Our People
Staff team
Contact Lisa: lisa.dove@stjohnscotland.org.uk
Contact Robert, robert.christie@stjohnscotland.org.uk
Contact Rachel: rachel.watson@stjohnscotland.org.uk
Contact Angus: angus.loudon@stjohnscotland.org.uk
Our Board
Simon retired in 2021 after 40 years of practice as a solicitor, specialising in charity law and succession planning.
After serving on the Scottish Government’s Charity Law Review Commission in 2000-2001, Simon’s involvement in charity law deepened as charity law in Scotland developed. Among other roles, he served on the executive of the Charity Law Association, chaired the Court of Directors of The Edinburgh Academy and the Scottish Episcopal Church Pension Fund, and was chairman of his firm Turcan Connell from 2015 to 2019.
He became Chancellor of the Order in Scotland in 2021 and became Prior and Chair of St John Scotland in June 2024.
Rev Neil Gardner MA BD was born and brought up in East Lothian and is a graduate of the Universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh. He served in the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department from 1991-1998 then became minister of Alyth in Perthshire before being inducted to Canongate Kirk, the Kirk of Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle, in 2006. St John’s House is also in his parish and he has been associated with the Order of St John for a number of years before being appointed Dean, and joining the Board of St John Scotland, in 2021.
Robert is a consultant ophthalmic surgeon working in Edinburgh. He grew up in Callander at the edge of the Trossachs, and studied at Oxford University and the University of London, qualifying as a doctor in 2010. He completed ophthalmic specialist training in Edinburgh, with fellowships at Cambridge and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London.
Robert has travelled to the St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem, and joined clinics in the West Bank. He is actively engaged in medical education, and participates in conferences and educational programmes with the doctors of the St John Eye Hospital Group. He joined the Board in 2023 as Hospitaller.
Roddy Neilson was born in Glasgow and attended Glasgow University graduating in medicine and training in haematology becoming a Consultant Haematologist at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. He was an army reservist and was the Commanding Officer of 205 (Scottish) Field Hospital. He served as an honorary physician to the Queen between 2019 and 2022.
Roddy has served as committee member and secretary of the Glasgow Area of St John and joined the Board in 2023 to provide medical support to its work in CPR and defibrillator provision.
Receiver-General
Trustee
Trustee
