Meet our Chair of Trustees – Paul Lockyer
Posted on 22nd January 2025 at 14:43
Life, as our Chair of Trustees describes it, is like riding a bicycle—you have to keep moving. Meet Paul Lockyer, who’s been at the trustees’ helm since 2022 – and in this recent conversation, he shared what inspired him to get involved with Embrace, what keeps him hooked, and his hopes for the charity’s future.
Embracing a New Chapter
After a successful career in the technology sector, collaborating with great teams and developing innovative products for leading companies around the globe, Paul felt it was time for a change. “There are plenty of books about reinvention, embracing change, and being brave,” Paul reflects. “My career gave me an opportunity to be brave and try something completely different.”

That change brought him here to us at Embrace, and he says that he’s found a new sense of purpose by focusing on service and giving back to the community—especially to those facing life’s challenges. “It’s incredibly rewarding,” he shares, encouraging others to consider making a similar leap if they get the opportunity.
Making a Difference
Although Paul’s family has no direct experience with disabilities, supporting families through Embrace has become a calling. “For many people with physical or learning disabilities, societal expectations can be low,” he notes. “But I’ve seen countless examples of individuals surpassing those expectations and achieving remarkable things.”
Paul believes in fostering a “greenhouse” environment, where love and encouragement help individuals thrive. “With love and encouragement, almost anything is possible,” he says. “Playing a part in an organisation that has the greenhouse philosophy at its heart, and offers love and encouragement, is so rewarding. Seeing the challenges others face and the positive difference you can make is life affirming.”
Key Milestones and Achievements
During Paul’s tenure as Chair of Trustees, Embrace has celebrated some significant achievements that reflect its dedication to families.
“The service Embrace delivers is rightly seen as the headline act – it is what our families need and what our supporters recognise as the value we deliver. Behind the scenes, creating the opportunities to deliver for our families is less visible. The trustees and staff work together to clear any short term blockages and ensure the strategy and overall vision is clear and understood and supports our long term success.”
Two examples stand out in the last 12months, both focused on modernising our 70 year old charity: a refresh of the charity’s branding and name to better connect with supporters, and investing in technology to modernise our operations, and make processes smoother and more efficient.
“These changes help us serve families better and connect more effectively with those who support us.”

The Power of Community Partnerships
Funding is always a challenge, which Paul acknowledges. One thing is clear—Embrace couldn’t do its incredible work without community partnerships and local businesses.
“We are grateful for the financial support we receive from our local authorities in Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire so we can help deliver their legal obligations for families with disabled children. But the service we want to continue to offer our families goes far beyond the minimum required, and public funding alone is never enough.”
“We’re so lucky to have one part-time team member dedicated to building partnerships and securing extra funding. Our supporters—both individuals and businesses—are vital to our mission. We simply couldn’t do it without them.”
Looking Ahead
As Embrace celebrates over 70 years of service, Paul explains how our focus remains on evolving, while staying true to what works.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Our service delivery is fundamentally right, and we have no plans for major changes. We will continue working with families, the local community, and authorities to meet evolving needs.”
Looking ahead, funding challenges remain a concern. “It might be argued that public funding is ‘broke,’ but we must adapt to the reality,” Paul reflects. Embrace will continue finding creative ways to engage supporters and develop new income streams.
“Our promise is to strive to live up to the high standards and expectations we have already set.”
Join Us on the Journey
If you’d like to get involved more closely with Embrace’s work, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us to find out more about how you can join us – and feel that same sense of reward and inspiration that we get from helping families to thrive and achieve their full potential. Read more about Paul and meet our other trustees here.
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