Claire Buckle
Nominee Profile
Location: Penwortham
Claire Buckle is a former Great Britain Para-Athlete, whose drive and resilience have powered her journey from elite sport to becoming a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and inclusion leader. Today, she’s the visionary behind Ability Consultancy (NW) Ltd, Ability Digital Ltd, and the newly created charity Ability Social - three groundbreaking organisations that are changing the way disability is understood and embraced across the UK.
Through Ability Consultancy, Claire delivers dynamic disability awareness education, training, and consultancy for schools, businesses, and public services. Her work empowers others to create inclusive environments where disabled people can live, learn, and earn with equity. Expanding this mission through Ability Digital, Claire developed the Xplore DisAbility app - an interactive platform designed to teach users about disability in a relatable and accessible way. Her charity, Ability Social, provides sport, outdoor recreation, and social opportunities for people with a neurological impairment.
Claire’s personal experiences as a disabled woman fuel her passion and authenticity. Every programme, app, and workshop are informed by her lived experience and unwavering belief that society must do better - not just to meet legal equality standards, but to exceed them with compassion and understanding. Her leadership is creative, bold, and unapologetically people focused.
Claire’s impact has been recognised nationally, by previously winning an Innovate UK Women in Innovation award, and several other awards including the Northern Power Women Award for inclusive innovation, an FSB Award, and a She Inspires Award, and has recently been nominated for 3 Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAS). These honours reflect not only her work but also her commitment to meaningful, lasting change.
As Claire says: “Watch this space - there’s so much more to come. My goal is to help people understand, include, and empower disabled individuals in every part of life.”
Through Ability Consultancy, Claire delivers dynamic disability awareness education, training, and consultancy for schools, businesses, and public services. Her work empowers others to create inclusive environments where disabled people can live, learn, and earn with equity. Expanding this mission through Ability Digital, Claire developed the Xplore DisAbility app - an interactive platform designed to teach users about disability in a relatable and accessible way. Her charity, Ability Social, provides sport, outdoor recreation, and social opportunities for people with a neurological impairment.
Claire’s personal experiences as a disabled woman fuel her passion and authenticity. Every programme, app, and workshop are informed by her lived experience and unwavering belief that society must do better - not just to meet legal equality standards, but to exceed them with compassion and understanding. Her leadership is creative, bold, and unapologetically people focused.
Claire’s impact has been recognised nationally, by previously winning an Innovate UK Women in Innovation award, and several other awards including the Northern Power Women Award for inclusive innovation, an FSB Award, and a She Inspires Award, and has recently been nominated for 3 Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAS). These honours reflect not only her work but also her commitment to meaningful, lasting change.
As Claire says: “Watch this space - there’s so much more to come. My goal is to help people understand, include, and empower disabled individuals in every part of life.”