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
Our Chief Executive, Professor Iain Hutchison, featured in episode 4 of the podcast ‘Prix Pictet: A Lens on Sustainability’ entitled Mortality.
The Prix Pictet was founded by the Pictet Group in 2008. Today the award is recognised as the world’s leading prize for photograph.
This episode of the podcast explores how photography helps us process our own mortality and remember those who are gone.
Professor Hutchison spoke to Saving Faces’ Patron Julia Hobsbawn OBE and journalist Kirsty Lang about his experiences of mortality.
You can listen to the podcast here.
An e-book also accompanied the episode which features paintings by Mark Gilbert from the Saving Faces Art Project which can be viewed below.
Prix Pictet ebook Mortality</p>
Many congratulations to our Patron Jonathan Pryce for winning the Actor award at BAFTA Cymru for his role as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio / Pope Francis in The Two Popes!
The Two Popes is available to watch on Netflix and you can view the full trailer here.
2020 Golden Globes Best Actor nomination for Saving Faces Patron, Jonathan Pryce
Mr Geoff Chiu, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, has completed two triathlons in two weeks to raise funds for Saving Faces!
Due to the cancellations on the Chateau Chantilly Triathlon and the Tour De Manchester, Mr Chiu took part in the Boundary Park Triathlon on the 13th September 2020 and the Hever Castle Triathlon on the 26th September 2020.
In both events, Mr Chiu found the run the most difficult part. He had to swim in waters as low as 12 degrees at Hever Castle, which resulted in the swim being cut short from 1.5km to 800m.
Even though the events were both challenging he enjoyed his time in two beautiful countryside’s.
With all his hard work and determination, Mr Chiu completed the Boundary Park Triathlon (1km Swim, 55km Cycle, 10km Run) in 3 hrs 19mins and Hever Castle Triathlon (800m Swim, 40km cycle, 10km run) in 2hrs 47mins.
We are incredibly grateful to Mr Chiu for taking on these challenges and to his supporters for giving generously. The total amount raised so far is over £500.
If you would like to help Saving Faces with raising essential funds, please visit our fundraising page.
Geoff Chiu will be completing the Hever Castle Triathlon on the 27th September for Saving Faces. The Triathlon consists of a 1.5km swim, a 45km cycle and a 10km run.
Geoff is a Consultant in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at East Lancashire Hospitals Trust and Royal Bolton Hospital and looks after the faces and jaws of people in East Lancashire and Bolton.
Geoff has chosen to raise money for Saving Faces because of our research into enhancing patient care and recovery for patients who have had surgery to their face and mouth.
You can sponsor Geoff here.
Geoff Chiu poster v6
A huge thank you to our supporters who ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 13th October 2019 to support Saving Faces!
Drew’s father-in-law, Henry de Lotbinière, was operated on by Saving Faces Chief Executive Professor Hutchison 13 times in 15 years.
Drew completed the half marathon in the incredible time of 1 hour and 40 minutes!
The Royal Parks Half Marathon was Maxine’s first half marathon.
She completed it in the amazing time of 1 hour 50 minutes!
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Thank you to all our runners who took part and raised the wonderful amount of nearly £2000 for Saving Faces!
https://www.savingfaces.co.uk/events/fundraising-events/vitality-big-half/
Kat Huggins is running the Edinburgh Marathon for Saving Faces!
Ex-paratrooper Frank Fletcher completed two commemorative parachute drops for the 75th anniversary of D-Day (6th June 1944) to raise essential funds for the National Facial Oral and Oculoplastic Research Centre (NFORC), funded by Saving Faces and its partner the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS), and Special Forces veterans charity Pilgrim Bandits.
A huge thank you to Frank and all his supporters for this fantastic fundraising effort to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. The total amount raised was over £1,700!
The first drop took place near Caen in Normandy on 5th June 2019, which marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Frank and the pilots were featured on the BBC’s The One Show.
The second drop took place near Arnhem in the Netherlands, The Battle of Arnhem was a significant battle amongst Airborne Forces and the film ‘A Bridge too Far’ portrays the events.
Thumbs up for D-Day parachute fundraising jumps by Frank Fletcher
75th D-Day anniversary fundraising parachute jumps with ex-para Frank Fletcher
In August 2019, the family of Jaia, who was operated on by Professor Hutchison in 2013 to remove a haemangioma on the bridge of her nose, held a fundraising bake sale for Saving Faces. A selection of delicious food was served including cakes and samosas.