AN NHS trainee clinical coder from Somerset has been rubbing shoulders with the likes of Paralympians Ellie Simmonds and Kadeena Cox.
Zahari Brimacombe, who works for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, attended a prestigious awards ceremony run by Scope, a disability equality charity, where they took home a Purple Pioneer award for the work they’ve done, inside and outside of work, to champion the cause of disabled people in Somerset.
The Scope Disability Equality Awards shine a spotlight on equality champions, recognising and celebrating the achievements of people who campaign for disability equality, a change in attitudes, and bring about social change.
Zahari began their career at the trust in 2017 as a medical secretary in its mental health services, as well as a role in the trust’s temporary staffing team, while they’ve recently started as a trainee clinical coder, based at Musgrove Park Hospital.
The awards nomination said that Zahari “champions the cause of disabled people in Somerset” and that their achievements include “helping to establish a reasonable adjustments fund for disabled colleagues at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, and contributing to the co-production of Somerset’s autism services.”
It also says that “as inclusion adviser to Girlguiding Somerset, Zahari enables autistic and neurodivergent girls and disabled adult volunteers to attend camps and weekly meetings.”
Zahari also plays and promotes wheelchair tennis, and is a key member of Open Table Taunton, an LGBTQ+ inclusive church meeting accessible to disabled people.
“I was nominated by somebody in girl guiding when they realised how much I was doing for it, as well as a charity of my own that I was running,” said Zahari.
“Alongside this I was also making a strong case to trust management for various things related to equality through my role as the trust’s Neurodiversity Network co-chair.
“My nominator said they saw how hard I was working to further the inclusion of neurodivergent people and disabled people primarily, as well as the inclusion of the above people who are also of colour and/or LGBTQ+.”
It’s fair to say Zahari found themselves starstruck at the ceremony, but their achievement was celebrated on an equal scale as those famous people.
They continue: “I met so many amazing people at the event, including Kadeena Cox, the paralympic cyclist, Ellie Simmonds, the TV personality, Adam Pearson from the Freak Show, Mollie from the Traitors, and so other many people who are really influential…all alongside little old me!
“My award was presented by Adam Pearson, and I have so much respect for him as he has quite a significant facial disfigurement – he’s such a great guy and so humble.
“Two actors from Ralph & Katie, the ITV drama with the Down’s Syndrome actors, were also there – they won a few awards, and I was crying at how brilliant they were and how genuinely happy they were to win.
“I honestly didn’t know all those sort of people would be there, as I didn’t want to look into it much beforehand otherwise I thought I would change my mind about going.”