We are a small staff team because we want to work alongside our members and bring people together, rather than trying to do everything ourselves.
Meet our team:
Gary has been a self-advocate for over 30 years and is a Co-Founder of Learning Disability England. Before this, he founded People First England.
Gary has a vast amount of experience in working with the media and has appeared on Channel 4 and in the Guardian. He is a civil rights campaigner and brought the People First movement to England.
Gary is a Membership and Engagement lead with extra focus as self advocate spokesperson.
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Amanda is one of the Membership and Engagement Leads at Learning Disability England (part time). Amanda also works as an Independent Producer in the Arts & Culture Sector where she’s been managing projects and productions for over a decade. She centres care and accessibility in her practice and is passionate about Disabled artists and their stories. She’s currently Company Producer at Firebird Theatre: a Bristol-based, intergenerational theatre company of Learning Disabled adults who have been making plays together for over 30 years.
Amanda cares deeply about honouring and platforming the insights, experience and knowledge of Learning Disabled people and can’t wait to learn more from LDE’s diverse membership! Amanda is a year-round iced coffee drinker and has recently started getting into audio books.
Anna is Personal Assistant to Gary Bourlet and Project Support Coordinator. Anna has a Bachelors degree in Sociology. She lives in Kent and previously worked as a carer for elderly people with dementia. Anna is also a proud mother to two young children.
She is passionate about supporting people with learning disabilities to be able to live good lives.
Lesley is the Admin Assistant. She is the first point of contact for information and queries.
Lesley has two grown up children. She is a qualified teacher and as well as working for Learning Disability England, she works as a musician and piano teacher.
Jess is the Operations Manager.
Jess joins us having worked within advice services since 2007 having worked in both local Citizens Advice services and national services as well as Leeds University Union advice centre.
She is passionate about working for people living better lives.
She lives in Bristol with her husband and two daughters
Dave is the Valuing People Alliance Co-ordinator for the Health and Wellbeing Alliance.
Dave has a background in project and programme management covering areas including learning disabilities, complex needs, and speech, language and communication.
Dave believes that we should all have access to the opportunities in life that can help us to be our best selves.
When the day’s work is done Dave likes to do his ‘daft’ illustrations.
Rachael is one of the Membership and Engagement leads at Learning Disability England, and has a joint role with JMS Trust as a Carers engagement worker with them.
Rachael has a master’s degree in Disability Studies from the University of Leeds. She has previously worked as a Personal Assistant and with disabled children within afterschool and holiday club settings.
Rachael is a family carer and is passionate about disabled people being included, accessing their rights and living independently.
Sam is the Chief Executive. She supports the members Representative Body and Trustees to lead Learning Disability England
Sam believes everyone has a contribution to make and is always looking for opportunities to collaborate and learn from other people. On her best days she goes swimming