New director of fundraising for Mencap

Thursday 16 October 2008

Ellie Gray has been appointed the new director of fundraising for Mencap, the UK's leading learning disability charity.

She joins from RNID, where she was director of development. Ellie has successfully developed RNID fundraising including laying the foundations for a major gift programme.

Before that Ellie spent ten years at The Prince's Trust, most recently as the deputy commercial director and managing director of Prince's Trust Trading. Previous roles include arts development manager at Granada Television, and member of the management team of the Hacienda.

Ellie Gray will have responsibility for a 70 plus-strong fundraising department and will start work in early 2009.

Ellie Gray said:

"I am really excited by the challenge of building on Mencap's fundraising success and supporting the work Mencap does for people with a learning disability. I look forward to working with my new team on Mencap's strong range of fundraising activities."

Mark Goldring, Mencap's chief executive-designate, said:

"Ellie has an excellent track record as a fundraiser at The Prince's Trust and more recently at RNID, and will bring strong leadership and fundraising skills".

Mencap fundraises in a variety of ways, including legacies; direct marketing; and events, including guaranteed places at Flora London Marathon and the Marathon des Sables.

-ends-

Notes to editors

For further information contact Sam Heath, sam.heath@mencap.org.uk, 020 7696 6949.

• Mencap works with people with a learning disability and their families and carers.
• 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability.
• A learning disability is caused by the way the brain develops before, during or shortly after birth. It is always lifelong.
• Learning disability affects someone's intellectual and social development all their life. People with a learning disability find it harder than others to learn, understand and communicate.
• People with a learning disability don't get an equal chance in life. Mencap fights to change laws and services and to provide better access to education, employment and leisure facilities, supporting thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want.
• It is not a mental illness and should not be confused with mental health issues. It is not dyslexia or aspergers syndrome.
• It used to be called mental handicap but we don't use this term anymore because most people with a learning disability find it offensive.
• For information about learning disability issues please call the Learning Disability Helpline (England) on 0808 808 1111 or visit www.askmencap.info
• For online press information, go to www.mencap.org.uk/press