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British Future is a charity that is researching how people in Newham can feel included in their local community and can feel a sense of belonging. Rix Inclusive Research are excited to be working on this project and researcher Ajay Choksi will co-host the project workshop in September.

The research is looking at how people’s ethnic background affects their sense of inclusion and belonging. We are also interested in how people’s experiences of disability are important to these issues. The project received funding from the London Borough of Newham.

We want to understand how local services and activities can support people from all backgrounds and we are asking participants at Eastway Care to take part in our research.

• Participants can share a photograph with us of a place in Newham where they feel happy and comfortable
• They will have two weeks over August to take a photograph or video from a journey that they take in Newham
• Participants or carers can send this to us through a text or WhatsApp
• They can also give us an object from the journey and we will visit Eastway care to collect these

Up to ten of the participants who send a photograph will also be offered a chance to take part in a fun workshop afterwards. We will talk about their picture and the places in Newham which they like (or do not like), with interactive games and refreshments. The project researcher, Ajay, will be in touch with participants who send in photos, films or objects to share invitations for the workshop.

Time, date and venue for workshop

Wednesday 24 September
11am-1pm

Rix Inclusive Research Institute
Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability
University of East London Docklands campus
4-6 University Way
London E16 2RD

Our research is taking place until the end of September 2025. After this, we will publish our findings in a report later this year, which will include a section sharing what we heard from the participants at Eastway Care. We will send this to everyone who takes part.

Project easy read

British Future website

We are delighted to invite you to a strategic, inclusive, and creative conversation as part of Not F**kin’ Sorry! (NFS!) The Film Event: Building an Inclusive & Anti-Ableist Society at The Source (formally Stratford Circus), on Thursday 4 September 2 to 4.30pm as part of the Creative Industries Festival 2025.

We believe that NFS! The Film can become part of training within the statutory, public and creative industry sectors, inform policy, and offer film-screening events to celebrate learning disability and neurodivergent culture. NFS! The Film is part of a national and international Impact and Innovation research project.

The Film Event will include:

• Welcome by University of East London’s Impact and Innovation Research Office, Office of Institutional Equity and the Rix Inclusive Research Institute
• Introduction hosted by Not Your Circus Dog Collective and Access All Areas
• Screened extracts from NFS! The Film
• Sharing Outcomes from NFS! 2019-2025 and The Implicated Subject (Rothberg 2019)
• Exploratory and inclusive creative conversations on NFS! as a powerful tool for self-advocacy, representation, training for inclusion, equity and care, and for influencing policy
• Be an ally by becoming an NFS! partner
• Refreshments, continued conversations, and timeline

The event will be Sign Interpreted and captured by artist and animator Charlie Minnion.

The session will be hosted and co-facilitated by Liselle Terret (UEL/The Dogs) Nick Llewelyn (AAA), Adam Smith, Emma/Xandri Selwyn, Stephanie Newman, DJ Hassani (The Dogs), Heather Johnson, Katie Wheeler (AAA/The Dogs).

Reserve your tickets here

For further information, any questions, becoming an NFS! Partner or access requirements please email:
creativefutures@uel.ac.uk (subject heading: NFS! The Film Event).

Our event is for:

• Arts and culture leaders and allies
• Educators and youth workers
• Health and social care professionals
• Policy influencers
• Charity and statutory organisations
• Anyone committed to creating a more inclusive society

NFS! The Film Event flyer

This year we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Social History of Learning Disability (SHLD) Conference at the Open University. The two-day event, held on 9-10 July, brought together many people from across the world.

We had people attending from Australia and the UK. The conference was hosted by Ian, Craig and Liz, and featured keynote speakers such as Professor Jan Walmsley, presentations, and a full programme. Gosia and I had the pleasure of presenting and hosting a session.

For our talk, I focused on my journey with technology over the years. My interest in technology started when I was a little boy. I remember using my first desktop computer to play old games. Later, when I was 16 or 17, I joined Sixth Form College and studied IT. I learned to use Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. After finishing college in 1998–99, I struggled to find a job and worked in shops and factories.

Things changed in 2007 when I met my employment support worker, Charles Oham, and started at The RIX Centre. That’s where I became a Technical Assistant — and I’ve been in that role for more than 18 years now!

I’ve worked closely with Gosia on many projects. I helped teach people how to use computers, microphones, cameras, and multimedia software. We used PowerPoint, Audacity, Movie Maker, scanners, Photo Story, and created easy-read materials like Newham Easy Read and Click Start.

As technology changed, I kept learning. Today, I work as a Technical Assistant, Researcher, and a proud member of purpleSTARS. I use RIX Wikis in research projects to help document every step and make the research inclusive. I also teach others how to use technology to break down barriers and support people into employment.

At the conference, I was happy to share my story and hopefully inspire others to explore technology. My message is simple:

You can do it, and you can live it!

Ajay Choksi and Gosia Kwiatkowska