Autism

I always thought that when I retired from full time work, I’d have lots of time to enjoy myself, of course, but also take up some opportunities to contribute to the work of some of the fantastic organisations on my doorstep in Sussex. Life took a different turn when my husband John had a major stroke while we were on holiday in Wales, just a few months into my retirement. I’m now a registered carer, grateful for the support and resources available through Carers Support West Sussex, but also intent on continuing to contribute and enjoy life.

I’ve spent my life working in health and social care services with a strong emphasis on volunteering as a way to get things done and make sometimes radical changes to improve services. I’ve enjoyed director roles in UK wide charitable organisations with hundreds of staff and thousands of volunteers and latterly was a hospice chief executive. Supporting families and carers through illness, death and into a different future is a particular focus for me.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to join the talented and experienced board of trustees, staff and volunteers of Carers Support West Sussex and look forward to being able to learn from them as well as share some ideas of my own.

I am a resident of West Sussex and live with my elderly parents. As a carer, I wanted to support Carers Support West Sussex as a Trustee since I appreciate the joys and challenges that caring can bring and how the right support can make all the difference.

I am a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). In my professional life I have focused mostly on internal audit, risk management, governance and controls, largely in the Financial Services sector both in the UK and overseas. I have also worked for a charity supporting the homeless in East London. I am currently a Trustee and Treasurer for CancerWise, a local charity based in Chichester which supports adults and children living with cancer by providing counselling, support group, social and complementary therapy services. It is very rewarding to see the difference this can make for people on an often difficult journey.

I have also spent many years volunteering with a charity to take children and adults living with disabilities on holiday to France, providing one-on-one care for them and giving families some respite back at home. This gave me a real appreciation for carers and it has been a truly formative and life-enhancing experience for me.

I love living in West Sussex and enjoying everything the county has to offer. I am really delighted to have the opportunity to join Carers Support West Sussex, and I am looking forward to contributing to their valuable work in any way that I can.

I am an experienced IT professional with over three decades of diverse experience in both enterprise and SME organisations within Finance, Technology and Professional Service sectors. I am used to working with complex systems to deliver business objectives, ensuring business outcomes, and driving innovation and efficiencies. As a business strategist, I am excited about what we can achieve in Carers Support West Sussex and the difference we can make to the lives of unpaid carers.

My goal is to make sure that we do that safely and effectively for everyone. Three out of five us will at some time be an unpaid carer and my role as a Trustee is to support the Charity to make a difference to those people.

I am excited to have joined a dedicated and compassionate team.

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I enjoy cycling and skiing when I can, am a keen sports fan and enjoy following cricket, football, rugby and motor sports.

I am a member of the Board of Trustees which is responsible for ensuring that the charity operates properly and effectively. I take a lead on financial aspects of the charity on behalf of the other board of trustees.

The role and positive impact of unpaid carers is huge but largely hidden from view. I believe CSWS has a critical role in supporting carers; giving them a strong voice and influencing how services for carers are designed and run. Like many families, mine has carers looking after elderly relatives with dementia, long-term conditions and life-limiting illnesses. I have worked for the NHS for over 30 years and held several senior finance posts across London, Kent and Sussex.

I enjoy watching sport, paddle boarding, gardening and reading golden-age crime novels.

I became a Trustee in 2021 as I wanted to support a charity benefitting my local community, whilst also supporting a cause very close to my heart.

I am an informal carer for family members affected by learning disabilities and dementia, and have many friends in unpaid caring roles, so I’m very aware of the important contribution unpaid carers make, and their need for support in their caring roles. I have over 20 years’ senior leadership experience in the charity sector and bring significant experience of governance, compliance, HR, finance, safeguarding and diversity, and equity and inclusion.

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with family and friends, making the most of the nearby coast or walking in the South Downs.

I am a professional educationalist lead for autism, championing health, education, social care, employment and transport issues in Ehlers-Danlos.

I was delighted to be asked to join the charity because I was medically-retired and felt my years of caring, plus my advocacy, meant I could offer the charity input as an autistic parent and adult, and represent and help many other autistic and neurodivergent, chronically ill/disabled carers of young and old alike.

Other roles I have had include Prof. Autism Educationalist Ex. Assistant Head, Trustee with other charities, and serving on co-production steering group Social Care Institute for Excellence (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Board).

I was delighted to join the team at CSWS in 2018, having known the Charity for a number of years, and admired and respected the work which they do. I became Vice-Chairman in 2021.

My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease at around the time that I joined, and I have since become a registered carer for him.

My family business is in Funeral directing, another caring profession and I hold a non-executive role. My career has been spent in local politics and public service. I held a variety of roles across all tiers of local government with a primary interest in health and social care, in which I hold a professional qualification. I also served as Chairman of an NHS Trust and worked with a range of charities and voluntary organisations.

I joined the charity in 2016 to use my Board and management expertise and skills to give something back to society.

I ensure there is a clear purpose, vision, strategy for, and proper governance of, the charity. My wife and I have been voluntary helpers and befrienders for elderly vulnerable people in the community for many years – making regular visits and phone calls, helping with errands and shopping, and trying to alleviate loneliness during lockdown.

This has been rewarding and life-enhancing for me. I have held senior Group HR Director roles at The Rank Organisation, Gala Coral Group, Inspiring Learning, and other organisations. I moved into HR Consultancy and Executive Coaching in 2009 and ensure a proportion of my work is in the Third sector. I am a Trustee Board Director of two FTSE Pension Schemes, Chair of a Gibraltar Pension scheme and a Trustee Director of the Russell Martin Foundation – a local charity positively impacting children and young people’s lives through football, education, health, and improvement.

I live in Kemp Town with my wife, have two grown up children, three grandchildren and am a keen animator, cyclist, and Harlequins Rugby FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC supporter.

I lead and work with wonderful staff, volunteers and Trustees. My mum, in Cumbria, lives with dementia, so I know the rewards and challenges of caring. This makes me determined we make things easier for unpaid carers in this glorious County.

I have had CEO roles with two Age UKs, a County Mental Health Charity and a Sight Advice Charity. I started my career as a nurse, moved into NHS management and have had two Matron roles for care homes.

I live with my partner, and our dog and two cats. I’ve got three adult children. My dancing and singing were interrupted by the pandemic. I’ll get back to these soon.

I trained and worked as a nurse in Brighton and after time off to bring up my family, I returned to work in a charity as a volunteer and then managed carer support teams across multiple counties and boroughs before working here at Carers Support.

Knowing our work makes a real difference to friend and family carers across the county is particularly important to me.

My children, grandson and husband, my three dogs, and cat are important parts of my life. I enjoy music and theatre. I love travelling and visiting cities, especially in Italy.