The William Merritt Disabled Living Centre was named after Councillor William Merritt SRN, RMN who served for many years as a charge nurse in the geriatric department at St. James’ Hospital, Leeds. He was elected to the City Council in May 1946.

His main interest at the Council was in social services and in 1953 he pioneered the development of the city’s Welfare Scheme for the Disabled. He was a member of the Leeds NHS Executive Council and was Deputy Lord Mayor of Leeds in 1972.

In 1980, during his time as Chairman of the Council’s social services committee, it was agreed to establish the Centre. Unhappily William Merritt died before it opened in 1981 and it was unanimously agreed that the Centre should bear his name in recognition of his work for disabled people over many years. The opening was, appropriately, during the International Year of Disabled People, and at first the Centre used two former wards of St Mary’s Hospital in Armley.  After 36 happy years, in 2017 it moved to its present, more suitable building, in Rodley.

The Centre’s founders were Professor Anne Chamberlain OBE, Arthur Goldthope OBE and Derek James OBE.  Professor Chamberlain is currently Vice Chair of the board of trustees and Chair of its Clinical Advisory Group.

The William Merritt Disabled Living Centre is led by General Manager David Blythe supported by an experienced team of occupational therapists, driving instructors and administrators.

Senior staff include:
Hannah Davy, Administration Manager – Leeds

Tracy Waldron, Administration Manager – Sheffield

Lauren Harris, Driving Assessment Services Manager

Rachel Hirst, Occupational Therapist

Charlotte Lunn, Occupational Therapist

Emma Tipple, Finance Officer

 

The board of trustees has wide experience in social services and healthcare as well as lived experience of disability. The Chair and Secretary to the board is Keith Murray, the Chair of the Clinical Advisory Group is Professor Anne Chamberlain, OBE. The Honorary Treasurer is David Bruce.

Board members:
Rachel Beverley-Stevenson
David Bruce
Anne Chamberlain, OBE
Maggie Faulkner
Paramita Ghosh
Antony Pugh
Keith Murray
Kieran Preston, OBE
Nicola Prior
Jan Spencer
Denis Sutcliffe
Elizabeth Ward

Attending board meetings:
Councillor Kevin Ritchie – Leeds City Council

Please use this page to see our latest opportunities for volunteering, jobs and trustees.

Volunteers
We are always looking for volunteers to join us, who are valued members of our team.  If you have experience in administration, building maintenance, gardening or organising events please contact the Centre.

Job opportunities

We are looking to recruit a new Administrator.

Job Title:	Administrator
Location:	Office Based at Leeds, Head Office, LS13 1HP
Reports to:	Administration Manager / Senior Management Team
Salary (FTE):	Pay range of £24,784.50- £26,227.50 + pension contribution (pro rata for part time)
Hours of Work:	Full time 37.5 hours Working hours 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday (the role may include weekend working on request)
While our ideal structure for this role is full-time across 5 days, we are open to considering part-time/job share arrangements (minimum 20 hours per week) for the right candidates.
Closing Date:	Friday 17th July 2026
Closing date may be brought forward depending on the volume of applications, so we recommend applying as soon as possible.
Interview Date:	Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th August

 

We are looking for a committed, highly organised administrator to join our Leeds team on a permanent basis. You will play an important part in helping disabled people, older people and people with long-term conditions access advice, assessments and services that support independence.

 

This is a busy and varied role, combining telephone enquiries, appointment administration, accurate data entry and general office tasks. You will need to remain calm, organised and accurate when workloads change or increase.

William Merritt Disabled Living Centre is a registered charity based in Rodley, Leeds, supporting people across Yorkshire and beyond. We have grown significantly over the last decade and now employ around 40 staff across a range of services and locations.

You will receive training across our administration services which include: reception, assessment booking, training & room hire, driving school support and shopmobility cover. As we grow, we are looking for someone who can help us improve, document and embed clear administrative procedures for the future.

You will join a busy, friendly and supportive office where service users are our priority. We are looking for someone who communicates with warmth, patience and respect, while supporting people’s independence and treating every person as an individual.

You will need a confident telephone manner, strong IT skills, accurate data entry and the ability to handle enquiries from clients, carers, suppliers and healthcare professionals in a patient, competent and professional way.

Experience of Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel is essential; knowledge of CRM databases is also expected.

This role may suit an experienced administrator, recent graduate or early-career applicant who can clearly demonstrate the required skills, attitude and commitment.

We are particularly interested in applicants who want to develop their career with us and contribute to a growing charity.

 

To be shortlisted, applicants must be able to demonstrate:

• A confident and professional telephone manner; with excellent questioning and listening
  skills.
• Accurate data entry and careful attention to detail;
• Sound IT skills, including Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel;
• The ability to stay calm, organised and accurate when workloads change or become busy;
• A respectful, patient and clear communication style.
• A genuine interest in the work of the William Merritt Centre and commitment to our values of being Open, Together, Friendly and Empathetic.

 

Please apply for this role by completing our application form, including a tailored supporting statement.

Your supporting statement must give clear examples of how you meet the essential criteria, particularly telephone communication, accurate data entry, IT skills, organisation under pressure and communication with service users.

Generic applications, or statements that do not address the role requirements, will not be shortlisted.

 

As part of the application process, shortlisted applicants may be asked to complete a short administration task to help us assess accuracy, written communication, prioritisation and attention to detail.

 

You application should be returned to: recruitment@wmdlc.org

If you would like more information about the role please contact Hannah Davy, Administration Manager on 0113 350 8989 or email recruitment@wmdlc.org

Trustee opportunities
The William Merritt Disabled Living Centre is governed by a Board of Trustees, which meets minimum bi‑monthly. The Trustees provide strategic oversight and leadership, ensuring the Centre operates in line with its charitable objectives. They are responsible for setting the organisation’s vision, approving strategy and policies, and monitoring performance, compliance, and financial sustainability to ensure effective and accountable management of the Centre.

If you would like more information or an application pack, please contact the Centre.