Throughout the 1980s Radar’s principle focus was the various attempts to push a disabled person’s civil rights bill through Parliament, spearheaded by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Disability whose administration Radar had taken on in 1979. These efforts came to fruition in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (amended 2005) – the single most important piece of legislation in the history of the disability rights movement.
In 1999 the Disability Rights Commission was established, and Radar’s Chief Executive Sir Bert Massie became its first and indeed only Chairman.
The transformation of Radar from an organisation “for” disabled people to an organisation “of” disabled people also continued over the last 30 years; a rule was introduced to Radar’s constitution which specified that at least 75% of Radar’s trustees must be disabled people – as of 2010, the actual proportion is over 80%.
Radar is now an organisation “of” disabled people at all levels, and disabled people are at the heart of everything we do.
The 1980s and 90s also saw Radar moving away from the concept of physical rehabilitation and becoming fully focused on two areas: campaigning for disability rights and publishing information to further independent living.
This process came full circle in 2009 when, following a vote of Radar members and with the permission of Buckingham Palace, Radar changed its name to the Royal Association for Disability Rights.
On Jan 1 2012 Radar became part of Disability Rights UK.
