Trustees and CEO

I’m absolutely delighted to join Age UK Surrey and its team of dedicated staff and volunteers providing such a breadth of advice and support across our communities.

I look forward to building on the legacy of my predecessor, Sue Zirps; to increasing our reach and to developing further innovative services which focus on meeting local need.

I join Age UK Surrey with wide experience of senior roles within the charity sector - as a Chief Executive of several charities, as a Trustee of both local and national organisations and as a Consultant specialising in strategy and fundraising.

I live close to Petworth in West Sussex with my husband, three children and two dogs.

I worked in the chemical industry in various roles including general management of a UK subsidiary of an international chemical company. After early retirement, I became a trustee and then chair a local Age Concern before joining the Board of Age UK Surrey 10 years ago where I have been chair for 5 years.

For the past 37 years I have also been on the leadership team of a local independent church and for much of that time I had special responsibility, together with my wife, for supporting older people in the church and local community.

I have lived in Surrey all my life.  When my children were small I was a volunteer at the Citizens Advice Bureau. During my working life, I worked as a  lawyer specialising in divorce, family and child protection.  I worked for several local firms and local authorities around the country. I have represented both parents and local authorities in court. I have also advised adult social services departments.

Since retirement, I have joined the Board of the Friends of Guildford Cathedral, a charity which makes grants to the cathedral from the Friends.  I am also chair of governors of Kingfield Primary School in Woking and their designated safeguarding governor.  I joined the Board of Age UK Surrey in 2020 and have a particular interest in the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. 

In September 2023 I retired after a 40-year career in the civil service and the wider public sector. Most recently I was the Chief Financial Officer of a 31-school multi-academy trust based in Kent. I previously had a wide variety of finance-based roles in the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Education. I have lived in Surrey since 2010 and I joined the board of Age UK Surrey in August 2023 as honorary treasurer.

My wife and I have five grandchildren and very much enjoy spending time with them. I am a lifelong supporter of Leeds United Football Club and travel to see them play as much as I can. I am also a keen follower of cricket, rugby and horse racing - watching, not participating these days! 

Now that I have some free time, I am thoroughly enjoying helping the AUKS team as much as I can, with a particular focus on financial oversight.

I am recently retired, after a 35-year career in the software industry, specialising in data & analytics, digital marketing and privacy/GDPR.

I am particularly keen to use my background and experience to help charities as a digital trustee, as well as getting involved in technical and financial advocacy/advice. I currently volunteer for a number of charities, including the RSPCA (Temporary Trustee) and SERV Surrey & London (Blood Bikes). I am also actively involved in local youth football at league and club level, after coaching my two sons from a young age.

Brought up in Manchester, I have lived in Surrey since 1996. I have been a season-ticket holder at Manchester City for many years, so spend most of my weekends on the M6.

I have been a trustee of Age UK Surrey since February 2024.

Born and educated in Surrey, I have lived in Runnymede and Woking for over 40 years. I have led a successful career in global enterprise software and became a full-time carer for my dear parents in 2023. I am proud to work part-time at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust in Guildford as a Patient Safety Partner.

The mission of Age UK Surrey is something at the centre of my everyday lived experience as a carer and I am passionate about making a difference for older people in Surrey. 

I am a Registered Nurse who over the last 37 years has worked in both the NHS and Independent sector. I have a particular interest in the care of older people and enabling people to live as independently for as long as possible.

I became a Trustee of Age UK Surrey in September 2022.