• 18 new ambassadors have been announced by the learning disability charity Mencap to shatter misconceptions, reduce stigma and campaign for societal change and greater inclusion of people with a learning disability
  • The group of new ambassadors represent the diversity of the learning disability community and include a dancer, an actor, a model, a football coach and a rock-popstar, to name a few!
  • The announcement comes after a recent survey by Mencap revealed that two in five people in the UK (42%) hadn’t seen someone with a learning disability in the media in the past year, highlighting how much representation matters
  • Photographer India Whiley-Morton was commissioned by the charity to capture a portrait style photography series of each member of the group, showing them living happy, healthy lives and busting myths at the same time. To find out more about The Myth Busters head here: mencap.org.uk/mythbusters

Mencap, the learning disability charity, has today announced it has welcomed a whopping 18 new ambassadors from the learning disability community to the charity. This extraordinary group of people called The Myth Busters are all living life with a learning disability and through their work with Mencap will be helping to challenge wider stigmas and societal misconceptions about what living life with a learning disability looks like.

The Myth Busters, featuring some familiar and famous faces people may recognise, are a group of people that demonstrate just how unique learning disability is and how everyone in the community deserves to be equally seen and heard. They include Michael Beynon – the first man in Wales with Down’s syndrome to run a marathon, who also set-up his own successful business producing the best Welsh cakes in the country; Sophie Potter – a self-identified ‘Party girl’ who loves Sex and the City and going dancing on nights out with her sister; and Ellie Goldstein – face of Gucci and Glamour Magazine’s ‘Gamechanging Model of the Year’, to name a few.

Alongside them are celebrities such as George Webster who took Cbeebies by storm as their first children’s TV presenter with Down’s syndrome, BAFTA Award-winning Tommy Jessop and actor Sarah Gordy, OBE.

Speaking about being a Mencap Myth Buster and a person living with a learning disability, a few members of the group comment below:

Marathon runner Freddie, who is known not only for his performance on the track but also for his infectious sense of humour and wit, says – ‘I think people with a learning disability can teach the world about living life to the fullest.’

Brendan, a powerful activist , Arsenal superfan, local celebrity and Karaoke star says – ‘I want people to know I’m always happy. I never give up at all. I always try my best to do what I need to do.’

Heidi, a history-making activist who last year took her case for disability rights to the High Court, says – ‘I love being a voice for those who can’t speak, or those who may find it difficult to speak'

Harvey, a college student, train announcement enthusiast and self-confessed no.1 fan of his mum is taking his first steps to living independently. He said – “Harvey can do lots of things!’

Sophie, a party girl, actor and pina colada enthusiast said: ‘I hate being called cute [because I have Down’s Syndrome]. I am gorgeous and sexy and fun. Not cute.’

George, who recently took CBeebies by storm by becoming the first children’s TV presenter with Down’s Syndrome the broadcaster has worked with, said: ‘It’s a myth that people with Down’s Syndrome are always happy. I want to show that we are just people; we feel the full spectrum of emotions just like everyone else.’

Sas, a football coach for young people, Mencap charity shop volunteer and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community said: “The thing I’m most proud of in my life is being a Myth Buster and being in Cosmo magazine recently talking about my life and dating [with a learning disability]. I even had stars shaved into my hair especially before the Myth Busters photo shoot because I want to show everyone that people with a learning disability are all stars.”

Jenn, mum to Alastair, a skater, raver and all-round-life-enthusiast who runs a creative print-making and t-shirt printing shop called Smiling and Waving, says: ‘Not everyone realises that [being] non-verbal does not necessarily mean being non-understanding. Alastair is a typical eighteen-year-old. He likes to be spoken to in an age-appropriate way, though sometimes he gets spoken to as if he’s in pre-school. He likes going to gigs and festivals with his mates and dancing around. He likes triking and surfing and skating and people-watching. People are often surprised at what he gets up to and how much he gets up to, but our response to that is that we figure all eighteen year olds are rather busy...’

Nigel, a hockey player, magician and the joker of the squad said: ‘I want people to understand the difference between care and support [for people with a learning disability]. I love being independent. Supporting me means teaching me to do things myself, not just doing them for me. It helps me live my life. I also want to see more people like me on TV; that would be brilliant.’

To welcome the new Myth Busters to the Mencap family, India Whiley-Morton – a photographer, who herself has an aunt with a learning disability – has released unique portraits of each of them. India is the daughter of Radio DJ and Mencap ambassador Jo Whiley, who campaigned in spring 2021 to get people with a learning disability prioritised for the Covid-19 vaccine , after she was offered the vaccine

before her sister Frances who has a learning disability and diabetes. The images India has taken of The Myth Busters showcase them living happy lives and busting myths at the same time, demonstrating the diverse range of ages, ethnicities, different types of learning disability and regionality each member of the group uniquely brings to the charity.

Commenting on her role in this announcement, India says: “I’ve grown up with my Auntie Frances who has a learning disability and she is the life and soul of my family. I’ve also spent my whole life helping out at the nightclub my Grandma runs for people with a learning disability - dancing with the people and generally being very involved in the community. When Mencap approached me about capturing these amazing Myth Busters on camera, I was really keen to be involved.

“I wanted to be part of this campaign to show the amazing personalities that exist in the learning disability community. I loved working with each and every one of the Myth Busters - hearing all their stories, learning about their passions and getting to know them while shooting. It was great fun and everyone was amazing! I also loved meeting the families and carers and seeing all the special and unique relationships unfold on set.”

Late last year, Mencap released some statistics which revealed that two thirds of people in the UK cannot correctly identify a learning disability as a reduced intellectual ability, with 40% of people thinking it’s dyslexia and 28% believing it to relate to a mental health issue. The survey also revealed two in five people (42%) had not seen someone with a learning disability in the media in the past year, with a third (33%) saying they would feel more comfortable talking to someone with a learning disability if they saw them featured more often in the media.

These statistics prove just how important representation and inclusion is. Those who were surveyed also revealed they’d be more likely to engage with people with a learning disability if they lived on their street (39%), worked on their local high street (37%) or participated in local sports activities with them (29%).

It’s Mencap and the Myth Busters’ hope that by showcasing this diverse mix of people as ambassadors and giving them all a platform to talk about what living life with a learning disability means to them, they’ll increase the visibility of people with a learning disability not only in the media but also in wider society.

Edel Harris, Chief Executive of the learning disability charity Mencap, said: “Each and everyone of these Myth Busters are amazing and I can’t thank them enough for joining the Mencap family. To have this diverse group of unique, talented, interesting, energetic, and fun people on board to help us shatter misconceptions, reduce stigma and campaign for societal change and greater inclusion of people with a learning disability is a real pleasure and privilege. We want the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives and I’m delighted the Myth Busters are helping us to make this a reality.”

For more information on the launch of The Myth Busters, including a chance to see the portraits by India Wiley-Morton and behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot, visit: mencap.org.uk/mythbusters

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors

Survey conducted by Opinion Matters, surveying 2,001 nationally representative UK adults, between 01.10.2021 – 05.10.2021. Opinion Matters abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.

Social channels:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mencap_charity 

Instagram: https://twitter.com/mencap_charity 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mencap 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mencap/ 

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/Mencap_Charity 

#MythBusters and #MencapMythBusters 

For further information or to arrange an interview with a Mencap spokesperson or Myth Buster, please contact Mencap’s media team on: media@mencap.org.uk or 020 7696 5414 (including out of hours).

A full list of all 18 of The Myth Busters is below:

ANDREW SELF (DANCER)

- Having originally risen to fame on BBC's The Greatest Dancer, Andrew Self now regularly performs to his new fan base across his social media channels. Self-taught from the age of 11, Andrew's audition will go down in history as not only shattering stereotypes but also for bringing Cheryl to tears, as he flew through the first few rounds. Andrew is currently a member of Matthew Bourne's Cygnet School, is a Dance Assistant with Tailfeather Dance and is also a hairdressing assistant.

DANIEL WAKEFORD (ROCK-POPSTAR)

- Daniel is a singer songwriter from Brighton who rose to fame on Channel 4’s series The UnDateables. Daniel first started creating singing in 2007 when he sung Unchained Melody at his parent's Anniversary party and describes himself as a ‘rock-popstar with autism ’. His band is called the Daniel Wakeford Experience and Daniel writes songs based on life experiences such as going on holiday. He is releasing a new album in 2022 and dreams of representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest one day.

ELLIE GOLDSTEIN (MODEL)

- Ellie Goldstein made history in 2020 by being the first person with Down's Syndrome to represent the Gucci brand and was awarded Glamour Magazine's 'Gamechanging Model of the Year' Award, after appearing on their front cover – another first. Born in East London, Ellie has always been a natural performer and was signed to modelling company, Zebeddee Management, when she was 15. Ellie loves being on camera, dressing up, going out to Nandos and her new baby nephew, Blake.

GEORGE WEBSTER (TV PRESENTER)

- Actor, dancer and TV presenter, George Webster has recently made history by being the first person with Down's Syndrome to be cast as a regular presenter on CBeebies. George has always been hugely passionate about disability representation on stage and screen. He is currently part of a national theatre ensemble with Separate Doors, works with Yorkshire Dance and is part of the performance academy at Mind the Gap Studios, studying for a performing arts degree. He is an avid runner and volunteer and has been involved with parkrun for years!

HARVEY PRICE (STUDENT)

Harvey Price has been in the public eye since he was born. First-born son to Katie Price, Harvey's mum was told that he'd never walk or talk, yet Harvey has defied the odds and has recently started at a residential college in Cheltenham where he has taken the first steps to independent living. Harvey is a very talented artist who loves nothing more than painting pictures of frogs and has a huge passion for train announcements!

HEIDI CARTER (NEE CROWTER) AND JAMES CARTER, HER HUSBAND) (ACTIVIST)

- Heidi Carter (nee Crowter) made history during the Summer of 2021 by being the first activist with Down's Syndrome to spearhead a national campaign to try and change the current law surrounding the abortion of babies with Down's Syndrome. Heidi got married in the Summer of 2020 to her partner James, and they now live independently, with support, in Coventry.

JESSICA JANE APPLEGATE (PARALYMPIC SWIMMER)

- A Mencap ambassador since 2013, Jessica Jane Applegate has swum competitively in three Paralympic Games. Not only does she boast a collection of gold medals to her name but she is also a World Record holder. Jessica Jane is a huge advocate for 'Inclusion In Sport' having worked on several Parliamentary campaigns alongside Mencap over the years. She has also been invited to trial for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, who after a decade of perseverance and campaigning, have finally allowed female athletes with a learning disability to compete in the S14 classification which was previously just open to males only.

SARAH GORDY (ACTOR)

- Sarah is one of the most established actors with Down's Syndrome in the UK. Having starred in TV shows such as The A Word, Call The Midwife, Upstairs Downstairs and Peak Practice, Sarah is also a professional model and dancer too. Sarah will be back on our screens later this year appearing in Ralph & Katie; once again creating TV history by playing the co-lead role in this series.

TOMMY JESSOP (ACTOR)

- Tommy Jessop is a multi-award-winning British actor. Best known for his portrayal of Terry Boyle in BBC 1 Drama 'Line Of Duty', Tommy has also appeared in the likes of Holby City, Casualty and Doctors. Tommy was selected for the prestigious BAFTA Elevate programme and was the first actor with Down's Syndrome to be cast in the lead role of the touring production of Hamlet.

AISHA EDWARDS (THEATRE USHER)

- Aisha was always told at school that she would struggle to achieve the same things as her peers who didn’t have a learning disability, including getting a job. Determined to prove people wrong, Aisha worked closely with Mencap's employment team who supported her in her job search. After lots of hard work and determination she landed her first job at the Old Vic Theatre as an Usher. “I am so proud of myself, go on Aisha! I really like working at the Young Vic they feel like family”.

ALASTAIR SMITH (CREATIVE)

- Alastair is a typical teenager, who finds joy in going to gigs and eating out with his friends and family, particularly when he can ‘people watch’ from his table. He is often found in the ocean whether it's kayaking or surfing, and is happiest when on a beach. Alastair and his family started the Smiling and Waving brand as a result of being locked down in 2020, to provide Alastair with a creative outlet when all his usual daily activities were cancelled.

BRENDAN CHIVASA (ACTIVIST)

- Brendan is a powerful activist who is considered a local celebrity in West London where he lives on his own in Supported Accommodation. He is passionate about achieving equality and breaking down stigma towards people with a learning disability by openly sharing his experiences and leading the fight for change. When he’s not campaigning, he can be found singing on the karaoke machine in his local pub and eating kebabs.

FREDDIE LATHAM (MARATHON RUNNER)

- Freddie lives in supported living accommodation in West London. He volunteers on a farm and sees his family most weekends where they take the dog for a walk or go for a run. Freddie's disability does not hold him back – last year he completed his second marathon, which he ran with his dad, who he affectionately calls Grumpy Nick. Freddie has a cheeky personality, a wicked sense of humour and especially likes to make fun of his dad!

MICHAEL BEYNON (BAKER)

- When Michael was born, his mother was warned by doctors that he was likely to spend a lot of his life using a wheelchair. However, Michael has defied the odds: going on to compete in the Special Olympics and scooping up over 60 medals in events, including shot put, boccia, long jump, and track. Last year he became the first man in Wales with Down Syndrome to run a marathon. Michael also runs his own baking business called Coal Pit Welsh Cakes, and his creations have been featured on the TV show Saturday Kitchen alongside the likes of Fortnum and Mason and other leading brands.

NIGEL SMITH (JOKER)

- Nigel is a people person who is very sociable and fun. He is known within his community and is involved in team sports. During the lockdown he had to move out of his house share as he was sadly going through chemotherapy for cancer. This was an incredibly tough and lonely time for Nigel. Thankfully, he has finished his treatment and is back in a house share with his best friends!

SAS GRANVILLE (FOOTBALL COACH)

- Sas has a job as a football coach in Worthing where she teaches young people to play football and helps them gain confidence on and off the pitch. She loves her job and enjoys the purpose it gives her. She also volunteers at a Mencap charity shop and for another local learning disability charity, Superstar Arts, where she makes and sells artwork. Sas is openly gay and is passionate about LGBTQ+ rights, advocating for the importance of meaningful and safe friendships and relationships for people with a learning disability.

SOPHIE POTTER (PARTY GIRL)

- Sophie is a former nursery assistant and waitress and has a long-term fiance who is called Richard. Sophie loves going dancing on nights out in London with her sister and dressing up in sparkly outfits that make her feel confident and fabulous. Family is the most important thing to Sophie and she loves nothing more than to sit down for a roast beef dinner with her mum and sister on a Sunday, whilst watching Sex And The City. Her favourite pastime is sipping pina coladas on a sun lounger, preferably with both a straw and an umbrella in it.

TARA HALVAI (ARTIST)

- Tara is a fun, positive, larger-than-life character who lives in an independent living home close to her mum and sister, who are her loudest and proudest advocates, in West London. She has mainstream certifications in both horse riding and trampolining and is inspired by a huge range of physical activity. She is also an artist who creates designs for ART XV, the NFT platform for Neurodiverse artists, which her sister founded to showcase the diversity and creativity that exists in the community.

About Mencap

There are approximately 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK. Mencap works to support people with a learning disability, their families and carers by fighting to change laws, improve services and access to education , employment and leisure facilities. Mencap supports thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want: www.mencap.org.uk

For advice and information about learning disability and Mencap services in your area, contact Mencap’s Freephone Learning Disability Helpline on 0808 808 1111 (10am-3pm, Monday-Friday) or email helpline@mencap.org.uk.

What is a learning disability?

  • A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability which means that people might need support with everyday tasks – for example shopping and cooking, or travelling to new places – which affects someone for their whole life;  
  • Learning disability is NOT a mental illness or a learning difficulty, such as dyslexia. Very often the term ‘learning difficulty’ is wrongly used interchangeably with ‘learning disability’;
  • People with a learning disability can take longer to learn new things and may need support to develop new skills, understand difficult information and engage with other people. The level of support someone needs is different with every individual. For example, someone with a severe learning disability might need much more support with daily tasks than someone with a mild learning disability. A broad range of learning disabilities are reflected in the Myth Busters squad, to represent some of the diversity that exists with the wider community.