Tressa Burke is chief executive of the Glasgow Disability Alliance. Writing exclusively for The Herald on Sunday, she warns seven staff will be made redundant in March - with six more at risk unless core Scottish Government funding is protected.

It’s auspicious to be writing this piece during Disability History Month – an opportunity to celebrate disabled people’s hard-won rights and achievements along with the contributions disabled people can and do make- when they have the support they need.

In my 25 years with Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA), seven as one of the founding committee followed by being CEO for now over 18 years, I have seen examples of disabled people, activists and campaigners to be celebrated every day.

But rights have been regressed and disabled people are suffering so Disability History Month is also a call to action to turn the tide of regression.

Every day at GDA we facilitate the dignity, freedom, fairness and participation for those we represent. Through our lifelong learning and development programmes disabled people are building confidence and connections, raising aspirations, seeing others making progress and being spurred on to achieve incremental successes every day. From welfare rights and support to navigate social care, to wellbeing and support to get digitally connected, GDA centres disabled people’s rights and builds on their strengths. At the same time we demand equality, rights and social justice for disabled people and the fairness that others take for granted. Like our sister........

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