Gavin Harding
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Gavin Nigel Xavier Harding MBE (born 18 March 1974) is a British politician and academic who was mayor of Selby, North Yorkshire, England. He was the first person in the United Kingdom to become mayor while being formally diagnosed as having a learning disability.[1]
Harding grew up in Selby, and studied at Brayton High School and Selby College. He is a Labour councillor on Selby Town Council having lived in Selby most of his life representing Selby North ward. He founded a self-advocacy group Voices for People.
Harding served as deputy mayor of Selby in 2014 before being appointed mayor the following year.[1] In 2014, he was awarded an MBE despite being diagnosed with cerebral palsy from birth.[2] He has been part of a committee looking into the progress of Winterbourne View, a private hospital condemned for its abuse of people with learning difficulties.[3] He now works for NHS England as part of team for improving lives and better care now team as part of Programme from 1 July 2015.
References
- ^ a b "Gaving Harding: UK's first mayor with a learning disability appointed in Selby". The Independent. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
- ^ "Councillor and academics receive Queen's Birthday Honours". York Press. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
- ^ "Post-Winterbourne View : why have so few learning disabled people been moved out of residential units?". The Guardian. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2015.