The disability service at Birkbeck is an essential team working to support students with both visible and invisible disabilities. They ensure students can get reasonable adjustments, test for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, put study support plans in place to help students achieve their full potential and have also introduced Ability, a scheme that helps students with disabilities go on to their chosen career after graduation.  

Mark Pimm knows about the challenges faced by students with disabilities, being registered blind. He has written that before the passing of the Disability Discrimination Act in 1995, being a disabled student was much more difficult, something he experienced first-hand – there was no support or funding at all.  

Pimm’s work with the disability service is facilitated by his assistance dog and a sighted assistant who enable Mark to carry out his vital work day-to-day. As well as managing the disability service, he sits on the College’s Equality and Diversity Committee and voluntarily co-chairs the staff Disability Network, an inclusive forum offering talks and informal networking for disabled and non-disabled staff at Birkbeck. The network also advocates for disability rights and recognition, something Pimm has been assiduously passionate about since he first joined Birkbeck.