Together With Scope

Working Together with Scope for Disability Pride Month

This Disability Pride Month we're working Together with Scope for our brand new partnership to highlight and uplift our disabled community. We'll explore what the partnership means to them and raise awareness of their experiences.

Find out more about the community, learn more about what Disability Pride Month is all about and why Scope is so important to their community.

What is Disability Pride Month?

Disability Pride Month is a celebration of the UK’s 16 million disabled people.  

Disability Pride is about celebrating disabled identity. It’s not the same as LGBTQ+ Pride, though some people identify with both communities.

It’s an opportunity to raise awareness and start positive conversations and to celebrate the diversity and strength of the disabled community.

Who is Scope?

Scope is here to create an equal future with disabled people. Scope campaigns to transform attitudes to disability, tackle injustice and inspire action.

Scope creates opportunities and provide information and support that empowers. 

One in four of us in the UK are disabled. Scope are a diverse, proud, and vibrant community.

Scope is part of a powerful movement of disabled people, allies, organisations and businesses. And together, we will be unstoppable

Find out what Scope means for Our Able Community

Anna Button
Chair of Able at NEXT

Anna Button

"They provide support and guidance through various online resources, and give a voice and space for disabled people and carers to be heard."

Meet Anna Button, Chair of Able at NEXT as we explore what this partnership means to the community and why it is so important.

Why We Chose Scope
We chose Scope because the Able community unanimously selected them. They support and campaign for disabled people and carers, providing resources and a voice.

What We Hope to Achieve
As the partnership strengthens, we hope to attract disabled talent and improve the shopping experience for our customers. We want NEXT to be an employer of choice and collaborate with other organisations for growth.

What This Means for Able and Me
The Able community chose Scope, which shows a true commitment from NEXT around including disabled people at work, ensuring our services are accessible to all. For me, Scope encompasses the ethos of "leave no one behind."

Marakesh Jarvis

"It makes a big difference knowing my employer doesn’t just talk about inclusion, but is actually putting things in place to back it up."

Meet Marakesh Jarvis, Junior Digital Designer at NEXT. We asked Marrakesh what the partnership means to her and what difference this will have on the community.

Why is it important to you that your employer is partnering with the Scope charity?
Partnering with Scope really matters to me because it shows that NEXT is serious about supporting disabled employees. It’s a clear promise that we’ll be there for them, not just now, but in the future too.

What do you hope to see from the partnership?
I also hope this partnership helps start more open conversations at work about disabilities. It’s a chance for people to ask questions, learn more, and understand different experiences. That’s how we move towards a more equal and inclusive future, by learning, talking, and growing together.

What does this mean to you and for the Able community?
For me, this partnership means protection and peace of mind. If something were to happen that meant I needed time off, extra support, or financial help, I know that safety net is there. As someone who is disabled, I often try to push those worries to the back of my mind, but the truth is, it matters to know that if things change, I won’t be left on my own.

This feels like a real promise between me and NEXT, that I’m seen, respected, and that my needs are taken seriously. It makes a big difference knowing my employer doesn’t just talk about inclusion, but is actually putting things in place to back it up.

Marakesh Jarvis
Junior Digital Designer

Millie Watson
Warehouse Operative

Millie Watson

"Together with Scope, we can address the inequality, raise awareness and provide opportunities for change. "

Meet Millie Watson, Warehouse Operative at NEXT. Millie gives us an insight into her thoughts about Scope and what this means to her.

What do you think about our partnership with Scope?
Scope offers great businesses like NEXT a chance to align with respected organisations, allowing us to demonstrate our big commitments to social responsibility. We’ll do this by various joint projects, research, fundraising and raising awareness.

What do you hope to see from the partnership?
I would like to see our partnership support the Able community’s long-term goals to create a more inclusive and accessible society for people with disabilities and also mental health. Together with Scope, we can address the inequality, raise awareness and provide opportunities for change.

How important is this for Able?
Together with Scope, the Able community will work with the charity to help provide practical help and support, campaign for change, focus on digital accessibility and more!

Joshua Ashdown

"It means that NEXT is taking us and our needs seriously"

Meet Joshua Ashdown, Senior Developer at NEXT. Joshua is part of the Able community and tells us what the partnership means to him and why this is a step forward for NEXT.

What do you think about our partnership with Scope?
Partnering with a disability charity shows that NEXT is serious about disabled working rights

What do you hope to see from the partnership?
While I've had a good experience with my managers being understanding, I know not everyone in the business has been so lucky. I hope this partnership makes my experience a more widespread one

How important is this for Able?
It means that NEXT is taking us and our needs seriously.

Joshua Ashdown
Senior Developer

Sarah Grady
Environments Coordinator

Sarah Grady

"It sends a clear message that our experiences are valued and that the business is serious about breaking down barriers. It makes me feel seen and genuinely proud to work here."

Meet Sarah Grady, Environments Coordinator at NEXT. Sarah talked to us about how partnering with Scope makes her feel seen and proud to work at NEXT.

Why is it important to you that your employer is partnering with the Scope charity?
For me as a disabled employee, seeing our company partner with Scope is incredibly important. It feels like a genuine commitment to understanding and supporting people like me. It’s not just about policies; it’s about sending a clear message that our experiences are valued and that the business is serious about breaking down barriers. It makes me feel seen and genuinely proud to work here.

What do you hope to see from the partnership?
I really hope this partnership leads to some practical, everyday improvements. It would be great to see us work with Scope to make our company's processes, from hiring to promotions, even more accessible. I'm also hopeful it will lead to training that creates genuine allies, alongside opportunities for colleagues to get involved directly through fundraising and volunteering for a fantastic cause.

What does this mean to you and for the Able community?
This partnership feels like a huge step forward for us in the Able community. It amplifies our voices and gives us the powerful backing of a national expert to help turn our lived experiences into meaningful action. It means our fight for a more inclusive workplace isn't just an internal effort anymore. This is about creating a culture where people like me, and all my disabled colleagues, don't just fit in, but can truly thrive.

Page updated

Report abuse