It’s been 11 years since Ellie Forrester was diagnosed as having a neurological condition that affects muscle co-ordination and body movement.
The symptoms of mild cerebral palsy are barely noticeable to the naked eye and on the surface the teenager, from Lyth Hill Road, Bayston Hill, looks the same as any other young girl her age. However, her experiences with the education system have been very different.
Ellie, who is studying history, film and English language at Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, will present a five-minute film titled A World in Black and White on Tuesday, April 27, in which she opens up about the barriers she has faced as a result of the condition.
Ellie told the Chronicle around 40 guests were expected to attend the premiere of the film in which she stars alongside her friends and which she hopes will give a voice to the disabled. She said: “Some people know there’s something wrong but they don’t want to say anything or appear rude.
“Socially it has caused some barriers. If I want to express my feelings about difficult subjects every teenage girl has, such as love – if I like someone, instead of telling someone in public, I will write my feelings down because I can’t do it any other way because some people are still very judgemental. Doing this film at college is the first time I’ve come out about it to say I’m a real person and just the same as everyone else.”
Ellie said the film was a chance to portray on screen the obstacles faced as a result of having a disability – particularly bullying. The symptoms of mild cerebral palsy are not easily recognisable and vary from person to person. Some are affected by physical limitations, but their intelligence is not affected at all.
Symptoms of mild cerebral palsy are easier to manage because the brain damage which occurred at birth isn’t as severe. These can include a delay in talking, lack of co-ordination and being hesitant about participating in activities which require lots of movement.
Ellie has in the past undergone physiotherapy to help ease her tight tendons and muscles in her arms, legs and back, which has helped correct her posture and she has gone on to enjoy thrill-seeking sports such as abseiling, canoeing and zip wiring.
And while Ellie has struggled with certain academic subjects as a result of her condition, such as maths, the social side has also proved more challenging as she has got older. She said: “Mentally sometimes I am slower in grasping things with patterns or using a formula. I’m never going to be good at that kind of thing.
“When I was younger I was very upset about it, where as now I appreciate myself for what I am good at. Teachers couldn’t get past the disability label and the way students looked at it, their view was black and white. I think the film will mean different things to different people and I think disabled people looking at the film will be able to see where I’m coming from.
“I do like people to think I’ve just got enough ability as everyone else. I’ve read quite a lot of manifestos from Mencap and I’m not the only disabled person who feels like they’re not being treated in the right way.”
Relationship
Ellie hopes to make a career out of directing in the future and cites the French New Wave as her inspiration behind the documentary style of her film.
She said: “This film is about the struggles and prejudice that the disabled face socially and in education. To me the most important thing was the sub plot about relationships.
“You don’t hear about many people in relationships with disabled people and that was quite important to me. I still feel there’s difficulty there.”
Ellie hopes her film will have a long-lasting effect on the public and may even spur the government into action on raising awareness of disability in schools and colleges, as well as stricter punishment for bullying.
She added: “I feel work experience should be brought in in the half term to encourage students to go out and volunteer with different charities.
“In May I’m volunteering with CHUMS in Oswestry. I will be befriending someone with severe learning difficulties and I could take my experiences and give them more confidence. This is something which should be encouraged more.”
To view the film visit our website www.shrewsburychronicle.com
By Charlotte Hester