Ellie Simmonds named in top 10 of leading disabled people in the country

The 27-year-old has ranked number six in the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 list which celebrates disabled people in society who are top of their game and in positions of influence.

Walsall-born Ellie, who is four feet tall, is currently taking part in BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

She is the first contestant with dwarfism in the history of the Saturday night show.

Ellie swam in four Paralympic Games, winning eight medals – five of them gold after making her international debut at the age of 12.

Last year Ellie called time on competing and is now an ambassador for Scouts, WaterAid and a patron of the Dwarfs Sports Association UK.

Most recently she helped present coverage of the Commonwealth Games from Birmingham.

She said: “There are so many incredible disability advocates out there who are changing the way individuals live with disabilities and to be part of the Disability Power 100 Top 10 is just incredible. I am literally blown away.”

Strictly Coming Dancing winner for 2021 Rose Ayling-Ellis topped the Disability Power 100 List for 2022.

During the series she and her partner Giovanni Pernice silently danced part of their routine to give people an insight into the world of people living with hearing loss.

The dance won the must-see moment at the BAFTA TV awards in 2022.

The names of those on this year’s Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 were revealed on Monday at London’s Landmark Hotel in a ceremony hosted by Diane Lightfoot, CEO of the Business Disability Forum.

The list was compiled by a panel of judges from more than 700 nominations from members of the public.

Chair of the judges disability activist and founder of Valuable 500 Caroline Casey said: “It was so difficult to name an overall winner, but we wanted to recognise the importance of Rose’s achievement and its importance to the disability and deaf community.

“No-one will surely ever forget the dance when the music fell silent and for a few seconds we all experienced Rose’s world - one too often overlooked, misunderstood and considerably underinvested in.

“When we look at the incredible work being done by everyone on the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 list we can see that society is changing, disabled people are being included more and that the work, passion, initiatives and companies created, led and pioneered by members of our community really matter. "