January 2020
January 2020
Parkinson’s UK AGM and Members’ Day
Paul Mayhew-Archer
I was delighted to co-host the Parkinson’s UK AGM again. The event was held in London and streamed to members in the North East, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It was also possible to join us online from your home computer. Were you there? Did you listen in? I’d love to know what you thought.
During the morning we said goodbye to our outgoing Chair of Trustees, Mark Goodridge and we welcomed our new Chair, Gary Shaughnessy. Mark spoke movingly about his pride in helping to set up a local group in the Shetlands and how one member would travel for hours to attend the weekly exercise class. I said I hoped he never turned up to find it cancelled.
He also said something which has really stuck with me. He said he sometimes felt he should apologise for not having Parkinson’s. I rather think I’m one of the people who has made him feel that way because I’ve gone on about there not being enough people with Parkinsons at the heart of the charity and how only people with Parky really understand what it’s like.
Well, the new chair of trustees - Gary - has Parkinson’s and at the AGM he was interviewed about his vision and hopes for the charity by someone who also has Parkinson’s - me. So if the charity isn’t everything you want or need it to be then please tell us.
Some other things that came out of the day included:
Lots of different activities are available in different places. Are there any we don’t have in Oxford that you feel we really should have?
Parkinson's UK is the operating name of the Parkinson's Disease Society of the United Kingdom.
A registered charity in England and Wales (258197) and in Scotland (SC037554). 50 Broadway, London SW1H 0BL.