MEET THE TEAM

PANS PANDAS UK is made up of a small, dedicated team of people who work hard to make a difference to the lives of families living with PANS and PANDAS. Find out more about the team below...

Board of Trustees

We are really fortunate to have a robust and passionate board of skilled trustees who give generously of their time to help govern and guide the work carried out by the charity.

Vicky Burford

Chair of Trustees and Co-Founder of PANS PANDAS UK

"I am honoured to work with such a dedicated and skilled group of trustees, staff and volunteers who are passionate about ensuring that all children with PANS or PANDAS receive the care and treatment they need and that the families are supported.

I am the chair of trustees and have the great privilege of representing the incredible PANS and PANDAS community in the UK. Much of my time is spent in working on health service development with clinical and government policymakers.

I have a child who developed PANS when he was 12. My son received treatment which completely resolved all his symptoms. Witnessing this first-hand has made me passionate about ensuring that all children with PANS or PANDAS in the UK are able to receive similarly effective treatment."

Phil Hall

Trustee

"I’m the odd one out. I’m the only male Trustee. I’m much older than the other Trustees. I bring different thinking and some diversity to the Charity, and that’s why I hope I’m useful.

My major role is financial. I supervise the preparation of the annual budget, and I receive monthly financial reports from our Bookkeeper. I put these numbers into context, so that the Trustee Board can keep track of our income and expenditure.

I am rather pedantic in the use of English, and love plain English. I hope that, too, makes our communications easy to understand.

Why do I do it? Because I enjoy bringing numbers to life. Because I’m passionate about helping children. Because health is vitally important to us all."

Diane Palmer

Trustee

‘It is an honour to be a Trustee for PANS PANDAS UK and to be in a position to support the charity and the children and families affected by these conditions.’

As British Journal of Nursing ‘National Nurse of the Year 2022’ , with a 30 year career in Health and Social Care and first hand experience of supporting children with PANS and PANDAS, I am passionate about raising awareness of these conditions. My key focus will be influencing national policy, procedures and treatment guidelines to ensure that one day all children will have equal access to the assessment, diagnosis and clinical interventions they need to recover and that their parents are treated with compassion as they go through this journey with their child.

As a member of the UK PANS PANDAS APPG and PANS PANDAS Working Group I will work tirelessly to ensure co-operation and collaboration leads to positive outcomes for all.

Claire Baggott

Trustee

Coming soon

Sarah Hughes, Ph.D

Trustee

The advice and support I received from PANS PANDAS UK were invaluable when my son became ill. I volunteer as a Trustee because I want to do what I can to help other parents get their children better too.

I am passionate about supporting affected families. My work as a trustee allows me to help ensure that the charity continues to run with the interests of the community we support at the centre of everything we do.

My academic background in scientific research also allows me to support PANS PANDAS UK’s mission to improve understanding and awareness of these conditions.

Trustee

Zoe van den Bosch

Trustee

I don't quite know where my family would be right now if PPUK didn't exist and hadn't provided me with exceptional support and information in a time of great need. As a result I decided to invest time and energy to support the work of the charity: raising awareness of the conditions and campaigning for change within education and healthcare settings.

My background in law means that I can use my analytical skills and ability to think strategically to further the activities of the board of trustees.

Trustee

Executive team

Our executive team are an incredible group of individuals who care deeply about the vital work they do to support families, inform professionals and bring about change for our community.

Tina Coope

Education Lead

‘I wish that all teachers knew about PANS and PANDAS’ (Child with PANDAS)

"Children with PANS or PANDAS need compassion, nurture and adults who understand them.

Listening to the child’s voice and improving the educational experiences and outcomes for children living with PANS and PANDAS is pivotal to this role.

I am passionate about raising awareness of these conditions amongst all education professionals, and to provide support through training and resources."

Paula Scott

PA to Chair and Community Executive

"Working to raise awareness about PANS and PANDAS and providing community support is most inspiring.

"I have had lots of success listing information about PANS and PANDAS on many Local Offers throughout England, providing information for families, educators and medical professionals. I want everyone that reaches out for support and guidance to find a safe haven on our Facebook support group.

My work with the amazing Twitter Group has been very powerful over the years. We have made contact with celebrities, professors, medical professionals, journalists and TV presenters, who have retweeted and commented on our tweets."

Toni Whitney

Volunteer Media Executive

I made a conscious decision to dedicate my spare time to the charity sector as I feel there is a desperate need to help address awareness and support in this area.

My time volunteering at PANS PANDAS UK has allowed me to gain experience in many difference areas of the charity from assisting in fundraising initiatives to helping project manage training webinars. The last 3 years have been extremely rewarding and I have really enjoyed helping to make a significant positive impact to the community the charity works to support.

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Katy Hindson, Ph.D

"Working to help change the narrative about PANS and PANDAS is incredibly rewarding.

I am passionate about creating high-quality, accessible information for families living with these conditions and for professionals supporting them. I want everyone to feel informed and supported.

My work with our incredible Youth Advisory Board members inspires me to be creative with resources and responsive to the needs of the community we support.

Together, as a community, we can work towards a better future for all those affected by PANS and PANDAS."

Content and Communications Lead

Emma Bracegirdle

"I have been blown away by the resilience and determination for change that families affected by PANS and PANDAS have.

I am helping PANS PANDAS UK to raise funds to be able to support the community, raise awareness and push for change.

Every day can be a challenge for families affected by PANS and PANDAS. I am determined to do everything I can to help make their lives a little easier.”

Fundraising

Georgia Quirke

Social Media

"To be able to produce content that is valuable to the PANS PANDAS community and helps to spread awareness is highly motivating and inspiring.

I help to create the posts for our social media platforms to help raise awareness and spread the word of PANS PANDAS UK.

Not only is PANS PANDAS UK an amazing charity to work with, but it is also so rewarding to be able to help those living with PANS and PANDAS gain the recognition they deserve."

Volunteers

Too numerous to name individually, PANS PANDAS UK has an unbelievable team of volunteers who work tirelessly to support the work we do. The enthusiasm and skill they bring to our team is amazing and we thank each and every one of them from the bottom of our hearts.