Group to help people with brain injuries

Headway Northumberland will extend its services across the whole of the county, and will support brain injury survivors and their families through the ongoing challenges of adapting to life after such a traumatic injury.

The branch – which merges previous local groups in Hexham, Morpeth and Berwick into one organisation – is one of more than 125 branches of Headway across the UK.

Each of them works to help improve the lives of those affected through support, information and services that are available to them and their families.

The new branch was launched at an event in The Alnwick Garden by the Duchess of Northumberland, who is patron of Headway Northumberland.

She said: “Collectively, I am sure their reach will be even greater and I am delighted to become patron of Headway Northumberland.”

The committee for the new group comprises experienced members from the previous three local groups, alongside some new faces from the fields of law and sports to help cover a full spectrum of services of use to members.

It includes Julie Cordon, chief executive of children’s brain injury charity Brainbox, who has become chairman of Headway Northumberland and Becca Adams, Tom Hammill, Rachael Jobson, Lesley Stephenson and Grant Watson.

Rachael is secretary of the group. She is also a specialist neurotrauma solicitor at law firm Sintons, based in Newcastle.

“Having worked with victims of brain injuries and their families and helping to secure the correct support and rehabilitation for them, I have seen first-hand the huge difference Headway makes to their lives and, equally importantly, to their families too,” she said.

“Sustaining a brain injury and living with the consequences can be an incredibly difficult and challenging time and Headway has made a genuine difference to the lives of many people I have acted for, and for many thousands more across the UK.

“I am delighted to be part of the committee of Headway Northumberland, the most recent Headway branch to be created in the UK, and will look forward to us being able to extend the support services available to people in localities throughout the county.”