Ciara Lawrence

Learning Disability Campaigner, Mencap Big Plan Engagement Lead & Podcaster

Ciara is a person with a learning disability and is currently working for Mencap in the CEO Directorate Team and has worked for Mencap for 20 years. Ciara’s job role is Big Plan Engagement lead. Ciara talks to people with a learning disability to make sure they are included in Mencap’s Big plan. Ciara has had lots of different jobs in the organisation. These include working in the Campaigns and Activism Team, Fundraising, Celebrity media team and the employment service. Ciara is a volunteer Trustee for the Surrey based learning disability charity Sunnybank Trust for adults who have a learning disability and is a volunteer Trustee with Head 2 Head sensory theatre and is a patron for Dance Syndrome. Other organisations Ciara has volunteer roles are Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust as a Get Lippy Campaign Ambassador. She is also an Ambassador for the Gynaecological cancer awareness charity The Eve Appeal. Ciara is really passionate about challenging negative views and perceptions about people with a learning disability. One of the way Ciara does this is through her podcast casts that she started during Coronavirus pandemic. A recent guests was Krishnan Guru- Murthy from Channel 4 news, u2’s The Edge, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and comedian Tim Vine. Ciara has also recently started having her own radio podcast show monthly on Surrey Hills Radio station. In her personal life, Ciara got married 8 years ago to her husband Mark. Singing and spending time with her family is really important in any spare time Ciara has.