Britain awards CRP founder Valerie Taylor

The founder of the Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP) in Bangladesh, Valerie Taylor, along with two long-time volunteers, Janet Irene Varney and Roger Michael Varney, received recognition in the recent His Majesty the King's Birthday Honours list for their outstanding contribution to supporting disadvantaged and disabled people in Bangladesh and the United Kingdom.

Valerie Taylor OBE has been awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, while Janet Irene Varney and Roger Michael Varney have each been awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire, according to a press release issued by the British High Commission in Dhaka.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke, said, 'I am delighted that Ms Taylor, Ms Varney and Mr Varney have been honoured with these prestigious awards. Their tireless dedication and compassion have transformed countless lives and exemplify the spirit and solidarity between the UK and Bangladesh.'

'Receiving such an award is a perfect opportunity for me to thank and congratulate the staff of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) for their commitment to the work of complete rehabilitation for our patients over the last 46 years,' Valerie Taylor said.

A UK-trained physiotherapist, Valerie Taylor arrived in Bangladesh in 1969 working for the Voluntary Service Overseas, where she began her work at a small mission hospital in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), stated the press release.

After three years of working in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Valerie Taylor joined Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital in Dhaka. In 1979, Valerie Taylor and her colleagues established CRP with four patients in an abandoned warehouse of the Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital.

'Today, CRP has grown into a 100-bed hospital in Savar with 12 centres in different parts of the country and is widely regarded as Bangladesh's leading institution for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities,' the press release added.