On 14 December 2023, Clenton Farquharson CBE spoke in the annual Baggs Memorial Happiness Lecture. Clenton is the Lived Experience Lead on IMPACT’s Leadership Team and is a passionate advocate and speaker on social justice.
In the June 2023 Honours List, Clenton was awarded a CBE for services to contributions to personalisation, disability, social care, and health policy, and was awarded an Honorary Degree at the University of Birmingham in July 2023. Clenton was named in Disability News Services’ list of influential disabled people and in as one of this year’s Social Care Top 30 by Care Talk Magazine. Clenton actively promotes an understanding of equality, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, as well as the implementation of practices that can empower and motivate individuals and organisations.
The Baggs Memorial Lectures began in 1976. Thomas Baggs was an alumnus of the University of Birmingham who gave a substantial sum to the University to provide an annual public lecture on the theme of ’happiness – what it is and how it may be achieved by individuals as well as nations.’