Mencap's founder stamped with royal seal of approval

Thursday 08 October 2009

Judy Fryd, the founder of learning disability charity Mencap, is today (8 October) commemorated with her own stamp in Royal Mail's latest world famous special edition series.

The image of Judy Fryd on a stamp is part of a collection celebrating Eminent Britons which includes William Gladstone and Fred Perry. Judy Fryd was chosen to celebrate her historic achievements in transforming the lives of millions of people with a learning disability. She was born in October 1909 and died in 2000. The release of the new stamp marks the hundredth year since her birth.

Born in 1909, the mother of a child with a learning disability herself, she wrote a letter to 'Nursery World' magazine in 1946 asking other parents to share their stories over the lack of services for their children. Judy then formed 'The National Association of Parents of Backward Children' in 1946, today known as Mencap.

Until forty years ago children with a learning disability were denied the right to an education. Judy's tireless campaigning secured the right for every child with a learning disability to receive an education with the passing of the Education (Handicapped Children) Act in 1971.

Mark Goldring, Mencap's chief executive said: "The Judy Fryd stamp is a great tribute to an outstanding individual who changed the attitudes of society towards people with a learning disability forever. Thanks to Judy's devotion to campaigning, people with a learning disability now have a voice in society. Mencap continues to champion Judy's vision."

For more information on Mencap visit www.mencap.org.uk

Ends

For media enquiries, please contact the Mencap media team, 020 7696 5414, or

07770 656659 (out-of-hours), press.office@mencap.org.uk

• A high resolution of the Judy Fyd stamp is available on request.
• A full biography of the life of Judy Fryd is available on request.
• Interviews with Lord Rix, the president of Mencap are available on request.

Images of the Eminent Briton stamps are available by telephoning Ben Gold / Mark Barber/ Katie Bawler / Rik Salmon at Eulogy! on 020 7927 9999 or via e-mail from stamps@eulogy.co.uk

Notes to Editors

• Mencap works with people with a learning disability and their families and carers.
• 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability.
• A learning disability is caused by the way the brain develops before, during or shortly after birth. It is always lifelong.
• Learning disability affects someone's intellectual and social development all their life. People with a learning disability find it harder than others to learn, understand and communicate.
• People with a learning disability don't get an equal chance in life. Mencap fights to change laws and services and to provide better access to education, employment and leisure facilities, supporting thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want.
• It is not a mental illness and should not be confused with mental health issues. It is not dyslexia or Asperger's syndrome.
• It used to be called mental handicap but we don't use this term anymore because most people with a learning disability find it offensive.
• For information about learning disability issues please call the Learning Disability Helpline (England) on 0808 808 1111 or visit www.mencap.org.uk
• For online press information, go to www.mencap.org.uk/press