Ben Clacy – Interim Chair
Ben is currently Executive Director of Membership, Development & Education at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). In this role, he leads the membership engagement, the delivery of development programmes and the provision of CPD to members.
He was previously Director of Operations and Development for the Foundation Trust Network (FTN). This organisation supports Foundation Trust NHS Hospitals and provides various supporting resources and events for NHS Trusts. Ben was responsible for the FTN’s commercial partnerships, infrastructure, membership and the annual conference and exhibition.
Ben’s first exposure to MS was as a student at the University of Bristol. Ben’s mother lived with MS and this fuelled his desire to be a Trustee of the Charity.
Brian Pagington – Trustee
After many years of enduring symptoms, Brian was finally diagnosed with MS in 1997 at which point life changed dramatically for him and his whole family. Brian had been an HGV driver and was forced to leave his employment, however, Brian has not let MS hold him back nor does he complain instead he has wholeheartedly put his energy into helping MS Research where and when he can.
Brian has been a friend of MS Research Treatment and Education for many years, a trusted and highly valued volunteer and Trustee for us too!
Ollie Pagington – Trustee
Ollie was born and raised in Bristol and has enjoyed various jobs in the local area. Ollie is now retired but continues to help Brian manage his MS and volunteer for MS Research as well as spending time with their grandchildren, baking and reading.
Both Ollie and Brian volunteer their time selflessly to help us raise funds for research as well as raise awareness about the daily repercussions of living with MS. Whether it is sitting for hours in supermarket foyers handing out information or dancing a highland fling on Burns Night their contribution to “seeing the back of MS” has been priceless.
Neil Sood - Finance Trustee
Neil is a qualified accountant, with more than 20 years of experience spanning tax, private equity and management consulting. He currently manages operational risk for the Finance function of a global bank.
Neil is looking forward to using his risk management, accounting and strategy skills to support the MS Research Treatment and Education to provide better treatments and care for people living with MS.
Laurence Robb – Trustee (outgoing)
Laurence is an ex-teacher who came to England from France, married and never returned to her native country. She retired from teaching in 1995 but carried on working as a volunteer for MS with the MS Research Unit of Bristol University from home as well as volunteering to participate in research projects on Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). She could not retire from MS.
She has tirelessly campaigned with local disabled groups on issues like access and services and successfully campaigned to support the Bristol MS Unit and to help to introduce and fund a post of Neurology Specialist Physiotherapist in Bath. This was the start of the Community Neuro and Stroke Service (now part of Sirona Care and Health). She manages her personal care budget and MS mobility issues daily. She frequently contributes to the MS Research social media sites, paints and enjoys visiting landscaped gardens.
Laurence is an outgoing trustee but remains a supporter of MSRTE.
Dr Rosie Jones – Chairman (outgoing)
Rosie gained a PhD at Birmingham University Medical School as a Neuromuscular Physiologist and has had extensive active engagement in laboratory and clinical MS research and teaching. She has held posts at the University of Birmingham, University College London and at Bristol University and in the NHS in Bristol.
Between 2000 and 2009 she also headed up the Bristol Clinical Research Support Unit, a DH funded post supporting research activities in all of Bristol’s hospital and community NHS Trusts.
Over the years her MS Research team has initiated successful bids for several million pounds in research funding from the EU, EPSRC, NIHR and a variety of charitable funds. She took over the role of Chairman for the charity in 2011 and hopes to grow its funding potential and research portfolio to encompass new areas of MS Research, Treatment & Education.