The chief executive of Designability, the Bath charity that enables disabled people to live with greater independence, is to step down from the role in September after four highly successful years.
Catharine Brown, pictured, has significantly expanded the charity’s reach and impact since joining in 2019 following a successful early career in marketing.
As well as helping Designability overcome challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, she also oversaw major growth in its income, which has allowed it to help more disabled people through its innovative design and product solutions.
She has also led the team to create a focused strategy, meaning the charity now has a clear three-year plan to 2026.
Designability began life in 1968 as the Bath Institute of Medical Engineering and has since helped more than 300,000 disabled children and adults live with greater independence.
Its team of designers and engineers based at Bath’s Royal United Hospital create life-changing assistive products to help disabled people who are facing challenges every day.
Designability’s mission is to make products and technology more accessible to everyone. The team follows the principles of human-centred design – everything it develops is done in response to what people tell them they need.
The aim is for people to achieve greater independence and happiness in their lives – goals that benefit all of society.
The charity is best known for its pioneering Wizzybug Loan Scheme, which provides free, fun, powered wheelchairs called Wizzybugs to very young disabled children across the UK.
Catharine said: “It has been a privilege to lead Designability and work with such talented people to deliver solutions to the challenges disabled people face every day.
“I’m leaving the charity with a bold three-year plan in place and a strong and dedicated leadership team motivated to support the organisation to deliver it.
“Designability is a unique charity listening to disabled people, understanding their challenges and designing solutions to help them live with greater independence.”
She said she was particularly proud of Designability’s work to increase the accessibility to public electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
This means that around 1.4m disabled drivers can transition to an electric car through its design guidance for accessible charge points – work which will have a lasting impact on disabled drivers for years to come.
“And of course, I am delighted at the continued expansion in the number of disabled children we help with Wizzybug, many more of whom are now enjoying being independent as a result of the growth in our free loan scheme service.”
Designability chair of trustees Jerry Marwood said: “Catharine is right to be proud of her achievements in growing Designability. We and everyone at Designability are sorry to see her go and wish her every success in the future.”
Before joining Designability, Catharine worked for brands including Marks & Spencer and The Economist and in fundraising and marketing leadership roles in five national charities as well as a consultant helping charities across the sector to achieve strategic change.
Designability’s board of trustees will shortly begin the process to recruit her successor.
