Celebrating our staff being included in the Disability Power List 100 2019

The Shaw Trust Disability Power List 100 is an annual publication of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK.

Nearly 200 nominations were received for the 100 places. The Disability Power List 100 is compiled by an independent judging panel, chaired by Kate Nash OBE.

Kate is the world's leading authority in 'Networkology' - the science behind the growth of workplace networks and resource groups. In 2007 she was awarded an OBE for services to disabled people. In 2013 she was appointed Ambassador to Disability Rights UK.

Neil Heslop lost his sight aged 21 and is a law graduate from Newcastle University. In 25 years in business he has held senior leadership roles in the telecoms industry in North America and Europe. He is a co-founder of the charity Blind In Business and acted as an advisor to the UK government on the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act. 

He became CEO of international pan-disability charity Leonard Cheshire Disability in 2016, whose 6,500 staff support more than 30,000 people with disabilities in the UK and 16 countries in Africa and Asia. 

Daniel Biddle, an Area Manager in Wales for Leonard Cheshire, had his life turned upside down when he became a victim of the July 2005 London bombings. He spent a year in hospital and was one of the most seriously injured survivors - losing both legs, an eye and becoming deaf in one ear as a result of the attack. 

The former construction specialist retrained as a surveyor and in 2014, after struggling to find work, set up a consultancy on accessible building projects.

Dr Mark Carew joined Leonard Cheshire in 2017 and is currently a senior researcher.  

Mark, a social psychologist, has published over 20 peer-reviewed research articles, book chapters and reports to date about understanding and addressing the inequality that people with disabilities experience globally.

With Leonard Cheshire, Mark has played a key role in several UK government-funded projects designed to address inequality for people with disabilities, including two based in Africa. 

Philip Connolly is a veteran activist, author and campaigner and has held senior policy positions with Disability Rights UK and RNIB during the past decade.

From 2000 to 2005 he worked for Living Streets promoting walking, walkable neighbourhoods and walkable cities. He has written and contributed to several books and reports including ‘Facing blindness alone in 2013’.

Philip, who is partially sighted and has Parkinson’s, is qualified in construction, teaching and holds a degree from Birkbeck College in Environmental Management. 

Commenting on the nominations, Neil Heslop said:

‘It is of course a personal honour to be included in the Shaw 100, but it is even more rewarding to be joined by Leonard Cheshire colleagues Philip Connolly, Mark Carew, Dan Biddle, and trustee Shani Dhanda on the list.’

Notes to editors

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.

About Shaw Trust

Shaw Trust is a charity helping to transform the lives of young people and adults across the UK and internationally.

Our specialist services help people gain an education, enter work, develop their career, improve their wellbeing or rebuild their lives. As a charity we add value to every service we deliver by investing back into the people and communities we support.

Shaw Trust is one of the largest 25 charities in the UK. Comprising Shaw Trust, Prospects, Ixion and Shaw Education Trust, we use our 75 years’ combined experience to support people to develop their potential. By joining together we are working to reach one goal: to help transform the lives of one million young people and adults each year.

Our 3,500 staff and 1,000 volunteers provide joined-up services for government, local authorities, combined authorities, employers, stakeholders – including the Department for Work and Pensions, Education and Skills Funding Agency, clinical commissioning groups and NHS Trusts – and individuals. Our work focuses on seven business areas:

• Employability
• Learning and skills
• Justice
• Children’s services
• Education
• Charitable services and enterprise
• Community health and wellbeing