For more than a decade, Care Not Killing was led with great passion and ability by Dr Peter Saunders, and while his departure from the role of Campaign Director was regretted by those who appreciated his tireless work in the debate on assisted suicide, it also provided an opportunity. Peter operated on a part-time, unpaid basis, working around the requirements of a separate full-time job, and he shared the view that Care Not Killing could achieve far more with a full-time CEO directing strategy and making our case in the public square.
Dr Gordon Macdonald is the person for the job, and we are delighted to announce his appointment.
Gordon has been involved with Care Not Killing for a decade, chairing our Scottish Committee with great effect. He was instrumental in the 2010 and 2015 defeats of bids to bring assisted suicide into law at the Scottish Parliament, and has proved himself an effective media communicator. Gifted with a strategic mind, dogged perseverance, deep knowledge of the assisted suicide debate and reassuring personal warmth, Gordon is well-suited to the task of fulfilling CNK's potential.
Until now, Gordon has been CARE's (Christian Action Research and Education) Senior Policy Officer, where he has led on campaigns including tackling human trafficking. In a richly varied professional career, he has also worked for Unicef, the UN's Children's Emergency Fund; and lectured on economics at Coventry University. He is married with children, and lives near Glasgow.
He will formally take up the post in April.
The Board of Care Not Killing thank all those who applied, those who assisted in bringing the post to the attention of such excellent candidates, and those whose donations not only sustain our ongoing work but have given us the confidence to take this important step forward.
Watch Gordon speak on the Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill before members of the Scottish Parliament's Health and Sport Committee in 2015, and on BBC Breakfast earlier this year concerning the assisted suicide in Switzerland of Mr Geoff Whaley:
Image: BBC News screengrab
Stephanie Gray from Canada came to Glasgow last week to speak on assisted suicide..
Her talk was very enlightening and professional as she gave many examples of people with terrible disabilities who showed courage in proving that their lives were worth living. They used alternative ways to bring joy and hope to others by refusing to give up on themselves.
It was very inspiring to hear their stories and I hope that Stephanie will come to Aberdeen and give this excellent talk