In March, Forward ME held its Annual General Meeting on 5th March 2026 — open to all — marking an important milestone in the organisation’s development.
Members adopted a new Mission and Values document, which includes updated governance information, and elected a new team of officers to lead the organisation through the year ahead.
Newly elected officers
- Chair – Carolyn Leary
- Deputy Chair and Sub-groups Coordinator – Julie Upton
- Deputy Chair and Treasurer – Josh Vince
You can read the full governance document here.
The meeting also took the opportunity to thank Simon Chandler, outgoing Chair, for his dedication in supporting Forward ME over the past three years.
Key changes in recent months
Forward ME has made significant strides over the past year. Highlights include:
- Appointing a Deputy Chair to strengthen leadership capacity
- Agreeing a Vision and Values document to guide the organisation’s direction
- Creating subgroups to better engage with the different sections of the ME/CFS Delivery Plan, including non-Forward ME members
- Employing an Administrator to support day-to-day operations
- Gaining new members and commissioning a new website
- Holding Forward ME’s first AGM and electing officers for the year ahead
Thanks go to the whole team, and to the many volunteers who have helped set Forward ME up for the years ahead.
How Forward ME has been engaging
Alongside these organisational developments, Forward ME has been active across a range of national and international workstreams:
- Engaging with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan, continuing to push for delivery of stated actions within proposed timescales and holding DHSC accountable
- Participating in Research events, including the National Showcase
- Contributing to the launch and strategy development of the Overlapping Illnesses Alliance, working collaboratively for greater impact
- Supporting the development of a draft template service specification for Integrated Commissioning Boards, alongside NHS England and the DSHC
- Providing a fast response to the Department for Education Statutory Guidance on Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions in Schools
- Continuing to engage globally through the World ME Alliance
Thank you to everyone who has supported Forward ME’s work over the past year.
