Marjory Burns to retire after 26 years in the third sector
Marjory Burns, the director of British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland, has retired after almost nine years working for the charity and 26 years working in the third sector.
Initially a languages teacher, Marjory joined the local voluntary sector in 1988, then worked for Volunteer Development Scotland for six years. She moved to Asthma UK in 1996 as director, Scotland and remained there for 10 years, becoming executive director for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
She joined the BHF in 2006 as director of Scotland and Northern Ireland and was pivotal in convincing the Scottish Government to create a strategy to tackle Scotland’s poor record of saving people who experience a cardiac arrest in the community, which supports the BHF’s ambition to create a nation of lifesavers.
When I reflect on my experience, there is, perhaps understandably, a mixture of satisfaction with progress and frustration with lack of it
Marjory was instrumental in setting up the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland, and served on the board of directors. She has also served on the boards of Voluntary Health Scotland and the Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations and she contributed to the formulation of SIGN guidelines on both asthma and heart disease.
Of her retirement, Marjory said: “When I reflect on my experience, there is, perhaps understandably, a mixture of satisfaction with progress and frustration with lack of it. For example, the issue of sustained government funding continues to haunt and constrain the voluntary sector; the good news is the move to join up health and social care with the potential benefits that will bring to people with heart failure among others.
“As I bow out of my paid job and look forward to some voluntary work, I’d like to salute the perseverance and creativity of my colleagues especially within BHF Scotland but also the whole voluntary sector – making the change we want to see in the world. Good fortune to you all!”
