Independent Lives brought together speakers, supporters and changemakers for a landmark half-day conference celebrating 25 years of putting disabled people first.
On Thursday 16 April, Worthing Football Club played host to something rather special. THRIVE 2026 — Independent Lives’ conference — welcomed many delegates through its doors for a morning packed with inspiration, honest conversation, a buzzing marketplace and, we’re reliably informed, some genuinely excellent food.
Hosted by Cherry Simmonds, COO of Independent Lives, the day opened and closed with addresses from Rebecca Smicle, CEO who set the scene beautifully — celebrating not just the conference itself, but 25 remarkable years of Independent Lives and the independent living movement it has championed. The event didn’t just look back on how far we’ve come. It made a compelling case for how much further there is to go — and why that journey matters.
From football pitch to podium
George Dowell MBE opened the conference with a story that stopped the room. As a teenager, he had dreams of a professional football career. Then a serious car accident left him with a spinal cord injury, and everything changed — except, it turns out, his ambition. George went on to become the owner of Worthing Football Club, and his message was simple, warm and utterly undeniable: where there’s a will, there’s a way. Delegates left the session with that kind of energy you only get from hearing someone who has genuinely lived what they’re talking about. That message feels especially relevant right now, with Worthing Football Club having just won the National League South title and secured promotion to the National League.
The woman who gave herself a forehead injury in the name of ‘normality’
If George set the tone, Lisa Kerr set the room alight. Managing both autism and ADHD — which she describes as two very vocal lodgers competing for space in her brain — Lisa shared the extraordinary lengths she’s gone to navigate a world that wasn’t designed with her in mind. The highlight? Spending hours practising how to smile during online meetings, after realising that her deep concentration face was being read by colleagues as a condescending frown. The practice, she noted, resulted in a forehead injury. The audience’s laughter came entirely from a place of recognition and respect. Lisa’s fighting talk was funny, fierce and deeply moving in equal measure.
The power of being heard
Simon Wilson — Trustee, author and disability consultant — brought a quieter but no less powerful energy to the stage. Growing up with cerebral palsy without speech, Simon spoke about the profound impact of other people’s failure to understand his needs on his education and his life. His session was a reminder that inclusion isn’t a tick-box exercise — it’s the difference between someone reaching their potential or being quietly held back from it. His second autobiography is released this September and we can’t wait to read more about Simon’s incredible journey.
Thinking differently about community
Just before lunch (timing, as always, was everything), Jack Elsdon, Independent Lives’ Head of Business Development and Improvement, led an interactive session that had delegates talking, thinking and — crucially — connecting. The message? Disability inclusion shouldn’t be handed off to “specific people” as a separate workstream. It needs to be threaded into every decision, every development, every change programme from the very start. Not a postscript. A foundation. Jack’s research project is well underway and his results will be published later this summer.
Outside in the fresh air (with quite possibly a jumper)
The conference’s outdoor marketplace — nestled within the outside bar but very much part of the Worthing spring experience — was a hive of activity during the breaks. Our wonderful sponsors and stall holders added warmth, conversation and colour to the morning, and the buzz between sessions was everything we’d hoped for.
A few very important thank yous
None of it would have been possible without some brilliant people and organisations behind the scenes. Huge thanks to our generous sponsors (Bowers and Wilkins, Kendricks Coffee, Pear Properties and Mark Bates) and raffle donors, whose support made the day what it was. A very special mention to our partners at Ferring Country Centre, whose food was outstanding. And of course, to Worthing Football Club for providing a fantastic venue that made the whole day feel just a little bit grand. (Four thousand seat capacity and we used the 1864 lounge, but still!)
Twenty-five years and counting
THRIVE 2026 was more than a conference. It was a celebration of what’s possible when an organisation spends 25 years refusing to treat disability as an afterthought. The delegates who filled the room — commissioners, partners, community members, colleagues — left with something to think about, something to act on, and we hope, something to smile about.
Here’s to the next 25 years,
Cherry Simmonds, COO
