Angela was born in Plymouth and has supported TASS for many years.  She is a respected, award-winning, TV presenter, newsreader and author of 14 books and has been a familiar face and voice on national television, radio and the stage for many years.  She was awarded an OBE in recognition of her services to Broadcasting, Charity and the Arts in 2004, then in 2017, she was appointed a CBE for services to Dementia Care in her role as development lead with Dementia Friendly Communities.

 Angela often visits the ‘charming’ town of Tavistock. She told The Telegraph: “Why Tavistock? I was born in Devon, and I often visit Tavistock, my spiritual bolt-hole”.  Angela has always championed the local community and several charitable causes. In addition to TASS she is also a Patron of Stannary Brass Band and the Horrabridge Rangers.

Our renowned patron, Lee Spencer BEM, living in Horrabridge, Devon, is celebrated locally, nationally and internationally for his outstanding achievements and all-round inspiration to both able-bodied and disabled people alike.  His well-known mantra ‘Not defined by Disability’, is testament to his actions, because Lee is the world’s only disabled person to hold the world record in an endurance event.

After a 24-year career as a Royal Marine Commando, Lee’s life took a dramatic turn in January 2014 when he lost his leg while helping at the scene of a motorway accident.

In 2015 Lee set off to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in just a rowing boat. The Row2Recovery team of four injured veterans had just 3 legs between them. In February 2016, some 46 days, 6 hours and 49 minutes later, they rowed into Antigua and the record books as the world’s first physically disabled crew of four to row any ocean.

Following Row2Recovery, Lee’s next expedition saw him become the world’s first physically disabled person to row from mainland Europe to mainland South America solo and unsupported. Lee broke the able-bodied record by an astonishing 36 days and also broke the record for the longest solo and unsupported ocean row by a physically disabled person, a total of 3 Guinness World Records!

In December 2019, Lee was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to charity.

Lee’s most recent challenge sees him take to the Atlantic Ocean once again. As part of a joint team of four wounded and injured soldiers, two British and two Ukrainian, the mission is to row unsupported from the Canaries to the Caribbean.

Lee is one of the UK’s leading motivational public speakers, sharing his life story and anecdotes from his military background and expeditions at corporate events and school talks across the UK.  His talks about overcoming personal adversity and developing a positive mindset have inspired a wide variety of audiences from charity gala dinners to elite sports teams, including the senior England men’s football team.

For more photographs of Lee and his achievements please see our gallary or go to https://leespencer.co.uk