Our Trustees

Christine is a founder member of Dementia Friendly Tweeddale.  Trained in Social Work and in Mental Health Nursing, she’s passionate about spreading the message that since one person in every two is likely to be affected by dementia*, it’s in everyone’s interest to ensure communities become dementia friendly.

Christine’s other passions are her four grandchildren, reading history and trying to learn Finnish. 

She’s an active member of the local Baptist church, and of the Peebles ukulele group Strumash.

Alan, a retired accountant, has been involved in charity management for many years. A graduate of Aberdeen University, he moved to Peebles in 2012 and is Dementia Friendly Tweeddale’s Treasurer. His career has focussed on local government, first in England, then for the last 23 years in an international environment, particularly Kosovo. He speaks Albanian and still spends a lot of time in Kosovo.

He celebrated his 44th wedding anniversary last year. He and Mary have three children and seven grandchildren. He enjoys creative writing and is halfway through a collection of travel stories linked to 16th century events.

Lyndal is a founder member of Dementia Friendly Tweeddale. Her background is working with the Civil Service National Assistance Board (the forerunner of Universal Credit), a business owner and director supporting arts and culture.

She loves singing, dancing and “drumming for wellbeing”.

Lyndal says she needs a sense of belonging in a caring community, and is honoured to be part of Dementia Friendly Tweeddale’s development to achieve this.

Since taking early retirement from a career spent almost entirely in local government, Frank has volunteered in various capacities, initially as Company Secretary to the Eastgate Theatre, helping (pre- Covid) at the John Buchan Centre and at the Osprey Watches in Glentress and Kailzie Gardens. 

In addition to his involvement with Dementia Friendly Tweeddale, Frank is the Secretary of Tweeddale Access Panel, where he has been a member since 2009.

In his spare time, he enjoys playing with Strumash (the Peebles Ukulele Orchestra) and learning Finnish.

Helen studied music and performing arts at Dartington College in Devon, and then worked as an editor for BBC Radio 3, in the department which ran the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts.

She moved to Scotland as concerts manager for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and what was then the Scottish Baroque Ensemble, organising concerts in halls, country houses and castles throughout Scotland.

More recently she was a partner in a PR consultancy.

Helen is a trustee of both Music in Peebles and the Tweeddale u3a, and chair of the Friends of Dovecot Court.

For most of  my working life I worked in retail, concentrating in personnel and training.

I was also involved in a drop-in centre aimed at drug addicts, alcoholics, and later extended to those who were lonely or had mild mental problems. 

Now living in Peebles, I feel happy and privileged to be involved in such a worthwhile cause as Dementia Friendly Tweeddale, with fund-raising events and show cases and catering.

Once I was an Olympic diver participating in the Moscow Olympics 1988. I worked as a neuro-physiotherapist in Hertfordshire where I began to notice short term memory problems about eight years ago. 

I got the Alzheimers Diagnosis after we moved to Peebles. I volunteer myself for research once a month at the Glasgow Memory Clinic and participate in several existing activities in Peebles.

I was delighted to be invited to be an Expert by Experience on the DFT Board of Trustees from its beginning.

I became involved with DFT after my husband’s diagnosis. It is a wonderful organisation and I am delighted to be able to contribute. I enjoy running the Seated Exercise programme and know how important movement is for all ages.

I am pleased  to be involved in the Cognitive Stimulation group and am grateful to have received training sponsored by DFT.

I also enjoy being part of the volunteer team and helping out at meetings in various ways. It is true that in helping others one cannot fail to help oneself too.

Both my parents and my mother-in-law had dementia but there were no DF groups then.

I joined a ukelele group and through some of their members I heard about DFT  and I went along to see what it was all about  This year I was very proud to be asked to join the board.

I have really enjoyed meeting people and hearing their stories. I love that we have a lot of fun and laughter but also learn so much about the trials and problems facing those who have dementia. I like to think our sessions can really make a difference.

I was born and grew up in Nottingham, where I worked as a Nursing Auxiliary in three different hospitals.  I met my husband Kenny and moved to Peebles where I worked in Eynhallow Nursing Home (now Peebles Nursing Home). After being a Home Carer for a few years, I became Assistant Home Care Manager, in the old Peebles Social Work office on the High Street.

I have 12 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.  I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in January 2024 and like to contribute to the dementia cause by being an Expert by Experience on the Board of DFT.