Our Patrons

Jane Asher, President, National Autistic Society

Jane Asher

I first became involved with the National Autistic Society over 20 years ago, and have been President for almost half that time. My interest in autism sprung from an encounter, at a charity event, with a group of children on the spectrum at a time when I had heard of the condition but had no clear idea what it involved. I was lucky enough to have my first explanation from Lorna Wing, and very quickly became intrigued and deeply interested in this very complex disorder.

My professional career is that of an actress, and, obviously, anyone with any kind of public ‘name’, is asked to help countless deserving causes. Autism, however, continues to be the main focus of my voluntary work, and one with which I am proud to be associated.

Over the years, I have become increasingly distressed at the mis-information and confusion surrounding the implications of autism and, especially, the possible interventions and ‘miracle cures’ on offer, which is why I particularly welcome the work of Research Autism.

Lady Astor of Hever

I was born Elizabeth Mackintosh, a daughter of Viscount Mackintosh of Halifax, a director of Mackintosh’s, the family toffee firm. I grew up in Norfolk and Newcastle-on-Tyne and was educated at Harrogate College in Yorkshire followed by a year at finishing school in Switzerland.

I spent two years modelling before training to become a teacher, as I wished to teach and work with disabled children. Later, as a divorced mother with a daughter for seven years, I worked in Special Events, PR and Executive Search before remarrying, gaining three step-daughters and having two more children, the last of which is autistic and dyspraxic. Thus began my interest and passion for fund and awareness raising for charities involved in helping those with autism and ADHD, which my eldest daughter has.

I wrote my story, published in May this year, called ‘Loving Olivia’ about bringing up my two daughters. I am patron of various charities for autism, ADHD and dyspraxia and also for local charities ranging from amateur dramatics to the local town band! I live in Kent and am currently working on a novel and a fundraising event at the Albert Hall next May and a cycling trip in Thailand in January.

Sir Christopher Ball

Born 1935, educated at Oxford after National Service with the Parachute Regiment; lecturer in Comparative Linguistics at London University, then Fellow in English at Lincoln College, Oxford; served with the Council for National Academic Awards; formerly Warden of Keble College, Oxford, and Chairman of the Board of the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Higher Education. He is married, with six (adult) children, and eight grandchildren.

His service with CNAA and BTEC, as Visiting Professor in Education at Leeds Polytechnic, Governor of Templeton College, Oxford, and Manchester Polytechnic, Chairman of Brathay Hall Trust, and his experience in Higher, Continuing and Further Education, in Development Training, and Education-Industry links, both in the UK and overseas, is represented in Fitness for Purpose (1985), Aim Higher (1989), Higher Education into the 1990s (with Heather Eggins, 1989), More Means Different (1990), Learning Pays (1991), Sharks and Splashes!: the future of education and employment (1991), Profitable Learning (1992) etc.

President of the Association of Colleges of Further and Higher Education 1990-92, Chairman of the Education-Industry Forum (Industry Matters, RSA) from 1989-90, and of the National Institute for Careers Education and Counseling (1989-92), he has worked with the CBI Education and Training Affairs Committee and Price Waterhouse. As the former RSA Fellow in Continuing Education and the RSA’s Director of Learning, he directed several projects, including one on Early Learning, of which the report, entitled Start Right, was published in March 1994. In June 1994 he became the founding Chairman of the National Advisory Council for Careers and Educational Guidance. He was appointed Chancellor of the University of Derby in 1995, and was the founder, and is now one of the Patrons, of the National Campaign for Learning. He was education adviser to The Esmée Fairbairn Charitable Trust from 1991-2000, and is Chairman of The Achievement Trust.

In recent years he has become vice-chairman of the Jigsaw Group of Nurseries (1998), founder and chairman of The Talent Foundation (1999), and chairman of The Global University Alliance (2000). His interests include ‘early learning’, ICT, brain science, motivation and self-esteem.

Lord Clement-Jones of Clapham

I was born in Wales in 1949 and was educated at Haileybury and then Trinity College Cambridge, where I read economics and law. After my degree I did my articles at Coward Chance (now Clifford Chance).

After working as a volunteer at the North Kensington Law Centre I joined the Streatham Liberal Association (1973) and then went on to be their ward organiser. I was Chairman of the Liberal Party 1986-1988 and played a significant part in the merger negotiations with the SDP to form the Liberal Democrats.

In 1998 I became a Peer and was the Party’s health spokesman in the Lords until 2004. I am now Lib Dem spokesperson in the Lords for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

I am Vice Chairman of the All Party Autism Group and the All Party China China Group. I am also the Federal Treasurer of the Liberal Democrats.

I have also been Chairman of Crime Concern and a Council Member of the London Lighthouse and am a Trustee of Cancerbackup, the cancer information charity founded by my late wife Dr Vicky Clement-Jones and Chairman of Treehouse the autism education charity and Lambeth Crime Prevention Trust.

I married Jean in 1994 and we have a son Harry, born on March 1st 1998. My outside interests include cinema, travel, running and modern art.

Angela Browning, MP

Angela Browning MP

I am the Member of Parliament for Tiverton and Honiton, and was elected to Parliament in 1992. I am currently a Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, with responsibility for Party organisation and campaigning.

I served as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons & Constitutional Affairs from September 2000 to September 2001. From 2001 to 2003, I was a Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party.

Previously I was a Sales and Training Manager at GEC Hotpoint from 1976 to 1986. I was the Advisor to the Department of Employment on Women Employment, and from 1985-1992, I was a Self-employed Management Consultant specialising in corporate communication training.

I am a Specialist Counsellor to the National Autistic Society, and Vice-President to the Alzheimer’s Disease Society. I am married with two adult sons.

Baroness Linklater of Butterstone, Diploma in Social Administration

Baroness Linklater of Butterstone

I have a background in social work having qualified as a Child Care Officer in the late ‘60s. Having worked with prisoners’ families and been involved in starting the first Visitors Centre at Pentonville prison, I went on to start up the Butler Trust, which administers the Prison Service Annual Award Scheme, which recognises best practice by people working in the prison services of the UK.

In 1991 I founded the New School, Butterstone, in Perthshire, for ‘Educationally Fragile’ children. The school itself, and the wider issues of catering for children who do not cope or thrive in mainstream education are another central interest for me. This involves me in issues concerning further education, inclusion (and what it means), and the future of vulnerable and fragile children and young people, whether they have learning difficulties or are in trouble. We cater for a range of needs including children on the autistic spectrum, with Asperger syndrome, dyspraxia, dyslexia, and a range of mild to moderate learning difficulties.

I was a member of the Beattie Committee, which made recommendations on Post School Provision for Young People with Special Needs in Scotland, and a member of the Scottish Committee, Barnardos, 2001-04.

I was created a Life Peer in 1997 and I speak on criminal justice matters with special references to young people, and special educational needs in the House of Lords.

I am, amongst others, a Patron of a number of organisations concerned with young people and families. I also chair an initiative funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation of which I am a Trustee, called Rethinking Crime and Punishment.

I am glad to be a Patron of Research Autism as it chimes closely with the work we do at The New School, and also my interest in those families and young people affected by autism.

Professor Fred Volkmar MD

Professor Fred Volkmar

I am the Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Psychology and Director of the Yale University Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine and the Chief of Child Psychiatry at Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT. I graduated from the University of Illinois where I received in undergraduate degree in psychology in 1972 and of Stanford University where I received my MD and a master’s degree in psychology in 1976.

I was the primary author of the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-IV autism and pervasive developmental disorders section and have authored several hundred scientific papers and chapters as well as a number of books including Asperger’s Syndrome (Guilford Press), Health Care for Children on the Autism Spectrum (Woodbine Publishing), and the Handbook of Autism (Wiley Publishing).

I have served as an associate editor of the Journal of Autism, the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and the American Journal of Psychiatry and will be the editor of the Journal of Autism beginning in 2007.

I have served as co-chairperson of the autism/intellectual disabilities committee of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. In addition to directing the internationally known autism clinic I also served as director of autism research at Yale and the principal investigator of three program project grants including a CPEA (Collaborative Program of Excellent in Autism) grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and a STAART (Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment) Autism Center Grant from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Lord Christopher Wakehurst

After school in England and Australia, service during WWII with the Royal Australian Navy in the Pacific Area and a law degree at Trinity College, Cambridge, I began a career in fund management and banking.

In 1956 I married and have a son and daughter, our son developing behaviour which was eventually diagnosed as being autistic. This led to friendship and cooperation with other parents and the start of an association in 1962 which became the National Autistic Society. At that time a prevalent and very harmful opinion was lack of parental love and affection – the refrigerator mother.

In 1997 I started the Inge Wakehurst Trust to provide information about autism to interested professionals by means of study weekends organised by the Trust and also to explain the methods which we had found contributed to progress – determined teaching and training from an early age. The Trust is now associated with Research Autism.

I have been concerned with autism and Asperger’s syndrome for nearly fifty years. My current involvement includes the Inge Wakehurst Trust as founder and trustee, Research Autism as former trustee and now patron, the Bromley Autistic Trust and the Tree House Trust, both as a patron.

Sir Roger Gibbs

Sir Roger Gibbs is also a patron of Research Autism.

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Last Updated : 31/10/2008 Back to Top

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