Who we are

Our volunteers

The skills and experience brought to Covid Aid by our wonderful group of volunteers have allowed us to launch and immediately start working with those affected by Covid-19. 

These trusted partners are part of our story and we are immensely grateful to them for joining us on our mission to help as many people as possible. 

As our community continues to grow, we’re always on the lookout for more volunteers. If you are committed to helping others and feel Covid Aid could benefit from your skills and experience, we’d love to hear from you. 

Our Executive Director

• Joyce Gray Until recently a Deputy Director of Development at Alzheimer Scotland, Joyce has had several senior roles in the third sector including the Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Enable Scotland.  The drive for innovation and inclusion for those we work for has been the constant driver in her roles.

Our trustees

From reviewing our performance to ensuring operations are run to the highest standard, our board of trustees keep everything on track. (In alphabetical order.)

• Chair and Founder – Michael MacLennan founded Covid Aid and now leads its board. In the charity sector, he has also served as a trustee for Just a Drop and consulted for a number of third-sector organisations. Outside of this, he has worked as Communications Director for Brunswick, Global Digital Editorial Manager for Red Bull, and in senior roles for other organisations including the BBC, ITN, STV, and The Herald. He is currently Interim CEO for Cancer Support Scotland, and in 2022 was shortlisted for Rising Chief Executive at the Third Sector Awards.

• Treasurer - Madina Bazarova is an audit, risk management and finance professional with over 20 years of experience in the development sector. She is the Head of, Internal Audit Function at the CGIAR System, an international agricultural research partnership for a food-secure future. Madina has been previously based in Malaysia, the UK and Uzbekistan leading internal audit or finance teams within among others CGIAR and Save the Children. Madina is a chartered management accountant (ACMA), chartered internal auditor (CMIIA), a certified fraud examiner (CFE) and has certification in risk management assurance (CRMA)

• Tamsin Anastasi-Pace specialises in digital and behavioural transformation, with a focus on sustainable change. Currently Head of Client Solutions at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, she has previously worked at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and The Economist Group, where she ran complex, global programmes focused on the implementation and adoption of new processes and technologies. Tamsin is a member of the Chartered Management Institute with a qualification in Professional Coaching and Mentoring.

• Fergus Bruce is Director of Education Partnerships for Edify, the immersive learning platform developed in partnership with The University of Glasgow. With over 15 years of diverse commercial experience across the design, creative, and visualisation sectors, he is also a co-founder of After the Pandemic, an innovative accelerator enabling communities to collaborate on creative projects that impact societies, cities and the climate for the better.

• Peter Gardiner was formerly Senior Advisor (Programmes) to the CGIAR, an organisation conducting international agricultural research for development. Substantial parts of his career were spent in conducting or managing scientific research (based in Kenya, Philippines and Malaysia) or working with the technical oversight body of CGIAR, formerly the Science Council (based at the FAO in Italy) in strategic assessment, programme planning and review.

• Jasmine Hayer is a Long Covid advocate, blogger, and writer, who’s still recovering, since contracting Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic. She was one of the first long haulers to publicly share her story in the media to create awareness about the hidden and severe damage caused in non-hospitalised Covid sufferers. Jasmine created the nationwide project ‘The Hidden Voices of Long Covid’, which she presented to the NIHR. As a trusted voice in the Long Covid community, she became a patient advisor on the largest Long Covid trial to date, co-funded by the NIHR and the Government. Currently, she’s at the forefront of experimental treatment, fighting to get into studies and shares her knowledge and holistic therapies to help Long Covid sufferers, via her blog and Instagram.

• Raman Kaur is a Psychologist specialising in business and HR. With a background in scientific research and a Masters in statistics Raman is a published academic author. She helps organisations improve their effectiveness through redefining strategy, leadership development and change management. Raman is primarily interested in self-development and learning so that she can be better equipped to help people. The work that covid:aid is doing resonated with Raman following her own personal experience with Covid-19. Her aim is to change perceptions and increase education and knowledge around Long Covid.

• Dominic Minghella is a screenwriter, producer and campaigner. He has authored and produced numerous filmed dramas, including creating the smash-hit ITV series, Doc Martin. He is a partner at story-based consultants Lucas/Minghella and has advised and supported key individuals, organisations and charities in the UK and internationally on strategy and communications, as well as making numerous campaign films. He was among the very first wave of Covid-19 patients in the UK to be hospitalised, and has written influential articles on that experience.

• Isabelle Risso-Gill is a public health and international development professional. She recently joined the Public Health team in a London Local Authority, focusing on Covid programming with vulnerable populations. Prior to this, Isabelle worked in the international development sector for over 12 years, working on humanitarian crises around the world. With a background in the charity sector, she has expertise in quality programming and community engagement. She holds a Masters in Public Health, is a published academic researcher, and a gender and child rights champion. During the pandemic, she has also become a volunteer Covid-19 vaccinator with St John Ambulance.

• Gavin Perrett runs multiple businesses and works as a Mindset Transformation Coach, in which he helps clients to become the best version of themselves personally and/or professionally. He lost both of his parents to Covid-19 in March and April 2020. He wrote his first book, Transforming Grief – From Tragedy Emerges Hope, which was published in November 2021. As well as being a significant part of his own healing process, the book now helps many more people experiencing traumatic grief by providing them with the necessary tools to help them navigate their own grief journeys.

(Note: We welcome new applications to join the board. Please get in contact if interested.)

Charity details

You can find details of our registration at OSCR. We are registered in Scotland to operate across the UK including in England, Wales, Northern Ireland (where we have also applied for registration), and Jersey. Our address is:

Covid Aid
272 Bath Street
Glasgow
G2 4JR

You can reach us through our contact page.