Nose to grindstone: back to the blog

Sorry, where have I been, what excuses can I offer? I have not written anything on my blog for ages. Here I am again and my New Year's Resolution is to update my blog regularly. Notice that I am not saying how often.

What is my blog all about? Human rights you answer and of course that is right.

Part of my work is with people with learning disabilities and another part is with music, so those are ingredients you may notice in my blogs. Through one of the people I support I have found out a bit about Taking Part, a charity in Shropshire that helps people with learning disabilities to stand up for their rights.

I have travelled to Africa and India, although it is a long time since I have ventured beyond Europe. When I read things about countries I have visited I am more likely to want to write something.

I think that poverty is a denial of rights and I am not a fan of the crumbs from the table theory. The trouble with the crumbs from the rich person's table is that there are not enough of them. Inequality is a theme that comes up in my blogging.

Anyone who has travelled to poorer parts of Africa, Asia or other continents, or even just seen the odd documentary about life there, is very aware of poverty and inequality. Africa seems to be a continent where things do not get better for many people. I still remember the shock of going into a British supermarket after camping in Africa for six months and eating mainly food from markets. News on television about disasters such as floods and famines often leave me saying Global Warming or Climate Change and reminding me that some parts of the world tend to suffer much more for the fossil fuels that people burn, largely in richer countries.