Disabled people vote for a bigger say » Communities » 24dash.com

"We want our 13,000 service users at the heart of everything we do, now and in the future" says Julia Clough Head of Empowerment at the Papworth Trust. She continues: "We want disabled people to have a bigger say about what happens to them in their lives and across our own organisation so as our starting point, we have relaunched the Papworth Trust User Council."

The Papworth Trust received over 60 nominations from clients in the Eastern Region from across all its services (housing, employment, rehabilitation, learning for life and work, and personal support services). Votes from the secret ballet were counted at Papworths Learning Centre in Basildon on Tuesday 30 September.

Those elected to the new user council are James Dillon, Vicky Last, Duncan Greenwood in Suffolk, Martin Barry, Derek Twitchett and Robert Ritchie in Essex, Ronnie Franklin in Bedfordshire, and Winston Ward, Bruce Wall and Phillip Tatt in Cambridgeshire.

"I cant wait to get involved!" says Ronnie Franklin who lives in his own flat in one of the Papworths supported housing projects in Bedfordshire. He says: "I put my name forward for the User Council as I love doing new things and meeting new people. I feel I have a lot of skills to offer."

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Notes to Editors

About the Papworth Trust:

Each year the Papworth Trust helps over 13,000 disabled people in the East of England and the UK through a wide range of services covering employment, vocational rehabilitation, housing and community support.

In using the term disabled we mean anyone who has a long-term health issue, learning difficulty, physical disability, sensory impairment, mental health issue or a combination of these or other impairments. We also mean anyone of any age.

The Trust also works with the Government, employers, service providers and commissioners to promote disability equality and good practice.

For further information and media opportunities, please contact:

Julia Rutherford, Senior Marketing Executive, Papworth Trust
T: 01480 357269 (direct)
F: 01480 357201
E: julia.rutherford@papworth.org.uk

Papworth Trust
Bernard Sunley Centre
Papworth Everard
Cambridge
CB23 3RG

T: 01480 357200
F: 01480 357201
E: info@papworth.org.uk
www.papworth.org.uk
Helpdesk: 0800 952 5000

Charity no. 211234 Registered Social Landlord LH1648

Please note that The Papworth Trust is an independent disability charity and is unconnected with the Papworth Hospital NHS Trust.