about Us
The Lyme Resource Centre is a registered Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), established in 2019, with registration number SC049151.
Our mission is to advance education on Lyme disease and related tick-borne infections and to improve the health of the public by finding ways to combat all tick-borne infections.
We have a strong team of trustees and other members dedicated to:
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Educating the public
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Educating healthcare professionals
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Supporting patients
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Working with medical, veterinary and countryside organisations to tackle the causes, diagnosis, treatment and care of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, including matters affecting patients, their families and others.
Our Team
Prof. John (Jack) Lambert
Trustee
Our lead trustee, Prof. John (Jack) Lambert, is a Professor in Medicine and Infectious Diseases at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and UCD School of Medicine, Dublin, with both extensive clinical and research expertise.
He has been director of the National Isolation Unit for Highly Infectious Diseases at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and a member of the National Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Committee of the HSE. He has also been involved in the Sexual Health Strategy group in Ireland and teaching GPs in Ireland on the subject of STDs. He has been Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health since 2000 and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians since 2005.
He has presented widely in the field of Lyme and co-infections since 2016 through EU and USA conferences supported by the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). He has undertaken specialist training through ILADS and has significant experience of treating Lyme Disease and co-infections.
He organised and ran the 1st and 2nd European Crypto-Infections Conferences, looking at the science behind Lyme Disease and co-infections, held in Dublin in May 2019 and online in September 2020.
Arlene Brailey
Trustee
Arlene Brailey is a registered pharmacist who worked as Assistant Director of NHS Education for Scotland (Pharmacy) for over 20 years. She now provides consultancy work to the NHS and as the patient support officer for an antibiotic research charity. In 2020 she was honoured to be designated as a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain for “distinction in the Profession of Pharmacy”.
She is also a carer for her son, who was bitten by a tick while hill walking in the Scottish Highlands in his teens, and has suffered with Lyme disease and co-infections.
Her role in the charity is to provide expertise on education, and knowledge of healthcare/NHS education pathways.
Norman Lannigan
Trustee
Norman is a retired pharmacist having served the NHS in Scotland for forty years. His last position was as Head of Pharmacy and Prescribing Support for Scotland’s largest NHS Health Board, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Norman had responsibility for all aspects of pharmacy service delivery in hospitals, in community pharmacy and within GP surgeries and for safe and effective use of medicines within the Health Board.
He led the redesign of pharmacy services which involved the establishment of the world’s largest robotic pharmacy. Norman held Visiting Professor positions within the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences and within the School of Pharmacy at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. He is a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and was awarded an OBE for services to pharmacy and pharmaceutical care in October 2018. Norman is using his experience, leadership skills and knowledge of healthcare and management to help LRC to grow and achieve its aims of raising awareness of tick-borne infection amongst the public and healthcare professionals.
He lives in West Calder and enjoys travelling (pandemic permitting) having visited China in 2019.
James Davies
Trustee
James' wife has been and is still afflicted by Lyme Disease and co-infections. After some research into the symptoms of the infections, he feels it necessary to make people aware of the severe ill health it causes to sufferers.
He has 15 years experience in dealing with the governance and monitoring of charities and knowledge of the documentation and regulations that charities have to follow in order to comply with OSCR. He is also aware of the various funding streams that hopefully could provide funds to raise awareness of the disease.
Monica Wilde
Team Member
Monica Wilde is a Research Herbalist (M.Sc. Herbal Medicine, University of Central Lancashire) with a special interest in concommitant prescribing of drugs, herbs and nutrients. Recognising the financial hardship that many Lyme patients find themselves in, she has run a low income Lyme clinic since 2015.
Research has shown that some herbal products are effective against Lyme on a par with antibiotics. As many Lyme patients find that an integrated medicine approach gives them the best support and results, she is committed to working with clinical practitioners across disciplines.
Monica is helping the charity by documenting the use of herbs alongside prescription and OTC medicines to increase knowledge, assure safety, and develop understanding of best practice. She is also organising CPD training in Lyme protocols and support for herbal medicine practitioners.
Michael J Cook
Team Member
Michael J Cook, was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2009 after retiring from a career in the semiconductor industry, leading teams in research and production engineering. With a BSc in Physics and Mathematics, he has applied his analytical skills to investigate many aspects of the disease. Since 2015, he has published papers on the inaccuracy of stated tick attachment times and the unreliability of commercial Lyme testing. He has presented his work at Lyme conferences in Paris and Boston as well as to the members of the House of Commons, medical and local government, environmental and health agencies.
He works as an advocate for Lyme patients and carried out the technical investigation of a UK Lyme Reference Laboratory, which was closed down. He is a trustee of the Vis-a-Vis Symposium charity which brings experts from around the world to speak to UK medical professionals, and continues to work on various aspects of Lyme disease and participating with patients, support groups, UK medical organisations and government agencies and committees.
Gordana Avramovic
Team Member
Responsible for educational events and grant applications.
Gordana Avramovic works as a research manager in infectious diseases at UCD and the Mater Hospital and has had experience in managing a charity in London. She is organising the LRC's educational events and grant applications for the charity.
Rico Franchi
Ambassador
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My name is Rico Franchi. I’m a singer/songwriter from Glasgow, Scotland. I’ve been battling Lyme disease for over ten years now and have been fortunate enough to use my music as a vehicle to create awareness and raise funds for Lyme charities. Being such a misunderstood illness, means that people rarely receive the support they need and deserve. It’s a very lonely journey, with many friends and family members often forgetting how ill we are on the inside, because we look well on the outside.
We’re forced to smile and push through pain, fatigue and other sinister symptoms because there’s no alternative solution. The unpredictability of flare ups leaves us living in constant fear over what might arise next. We need a voice, and I’m happy and honoured to be part of that voice. Let’s raise more awareness and push harder for answers to help a growing community whose questions need answers.
https://www.youtube.com/RicoFranchimusic
https://www.instagram.com/ricotheunknown
https://www.facebook.com/ricotheunknown
Angus (Gus) Walker
Team Member
Volunteer responsible for Outdoor Campaigns and Projects; and Social Media
Angus provides support with sharing information via our Social Media outlets. Angus also works to plan and coordinate our outdoor awareness campaigns and projects. Angus currently works as a Maintenance Supervisor in the oil and gas industry, with extensive experience in mechanical engineering and project management disciplines.
He is a keen cyclist and was first involved with the charity in 2021, taking inspiration from a family member affected by tick borne illness, undertaking a huge cycling challenge to mark his 40th birthday – cycling more than 4040km and raising over £4000 for Lyme Resource Centre.
Paula Denham
Team Member
Responsible for answering LRC website email enquiries
Paula monitors the emails coming into the LRC. Her usual day-to-day duties involve working closely with Dr Lambert in the Dublin-based private clinic and in particular with New Patient enquiries through referral / self-referral.
Margaret Miller
Team Member
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Volunteer responsible for admin tasks- Research papers and book-keeping work.
Margaret provides administrative support in several areas – including the website research publications and administration of donations and financial processes. Prior to retirement, Margaret worked with NHS Education for Scotland as the Pharmacy Team Manager, working alongside Arlene Brailey. She brings wide and varied administrative experience having worked in a number of Office Manager and Executive Assistant roles including Scottish Government and Ernst & Young.
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Team Member
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Responsible for IT and website
Christian provides the technical support that ensures all the digital resources for the Lyme Resource Centre website are operating smoothly. He is looking forward to helping develop the website by providing more information and resources to the public and professionals who are interested in or researching Lyme disease. Christian also currently works as a software and development service specialist, with over 10 years of professional experience in global multinationals.
Pauline Bowie
Team Member
Volunteer responsible for May Light up buildings in Green
Pauline is a schoolteacher based in the West of Scotland, who has personal experience of Lyme disease. She assists LRC in coordination of asking public and private organisations to light up their buildings with green light wherever possible, during May each year. This helps focus and raise public awareness during May which is Lyme Awareness Month each year.