Dame Carolyn Fairbairn is to step down as Chair of Royal Mencap Society at the end of 2025. A search for her successor is underway, led by Lucy Edge, Mencap’s Vice Chair.
Dame Carolyn said: “It has been a privilege to serve as Mencap’s chair for the past three years. What a time of change it has been. I am proud that together we have stabilised Mencap’s
finances
Finances are anything to do with money.
, built an outstanding leadership team and crafted an ambitious new
strategy
A strategy is a plan to show what an organisation, or a person, wants to do and how they are going to do it.
. Thanks to the hard work of thousands of colleagues, Mencap is in a fantastic position for the future. With strong foundations in place, now is the right time for me to pass the baton for the next chapter in Mencap’s wonderful 80-year history. Its mission of enabling people with a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
to lead their lives to the full has never been more relevant.”
John Phillips MBE, Chair of the
Voices Council
The Mencap Voices Council are a group of 12 people with a learning disability. They share their views and experiences to help Mencap's Board of Trustees make decisions.
(a board made up of people with a learning disability) said: “Under Carolyn's leadership both the Voices
Council
A council is also called a local authority. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
and Mencap has been working well. Carolyn has had such a strong connection with Voices Council. Things are moving forward. The Voices Council are sad to see Carolyn go but look forward to the next chapter working with the new Chair of the Board of Trustees in the future.”
Mencap Chief Executive, Jon Sparkes, OBE said: “The whole
organisation
An organisation are a group of people who work together.
owes Carolyn a huge debt of gratitude for all she has done during her tenure. Her commitment to improving the lives of people with a learning disability is unstinting and I know will continue as she moves on to new roles elsewhere. I have really enjoyed working with her and we will all miss her.”
Odgers has been appointed to lead the search on behalf of the Board of Trustees. More details can be found on the Odgers website.
For further information, please contact Mencap’s media team on: [email protected] or 02076 965414 (including out of hours).
Note to editors
About Mencap
Mencap exists to ensure the UK is the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives. We support people directly and
campaign
A campaign is when people work together to try to change something.
with people with a learning disability, their families and carers. We work to change laws, increase representation and campaign for better health,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
and
employment
Employment means having a job.
opportunities for the 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK.
What is a learning disability?
- A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability which affects someone for their whole life. Typically, people with a learning disability need more time to learn and process information. They may need extra support to develop skills, complete tasks and interact with others, or they may have more complex needs requiring round-the clock care. The level of support needed is different for everyone and may change during a person’s lifetime.
- Learning disability is NOT a mental illness or a learning difficulty. Often, the term ‘learning difficulty’ is wrongly used in place of ‘learning disability’. Having a learning difficulty (such as ADHD or
dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty. People who have dyslexia can find it hard to read, write and spell.
) may mean a person learns at a different pace or in a different way BUT – unlike a learning disability - it does not affect a person’s intellect. With the right support, most people with a learning disability can lead happy, healthy, independent lives. At Mencap, it’s our mission to remove societal barriers and shatter misconceptions to make this more possible for more people.
Mencap’s guide to reporting on Learning Disability
When it comes to creating content with people with a learning disability, we know many people feel nervous about saying and doing the wrong thing. Our guide for journalists, covers everything from up-to-date facts and figures to the right language to use. It also includes tips on how to work with people with a learning disability to gather the best content.
