Anthony Hewson: Inspirational disability campaigner from West Sussex remembered as a ‘true giant’

An inspirational campaigner for disabled people who helped his son set up the West Sussex charity JustDifferent has died aged 73.
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Anthony Hewson, an engineer from Walberton, will be remembered for the positive changes and modernisation he brought to charities and public bodies after his son, Toby, was born with cerebral palsy in 1981.

He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 1998 for outstanding services to disabled people, especially though the charity Scope.

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As the chairman of Scope, Anthony led a transformation of the charity, giving disabled people a voice in decision-making.

Anthony Hewson, an inspirational campaigner for disabled people who was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 1998Anthony Hewson, an inspirational campaigner for disabled people who was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 1998
Anthony Hewson, an inspirational campaigner for disabled people who was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 1998

He was also chairman of the governing body at Toby’s school, Ingfield Manor, an established special school in Five Oaks for young people with neurological motor impairment and one of the leading centres for Conductive Education in the UK.

Sarah Ffoulkes Roberts, who worked at Ingfield Manor School from 1978, retiring as head of early years in July 2015, said: “I first met Anthony in 1982 when he came to visit Ingfield with his wife Liz and 18-month-old son Toby.

“Toby joined our small group parent sessions twice weekly to help his holistic development within active learning through play. He usually attended with his mother but also on occasion with Anthony.

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“Anthony was a devoted father to Toby, supporting his learning and development and advocating for him with positive expectations and huge encouragement. He wanted Toby to enjoy experiences he himself had enjoyed in his life and with his wife Liz, took Toby sailing, skiing, out on his bike as well as many other activities.

“He was particularly determined to help Toby to develop his communication and independence skills and it was very important to him that Toby took an active part in his learning through the learning approach of Conductive Education which is practised at Ingfield Manor School.

“As a parent, Anthony helped and supported Ingfield in very many ways, supporting parent evenings, fête days and governor boards, as well as the wider organisation of Scope. He was highly respected by other parents, the team staff and he always engaged with children attending the school and advocated on their behalf.”

Don Newport, chairman of the Friends of Ingfield, worked closely with Anthony over many years on projects to help the school and remembers his great enthusiasm in everything he did.

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Don said: “Suffice to say that his foremost thoughts were always on achieving the best outcomes for the students at Ingfield Manor School. And he would apply his talents enthusiastically to that end, whether negotiating an important legal document or running the ice cream stall at the annual fête.”

Alyson Heath, former headteacher St Mary’s CE Primary School in Pulborough, and her husband Andrew also had a son at Ingfield Manor and she has worked closely with Toby at his charity JustDifferent.

Alyson said: “Andrew and I first meant Anthony when our son Daniel and Toby were 21 months. Anthony was instrumental in setting up the Dame Vera Lynn trust committee to fund raise and run School for Parents at Ingfield Manor.

“He also set up IPA Ingfield Parent Association and this was quickly followed by the setting up of the school’s first governing body.

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“In recent years, until 2018, I was privileged to be chairman of the JustDifferent charity, which Anthony set up with Toby to carry out workshops in schools, raising awareness of disability.

“Anthony was a truly inspirational person who always had the wellbeing of people with disabilities at the centre of all he did.

“He would work long hours, starting early in the morning and he would often fall asleep over supper! Andrew and I have so many happy memories of our times with Liz and Anthony as the boys grew up. He will be missed by so many.”

Anthony was a member of the executive council at Scope for a decade and chairman from 1992 to 1997. He instigated the charity’s new name during this time, a rebrand of the National Spastics Society, which most disabled people found outdated.

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Robin Millar, Scope chairman, said: “The sad death of Anthony Hewson OBE signals the passing of a true giant in the world of disabled people. Anthony’s determination, fearlessness, innovative thinking and drive changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and their families.

“As the current chair of Scope, the disability charity Anthony chaired and named in the 1990s, I feel we owe him a huge debt and we are determined his work and his influence will live on.

“On behalf of the trustees and all at Scope we give thanks to Anthony and to his brave and dedicated family.”

Mark Hodgkinson, Scope chief executive, said: “We are deeply saddened by the death of Anthony Hewson OBE. He was responsible for setting our strategic direction and importantly overseeing our name change from the National Spastics Society to Scope.

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“Our rebrand was a landmark moment, dropping a name that had become known for playground insults and making a strong statement that attitudes towards disability needed to change. It was an important part of our transition to becoming the disability equality charity we are today.”