Trustees
Dr Clare Wykes
Trustee
Bio
Clare is a Consultant Haematologist at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and treats patients with haematological cancers including lymphomas and leukaemias as well as seeing patients with general haematology problems and clotting disorders. She is the Thrombosis Lead in the Trust and Chair of the Thrombosis Committee and has a special interest in obstetric haematology. Clare was brought in Tunbridge Wells and lives locally with her young family.
Mike Wheatley
Trustee
Bio
Mike is a 20 year resident of Tunbridge Wells. He is an independent consultant supporting and advising a range of companies in managing significant Change Programmes. He was previously a director of consultancy company Bestoutcome and before that worked for 12 years at the BBC where, amongst other roles, he was Head of Technology for Network Television. His early career was spent working in software development – notably on oilfields in Alaska and the North Sea and subsequently as a Project Management Consultant for management consultancy Deloitte Haskins and Sells.
Tim Rolfe
Trustee
Bio
Tim is the former Group Human Resources Director for Prudential plc, the multinational financial services group. He previously worked at RSA Insurance Group and prior to that in Human Resource consulting at Ernst & Young. He is a solicitor by background and worked in private practice after qualification. He moved to Kent in 2000 and lives in Speldhurst with his wife and two daughters.
Susan Pinkney
Trustee
Bio
Susan has over 20 years experience working in market and social research in both Edinburgh and London. Through this she has helped provide insight to a number of charities on the local, national and international level. Since 2016 she has been the Head of Research at the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) where she is on the senior leadership team. In this role she is responsible for CAF’s research outputs which help inform the charity world and beyond. Originally from Edinburgh, Susan has lived in Tunbridge Wells since early 2016.
Simon Lee
Chairman
Bio
Simon is Senior International Advisor to Fairfax Financial and a Non-Executive Director of Brit Insurance, Advent Insurance and TIA Technology. He is Chairman of Osirium Technologies PLC and he sits on the Global Advisory Board of Afiniti Inc. He was previously Group Chief Executive of RSA Insurance and prior to that was Chief Executive, International at RSA. His early career was spent in a variety of different assignments in the UK and US with NatWest Group. He grew up in Tonbridge and moved back to the area with his family in 1998.
Christine Freshwater
Trustee
Bio
Christine is a chartered accountant who worked in professional practice for many years and was managing partner of a substantial accountancy practice. She now runs her own consultancy business. Much of her work is in the not for profit sector advising charities on strategy, merger and business improvement generally. Christine has been chair of YWCA and a non executive with Bromley NHS Hospitals and the National Audit Office.
Joanna Ford
Trustee
Bio
Jo is a managing associate at Cripps LLP, specialising in commercial disputes and restructuring & insolvency. She has 15 years’ experience and worked in the City before joining Cripps in 2010. She provides pragmatic commercial advice on a wide range of contentious matters to businesses and individuals, including restructuring & insolvency, intellectual property, and IT & technology contracts. Jo has lived with her family in Tunbridge Wells since 2006.
Prof. Julia Downing
Trustee
Bio
Prof. Downing is an experienced palliative care nurse, educationalist and researcher and has extensive experience in speaking and writing for publication. She is an Honorary Professor in Palliative Care at Makerere University, Kampala and has an honorary post at Kings College, London. She works as an International Palliative Care Consultant. Julia has worked internationally, with a particular focus on Africa for the past 12 years and has experience in serving on the Boards of several international NGOs. She was brought up in Kent and is now based back in the area. Prof. Downing chairs the Hospice Clinical Governance Committee.
Dr Nick Benson
Trustee
Bio
After an initial degree in Biochemistry Nick studied Medicine at Kings College Hospital. He then joined the GP vocational training scheme in Tunbridge Wells. After completing this Nick worked in Australia and New Zealand and then became a Partner at the Clanricarde Medical Centre where he was a full time GP for 30 years – retiring in 2013. He has a Diploma in Occupational Medicine, Diploma in Child Health, Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He is a Member of Royal College of General Practitioners. Nick is married to Deborah, who was also was a Partner at Clanricarde, and has two grown up children, one who is a GP in Gloucestershire and one a Biology teacher at a local Grammar school. Nick enjoys various sports, walking and opera.
