Harrogate disability charity strengthens its board with new trustees including Paralympic gold medal winner

Disability Action Yorkshire Chief Executive Jackie Snape, new Trustee Carl Howard, Chair Neil Revely, new Trustee Peter McBay and Trustee Guy Tweedy. Front row, from left. new trustee Andrew Simister, new Trustee Susanne Driffield, new Trustee Kathryn Leigh and Trustee Andrew Newton. Not pictured are Colin McCorkindale and Lawrence Whitely.

The new trustees on the board of Disability Action Yorkshire include a Paralympic rower, Laurence Whitely MBE, who won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the Mixed Double Scull.

Whitely is one of two new members with disabilities to take important roles in time for 2023.He is joined by Carl Howard, Colin

McCorkindale, Kathryn Leigh, Peter McBay, Susanne Driffield, and Andrew Simister, who suffered life-changing injuries in an accident earlier this year.

Owing to the retirement of several long-standing trustees, the charity – which this year celebrates its 85th anniversary - conducted a full skills and experience audit.

As a result, it was able to recruit trustees with the necessary attributes.

Disability Action Yorkshire’s charitable work involves multifaceted support for disabled people across the region, including support from a personal assistant, support from assistive technology, residential care, business services including help with DBS applications, as well as meeting rooms for hire, among many other support channels.

The new trustees, together with existing ones led by Chair Neil Revely, will oversee exciting new projects, including the £7.5m assisted living development currently under construction in its Claro Road residential care home site, which aims to give its disabled customers ‘their own front door’.

For the project, the charity has partnered with Highstone Housing Association to create 36 purpose-built one- and two- bedroom apartments, as well as a base for Disability Action Support staff onsite 24-hours-a-day.

The charity is also promoting accessibility in the Harrogate District, advising businesses how to make their sites more accommodating for disabled customers.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said: “We are delighted to welcome these ‘Magnificent Seven’ new trustees, among whom there is a huge amount of skill and experience.“We are particularly pleased to have been able to recruit more trustees with lived experience of disability, meaning that more than 50 per cent of our trustees have either personal or family experience."

For further information visit www.disabilityactionyorkshire.org.uk