Leeanne Clark is an exceptional young woman. Despite a very difficult start in life, she has become an author, award winner, campaigner for people with learning disabilities, public speaker, and lifetime Fellow of the prestigious RSA.
Leeanne was born with mild cerebral palsy, to parents who had a lot of problems. With such a difficult start in life, she ended up as a young carer for her younger siblings and later found herself in the care system.
She tried to remain positive and was determined to make life better for herself. She became a student at Fife College in 2013 where she studied Skills for Life, and Childcare and progressed to Tourism. Thanks to the support of her lecturers, who saw her true potential and abilities, Leeanne flourished.
Attending Fife College, allowed Leeanne to write her story. On the pages of an assignment, she shared her true feelings and experiences for the first time. She had not realised how much of an impact her story had until her lecturers cried as they read it. Her lecturer suggested she should write an autobiography.
Leeanne’s carers and her local church also encouraged her to write, and the Scottish Commission for Learning Disability (SCLD) helped part-fund her first book. When her book, My Journey Through Life: The Real Me, was Launched in October 2021 it was the proudest day of Leeanne’s life. The main message of the book is that everyone is unique and important, and we all need to understand that different can be great.
Leeanne currently works at her partner Church in Glenrothes at St Luke’s Scottish Episcopal Church where she is a team member for their community project called Peace ‘N’ Jam. Leeanne is enjoying her role which involves a variety of duties, but, in particular, she loves socialising and chatting with members of the local community. Fr Gerry said: “It is wonderful to have Leeanne join St. Luke’s as a team member and to witness first-hand all the learning from Fife College now put into practice. She is an asset to our Community Hub at Peace ‘N’ Jam, and we are all proud of what Leeanne has so far achieved.”
While in Care and in her own time, Leeanne supported Shared Lives Fife, an organisation that provides family-based care to adults and older people affected by physical and mental health difficulties. Leeanne gave inspirational talks, sometimes travelling far and wide to talk about how she was brought up by parents who do not want to care for and love her and her siblings. Leeanne continues to speak at public events about her book, her journey through care and her positive experiences and helps others through her church and charity work.
Leeanne is also a keen supporter of Human Rights Town and the Human Rights Bill and supports initiatives to get the voices of people with learning disabilities heard.
Coming to college was certainly a turning point for Leeanne who says she will always be incredibly grateful to her lecturers for their help, support, encouragement and friendship along the way.
Leeanne is an inspiration to us all.
