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Writer's pictureSuzanne Warren
Apr 293 min read

Active Essex Disability Ambassadors Shine



The Essex All Together community support one another and strives to inspire, share and promote the benefits of moving more and the opportunities available to be more active in Essex, Southend and Thurrock.


Here three of the programme ambassadors explain their success and achievements over the last year in their roles to engage those with long-term health conditions and disabilities to participate in physical activity and sports.


Working closely with health care providers across the county their work is diverse and widespread, enabling those with health conditions and disabilities to thrive, access the care needed which in turn allows appropriate signposting to exercise and sports opportunities.


Donna Robinson

Donna says: “I have achieved so much since being an Essex All Together Ambassador with Active Essex, Sport for Confidence and also as part of Health Watch and the EPUT NHS foundation. Volunteers can participate in the buddy scheme which trains mental health services such as Allied Health Professionals and mental health nurses”.


Also this year she has started the Oliver McGowan training and will be co-facilitating training of NHS staff and any other staff that are required to do the Oliver McGowan training which is something she is looking forward to.


This training aims to save lives by ensuring the health and social care workforce has the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate and informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability. 


Donna’s favourite saying is: ‘Every day is a school day — you learn something new every day.’ She also has a hashtag favourite hashtag — #wherethereisawheelthereisaway. She continues: ‘I like to spell it differently because I use a walking frame and wheelchair and if I didn’t have them I wouldn’t be able to get around’.




Billy Mansell

In the past year, Billy has been working as a Stroke Rehabilitation Assistant — finding balance while managing his Fibromyalgia has been difficult and is a work in progress. Despite this, he continues to give back and support others.


One of the aspects of his role that he is really proud of is running seated lower limb and upper limb exercise groups which he has created as a variation of Boccia. This impacts patients positively using the power of sport and activity and in turn, positively impacts the stats required on rehabilitation time spent with patients.


In addition, he has been volunteering with The Prince's Trust (now King's Trust) being present on their National Health and Social Care Young Person Committee, of which he progressed onto the leadership team last year as well. He has also been inducted on the Department for Health and Social Care National Board to help secure a diverse workforce fit for the future.


He feels that all the work he has done with the trust is important,  but his latest work engaging on the board has also proven to be very important. It can impact big system changes in the sector, affecting more Young People's lives positively as they make their own way into the sector. Billy concludes: ’There’s so much I am proud about though and will absolutely continue to try make a positive difference where possible’.


The Prince’s Trust: https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/



Anne Wafula-Strike

(Coming soon)


As a team, the ambassadors strive to continue to provide opportunities and positive experiences for those living with long-term health conditions and disabilities across Essex.


By tackling health inequalities they are impacting the services provided by NHS Foundation trusts and enabling better access for members of their local communities.


You can read more about the ambassadors, the programmes they are involved in and how to become an ambassador by following the links below. Look out for updates on the Essex All Together Facebook page.




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