Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the Parkinson's Disease Society.

Melinda Letts (Chair)

Melinda Letts was co-opted to the Board of Trustees in 2007 and elected to the Board in 2008. She became Chair of the Board at the 2009 AGM.

Melinda is a strategic consultant and executive coach working with voluntary, public and private sector clients. She was Chief Executive of the National Asthma Campaign (now Asthma UK) from 1992 to 1998, chaired the Long-term Conditions Alliance from 1998 to 2004, and was commissioner with CHI and its successor body, the Healthcare Commission, from 1999 to 2004.

A member of the NHS Modernisation Board from 2000 to 2003, she was a signatory to the Core Principles of the NHS Plan in 2000 and a founding director of Ask about Medicines from 2003 to 2009. Melinda chairs the Department of Health's NSPF Learning Events and is a patron of the Men's Health Forum. She was appointed OBE in 2003 for her services to the NHS Modernisation Board.

Melinda is married with two teenage children. Her husband was given a diagnosis of Parkinson's in 2007.

Liz Wolstenholme CBE (Vice Chair)

Liz Wolstenholme was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 2005 and is now in her second term of office. She became Hon. Secretary in September 2006 and Vice Chair in 2007.

Liz's professional experience spanned social services and health at local, regional and national level including 6 years in the Department of Health leading on policy for older people and disability (including neurological conditions). She spent 5 years after leaving full-time work as non-executive Chair of a Primary Care Trust. She was awarded a CBE in 1999.

Liz was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1994.

Colin Cheesman (Hon. Secretary)

Colin Cheesman was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2006 and became Hon. Secretary in 2007.

Colin is a solicitor, and spent his working life in local government. For 5 years prior to his retirement in 2002, he was Chief Executive of Cheshire County Council, having previously worked in Nottinghamshire and Portsmouth.

Colin was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2001. He has been the Secretary of the Chester and District Branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society since 2004.

Ralph Tingle (Hon. Treasurer)

Ralph Tingle was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2007.

Ralph is a qualified accountant and has worked within the NHS for over 20 years, initially with the Shropshire Health Authority, then with the main acute hospital in Norwich, before taking up the post of Executive Director of Finance at the former Southern Derbyshire Community Trust in 1994.

He then continued to work in Derbyshire, becoming Finance Director to successor organisations following the reorganisations that have taken place in the NHS, until he retired in Spring 2007.

Ralph comes to the Parkinson's Disease Society with a wealth of experience in the health sector.

Jackie Campbell (Trustee from Northern Ireland)

Jackie Campbell was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2006.

Jackie retired as an Inspector of Taxes after 42 years in the Inland Revenue. For the last 14 years he has been a member of the Inland Revenue Branch Committee of the Benenden Healthcare Society. He was previously a member of the Committee of Management of the Civil Service Benevolent Fund for 10 years, a National Lottery Assessor examining claims and recommending grants for worthy causes and for 6 years Chairman of the Youth Council for Northern Ireland.

He was awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours 'for services to the young people of Northern Ireland', and is the holder of the Order of the Silver Wolfhound for services to Scouting.

Jackie's late wife, Teresa, had Parkinson's disease for 20 years. Jackie was Chair of the Belfast Branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society for 3 years and has been Membership Secretary for 6 years. In his spare time he is a stand-up comedian.

Jeremy Playfer

Jeremy Player was appointed to the Board of Trustees in September 2007.

Jeremy trained in general medicine in Liverpool, qualifying in 1970. He then specialised in geriatric medicine and initiated many service innovations designed to improve the care given to older people.

He pioneered specialist Parkinson's disease clinics involving a multi-disciplinary team and has researched and published widely on Parkinson's disease.

Jeremy became President of the British Geriatrics Society in 2004, and though now retired from full-time consultancy, he remains active in the field. He is married with 3 children.

Iain Young (Trustee from Scotland)

Iain Young was elected as Trustee from Scotland in 2004, and also serves on the Scottish Council of the Parkinson's Disease Society and the Audit Committee.

Iain developed Parkinson's shortly after his retirement in 1998, and was introduced to the Parkinson's Disease Society by the Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialist based in Aberdeen. He became an active member of the Aberdeen Branch shortly afterwards and is now in his third year as Branch Chairman. Iain is also a member of SPRING.

Paul Boothman

Paul Boothman was appointed to the Board of Trustees in September 2008.

Paul has enjoyed a successful business career, running a highly successful branded food business. Since leaving full time employment, Paul has acted as a 'business angel', helping develop and market a local food company.

He is an active member of the Huntingdonshire Branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society and has been its treasurer. He now fundraises for the Branch and also volunteers for various other clubs, societies and groups in his local area.

Paul's father-in-law had Parkinson's.

Alun Morgan (Trustee from Wales)

Alun Morgan was appointed to the Board of Trustees as Trustee for Wales in September 2008.

Alun was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1999 and has been actively involved with the Parkinson's Disease Society since becoming a member in 2001. He is a former Chair of the Younger Parkinson's Network and Chair of the Bridgend Branch.

Alun was an active member of his trade union during his career in teaching, and has been treasurer, secretary and chair for numerous organisations. He is also a member of SPRING.

Terrence Kavanagh

Terrence Kavanagh was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2009.

He has a successful business background, spending most of his working life in the London Stock Exchange.

Terrence has had Parkinson's for 22 years and has received Honorary Life Membership of the Parkinson's Disease Society.

Most of the time his symptoms are well managed, which has enabled him to raise £55,000 for us by running 18 marathons since diagnosis.

Mark Goodridge

Mark Goodridge was appointed to the Board of Trustees at the 2009 AGM.