I got to know RJAH as a patient when I suffered a nasty accident in 2023.  The team were excellent and after successful surgery got me back to good health.  As a Veteran I was also impressed by how RJAH supports that section of our community; leading the way I would say.  So, when asked if I would consider joining the Orthopaedic Institute as a Trustee and the Chair I was delighted, a chance for me to pay back.

I work part-time as a Director, Board Advisor and Executive Coach .  I believe my years of experience on Boards as a Board member and as Chair within the Energy Industry coupled with my experience as an Army Officer will help me in my role as Chair.  We will take this moment to reassess our strategy in the latter part of 2025 to ensure we are ready for the next five years.

I am really looking forward to getting to know RJAH and its people and helping the Orthopaedic Institute to continue its great work funding vital research and supporting educational programmes, including training courses, for orthopaedic trainees and allied health professionals, as well as fellowships and funding for PhD students.

Paul was appointed as consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in 2000. He has many interest that include diagnostics, statistics, machine learning, computer vision and artificial intelligence. In addition to his clinical practice, Paul was appointed as professor in Orthopaedics at Keele University. He also is statistical advisor to the European Journal of Hand Surgery. In May 2025, he was named reviewer of the month by the Bone and Joint Journal.

Now widowed with one son, I was originally educated at Wrekin College, Wellington, thence studying business management in Coventry. I worked for Rootes Motors for a number of years in varying positions around the UK.  I returned to Oswestry, owning and running a retail motor franchise representing Peugeot until retiring in 2008.

I was interested in becoming a Trustee, when invited, as I hoped to bring a broader range of commercial experience to the running and administration of the Trust.

I was one of the initial members helping to establish Oswestry Rugby Club and still enjoy watching rugby and supporting Wales, especially in Cardiff. I have a lifelong interest in messing about in boats of all shapes and sizes, and thoroughly enjoyed cruising the Scottish Islands and South and West coasts of Ireland.

Val is a local girl – born and bred in Trefonen near Oswestry where her family have lived for many generations.  She still lives there as does one of her sons and she feels a very strong connection to the local community.  She attended the local village school and then Bellan House Preparatory School.  From age  11 she attended Oswestry Girls High School and after O levels and A levels she took a law degree at the University College of Wales Aberystwyth. 

 She completed her legal studies at College of Law Chester and then trained at Hatchers Solicitors.  Over 40 years later she is still a partner there!!   She specialises in commercial and agricultural property law and has wide experience of both.   She is also involved in the management of Hatchers and runs the firm’s marketing and property needs.  She is President of the Shrewsbury Business Chamber and a member of the local Bank of England Panel. 

 Val’s Grandfather was badly injured in WW1 and received much of his treatment at  the Orthopaedic.  They literally saved his life!  The hospital and the research work it does have therefore always been close to her heart and it was for that reason she accepted the invitation to become a Trustee. 

Val has three adult children and four small grandchildren.  She is very much a country girl and is never happier than when she’s out in the fields.  Horses have always played a major part in her life.  Although she does not ride very often these days, she breeds sports ponies and loves spending time with her youngsters.  All of Val’s children have competed since Pony Club days and one of her proudest moments was when they rode in the Prince Philip Cup at the Horse of the Year Show.   

Val’s children continue to compete in Mounted Games (an obscure but hugely enjoyable equestrian sport) and she is an international judge, past Chairman of Great Britain  and a representative of it on the British Equestrian Federation Council.  Her  her two sons have been top international riders and have won both the World and European Championships. .  Val loves going to the cinema and tries to see all of the Oscar nominated films each year.  Any time left is spent in her garden and kitchen.

PhD

Being a local yokel, I was born, bred and educated largely in and around Oswestry.

Starting work in RJAH in 1980 in Mr Norman Nisbet’s Charles Salt Centre, I began a long tradition of working with surgeons, firstly the spine surgeons, Mr John O’Brien (Jack the Back!)and then Professor Stephen Eisenstein before linking up with Professor James Richardson and his successors, Pete Gallacher and Paul Jermin.

I undertook my PhD on hip osteoarthritis at Birmingham University during this time and subsequently the hospital has linked up with Keele University.

Research interests are generally cartilage based, understanding its biology and function, what leads to its demise and how we can turn back the clock and repair or regenerate it when it goes wrong.

Having been very fortunate to have had the support of the Orthopaedic Institute Ltd for our group’s research over the years, it is an honour to have become a Trustee.

FCCS Ed, FRCP

Hon. Clinical Professor of Spinal Injuries (SI), Keele University

WSEM trained in Spinal Injuries and the allied surgical specialities in the Oxford Group of hospitals, Guys Hospital, Stoke Mandeville hospital and the USA between 1971 & 1983. He was appointed Consultant Surgeon in Spinal Injuries and Director of the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI) at the RJAH 1983. He personally treated and provided ongoing total care to about 10,000 patients with and without Spinal Cord damage. Between 1983 & 2000 he raised £6 million from Charity to rebuild and equip the MCSI in order to ensure a safe and fit for purpose environment for patients and staff and in collaboration with the scientists of the Institute to carry out research on regeneration of the injured spinal cord.

He published over 140 manuscripts, lectured worldwide, contributed to the National Health Service Framework and to the National Institute of Excellence (NICE). He is Past President of the International Spinal Cord Society and Past Chairman of the British Association of Spinal Cord Injury Specialists. He advised and prepared a report on Spinal Injuries for the WHO and won many National and International awards.

WEM and the service of the MCSI are acknowledged nationally and internationally for their excellence and contribution to knowledge, teaching, training and research in the field of Spinal Injuries and have been quoted the in House of Lords Parliamentary Debates as examples of good practice (Hansard) 8th April 2003, vol 647, no.79, p204; 9th March 2006 vol 679, no 117, p88 and 28th February 2009

The Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI) is unique in being the only Centre in England with an active basic research science department in in the same hospital. The support of the Institute of Orthopaedics to both the MCSI and the research department has benefited both from a very successful collaboration that resulted in a number of publications that have added value and knowledge to both fields. WSEM believes that with support to the Institute further good collaborative work can improve both the management of the patient as well as our scientific knowledge

WSEM is married to Bettina who is a paediatric oncologist and they have one daughter Hannah May Emmeline who has graduated from Kings College Medical School in London and is hoping to serve as a General Practitioner.

I am a part-time Administrator for the Orthopaedic Institute, working one day a week. Having formally been funded through the Institute to obtain my PhD in Cell and Tissue Engineering, I am now pleased to support them in general administration and website maintenance. This is alongside my role as Senior Study Support Officer in the RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital’s Research Department.

Personally, I enjoy walking in the local countryside, baking, and singing as a member of the OsRocks choir.

I am the Orthopaedic Institute’s Course Organiser, organising some 26 clinical courses each year. The majority of my career for 10 years was in the private education sector , where I worked with younger children & also ran the international holiday club. My most recent role was very different where I moved to the travel industry and was an assistant manager in a independant travel agents.

I have lived in and around Oswestry throughout my life, and have always felt very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country. When I am not working, myself and my family enjoy exploring new places, we also like travelling abroad.

I am married with a 5 Year Old Son Albert.