The disability rights sector has lost a formidable champion with the death of Dick Harris, who dedicated his life to promoting independent living for people with disabilities. He was 71 years old.
A Pioneering Spirit Forged in Adversity
Born in Wrexham, north Wales, to an unmarried teacher named Edna Harris, Dick never knew his father. In the social climate of the time, he would typically have been put up for adoption. However, he was born with cerebral palsy, and the placement of disabled children with adoptive parents was difficult.
Consequently, his childhood was spent in institutional care. He grew up at Penhurst school in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, which was run by the National Children's Home, and later at a Leonard Cheshire home in Banbury. While he recalled these as happy years, they were, by modern standards, life within an institution.
The Turning Point: Gaining Independence
A pivotal moment arrived in 1979 when Dick seized an opportunity to move into a pioneering development of purpose-built flats in Camden, north London, designed for people with disabilities to live independently. For Dick and his neighbours, this was a revolutionary experience.
It marked the first time they could make their own choices and manage their own finances. Famously, he spent his entire first week's food budget in a single night at the pub, a testament to his newfound, and fiercely enjoyed, autonomy.
It was during this period that he became deeply involved in voluntary groups, organising holidays for disabled people across the UK and continental Europe with the help of volunteer care workers. On one such trip, he met Angi Donnelly, a volunteer who would later become his wife.
A Lifelong Career in Advocacy
Dick and Angi married in 1981 and moved into their own flat. Their family grew with the birth of their daughter, followed by their son, Martyn. Dick's professional journey in the sector began in earnest from 1984 to 1985 as a volunteer co-ordinator at the Islington Disabled Association in north London.
In 1987, the family relocated to Coventry, where Dick took a position at the Spastics Society, which later became known as Scope. He remained there for almost two decades, until 2005, when he moved to Leonard Cheshire. In a poignant full-circle moment, his job interview was held at the very Banbury home where he had lived as a young man.
He held several roles at Leonard Cheshire, including on the marketing team, until his retirement in 2020. Even in retirement, he continued volunteering with disability groups in Coventry and Warwickshire until this year.
The Fight for Support and a Lasting Legacy
Maintaining an independent life required constant advocacy. Dick often had to fight for the necessary funding and resources for his care. Over the years, his support came from community service volunteers and, later, through the Access to Work scheme, which allowed him to employ carers directly.
He famously described the role of his carers as becoming his "arms and legs", a partnership that enabled him to work, volunteer, and enjoy a full family life. This arrangement also meant that his wife, Angi, could pursue her career as a cashier rather than being his full-time carer.
In a poignant personal discovery late in his life, a DNA test revealed he had a half-brother, Sandy. Both had grown up not knowing their shared father. Sadly, they were unable to meet before Dick became rapidly ill following a diagnosis of kidney cancer in March.
Dick Harris lived a life that consistently defied the low expectations others often placed upon him. He broke boundaries, worked tirelessly, and was a good friend and supportive colleague to many. He is survived by his wife Angi, his children, three grandchildren, and his half-brother Sandy.
