Add your voice
Change happens when people with lived experience speak up, speak out and demand better. As an UP Advocate, you’ll be at the heart of our campaigns – sharing your story, influencing policy, and making sure the voices of adults with CP are heard.
What is an UP Advocate?
An UP Advocate uses their lived experience of CP to highlight what needs to change, contributes to campaigns and policy work, and helps ensure adults with CP are represented in decisions that affect their lives.
You don’t need to be a seasoned campaigner. Advocacy can be quiet or public, local or national – there’s space for many voices and styles.
What does it involve?
You might: review campaign materials, take part in surveys or focus groups, attend meetings with decision-makers, respond to consultations, or amplify campaigns through your networks.
You choose what you’re comfortable doing and how much time you can give. We recognise that health, energy, and access needs fluctuate.
How we support you
We provide training on sharing your story and managing boundaries. Before meetings or interviews, you’ll get briefings and talking points. All materials come in accessible formats. After significant activities, we check in and debrief. You’ll be part of a community of other advocates who understand living with CP.
Different ways to contribute: whether you prefer writing, speaking, online engagement, in-person activities, or have limited time – there are many ways to be involved. Review materials, share your story, join focus groups, attend meetings, participate in social media, or complete surveys.
There is no single “right way” to be an advocate.
We organise a monthly advocacy meeting in which our advocates have the possibility to co-create our advocacy activities and are being kept upto date on all our advocacy activities and opportunities to get involved.
What are we campaigning for?
- The implementation of a national adult CP care pathway based on NICE guideline NG119
- Embedding annual reviews conducted by GPs, regular assessments, and care coordination within the national adult CP care pathway
- Co-producing the pathway and commissioning framework with adults with CP and relevant stakeholders
- Access to multidisciplinary community services, including neurorehabilitation, neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry, and mental health support
- The Development of an adult CP commissioning framework
- Establishment of a national CP registry and the improvement of clinical coding
Current campaign
Help Make Adult CP Care Impossible to Ignore
Too many adults with cerebral palsy face a cliff edge when childhood services end, often losing access to the specialist care and support they need. One of the biggest barriers to change is the lack of national data showing what adults with CP experience and where services are falling short.
Your voice can help change that. By sharing your experience through Healthwatch’s online survey, you’ll help build the evidence needed to make the case for a nationwide adult CP care pathway.
Visit our campaign webpage today to learn more and take action. Together, we can ensure adults with CP are seen, heard, and supported throughout their lives.
Letter templates
You can adapt the templates below to reflect your own experiences. Personal stories are powerful.
Find which MPs have their constituencies in each ICB
Template 1 – Email to MP from person with cerebral palsy
Template 2 – Email to MP from carer of an adult with cerebral palsy
Template 3 – Email to MP from parent of a young person approaching adulthood
Template 4 – Email to MP from ally of the CP community
Template 5 – Email to ICB from person with cerebral palsy
Social media
Download sample text and assets for social media
Parliamentary Lobby | March 18, 2026
We took our campaign for Annual Reviews directly to MPs and peers to demand the healthcare adults with CP deserve.
Getting started
Complete the short expression of interest below. We’ll invite you to an informal conversation to explore what advocacy could look like for you. No pressure, no test. Once signed up, we’ll send opportunities that match your interests and availability. You choose what feels right.
Ready to add your voice? Email advocate@upmovement.org.uk
Change happens when people like you decide their voice matters – and use it. Join us.
Please complete this Expression of Interest form