Alan is an active member of GDA and brings real life experience as a disabled person facing many interconnecting barriers such as social care, access to transport and the need for accessible housing. Alan was highly motivated to join GDA’s Board “Quite simply – I want to be part of an organisation that makes life better for disabled people. After many years I can now contribute the knowledge and skills I have learned towards good governance – making sure the organisation sticks to its mission and has all the right plans, policies and procedures in place”.

Over the years Alan has held a number of volunteering roles and as a disabled person he believes in the need for disabled people to be better connected. He is a member of GDA’s Purple Poncho Players and performed live for the First Minister at the SECC during the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare Conference in 2019. He is also a member of Drivers for Change and the Social Care Expert Group and supports GDA in trying to make life better for disabled people through being involved in opportunities to design solutions with those holding power, designing policies and shaping services.

Alan is a dedicated advocate for disabled people who cannot easily speak for themselves and he represents GDA on the Adult Protection Committee in Glasgow, sharing lived experience of the many challenges that disabled people face.

Alan is also a board member with Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living and a Committee Member of Capability Scotland, so he brings many years’ experience of Governance and understanding the responsibilities required of Boards.

In his spare time he enjoys supporting football, watching the darts and visiting the snooker World Championships in Sheffield.