Leonard Cheshire Charity Guest Speaker – 3 November 2020

Leonard Cheshire VC was a famous WW2 bomber pilot and commanding officer (No 617 squadron – the dambusters) who after the war committed himself to humanitarian work with disabled people. Kirsteen Plop, of the UK charity that bears his name, delivered an excellent talk to the club on the legacy of the man and the excellent work carried out by the charity in its support of the disabled. One in five of the UK population can be considered disabled in some respect.

Leonard Cheshire is first and foremost a social care provider and disability charity delivering a wide-ranging support programme including, along with many business partners, placing, mentoring and development of disabled people in the workplace. Kirsteen described the current Scottish flagship project, Change 100, which aims to remove the many barriers experienced in work situations by the disabled.

Inevitably, as with many others, the current pandemic has impacted on LC’s activities and, in particular, their fundraising efforts. If you wish to learn more and/or to make a donation, please go to the charity’s website  https://www.leonardcheshire.org/ .

In his vote of thanks, Colin Vooght, commended Kirsteen for her excellent presentation and commented on the changed attitudes to disabled folk over the last century due to people like Leonard Cheshire.