Whenever spare energy allows, Claire spends as much time as possible volunteering to aid wildlife conservation, predominantly as a dormouse and bat monitor around Kent and training others to do the same.

Claire has developed the ecology department from just herself to a team of eight and is very proud to have a highly talented and very neurodiverse team now working alongside her.

There have been many challenges along the way, including some negative encounters with employers upon disclosure of her ME, hence Claire has spent most of her career masking for fear of unfair judgement. In her current position, Claire has finally felt comfortable over the past year to come out of the disability closet. The hope is that by being vocal about ME in the ecology and conservation sectors, and drawing on her own experiences, that others (budding and current ecologists and employers) will see just how valuable and capable people with energy limiting conditions can be to the workplace.

“It’s great that Energy Limiting Conditions such as ME/CFS and Long Covid are now being more openly recognised and discussed. Hopefully this marks a turn in the tide for more and better inclusivity, research and support.”

Follow Claire

Disability Power 100 2023 profile information has been self-submitted by the profile subject. Shaw Trust understands and respects that disability and impairment descriptors and language use varies from person to person. Shaw Trust assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or discrepancies in the content of this, or any other, profile page.