Grapevine’s work illustrates how people and communities can meet one another’s needs, claim power and take action on what matters to them—transforming services and systems along the way.
During 2025, we’re marking three decades by sharing our story of how we’ve gone from a small single-issue charity to an organisation at the centre of work to build power, build belonging and strengthen people across our region.
Our 30th anniversary story (click here to read) is supported by a series of blogs guided by themes of:
- Strengthening democracy
- Building solidarity across divides
- Collaborating to change public service systems.
In our first blog, we returned to our first decade and first use of the power of the ordinary in person-centred planning and connecting to help turn disadvantaged people’s lives around.
So—we could shift power away from professionals by putting people in the centre of leading their lives. We could help them belong and be valued in ordinary places, shoulder to shoulder with everyone else.
But how else could people get what they really wanted—not just take what they were given?
Early campaign wins
First stop was a landmark campaign won by a group of men and women on disability benefits at a special workshop in 2000. Their pay for ‘sheltered’ work—such as packing golf balls and fan belts for local factories—went from less than a few pounds, to the maximum allowed before benefits were affected.
Our early campaigns were a mark of things to come. Campaigning and shifting power have been a thread through all of our work, growing in strength and sophistication, and becoming increasingly community led.
Further strengthening democracy
Fast forward to now where Coventry Youth Activists (CYA)—a group of young disabled activists campaigning for disabled people’s right to a good life and supported by Grapevine since 2017—are working to break down barriers disabled people face when voting.
CYA hope their ‘Let’s Get Voting’ campaign will raise awareness that everyone has a right to participate in fair, accessible elections. Part of their method involves sharing essential information with other young disabled people, supporters, teachers and organisations who can become allies to the cause.
One member of CYA, Prash, has a long history with Grapevine and plays a key role in the group’s campaigning. He says: “It’s important to me that disabled people are heard and take up space.”
Of his role in team dynamics, Prash says: “I like to have fun and a laugh with my friends. I’m known as CYA’s communication innovator and party starter!”
He concludes: “I feel proud when I’m with CYA. It feels good to see how CYA have developed their (Makaton) signing and include it in everything we do.”
Our journey with Prash
Prash got involved in our youth projects in his early teens and his father, Vee Patel, remembers the difference the support made to their family.
“For parents of a child with special needs, it’s a jungle out there. It’s so hard finding the right information. Grapevine offers quite a unique, niche support that you wouldn’t get anywhere else. They fight for your cause, be it personal budgets or college places and, if they can’t, they find a way of connecting you with people who can.” (Vee Patel)
Vee and his family didn’t realise they were eligible for additional support before they encountered Grapevine. When he got his personal budget, Prash had independence and so did his family.
Although it’s possible to talk about the aspects of our work separately, as Prash’s situation shows, it wasn’t experienced separately. “These weren’t separate projects,” says Grapevine CEO Clare Wightman, “they were what we overall were trying to offer as help. We would offer that whole array of help to the same person.”
Learn more
Find out more about ‘Let’s Get Voting’ here.
Meet Prash and the rest of CYA here.
CYA host an online Ally Gathering on Thursday 10 July. Contact community organiser Molly Gillespie at mgillespie@grapevinecovandwarks.org to register your interest in joining them.
Click here to read ‘The Grapevine Story: three decades of deep social change’ and follow #GrapevineAt30 on social media.
Learn more about other ways we are shifting power in Coventry and Warwickshire here.
