Well-known Frome resident Brian Marshall has recently published his autobiography, ‘Great Strides’, which tells the story of his journey from an institution for people with learning disabilities to independent living.
The book describes the joys and sorrows he has experienced along the way and is being launched at a special event at the Old Church School on Monday 5th September in Frome.
Brian is renowned in Frome and beyond for his campaigning activities, particularly with the charity Openstorytellers that uses storytelling skills to develop communication, memory and confidence.
Brian was one of the original members and helped to form the organisation in 2004, before becoming a trustee in 2009.
Brian’s story is described by Professor Dorothy Atkinson from the Open University as “a personal story of resilience, a determination to overcome the difficulties he has encountered throughout his life. It is an historical record of profound social changes in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.”
In his own words, dictated to Ruth Read, a volunteer with Openstorytellers, Brian tells of his childhood in Wincanton, his time in hospital, his move to an institution at the age of seven, moving into new residential settings as he grew older, and finally, in his fifties, to his own flat, which has been his pride and joy.
Openstorytellers manager Jade Ogden says, “For the past few years, Brian has been using his life story to help social care staff understand the real importance of all those buzz words that services include in their mission statements – words like dignity, respect, relationships, choice, achievement, community and presence.
“Brian has examples of how he did indeed experience some excellent support from professionals – but also of times when these were lacking.
“His story reminds us of how far we have come in the inclusion of people with learning difficulties in our society – but also of how far there still is to go, at a time when the public discourse around disability has become ever more polarising and often stigmatising.”
The launch event will take place from 5pm-7pm at the Old Church School on Butts Hill.
This will be followed by a book-signing on Saturday 10th September from 11am to midday at the Hunting Raven bookshop on Cheap Street.