looking to connect with other disabled people in the West Midlands

Zelene
Zelene Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
edited August 20 in Start here and say hello!

Hello,

I'm looking to connect with other disabled people in the West Midlands. Dating sites can be unreliable. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

Comments

  • recentlydisabled
    recentlydisabled Online Community Member Posts: 9 Listener

    hi

    i have the same problem can be very frustrating

  • Mary_Scope
    Mary_Scope Posts: 2,937 Scope Online Community Children and Family Specialists

    Hi @Zelene and a warm welcome to the community from me!

    I had a quick google and found Social and Leisure Activities by the Disability Resource Centre, West Mids Mencap and Organisations and activities in Birmginham by Disability Sport. Hopefully one of these will be helpful for you!

    I will also edit the title of this post so hopefully other members who do know more organisations that help connect disabled people in the West Midlands reach out with some signposting too😊

  • Zelene
    Zelene Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener

    Thank you. I will try Disability Resources Centre. I've already tried disability sport Birmingham. They won't take on or train anyone with Quadraplegia. It's really bad that sports only seem to be available for those who have spinal injuries or able to walk.

  • roadrunmer94
    roadrunmer94 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener

    Hi, I am also in the West Midlands and struggling with this. I am not trying to date but would love to make some friends with disabilities. I don't know anyone else with a disability and it's getting really lonely and isolating!

    Specifically, I've been trying to find some sort of support group for parents with disabilities. I have a one year old son and it's opened up a whole new world for me in terms of my disability and my limitations. I am racked with guilt and fear all the time, that it will affect our relationship and he will grow up either anxious from worrying about me, or resentful of me for all the things I can't do with him. I have asked my GP, perinatal mental health team, and specialist doctors about this, but no one seems to have any ideas of services to signpost me to.

    If anyone hears of or knows of anything like this, please tell us!

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 7,482 Championing
    edited August 21

    Every group that exists, exists because someone started it.

    An answer to no local groups, is to start one yourself 😊

    Start small, speak to a venue such as a coffee shop about reserving a table, advertise locally and on social media, or set up a FB group to gauge demand and interest in meeting up in person.

    That really is all that's needed.

    This is what a good friend of mine did for a health condition support group, with time she was able to build a committee of others to help run the group.

  • SaraC_Scope
    SaraC_Scope CP Network, Scope Posts: 344 Empowering

    @Zelene Welcome to the community. I'm Sara and one of the CP Specialists here at Scope.

    Have you heard of the organisation CP Sport? I'm aware they are running an event where you can have a go at some of the sports available to disabled people. CP Sport Have a Go Coventry This is taking place on 6 September 2025.

    I'm wondering if you are part of our CP Network. We host a monthly online meeting where like minded people come together, to share experiences and access advice and support. I've included the link here. CP Network if you would like to join.

    I've tagged my colleague @Richard_Scope who might have more ideas about organisations in the West Midlands.

  • SaraC_Scope
    SaraC_Scope CP Network, Scope Posts: 344 Empowering

    @roadrunmer94

    Welcome to the community and sharing how you are feeling. It's okay to feel guilty, angry, scared or worried. These are perfectly natural responses when you have a young child and we become aware of our limitations, whilst having a disability. I can relate to this situation. I became an adoptive parent to a toddler and I have cerebral palsy. It was a shock to recognise how much I struggled with during the early years. But with thinking outside the box and making some adaptions, I could do more than I thought. It did take time.

    It's important to get as much help as you can during the early stages and I can see you are already reaching out.

    If you would like to share more about your disability, I know our members could signpost you to appropriate groups and answer questions you might have. I've tagged @Mary_Scope into this thread as she might have some more suggestions.

    Take care.

  • Zelene
    Zelene Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener

    @SaraC_Scope Thank you.

  • Zelene
    Zelene Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener

    @roadrunmer94 Hello, Having Spastic Quadraplegic CP doesn't mean someone can't live a full life. Progress in the beginning can be difficult, but progress can be made. Each circumstance is different, but as an adult I live an independent life. I went to Conductive Education in Hungary as a child and had a mainstream education here in the UK. How a child begins life does not set in stone their future.

  • Zelene
    Zelene Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener

    @roadrunmer94 Sorry for the last post. It was posted to the wrong account. Parents give a lot to their children that has nothing to do with physical abilities. The most physically restricted parent can still give unconditional love and emotional security to a child. That's what matters most. The rest is secondary in the long run.

  • roadrunmer94
    roadrunmer94 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener

    Thank you @Zelene I'm sorry I did not mean to offend anyone, or to hijack your post! I hope you find what you're looking for :)

  • Zelene
    Zelene Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener

    @roadrunmer94 No apologies necessary. I hope everything works out ok. Have faith in yourself.

  • Zelene
    Zelene Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener

    @roadrunmer94 I too am looking to make friends with people with disabilities. Find social opportunities is difficult. It is isolating.

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