Claudia Cockburn

Who was Claudia Cockburn?

Claudia Cockburn Flanders OBE. Her parents were the journalist Claud Cockburn and his first wife Hope Hale Davis. She married singer-songwriter Michael Flanders in 1959. Her stepmother was Jean Ross, the inspiration for Christopher Isherwood's character Sally Bowles.

In 1987 Claudia Flanders formed Tripscope, an organisation to help disabled people with transport issues.

She created the post of adviser on disability to the National Bus Company in the 1970s and served for many years on the national Joint Committee on Mobility for Disabled People and the Department of Transport Advisory Committee on Disability in the UK. Claudia Flanders was awarded an OBE in 1981 for her services to disabled people.

She died in London on 25 June 1998. Her daughters are Laura Flanders and Stephanie Flanders.

In 1999 a special award for improved accessibility for UK buses operators was started in her memory under the UK Bus Awards.