Patrons

Jim McColl, MBE, SHM, NDH, SDH, FrAgS

Jim is a well-known horticultural consultant and TV & radio broadcaster and has been working with people who had learning/physical difficulties since the 1960’s. He soon found how useful gardening could be in helping them achieve a sense of worth, purpose and enjoyment. That feeling hasn’t changed a bit in 50 years!

Joanna Clodagh Gordon

Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire. Born in Moray, Joanna qualified as a Registered General Nurse and Sick Children’s Nurse through the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street and University College Hospital, London. She went on to work at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh and then, back at Great Ormond Street, as a Nurse Specialist in Haematology. During a career break while bringing up a young family of four, Joanna studied with the Open University, achieving a BA in the Humanities. She returned to work as a Research Nurse in community-based studies at the University of Aberdeen, firstly in Child Health and subsequently Neurology until 2009. Joanna is actively involved in several charitable and community initiatives which, along with all her nursing experience makes her an ideal patron for Trellis

Professor John Curtice

John is best known as a commentator in the media on Scottish and British politics, not least on election night when at recent elections he has led the team responsible for the analysis of the TV exit poll. A Professor in Politics at Strathclyde University, the day job involves digging into the details of how people vote and what they think about politics and government. But at the weekend together with his wife, Lisa, he tends an allotment in Glasgow in which they grow a mixture of summer fruit and winter vegetables - and which acts as a year-round safe haven from the hurly-burly of the political scene

Dr Richard Simpson OBE, FRCGP, FRCPsych, DPM, DipSHEB

Honorary Professor Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport University of Stirling Nursing Midwifery and Allied Professionals Research Unit Honorary visiting Professor School of Medicine University of St Andrews.