Arthritis Research Campaign (arc) becomes Arthritis Research UK

There are more than ten million people in the UK with some form of arthritis and yet the level of awareness and understanding of the condition amongst the general public - and the profile of our charity and our work - remain very low.

We are committed to changing this. Becoming Arthritis Research UK is part of a strategy designed to raise the profile of arthritis as a national concern that needs serious and immediate attention. We are re-launching the fight against arthritis in the UK and have developed an ambitious set of goals. Our vision is “a future free from arthritis”.

As the leading arthritis research charity in the UK we have achieved a lot and have a lot to be proud of. However, the burden of disease remains massive and is growing. Meanwhile medical research and the charity sector are changing rapidly. We owe it to the people we represent to make sure we achieve more and maximise the impact of everything we do.

Historically, we have been relatively passive in speaking about the important issues that matter to arthritis sufferers. As we grow you will see us becoming more proactive raising these issues with government, the medical profession and other stakeholders.

You will see a much more dynamic organisation emerging over the next few years, much more proactive and vocal. We will be funding more and building up our leadership role in research. To support this we will be rapidly building up our fundraising activities.

We hope you'll get involved with Arthritis Research UK's work in whatever way you can so that, together, we can take away the pain from millions of people in the UK and worldwide.

Liam O'Toole
Chief Executive Officer, Arthritis Research UK