2007
Late in 2007, Rob Platts, then Chair of the Guernsey MS Society, went to a meeting to discuss the sharing of information between islanders with disabilities.
The initiative was instigated and hosted by Roger Bowns, the much-loved Channel TV presenter, now sadly no longer with us. Roger was himself a person with disabilities. and, in his later years was frustrated by the effort required to find out about goods and services that would be help him maintain his independence.
At the meeting, Maria Gregory-Haines from HSSD explained that the States was keen to set up a Disability Forum to bring together islanders affected by disability, States departments, healthcare professionals and voluntary organisations. She asked Rob if he would represent voluntary organisations on the Forum.
With the assistance of Wendy Beaven from Health Information Guernsey, Rob called a meeting of all the third sector organisations involved with disability and thus began the “Voluntary Organisations Group of the Disability Forum”. However, once the organisations started meeting regularly, they found that they had many issues in common, regardless of the different impairments of the people they supported – housing, employment, respite, equipment, benefits, transport, access… The group developed an energy and a sense of purpose way beyond simply contributing to the Forum, and began attracting individual persons with disabilities, as well as a wide range of voluntary organisations, including the island’s mental health charities.
2008
Late in 2008 the group renamed itself the “Guernsey Disability Alliance”.
2009
Rob Platts had always made clear that he would only be permanently in the island long enough to get the GDA off the ground and guide it it in its important formative year.
In April 2009, Shelaine Green, then Chair of Headway Guernsey, was elected as the new Chair of the Guernsey Disability Alliance and she led the organisation until June 2016. Rob is the group’s Equality Adviser.
2015
In April 2015 the GDA appointed their first Executive Director to the team – Karen Blanchford.
The post was funded by a strategic grant from the Guernsey Community Foundation for 3 years (finished 2018) and was part of a Five Year Plan to ensure that the GDA’s vital work as the voice for islanders with disabilities continues into the future.
In October 2015, the GDA was the “Community Champion” runner-up in the national finals of the Lloyds Bank Foundation Charity Achievement Awards.
In November 2015, Shelaine Green was awarded the Community Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in recognition of the success of the GDA’s campaign to introduce the island’s first Disability Strategy.
2016
In the 2016 AGM, Shelaine stood down and GDA members elected a new leadership team.
Robin Le Prevost was Chair and Arrun Wilkie i Vice-Chair until 2017.
2018
Karen stepped down as Executive Director in 2018.
Karen remains involved with We All Matter, Eh? GDA operations and volunteers on Access for All, AGC and a number of other disability committees.
2019
In 2019 Chris Le Page was nominated Chair of the GDA, having been with the GDA for more than 3 years as secretariat.
April 2019 Mike Read joins the GDA as our health representative
2020
Summer 2020 Carol Le Page joins the GDA as Social Policy Director (job sharing with Karen Blanchford who focuses on Partnerships)
GDA founder Rob Platts MBE wins the GCF Community Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement
November 2020 the GDA agrees to bring Access for All under the GDA We All Matter, Eh? banner short term until the States of Guernsey establishes the Equality Body
2021
The GDA executive board grows as we welcome Phil Smith, Jane Wonnacott and Toni De Kooker
Late 2021 the technical draft of the Presentation of Discrimination Ordinance is released and the GDA forms a partnership with the Consortium to win the ESS tender for training in 2022.
2022
February 2022 Chris Le Page steps down as Chair, after 5 years involved with the GDA
Phil Smith is voted in as Acting Chair