Making a difference to Dudley & inspiring others. Karl Denning's story.

Sometimes in life you meet a person who leaves you in genuine awe of them as people, their achievements, and their ability to make things happen. Sometimes you meet someone with these qualities and they also then tell you of the barriers they have overcome, including those who have said no to them, and you feel even more awestruck. If you get really lucky, and it's very rare, you then meet a person who ticks all of these boxes on a daily basis whilst facing personal challenges that many of us cannot comprehend.

I'm very proud to say that in my current role as Dudley's first Business Connector I know of two such people who inspire me, with whom I collaborate and who make a significant difference to our communities and to society. People who I am also very proud to call friends.

In this post I'll tell you about one of these people, Karl Denning. Why? Well if ever you are having a bad day and need some inspiration, or if you want to try something different, then perhaps his story may help.

A little over six years ago Karl was working as a successful electrical engineer, travelling all over the UK, working on big projects for large multi nationals and the Public Sector. He was a subject expert and a go to man. Raising a young family in the Black Country he enjoyed being involved in the local community but was very busy at work. Doing a favour for a friend one day he accidentally slipped with a screwdriver and punched himself in the forehead. We've all had near misses I'm sure whilst doing D.I.Y. but for a professional like Karl this really was unusual. What then ensued was the stuff of nightmares. Karl had inadvertently given himself an injury similar to that experienced by some bare knuckle boxers. In short, in a matter of seconds he had lost his sight. Surgeons battled for him but all to no avail and twelve hours after his accident Karl realised that he would be blind for the rest of his life.

The following months must have been simply hell and I'm sure that Karl just didn't shrug his shoulders and get on with it. There must have been days when he wanted to give up. I know his family and friends have been towers of strength but even so, the personal battle alone will have been an immense one and only understood by those who have been there themselves.

So how is it that a Business Connector who is a lifelong Banker becomes friends with a blind man who he has never met and then collaborates for a better society?

Well this is down to Karl and his impact on Dudley.

I'd met Karl on Twitter not long after I started my secondment and then met him face to face in February of this year at the first meeting of the committee developing Dudley Soup, a community crowdfunding event taking place on 29th September. Karl arrived with Quasia, his guide dog and, as the evening developed, talked about what he and the team could do and how "Soup" could develop. These weren't just words for every one else to put into action, these were commitments and actual take always that Karl would do himself. I have to say I was a tad sceptical as some of these tasks were challenging even for a sighted person. Needless to say Karl delivered, and then some.

We then met a few weeks later in the outskirts of Birmingham where our "Soup" team saw the Birmingham version of Soup in action. Karl arrived with Quasia and, naively, I asked how he'd managed to find the venue. Of course, the bus, a talking sat nav and Quasia leading the way. I gave Karl a lift home that night and he told me his story in full and that's when I started to understand. Incidentally I took a wrong turn not long after we set off. Not only did Karl sense I'd made a mistake and said he thought the car should be turning right not left but Quasia put her head between us from the back seat and looked at me with some disappointment as I made the maneouvre.

Since then I've met with Karl on numerous occasions and here are some of the things that I know that he does as there are many more:
- He is an urban gardener, not only looking after his own, but establishing growing areas across Dudley for people to learn about the benefits of gardening. Sometimes these are in the smallest of areas.
- He keeps chickens and encourages people to learn about them and keeping them.
- He goes to schools with Quasia to talk about his disability helping others to understand just what it's like and how to cope with adversity.
- He is a baker, making cakes and bread as well as being an excellent cook.
- He is a carpenter helping to create things and advise others on what to do.
- He is a Soup committee member and will have made a massive contribution to this community event coming to Dudley on the 29/9/16.
- He is an active member of The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and knows his beer. He can be persuaded to indulge as well but only if pressed hard.
- He is a campaigner for the Labour Party and is often out in the community supporting the local MP's and councillors.
- He is a great supporter of Dudley Voluntary Service and passionate about making our community a better more inclusive place.
- He is a Guide Dog activist and campaigner for rights for blind people.
- He is committed to Dudley and the Black Country including our history and heritage and actively works with groups and organisations promoting this.
- Oh and he's also very active on Social Media and has a razor sharp wit.

Add to to that he is a devoted father and husband and will never pass anyone by who knows him without a chat.

All of this from a man who is totally blind.

People like Karl choose to place themselves at the heart of our community and to make a difference for others. To put something back and to give to society, at a time when many would say this was their time to take, is one of the truest forms of altruism there is.

When I see Karl walking with Quasia I don't now see a blind man. Whilst a part of me will always feel sorry for him because of his disability, I see a man with vision better than mine as he can see what really matters to the world, to our community and how to facilitate change. His personal daily challenges must be massive but his ability to cope, adapt, reconcile and then move forward with boundless energy do honestly leave me awestruck. He is one of my real heroes, a true role model and someone I am fiercely proud to call a friend.

I hope that in reading this you have found some inspiration and when those bad days hit perhaps take something from Karl's story.