Denise Bowles: Changing tomorrow

“Don’t aim too high”

“You’ll never last in a job”

“You haven’t got the skills of others”

“You’re just too shy”…

How many people with learning disabilities and autistic people have heard those words from well-meaning (and plain wrong) friends and family? Denise (known as Denbo) certainly heard them. Did they contribute to her homelessness? To sofa surfing with friends? Maybe…

But today Denbo has turned her life around, and defied those predictions. She’s a published author, LGBTQ+ activist and Director of Inclusion North which works to make inclusion a reality for people with a learning disability, autistic people and their families.

Denbo’s book, I Wanna Tell You My Story, is about her family, her school experience and the times when she was at a low point in her life. It’s also about joy – the joy of singing on stage, joining Pride marches, doing meaningful work.

It’s written to help other people find hope at low points in their own lives. As she says, “The world is a cruel place but there are good opportunities and good people out there, waiting for you to find them.”

With Inclusion North, Denise is involved in some of the most important work in social care. She advocates for people locked up in long stay hospitals, helping them to find some trust in the people and process.

She’s been part of over 400 badly needed Care and Treatment Reviews to date. She helps those around the person to see the seemingly obvious: that quality of life really does matter to people with a learning disability.

Denise is doing so much more besides. She now delivers Oliver McGowan training to healthcare workers and – her personal highlight – specialist training for those healthcare workers who visit prisoners with learning disabilities and autism. Because nowhere is it more important than when visiting a prison, to choose not to judge the people you meet there.

Paid work is vital to Denbo’s sense of purpose. As she says,

“Benefits keep you alive but they don’t give you a reason to thrive. I used to feel guilty about not earning my own money. I didn’t feel in control. When I first started working, I had been out of the world of work for 15 years. I want to help stop as many people as possible from following that negative pathway.”

Denise adds,

“Sadly my mum passed away two years ago but she came back to me in a dream recently. She told me I would become a Director. Me – a Director! Anyway, I figured, there’s no harm in stepping forward. So I spoke with Inclusion North, followed the process when there was an opportunity and was successfully appointed a Director of the charity at Christmas. Thank you Mum, and thank you too, Dad, for being my rock all these years.

Denbo’s is a story of a woman finding her self-worth, and her pride. Pride at living with a learning disability. Pride at being a member of the LGBTQ+ community and pride at achieving the role of Director.

Well Denbo, author, activist, campaigner, director, change-maker, Madonna-singer: we hope you will also take great pride in being voted by peers for a place on the 2024 Learning Disability and Autism Leaders List. Congratulations!