A DISABILITY charity is set to embark on an ambitious project chronicling the lives of disabled people living in Kingston from the 1960s to 1990s.

The Kingston Centre for Independent Living (KCIL) has just been granted £76,900 funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to put together a series of ‘exciting events and exhibitions’ on the experiences of people living in the borough.

The centre hopes to tell the story of disabled people from KCIL’s foundation in 1967 to the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act in 1995.

Patron and founder member of KCIL, Ann Macfarlane OBE, said: “Without this funding, this heritage would be lost. By sharing these stories, we will make it relevant to today and inspire a new generation.”

KCIL will work with Kingston University, Kingston Archives and St Philip’s Special Educational Needs School in Chessington to create the exhibition.

It intends to use oral commentaries of disabled people who faced adversity during the period.

Stuart Hobley, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund London, said: “This project offers an excellent opportunity to delve into a part of our national story and understand it better.

“The experiences of disabled people are a significant part of the social history of London, and through using the lens of heritage our funding will help to share widely these stories of determination, triumph and many barriers broken.”