THIS column is about “living with a disability”. Uh-oh...Did I hear you groan? Did I hear you say: “not them again”?

Well, rest assured, it isn’t about ‘them’, it’s about ‘us’ – that is you and me; ordinary people living, working and playing in Oxfordshire.

There is no ‘them’ as basically we’re all the same.

You see, disability is not a handicap but a challenge and I certainly know about that.

My name is Gwynneth Pedler and I will be writing every fortnight, alternating with Niall Strawson.

I am very active in and around Oxford and even further afield.

By painting a pen portrait of my life I hope you will get an idea of what makes me tick.

Born in the East End of London where I lived happily with my parents until Hitler came on the scene, I wanted to be a teacher and had booked my place at college.

In fact, I met and married a ‘Maidonian’, produced two children and after many happy years teaching in schools in and around Maidenhead, ambition drove me to look for the challenge of taking on the Headship of a larger school and St Andrew’s School, Headington fitted the bill perfectly.

I applied, was interviewed and offered the job. And so I arrived in Oxford. After nine happy years I retired and, looking for fresh challenges, decided that I needed to see more of the world.

I reckon that, as long as I have a map, I can go anywhere so that is what I did, both in this country and abroad.

Until one day when my life changed direction...

Sitting with a friend quietly reading in front of a fire in a country cottage in Cornwall, I was startled by her shouting: “Hey, let’s do this”.

She passed over to me a magazine ad. It read:- ‘Wanted. Retired qualified teachers to teach English in Polish Grammar schools’.

I have always been one for a challenge and this certainly sounded like one as Poland was just emerging from 50 years of Communist rule. We went! All in all a hard time but the students, age 15-19, were a pleasure to teach.

Unfortunately, my connection with Poland was marred by a road traffic accident that left me with crushed vertebrae and a broken wrist.

And so it was that I entered the world of disability.

Today I use an electric mobility scooter to get around and what a wonderful invention it is. A fresh challenge to surmount and plenty of obstacles too in the way but I am up for it and tackle everything that impedes progress towards an equal society for disabled people.

I am deputy chair of – and work tirelessly for – an organisation called Oxfordshire Unlimited which is an organisation funded by OCC to advise them on issues that affect disabled people and point out disadvantages that some of their policies will have for those of us who are less able.

If you want to know more about us our web site is www.Oxfordshireunlimited.

org, but you’ll be hearing more about our work in later articles I write.