Trustees and committees
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity, is governed by a Board of Trustees. The Board’s role is to set the charity's strategic direction, monitor the delivery of the charity's objectives, uphold its values and governance and guide, advise and support the Chief Executive, who leads the Senior Executive Team towards achieving the charity's vision and purpose.
The Board of Trustees is led by the Chairman, Professor M Bobrow CBE FRS FMed Sci.
If you are interested in becoming a Trustee you can read more about the role here.
The Board of Trustees, listed below, meets quarterly:
Professor Martin Bobrow CBE FRS FMed Sci (Chairman)
- Martin chaired the charity’s Medical Research Committee between 1993 and 1995. An Emiritus Professor of Medical Genetics at Cambridge University he has been interested in the muscular dystrophies since the early days of gene-mapping. Deputy Chairman of the Nuffield Council and Governor of the Wellcome Trust, Martin has an active involvement in a range of medical trusts and committees and acts as advisor to SCOPE, Genetic Interest Group (GIG) and the Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust.
Mr Keith Rushton (Vice Chairman)
- Keith joined the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign in 1974 when he son was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Through his work in the electronics industry he has been able to help researchers to develop equipment for Muscle Centres. He became a Trustee in 1976 and Chair of the Management Committee in 1994. Elsewhere, Keith is Fellow of the Institute of Directors and has eight years experience working in television and has been Chairman or Chief Executive of over 15 companies in both Europe and the USA.
Mr Philip Forwood LVO FCA (Treasurer)
- Philip is the current Chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign Finance and General Purpose Committee and before retirement was a senior partner of a leading accounting firm. In addition, Philip is co-founder and Chairman of the White Lions Cricket Club, a liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Coopers and Governor of a special needs school. Philip is also Treasurer of The Friends of Action Research and a patron of the Lady Hoare Trust.
Mrs Linda Ball
- Linda cares for her son Daniel, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy and looked after her brother who was also affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy. She has been involved with the charity since she was eight years old and has been a legacy ambassador, run London Marathon in 2006, and appeared in the BBC documentary ‘Run for Glory’.
Mr Ian Gordon
- Ian cared for his son who has muscular dystrophy and has now gone on to university. Ian has developed a career in human resources and recruitment consultancy.
Professor John Harris Bpharm PhD FI Biol MPS
- John originally qualified in pharmacy, and completed a PhD at the University of Bradford before moving to Newcastle to work with Lord Walton. He is now Professor of Experimental Neurology at Newcastle University and works closely with the Newcastle team and researcher Kate Bushby.
Mrs Kate Parkin
- Kate has been a trustee since 1996 and cares for her son who has Duchene muscular dystrophy. She is a qualified social worker and has worked in this field for 25 years. Kate is also a member of the Norfolk and Norwich Branch and was its Chair between 1995 and 2003.
Mr Robert Warner
- Robert is a social worker specialising in childcare, including special needs. His family has raised over £50,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. He is based in Scotland where he regularly attends the Scottish Conference. He is also a member of the Joseph Patrick Trust grants panel. Robert’s son was diagnosed with Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD) in 1997 when he was three-years old.
Mr Nicholas Overall
- Nicholas is Chair of the Waverley branch and helps to run the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign charity shop in Haslemere. He has organised local fundraising events with his wife for over 20 years and runs property renovation businesses in France and England. In addition, Nicholas is Chairman of The Richard Overall Trust, a charity helping disabled people in sport. Nicholas’s son had Duchene muscular dystrophy and died in 2000.
Dr Peter Goodfellow DPhil FRS
- Peter worked for many years as research scientist specialising in human genetics. He spent 13 years at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in London, studying human gene mapping and the genetics of sex determination. In 1992 he was elected as Balfour Professor of Genetics at Cambridge University and is a Fellow of the Royal Society. He was also awarded the Louis Jeantet Prize for Medicine and Francis Amory Prize and holds a Doctorate in Science from Bristol University. In addition, Peter has spent 10 years in the pharmaceutical industry as Head of Discovery for SmithKline Beecham and Senior Vice President of Discovery Research at GlaxoSmithKline.
Mr Michael Draeger
- Michael has worked in 29 countries around the world, working with Ernst & Young, Citibank and Deutsche Bank, reaching the level of Audit Director. He is Director of Finance and Technology for the International Institute of Strategic Studies and is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Information Systems Auditor.
Mr Charles Manby
- Charles is the Managing Director and Head of the European Communications, Media and Technology Group at Goldman Sachs International.
Miss Gwen Davies
- Gwen has over 30 years association with the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign as an employee, Member and Trustee, serving on several trust committees.
The Board of Trustees also act as Directors of the Company for the purpose of Company Law.
The Joseph Patrick Trust
The Joseph Patrick Trust (JPT) is the welfare fund of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Find out more about the JPT here.
Joseph Patrick Trust Panel consists of:
- David Jackson (Chairman)
- Stella Fowler
- Jane Field
- Kate Fox
- Jacqueline Goodier
- Kirsty Read
- Robbie Warner
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign also has the following standing committees:
Finance & General Purposes Committee
- P Forwood LVO FCA (Chairman)
- Professor M Bobrow CBE FRS FMed Sci
- B D Jackson MBE
- N Overall
- J Pritchard
- C K Rushton
Appointments Committee
- Professor M Bobrow CBE FRS FMed Sci (Chairman)
- C K Rushton
- Charles Manby
Medical Research Committee
- Dr P Goodfellow DPhil FRS (Chairman)
- Professor T Braun
- Professor Dame Kay Davies CBE DBE FMed, Sci, FRS
- Professor G Dickson BSc PhD
- Dr J den Dunnen PhD
- Professor J Hewitt PhD
- Dr D Hilton-Jones MA MD FRCP FRCPE
- Dr S Sawcer
- Dr S Tajbakhsh PhD
- Professor F Walsh BSc PhD
Clinical Research & Care Committee
- K Parkin (Chairman)
- Professor K Bushby MB ChB MD FRCP
- Baroness Celia Thomas
- Professor F Muntoni MD FRCPCH FMed Sci
- S Manning (Network advisor, non-voting member)
- E Scott (Network advisor, non-voting member)
- Dr A-M Childs MBChB MRCP FRCPCH
- C Attlee
Northern Ireland Council
- O Monaghan (Chair)
- Michaela Hollywood (Vice Chair)
- J Graham (Treasurer)
- R McKay (Secretary)
- J Bailie
- A J McKnight
- B McKnight
- M McClintock
- F Ashe
- A Foy
- M Nesbitt
- A Mulholland
- R Kane
- M Hegarty
- P McCartan
- N Malcolmson
- M Murphy
- M Nesbitt
Scottish Council
- Robert Warner (Chairman)
- J McDermott (Vice Chair West of Scotland)
- A Couston
- K Coyle
- J Ferrie
- K Kemp
- S McDonald
- Dr R Petty
- E Stewart
- E Warner
- D Wight
- J Wight
- Dr K Naismith
