Rowling blames in-fighting for her departure from MS Society

Finance | 15 Apr 2009

JK Rowling has stepped down from her position as patron of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Scotland (MSSS) after ten years, blaming in-fighting between the Edinburgh and London offices.

The Harry Potter author (pictured) says internal squabbling over a governance review was changing the charity “beyond recognition” and as a result, she could no longer “in good conscience” be the public face associated with the MSSS.

She said: “Late last year I initiated and attended a mediation session, in the hope of sorting out the long-standing and escalating conflict between the Scottish council and management in London, driven by the imposition of changes by London. Unfortunately this achieved very little.”

Since September the MSSS has also lost its director, Mark Hazelwood, and two other staff members – one of whom went to another job.

Consultation

The charity confirmed it is currently in consultation with all of its members regarding its future organisational structure, and recommendations will be brought to the UK board of trustees in July and voted on by members at an AGM in September.

A spokesman said: “We would have preferred to do this with JK Rowling’s involvement, but we appreciate that significant change can be difficult.”

Rowling also said she was frustrated and disappointed by the “resignations of immensely dedicated people within MSSS and the increasing demoralisation of staff”.

Although Rowling, whose mother had MS and died at the age of 45, has ended her decade of patronage, she plans to continue to fund MS research at Edinburgh University.

“My disappointment at having to take this step cannot be overstated,” she said. “I shall continue to hope that the MS Society Scotland, manages to resolve its difficulties.”

Directory: MS Society

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