation of their contribution. These are but a small sample of the millions of disabled people who have contributed to human history and development. This introduction can be used to initiate a discussion on one or several of them. They can be grouped by when lived, what they did, gender or ethnicity or displayed as a talking point.

[Click here fore PDF version] 

Donna Williams

The author of "Nobody Nowhere" and "Somebody Somewhere" discusses her life and work as an autistic author, artist and screenwriter.

see her website : http://www.donnawilliams.net/

Francesca Martinez

"(born 1978)

is an English stand-up comedienne and actress. She has toured internationally, including sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival, the Melbourne Comedy Festival and the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. She has completed a 33-date UK tour and two off-West End London runs at the Tricycle Theatre and the Hackney Empire.

She has cerebral palsy but prefers to describe herself as "wobbly"."

From wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesca_Martinez



Franklin D Roosevelt

"(b. January 30, 1882 – d. April 12, 1945),

also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States (1933–1945) and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war."

Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt

Frida Kahlo

"...was a Mexican painter, born in Coyoacán.  Perhaps best known for her self-portraits, Kahlo's work is remembered for its "pain and passion", and its intense, vibrant colors. Her work has been celebrated in Mexico as emblematic of national and indigenous tradition, and by feminists for its uncompromising depiction of the female experience and form.... Kahlo suffered lifelong health problems, many of which stemmed from a traffic accident in her teenage years. "

find out more on a website dedicated to this artist :

http://www.fridakahlo.com/

Gareth Gates

"born 12 July 1984 in Bradford, England),

is an English singer-songwriter. He was the runner-up in the first series of the ITV talent show Pop Idol. Gates has sold over 3.5 million records in the UK alone. He is also known for having a stutter, and has talked about his speech impediment publicly. Gates used the McGuire Programme to correct the problem and is now a speech coach with the programme.^"

More on the wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gareth_Gates

Harriet Tubman

Was the first woman to lead an armed exhibition in the American Civil War when she guided the raid on the 'Combahee' river and liberated more than 700 slaves.

http://www.harriettubman.com/

Helen Keller

"Helen Adams Keller
(June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968)

was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. The story of how Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, broke through the isolation imposed by a near complete lack of language, allowing the girl to blossom as she learned to communicate, has become widely known through the dramatic depictions of the play and film The Miracle Worker.

A prolific author, Keller was well-traveled, and was outspoken in her opposition to war. A member of the Socialist Party of America and the Wobblies, she campaigned for women's suffrage, workers' rights, and socialism, as well as many other leftist causes." 

See more on her wiki page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller



Ian Dury

"(12 May 1942 – 27 March 2000)

was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music. He is best known as founder and lead singer of the British band Ian Dury and the Blockheads, who were one of the groups of the New Wave era in the UK...
At the age of seven, he contracted polio..."

From Wiki page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Dury