David Towell

Director of the Centre for Inclusive Futures

David’s central interest is in working with other people, organisations and social networks, locally and globally, to promote the development of 21st Century communities which are both sustainable (that is, living in harmony with our planet) and include everyone as equal citizens.

Using the Centre for Inclusive Futures as a vehicle, this contribution typically involves creating inclusive spaces for reflection on contemporary challenges and supporting action designed to make a positive difference. 

For example, current work includes:

David is best known for his leadership role in the King’s Fund An Ordinary Life initiative which helped to transform thinking about the opportunities and support available to people with intellectual disabilities and prefigured Valuing People. In addition to 20 years at the King’s Fund, he has worked at a number of centres which seek to bridge ideas and practice in achieving social change, including the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations, the Nuffield Institute for Health (Leeds) and the School for Advanced Urban Studies (Bristol).

David has produced 5 books and more than 120 articles, all the most recent published on this website. HIs MA and PhD are from the University of Cambridge.

Also see