CEO of charity named in the Shaw Trust Power 100 list
Jennie Williams, founder and CEO of Enhance the UK, a charity which aims to challenge perceptions of disability through its campaigning work and its disability awareness training has been named in the prestigious Shaw Trust Power 100 List. Now in its fifth year the Power 100 List celebrates the achievements of individuals who strive to break down barriers around disability to create a more inclusive world.
Jennie and her team of freelance disabled trainers’ campaign to change public perceptions of what disabled people can do by delivering insightful and confidence boosting disability awareness training for public and private sector organisations.
She said “One in five working people in the UK have a disability which is a fact that surprises many people. I’m a CEO and mum of two and whilst my degenerative hearing loss means I Skype instead of phone, and lip read instead of hear each word, it doesn’t stop me adding value to businesses I work with, the teams I lead or the community I live in. It’s wonderful to be recognised in the Shaw Trust Power 100 List as hopefully it challenges people’s perceptions of disability and highlights the need for more open conversations, training and inclusivity in business, education and communities.”
Working with organisations such as the BBC, Premier League Football Clubs, galleries, schools, Northern Rail and Members of Parliament Jennie believes that open discussion and tackling the issue head on is the key to overcoming unnecessary barriers and outdated thinking around disability.
Jennie set up Enhance The UK after working in the care sector and becoming frustrated with the lack of practical information and support available for people who wanted to know more about communicating with disabled people both professionally and personally.
Jennie explains:
“People with a disability have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else, from climbing the career ladder, to travelling the world or finding someone special to share their life with. The biggest barrier we face is poor communication and limited understanding but that shouldn’t stand in the way of achieving our ambitions. Let’s work together to share ideas and knowledge, learn from each other and together we can all benefit from living and working in an inclusive society.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Enhance The UK is a charity run by disabled people. We want to change the way people view disability and for disabled people to be active and equal members of society. We do this by supporting businesses to be more inclusive by providing disability awareness training, as well as offering a number of other services and resources.
- For more information visit: www.enhancetheuk.org
- Photographs available on request
- Press enquiries: sam@enhancetheuk.org
About the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 List
The Shaw Trust Power List is an annual publication of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK. Since its inception four years ago, the publication has gone from strength to strength. Over the years it has allowed Shaw Trust to encourage businesses, employers and other organisations to reflect on opportunities available for disabled people. The list plays a vital role in providing much needed encouragement to the young and talented leaders of tomorrow, allowing them to see that aspiration and ambition can be fulfilled regardless of disability or impairment.
For more information please visit: www.disabilitypower100.com