Gavin Nigel Xavier Harding MBE (born 18 March 1974) is a British politician and academic who was mayor of Selby, North Yorkshire, England. He was the first person in the United Kingdom to become mayor while being formally diagnosed as having a learning disability.[1]
Gavin Harding | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Selby | |
| In office 2015–2016 | |
| Preceded by | Rosie Corrigan |
| Succeeded by | Steve Shaw-Wright |
| Selby Town Councillor for North Ward | |
| Assumed office 2011 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gavin Nigel Xavier Harding 18 March 1974 Selby, West Riding of Yorkshire |
| Political party | Labour |
| Education | Brayton High School |
| Alma mater | Selby College |
Harding grew up in Selby, and studied at Brayton High School and Selby College. He is a Labour councillor on Selby Town Council having lived in Selby most of his life representing Selby North ward. Harding has now been elected for his 3rd term as a councillor. He founded a self-advocacy group Voices for People and works for NHS England as a senior learning disability advisor.
Harding served as deputy mayor of Selby in 2014 before being appointed mayor the following year.[1] In 2014, he was awarded an MBE.[2] He has been part of a committee looking into the progress of Winterbourne View, a private hospital condemned for its abuse of people with learning difficulties.[3]
In 2019 Harding was included in the Shaw Trust "Power 100" list of the most influential disabled people for that year.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b "Gaving Harding: UK's first mayor with a learning disability appointed in Selby". The Independent. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
- ^ "Councillor and academics receive Queen's Birthday Honours". York Press. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
- ^ "Post-Winterbourne View : why have so few learning disabled people been moved out of residential units?". The Guardian. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
- ^ "Gavin Harding MBE". Retrieved 5 December 2019.