London charity chiefs hit back after Rowling quits MS role

Published on Monday 20 April 2009 22:08

THE row over the running of Scotland's biggest MS charity has intensified with its UK bosses complaining that the body is failing to raise enough money or spend enough on research north of the Border.

In a letter to the MS Society's 3,500 members in Scotland, the UK charity's director and chief executive say "more can be done" to make full use of MS Society money in Scotland to help the 10,000 people who are suffering from the disease north of the Border.

They also reveal they have sought talks with JK Rowling to explain the internal wrangle that led the Harry Potter author to quit her role as patron of the organisation.

The Edinburgh-based writer, who has helped to raise millions of pounds for multiple sclerosis sufferers, left her position as the charity's patron for Scotland earlier this month.

A massive row between MS Society's board of trustees and the council charged with running affairs in Scotland erupted last autumn when the latter body's powers were suspended.

It came amid claims that certain individuals were undermining the charity's work north of the Border.

Despite Rowling's personal intervention – she paid for mediation between the charity's leaders in London and Scotland – wounds failed to heal and the board formally removed the council's powers last week.

The move, revealed in The Scotsman, and JK Rowling's subsequent departure, has triggered growing calls for the charity in Scotland to break away from the UK body.

In the letter, which members received yesterday, Tony Keenan, MS Society chairman, and Simon Gillespie, chief executive, said they were "extremely sorry" that Rowling had decided to step down.

"Since her resignation we have again asked her if we can meet her so she can hear at first hand the MS Society's account of what has been going on in Scotland.

"We believe there is significant scope to improve on the 2.6 million raised in Scotland to fully fund the MS Society's work."

The pair said that despite Scotland having "excellent research facilities", MS Society Scotland planned to spend "only 45,000 this year".

They added: "There was no credible plan for MS Society Scotland to invest in any new research this year and in the short-term."

They acknowledged the charity had suffered "a very public setback".

But Denise Fagg, who chaired MS Society Scotland until last November and who is singled out in the letter, last night angrily rejected the criticisms.

"The society in Scotland has won awards for its fundraising events and a small four-person team raises more than 2.5 million each year.

"This is almost certainly more raised per fundraiser than south of the Border," she said.