About Us

Personnel Profile

Huw Evans – Chairman
Business leader & Chairman of Marlborough Stirling plc. Huw is proud to have been a founder member of Speakeasier and donates both his time and skills as well as his invaluable network of contacts, to help the cause.

Steve Brisk – Founder & Deputy Chairman
Steve, formally a Sales Manager with Clarks Shoes, has lived with MS for over 20 years. He has since qualified as a counselor and it was when he was counseling a young mother with MS who subsequently lost her speech that he decided to help by raising funds for a communication aid. He then founded Speakeasier.

Dragana Hartley – Strategic Consultant : Marketing
Dragana comes from an advertising background. She gives invaluable help in forming policy and advertising, marketing and Public relations matters.

Lynne Bennett – Fundraiser
Lynne is a Social Worker who has worked in the Physical Disability arena and as such, gives invaluable advice on how best to present Speakeasier to potential recipients. Lynne brings with her a wealth of Fund-raising expertise.

Susan Evans – Minutes Secretary
As well as her secretarial role in Speakeasier, Susan works with children in the special needs department of a Gloucestershire secondary school. Her background is in law and marketing.

Andy Imrie – Company Secretary
Andy who is Finance & Planning Manager of Cheltenham & Gloucester plc., brings a valuable insight to all financial discussions.

Nigel West – Treasurer
Nigel is a consultant for HM Customs. He provides a very thorough and reliable Treasurer’s service.

Andrew Chapman –Legal adviser
Andrew who is a practicing solicitor, provides us with the legal advice that an organisation needs.

Paul Hart – Fund-raiser : Corporate and Trusts
Paul who has had MS for 5 years, provides us with much needed administrative support in our Fund-raising.

Ruth Lewis- Client Liaison Officer
Ruth has MS.

Archie Ross - Client Liaison Officer
Archie has MS.

Patrons

Lorraine Kelly - Presenter GMTV

Derek Wilkinson MBE
Derek, who is also a Management Committee member, is a paraplegic resulting from a road traffic accident, he has a natural empathy with disabled people. Confined to a wheelchair, Derek spent most of his working life as a design engineer, gaining an MBE for services to the British.