Rich Copson
I was diagnosed with a form of Muscular Dystrophy (called Beckers, a milder form of Duchenne) at the age of 16. At the time I was quite fit, and well and then I began to have difficulties walking and general mobility issues. Everyone else my age was getting fitter and stronger and I wasn’t. I was having to stop doing things that I loved, like football and tennis.
Over that period of time, I struggled with my physical and mental health and it took me to quite a dark place. I didn’t want to get involved with anything, and I wasn’t open about my condition, but after a few years of counselling and talking to various charity groups I was ready to take my next step to managing my condition and giving back to the community.
A lot of people don’t realise that muscular dystrophy affects lots of different people, young and old, in lots of different ways.
I have learnt a lot from Alex’s Wish about the impact Duchenne can have on young children and their families, they have become a huge inspiration and the driving force behind the events I support and take part in.
I want to help families with children who have more life-limiting forms of these muscle wasting conditions. They are facing potentially the early loss of a child and they need that support.
I started a successful fundraising brand on social media called “The MD Fighter” and through this I have met with Emma Hallam (Alex’s Mum) several times. I was so pleased to asked to join the team because they are funding the ground-breaking research that is going to save lives and I am inspired by there fight and determination to do this.
I can now continue putting my knowledge and experience of the condition to positive use so one day we can finally find a cure for Duchenne.
Natalie and Stuart Allen
Natalie and Stuart are a proud father daughter team that specialise in property. They help people invest their money into residential property and through their lettings company manage their assets long-term, giving the community fantastic accommodation and investors great returns.
“We are delighted to be a part of The Alex’s Wish family and look forward to getting to know the team, having fun and raising money. We also want to spread the word and make more people aware of the incredible work Emma and her team are doing to find the cure for this terrible disease”.
Karen Cureton
Karen is an ex pat Geordie who in 2008 set up her Social Media Consultancy based near East Midlands Airport. She is multi award winning in her sector and now offers Social media training whether one to one our group sessions where she’s passionate about demystifying social media talking fact not fluff in a topic that many are wary of.
Karen offers a range of services which are primarily :
• Social media training
• Social Media planning sessions
• Social Media Mentor Programme
• Social Media Management for the busy organisations who need to outsource
She works with SME’s and on occasion larger companies offering the above services for their teams to build their skills in these areas. She is proud to have a high client retention rate and most of her clients come through referral.
Charlotte Clemie
Charlotte is the reigning Ms Great Britain. She first heard about Alex Wish through the Miss Great Britain organisation. After hearing Emma speak about her story Charlotte felt she wanted to do as much as she could to support Alex’s wish.
As a mum of boys herself she knew this could easily have been her story so her aim is to do as much as she can to raise more awareness for Alex’s Wish.
Joe West
Joe has undertaken Prudential Ride London for Alex’s Wish “After recently becoming a farther for the first time, I had the whole clichéd shift in my outlook on life and the impact we have on the world, this lead me in search of some way to give back. After being introduced to Alex’s wish through a company fundraising event we did, I attended the annual update and here I heard Emma speak for the first time. She spoke with such passion and vulnerability of the effects that Duchenne has had on not just Alex but the family as a whole and the work being done by Alex’s Wish to do anything they can to help find a cure and aid the lives of those effected with Duchenne. And that’s all it took, one listen to a mothers story of the endless war she would wage to help her son and I knew this was the cause I wanted to try and do anything I could to assist and spread the message of.”
Charlie Marsden
I have two young boys that I’m so blessed to see in full health, the thought that they could have been one of the 1 in 3500 boys born with Duchenne make me realise quite how blessed I am! Hearing about Alex’s story and Emma’s drive to make a change, supporting the cause and doing everything I can to help both individually and as a business was a simple decision! It’s such a privilege to support a Charity making such a tangible, world changing difference.
Rich Amphlett
Richard Amphlett has been best friends with Alex’s Dad Andy from University and has been a huge asset to Alex’s Wish raising awareness and funds, previously as a Trustee and now as an Ambassador. Richard has helped create and develop events at the charity and is each year is the main headline sponsor for the Alex’s Wish Golf Day as part of Strategic Insurance.
Thomas Hartree
I am an ex-military man turned Business Manager in Recruitment. After meeting Emma through networking I new I wanted to help do what I can to push the charity and find the cure! Being someone that loves to BBQ, ride Harleys and other outdoor activities the cause hits very close to home as I couldn’t imagine not being able to do these things. I want to help as much as I can by speaking to new businesses that have never heard of Alex’s Wish by setting up events and helping with the events set up by Alex’s Wish.