Former council comms chief to lead external affairs at health charity

Asthma + Lung UK has appointed council and housing communications expert Henry Gregg as director or external affairs.

He takes up the role this week at the charity, which was formed in 2020 from a merger of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation and rebranded as Asthma + Lung UK earlier this year.

His previous role was as director of strategy and culture at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

He has also worked at the London Borough of Newham as director of policy and communications and held senior communication roles at the National Housing Federation.

A priority for Gregg will be promoting the charity’s Fighting for Breath strategy to raise awareness of high rates of lung disease in the UK.

“I’m delighted to welcome Henry Gregg to Asthma + Lung UK, as we work together to embed our new strategy to improve diagnosis and care for people living with lung disease, challenge misconceptions about lung health and drive much-needed investment into research and innovation,” said the charity’s chief executive Sarah Woolnough.

Gregg added: “I’m excited and honoured to take the reins at this pivotal time for the charity and look forward to bringing my leadership experience and passion for the cause to make real change for the 12 million people in the UK who will develop a lung condition in their lifetime.”