Who we are

BRACE is a UK-registered charity (Charity Registration Number: 297965) funding world-class clinical and laboratory research into dementia.

Our staff team handles the day-to-day running of the charity and is your first point of contact for all enquiries. Please see below to identify the member of staff best placed to deal with your enquiry.

Since October 2025, the charity has been co-lead by two interim CEOs - John and Liberty, as listed below.

BRACE Staff Team

A headshot of Liberty Harrison, a white woman in her 20s with short brown hair.

Interim CEO & Head of Fundraising

Liberty Harrison

[email protected]

A portrait photo of John Shelley (Finance & Operations Manager) with a white background.

Interim CEO & Finance & Ops Manager

John Shelley

[email protected]

Nikola Scanlon Communications and Engagement Lead

Comms and Engagement Lead

Nikola Scanlon

[email protected]

raisa-1

Trust Fundraiser

Raisa Ridley

[email protected]

Jed Eldridge Social Media Co-ordinator

Marketing Content Creator

Jed Eldridge

[email protected]

Jeanne Clements Community Fundraiser

Community Fundraiser

Jeanne Clements

[email protected]

Sharon Farr Finance Assistant

Finance & Database Administrator

Sharon Farr

[email protected]

Elise McKeever Supporter Engagement Officer

Supporter Engagement Officer

Elise McKeever

[email protected]

BRACE Structure and History

BRACE was established as a charity in 1987. Over the years, we've evolved to reflect the changing needs and language of the dementia community, updating our charitable objects in 2007 and 2020 to recognise the changed language and priorities of the dementia community.

In 2022, we updated our governance structure by appointing BRACE Trustee Limited (Company Number: 14199100) as our sole corporate trustee. BRACE remains an unincorporated charitable trust but is now governed by this separate company rather than by individual trustees.

The Directors of BRACE Trustee Limited make decisions about how BRACE Trustee Limited should operate BRACE, in accordance with the strategy set for the charity, and ensure that BRACE Trustee Limited complies with its legal and regulatory obligations as a trustee under charity law. They bring expertise in finance, law, business, and medical science to guide our work.

BRACE's Scientific Advisory Committee is an independent committee of scientists which recommends to the Directors which applications for funding from BRACE should be supported, subject to the availability of funds.

Our Patron and Ambassadors help raise awareness of BRACE's work and support our mission in whatever way they can.

Patron

The Rt Hon Lord Mayor of Bristol

Ambassadors

Beth Britton l Stephanie Cole OBE l Jayne Connery l Jonathan Dimbleby l Julia Hwang l Sir Martyn Lewis CBE l 

Trustee

BRACE Trustee Limited (co. no. 14199100) appointed sole-trustee of the charity on 22 September 2022.

Directors of BRACE Trustee Limited are:

Hollye Kirkcaldy (Chair) l Hugh Brown l Tom Dale l Chris Gray l Julie Haydon l Professor Seth Love l Professor Bridget Lumb l Dr John Pounsford l Paul Steckler l Chris Wilkin

Scientific Advisory Committee

See How grants are approved for a full list of SAC members

Charity Commission

For further information about BRACE, who we are and our accounts, please visit the BRACE Charity Commission page

Companies House

For further information about BRACE Trustee Limited, our Corporate Trustee and its accounts, please visit the BRACE Trustee Limited Companies House page

Last updated January 2026

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