Live ChatThe policy and general management of the Forces Additional Needs & Disability Forum (FANDF) is directed by the Full Members Committee. The FANDF Committee consists of 13 committee members, including the Chair and Vice-chair.
The Full Members Committee, where possible, consists of:
- At least one representative from each of the single Services.
- An overseas representative.
- Regular or reserve serving personnel or immediate family member who has an additional need and/or disability themselves.
- Regular or reserve serving personnel who has an immediate family member with additional needs and/or disability.
- An immediate family member of regular or reserve serving personnel with an immediate family member with additional needs and/or disability.
- A young adult over the age of 18 with an additional need and/or disability.
New Members:
The FANDF Full Members Committee are continuing to seek new Full Committee Members and would like to welcome anybody interested to complete the Full Members Committee interest form or email CS.ANDA@ssafa.org.uk to arrange a discussion with the Chair and Vice-Chair about the roles and responsibilities of the Full Members Committee.
Any interested applicants should review the FANDF Terms of Reference for a full overview of roles and responsibilities and the Full Members Committee recruitment process.
Chair - Jo Gordon
Jo Gordon was elected as FANDF Chair in June 2024. Jo has been an Army wife for 28 years so far, she has two children aged 27 and 24. Her son has rare Chromosome abnormalities that result in him needing round the clock care and support. Over the past 24 years Jo and her family have been met with many challenges from areas including healthcare, education and local authorities. Mix this into the melting pot of military family life and they have been on quite the adventure so far. Jo hopes to draw upon this life experience to listen and support our FANDF members in their own challenging periods and to continually bring to the fore what is needed by serving families to be able to implement change. Jo joined the FANDF committee in 2020.
Vice Chair - Karen Ross
Karen Ross has been a member of the Forces Additional Needs and Disability Forum (FANDF) Committee for several years. She has seen the FANDF evolve and develop its wider stakeholder involvement, with maintaining a strong focus on supporting Armed Forces families with additional needs and disability.
Karen is also an adult with paraplegia and is an essential wheelchair user. Before she became a paraplegic, she was a nurse and midwife, having worked in the NHS and overseas as well as serving in the QARANC. She is married to a serving Army Officer and has two adult children.
Karen also works for the Army Families Federation as their Health and Additional Needs Specialist.
Committee Member - Emma Hughes
WO2 Emma Hughes, currently serving with the Royal Military Police in Upavon is a mother to 2 boys, Oakley aged 9 and Chester aged 6. When Chester was born he suffered from a blocked bowel requiring emergency surgery, he was later diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, a complex condition affecting the lungs and digestive system.
Emma has been a member of the FANDF committee since 2017 when she was struggling to adapt to life as a serving soldier with a chronically sick child. She is passionate about helping shape MOD policy to help those juggling complex medical conditions with Service life for both the serving personnel and their families.
Committee Member - Mick Mayes
Mick Mayes has been in the Army for over 35 years. He is employed in a Senior Soldier Continuity Post (SSCP) and is currently assigned in a unit welfare office in a Tri-service location. His daughter is diagnosed with high functioning autism. Mick Joined the committee in 2020.
Committee Member - Michelle Earnshaw
Michelle Earnshaw, an Army veteran, is married to Mark who is now a reservist officer currently working with NATO. They have two sons, Matthew and Alexander. Alexander was diagnosed as being Dyslexic and Dysgraphic in 2013 and was subsequently diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism in 2014. Michelle became a member of the FANDF after the boys attended the SSAFA short breaks, from which the family have benefited enormously, and joined the committee after attending the conference in 2014.
Whilst Vice-Chair of the FANDF Committee, Michelle undertook the 30th Anniversary survey in 2019 and was the author of the Families Fighting On report, presenting the findings directly to the MOD and other key organisations at the launch event in January 2020.
Committee Member - Noreen Hamnett
Noreen Hamnett is a MOD civil servant and military spouse who joined the committee in 2017, she has three children and three grandchildren. Accompanying her husband on an overseas posting gave her the opportunity to take a moment of self-reflection and the decision to invest more time on herself. One promise she made was to visit an EP who diagnosed Noreen with dyslexia in 2019 at the age of 43. The result came as a shock, but not a surprise.
Committee Member - Hannah Illingworth
Hannah Illingworth runs her own business providing Business Management/Operations Support to other small businesses. Her husband is a serving Army Officer and she is also an Army Reservist of 30 years, currently with the Royal Anglian Regiment. Two of her three children have a diagnosis of Autism so Hannah joined the FANDF committee in 2017 as she wanted to help give families like hers a voice. She is responsible for managing the FANDF social media pages’
Committee Member - Alison Bowie
Alison Bowie has been a FANDF committee member since 2015, having previously benefitted from the short breaks service and seen how SSAFA and FANDF contribute to improving the life of Service personnel and families affected by chronic illness or additional needs. Her two sons have varying levels of disability. Her older son is profoundly autistic and her younger son has a genetic abnormality that causes developmental and behavioural difficulties.
Alison is a full time Mum and carer, as well as a trustee of Portsmouth charity “Enable Ability”. She is looking forward to seeing how FANDF can represent Forces families and drive change in policy.
Committee Member - Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Hall
Lt Col Andrea Hall stumbled across FANDF by accident, despite being the spouse of a disabled immediate family member for a number of years. Whilst she was very happy to be a member of the Forum (and joined immediately), she felt that she could do more to positively influence the lives of others affected by disabilities and with additional needs. She joined the committee in 2024.
With experience of life serving in the Forces both before and after her husband suffered his accident, she has good and bad experiences of the support provided to him (and her) in their journey over the last 12 years. Coupled with more than 35 years’ experience as both soldier and officer, and with a background in personnel support, she wanted to get more involved and help spread the word of the great work conducted by FANDF.