Saving Faces Patron Baroness Helena Kennedy KC has been appointed by the King to the Order of the Thistle.
The Order of the Thistle can only be bestowed by the King himself and recognises people who have help public office or have made a particular contribution to national life.
You can read more about the Order of the Thistle here.
Saving Faces are incredibly grateful to the Hollick Family Foundation for their recent generous donation to support our work.
Saving Faces is the only charity in the UK solely dedicated to reducing the incidence of facial injuries, disorders and diseases including oral cancer worldwide. Our mission is to improve treatment for these conditions and the psychological outcomes by leading research into these conditions.
Saving Faces Patron Baroness Helena Kennedy KC will perform a important role in the Coronation Service of King Charles III.
Baroness Kennedy will process to the altar carrying The Queen Consort’s Rod at the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey.
Baroness Kennedy featured on Channel 4 News talking about her role in the service which is available to view here.
You can read further details on the website of the Royal Family here and further media coverage here.
Saving Faces Patron Baroness Helena Kennedy KC appeared on Private Passions on BBC Radio 3.
In conversation with Michael Berkeley, she looks back to the childhood which has been so influential on her campaigns for justice, and chooses the music which has sustained her through a series of difficult and high-profile cases. Her playlist includes Handel, Bach, Schubert, George Benjamin, James MacMillan, and her favourite Puccini opera, with Mimi’s famous aria from La Boheme.
You can listen to the programme here.
Following his comments on the atrocious events happening in Iran of Iranian forces shooting at the faces and genital of female protesters, Professor Hutchison was asked to feature in a documentary which looked into systematic blinding of protesters during the recent uprising in Iran.
You can watch part 1 here:
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=dj3iMpkpy7Y
You can watch part 2 here:
We are thrilled that the Saving Faces Art Project is featured in this wonderful free to download book for medical students, trainees, allied healthcare professions and anyone wanting to know more about Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery!
Many congratulations to all involved, we hope this book inspires many individuals!
The book is free to download here
All of us at Saving Faces are sad to hear of the passing of supporters Ray Majors and Sandy Dillon.
Ray was a patient of Saving Faces Chief Executive, Professor Iain Hutchison and provided valuable advice through our Saving Faces Expert Patient Helpline.
You can read more about the lives of Ray and Sandy here.
We are mainly funded by former patients and their families who strongly believe in the importance of our work. Please consider leaving a gift to Saving Faces in your Will. You can change the lives of thousands of people.
Doreen was a strong, courageous, determined, vivacious woman, who was life and soul of the party. Her story begun in 1946, where she was born into an Irish family, to Mary and Michael and was one of 10 children. In 1972 she married her beloved husband Danny and in 1980 they had their only daughter Carly. Doreen enjoyed a very successful career as a HR manger. Doreen experienced great joy in her later life when her Grandchildren Harry and Isabella were born. Nothing made her happier than listening to Harry’s achievements and watching Isabella sing and dance.
Dr John Dyer who had been the District Medical Officer of Health for Lancaster and District from 1968 until 1990 died on March 25th 2020 from a gastro-oesophageal tumour.
John, aged 89, qualified in Medicine from the Middlesex Hospital in London in 1953 and after National Service in the RAF, undertook the Diploma in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine qualifying with a distinction in 1957. One of his junior hospital posts was at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Westmorland County Hospital, Kendal and that led to a long association with the area. His first public health post was in Lancaster (1957-59) followed by jobs in Corby New town and Burnley. However in 1968 he returned to Lancaster, this time with his family, married to Betty a midwife and two children Peter and Judith. He was elected as Fellow of the Faculty of Community Medicine in 1977.
John was passionate about improving the health of the local population and committed to the values of the NHS. He oversaw many improvements in housing conditions, with slum clearance, and the eradication of many diseases as vaccination became more accepted.
During his tenure the area was the first in the country to have a Child Development Centre, Domiciliary Remedial Therapists, attachment of nurses to General Medical Practices and Brucellosis free farms. He managed the Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak at Heysham Power Station in 1981 and helped establish St. John’s Hospice in Lancaster.
John was the Secretary of the Lancaster Branch of the BMA for fifteen years. He served in a voluntary capacity on a number of local charities including as Chair of the Lancaster Abbeyfield Society, President of the Lancaster Branch of Mencap, St. John’s Ambulance Service for which he was awarded an Order of St. John of Jerusalem Merit and as a trustee for the Roberts Trust in Nelson (medical research) and the Ivy Brown Trust (children’s health). He was a Lay Reader at St Luke’s Church, Slyne with Hest.
He helped establish the medical museum in Lancaster when he and a small group of doctors recognised that there was a valuable local heritage which could be lost as the hospitals were being closed.
He is survived by his son Peter, a Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Author: Peter V. Dyer
Bernie Brown was a long term, dedicated and generous supporter of Saving Faces. A former patient of our Chief Executive Professor Hutchison, he used to visit Saving Faces’ offices and brought much joy to all with his infectious smile. Bernie always told us wonderful jokes and left us with smiles on our faces. He will be greatly missed.
William 
John McLennan (Billy) was born in August 1954 in Aberdeen to loving parents John and Hannah. He was a caring elder brother to Ian and Sheila. Billy grew up in Liberton and brought up his own family in Edinburgh. Billy trained as a plumbing and heating engineer as a young apprentice, finally retiring last year. He loved to watch Scotland play football and would often travel to Wembley as he grew up. He was a lifelong Heart of Midlothian supporter, visiting Tynecastle with his children, friends, family over the years.
Billy had a passion for nature and wildlife, particularly birdwatching. He had a close group of friends who all shared this hobby. They would travel to Shetland and surrounding islands many times. He spent lots of time travelling the world with his wife and family. He always spoke of his Safari trips to Botswana, Nambia and the Massai Mara in Kenya as particular special memories.
Billy had bravely undergone surgery in November 2022 to remove a tumour from his face. The recovery did not go well and due to complications with infections and Billy could not receive further cancer treatment. He passed away in April 2023 after the cancer returned.
Billy will be remembered for his kind and generous way, his silly sense of humour, a passion for his hobbies and most of all the love for his family. He was the most doting dad and grandad to his children and later his granddaughter who was never far from his side. He was always a loving uncle to his nieces and nephews too. Billy is sorely missed by his wife June, daughter Sarah, his son Scott, granddaughter Lotti and the rest of his loving family.
The family had chosen to donate the funeral collection to Saving Faces for their research work in facial diseases and surgery. The charities service to support dentists in early diagnosis is something we feel is particularly important in improving outcomes and saving lives.
All of us at Saving Faces are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our Patron Roger Graef OBE.
Roger was a filmmaker, writer, criminologist and theatre director. Along with his company Films of Records, Roger made many award winning films on social issues, current affairs, science and arts. These films promoted change in areas such as youth justice, police handling of rape, urban redevelopment and family problems.
He was awarded a BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement, making him the first documentary maker to do so. In 2006 he was awarded a OBE for services for film-making and broadcasting and in 2013, BAFTA held a tribute evening to celebrate his 50th year as a filmmaker.
Roger was a long-term, generous and dedicated Patron of Saving Faces, regularly attending events such as our Carols at Christmas concerts and will be greatly missed.
You can find out more about the life and work of Roger in this clip from the Radio 4 programme Last Word.
All of us at Saving Faces are incredibly proud that Patron Jonathan Pryce has been awarded a Knighthood for services to Drama and Charity by Her Majesty the Queen.
Jonathan Pryce is known for his performances on stage and screen, recently being nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Pope Francis in the Netflix film The Two Popes. He has received many accolades including Olivier and Tony Awards and has recently won the Actor award at BAFTA Cymru.
On screen he has starred in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies and Game of Thrones as The High Sparrow and on stage has appeared in Macbeth, King Leer and Glengarry Glen Ross. He will portray Prince Philip in the final two series of The Crown. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.
In response to his Knighthood he stated “After almost 50 years as an actor I am proud to think that the work and ideals that I have shared with my friends and colleagues is being honoured in this way.”
Saving Faces’ Patron Jonathan Pryce wins Actor award at BAFTA Cymru
2020 Golden Globes Best Actor nomination for Saving Faces Patron, Jonathan Pryce