Epsom & Ewell Borough is a Disability Confident Employer, which means that we are committed to:
- working to challenge attitudes towards disability
- increasing understanding of disability
- removing barriers to disabled people and those with long-term health conditions
- ensuring that disabled people have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.
We welcome applications from all sections of our community particularly from under-represented backgrounds, including BAME, LGBTQ+ and those with hidden or visible disabilities. We are committed to ensuring all our staff – regardless of gender, age, religion, sexuality, ethnicity, or disability – can thrive and succeed whilst working with us.
We are pleased to be able to champion inspirational Epsom resident Ciara Lawrence, an influencer around issues relating to learning disability, author, host of a regular podcast which aims to raise awareness of learning disability, and the first person with a learning disability to be on Mencap’s leadership team. Ciara was also a trustee and volunteer at The Sunnybank Trust, a charity supported by Epsom & Ewell Borough Council:
“I’m Ciara, I’m a 44-year-old woman from Surrey and I have a learning disability.
I have worked for the charity Mencap for 23 years and am the first person with a learning disability to be on their Leadership Team.
I’m currently working as Engagement Lead for the charity, where I help get people with a learning disability involved in Mencap’s work. But over the years, I have worked in lots of teams across the organisation including the Celebrity and Media team, the Campaigns and Activism team and the CEO and Governance team. I regularly speak to the media about issues relating to learning disability and most recently spoke to Jeremy Vine on his BBC Radio 2 programme and Victoria Derbyshire on Newsnight. I also have a regular column with Able Magazine where I write about topical issues that are important to me and relate to my learning disability.
In my spare time, I host of an online podcast called Ciara’s Pink Sparkle Podcast which is on Spotify. The aim of my podcast is to interview guests and help raise awareness of learning disability. My recent guests have included Radio Broadcaster Nicky Campbell, BBC Radio host Jeremy Vine, ITV’s Lorraine Kelly and Chesney Hawkes. I’ve also recently recorded some Childrens audio books for a company called Sweet Cherry Publishing, due to launch in May 2024.
Through Mencap, I have done lots of local campaigning and events work in Surrey, particularly around healthcare, highlighting better support for people with a learning disability in our hospitals.
I'm always thinking about how I can use my profile and influence to help people like me living in Surrey. I have also been a trustee with lived experience on the board of two Surrey based disability charities The Sunnybank Trust and Head 2 Head Sensory Theatre.
The Sunnybank Trust is a learning disability charity based in Epsom. Before Covid, I spent years volunteering at their community socials for adults with learning disabilities. Sadly, we had to stop running the events during the pandemic, but they were a lifeline for many people in the community and they were also the highlight of my week too! I also supported them to raise awareness about hate crime for people with a learning disability in Surrey and helped with their launch event at The Ashley Centre in Epsom, where we joined up with local police to support people on how to keep safe and report hate crime.
I was also on the board for the charity Head 2 Head Sensory Theatre. My role on the board was to represent people with lived experience of having a learning disability.
I am now currently a patron of Include.org which is a charity for people who have communication difficulties. At Include.org we have two sing and sign choir groups that meet weekly and they perform at local events, including one group in Epsom.”
Find out more about The Sunnybank Trust here: Home | Sunnybank Trust