Here is my list of favourite bloggers, YouTubers and writers to follow and why I love them so much.
Gem Hubbard
aka WheelsNoHeels
Gem is my top person I think you should follow especially if you’re a wheelchair user. Her channel has really helped me as a wheelchair user in so many ways from wheelchair skills, accessories for your wheelchair (I absolutely love my LapStacker) and just general wheelchair lifestyle content. Her ‘buying a wheelchair’ series when she was buying her GTM Jaguar was also invaluable for me too. Gem does other disability and some non-disability related content too. I love the fun and lighthearted nature of Gem’s content plus how she does it because she enjoys it. There isn’t any ‘and today’s first/second/third video sponsor is…’ like there is now with so many content creators or ‘and today I’m promoting…’. Gem doesn’t do any of this and I really like that.
Hannah Hodgson
Hannah hasn’t posted anything in a while but I love her book reviews on her YouTube channel. From there I’ve found some great reads. Hannah is also a great and award winning poet and writer. She’s published several poetry pamphlets and a book as well as written many articles. I also love how open and honest Hannah is about having a life-limiting illness and about death and dying and hospice care. She’s very positive about it and outspoken about the subject. I agree that these things need to be discussed and they should be something that we can talk about in a positive way as Hannah does.
Pippa Stacey
I find Pippa’s content on her blog and social media’s really helpful and relatable especially as Pippa also has M.E. too. She’s able to do a lot more so she reviews different places for days out with what accessibility features are available. However Pippa also shows that despite the fun days out M.E. is still exhausting and she needs days to rest recover. Pippa is a big advocate for the disabled community and disabled people’s needs especially when it comes to disability and work. Pippa is a big fan of books and a brilliant writer herself. She’s published a few things and countless articles as well as her blog. I love her book ‘How To Do Life With A Chronic Illness’ it was a great guide and resource that I will use time and time again.
Jessica Taylor-Bearman
Jessica is a truly amazing person. She has come out of the darkest depths of very severe M.E. and written a book trilogy about her time in hospital, then home bed bound in one room, to then becoming a wife and mother amazing the people around her with the progress she has made. She is still unwell with M.E. but Jessica still manages to be a writer and speaker when she is able and has two wonderful children with her husband.
Jessica’s books
- ‘A Girl Behind Dark Glasses’
- ‘A Girl in One Room’
- ‘A Girl Beyond Closed Doors’
Hannah Deakin
Hannah is a great disability advocate. She does a lot of media work with Scope to raise awareness on lots of different issues. She also has a blogs and writes about a variety of really good topics that are very relatable, especially to younger disabled people. Like with Pippa Hannah also raises the profile of working when you have a disability and the challenges with that. Hannah also reviews days out and the accessibility of the venues. Hannah also does fundraising work and as well as speaking about disability she also talks about siblings grief after the loss of her brother.
