Hello and goodbye at the Harrogate AGM
THIS year’s annual general meeting will be special for two reasons.
Peter Thompson, Chairman for ten years, is resigning and, in honour of the Branch’s valued research funding, the guest speaker will be Pam Shaw, Professor of Neurology at the University of Sheffield.
Peter believes it’s time to step down, giving space for fresh ideas to take the Branch forward.
Professor Shaw, along with Dr C. Wood-Allum, is heading a three-year MND research project at the University of Sheffield, funded by the Yorkshire Dales Branch.
The AGM takes place in Harrogate on Sunday, March 29. Professor Shaw, who is Director of Sheffield Care and Research Centre for Motor Neurone Disorders and is consultant neurologist for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, will be speaking about the research project.
‘We are very honoured to have Professor Shaw at the meeting,’ said Peter. ‘I am hoping for a good turn-out and I would particularly like to meet up again with some of the people I have been involved with over the ten years.’
The Branch has already found a successor for Peter, who will be nominated at the AGM, and Peter intends to remain involved to assist with a smooth take-over.
‘I have thoroughly enjoyed my stint with the Branch working with a great committee,’ said Peter, who still works one day a week as a consultant for the Pudsey company where he was formally a Director. ‘But it’s time for a new broom.’
Peter’s own journey with MND, which began with a diagnosis in 1997, has been unusual. And, after more investigations and tests, he was re-diagnosed as having multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction blocking – not MND.
Money raised by the Yorkshire Dales Branch is hoped to fund the research project in Sheffield until 2011 and already the Branch has raised three-quarters of the £72,000 required.
*Another resignation at the AGM will be the editor of this newsletter, Janet Smith.
Janet and her husband Derek took over as editors at the beginning of 2004 and Janet continued alone after Derek died of MND in late 2005.
‘I’ve enjoyed working with Peter and the friendships I’ve made with the Yorkshire Dales Branch,’ said Janet. ‘But meeting Peter at Pudsey Marks and Spencer to gather information for Chatter several times a year has put a dent in my bank balance.
‘The first time we met after Derek died I spent £400! I’m sure he puts something in my coffee. So no more clandestine coffees with a married man – and no more spending! It’s my new year resolution.’
From Chatter Spring 2009