When our son Colm was born with a limb difference in 1991, my wife Rita searched for a support group.
We found a very small group interested in Reach and we became instrumental in starting Reach Ireland.As a member, Branch Co-ordinator, Trustee for 18 years and Chairman for 3 years, we worked to see Reach grow and develop to become the influential organisation that it is now. We enjoyed the successes of Reach AGMs/Family Weekends, including hosting two in Ireland. We participated in Reach Quiz Nights when the late Jeremy Beadle was our Patron. We assisted Frank Letch with the introduction of the highly successful Reach Activity Week (RAW) from Millennium Year (2000) to now, thereby bringing relevance to Reach in the lives of our teenagers and young adults. Many of those have returned to Reach and are exemplary participants in the activities of Reach. So, my interest in once more becoming a Trustee, stems from bringing my skills, experience, and knowledge to assist with the furtherance of our Reach Objectives, as a former Primary School Teacher, Marketing Manager in the largest learning disability organisation in Ireland and later as a Lecturer in Third Level Education, I believe I have something to offer.