A Harrogate charity has appointed two new trustees – both with a strong background in business – to support the development of the organisation and its work with disabled people in the District.
Former Virgin director Andrew Glen, and Riponian Andrew Newton, who spent more than 25 years in the timber trade, have joined the Board of Trustees of Disability Action Yorkshire, whose headquarters and training facilities are located on Hornbeam Park in Harrogate
The charity, which was founded in 1937, also owns a residential care home on Harrogate’s Claro Road for adults, aged between 18 and 65, with physical disabilities and runs a homecare service working in and around Thirsk, Bedale, Northallerton, Malton and Easingwold.
Mr Glen, a marketing expert who has also held senior positions with Tetley Tea and Hallmark Cards and lives in Harrogate, said: I began volunteering to provide support for DAY’s marketing activities and this developed into my supporting work on the future strategic direction of the charity.
I was then invited to join the Board of Trustees and I was delighted to accept.
Disability Action Yorkshire has an exciting vision which puts disabled people at the very heart of what it does and, I’m really looking forward to working with my fellow trustees and the management team to deliver it!
Mr Newton, who was diagnosed with progressive Multiple Sclerosis five years ago, said: My life is very different now to how it used to be. Before my diagnosis I was a keen field sports participant.
Although I knew of Disability Action Yorkshire previously I was unaware of the scope of the organisation, having found out more about what the organisation does and its plans for the future I was pleased to accept the invitation to join the Board.
I feel that I can use my personal life experiences to help shape the future of the organisation and broaden the services it provides.
Disability Action Yorkshire’s chief executive Jackie Snape said: “I’m delighted to welcome the two Andrews as our newest trustees.Their appointment takes this number to ten and we are would still welcome applications from people wanting to join us, particularly those who are either disabled, and, or, younger people.
This pairing brings with them a wealth of knowledge in the world of marketing, business and commerce, and in Andrew Newton’s case, his first experience of us was as a user of our training services
As an organisation we are constantly striving to improve and develop our existing services, as well as new projects which address the needs and wants of disabled people.
Thanks to the combined efforts of our trustees, staff and volunteers, we have been able to achieve many of our previous goals and are excited about the future role which we can play in supporting the lives of disabled people.
