Articles in Author: Ben Clark

Articles in About BuDS

    A conference table seen from above. There are laptops, notebooks, coffee cups, and people's hands visible.

    BuDS’ Trustees

    Ben Clark

    As a user-led activist charity, the role of BuDS Trustees is different from that in many other charities. As a charity, we are by policy strongly Trustee-led. It is inherent in our status as a user-led organisation that the BuDS Trustee Board is the clear leadership and direction setting body for the charity. Accordingly, we expect and require all Trustees to have a strong commitment to our values and objectives, and for Trustees to play an active role in the life of the charity.

    75% of BuDS Trustees must be, and must identify as, disabled people within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010. We expect our Trustees to bring and share their lived experience as disabled people when we are making decisions. We aim to ensure that all significant impairment groups are represented across the Board. We work inclusively and accessibly so that disabled Trustees do not experience barriers to their participation.

    It is BuDS’ policy that all Trustees are re-elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). In practice, Trustees tend to serve for a period between 2 and 5 years. Prospective Trustees shadow the Trustee Board for a minimum period of 3 months before becoming eligible to be co-opted.

    Sadly, to protect our Trustees from online abuse, we do not publish information about our Trustees beyond that which we are legally required to disclose. This information can be found on the Charity Commission website by clicking the button below.

    Charity Commission Website

    A BuDS volunteer talking to members of the public.

    Evolving BuDS

    Ben Clark

    BuDS continues to grow and develop, and the charity has to have a legal form which is suitable for the future. This article explains what Trustees are doing to evolve BuDS to give it a secure future.

    Moving Forward Together

    BuDS carried out a public and member consultation in 2023, which overwhelmingly supported the changes listed below. The 2023 Annual General Meetings approved the changes, and gave Trustees the authority to put them into place.

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    Two BuDS volunteers talking and smiling with a BuDS flag in the background

    BuDS’ Values

    Ben Clark

    BuDS wants to be a charity which has strong, clear values which guide our work and everything done by our trustees, staff and volunteers.

    BuDS first adopted formal values in 2020. We review them regularly, and the following values were adopted by the 2024 Annual General Meeting:

    • BuDS is an inclusive & diverse working community of and for all disabled people
    • BuDS is a strong, honest, voice for disabled people
    • BuDS is a proactive charity that lives the social model, removes barriers and finds answers
    • Fair4All is at the heart of all BuDS does
    • BuDS is an empowering, reflective, caring, supportive, kind and safe organisation
    • BuDS has an open culture and is committed to collaborative working

    Twice each year, the BuDS Trustees will assess how well BuDS has kept to its values, and report back to the Annual General Meeting.

    Stock photograph of an older Asian woman wearing a pink day-dress. She is standing up from a shower seat, and holding onto a rail.

    Changes To Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

    Ben Clark

    The Government have published a consultation paper (a “Green Paper”) about changes to disability and sickness benefits. One of the changes proposed is to make it far more difficult to qualify for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). This article explains how the Government proposes to make it more difficult to qualify, and how that might affect different groups of disabled people applying for PIP in the future.

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    1 in 331 people in England likely now infected. 17th successive week of low Covid infection levels. Precautions still needed in higher-risk places.

    Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 16 March 2025

    Ben Clark

    For the 17th week in a row, Covid infection levels in England have remained relatively low. As of the week ending 16 March, around 1 in every 331 people were infected, and the overall Covid risk remains Moderately High.

    We have checked these figures against the only other reputable source available, the Scottish wastewater monitoring of Covid virus levels. While the figures aren’t directly comparable, both data sets show similar trends of a long period of static Covid levels. This makes us as confident as we can be that the Covid figures we give are credible.

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    1 in 336 people in England likely now infected. 16th successive week of low Covid infection levels Precautions still needed in higher-risk places.

    Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 9 March 2025

    Ben Clark

    Covid infection levels in England have remained relatively low for the 16th week in a row. As of the week ending 9 March, around 1 in every 336 people were infected, and the overall Covid risk remains Moderately High.

    There is what might be the early signs of an increase in Covid infection levels, but not enough evidence to reliably indicate that a new wave is coming. We have checked these figures against the only other reputable source available, the Scottish wastewater monitoring of Covid virus levels. While the figures aren’t directly comparable, both data sets show similar trends of a long period of static Covid levels. This makes us as confident as we can be that the Covid figures we give are credible.

    Influenza infections are still continuing to fall, and we expect them to be back to baseline levels in the next 2 months. However, UKHSA has warned of a possible second wave of a new variant of Norovirus, which causes sickness and diarrhoea and can be dangerous for many people. Norovirus is also a virus spread through the air by aerosol, like flu and Covid, as well as by droplets in the air and on surfaces.

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