Hospice Trustees

Members of Council:

Patron Mr Ian Puleston-Davies became a Hospice Patron in 2011.  He is a member of the  Coronation Street cast and his celebrity status has helped to raise the Hospice profile further.

Chairman Mr Malcolm Booker has been the Chairman since 2011 and will continue in this role until September 2014 at which point he will be hand over to Deputy Chair Marion Needham. Malcolm has been a Hospice Trustee for 15 years and previously a member of the Hospice Development Trust.  He has just retired after 38 years with NatWest and is looking forward to playing more golf, sorting out the garden and bringing has house up to date with his wife.

Malcolm’s main role is to support the Chief Executive and the Senior Management Team to ensure that the Hospice continues to offer the highest standard of care to patients and that Hospice staff can enjoy as good working conditions as possible. Malcolm is fortunate to have a strong Trustee team behind him who have a wide range of experiences and collectively provide good advice and ideas.

Deputy Chairman Mrs M Needham

Treasurer Ms Catherine Carter Trustee Treasurer since September 2009 and Chair of the Finance & Investment Committee and member of the Human Resources Committee. Has 26 years of auditing and accounting experience, working in both the private and public sector and employed as a management accountant at the University of Chester since May 2006. Prior to moving to Chester in 2005, held the post as Trustee Treasurer of a Children’s Centre for several years, prior to which was treasurer of a pre-school organisation.

Company Secretary Mr D Lewis

Hon. Solicitor Mr A Jones

Hon. President Dr A Elliott

Vice President Mr R Hargreaves

Vice President Mrs H Holden

Vice President Mrs O Minors

Vice President Mr J Mallon

Vice President Mr D Healiss

Vice President Dr D Marriss

Trustees

Geoffrey N S MITCHELL has been connected with the Hospice since its inception, firstly as an Architect and subsequently a Trustee, Finance Committee Member and Chairman of the Hospice Promotions Company, which administers the Hospice Lottery, Shops and Furniture Showroom. Geoffrey has been retired for eleven years and enjoys time with his family, travelling and watching football. He hopes that the Hospice will develop facilities to ensure the wonderful staff can give even better service to those in need.

Mr D Monk

Mrs Marion NEEDHAM joined the Trustee Board following her retirement from the NHS where she worked for 40 years in general management and human resources.  Part of Marion’s role is being the Hospice Responsible Person.  The purpose of this role is to ensure that the Trustees carry out their duty to supervise the management of the Hospice and to check how services are being delivered.  This is undertaken by unnanounced visits to the Hospice which involve structured discussions with patients, carers and staff.

Father Paul SHAW is the Parish Priest at St Werburgh’s, Chester and the job of Hospice Trustee has gone with this role for a number of years. He has been delighted to continue with the connection when appointed at St Werburgh’s in September 2006. His interest in the Hospice Movement was very much reinforced by a previous post of Chaplain at Clatterbridge Hospital.

Kate IRVING is Head of Learning and Teaching at the University of Chester.  Her role is involved in strategic planning and delivery of professional development of the University’s teaching staff.  Kate has also worked on a variety of vocational programmes at Stockport College of Further Education in the Faculty of Social Sciences and the School of Nursing.  Kate was a Governor and Trustee at the King’s School, Chester from 1996 to 2004.

Mrs M HOPKINS became a Trustee four years ago and is also a member of theFinance and Investment Committee and a Director of the Hospice Promotions Company.  She worked as a Teacher and then an Advisor with the CAB followed by extensive work in the voluntary sector.  Her Father was cared for at the Hospice and this was a major influence when she joined the Hospice Fundraising Dept in 1999, working there until her retirement in 2006.  She also enjoys golf and travel when not actively involved in caring for her grandchildren.

Mr D Lewis David Lewis is a retired Chartered Accountant who spent thirty years with BICC Cables Ltd working in various factories in the North West. He has lived in Chester for forty years and joined the Hospice Board as a Trustee in 2001. He served for eight years until September 2009 as Treasurer and continues as Company Secretary and Trustee.

Mrs Susan PICKERING trained as a Nurse in London.  She worked as a Volunteer Nurse for some time when the Hospice opened in 1989 and also used to help with flower arranging.  Susan became a Hospice Trustee last year and she also has an active role as a member of the Clinical Governance Group.

Simon CUSSONS joined the Trustee board following the chairmanship of seven different Health Authorities in Cheshire.   He combined his work with a leading role in Local Government where he became leader of Cheshire County Council from 1993 to 1997.

Stephen BRITTON worked for 17 years as Managing Director of Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics in North Wales.  In 2003 he was awarded the OBE for his contribution to the diagnostic industry.  As a Biochemistry graduate with over 30 years in the healthcare sector, Stephen has knowledge, skills and experience which are relevant to the business of the Hospice.

DR Richard WORTH has been a Hospice Trustee since November 2011, Richard was previously a consultant general physician, with an interest in diabetes and endocrinology, at the Countess of Chester Hospital from 1984 until his retirement in 2009. While at the Countess he had particular interests in education, management and IT development. Since 2010 he has been involved with a Bereavement Project at the Hospice.