The Bishop of Chester, Mark Tanner has announced the appointment of Revd Emma Speake as Disability Adviser for the diocese. This is an important voluntary role, in which Emma will help disabled and neurodivergent people to play a full part in church life. She will be working with the Diocesan Disability Forum to provide practical advice and resources, to act as a listening ear and advocate, and to help shape policy and practices across the diocese.
Emma is Vicar of St Andrew’s Grange in Runcorn and has already been doing a great deal of work in supporting neurodivergent clergy and developing Brick by Brick, a service for families with neurodivergent children. She will be working particularly with the two co-chairs of the Disability Forum, when they are appointed, and the intention is that together they will bring experience of a broad range of disabilities and neurodivergence.