News
‘The world isn’t built for people like us’: Campaigners fight for disabled equality

In the UK, one in four people are disabled, and yet, those living with a disability are more likely to be overlooked for job positions, experience abusive behaviour, and be neglected on public transport.
But, two Winchester locals, Celia Chartres-Aris and Jet Gates, are challenging these issues which they refer to as being “a violation of human rights.”
As a teenager, Mrs Chartres-Aris, 27, was diagnosed with loeys-dietz syndrome, a rare genetic disorder which affects around 1 in 50,000 people. The condition has left Celia living with multiple organ failure, as well as unable to eat or drink.
“Having a rare illness is utterly isolating.
“You just want to shout, ‘nobody understands me!’ Feeling like that is a very hard thing to deal with.
“I was always made to feel like I am the problem, but I am not.
“This world wasn’t designed for people like me.
“We’re the biggest minority group in the world, so why are we so behind on this fight for representation and equality?”
Both online and in person, Mrs Chartres-Aris has received abuse over her disability, being called “a freak of nature” and “a drain on the NHS.” On several occasions, she has received messages on social media telling her to end her own life.
“I’ve had grown men shouting at me in the streets, pulling on the tubes sewn into my heart. It hurts. You cannot escape it. I am so much more than [my illness], but it is all that people see.”
After graduating from Royal Holloway in 2018 with a degree in law, Mrs Chartres-Aris became bed bound as a result of her chronic pain. During this period, she suffered from her mental health, having never been offered any emotional support by professionals following her diagnosis and deteriorating health
“Living with this weight on top of you that you are effectively dying and have multiple organ failure, and that you can’t do these ‘normal’ day to day activities is massive.
“But, I just thought to myself, I have to find a way to make this work.”
Since then, Celia has become an award-winning advocate for disabled representation, having earlier this year been awarded the title of ‘the UK’s most influential disabled person’ by charity Shaw Trust.
Fellow award-winning campaigner, Jet Gates, a student at the University of Winchester, told Winol about their similar experiences with experiencing daily disabled discrimination.
“Sometimes people make me forget I am human. There are always people pointing at me, staring at me.”
Gates uses an electric scooter due to their severe pain, regular seizures and fainting episodes. However, Jet sees their chair as an extension of their personality, and not just a piece of equipment.
“In October last year, I got hit by a car because there just weren’t any dropped curves for my chair.
“Every day of my life, I am putting my life at risk because this world just does consider people like me.
“I have people all the time come up to me and ask why I’m in a wheelchair. What happened to hellos? How are you?
“I have people constantly coming up to me, telling me that they are praying for me and my healing.”
“I am not a stereotype or my condition. I am Jet.”
Like Mrs Chartres-Aris, Jet has campaigned for greater disabled equality, being an influential voice in the ‘Rights on Flights’ campaign, which advocates for greater treatment on planes and in airports, as well as regularly leading campaigns nationally.
“It is funny because I went to Downing Street, but I couldn’t even get into number 10 because of the step.
“Here was this big achievement, something I had earned, and I couldn’t even enjoy it.
“The amazing thing about my activism is that I can actually make a change.
“If I see an issue, I can fight for it to be fixed. I am creating this legacy which will change the lives of so many people, and that is what makes all this pain worth it.
“I am disabled – yes, but that is not holding me back.”
Football
Ivan Juric leaves Southampton after earliest ever relegation

Ivan Juric has left his role as Southampton first team manager following the club’s relegation on Sunday.
The Croatian joined the Saints on an 18-month deal in December following Russell Martin’s dismissal but lasted just 107 days in charge.
Juric oversaw just two victories in his 16 matches in charge with Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Tottenham confirming Southampton’s relegation to the Championship.
With seven matches still to play, Saints’ relegation is the earliest in Premier League history, breaking the joint-record set by Derby County and Huddersfield Town in 2007-08 and 2018-19 respectively, who both went down after 32 games.
The club confirmed the process of searching for a new manager is now under way and said: “With relegation to the Championship now confirmed, we believe it is important to give fans, players and staff some clarity on the future as we head into a very important summer.”
First team coach Simon Rusk is set to take charge of the team for the remainder of the season with player Adam Lallana to act as his assistant.
Southampton currently sit on 10 points at the bottom of the league and require a further two points to avoid breaking the record-low set by Derby County, who finished the 2007-08 season with 11 points.
News
New foodhall to open on site of former Winchester nightclub

A new foodhall is set to open later this year in place of Vodka, Winchester’s former nightclub.
The venue, which shut down in May 2023, is set to be converted to foodhall called Helch Market.
The market is planned to open until 3am and will have a number of food vendors which will rotate over time as well as events space in the basement.
Helch Market Winchester will be the second of its kind after David Jamal Benamor, of Benamor LTD, opened a similar business in Bournemouth in 2022.
Mr Benamor aims to open the new venue in the autumn.
Mr Benamor said: “There’s quite a low diversity in independent businesses, so there’s a lot of chains and very few independent, especially with new concepts, which are a lot harder.
“It’s quite stale, the diversity on the high street, like everywhere in the UK.
“This offers smaller businesses a chance to try a concept or to start their own chain of stores, whatever they’d like to do, so I’d say just a diversity within small businesses.”

Mr Benamor’s application for a licence which allows the sale of alcohol, the serving of hot food and drinks between 11pm and 5am and live and recorded music and entertainment was approved on 25 March.
The plans to take over the Vodka site have been controversial and the initial licence application was met with criticism, with a number of written objections being made to Winchester City Council.
Residents have also been concerned with the potential rise in crime levels after there were 18 crimes reported on or near the Vodka property in the first half of 2022, a year before its closure.
‘As long as there’s a facility for the youngsters, which is much needed.’
One man said: “In principle, I am happy with the idea.
Despite the complaints, the members of the Winchester public WINOL spoke to were mostly supportive of the venue.
“I wouldn’t like it if it was open until 3am, but in normal hours it’s fine.
“No problem at all, I think we need to encourage young people here.”
Another resident said: “As long as there’s a facility for the youngsters, which is much needed in town because we haven’t got a lot like clubs as such.
“Not everybody wants them, but I just think the youngsters need something rather than have to go elsewhere. It’s good.”
News
Winchester BID Rangers recover £100,000 in stolen goods

A security team in Winchester has hit a major milestone by recovered more than £100,000 worth of stolen goods in the city centre.
The Winchester Business Crime Reduction Partnership (WBCRP) and Winchester Business Improvement District (BID) Rangers were formed in 2018 with the aim of reducing business crime, antisocial behaviour and low level crime.
The group has now retrieved over £100,000 worth of goods and returned them to businesses in Winchester.
The Rangers work closely with local businesses, Hampshire Constabulary, Winchester City Council and BID to help their efforts of combatting theft.
They are highly trained security professionals that are accredited under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) and certified by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
BID lists the Rangers’ key functions as being crime prevention and recovery, supporting the local Shopwatch and Pubwatch schemes, real-time assistance and customer engagement and public safety.
Hannah Hitchon, Shopwatch chair, said: “It is with the greatest pride that the BID Rangers have surpassed the stolen property recovery figure of £100,000.
“This figure has been recovered over a challenging time, including the pandemic, which naturally impacted the vital role that they played in protecting our local area.
“As such they should be commended for their hard work and resilience over the last six years.
“My heartfelt thanks go out to the Rangers for the continuing hard work and dedication that they offer both the public and local businesses and here’s to many more years of the same!”
The group have been recognised for their efforts by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC).
BID Ranger Brett Jones received an OPCC award in 2023 for his commitment to public safety.
Winchester BID Business Crime Reduction Manager Jane Bastock has been honoured with a 2025 OPCC award nomination for her leadership in business crime reduction over the past decade.
On the efforts by the Rangers, Ms Bastock said: “I am very proud of this achievement. This demonstrates not only the success of the BID Rangers scheme but that of the Radio Link and Shopwatch schemes, which businesses in Winchester utilise to alert suspicious or offending behaviour in their store or in the city.
“I would also like to thank the local police and Winchester City Council CCTV Control Room for their continued support with these schemes.”
Following the milestone, the WBCRP and Winchester BID remain committed to strengthening security initiatives and supporting businesses in tackling crime.
Cheif Inspector Korine Bishop, Winchester district commander, said: “This milestone demonstrates the importance of the BID Rangers to the partnership effort needed to keep the city centre a safer environment for all.
“Our officers, including those from our dedicated city centre Neighbourhood Policing Team, will continue to work with the BID Rangers and all our partners to reduce and prevent crime.”
-
Football9 years ago
Football – Winchester City vs Didcot Town
-
Community8 years ago
Winnall community association renovated
-
Community8 years ago
Hampshire’s frontline services at risk
-
Hampshire8 years ago
University of Winchester Parking Trouble
-
Community8 years ago
Knight Bus unveiled at school
-
Community8 years ago
‘Controversial’ new plans take shape in Eastleigh
-
Winchester News Online8 years ago
#MiracleMissy Update
-
Bulletins7 years ago
WINOL 20 November 2018