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all d ifferen tZahrah and ‘The Place’

Written by Richard Rieser

Illustrated by Santi Rieser

All Equal All DifferentKS1/Early Years Disability Equality Resource PackPublished by UKDFEA/DEE

© Richard and Santi Rieser and Disability Equality inEducation (DEE) and for the Resource Pack DisabilityEquality in Education & United Kingdom Disability Forumfor European Affairs.

First Published by Disability Equality in Education andthe UK Disability Forum for European Affairs with a grantfrom the Department of Work and Pensions for EuropeanYear of Disabled People.

April 2004

ISBN -Book design: Caroline Grimshaw

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DEDICATION

This story is dedicated toZahrah and her motherPreethi Manuel who havebattled tirelessly for Zahrah’sInclusion, thus paving theway for other disabledchildren. Richard Rieser hasbeen disabled since he was 9 months old, when his legand arm were effected bypolio. He has been a teacherfor 25 years and is currentlythe Director of DEE. SantiRieser who illustrated thetext is Richard’s son. Santi is16 and currently doing hisGCSE’s He likes to draw, surfand play the saxophone.

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It was aperfect day inthe middle ofthe longsummerholidays. The sun wasup and, by 6 in themorning, it was hot.The earlymorning suncast longshadowsacross ‘The Place’.

In the middle of ‘The Place’ was a tall thick old wall. At each end the brickwork had worn down to makesteps up to the top. No one could remember how longthis old wall had been here, but everyone agreed it was very old and very strong.

The wall was in the middleof what grown-ups thoughtwas waste ground, hiddenby large advert boards.That summer the wall hadseen the local childrencoming to play everyday.They invented all sorts ofgames. They built platformsand swings in the trees,created a mountain bikeand wheelchair racing trackand dug out and filled aswimming pool with water. ‘The Place’ was theirs. It waswhere the children could do what they wanted withoutgrown ups getting in the way. Because they were able to dowhat they liked they treated each other well. They planned,worked and played together to make it their wonderland.

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Zahrah came in her wheelchair with her friends Annie and Anil. Zahrah had a talker on her chair.

Wayne came with Michael.

When Tania andMogfura arrived,there were alreadylots of childrenplaying together.Excitedly, carryinga picnic basket,Mogfura shouted“We’ve got a coldcurry, sandwichesand juice, enoughfor everyone!”

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“Let’s all play ball first, ” said Tania.

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“I’m hungry now.Let’s eat,” said

Michael.

They all sat down in the shade ofthe wall on an old piece of canvasthey had found.

As they wereeating, they heard

a loud bangingnoise. Zahrah andAnnie went to see

what it was. 7

A large excavator rumbled into ‘The Place’ and began tomove towards the old wall. The workers looked at thechildren. The children looked at the workers.

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Seeing what was aboutto happen Zahrahshouted “No!” throughher talker and quicklyplaced herselfbetween the wall and the excavator. She was soon joinedby all the otherchildren. “What’s going on? I thought this waswaste ground,” saidJohn, the foreman.“No it’s an adventureplayground. We madeit! Go away!” shoutedall the children.

“We have to make a car park for the shopping centre,” said John.“No - this is our place!” “We’re not going.” “Leave us alone!” “Aren’t there enough carparks?” “This is our onlyplace!” cried the children.

John called his boss withhis mobile, “The place isfull of kids. They’ve madeit a playground.”Meanwhile some of thechildren were ringing theirfriends on their mobilestelling them “Get to ‘ThePlace’ quickly”.

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Soon John’s boss came. More childrencame. Some of the children painted‘Save Our Place’ on the wall.

The workers had a cupof tea. The childrenhad a meeting anddecided what to do.“Let’s get the papersand TV here,” saidMichael. Zahrah waspicked to prepare what they wanted tosay on her talker.

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Then the Mayor arrived. “You arenot meant to be here. Nobody ismeant to be here!” He shouted atthem to gohome but theyjust stayedwhere theywere. The pressand TV came.

Michael pointedout “This is agood place forchildren.Shouldn’t youthink about usfor a change?”

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More children came andsome parents came aswell, wanting to knowwhat was going on. TheMayor called the police.The police arrived. TheMayor said again “Youmust all go. The Councilhave decided to make thisinto a car park for thesupermarket.”

Zahrah made a statement to the reporters and the Mayor. “We arestaying. This is our place. We are happy here. There is nowhere to playround here. We don’t need a car park. Cars knock down children, andmake traffic jams and pollution! We want an adventure playground.”

The children cheered Zahrah.The adults cheered Zahrah. The TV cameras rolled.

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A reporter asked the Mayor howthe idea of building a car parkworked with the Green Policy ofthe Borough- to encouragepeople to use bikes and buses.The Mayor looked embarrassedand said “I think there may havebeen a mistake.”

The Mayor looked at the largecrowd and TV cameras and said,“The children want to keep theplayground. We have to changeour plans. We did not plan forthis but we will make anadventure playground.” TheMayor looked relieved wheneveryone cheered him.

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Zahrah was on the telly. “You are a star Za.

I’m so proud of you!” said her mum.

“Thank you, mum,” saidZahrah through her talker,

as they had a big hug.

Then everyone had a bigparty and barbecue .

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Copies available, as part of ‘all equal all different’ pack,from DEE: £75 including P&P

DISABILITY EQUALITY IN EDUCATION [Reg. Charity No. 1055287]Unit GL, Leroy House, 436 Essex Road, London N1 3QPTel: 020 7359 2855 Fax: 020 7354 3372 E-mail:info@diseed.org.uk Website: www.diseed.org.uk