Well, it’s been another busy few weeks in Benny’s world!

Where do I begin?

Let’s start with something positive.

Social Care – Are Things Finally Going to Change?

There’s been more talk from the government about helping disabled and elderly people get the care they deserve.

And I’m pleased they’re having these conversations.

But here’s my question.

How is it actually going to work?

Because at the moment, depending on your income, savings and circumstances, you can still be expected to contribute towards your own social care.

I know this because I’ve experienced it myself.

How can somebody who’s already struggling to afford food, clothes, heating and everyday living costs be expected to find even more money for the support they need?

We’re not asking for luxury.

We’re asking for the support that allows us to live independently.

And surely, if we can support more disabled and elderly people to live safely in their own homes, that could help reduce some of the pressure on hospitals and other services.

The NHS, Nurses, Chemists and the Cost of Living

I love the NHS.

And I especially appreciate the nurses and chemists who look after us.

In my experience, they’re the backbone of our healthcare system.

Nurses are there day and night, caring for patients, listening to them and making sure they’re comfortable.

But let’s not forget our local chemists!

Sometimes you see your pharmacist more often than your own doctor or nurse. They’re the people you pop in to see when you’ve got a question about medication, need advice or simply want somebody to explain something.

And sometimes they’re the first people to notice when something isn’t quite right.

I’m not taking anything away from doctors or specialists, because they do an important job too.

But I genuinely believe nurses and chemists deserve more recognition for the work they do.

They’re often the people we see most, the people we trust and the people who help us manage our health every day.

So perhaps we should be asking how we can better support the people who spend so much of their time supporting us.

I also remember reading about a survey suggesting that many people would be willing to pay more tax to help fund social care.

And that got me thinking.

Why, in 2026, are so many people still struggling to put food on the table?

Why are families working all the hours they can and still worrying about their bills?

Why are disabled people having to choose between paying for support and paying for everyday essentials?

We’re heading into another winter, and people are already worrying about heating costs.

Nobody should have to sit in a freezing house because they can’t afford to turn the heating on.

And nobody should have to work themselves into the ground just to live comfortably.

It’s not just disabled people struggling. It’s families, pensioners, people working full-time and small business owners.

But disability can bring extra costs on top of everything else.

Surely everyone deserves food, warmth, somewhere safe to live and a bit of enjoyment in their lives?

Jamie Green’s Wheelchair Fundraiser – 28th September

Now, onto something positive.

On the 28th of September, we held our charity comedy night at the Vat & Fiddle in Nottingham to raise money towards Jamie Green’s wheelchair.

And what a great night it was!

It did come at a cost to put the show on, but do you know what?

I don’t mind.

Because this was something really important to me and the disabled community.

Jamie needs a wheelchair that suits his body and allows him to be as comfortable and independent as possible.

A standard NHS-provided wheelchair wouldn’t necessarily meet his particular needs.

And that’s why we wanted to help.

We managed to raise around £200, which was a lovely bonus.

A massive thank you to Steve Day and Andrew O’Neill, who came along and supported the night, giving the audience a fantastic show.

And thank you to all the other comedians who did the middle spots.

It was a great example of what happens when people come together to support one another.

We might not have raised thousands, but every little bit helps.

And more importantly, we showed Jamie that his community has his back.

My First Job Interview in Eight Years!

On the 30th of September, I did something I hadn’t done for eight years.

I went for a job interview!

It was for an Education and Engagement Practitioner role.

Now, I don’t think I’ve got the job.

But here’s the thing.

For me, the biggest achievement wasn’t necessarily getting the job.

It was having the confidence to go for the interview in the first place.

Eight years is a long time.

And I came away thinking:

Actually, Benny, you can do this again.

You can apply for jobs.

You can sit in front of people and talk about your experience.

You can explain what you’ve achieved and what you could bring to an organisation.

And I genuinely believe comedy has helped me get to this point.

Comedy has given me confidence.

It’s taught me life skills.

It’s helped me make connections with people from all walks of life.

And it’s shown me that even when things don’t go to plan, you can learn something and try again.

So even if I don’t get this job, I’m going to keep looking for more opportunities like it.

Getting Back on Stage

On the 6th of October, I was back MCing at a RAM comedy night in Derby.

And I had a great time.

I met some fantastic acts, had a laugh and reminded myself why I love being on stage.

Sometimes I put far too much pressure on myself to be funny.

But when I calm down and enjoy myself, the comedy works so much better.

Then, on the 9th of October, I did another gig for Manford’s Comedy Club in Stockport.

It was only a ten-minute set, but I really enjoyed it.

And something I’ve been working on with Ricky Belshaw is finally starting to pay off.

I’m calming down.

I’m taking my time.

I’m leaving the microphone in the stand rather than holding it throughout my set.

And do you know what?

It’s working!

Not only am I enjoying myself more, but I’m not hurting myself by holding the microphone for ten or twenty minutes.

That might sound like a tiny change to some people.

But when you’ve got cerebral palsy, those little adaptations can make a massive difference.

And that’s what disabled people do.

We see a problem, we adapt, and we try to find a solution.

I’m really pleased with how the gig went, and I managed to get a good video from the night too.

Hopefully, it’ll help me get more bookings over the next few months.

Because I really do want to get out there and perform more.

Saturday Night on TikTok – Bullying or Disability Hate?

On Saturday 10th October, something happened on TikTok Live that really upset me.

I was in my shed, enjoying myself and trying to organise everything.

And trust me, that shed needs organising! 😂

I’m trying to get things sorted so I can diversify my work, make more artwork and hopefully earn a bit more money.

Now, on TikTok Live, people can request to join you on screen and have a conversation.

And on Saturday, three young lads joined.

Unfortunately, they started taking the mick out of me.

I tried several times to remove them, but because of my cerebral palsy, my shakes and my difficulties with reading, I couldn’t work out how to block them.

And that’s what made it worse.

I was sitting in my own shed, trying to enjoy myself, and I couldn’t stop people from making fun of me.

At the time, it really upset me.

But after I’d calmed down, I started thinking about the bigger picture.

Are the Children Really to Blame?

Here’s the thing about me.

Yes, I get upset. Yes, I get angry sometimes. But I also try to understand why people behave the way they do.

Those three lads might have just been messing about, thinking they were being funny.

But what if there’s more to it?

What if they’re being bullied themselves?

What if they’re having a difficult time at home?

What if they’re struggling with something and taking their frustration out on somebody they see as vulnerable?

I don’t know.

And that’s the point.

We don’t know what’s going on in somebody else’s life.

Then I started thinking about another question.

Who’s letting these children onto TikTok?

Who’s watching what they’re doing?

Where are the parents?

It’s easy to say it’s the parents’ fault. But is it?

Maybe their parents are working all hours to put food on the table.

Maybe they’re struggling themselves.

Maybe they don’t even know what their children are doing online.

Or maybe these lads simply thought it was funny to pick on a disabled person.

None of that excuses their behaviour.

But perhaps we need to understand the bigger picture before we start pointing fingers.

Because if we just shout at these children, what have they learnt?

Nothing.

I’d rather they understood why their behaviour was hurtful and thought twice before doing it to somebody else.

Learning to Accept Help

The other thing this incident taught me was how difficult technology can be when you’ve got a disability.

For most people, blocking somebody on TikTok might take seconds.

But when your hands shake and you struggle to read what’s on the screen, it isn’t that simple.

Maybe I need to ask Joe Dickens to invent another adaptation for me! 😂

But that would be another cost.

The good news is that I’ve now learnt how to add moderators to my TikTok Live, so trusted people can help block anyone causing trouble.

And that got me thinking.

Why does asking for help sometimes make me feel less independent?

I spend so much of my time telling people that disabled people deserve support and adaptations.

Yet sometimes I struggle to accept that support myself.

But maybe that’s another lesson I’ve learnt.

Being independent doesn’t mean doing absolutely everything on your own.

Sometimes it means having the right support so you can carry on doing the things you love.

And I’m certainly not going to stop going live because three lads decided to be idiots!

Another Few Weeks, Another Lesson

When I look back over these past few weeks, there’s actually been quite a lot to be proud of.

We raised money for Jamie’s wheelchair.

I went for my first job interview in eight years.

I got back on stage and started seeing improvements in my comedy.

I’ve been working on making my shed more organised so I can grow my artwork and business.

And even when something horrible happened on TikTok, I eventually found a way to make things safer.

But I also keep coming back to the same message.

Disabled people want to live their lives.

We want to work.

We want to be independent.

We want to have fun.

We want to make mistakes, learn from them and try again.

And sometimes we need adaptations and support to do those things.

That doesn’t make us weak.

It doesn’t make us stupid.

And it certainly doesn’t mean we deserve to be bullied or treated differently.

I’m not going to stop going live.

I’m not going to stop working in my shed.

And I’m definitely not going to stop performing comedy.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learnt over the past few years, it’s that I can achieve a lot when I’ve got the right support and the confidence to keep trying.

So I’ll finish with two questions.

Do you think what happened on TikTok was disability-related hate or bullying?

And should we be doing more to teach young people about disability and how their behaviour affects others?

I don’t want those children punished simply for the sake of punishment.

I want them to learn.

Maybe that’s why I do Blue Badge Bunch in the first place.

Because education and understanding can make a difference.

As I always say:

We’re not going to win the war if we shout.

Let’s work together, not against each other.

Benny Shakes

One small thing to check before publishing: the opening section discusses government social care plans and a public survey, but we haven’t verified the exact announcement or survey yet. I’ve kept those references general rather than presenting an unconfirmed promise as established policy.