Articles in Blog Posts

A image of the head and shoulders of a woman wearing a pink woollen hat and winter coat, stood atop a mountain with larger mountains in the background. She is smiling at the camera.

Thriving with ADHD: Top Coping Strategies for Everyday Life

Written by Janneke Elford, BuDS HR and Projects Manager


“If you’re reading this, chances are you, or someone you know is dealing with ADHD. It’s no walk in the park (cue Jurassic Park quotes now stuck in my head), but with the right strategies, you can manage the challenges and more importantly, harness the strengths within your neurodiverse brain! Here’s a quick guide to some ADHD-friendly coping strategies to help you navigate life a bit more smoothly.

Read More
A woman smiling at the camera, working at a desk with a desktop computer in front of her. Stock image copyright Bipolar New Life Outlook website (not affiliated)

BuDS, Bipolar and Me: My Journey With Reach4Work

Written by Cat Hartwell-Veale, BuDS Reach4Work Personal Development Advisor


On December 12, 2023, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I remember the day so clearly: I had an appointment with a psychiatrist to talk about why I was struggling with my moods, finding stressors challenging, and afraid of damaging my relationships with people I love. After an hour speaking with a team of four strangers, I came away with a diagnosis. I started medication immediately and was told to report back in a few weeks to see how I was getting on. 

Three months later, I was made redundant from my job. 

Read More
A woman looking at a laptop on a desk. On the laptop is a video call with 3 people shown. Image copyright Entrust IT Group.

‘Reach4Work Helped Me Break Through The Barriers To Work’

Written by Harry, a BuDS Reach4Work volunteer.


“In recent years, awareness of disabilities has increased, and it is becoming a much more accepted part of our lives. However, there is still work to be done.

Many disabled people struggle to break into the world of work, and this is where BuDS comes in. A successful charity that operates primarily in Buckinghamshire, they have dedicated themselves to the support of disabled people and their issues with preparing for the world of work.

Read More
An image of a woman wearing a red dress with black patterns and a black cardigan, stood in front of a poster for the Netflix show 'All The Light We Cannot See' written in both plaintext and braille. She is holding a white assistance cane in her left hand.

Seeing Beyond Barriers: Navigating Employment as a Blind Professional

Written by Siobhan Meade

Disclaimer: this is a personal blog by a BuDS member. The views expressed are personal, and don’t necessarily represent those of BuDS or our Trustees.


As a blind person living in the UK, I am deeply familiar with the numerous hurdles we face in the employment market. This journey is not just about personal determination; it’s also a continuous challenge to prove that a disability does not diminish one’s professional capabilities.

Read More

Navigating the World in Darkness: A Beacon of Light on International Women’s Day

Written by Siobhan Meade

Disclaimer: this is a personal blog by a BuDS member. The views expressed are personal, and don’t necessarily represent those of BuDS or our Trustees.


Today marks International Women’s Day, a day earmarked to celebrate the indomitable spirit of women across the globe, I find myself reflecting on my journey, not just as a woman but as a blind woman navigating a world designed for the sighted. This day serves as a poignant reminder of the collective and individual strength of women, especially those of us within the disability community, striving to make significant contributions in our unique ways. 

Read More
Graphic headed "Thomas’ Blog: Making Videos For BuDS With The Reach4Work Digital Team". Text boxes read "My time at BuDS... [is helping] me to improve my motivation and confidence to work independently " and "These are all valuable skills that will help me to get employment either now or in the future"

Making Videos For BuDS With The Reach4Work Digital Team

Written by Thomas, a member of the BuDS Reach4Work Digital team. 

Disclaimer: this is a personal blog by a BuDS member. The views expressed are personal, and don’t necessarily represent those of BuDS or our Trustees. 


Since I joined the Reach4Work Digital Team in January, I have been working both on my own and with a the Digital Team, to create Videos. We usually work as a team in co-production, creating different components for the final video I have worked on several different videos. In blog I would like to talk to about a video we have just finished about Agile Project Management, to add to an article the team had previously written.

Read More
Graphic headed "Huw's Blog: My Experience Of Joining BuDS" with the volunteers' week logo. Text boxes read "I started volunteering with the Reach4Work team 2 weeks ago" and "Whilst I am at BuDS I will be able to gain some valuable skills that I will be able to use in any future job that I may get"

My Experience of Joining BuDS

Written by Huw Feakes for Volunteers Week 

Disclaimer: this is a personal blog by a BuDS member. The views expressed are personal, and don’t necessarily represent those of BuDS or our Trustees. 


“My Name is Huw, I first heard about BuDS through my employment coach at Talkback, this is because I am looking to gain some experience to help me get a paid job in the future. After taking a couple of weeks to officially join I started volunteering with the Reach4Work team 2 weeks ago. 

Read More
A person looking at a laptop. On the laptop screen are pictures of 4 people in a video call.

Why Is Now The Best Time To Volunteer & Join Reach4Work?

Written by David Bennett

Disclaimer: this is a personal blog by a BuDS member. The views expressed are personal, and don’t necessarily represent those of BuDS or our Trustees.


The Covid pandemic triggered a truly remarkable effect upon the workplace. Before Covid, everybody was expected to attend an office and sit at a desk where they could be seen to be “working”. In some enlightened workplaces, the advent of remote communication technology allowed employees to work from home. This managerial concession had led to some workers being allowed to occasionally work from home when circumstances demanded it. Indeed, there were some that were allowed to work 100% from home but these were the exception rather than the rule. With the onset of the pandemic, it became imperative if work was to continue, then employees had to be enabled to work from home. Due to technological advances, this proved far easier than managers thought. 

Read More
A man holds another man by the throat, pushing him up against a wall. A woman films on her mobile phone.

Joining BuDS and the Attitudes and Hate Crime Project

Written by Hope Heeley

Disclaimer: this is a personal blog by a BuDS member. The views expressed are personal, and don’t necessarily represent those of BuDS or our Trustees.


Hello!

My name is Hope, I am the Disability Hate Crime Officer here at BuDS. I began working for BuDS in January 2023. BuDS is my first true experience of the working world and I have never felt more welcome.

“BuDS is an incredibly supportive and hard-working charity.”

BuDS is an incredibly supportive and hard-working charity. Their sole aim is to help disabled people in any way they can, this has been made clear to me in our most recent projects.

Read More
A person wearing blue jeans, boots, and a tan coat, walking in a park with a white stick held out in front of them. The white stick has two red stripes.

To The Edge of Despair and Beyond

Written by Siobhan Meade

Disclaimer: this is a personal blog by a BuDS member. The views expressed are personal, and don’t necessarily represent those of BuDS or our Trustees.


24 years ago, I heard five words that will haunt me forever, “you’re never going to see again”.

This is how an Ophthalmologist at a Kent hospital broke the news to a distraught 16 year-old girl, who’s one remaining optic nerve finally gave up the ghost and snapped after I walked into a door at school.

Read More