Meet the Team

Mary Burton – Treasurer

I am married to Robbie and live in in Holme-next-the-Sea, Norfolk.  I have three stepdaughters who have 11 children between them, their ages ranging from 27 years to 8 years.

I am Norfolk born and bred although I have ventured out of the county to live and work over the years in a variety of office/accounts based posts.  I first moved to Holme in 1987 to take over the running of the village shop/post office.  After 5 years’ enjoyable but hard work, this was sold and I worked at Hunstanton Post Office for the next 10 years.  After running a bed and breakfast business for 12 years, I am now retired but keeping busier than ever!

I have been a listening volunteer with King’s Lynn Samaritans for around 20 years.

I first became involved with Astro Brain Tumour Fund in 2007, when I saw an article in the local paper about a sponsored walk being organised at Holkham Hall.  Previous to this in January 2006, my sister’s younger daughter, Gemma Barrett, was diagnosed with a low grade brain tumour.  This spurred us on to help raising as much cash as we could to help fund research.  Sadly, Gemma passed away in November 2010 after enduring her illness with great spirit, aged just 29.  In addition to this Robbie’s nephew, Ross Dagg, also passed away in 2014, from a brain tumour.

I am still highly motivated today in doing all I can to help raise money to fund more research into low grade brain tumours in order to find more effective treatments and, ultimately a cure, for this devastating disease.

Discover more of Mary’s story and her motivation for supporting Astro Brain Tumour Fund

Linda Rickford

I am married to Barry and we live in Cousldon in Surrey. I worked for many years at BBC Television in London and then for 25 years for Croydon Council, running a special needs playgroup for 8 years and then helping families in the community cope with the challenging behaviour of their young children – like ‘Supernanny’ on the TV (only not so well paid!).

Barry and I are now both retired.  This is just as well, as almost at the moment of Barry’s retirement our son David, aged 28, having already recovered from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, was diagnosed with a brain tumour and our world fell apart – again.  After David’s emergency surgery he needed full time, hands on care for several months. It was a most difficult time, and when David was discharged from the hospital we felt quite alone and abandoned. Barry and I were fortunate that we were both able to be at home to support him, and each other.   I looked for help, information and support online and I stumbled across the Astro Brain Tumour Fund website and joined the support group – one of the best things I could have done.

I feel passionate about the need to raise funds for vital research projects into low grade gliomas.  Also, David was misdiagnosed by our GP and by no less than 9 hospital doctors, and this only served to reinforce my passion about raising awareness and improving training programmes for the medical profession.  I think it is so important that those affected by brain tumours, be they patient, carer, parent, or spouse, should have a forum where they can seek support and information – and Astro Brain Tumour Fund supplies that forum.

Discover more of Linda’s story and her motivation for supporting Astro Brain Tumour Fund

Robbie Burton – Trustee

I live in a Holme next the sea in Norfolk and am married to Mary, treasurer and trustee of Astro Brain Tumour Fund.  I am now retired and enjoy growing vegetables and flowers in our large garden.

I have three daughters and eleven grandchildren ranging from 24 to 4 years old.

I first became aware of low grade brain tumours when Gemma, the younger daughter of Mary’s sister Ros, was diagnosed in 2006.  She sadly passed away in 2010, aged 29. Also, my nephew, Ross, was diagnosed with an LGG in 2006.  He tragically died in August, 2014 at the age of 28. Both were talented young people in the prime of their lives.

When I was offered a trustee post in 2016, I took the decision to take it, my aim being to assist Mary in organising the Norfolk Family Walk and other moneymaking events and projects, in order to raise money for vital research into this devastating disease.