The disability power 100 is run by the Shaw Trust Foundation.
The Shaw Trust are tackling the employment gap within the disability community by demanding that the talents, strengths & achievements of disabled people are recognised & that our society is inclusive.
The disability power 100, recognises & praises the most powerful / influential disabled people in the U.K. It Celebrates their achievements & ambitions.
It also gives much needed education & encouragement of the leaders of tomorrow.
Back in May, I found out I had been shortlisted in the disability power 100. For all my work within the fitness industry to make it more accessible & inclusive to disabled people, both as a participant and to work in.
I have and continue to work with governing bodies in the fitness industry. I work with class brands to educate them on how to be more inclusive & accepting of being fully adaptable/ accessible to disabled instructors & participants.
I was the UKs first disabled fitness presenter, being the first visible disabled person presenting on stage. Showcasing that being disabled does not stop you from being successful in the fitness industry.
I also speak about exercise & disability, why exercise is so important for cerebral Palsy. And I educate medical students on how to treat those with a physical disability & how not listening or saying something wrong can stay with that disabled person for life. I have anxieties about having treatment & still have medical professionals still do the opposite of what I say to them. But I have had a couple to really listen to me & left me with really positive experience.
Over 700 applied or were nominated in the disability power 100 2024, with just over 600 making the long list, then just over 300 who were shortlisted.
I am the first person from the fitness industry to be nominated & shortlisted in the Power 100.
A lot of people think the sport & fitness industry are the same. But they are not & are completely different. The governing bodies are completely different. Qualifications & the structure of qualifications are completely different. A sports coach or someone who has a sports degree cannot just teach a fitness class or personal train a client. They would have to do the relevant qualification for the path they want to go down within the fitness industry.
The application/ nomination process for the 100 is tough and you have to put certain information in to reach the criteria to progress within it.
I was in complete shock when I found out I had been shortlisted, literally sat there for an hour in shock, and was speechless- which is a rarity for me as I can talk for the world.
I am awaiting to hear, if I made it to the top 100. If I do, I will do another blog about that but to be shortlisted to the top 300 out of the 16 million disabled people in the U.K. is still such an incredible achievement.
Here is the link to my interview on BBC Radio Wiltshire about my shortlisting.
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