Charity
 | I was delighted to have been appointed as Chair of Trustees at Tyne Rivers Trust in May 2020. The Tyne Rivers Trust is the only independent environmental charity dedicated to improving the Tyne Catchment. We work to protect and enhance the River Tyne and it’s tributaries, so they are healthy, biodiverse, and an asset for present and future generations. |
 | I joined CHUF as a Trustee in 2007, became the Honorary Secretary to the Trustee Board in 2008 and Chair of Trustees in 2013. During my leadership CHUF developed as a charitable organisation - high profile patrons were enlisted, the board became more diverse, governance procedures updated and additional fundraising staff employed. As a consequence CHUF became a CIO,tripled its income to £1m per annum, was able to build Scott House for parents to stay, provided state of the art medical technology, not only to Freeman Hospital but to other hospitals thoroughout the region. Services were funded to provide psychological and social support for children and families. These achievements were recognised in 2015 when CHUF was accorded the North East Charity of the Year award and I was shortlisted for Charity Leader of the Year. |
 | I was a founding member of the PHTS Foundation and Board Member 2010-2013. The Foundation is based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. The purpose of the charity was to support the Pediatric Heart Transplant Society (PHTS) which is dedicated to encourage and stimulate basic and clinical research in the field of pediatric heart transplantation, and to promote new therapeutic strategies. The PHTS hosts a registry of heart transplant patients in North America, UK and Brazil and needed a more sustainable financial model developing. As a board we moved to a mixed funding through dues from the individual participating centers and fundraising events. The Foundation is thriving and the Registry continues to be a valuable resource for transplant professionals and support groups. |