I was called to the Bar in 1972 and started working as a legal editor in London. After marriage and moving to Oxford I became a court clerk (legal executive) in the Oxford City Magistrates Court. I left to have the first of our two children and subsequently worked as a freelance legal editor, a college fundraiser and then in the research grants department of the University. In 1994 I became a fee-paid tribunal judge in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal and from 2011 also worked in the Social Security Tribunal, retiring from both in 2015.

Voluntary work has included sitting as a General Commissioner of Income tax in West Oxfordshire in the 1980s and 90s, being a governor of a school in the North West of England for 21 years and a vice-president of the Stockport Lads’ Club.

I became a trustee of Home-Start Oxford in 2016. As a parent and grandparent, and having cared for our son through a terminal illness, I am acutely aware of the stresses of parenthood even without the additional burdens of poverty, mental or physical illness, abuse, or isolation. The impact of the support that Home-Start Oxford provides to families and children in their earliest years cannot be over-estimated. It is an amazing organisation and it is a privilege to be part of it.

I am a digital marketing professional in the charity sector and have a range of experience working for large and small charities across fundraising and communications. I currently work as the UX and DIgital Product Manager for Crisis. I previously worked at Oxfam and Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis. Prior to this I worked at deaf charities Action on Hearing Loss and Auditory Verbal UK following completion of a BSc in Chemistry from The University of Sheffield.

I became involved with Home-Start Oxford through the Oxford Hub’s Young Trustee scheme which aims to make connections between people under 35s and local charities. I am committed to making a difference locally and I have a particular interest in Home-Start since becoming involved in the Big Brothers Big Sister scheme, through which I mentored a child and provide associated family support. I hope to bring my experience as a volunteer along with my fundraising and comms experience to the Home-Start Oxford board, as well as a fresh perspective.

I feel passionately about the importance of early intervention along with the value of mentoring and coaching.

I began my working life as an academic at the London School of Economics in the late 1980s, specialising in organisational change and human resource management. Part of my teaching involved running a course for mature voluntary sector students, which began a lifelong interest in the funding and organisational challenges faced by charities. After the birth of my first child and a move from London to Wiltshire, I worked for several years as a management consultant with a firm specialising in third sector organisations, large and small.

With a move to Oxford in 2000, a second child, the adoption of a third, and the arrival of a fourth I was in at the deep end of family life by 2006, with the particular, additional needs of an adopted child who had not had the best of start to life, and another child with health issues. I became involved with the local charity, OXPIP (the Oxford Parent Infant Project) and was appointed a Trustee in 2009. My term in this role finished in 2017, and I was very keen to continue to work in the field of early years and family support, having seen the extent to which skilled help can make all the difference to struggling families, and give young children a chance of thriving both socially and educationally as they start school, and beyond. I am therefore delighted to be appointed as a new Home-start Oxford Trustee.

I had first heard of Home-Start some years ago  when a close friend spoke about the vital support she received as a new mum to twins. I had been amazed that such an organisation existed. When I became a parent myself, I became acutely aware of the challenges faced by parents in a society with ever increasing inequalities. I regularly heard personal stories of parents struggling to juggle life, family and their mental health at a time when there are increasing societal pressures.

I am inspired by the work the Home-Start Oxford team do in making positive changes in the lives of parents and their children. I feel privileged to be a part of an organisation that makes such a difference to families at such a crucial period in a child’s life.

Aside from being a trustee, I’m a parent, spending my time at various playgroups, cafes and museums. My day job is in CAHMS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and I am passionate about reducing healthcare access inequalities and promoting good wellbeing practices in the work place.

After living and working in several European countries, my family and I made Oxfordshire our home in 2011. We are an international bunch as my husband is French / Egyptian and grew up in America and our two teenagers are both bilingual.

I co-founded a small negotiation training business, Merindol Negotiation, in 2011 following a career in marketing and procurement for large corporations. Our clients are scattered around the globe, so I am very happy to have this opportunity to be part of an Oxford-based organisation.

I strongly believe that every child deserves the best possible start in life. Having had the experience of having my first child in a new country I know how isolating parenthood can be, and how difficult it can be to access the right support. I am incredibly impressed by the practical and effective approach of Home-Start Oxford and really pleased to be on board as a trustee.

I’m a visually impaired dad to a cheeky toddler.  We love playing, exploring, and sometimes jumping in muddy puddles! Having a disability means we do things differently, but we do it our way and that’s ok. We love the inclusive atmosphere and approach at Home-Start Oxford. There is no judgement to how you parent. Home-Start understands that every family and child is different, and their support is there for your family, whatever that looks like.  

In my day job I’m Chief Executive at a sight loss charity called MyVision Oxfordshire. I’m also a trustee at Visionary UK, an organization that supports local sight loss charities across the country. Like parenting, it often feels like I’m making it up as I go along! I’m hoping I can learn more about Home-Start and use my experiences and perspective to support the incredible team of staff and volunteers. Lived experience is important to me as well as ensuring those who are often least listened to are heard and represented.

Having began my journey in the early years sector back in 2021, I’ve had the privilege of gaining first hand insights into the challenges parents face and the gaps in our current support systems in the UK. Home-Start’s inclusive approach and emphasis on empowering parents immediately struck a chord with me. 

Currently I’m the Financial Controller at the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), a charitable social enterprise committed to making high quality early years education accessible to all. I’m hopeful I’ll be able to contribute my experience to the Home-Start Oxford team. Not only as an accountant but also as a supporter of the incredible work the staff and volunteers are doing!  

I’ve spent my career working with the not-for-profit sector, in Scotland, Canada and England, which has reinforced my belief in community support no matter where you are. As a relatively new Oxford resident I’m delighted to be able to use my experience to support my own local community.  

My roots are in Scotland, where I was educated. After a brief period working in Glasgow, I joined Swiss Reinsurance Company, and worked for them in South Africa for 26 years, then in Switzerland for 3 years and finally in England for 6 years before taking early retirement in 2003 to look after my terminally-ill wife.

Professionally, I qualified as an actuary (insurance mathematician) in the early 1970’s, but much of my later career was in more general management functions.

I became involved with Home-Start in Woking in 2005 and was able to use my financial experience and training as their treasurer.  In 2006, I was lucky enough to meet another widowed soul, from Oxford, and it was getting married to her which led me to Home-Start Oxford where I gladly took on the Treasurer role here too. It has been quite a financial journey since then!