Warrington Disability Partnership

Lecture by Dave Thompson MBE DL MBA

You are warmly invited to a Public Lecture by Dave Thompson MBE DL MBA, Founder and Chief Executive of Warrington Disability Partnership.

"Disability Equality Matters: A look at one man's 27 year journey as a patient, service influencer and policy maker"

Date: Tuesday, October 18th 2016, refreshments at 6.00 pm for 6.30 pm start
Venue: Lance Dobson Hall, University of Chester (Warrington Campus)

Dave Thompson was born and raised in Warrington. A keen sportsman, he took part in many sporting events until he was injured in a game of American football in 1989, sustaining a life changing spinal cord injury and in 1999 Dave battled cancer.

Dave was the founder and chair of ‘Warrington Disability Information Service’ and the chair of the ‘Warrington Committee for Disabled People’. He was the founder and a trustee of ‘Shopmobility Warrington’ and the founder and Vice-Chair of ‘Warrington Disability Sports Forum’ before all four organisations joined to form Warrington Disability Partnership. In 2010, Dave led the development of the charities’ social enterprise the ‘Disability Trading Company’ and, more recently, of the ‘Phoenix Project’ that will supply mobility and independent living aids across Egypt and Sudan.

He is the founder and current Event Co-ordinator of the North West Disability Awareness Day, the world’s largest and longest running pan disability voluntary-led independent living exhibition, and was a founder and past Chair of the Cheshire Disabilities Federation and the founder of the North West Positive Action Awards. Dave has travelled widely across the UK and Europe promoting the development and sustainability of partnerships involving disabled people and carers. Until his retirement in 2015, Dave was the Assistant Director of Inclusion and Partnerships at the 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust, where he led its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit, covering patient and public involvement, equality and diversity, and social inclusion.

In June 2001 Dave received an MBE for services to disabled people and the NHS; in 2004 he received the Paul Harris Fellowship, an International award from the Rotary Foundation. In 2006 he was commissioned a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Cheshire and the same year the Disability Awareness Day received a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services. After 21 years as a trustee, Dave is now a patron of the Tim Parry Jonathan Ball Foundation for Peace, he is the honorary president of Warrington Sea Cadets and a Trustee/Director of nationally acclaimed ‘Ella Together’, an integrated drama group.

This is a free event which will be of interest to both specialist and non-specialist colleagues, staff, students and members of the local community. We anticipate that this event will be extremely popular, so please book tickets early at: http://tinyurl.com/DisabilityEqualityMatters