Scope bags for life help share hopes and dreams

A limited edition bag for life designed to share the aspirations of disabled people and their families will launch in 25 Scope charity shops across the nation from 9 July.

Eco-friendly shopping bags

The colourful eco-friendly bags aim to improve understanding of disabled people's lives through unique pictures and heartfelt stories created by disabled people, their families, colleagues and friends, to describe their hopes for the future.

The limited edition bag will be available for two weeks from July 9, with five striking designs to choose from.

One father's story

Proud father Rob Riddell is behind one of the designs being used on the bags after being inspired by his three-year-old daughter, Dakota, who has cerebral palsy.

Rob's bag is illustrated with a smiling mouth and reads: "My daughter deserves everything good in this world, because she fought so hard to stay here. May the world keep her smiling."

Rob, who lives with his wife Mary and their daughter in the West Midlands, has been involved with Scope since Dakota was born.

The family gained valuable support and advice about her condition from the leading disability charity at a difficult time, when they had so many questions about her diagnosis and the kind of treatment and care she might need.

He said: "I love the idea of the bags for life and the fact there are a variety of designs telling different stories to appeal to everyone.

"This is a great way of helping people understand more about the lives of disabled people and their loved ones.

"I'm hoping people who wouldn't normally buy a bag for life might be more inclined to take an interest because of the stories behind the pictures and maybe think about what they mean."

How to get your Scope bags for life

The bags for life will be given free to shoppers spending over £10 in the Scope shops and will also be available to buy for £4 to help fund Scope's vital work with disabled people and their families.

The shop will also have stickers and postcards in store using similar pictures and individual stories being told through their designs.

The move is part of a wider bid by Scope to increase understanding of disabled people's lives.

Share your hopes for the future

The charity has, since the beginning of the year, been inviting disabled people, their friends and family to submit some words and a picture which represent what they would like to see in the future at www.scope.org.uk/share.

At a time when attitudes towards disabled people getting worse and disabled people struggling to get the support they need, Scope believes each story has the power to inspire people to think differently, a crucial step in the journey towards changing society.

Andrew Adair, Director of Retail at Scope, said: "Our bags for life offer a unique and innovative way of telling the, sometimes unheard, personal stories of disabled people and those closest to them. We hope customers will find them interesting and touching as well as useful and practical."