Patrons
of The Sara Lee Trust
Professor Karol Sikora MA, MBBCh, PhD, FRCR, FRCP, FFPPM
“Support
from organisations like the Sara Lee Centre is for many people a vital
component of being healed. There is much we have to learn about the best way to
treat cancer but there is no doubt that this approach can be very beneficial." Professor Karol
Sikora
Jo Brand,Comedian
"I’m really proud to support the Sara Lee Trust who do a wonderful job.”
The
Board of Trustees for The Sara Lee Trust
New Trustees are always considered and if you would like to join our team then please contact our Chief Executive, Dan Redsull (danredsull@saraleetrust.org).
Any skills are appreciated, although we are keen to hear from people with the following:
Chairman of the Sara Lee Trust
Michael Lear
"I feel honoured to be
the Chairman again of the Sara Lee Trust, a role I held for 2 years from 2013.
The work of our therapists, staff, volunteers and my fellow Trustees inspires
me in leading the charity into the future, building upon the hard work and
achievements of all those who have put their time, energy and commitment to
such great effect since its establishment in 1996, in the memory of Sara
Lee. I have been a Trustee since 2007, the year in which I became Vice
Chair. In 2011 we established the Trust's Trading Company, which I also
chair.
The Sara Lee Trust
invited me to become a Trustee in order to utilise my skills and experience in
business and charity fundraising. I have lived in the Hastings and Rother
area since childhood, and trained as an architect, before working in the
construction industry for many years. I established successful property
development companies at the beginning of this century.
My goal as Chair of the Sara Lee Trust and of the Trading Company is to ensure the long-term viability of this impressive charity, enabling the therapists and counsellors to continue their wonderful work enhancing the lives of those who struggle with life threatening illnesses."
Vice Chairman of the Sara Lee Trust
Pat Driver
"During a varied working life, I enjoyed a long stint as a news broadcaster on Bahrain TV and Radio Bahrain until 1984 before returning to the UK and family life in London. My appointment as a fundraiser for St John Ambulance in 1992 saw the start of a 20-year career encompassing the full range of fundraising disciplines. I was appointed Head of Fundraising at English Heritage in 2000. There, I worked on projects at some of England's most iconic historic sites, before retiring in 2011. I relished the opportunity to work on capital campaigns such as the restoration of the historic Chiswick House Gardens, to cultivate major gifts and to conceive and deliver high-profile special events. I am proud to have been appointed as a Trustee of the Sara Lee Trust and to take my place with such a talented and committed team of trustees, staff and volunteers, whose efforts are helping every day to support local people in need of our services."
Trustees for the Sara Lee Trust
Annie Cryar
"As
a local complementary therapist, Qigong and Yoga teacher I knew about the work
of the Sara Lee Trust. I am also a friend of Deborah Kelly, the wonderful
facilitator of the Sanctuary and Natural Rhythm days; for a while, Deborah and
I ran workshops together in which we explored Shiatsu, meditation and creative
arts. When my sister, Joanne was diagnosed with cancer she took full advantage
of the therapies, counselling and days of space and peace offered by the Trust.
Even now, seven years after her death, words cannot express the depth of the
level of the support she received, and what a difference it made to her life
and to her death. Becoming a Trustee connects me to her, allows me to give a
little something back and sends a message to all those people who have helped,
from the person in the street who buys a raffle ticket to the therapists,
founders, fund raisers and managers, that their work is truly and deeply
significant and appreciated."
Cynthia Chaloner
"Hastings
is my home and I have seen how the Sara Lee Trust has grown. Having trained as
a hairdresser, my interest in health and holistic therapies grew and I have
taken courses in different therapies and seen the benefits of them to people,
also within my own family. As I am not practicing now, my aim is to help the
Sara Lee Trust reach out to the wider community."
Debbie Hargreaves FCA
"I
am a practising Chartered Accountant and have been working at Sellens French
since 2001, where I became a partner in early 2007. After studying at Kingston
University I was fortunate enough to find a training position in Hastings, my
home town, which led to my current position. Whilst at University, I worked
within my family's business which taught me valuable people skills and work
ethics, which have helped my career immensly. I have worked with a large number
of clients from different industries and enjoy the variety of work that I have
and continue to have been involved in. Becoming a trustee of The Sara Lee Trust
has been a rewarding challenge and my experience as an accountant has been put
to great use within the Trust, which I will continue to do as long as the Trust
requires me to do so."
Graham Rushbrook FRSPH, CSS, AASW
“I
am a qualified social worker with experience in both safeguarding and mental
health. More recently I worked in the public health system in the NHS leaving a
Director post to set up in private practice as a public health specialist. My
work has covered the NHS, parish, districts and county councils as well as
metropolitan boroughs in London, Birmingham and Manchester. I spent two years
at the Department of Health where I supported the development of the health
trainer programme and managed the programme latterly in the London and South
East regions. I am a fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health where I lead
the awards programme and provide developmental support. I am a core member of
the NICE Public Health Advisory Committee. I live in Sedlescombe and have a
house in France which is my biggest project management test to date. I was drawn to the trustee role as I have
family and friends living locally who had spoken highly of the work the Trust
delivers and I was impressed by the very close relationship between the ethos,
practice and management of the trust."
Jonathan Midgley
Jonathan
Midgley is a solicitor and partner at Gaby Hardwicke who specialises in
property and private client matters. His late father John Midgley was an
earlier Trustee and helped the legal set up of the charity.
Nicky Histed Chartered MCIPD
“I am a Chartered member of the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) and currently run my own HR consultancy business People Hub HR Ltd. Prior to this I was an Accounts & HR Manager working within a company employing over 200 staff. I have extensive experience in dealing with the bigger picture regarding business activities ranging from company accounts and payroll to providing a Generalist and Strategic approach to HR. I have lived in Hastings most of my life attending both Primary and Secondary schools locally. I am an active member of the local business community. In becoming a trustee of The Sara Lee Trust I hope to add value in my area of expertise and help facilitate the Trust’s growth in order to ensure its continued valuable and very necessary contribution to the local community.”
Sally Lee MBE
"As Sara’s mother and a founder of the Sara Lee Trust I feel enormously proud that what was and still is a terrible tragedy in our family life has been turned into something as positive as the service the Trust gives. My daughter always felt that there should be a centre where people suffering from cancer and other life threatening diseases could access complementary therapies and counselling, free of charge. We have in some measure achieved this, with the help of our Trustees, staff, therapists and volunteers. There have been so many people during the past seventeen years who have given so much of their time, talents, energy and love to work for the Trust. I continue to serve as a Trustee and look forward to working with my fellow Trustees to bring more of our services to help people like Sara."
Veronica Goddard
"I
am a retired Registered Nurse, having a background in various specialities,
culminating in working in Palliative care for the last 20 years of a 45 year
nursing career. During my time as the first Matron of St Michael’s Hospice, I
worked with Dr Jeremy Lee, and was involved with him and Mrs Sally Lee during
the formation of the Sara Lee Trust, and have been involved continuously since
then. I am able to bring not only my professional background to the Trust, but
also personal experience as a service user, as my previous husband and I were
so wonderfully supported during his final weeks of life."
Vicki Duffey
"I grew up in Hastings and due to serious illness was fortunate to experience first hand the work of the Sara Lee Trust, receiving therapy and holistic treatments throughout an extended convalescence which I felt were one of the key factors in being able to make a full recovery. Now I am in better health I am looking forward to making a positive contribution to the work of the Trust and feel that my wide range of professional experience - firstly in the Civil service and later running my own business - has been an excellent preparation for such an endeavour. In my previous working life I was employed as an organisational business planner within the civil service specialising in risk management and change programme initiatives, focussing on developing governance systems to monitor and maintain business objectives in line with organisational goals and reviewing and monitoring performance against these. I qualified as a risk assessor and am fully conversant with prince project management principles. Since 2007, I have owned and run my own business - Bullet Coffee House in Robertson Street - which has embedded me deeply in the local community, particularly through Bullet’s commitment to providing affordable healthy vegetarian, gluten free and vegan foods for our predominantly local customer base."
If you would like to get in touch with any of our trustees, please email info@saraleetrust.org.
