Greenwich Association
Of Disabled People's Centre
for Independent Living.

GAD-CIL History:

Greenwich Association of Disabled People's Centre for Independent Living (GAD, as we are known) was the first organisation of its kind in London and one of the first in the whole country. GAD was originally set up in 1975 to support disabled people's interests in Greenwich.

However GAD's board and membership were mainly non-disabled people. It was not until 1983, in line with the Disability Movement's campaign for full and equal participation in society, that GAD became a user-led organisation - with a management, staff and membership of a majority of disabled people. From that historic moment in 1983 when we became a Centre for Independent Living, GAD has worked to ensure disabled people in Greenwich full recognition as citizens of their borough through the provision of services, campaigning for rights and support of and advocacy for individual disabled people. In 1984 GAD joined the British Council of Disabled People and soon became an active member.

This led to our representation on the European Region and World Council of Disabled Peoples' International. Over the years our local work has consolidated our position as a leading organisation within the Disability Movement and we are used as a role model by other organisations, policy-makers and governments from many countries. We have contributed to investigations by Government Select Committees and been visited by Ministers and other officials from all around the world. (The Japanese Minister of Health came to see what we have achieved early this year.)

GAD's philosophy is that disabled people have the right to make decisions and choices about their lives and everyday living. Our belief is that disability arises out of the negative response of society to impaired people - including attitudes and architectural and policy barriers. We have been active campaigners to ensure non-discrimination legislation and rights for disabled people to bring an end to the institutional disablism that is prevalent throughout the country and the rest of the world. We believe passionately that only through solutions which breakdown these barriers and end discrimination will disabled people in Greenwich, and elsewhere, obtain their full citizenship.