Andrew Bright

When Andrew left school his headteacher told him he would never have a job, or if he did it would be unskilled. Andrew has fought back against these assumptions across his career as an advocate, a spokesperson and a role model. Working across the public sector, education and charities, Andrew improves opportunities and removes obstacles for other people with a learning disability.

Andrew did a Business Studies course and in 1991 he joined People First, a national self-advocacy organisation run by and for people with learning difficulties. He found his calling in creating opportunities for other people and even worked internationally on a European Commission project.

In 1996 Andrew set up his own business: Bright Enterprises. He ran training sessions and gave seminars to promote both the rights and the independence of adults with a learning disability. When direct payments were being introduced Andrew championed their use for people with a learning disability allowing disabled people to control the budget which pays for their support. Around this time, while establishing a specialised employment service in Greenwich for people with a learning disability, Andrew met his wife, Jane. Originally he supported her to find paid work as a care worker.

For five years (December 2003 until November 2008) Andrew worked as the Director of Participation for National Development Team (now NDTI), before moving in 2007 to become a Service Quality Director at Thera Trust, a charitable group of companies which support people with a learning disability. In 2017 Andrew became their joint Head of Development, leading three different teams. He oversees initiatives including advocacy groups, Path to Jobs, and Dolphin’s Den – a Dragon’s Den-inspired series of workshops and mentoring to help people launch their own business or community project. In 2019, Andrew was truly honoured to be given the opportunity to be on the Power 100 list. Most recently Andrew can be found as Group Lead Director for Quality & Involvement in an Equal Leadership Role at Thera Trust.