Our CEO Clare Wightman receives an Honorary Doctorate today (18 July) from Coventry University in recognition of “her exceptional contribution to enhancing the lives and well-being of marginalised individuals and communities in Coventry and Warwickshire.”
As CEO since 2000, Clare has been responsible for shaping our charity strategically and collaboratively. Skilfully bringing us forward from a drop-in centre helping learning disabled people get a more just life to helping all kinds of people experiencing isolation, poverty and disadvantage build better lives.
Under Clare’s guidance, Grapevine has evolved from a project of Coventry and Warwickshire Co-operative Development Agency into a charity in its own right renowned for empowering Coventry and Warwickshire communities.
This year marks our 30th anniversary since those 1994 drop-in days.
Through practical tools, training, person-centred guidance, advocacy and support, Grapevine now helps people build their collective power to tackle the problems they’re facing and provides those suffering with the hope, insight and supportive relationships they need to realise their potential.
We believe that understanding people is more important than assessing them. Clare’s leadership reflects this attitude that problems are solved through relationships and connecting people rather than through services or hierarchies.
This comes through in her encouragement and mentoring of staff to be curious, experimental and compassionate in their work.
Like our team, our Board of Trustees also includes people with diverse lived experiences who are responsible for the governance of Grapevine.
Throughout her career, Clare has travelled extensively learning from world leaders in ‘citizen advocacy’ and introducing these learnings into our approach.
This forward-facing direction and passion for embracing the new has seen us establish a model of ‘needs as assets’ and begin unlocking the abundant, existing resources in communities.
Clare’s willingness to embrace change and become a disruptor in the charity space is one of the many reasons for Grapevine’s success.
Our work is profiled nationally and recognised as leading a new way of ‘doing’ services and reducing reliance on shrinking public services.
Challenging the status quo, disrupting and innovating are values close to Clare’s, and therefore Grapevine’s hearts, and we are delighted to acknowledge that through the awarding of her Degree of Doctor of Arts today at Coventry Cathedral.
Well wishes from the Grapevine team
Grapevine’s Director of Projects, Naomi Madden said: “Grapevine is what it is today, and will be even more tomorrow, because of Clare’s dedication and leadership.
“People recognise a Grapevine worker for all the right reasons when they come into a room and we thank Clare for nurturing something so special.”
Community organiser Edwin Lukong said: “This is a well-deserved recognition for Clare’s incredible service to Coventry and Warwickshire.
“Her dedication and passion have made a massive difference both in the lives of countless community members and those of us who are privileged to be working with her.
“Congratulations Clare!”