Fundraise & Get Involved

We need to raise over £8 million every year to provide outstanding Hospice care to the local community. To get involved with our fundraising activities, design your own, or make a donation, use the information on this page.

Hospice Leadership Team

Hospice exterior building

Meet the team

Paul Madden, Care Director at Hospice in the Weald

Paul Madden

Director of Care Services

I'm an accredited Integrative Counsellor & Psychotherapist, and I've worked in various roles in healthcare settings for 20 years, from community groups to large London NHS hospitals. When I'm not working, I love listening to music and cooking; I'm an avid cinemagoer and enjoy long beach walks. I live with my husband and our ragdoll cat.

Jan Thirkettle

Jan Thirkettle

Director of Clinical Excellence

I have worked as a nurse in various roles in palliative care for 23 years and love this specialty. I moved to Kent when I married my husband and have two sets of twins who are now grown up and married with children of their own. My family and spending time being a Granny outside of work is most important to me. I love gardening, cooking, swimming and walking my Labrador.  

Alison

Alison Mitchell

Interim Director of Fundraising

I've spent over 20 years working for organisations including Cancer Research UK, Prostate Cancer UK, and British Heart Foundation. I love working with others with the shared ambition to raise funds making the best possible impact for the charity. I have lived in Sevenoaks most of my life, therefore it’s great to be working for a charity which has a local impact. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and travelling. .

Andrew Stott

Andrew Stott

Director of Operations

Having worked in various construction and facilities related roles and sectors across the country have settled and live in Tunbridge Wells with my two very active boys and their various small furry creatures, never a dull one! When you don’t find me completing the unfinished DIY jobs at home, I’ll be climbing up a rock face somewhere, contemplating, why is it that I started that last unfinished DIY job!

Sarah Winn

Sarah Winn

Finance Director

I have worked in finance for over 30 years, mostly in the commercial sector. I have two children and two large hairy dogs. I love spending time with my family and friends but I also enjoy running, playing netball, my role as assistant leader at one of our local scout groups and providing taxi services to my teenagers!

Graeme Armitage

Graeme Armitage

Director of People and Culture

As an HR professional, I have a wealth of experience of complex change management and organisational development programmes, improving HR performance, onboarding, staff engagement, and wellbeing. I enjoy spending time with my wife and two children, playing and watching most sports, and listening to music to overcome the chore of gardening!

Morag

Morag Harvey

Director of Transformation and Improvment (Interim)

I have been a registered adult nurse for over 36yrs, primarily practicing within the perioperative environment.
Throughout my career I have undertaken many operational and leadership roles as well as leading on large scale improvement and transformation programmes of work driven, by a passion for improving quality of care and services.

Away from work you will find me at the ballet or a musical and at lunch or dinner with friends!

Libby

Libby Basson

Interim Associate Director of Children and Young people

I am a dual qualified adult and children's nurse who has worked in various roles in paediatric critical care and palliative care throughout my career, most recently with children’s hospices. Away from work, I love the outdoors, both here and abroad in my home countries, Namibia and South Africa. I have a passion for gardening and cooking, and treasure precious time spent with family and friends across two continents.

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Dave Bland

Associate Director of Data and Insights

Having held positions in sport science, preventative healthcare, and clinic management in London, I have now settled back into Kent with my wife. I am happiest on a long walk in the sunshine with friends and family, earning that pub lunch at the end.

Kerry

Kerry Norman

Head of In-Patient Care

Originally from the West Country I have lived in Kent for 23 years and now live locally with my husband and a very fat cat called Boots. We have a grown-up daughter, Zoe. I have been fortunate to spend many years abroad and worked as a nurse in places as diverse as Bangladesh and the Caribbean. In my time off I like to cook, read, and occasionally get on my bike! If I hadn’t been a nurse, I would have liked to have been a stand-up comedian or a music hall star.

Steph Hall, Head of Living Well

Steph Hall

Head of Living Well

I have worked in the charity sector for over 14 years with a particular interest and experience in patient and carer engagement, service development and collaborative partnership working. I am passionate about championing holistic, personalised, and meaningful support for people and thoroughly enjoy helping people to achieve their potential. Outside of work I love spending time with my young family, reading, writing, keeping active, music and playing netball.

Jane

Jane Pantony

Head of Counselling and Support Service

Born and raised in Kent. I have 5 children, and numerous pets, so always a houseful. I have worked and volunteered in the charitable sector for over 25 years. Most important to me is spending time with my family, we love exploring and discovering a good tea shop! I also love words and their meaning, most favourite at the moment, are sonder and coddiwomple, I’ll leave you to find out their meaning.

Tracy Smith, Head of Service for Children and Young People

Tracy Smith

Head of Service for Children & Young People

A vocational paediatric nurse for over 20 years. Family is central to my life, and I am happiest when with my granddaughter, I enjoy organising events to spend time with family and friends. I relax in my garden tending to the plants or just with a good book on a sun lounger.

Sharon

Sharon Gills

Head of Retail

I started in Charity Retail nearly 20 years ago, starting off running my own shop and now we have over 30 shops. I am happily married with three grown up children, two granddaughters and a Labrador. In any spare time, I have, I love catching up with friends and family, having weekends away and enjoy scrapbooking.

Kieran Draper, Head of Communications

Kieran Draper

Head of Communications

Born in Pembury – works in Pembury, it’s as if I’ve never left. When I’m not drawing up our latest comms and marketing plans, I enjoy my downtime in the great outdoors, exploring rivers, forests, and footpaths. If I’m not there you’ll find me surrounded by cars or next to a rugby pitch, with a pint of something cold in my hand.

Chris Ashby

Chris Ashby

Head of Active Support

I have worked for the Hospice for 7 years, starting in our retail department before moving to the Active Support Department. Outside of work, I enjoy spending days and nights by a lake fishing for carp, running half marathons, marathons, and soon-to-be ultra marathons, or socialising with friends playing snooker or darts, but I enjoy nothing more than spending time with my wife and son.

Kaushala

Kaushala Karunanayake

Head of Finance

I have worked in accountancy for over 10 years, mainly assisting Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and Charities with accounts, audit & tax.
Having lived overseas and in London for many years I have recently moved to Kent with my family. Outside of work I enjoy reading, music and baking with my two boys where quite often we end up with unexpected creations.

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Patty Oparah

Interim Head of Safeguarding (all Ages)

I have worked as a nurse for over 30 years, and have been in safeguarding for over 20 years. Away from work I am married with four children, who are all now young adults, and two grandchildren. I love to spend time with my family and friends, and I enjoy cooking, walking, dancing, and praying.

Sarah

Sarah Bowes

Head of Public Fundraising

I’ve worked in fundraising for over a decade, at both national and local UK charities. As well as working at the Hospice, I’m a Trustee for a small local charity and really enjoy feeling connected to my community. Most important to me is spending time out in the fresh air with my horse, exploring local walks (pub lunch at the end always a bonus!) and travelling to visit family in France.