Free exhibition: 120 Years of Disabled Living at Redbank House

The charity Disabled Living celebrated its 120th birthday last year, and to cap things off they’re hosting an exhibition of archive material surrounding the charity’s history at their Redbank House location. Disabled Living has existed under various names since 1897, starting out as the Band of Kindness and Children’s Help Society – a group that used animal welfare as a means to teach kindness to children – before eventually transforming into the modern disability advocacy and support charity that they are today, providing impartial advice on equipment and services to those who need it. This exhibition, launching on Tuesday 10 April, uses photography, blogs and historical documents to bring to life the true story of Disabled Living. Support from The Heritage Lottery Fund has helped the charity, whose own official archives were tragically destroyed in a fire in 2009, assemble a dense catalogue charting not just the history of the charity, but also the evolution of disability rights. Amongst the pieces on display, you’ll find documentation on the first wheelchair loan service (1903) and the first residential home for disabled adults (1949). Entitled ‘From Donkeys to Innovators’, the exhibition also includes film material, with a specially-commissioned documentary narrated by Corrie actor Cherrylee Houston being screened at the launch event. Following a run at Red Bank house, the archive materials will be moved to Central Library’s Archives+, where they will be accessible to anyone indefinitely.

Wed 11 and Thu 12 Apr – then dates and times vary – Red Bank House, 4 St Chad’s Street, Manchester, M8 8QA. 10am-3pm, FREE, www.disabledliving.co.uk