³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

44 year-old disability rights campaigner, and blogger for the Sunday Mail, Susan Archibald lives in Fife with her husband and 4 children. Previously a street sweeper, she became mobility impaired after unsuccessful surgery. Endless barriers to getting a job on attempting to rejoin the workforce prompted Susan to take her employer, Fife Council, to court.

The case went on for 5 years. Susan tells of having to crawl up a spiral staircase 5 days in a row to attend a disability discrimination hearing at one ironic stage in the battle. Supported by the dRC, she finally won in 2004. The judgment subsequently changed the UK employment laws for disabled workers, putting a duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments if they become unable to do their job due to disability.

In the years since, much hard work knocking on doors and speaking out, as well as a certain charm, have installed her as a regular in the Scottish Parliament buildings as a member of numerous cross-party working groups. She is involved with Inclusion Scotland and the Independent Living Movement, and has, by her own volition, gained a reputation as, "Someone who gets things done". "Now, changes are made before I even get to the meeting", she says.

Happily, Susan didn’t need much persuasion to answer our 13 Questions and with her very strong local accent, the responses were a joy. I particularly liked being called 'hen’.