Sara Pickard

Sara works for Mencap as a Participation Officer, which includes making presentations to young people with disabilities in schools and colleges, about their rights and how they might lead full and active lives. She is a Community Councillor for her area with a special interest in disability issues of local residents. She does many TV and radio interviews on disability issues, and speaks at conferences. She has been a volunteer in schools and colleges in Lesotho through Mencap. She loves dancing and drama and has played two lead roles for a local theatre company, touring within the UK. She is a fundraiser for, newsletter editor of, and trustee of the local Down's Syndrome Support Group. She has been awarded the Welsh Assembly Government "Promoting Tolerance Award" by the First Minister for her work with Mencap. She was recently named in the top 20 "inspiring people with a learning disability", as Sara has Down's Syndrome. As a parent of a child with Down's Syndrome, Sara is a true inspiration and evidence of what people with learning disabilities can achieve, given the right opportunities and circumstances. As a result of knowing Sara, I will endeavour to give my son and others like him the chance to reach their full potential in life also. I work for Mencap Cymru, not just Mencap. This is mentioned a few times in the story.