An Epsom campaigns support officer has won an Inspiring Communicators Award.

Ciara Lawrence, 37, won the award for her work with Mencap, the UK's leading learning disability charity.   

Organised yearly by CharityComms, which is a membership network for UK charity communications professionals, the award recognises and celebrates inspirational communicators in the charity sector.

Ms Lawrence, who has a learning disability herself and has been described as "an incredibly adaptable communicator", said: “I felt very proud of myself and it was lovely to know that my colleagues at Mencap nominated me for the award.  

“Also as a person who has a learning disability, it was a huge achievement.”

Ciara recently led a campaign objecting to the use of derogatory questions about people with a learning disability.

Ms Lawrence has spoken to ITV staff about the need for more representation in the media and met with the production team at Coronation Street to discuss the inclusion of a character with learning disabilities.

Ciara has also helped other people with learning disabilities find the confidence to become spokespeople. 

To learn more about the work Mencap does: https://www.mencap.org.uk/