Meet The Board

Our Board Of Trustees direct and steer our organisation. Find out more about them here.

Fraser Bowe
CHAIR

'I acquired my disability as a result of service in the Royal Air Force, resulting in medical discharge and multiple battles with DWP, MoD & NHS over the subsequent 30 year period, with the latest being related to having to give up work last year. I’m a powered wheelchair user as a result of spinal injuries. I felt that I had only been as successful in continuing to work, complete a MBA in 2016 and progress my career because I’ve been fortunate to have had the help of really good people along the way.

It’s a matter of sheer luck and I wanted to give back, to help Equal Lives help other disabled people to be as ‘lucky’ as me and the best way to do that was to use my years of management experience and qualifications and be a trustee'.

A photograph of Fraser Bowe. Fraser has fair skin, short silver hair, with a slight smile, wearing half rimmed metallic spectacles and a navy blue t-shirt.

A photograph of Omotola Bello. Omotola is a Black woman with medium brunette hair in a half up half down style. She is wearing chunky, black glasses, a silver pendant and black top.

Omotola Bello
TREASURER

'By being a part of Equal Lives, I hope to contribute to its mission to support people to live the life they choose by breaking down disabling barriers imposed by society.

Using my experience in building relationships with stakeholders and my training and qualifications in management, I am optimistic that I can contribute to the work at Equal Lives whilst gaining valuable experience that would be beneficial to society'.

Joy Croft

'I was born and grew up in the United States, taught at a Canadian university, came to England for a year to do some academic research and have stayed for half a century. I needed a new career in this new country, and I found one as a minister in the Unitarian Church, an open-minded church with a strong sense of social responsibility.

I was born with severely impaired eyesight and then lost all my remaining vision suddenly in an accident early last year. Nevertheless, I’ve led an adventurous and rewarding life by anyone’s standards. I don’t think I realized how lucky I was to keep finding the right people to help me deal with my disability so that I could go on to use my abilities.'

A photograph of Joy Croft walking arm in arm with Equal Lives' CEO Ben Reedin a garden. Joy is a petite white woman with medium brunette hair, wearing a blue dress.

Katie Robinson-Sherlock

'Equal Lives is a compassionate and dedicated charity that aligns strongly with my own views. I am passionate about ensuring that the disabled community is seen and heard in the way it wishes to be, nothing about us without us. I am an advocate of the social model of disability and am ardent about expanding the view of disability, more needs to be done to showcase invisible disabilities in society, empathy and compassion should be the default not the exception.

As a trustee I bring to the table, almost a decade of experience in the legal profession, some experience of HR and local government, as well as social care and the National Health Service'.

Nichola Abel

'Being a disabled person myself, Equal Lives’ mission means a lot to me. In early 2017, following a car crash, I was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. Whilst in the rehabilitation centre I became addicted to their on-site gym, and working with different physios and later, personal trainers at my local gym, I have progressed from a wheelchair to a rollator and now to a multi-pronged walking stick.

I have had to face my own personal challenges with disability as well as the more universal ones which we all face as disabled individuals. It hasn’t always been pretty.

One of the things which keeps my spirits high with being disabled is that sense of community I feel when I can see other people going through similar struggles. I feel a sense of inspiration when I see other people facing their own challenges, and this spurs me on.'

Nichola is a white woman with dark hair and glasses. She is standing in front of a church and trees and smiling at the camera. She is holding a colourful walking stick and wearing a blue shirt.

Amy Krzykala-Arnold

'As a disabled person, I resonate deeply with Equal Lives' purpose. Being Autistic means I have always marched to the beat of my own drum, and I believe our uniqueness is where we find the greatest strength. I am particularly passionate about invisible disabilities, hoping to raise awareness to allow for more recognition. Since my own mobility has declined, I have experienced the systemic and individual barriers our community face, and at times, it has been really challenging. I want to use my voice to try and make the world a better and more equal place for everyone, which is why I chose to become a Trustee with such a compassionate organisation. I believe my years of experience supporting others with complex needs will help me in this mission. Eventually, I hope our differences can be something we can celebrate, even in difficult times, surrounded by a community of diversity.'