Epilepsy Action

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title: "Epilepsy Action" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["epilepsy-organizations", "health-charities-in-the-united-kingdom", "organizations-established-in-1950", "charities-based-in-west-yorkshire", "health-in-yorkshire"] description: "British charitable organisation" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epilepsy_Action" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary British charitable organisation ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox organisation"]

Field	Value
name	Epilepsy Action
services	Epilepsy advice and information
website
formation
type	Charitable organisation
registration_id	234343
headquarters	Yeadon, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
coords
membership	7,494
membership_year	2023
leader_title	President
leader_name	Margaret Ford, Baroness Ford
leader_title2	Chair
leader_name2	Jane Riley
leader_title3	Chief executive
leader_name3	Rebekah Smith
revenue	£2.77m
revenue_year	2023
staff	75
staff_year	2023
founder	Lady Cynthia Colville
former name	British Epilepsy Association (1950-2002)
::

| name = Epilepsy Action | services = Epilepsy advice and information | website = | formation = | type = Charitable organisation | registration_id = 234343 | headquarters = Yeadon, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | coords = | membership = 7,494 | membership_year = 2023 | leader_title = President | leader_name = Margaret Ford, Baroness Ford | leader_title2 = Chair | leader_name2 = Jane Riley | leader_title3 = Chief executive | leader_name3 = Rebekah Smith | revenue = £2.77m | revenue_year = 2023 | staff = 75 | staff_year = 2023 | founder = Lady Cynthia Colville | former name = British Epilepsy Association (1950-2002) Epilepsy Action is a UK-based charity dedicated to supporting people with epilepsy, raising awareness, and campaigning for better services and treatment for individuals affected by the condition. Founded in 1950, the charity provides information, resources, and services to help people with epilepsy live their lives with confidence and dignity.

Mission

Epilepsy Action’s mission is to create a world without limits for people with epilepsy. The charity aims to improve the lives of people living with epilepsy through advocacy, education, and community engagement. Their core belief is that no one should be limited by their condition, and they work tirelessly to reduce stigma and improve public understanding of epilepsy.

Vision for 2030

By 2030, Epilepsy Action envisions a future where:

1. Every person with epilepsy in the UK feels that their life has improved through the work the charity achieves with them and for them.
2. Epilepsy is widely understood, with the general public knowing what epilepsy is, how to support those living with the condition, and how to help fight the stigma surrounding it.
3. Epilepsy Action is fully inclusive in all aspects of its work, ensuring that everyone — regardless of background, age, or circumstance — has access to the support, information, and services they need.

Core Services

Epilepsy Action offers a wide range of services to support people with epilepsy:

• Information & Advice: The charity provides free, accessible information on managing epilepsy, available treatments, and legal rights.
• Support: Through helplines, online resources, support groups and befriending, Epilepsy Action offers emotional and practical assistance to people living with epilepsy and their families.
• Campaigning & Advocacy: Epilepsy Action campaigns for policy changes and better services for those with epilepsy, with a focus on health, education, and employment.
• Training & Education: The charity provides training to healthcare professionals, employers, and schools to help them support people with epilepsy more effectively.

Campaigns & Awareness

Epilepsy Action runs a range of campaigns aimed at raising awareness about epilepsy and breaking down the stigma often associated with the condition. These initiatives engage the public and provide better education on how epilepsy affects millions of people worldwide. Notable campaigns include:

• Purple Day: The international day of epilepsy awareness, when individuals and organizations around the world wear purple and take part in a range of activities to raise funds to increase awareness of epilepsy.
• Doodle Day: A unique fundraising event where participants create and submit their own doodles, which are then auctioned to raise money for Epilepsy Action so they can continue to support people with epilepsy. It’s a creative way to engage the public in supporting the epilepsy community.
• International Epilepsy Week: A week dedicated to raising global awareness of epilepsy, with events, educational activities, and initiatives aimed at increasing understanding, improving treatment, and eliminating stigma. Epilepsy Action actively participates in this week through public events, and social media campaigns.

These campaigns are vital in Epilepsy Action’s mission to reduce stigma, increase understanding, and improve the quality of life for those living with epilepsy.

Achievements

The charity has received international media coverage on a number of occasions due to its work in highlighting bad practice in online videos in relation to photosensitive epilepsy.

• In 2007, it claimed that 30 people had seizures as a result of a segment of animated footage commissioned by the organising committee of the London 2012 Summer Olympics to promote its logo.
• In 2011, Epilepsy Action highlighted issues with the video for the Kanye West song "All of the Lights". Tests of the video showed that it failed the flashing images guidelines set down by UK broadcasting watchdog Ofcom and so was likely to trigger a seizure in someone with photosensitive epilepsy. A warning was placed on YouTube for people watching the video on its website.
• In 2015, it highlighted the presence of advertisements with flashing content that were posted on Vine by Twitter. The Advertising Standards Authority confirmed that Twitter were in breach of its guidelines.

References

References

1. "Epilepsy Action History Wall 1950-2010". Epilepsy Action.
2. {{EW charity. 234343. British Epilepsy Association
3. "TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023". Epilepsy Action.
4. "Council of Management".
5. "Council of management, updates from council meeting 4 February 2025".
6. Bond, David. (13 June 2007). "Olympics inquiry into logo-launch seizures".
7. (6 June 2007). "London 2012 Olympics withdraw film after seizures". Epilepsy Action.
8. (25 February 2011). "'Kanye West's 'All Of The Lights' Video Gets Epilepsy Warning'". [[MTV News]].
9. (10 July 2015). "'Epilepsy charity criticises Twitter for flashing ads'". [[BBC News]].

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::