Chair of Trustees: Dr Pippa Murray

Pippa has been championing the rights and voices of disabled children, young people and families for the past 40 years. The fight for justice and rights started many years earlier: as a child, she had an ill-defined sense that inequalities of all sorts – race, gender, age, illness & impairment, culture, poverty – were wrong. This general feeling grew and encompassed other inequalities when she was a young adult and finally crystalised when her children were very young: her daughter and son taught her that we all stand to lose when we are divided according to difference; and that we only feel comfortable in our own skins when we acknowledge that difference is part of our human condition. Acknowledging the many differences that divide in today’s world, Pippa’s focus has been on the way in which a disabling world segregates and excludes many people as a result of their illnesses and impairments.

Over the past 40 years, Pippa has set up parent’s groups at the same time as shining a light on the voices of disabled children and young people. Alongside her many research and story-telling projects, she has led innovative family centred projects championing the rights and voices of children, young people and parents. In 2004 Pippa set up IBK Initiatives to support disabled children, young people, adults and their families to make the most out of their Direct Payment or Personal Health Budget.

Pippa is a member of Citizen Network https://citizen-network.org/ and a Director for Bringing Us Together, a not for profit organisation bringing together families, disabled people of all ages, & their friends and allies. http://www.bringingustogether.org.uk

And when I’m not working…

Pippa is a proud and active grandmother. She is lucky enough to have 3 beautiful granddaughters who invite her into their lives and give her much fun and laughter. When she is not spending time with them Pippa loves to garden, potter, swim in the sea, cook, read books and watch films.