On Friday 18th September, I attended a breakfast event organised by Maison de Landes, as part of events for National Inclusion Week. This is the 2nd year that Maison de Landes has organised such an event, and I hope to see it on the calendar again next year.
Founded by Inclusive Employers in 2013, National Inclusion Week® is a yearly event dedicated to celebrating inclusion and taking action to build inclusive workplaces. Click here to find out more.
The four speakers at the event were Stuart Penn, Zena Gavey, Rachel Boss and Grace Greenwood.
Stuart Penn is (at time of writing) the Head of Skills Jersey. Skills Jersey, which includes Careers Guidance, Mentors, and the Skills Development Team, is part of the Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department. Skills Jersey is dedicated to empowering local people of all ages to have the ability to choose and achieve positive career, life and learning goals, aligning with the needs of the Island, in collaboration with industry.
As Stuart took us through some of his many experiences working different jobs, I would not at all be surprised to find that by the time I published this, he was off to count penguins in the Arctic, or had been whisked away to be Ambassador to Earth in an Independence-Day type scenario (the film, but anything could happen). Stuart’s sense of humour and jovial nature were self-evident, and it was no surprise at all to find out that he is a motivational speaker.
More about Stuart:
Jersey ‘adaptive’ athlete aims for more medal success
Jersey man born with one fully formed limb takes on London Marathon
Zena Gavey is the artist behind local business, Daisy Design Ceramics. Named after her grandmother Daisy, the business combines heartfelt storytelling with handcrafted craftsmanship, with every piece made while listening to Tom Jones — a tribute to her nan’s favourite singer.
Zena discovered ceramics following a sudden loss of most of her eyesight 17 years ago, after her mother introduced her to pottery classes. What began during a difficult period in her life quickly became a new creative path, leading to the development of a successful ceramic business producing hearts, flowers, gifts, wedding favours, and bespoke decorative items.
I particularly appreciated Zena’s candidness. When asked what one thing she would change, she advised that sighted people should stop walking around glued to their phones, as they cause a hazard to blind and partially-sighted people. I can’t really argue with that Zena, I’ll do my best! She also issued us a reminder to not interact with working/service dogs. (And really, you should always ask the owner before touching any dog, because it is just good manners).
Rachel Boss is the driving force behind ADHD Jersey. With lived experience of ADHD and a deep commitment to building community, she founded the organisation to create a supportive space where individuals and families can thrive.
Rachel is an important advocate for the ADHD community, who often face a lack of understanding. In recent weeks, we have seen some bizarre comments printed in the Jersey Evening Post, in relation to “too many young people being on medication,” despite it being an incredibly difficult process to a) get a diagnosis, and b) get medication prescribed. As I have commented elsewhere, we wouldn’t take kids off insulin just because we didn’t like the numbers.
More from Rachel:
ADHD Jersey founder had changed my life massively
From prison to Parliament’ – ADHD woman’s journey
Grace Greenwood is a para athlete with cerebral palsy and nystagmus. Her sports predominately focus on Taekwondo and Athletics, where she started her martial arts journey at the age of 7 with the Jersey Karate Wado Ryu club.
Grace suggested that we need an online hub where we can have links to all of the sports clubs on the Island, that would also include information in relation to accessibility for each. I wholly agree, and note that it is often difficult to find out what is going on where (which seems ridiculous considering the size of the Island!) I find myself checking Facebook, Eventbrite, Visit Jersey, and Instagram, and I still manage to miss things. Can we find a small amount of funding for this, perhaps with support from our Minister for Sport?
More about Grace:
Teen with cerebral palsy ‘proving doctors wrong’
https://www.jerseyspartan.com/grace-greenwood
What did I get out of the event?
It was wonderful to hear people share some of their life stories, and get insight in to their perspectives and experiences. 2026 has been a disappointing year when it comes to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DEI“). There is a sense that all of the work has been done now, but as a disabled person myself, I can easily and quickly point out the fallacy in that statement. (And just look at some of the content put out by people with wheelchairs or walking sticks, the abuse they put up with is shocking).
Too many are under the impression that DEI runs counter to a meritocracy, but you can only achieve a meritocracy when every person has equal and equitable access to education and opportunities.
Illustrating Equality vs. Equity
I particularly enjoyed the variety of speakers, who all spoke well and from the heart. It is a brave thing to get up in front of a crowd and talk about your personal life, and your passions, and as well as the speakers (whom I thank for their time, energy and effort), I thank the host (BDO) for the use of their space, and the organiser (Maison Des Landes) for putting together such a brilliant line-up.
I hope this article has given you some insight to the event, and that you can make it to the next one in 2027.
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