had her wheelchair equipment taken from inside her parked car on a street, which has left her feeling ‘violated’.
The 38-year-old Batec was taken, which is used as an attachment for a wheelchair to turn it into a mobility hand bike, from her vehicle in Camden.
It comes months after she said her blue badge was stolen and
Speaking to , she said: ‘It was just folded up in the back of the car. But just to be clear, that was in the middle of the day on the busy residential streets.
‘It wasn’t like it was left overnight. It was just one of those really unfortunate events but I don’t really know what to say about it. There’s not much I can do.’
The Loose Women star also talked about how her disability permit was stolen, saying: ‘That was a few months ago; the same car got broken into.
‘My blue badge got stolen and that was just literally the most disabling thing because… I depend on these things to give me the freedom and independence.
‘I need to be able to live and so when the blue badge got stolen, I literally couldn’t park my car, I couldn’t go anywhere because I can’t get out of my car unless I’ve got that extra space.
‘It’s really frustrating. I mean, having anything stolen from you is violating and infuriating but I think it’s when it comes to these sorts of items that you think, “I really can’t live without them” and I don’t know how much value they give to your life.’
Sophie, who has presented Crufts, the Paralympics, The One Show and Dispatches, recently visited the White House in Washington, D.C. as part of her disability advocacy work and spoke to the vice president and Department of Transportation.
She said: ‘They’re committing to try and pass a law that will make it mandatory for wheelchair users to be able to stay in their chairs when they fly if they so choose to, which is a huge deal for so many that actually physically can’t transfer out of their chairs.”
‘I know that honestly sitting in that room in the White House, I would say, this conversation, I’ve never felt so much sincerity and understanding,’ she added.
The star said she has sat on roundtables with members of the UK government and recently celebrated after finding out which she’s labelled a ‘small victory’.
‘Oh. My. God. ? Just woke up to the news that…..the U.K. Government ARE going to change the legislation to protect disabled people when we fly!!!!!!! ✈️ It’s HAPPENING!!!!!,’ she posted on Twitter on Tuesday.
She then shared a lengthy post on Instagram explaining what was unfolding.
‘BREAKING NEWS! The U.K. Government has published a report outlining the changes to legislation it intends to make to protect disabled flyers ✈️!!,’ she began.
‘This includes a change to the COMPENSATION that we get when our equipment is damaged AND powers to the regulators to IMPOSE FINES when were let down by the airlines.!!! It’s a small win on the long journey to change!!
‘Now we hold them to account.’
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1.
