13 Dec New CEO for Disability Advice and Welfare Network CIC
Michael Beckett, former CEO of Colchester Foodbank, has joined DAWN (Disability Advice and Welfare Network CIC) an up and coming Welfare Rights organisation, as its first CEO. Michael has a proven track record of growing charities, engaging stakeholders and encouraging diversity and DAWN is glad to have him, and is recruiting other Specialist Advisors, on board as we enter the next exciting phase of our development plan.
DAWN Founder Annie Sands from Great Bromley says, “We are delighted to welcome Michael to the Disability Advice and Welfare Network, to steer our response to the rapidly expanding need for our services. He brings expertise from his roles in Mental Health advocacy, legal advice and governance as well as over 7 year combating poverty across Colchester and Tendring with award-winning charity Colchester Foodbank. We have an ambitious vision for a better future for our clients and we are looking forward to the exciting developments this year will bring.”
In DAWN’s first year it has generated over £600k in unclaimed benefits, taken campaigns to parliament, advised and helped over 1,000 individuals, laughed and cried with families, set up support groups, highlighted gaps in services, co-produced with Suffolk Law Centre the Autism Education Leavers Passport, actively addressed the appalling diagnostic NHS waiting times and produced a letter for MP’s, as well as providing free benefit training, creating client-designed Christmas cards and so much more.
Anna Kennedy OBE, disability and neurodiversity, campaigner says,
“Happy one year celebration to DAWN of which I am proud to be Patron. They have achieved so much in a year forging ahead and generating over £600k in unclaimed benefits. My husband Sean and I were proud to be part of producing the autism passport and the education leavers passport. Looking forward to DAWN’s achievements of 2025!”
