Dr Beverley Jacobson is to step down as Norwood’s chief executive in the autumn, saying “it is the right time to hand over the reins”.

She joined the children and families’ charity from Kisharon in 2018 and has been a passionate advocate for those with learning disabilities.

Her goal has been “to empower the people Norwood supports to live the most independent and fulfilling lives possible”.

She has steered Norwood through the pandemic, keeping services operational. Efforts to modernise the charity have brought focus on a number of critical issues, notably the future of Ravenswood, its Berkshire residential village for those with complex special needs and autism.

In April last year, Norwood announced a consultation process, saying the village, established in 1953, “now unfortunately represents a dated model of care, which is no longer supported by national policy and is no longer being commissioned by local authorities”. All options would be considered, including closure.

The review sparked anger and concern among relatives of residents, who feared for the future of their loved ones, many of whom had spent the majority of their lives at Ravenswood.

A Change.org petition to “Keep Ravenswood Village open” attracted more than 50,000 signatures.

In a statement this week, Norwood noted that “having built a strong platform for the future, Dr Jacobson believes it is a good time to explore new opportunities and hand over to a new CEO”.

Remarking that it had been “an absolute privilege to serve Norwood”, Dr Jacobson said that “throughout my time, I have been really impressed by the resilience and resourcefulness of the people we support. And I remain inspired by our workforce.

“The level of devotion and care that I have witnessed daily fills me with hope, joy and awe and is the reason why Norwood remains such a cherished community asset. Norwood is deeply embedded in my heart and I will continue to do everything I can to support it.”

Norwood chair Neville Kahn said Dr Jacobson had been “a tireless champion for the rights of those who use our services, their families and all our colleagues.

“I am hugely grateful for her passionate and energetic leadership and the significant contribution she has made. We wish her every success as she embarks on the next stage of her journey.”

Norwood told the JC on Wednesday that Dr Jacobson had not revealed her future plans. And regarding Ravenswood’s future: “The board is continuing to explore all the options in the consultation. Only once this process has been undertaken in full will the board be able to assess which of the options is the most appropriate.”