Freelance work
The freelance work I have done over the last few years is a mixture of filming, talking and writing. I’ve had the chance work with a number of established names and share my thoughts around accessibility, education and the public attitudes that disabled people face.
AccessAble: 31st March 2026
Yoga isn’t a cure and my energy levels are low – but here’s how to stay active as a disabled person
Having enough energy to get through the day can feel like an achievement! When you’re disabled this can often be the case. Everything is slightly more taxing – but that all adds up. This is exactly why staying active is both hard work and important.
Naidex: 25th March 2026
Life with Dezzie: The impact of a guide dog
Having enough energy to get through the day can feel like an achievement! When you’re disabled this can often be the case. Everything is slightly more taxing – but that all adds up. This is exactly why staying active is both hard work and important.
Guide dogs: 14th February 2026
Post campaign for gifts in wills
Having enough energy to get through the day can feel like an achievement! When you’re disabled this can often be the case. Everything is slightly more taxing – but that all adds up. This is exactly why staying active is both hard work and important.
Motability: 15th December 2023
5 fun accessible indoor activities for children this winter
If your child has a disability, it may feel tricky for you to find enjoyable and accessible activities to do indoors, but a touch of creativity can solve that!
BOMB Magazine: 5th December 2023
Interviewing Ella Glendining
Ella Glendining’s Is There Anybody Out There? (2023) is a film that portrays what it is like to be disabled and the importance of the disabled community. Ella showcases her personal journey to find someone like herself, the lessons learnt on the way, and self-acceptance.
Reclaim the Fame: 25th November 2023
‘Is There Anybody Out There?’: The beacon we all need
Director Ella Glendining describes her film – Is There Anybody Out There? – as a love letter to the disabled community, and I think this truly encompasses what it is. A love letter to the disabled community and an eye-opening, raw and honest awareness session for non-disabled people.
Scope: 15th November 2023
Disability awareness training
There was a range of activity providers who wanted to be more accessible and include disabled children.
HeX Productions: 14th August 2023
Chloe Tear discusses why Digital Accessibility Matters
Today, Chloe talks to us about about why digital accessibility matters, the lack of fundamental accessibility on websites, and provides great advice on how to write that all important
AccessAble: 6th August 2023
The process of getting my first guide dog – International Assistance Dog Week
“About a month ago I qualified with my first guide dog. It still seems surreal to say that! Dezzie is a 19-month-old yellow Labrador cross retriever. He is incredible. He’s very loving and can get a bit excitable, but I couldn’t have asked for a better match. “
Passenger Assist: 11th April 2023
Explaining your condition or impairment when on a train
“When using public transport, I’ve found that sometimes I have to explain my disability. More commonly than not, this is when asking for a seat. I want the interaction to be easy and not have to explain my medical history to a stranger! The use of the lanyards and cards mentioned in this blog post could help in all areas of life.”
Northern Ballet: 18th March 2023
The Great Gatsby audio described performance and touch tour
The touch tour included lots of different elements. We got to see the costumes and props close up and learn more about the plot of the show. We also got to try out some of the dance moves and have things demonstrated by Pippa Moore MBE and Gavin McCaig (who played Tom Buchanan). Having this insight before the show really helped.
Estée Lauder: 14th February 2023
Estée Lauder’s Voice-enabled Makeup Assistant (ELVMA)
They just launched a new app called ELVMA (Estée Lauder Voice-enabled Makeup Assistant). It’s Al-powered app that helps blind and visually impaired people to apply their makeup. The app gives feedback on your make up application so you know you’re good to go! 💄👩🏻🦯
Parliamentary MP drop-in: 6th December 2022
Cost of living: the impact for disabled people
We are in the middle of the worst cost of living crisis for decades, and disabled people are being hit hardest.
Disabled people feel let down by the government and are struggling with the cost of energy and food. Often having to make devastating decisions about what to prioritise.
Passenger Assist: 18th November 2022
Travelling during the festive period when you’re visually impaired
Are you armed with luggage to keep all the presents together? I don’t know about you, but I find multiple bags a logistical nightmare. This is especially true when I’ve spent the day buying Christmas presents.
It is hard to carry everything in one hand if you use a long white cane. Also, it can be easy to leave a bag behind when you have a must needed coffee shop break.
Harrogate High School: 6th September 2022
Talking about disability: Diversity day
Not only that, the shy 15-year-old who wanted to hide her disability had become a 20-year-old who was known for being disabled! I still find this so bizarre to think about. I’m a semi-established blogger and freelancer. I work within the disability charity sector and am known for talking about my disability online. Essentially, I write and talk about being disabled for a living. Yet I no longer make it sound like sunshine and rainbows. I hope to showcase the good and the bad.
Digital Works: 6th September 2022
The importance of accessible design
Chloe strives to share what it’s like to be a disabled young person navigating the world of education, employment and life in general – and she’ll be bringing this ambition to Digital Works where she’ll be talking about her interactions with digital and online experiences.
Medium: 4th August 2022
Reviewing how we use content patterns
A content pattern is a sentence or paragraph of content that’s repeated within different content items. For us, this is because:
- the content meets more than one need, or
- it meets one need in multiple places.
Prince Henry’s Grammar School: 13th July 2022
Workshop for high school students: What is disability?
Chloe Tear led workshops with Year 9, on the theme of understanding disability, presenting her lived experience and asking students to think about invisible disabilities as well.
Red Kite Alliance: 1st July 2022
Keynote speaker: Being a disabled student
Former Prince Henry’s Grammar Student and disability blogger, Chloe Tear, will share her own experiences of what it is like to be a disabled young person navigating the world of education, employment and life.
Yorkshire Water: 7th March 2022
Staying safe and signing up to the Priorty Service Register
Yorkshire Water has a new campaign to help customers spot scams or bogus callers.
I took their survey and actually managed to spot some of the red flags. I found out that you can ring Yorkshire Water if you are unsure and they’ll be able to verify if someone is coming to check your water – I love that!
Primley Wood Primary school: 3rd March 2022
What is disability presentation for World Book Day
For World Book Day, I went to Primley Wood Primary School.
Such a great day giving a talk to all the pupils, teaching them about disability and sharing my own experiences. Kids really do ask the best questions.
Some of the classes then chose a disabled person to learn about. The book, I am not a label, was a great starting point! A beautifully illustrated book that showcased influential disabled people.
Prince Henry’s Grammar School: 16th December 2021
Prince Henry’s celebration evening
Drawing on her experience as a disability activist living with cerebral palsy and her recent sight loss, Chloe spoke of the importance of ‘finding your thing’ – of turning obstacles into opportunities, working hard, stepping out of your comfort zone and following your passion.
Motability: 30th September 2021
Can you drive with Spinal Muscular Atrophy?
Blogger and radio presenter Ross Lannon has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and is a wheelchair user. He has used the Motability Scheme to have an adapted car ever since he passed his test 10 years ago.
In this interview with journalist Chloe Tear, he shares his experiences of having a Motability Scheme car and the freedom he gets from driving.
National Rail: 7th September 2021
Accessible Travel For All
We want everyone to travel with confidence, watch the video below to see what you could expect on your journey.
Motability: 17th August 2021
Disability aids recommended by disabled people
I’ve been using disability aids for most of my life. I have mild cerebral palsy and I became visually impaired while at university. Yet the things I use have changed over time. When thinking about the aids that have helped me the most, one thing became clear – it’s the disabled community who have the best answers.
Scope: 13th July 2021
Make it Count campaign
Nobody should face barriers to getting active.
Using the moment of the Paralympic Games, we want to inspire more people to get active their way, during the event and beyond, and join this global celebration of disability equality.
We have co-designed Make It Count with disabled people and disability sports experts to create an inclusive challenge for everyone.
Happiful Magazine: 23rd June 2021
How to talk to children about disability
As a disabled woman, I’ve experienced numerous occasions where children have asked me about my condition. Having had younger siblings myself, I really encourage their inquisitive side and believe that ignoring the topic actually does disability a disservice.
Yorkshire Post: 14th May 2021
Life lessons from lockdown as a 23-year-old with cerebral palsy: Chloe Tear
When I was on a train I had folded up my cane and proceeded to read my Kindle. Due to my level of sight, I am able to read large print.
But that didn’t fit with the preconceived image of being blind – not that I know what blind people should look like!
Motability: 23rd March 2021
Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month: ‘The lessons I’ve learned’
When you’re at school, you crave to be like your peers. Whether we like it or not, humans are renowned for building a social identity and desire to be accepted by those around them.
AccessAble: 1st March 2021
An AccessAble Guide: How to support visually impaired people
Navigating the world as a visually impaired person has its challenges. The need for businesses to have employees who are disability aware is perhaps even more important now, in this world of new normal, than it has ever been.
Award-winning disability blogger Chloe Tear gives her tips to help businesses support visually impaired customers.
AccessAble: 22nd January 2021
What’s it like being visually impaired in the new normal?
“Navigating the world as a visually impaired person has its challenges, yet things have become even harder since the lockdown has been lifted. I appreciate that daily life has been changed for everyone, yet I hope to shed some light on the particular barriers that visually impaired people now have to contend with.”
BBC Ouch: 19th November 2020
‘I need to remind myself to talk to people’
“So, how do you battle feelings of isolation?
BBC Ouch’s Emma Tracey spoke to award-winning bloggers, Elin Williams and Chloe Tear, and disability rights campaigner George Baker to find out their top-tips.”
Motability: 5th October 2020
Striving for independence as a young adult with Cerebral Palsy
“Like all young adults, I want independence. With this being the normal transition for all people my age, having a disability doesn’t impact the desire for independence — although it does affect the logistics! I have mild Cerebral Palsy, and with 6thOctober being World Cerebral Palsy (CP) Day I always find it a pivotal moment to reflect.”
TransPennies Express: 30th September 2020
Traveling post-lockdown as a disabled passenger
“I’m heavily reliant on public transport to get around and, prior to the pandemic, I was a frequent train traveller. […] I never thought I’d say this, but after not being on a train for six months, I’ve really missed it.”
RNIB: 31st August 2020
Should a blind character be played by a blind actor?
“Blind and partially sighted people are seldom represented in the media, and blind characters often perpetuate stereotypes, says @chloeltear.”
Hex Productions: 28th August 2020
The importance of digital accessibility
Surely disabled people have the right to access content online?! 👩🏻💻
Rail Delivery Group: 28th July 2020
Every train operator in the UK now recognises the Sunflower symbol!
“The scheme discreetly let others know you have a non-visible disability and stops you having to explain and justify your needs to others.”
Lucy Edwards: 10th June 2020
3 Blind Girls Chat Periods, Mooncups and Awkward TMI Moments!
“This week I chatted to two beautiful ladies all about periods when you can’t see them. Join the discussion? We would all love to hear what you think and how you deal with your time of the month.”
AbilityNet Live: 18th May 2020
The importance of an online community
“This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek we all need to need to be extra vigilant about our mental health. On a webinar last week we offered advice about finding the support you need online, and using technology to maintain good mental health.”
Bloomberg QuickTake: 30th March 2020
Coronavirus has made working from home the new norm.
“Disability rights blogger @chloeltear hopes employers will make more adjustments for people with disabilities.”
Times Higher Education: 30th March 2020
How can disabled students look after themselves during the coronavirus outbreak?
“The world certainly has changed a great deal over the past week, and I imagine that you might feel anxious when faced with this uncertainty. However, I hope I can offer a few words of support to help you get through it.”
Radio Aire: 16th March 2020
Carers crisis during COVID-19
“Leeds disability activist @chloeltear has cerebral palsy. She says thousands of people who rely on carers need more information and advice if they’re affected by #covidー19uk“
Scope The Big Hack: 18th March 2020
University must be more accessible to disabled students, technology can help
“The more my sight decreased, the harder my university work became.”
HuffPost: 12th March 2020
Protecting Yourself From Coronavirus Is Proving Harder For Disabled People Like Me
Disabled people are used to challenges, but from stockpiling to risking our health on public transport, coronavirus is testing every element of our lives, writes Chloe Tear.
Motability Scheme: 7th January 2020
Driving with Cerebral Palsy: An Interview with Cara Readle
Cara Readle is 28 years old; she is a part-time actress and has Cerebral Palsy (CP). She has been a Motability Scheme customer since she was a child and kindly spoke to journalist Chloe Tear about her experiences of learning to drive on the Scheme. Chloe also has CP and had the chance to reflect on her own experiences.
Medical Travel Compared: 31st October 2019
Top Tips When Traveling Abroad with a Disability
Travelling is something that I have always enjoyed doing. I love being able to see a new part of the world and explore somewhere unknown. I have mild Cerebral Palsy; chronic pain and I am registered as partially sighted; I believe this gives me a unique perspective in life. It also means that travelling abroad can be a little more complicated! Here are some of my top tips for travelling…
AccessAble: 26th September 2019
Tips for new disabled students
So you’re probably reading this because you’ve just started university, and I imagine you have some questions. My name is Chloe Tear and I have mild Cerebral Palsy, chronic pain and I’m registered as partially sighted. As a psychology graduate, I’m here to give you some words of wisdom…
Able Magazine: 18th September 2019
Why blogging?
What do you do when you look around and cannot seem to find someone who you can truly relate to? For me, this was the initial driving force behind starting my blog…
Scope’s online community: 26th July 2019
I gained more than a degree when I went to university
When I started university, I knew my experiences would differ from my peers. I never saw this as a bad thing, yet certain things in the lead up to me starting weren’t quite the same as everyone else. Due to my own needs, moving away to university wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Personal Assistants (PAs) and this is something I found daunting and exciting…
Able Magazine: 4th July 2019
Adjusting to using a long cane in your 20s
When you imagine your 20’s it’s the decade of freedom, self- discovery and making the most out of life. It’s painted to be the best years of your life before you become a ‘proper adult’ and actually have to settle down. For some, your 20’s begins at university where you gain independence and figure out what career you’d like to do…
Access For Us: 21st June 2019
When Cerebral Palsy comes to the festival
I attended YNot Festival in Derbyshire on the 27th- 29th July 2018 and the only phrase that seems to come to mind is “what a night!” from Mamma Mia. It is safe to say the experience was a positive one. However, you cannot leave Cerebral Palsy at home when you choose to go on such adventures and despite the perks it may bring, it is not the easiest thing in the entire world…
Scope’s online community: 14th June 2019
Tips for Hiring a Personal Assistant
When the times comes to hire a Personal Assistant (PA) it can seem like a very big task, especially if this is something you have not done before. Essentially the role of a PA in this instance is support a disabled person to live their life as independently and fully as possible…
Able Magazine: 13th June 2019
Lessons of a Disability Blogger
Every once in a while it’s important to reflect on how far you’ve come, and consider experiences, both good and bad. After reaching six years of blogging at ‘Life as a Cerebral Palsy student’ I had a good old think…
Scope’s online community: 22nd April 2019
What happens to Cerebral Palsy when you age?
What do you see when you look at me? Do you see a young woman who is at university and having fun with her family and friends? Or do you see an old woman who can be hunched over with a walking stick with eyesight that’s decreasing way beyond her years?..
Able Magazine: 16th April 2019
Are The Needs Of Disabled Students Being Fully Met
Education is something many of us take for granted. We start around the age of five and are set free in our late teens. For people like myself who choose to study in Higher Education, my journey has yet to end…
Learning to Leap: 13th March 2019
Student Disability: How to Be a Successful Campaign Blogger
How do you get 90,000 views of your blog as an undergraduate with a disability? Chloe Tear knows how. She’s a final year student at Leeds Trinity University studying Psychology and Child Development and shares her fascinating journey with Learning to Leap…
RNIB: 8th March 2019
International Women’s Day
To mark #InternationalWomensDay, we’ve worked with bloggers, like @chloeltear, to discuss what inspires them and how they’re using social media to help change attitudes and misconceptions…
BBC Radio Leeds: 7th February 2019
Blind people can use phones
I know as a society we can do better…
Able Magazine: 6th February 2019
Life is a balancing act…
All aspects of life require balancing. This can become more important when you have a disability. From my personal experiences of having mild cerebral palsy, chronic pain and a visual impairment I know that it can sometimes feel like the odds are stacked against you. However, you are not alone in feeling like this…
Planet Mindful: 23rd February 2019
Disability: beautiful, adventurous and eye-opening
Metro: 31st January 2019
Using my phone and cane at the same time doesn’t mean I’m faking blindness
A picture of a woman on her phone while using a long white was shared on Facebook and captioned ‘If you can see what’s wrong say “I see it”,’ and instantly I was horrified…
Teachers’ Resource Magazine: 12th November 2018
Let’s talk bullying with Scope Role Models
“That is one of the best things about doing the sessions. You see a change in people’s behaviour,” explains Chloe Tear, a psychology and child development student, who also has cerebral palsy…
The Mighty: 7th November 2018
I’m a Disability Advocate, but Sometimes Want to Hide My Disability
Being a disability advocate, blogger, campaigner and public speaker is a personal choice. I choose to write a blog and to share my experiences with others. I also choose to stand up for others and would like to see a positive change within society. However, there are also times when I wish I could hide my disability and pretend it wasn’t there…
Scope’s online community: 18th October 2018
What does Cerebral Palsy awareness day mean to me?
October is always a special month to me. Despite raising awareness all year round, it is great to have a focus and to have an awareness day where everyone becomes united in the message they share. Cerebral Palsy affects everyone differently, yet our shared experiences and similarities can help the general public to understand the disability in a clearer sense…
Leeds Trinity University: 18th October 2018
Chloe Tear: “I’ve never been so proud to have a disability”
To be named on the Shaw Trust Power 100 List for 2018 is unbelievable and very exciting. I never intended to be a disability activist and still consider myself to be a newbie at this…
Scope’s online community: 11th September 2018
The progress of education
When I started primary school, it was clear that I found it incredibly difficult at times. Academically maths has never been my best subject. I have always struggled to understand the most basic concepts…
RNIB: 1st September 2018
Chloe Tear: RNIB’s 150th Anniversary
Similarly, I have started to use a long cane which has allowed me to continue socialising with others, as well as to navigate around the university campus. I thoroughly enjoy my university experience and try to get involved with as many different things as possible…
Engage Magazine: July 2018
Living with a disability
Despite cerebral palsy being a physical disability, it is often the lack of awareness which can be the most disabling, and the lack of accessibility as I live in a world that is not designed for disabled people. I have learned how to adapt by doing things differently.
Enable Magazine: 25th July 2018
Preparing for university with a disability
“I arranged meetings with the disability coordinator before I started, otherwise you’re floating round in the first few weeks before your plan is in place,” she says. “There are things you could miss out on in your first week, and you don’t want to be worrying, you want to go out and enjoy freshers’ week.”
Scope’s blog: 8th June 2018
My physical limitations are often the least of my worries – other people’s attitudes are the problem
I like to think that my impairment is a small part of me. In theory this is true, in practice it can be a very different story. Having cerebral palsy and a visual impairment does affect my life and always will do, yet the physical limitations are often the least of my worries…
Unite Magazine: March 2018
Are we really that close to acceptance?
Why is 2018 different to any other year? Well, maybe it is too similar than I care to admit. We say we are in a society of acceptance, and that ‘anything goes’, but I believe society isn’t as far forward as we thing…
The Mighty: 2nd January 2018
What No One Told Me When I Started Having Seizures
Having a seizure is definitely not nice (this being an understatement). Neurologists are able to give you a lot of information about seizures; after all they are the medical experts! However, sometimes it takes real-life experience of these things to take it from the medical textbook to everyday life…
Times Higher Education: 19th December 2017
Going to University with Cerebral Palsy
Going to university should not be limited because you have a disability, and I would like to believe that this is the case for everyone. Many factors need to be taken into account when choosing which university to study at…
SEN Magazine: October 2017
An unpredictable condition
Let’s get this straight from the start: there is a wide spectrum of abilities for people who have cerebral palsy. Some of us can walk unaided and some of us have to rely on an electric wheelchair to get around…
Huffington Post: 16th September 2017
This is How I See
Did you know that there are more than two million people in the UK who are affected by sight loss? I just happen to be one of those people. I am 19 years old and a student at university. During my free time I love photography, going out with friends, anything that is vintage, and writing…
Huffington Post: 13th September 2017
Observations From A Part-Time Wheelchair User
I am a part-time wheelchair user, this means that one day I can use my chair, and the next I can be walking with my stick. Being able to use a wheelchair on a part-time basis allows me to managed my energy levels and reduce pain, allowing me to function more effectively in everyday life…
Huffington Post: 28th August 2017
A Letter to my Newly Diagnosed Self
Dear Chloe, You’re currently seven years old and are about to embark on a journey of a lifetime. This journey will show you the world in a completely new light, it will show you things you never thought you would see, and allow you to meet people you might otherwise have never met…
Disability Horizon’s: 19th April 2017
Cerebral Palsy: life as a disabled student
Deciding whether or not to go into further education is an extremely difficult decision for any student, and for me, it was no different. Firstly, I was unsure about what course I wanted to do – a debate I am sure all students have with themselves…
Link Magazine: 6th April 2017
Finding the positives
When initially given a diagnosis for yourself or your child, it can be the fear of the unknown that is the scariest part. I was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy (CP), affecting my legs and left arm, at the age of seven, and it would have been impossible to predict how things turned out…
World CP Day: 3rd April 2017
Advice for health professionals
When you have cerebral palsy you cannot escape the fact that health professionals will be a part of your life. You will meet them in loads of different health departments, often seeing different people within one department. Also, with certain aspects of CP (like vision or speech impairments) mean you will be referred from one person to another…
The Mighty: 11th January 2017
My Typical Day as a University Student With Cerebral Palsy
I feel like a typical day for me would allow many people to have a greater understanding about the daily experiences someone with cerebral palsy goes through — unfortunately this is extremely difficult. There are many factors that can contribute to us having a good or bad day with our CP, and even then there isn’t always a particular reason for it to play up!..
The Mighty: 7th November 2016
The 4 Stages of a Medical Setback
Unfortunately, my medical conditions can fluctuate. They can flare up, misbehave and happen at any point. No matter how many setbacks I have, it never seems to get any easier, and regrettably, they don’t seem to end…
The Mighty: 27th October 2017
Doctors Deserve Our Thanks, but Let’s Not Forget the Others Who Care for Us
We thank doctors for saving our lives, but do we remember the other people who helped just as much? Do we thank the paramedics for holding our shaking hand during our time of need? Are the emergency staff forgotten as they rush off their feet to get us through one of the hardest nights we may face?..
Scope’s blog: 14th October 2016
“I hate it when people fake” – and other things you hear as a part time wheelchair user
I’ve been at a restaurant where there were stairs to go down and the waiter came over like “We could carry you down the stairs?” so I said “I’ve got my stick, I can get down myself if that’s okay” and he just stared at me…
The Mighty: 20th July 2016
Adjusting to a Wheelchair as a Teenager
As a teenager you normally gain more freedom, become independent and find yourself. Yet I found myself having to rely on others more, at times feeling stuck in a chair, as well as having to adapt to changing health which led me into the unknown…
The Mighty: 4th May 2016
6 Things a Teen With Cerebral Palsy Wants New Parents to Know
I cannot begin to imagine what it is like to hear the words “your child has cerebral palsy,” because I have always been the one to have CP. It is all I have ever known, but does that have to be a bad thing?..
Scope’s blog: 25th March 2015
My letter to Cerebral Palsy
Dear cerebral palsy, I both love and hate you. I hate you because you make my life difficult. Every single day I’m faced with challenges because of you. Sometimes I wish you would go away and leave me alone…
Scope’s blog: 23rd February 2015
My dream is to be accepted at school – #100days100stories
When you are at school it can be hard to know what to say to people. People react to my medical list – which includes mild cerebral palsy – very differently, but this is what I want them all to know…
