My family has been supported by PAS since 2011 when my son was diagnosed as autistic.
I have been fortunate to work with SSE Renewables for over 20 years, initially as a civil project engineer and latterly as a team Manager, without PAS I doubt I would have been able to continue my career.
In 2017 I was given the opportunity to give something back to this unique charity when I was asked to go on the Board and soon after become Chair of the Board of Trustees. My goal is to ensure that PAS is around for decades to come to support families like mine and to see our children flourish in a better informed and inclusive community.
Roy was appointed to the Board in October 2017 having been involved with Perth Autism Support for many years as a service user and fundraiser.
He is a Chartered Surveyor with over 20 years’ experience in the property industry and lives and works in Perth.
His interest in autism and specifically the provision of locally based, face-to-face services stems from the diagnosis of both his children with autism.
Roy is acutely aware of the difficulties and challenges faced in finding the right support at the right time and believes in a whole family approach that focusses on all aspects of the child’s development.
Roy is passionate about promoting inclusion and awareness in the community and believes that with the proper support and understanding autistic individuals can release their potential.
A qualified chartered accountant, Graham began to specialise in Corporate Tax in 1984 with Arthur Andersen, and subsequently the NatWest Group. He spent the last 22 years of his career as Group Tax Director at the Royal Bank of Scotland, based in Edinburgh.
Having retired in 2015, he wished to become involved with the local community in Perth, with a desire to share his wide financial experience. He first became involved with PAS in 2017, advising the charity on a new constitution, with the aim of achieving SCIO status. This was granted in March 2018, at which point Graham joined the Board at PAS as a Trustee.
Originally from the Glasgow area, I moved to Perth in 1985. My background is in IT, initially in technical roles, but latterly in management, where I spent over 20 years with IBM, working on their outsourcing contracts with various clients around the UK.
I retired in 2018, and have tried to fill my time with voluntary work in the local community. In addition to my role at Perth Autism Support, which I joined in August 2018, I’m Chair of the Board for Perth Citizens Advice Bureau, and I’m also a Children’s Panel member in Dundee.
I’ve been married to Lorna for 34 years and have two children. I enjoy all sports (mostly only watching these days), playing golf, keeping fit, reading, and playing guitar.
I’m the Chief Exec of Giraffe Trading and Checkin Works, in Perth. I took over the role from the founder of the organisations in 2016. Giraffe Trading Community Interest Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of Checkin Works, a registered charity. From our café and professional kitchen in Perth, as well as creating tasty food and drinks, we give opportunities to people from all over Perth and Kinross and beyond.
Previous to that I ran national programmes with Prince’s Trust, managed Scottish Government funds and worked in employability with the Wise Group.
I currently sit on the board for Perth Autism Support SCIO and SOLAS Festival, and am a member of the Perth City Leadership Forum.
Whenever I have the audacity to have free time, I love to spend time with my 2 kids, 1 wife and 2 dogs!
I am delighted to have recently joined the Board and am looking forward to contributing to the ongoing journey of PAS.
I qualified as a social worker in 2005 and have subsequently been employed in a range of front line and management roles including fostering and adoption, CAMHS and children’s disability. I am interested in how children and young people with Autism can access opportunities to reach their potential and to develop their own unique talents. I spent a significant part of my career working in remote Australia and I have a commitment to promoting accessibility of services across rural areas.
I am currently employed by Perth and Kinross Council in their Children and Disability Service. It was through this role that I learned about the services provided by PAS and began to hear how positively these were viewed by the families who use them. In my spare time I enjoy the great outdoors and swimming.
I’m excited to be joining the board and looking forward to supporting this amazing charity. My son is autistic and has gained a huge amount from the activities and support that PAS provide.
I originally trained as a musician and worked as an orchestral viola player in London for a number of years, performing at concert halls across the UK and Europe. I appear in the film Captain America: The First Avenger, but only for about 1 second!
In 2012, I relocated to Scotland to work for a charity called Sistema Scotland, based at Big Noise Raploch in Stirling. Big Noise is a community-based social transformation programme that uses intensive, immersive orchestral music-making to foster confidence, team-work, pride and aspiration in the children and young people who take part.
Since 2017, I have been Head of Centre at Big Noise Douglas in Dundee, where we work with over 500 children and young people each week.
In my spare time I enjoy cooking (but only outdoors)
As current Board members approach their final tenure, in line with our constitution, we are seeking three new Trustees to join the Board of Perth Autism Support SCIO.
The newly appointed Trustees will work with the current Board over the next 18-24 months to ensure a robust sustainability plan is in place to allow the next Board to continue to lead the organisation into our next phase.
We would love to speak to a range of individuals who feel their experience within their personal and/or professional life would enhance and contribute to the organisations continued strength and growth, and who can commit to attending regular Board Meetings (approximately 6 evenings per year).
For an informal chat about the role of our Trustees, please contact:
Angie Ferguson, Chief Executive – angie@perthautismsupport.org.uk or
Morag Gaskin, Chair of the Board – morag@perthautismsupport.org.uk
