Ciara Lawrence is one of the most well-known campaigners in the UK with a learning disability. She writes and campaigns on disability issues and has had articles published in the Guardian, the Huffington Post, and the Independent.

Ciara works as a Campaigns Support Officer for Mencap, and led their campaign to make OKCupid remove an offensive question about people with low IQs. She gained national press coverage and the dating website eventually bowed to public pressure. In 2016 she won the CharityComms Inspiring Communicator Award for her campaigning work.

Ciara says “I was diagnosed with a learning disability when I was 10 years old. I was always told that I couldn’t do things or that I would not achieve anything. I am now 38 and have a wonderful 16-year career at Mencap, am married and I want to prove that with the right support you can do anything like anyone else.”

Ciara is a tireless advocate and spokesperson. Outside of her job she is a club night volunteer and the first trustee with a learning disability at the Sunnybank Trust. Ciara is also a trustee of Head2Head Theatre, which runs multi-sensory performances for children and young people with special educational needs and their families.

Ciara is passionate about helping to improve the way disabled people are portrayed in the media, and works to help improve representation. She has spent time with the production team at Coronation Street to help the programme successfully include a character with a learning disability.

Twitter: @ciarale01
www.sunnybanktrust.org
www.head2headtheatre.co.uk
www.mencap.org.uk