Press release: Sense pays tribute to Lord Ashley
21 April 2012
Paying tribute at the news of the sad passing of Lord Ashley last night, Gillian Morbey OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Sense, Sense International and President of Deafblind International, said:
"On behalf of deafblind people across the UK we wish to express our condolences to the Ashley family at this sad time.
"Lord Ashley was a champion for the rights of disabled people and in particular was a key advocate for deafblind people's rights.
"His role was instrumental in securing the Deafblind Guidance, which was issued in 2001, and since then has had a significant and positive impact in ensuring that deafblind people are able to gain their rights and entitlements, and receive the support they need to live independent and fulfilled lives.
"His passing is a significant loss, but his legacy for deafblind people ensures he will never be forgotten."
Rodney Clark, former CEO of Sense, said:
"It was a great sadness to learn of the death of one of Sense's best and longest supporters, Jack Ashley, although wonderful that he made it to his 90th year.
"I first met Jack when I worked for the RNID in the 1970s, he being a trustee of the charity at the time. Although Sense was a very small, unknown organisation in 1981, Jack enthusiastically worked with us on the very many campaigns for which we sought his help.
"These included participation in a disability consortium project to have MPs spend a day with a disabled person and their family for the International Year for Disabled People in 1981, the extension of the Mobility Allowance as of right to deafblind people and then the major pieces of legislation that Sense was instrumental in bringing to the statute book over the next 20 years.
"Jack was guest of honour at our International Conference for Deafblind International at Chelsea College, also in 1981, and developed a great friendship with our Chairman, Jessica Hills - indeed he made sure he came to her surprise party after her MBE investiture in the mid-1980s.
"He was therefore our first prominent supporter and remained our first Parliamentary port of call whenever the need arose, a need that was never ignored.
"He went deaf shortly after becoming an MP and it is certain that the 'hidden disability' would never have received the support it did without his involvement.
"Such a brave man, he took up the most controversial and unpopular causes with equanimity: all aspects of disability, naturally, but also thalidomide victims, bullying in the armed forces, domestic violence and children who had been damaged by vaccines.
"For anyone who had suffered abuse or injustice, Jack's door was always open. We have lost a great friend and champion in him."