Help launch a disabled people's social enterprise

Aim

We're raising £3,000 to cover essential start-up costs for our new social enterprise, enabling us to begin our impactful work across the UK

I'm Sophie — a young disabled woman from the North of England, and I have a rather big dream: to create a more equitable society for disabled people.

To understand that dream, you only have to look at my own lived experience.

Growing up, my parents were my advocates and biggest supporters. They fought my corner with doctors, with schools, wherever it was needed — mostly without me even realising it at the time. I thought I was incapable of success, that I lacked intelligence, and had little to offer the world.

After flunking my GCSEs, I went to college. For the first time, I was given the kind of support I should have had all along in traditional education. With that support in place, I passed my exams.

Because of my own poor experiences of healthcare, I wanted to work in it — and settled on Occupational Therapy. But once again, the education system failed to put the right support in place. This time, my parents took a step back, guiding from a distance, but at some point that wasn't enough — I couldn't keep advocating for myself alone. I found a wonderful advocate in Abdul, and with his support, I pushed forward and achieved my BSc with honours — just a few marks off a First. All while running my own small business teaching children to dance. Maybe I wasn't as incapable as I'd once believed.

After six years running that business, I closed it to focus fully on Occupational Therapy, beginning an MSc in Disability Studies. But the fight for equality didn't end in education — it simply shape-shifted, and grew larger in the world of work. After a year and a half in employment, with my self-worth and confidence worn down, the issue became clear: there is a gap between policy and practice. And through my MSc, I came to understand that this gap isn't just my story — it's much bigger than my own experience.

That's why I set up The Disabled Policy & Advocacy Network (DPAN) — a not-for-profit organisation (CIC) with a clear vision: to close the gap between disability rights and disabled people's reality.

But I need your help.

Before I can focus fully on our first project— there are some essential foundations to put in place:
Communications tools
Insurance
Accountancy support
Companies House filings and compliance

None of this is glamorous, but it's what lets everything else happen properly, transparently, and sustainably — and it's not something I can skip.

If you're able to contribute, even a small amount goes directly towards getting DPAN properly set up to do the work ahead.

Thank you for being part of this from the very start.

— Sophie

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 23rd September 2026 at 1:02pm