Site access optionsWho was Mike Devenney?
- Guardian Obituary
- Excerpt from the Clare Association Annual
- Employers' Forum on Disability
- The Globe (Barclays Bank)
- Family Tribute to Mike Devenney
The Globe (Barclays Bank)
Mike Devenney - Ready, Willing and Able
The first time Andrew Tomes, a personal banker at a Cambridge branch, saw Michael, he shied away from dealing with him. “We all did," admits Andrew, “I was embarrassed.” Andrew Tomes decided to make the effort. “I began to understand Mike and realise he was a clever bloke with a great sense of humour. We built up a rapport.”
Michael said: “Andrew treated me like any other person. He recognised I was capable of making money like anyone else but he realised I needed more support than some other people and he was able to help me set up my business.
The Disability Discrimination will make a huge difference, but shifting attitudes takes longer. The key thing is not to make assumptions. The main problem I face in life is not my impairment, it’s the assumptions people make about it.”
Disabled people are like everyone else – there are some total prats and there are some really good people. The main thing is to treat us just the same and get to know us. Only once you’ve done that can you truly make judgements.”
© 2008 The Mike Devenney Scholarship Fund | Website Design
