Sophie Morgan’s wheelchair equipment was taken from her car while it was stopped on a street in London. This has made her feel “violated.”
The addition for a wheelchair that turns it into a mobility hand bike was taken from the car of 38-year-old Batec in Camden.
It comes after she said her blue card was stolen and her wheelchair kit was broken after a trip, which happened months ago.
“It was just folded up in the back of the car,” she told Good Morning Britain. But just to be clear, that happened in the middle of the day on a busy neighbourhood street.
‘It wasn’t like it was left overnight. It was just one of those really unfortunate events but I don’t really know what to say about it. There’s not much I can do.’
The Loose Women star also talked about how her disability permit was stolen, saying: ‘That was a few months ago; the same car got broken into.
‘My blue badge got stolen and that was just literally the most disabling thing because… I depend on these things to give me the freedom and independence.
‘I need to be able to live and so when the blue badge got stolen, I literally couldn’t park my car, I couldn’t go anywhere because I can’t get out of my car unless I’ve got that extra space.
‘It’s really frustrating. I mean, having anything stolen from you is violating and infuriating but I think it’s when it comes to these sorts of items that you think, “I really can’t live without them” and I don’t know how much value they give to your life.’
Sophie has hosted Crufts, the Paralympics, The One Show, and Dispatches. Recently, as part of her work advocating for people with disabilities, she went to the White House in Washington, D.C. and talked to the vice president and the Department of Transportation.
She said: ‘They’re committing to try and pass a law that will make it mandatory for wheelchair users to be able to stay in their chairs when they fly if they so choose to, which is a huge deal for so many that actually physically can’t transfer out of their chairs.”
‘I know that honestly sitting in that room in the White House, I would say, this conversation, I’ve never felt so much sincerity and understanding,’ she added.
The star said that she has met with members of the UK government at roundtables, and she recently had a party when she heard about a big step forward, which she called a “small win.”
‘Oh. My. God. 🤯 Just woke up to the news that…..the U.K. Government ARE going to change the legislation to protect disabled people when we fly!!!!!!! ✈️ It’s HAPPENING!!!!!,’ she posted on Twitter on Tuesday.
Then she wrote a long post on Instagram about what was going on.
‘BREAKING NEWS! The U.K. Government has published a report outlining the changes to legislation it intends to make to protect disabled flyers ✈️!!,’ she began.
‘This includes a change to the COMPENSATION that we get when our equipment is damaged AND powers to the regulators to IMPOSE FINES when were let down by the airlines.!!! It’s a small win on the long journey to change!!
‘Now we hold them to account.’
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1.
