William Merritt Disabled Living Centre · Leeds
Chief Executive Officer
Welcome
Thank you for your interest in joining the William Merritt Disabled Living Centre as our new Chief Executive Officer.
Based in Leeds, the William Merritt Disabled Living Centre is a registered charity and social enterprise dedicated to enabling greater independence for people with a disability or long-term condition. We combine a clear social purpose with a commercial approach, generating income through our services and fundraising so that every pound we earn is reinvested to further our charitable objectives and the people we support.
Our roots go back to 1981, when the Centre opened as a permanent legacy of the International Year of Disabled Persons, with the support of the NHS in Leeds and Leeds City Council. We were named in memory of Councillor William Merritt, who championed the development of services for people with a disability or long-term condition in Leeds. More than four decades later, his commitment to improving independence and opportunity remains at the heart of our organisation.
You will be joining us at an important point in our development. The Centre has undergone a significant period of growth, expanding our team, opening new satellite offices and widening our range of services. They now include a full suite of driver services; mobility aid assessments for independent living inside and outside the home; running a successful Shopmobility scheme at the White Rose shopping centre in Leeds; opening a technology room to provide adaptive interfaces for gaming and digital devices. Key to our success has been our strong partnerships with the Department for Transport, the national charity Driving Mobility, the NHS, local authorities and, above all, the people who work here.
Our next chapter is about building on that success and taking the organisation to the next level. We now need to ensure that our corporate structure, systems and business capabilities develop alongside our services. This means strengthening our governance and organisational infrastructure, developing our commercial and income-generation capabilities, making effective use of technology and data, and ensuring we have the people, systems and processes needed to support a sustainable and ambitious organisation.
If this reflects your ambition, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Rachel Beverley-Stevenson
Chair of the Board of Trustees
About the Centre
The William Merritt Disabled Living Centre has been supporting people with a disability or long-term condition, older people, their families and carers since it opened in Leeds in December 1981, the International Year of Disabled Persons. Established with the support of Leeds City Council Social Services and the NHS in Leeds, the Centre was created to provide independent, impartial advice and assessment to help people achieve greater independence in everyday life.
The Centre was named in memory of Councillor William Merritt, a nurse, Leeds City Councillor and Mayor and passionate advocate for people with a disability or long-term condition. As Chair of the Social Services Committee, he helped champion the proposal that ultimately led to the Centre’s establishment. Sadly, he died before it opened, and it was unanimously agreed that the Centre should bear his name.
While the range and scale of services have evolved considerably since 1981, the Centre’s fundamental purpose has remained constant: providing impartial assessment, information and practical advice that enables people with a disability or long-term condition, and older people, to make informed choices, increase their independence and improve their quality of life.
What We Do
From its original focus on independent living equipment, the Centre now offers a wide range of services – all built around impartial assessment, information and practical advice.
Assessment & Advice
Impartial assessments and advice on independent living and mobility aids – at home, out and about, and for leisure – including dedicated support for children with a disability or long-term condition and their families.
Driving & Mobility
Mobility Services since 1999: driver and passenger assessments, vehicle adaptations and car access checks, plus a Driving School for Disabled People. An accredited member of Driving Mobility.
Community & Training
Shopmobility, Try B4 U Fly, the Switches Project helping people to access technology, and moving & handling training for professionals.
Key Dates
- Opening date: Friday 16 October 2026
- Closing date: Wednesday 11 November 2026
- Interviews & Presentations: Thursday 26 November 2026
How to Apply
To apply, please send us your CV by clicking the button below.
Alternatively, book a confidential call with our specialist consultant to find out more about the role and the Centre as an employer.
Hugh Fox | Manager
M: 07825 510 407
E: hugh.fox@castlefieldrecruitment.com
Our Location
William Merritt Disabled Living Centre
Aire House, 100 Town Street
Rodley, Leeds LS13 1HP
Our head office in Rodley, West Leeds, is home to our driver services, mobility aid assessments and technology room.
View on Google Maps ↗
Meet the Consultant
Hugh Fox
Manager
Hugh is a Manager within Castlefield’s Yorkshire & North East Office and leads a team of specialist consultants who specialise in interim, fixed term and permanent recruitment. With over a decade of recruitment experience supporting the Public and Not-for-Profit Sectors, he has built a trusted network of clients and candidates and is known for delivering senior appointments as well as large-scale recruitment campaigns.
He is well positioned to support you at every stage of the recruitment process, from initial discussions through to interview preparation and post-placement follow up.
Castlefield Recruitment constantly seeks to deliver a professional, honest and straightforward service that not only offers the highest level of service, but also strives to stay at the forefront of a competitive market place.
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