Branch History

1969

We don’t go back that far but that’s when Parkinson’s UK started.

Parkinson’s UK was started in 1969 by Mali Jenkins because she couldn’t find support for her sister Sarah, who was living with the condition. The first meeting was at the Westminster Hospital and sixteen people attended.

Mali had initially looked for patient associations to help people with Parkinson`s, but searches in local libraries showed that nothing like that existed. Frustrated that there were only scientific journals and nothing in layman`s terms that could teach her about her sister`s condition, Mali decided to find out what she could do to help people learn about Parkinson`s.

She placed adverts in the personal columns of a couple of newspapers asking people to come forward who were interested in forming an exploratory steering group. Mali chaired the committee and her sister Eryl was secretary. Other friends and family were asked to help. It was from this that the idea of starting a charity grew and on 26 February 1969 Mali Jenkins founded the Parkinson`s Disease Society, which has evolved to be known as Parkinson`s UK.

1971

With the success of the group in London, other groups started to be formed. These were usually made up of a core of medical professionals led by a consultant, so cities that had teaching hospitals tended to be favoured. Edinburgh Branch, one of the oldest in the UK was founded in 1971 by Professor (Francis) John Gillingham CBE, FRCSE and others, who included the Countess of Rosebery (Lady Rosebery). Professor Gillingham was a Dorchester-born neurosurgeon who spent most of his career in Edinburgh.

1980’s

Unfortunately, we do not have a record of when the Parkinson’s Disease Society held their first group meetings in Fife. We believe that the Kirkcaldy Group was meeting as early as 1981 at a venue in St Brycedale Avenue, so if anyone can verify that we would be grateful.

Parkinson’s in 90’s Scotland.  

1991

In 1991 there were two well established branches in Fife, one in Dunfermline and the other in Kirkcaldy.

In the early 90’s, Sheila Scott became the first Manager in Scotland for PDS. Sheila had one assistant to help with administration. There was no registered address, but there was a mailing address.

1991 – 2002 Bill Seago, Chair Kirkcaldy / Fife Branch

1993

NHS Fife didn’t exist; it was known as Fife Healthcare. Victoria Hospital was a Trust as was Queen Margaret when it opened in 1993. Each community hospital was a Trust as well. This affected the treatment people received. Each hospital had its own catchment area.

There was no Neurology Department in either Acute Hospital. You would be seen by a Geriatrician in your local Acute hospital, or by a visiting Neurologist from Edinburgh. There was no Acute hospital in North East Fife.  Elderly residents were seen by a Geriatrician in Victoria Hospital, younger people with Parkinson’s were referred to the Dundee Neurology Department. It wasn’t until 2004 that Scotland's health care system became an integrated service under the management of NHS boards. Services in Fife became more flexible.

1994

By 1994 the Dunfermline Branch closed due to poor attendance and its remaining members joined Kirkcaldy, which officially became Fife Branch. Bill Seago had been elected Chair of Kirkcaldy Branch and it had been his suggestion to amalgamate the two Branches. The Branch had a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and Caterer. Committee meetings were held in the Staff Clubroom at the Victoria Hospital.

1996

1996 was the year that had a positive impact on the future development of Fife Branch. At the AGM, Mel and Jean Ballantyne agreed to take on Branch Publicity. They started producing and distributing posters to every hospital, every surgery, every library, every community hall, every shopping centre and even every funeral director.

In April 1996, Dr Stuart Rochow was appointed as Consultant Physician at the Victoria Hospital. He had been Senior Registrar to Dr Doug McMahon, who had appointed the first Parkinson’s Disease Nurse Specialist in Cornwall. It was Stuart Rochow’s aim to have his Clinics in the Community Hospitals that were covered by Victoria – primarily Glenrothes, Cupar and St Andrews. Dr Rochow intended to have quarterly meetings with relevant NHS staff who had a real interest in Parkinson’s. He asked Dr Ghosh a colleague Geriatrician, a Speech and Language Therapist, a Physiotherapist, a Nurse Co-ordinator and from Fife Branch Bil Seago, Mel and Jean Ballantyne.

1997

April 11th, 1997, was the first Worldwide Parkinson’s Awareness Day. Jean booked a Stand in the Kingdom Shopping Centre, Glenrothes to raise Awareness. The then Treasurer, Ernie asked his MP, Henry McLeish, to visit the Stand and sign the EPDA Charter that clearly laid out the rights of People with Parkinson’s in terms of management. The Charter was signed and several people asked about the Fife Branch.

1999

Movement Disorder Nurse Specialist, Cathy Young, was appointed to the neurological department of Ninewells. This meant that some people in Fife had access to a nurse. Bill Seago arranged to see the Director of Services for Fife, Cathy Cowan, to discuss a Nurse Specialist for Fife. Mel told her about his Nurse Specialist at Ninewells and the difference she had made already with her Nurse Led Clinics and Home Visits. After a general discussion, the Director said that she was going to a Board Meeting and by the time it was finished funding would be in place for a Nurse Specialist in Fife and Joy Reid was appointed to the post of Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist in Fife.

2002

Parkinson’s Disease Society launched its first website and feedback was positive.

Tom Isaacs, diagnosed with PD at the age of 27, met Branch Committee Members at Pettycur Bay while on his 4,500-mile walk anti-clockwise around Britain’s coastline. His walk was to raise funds for Parkinson’s research to which the Fife Branch made a donation. Tom became a co-founder of the Cure Parkinson’s Trust in 2005 and sadly passed away in 2017.

At a Branches Get Together in Stirling 2001, a casual remark from Jean to Edinburgh’s Liz. ‘We really must challenge you at a Bowling Match.’ Liz set the wheels rolling and in 2002 the first match took place in Edinburgh who won the first trophy.

2002-2008 Chair Ron Bisset

2003

Richard O’Grady, who was the Parkinson's Scotland Manager, was given permission by the Board of Trustees to rent a permanent office for Scotland. He was also to have an Assistant Manager and a full-time administrator.  He found a 2 roomed office in Stirling and Mel was asked to assess it to ensure that it was accessible to people with Parkinson’s.

Linda Kelly, CEO Parkinson’s Disease Society made Jean Ballantyne a Hon Life Member of PDS.

2004

Mel and Jean were manning the MRU at Cameron Hospital, Rachel Strachan, Assistant Director of Services for Fife arrived to look at the Unit. She chatted to Mel about his Parkinson’s said she would arrange for a meeting to discuss funding for second Nurse Specialist. Two meetings followed between Rachel, her secretary, Pd Information and Support Manager, Len Ironside and Mel and Jean. By the second meeting funding was in placed and Nurse Specialist, Nancy Gallagher was appointed a short time later.

2005

Some Branch members were keen to start a Walking Group for Fife Branch but needed someone to organise it. Jean was aware that Annabel Blair enjoyed walking, so she asked Annabel and her husband Alex if they would be willing to set up and manage a Walking Group. Thankfully they agreed.

2006

In 2006 Scotland was without a manager, but this would be rectified by the PDS Strategic Review, which resulted in significant changes throughout the UK. PDS would now have over 60 new full-time posts in local teams nearly doubling current staff levels. For Scotland they would have a:      

Country Manager

Campaigns Officer

Information & Support Manager

Education & Training Officer

Service Development Officer

Branch & Volunteer Support Officer

Information & Support workers

Scotland now had its own Registered Charity Number and the Get It On Time Campaign was launched.

2001

2008 – 2010 Robert Copeland Chair

2010

In 2010 Parkinson’s Disease Society became Parkinson’s UK.

2012

2012 – Present Chair John Minhinick

2016

Fife Branch website is launched

2017

Fife Young Persons Parkinson’s Group was formed

2019

Fife Branch Website re-launched with a donation of a new website from Brian Duncan

Parkinson’s Café was started in Glenrothes April

2020

Everything stopped in March with the first Coronavirus Lockdown

All activities that could went onto Zoom

2021

9th September in person meetings start up again but this time we’re in the new bigger venue (because of social distancing) at Glenrothes.

Branch activities start getting back to normal slowly