In this special podcast, recorded for Families Week 2025, we were privileged to hear from Karen Gunn, one of the daughters of MacIntyre's founders, Ken and Marjorie Newton Wright.
Karen was involved from the earliest days of MacIntyre's founding in 1966,
We also heard from Nicola Payne, our Health and Families Manager, who shared the importance of learning from families about their loved ones.
The early days
Karen described the early days of MacIntyre so vividly we felt as if we were there!
Karen's brother, Andrew, was born with Down Syndrome and his birth set a new course for the family's life.
She talked about her parents' determination that children with a learning disability should not be 'put away' as was normal advice in the late 1960s.
Despite the sorrow of Andrew's early death, her parents' plan to start a school for children with learning disabilities went full steam ahead.
A vital part of that early success was provided by Sir David Berriman, whose son James was the first child to join the new school (and still is supported by MacIntyre today). The bank at which Sir David was a partner provided a loan to buy Westoning Manor in Bedfordshire, where Karen would spend much of the next few years.
(You can read more about the Berriman family and how their story is intertwined with that of the Newton Wrights and MacIntyre here.)
Early support
Karen made us laugh with stories of those 'chaotic' early days, as her father scrambled across the country to raise funds and practical help for the fledgling charity, finding success from sources as diverse as the Women's Institute, a gang of Hells Angels, and Princess Ann!
Westoning Manor was an idyllic space for the growing band of children and staff. Karen described their smallholding, with a cow, a goat, a pig and chickens. The children were all encouraged to take part in everything and spent much of their time learning outdoors. Meanwhile as the family had no car, Karen and her siblings used to drive to the local shops in a tractor!
A visionary approach
We were struck by how Ken Newton Wright took a visionary approach right from the start. He formed a committee of specialists, including lawyers, doctors, architects etc., to support the new charity. This is echoed to this day in the expertise we draw on from our Trustees.
Karen's mother Marjorie made sure the children had "proper" things like everyone else. For example no plastic beakers but proper mugs and cutlery. And Marjorie's London hairdresser came down every couple of months to cut the children's hair, so they all looked very smart!
Thanks so much to Karen and Nicky for such a vibrant podcast. Listening to Karen, MacIntyre's link today to those early days and that founding vision is so clear.
Listen below
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All our conversations
You'll find the link to all our podcast episodes (previously known as the Families Podcast) below.
