REPORTER PATCH: South Manchester
Bernard is a proud Mancunian and also a polio survivor, having caught in 1947.
Bernard said: “It left me with a limp and increasing mobility problems. I retired a few years ago from the Sociology Department of Manchester Met. My interests were in community based research rather than the purely academic. For a while I was chair of People’s Voice Media I was a strong supporter of community reporters. So I am delighted now to become a member of the MyGen team.”
As a disability campaigner and swimmer, Bernard was chosen to represent the UK in swimming at the 1981 International Disabled Games, but withdrew from the games because an Apartheid era South African team was participating.
He is now involved with ‘Chorlton Good Neighbours’ and ‘Manchester Royal Exchange Elders’.
Bernard added: “I am at my best working with other people and I’m looking forward to learning a lot from other reporters in the MyGen team.”
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