Kate’s background is in healthcare being a qualified Nurse and Health Visitor. She has held a number of key roles in nursing and Primary Health care management including a lead role in children’s services in Kent. Since retiring from the NHS, Kate now works part time for Voluntary Action Within Kent (Vawk).

In 1994 she founded the Tunbridge Wells branch of Sands following the birth of a stillborn baby to parents in her care. She remains committed to improving care for parents following the loss of a baby.

Kate became a Trustee of Sands in 2006 and was elected Chair in January 2012.

Alex initially qualified as a nurse and worked at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.  She subsequently decided to change career into Human Resources qualifying and becoming a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Alex is an experienced HR Director and Consultant who has a track record of delivering high impact results across the FMCG (Food) & Not for Profit Sectors. Her specialist areas are in Strategy, Recruitment & Resourcing, Change Management, HR Legal Compliance and Coaching.

Alex’s only son Samuel was stillborn in March 2007 when she was a little over 40 weeks pregnant.

She has been a Trustee of Sands since September 2010 and was elected Vice-Chair in January 2012.

Joanne is a qualified chartered accountant and a former audit partner of Grant Thornton, a top 5 accounting practice. Whilst at Grant Thornton, Joanne acted as an adviser to a number of listed and large private clients as well as carrying out the role of staff partner, responsible for the training and development of over 300 members of staff. Joanne is currently on a career break which she took to accommodate a move to Northern Ireland with her husband Tim.

Joanne is a bereaved parent, her first born son, Joseph, lived for just four days.

Henry is a Chartered Accountant as well as a barrister. He qualified at Price Waterhouse and after converting to law became a tenant at Fountain Court Chambers in London, where he has a broad commercial and civil practice, with particular experience in banking cases and those involving the interpretation and understanding of financial reports.

Henry became involved with Sands when his first child Polly was stillborn in August 1998 following a massive placental abruption.  Henry has been elected a Trustee and a former Treasurer of Sands since October 2009.

Di is a qualified midwife and has worked at Lincoln Maternity Unit since 1976, predominantly on the labour ward, and occasionally on the ante/post natal ward.

In the course of her career, she has met and cared for many couples going through the devastating experience of pregnancy loss, and have provided them with practical help and support, guiding them through the making of difficult choices and options.

Di has been a Trustee of Sands since October 2011.

Gaye was a Consultant Obstetrician at the Whittington Hospital in London for 23 years and retired in 2011. 

She has had a long association with Sands and has been involved with the ‘Guidelines for Professionals’ publications. She is passionate about bereaved parents being given the care and support they need and also that junior doctors receive training to help parents around the time of the loss of their baby and in future pregnancies.

Gaye has been a Trustee of Sands since September 2010.

Vanessa is a qualified Mental Health Nurse with a particular interest in clinical governance. Her area of interest and expertise is in working with regulatory bodies such as the CQC (formally the HCC), MHAC and RCPsych. 

In late October 2006 her first born baby daughter, Emily May died during labour at 42 weeks, eighteen months later an inquiry concluded that her death was preventable. She became involved with Bedfordshire Sands five years ago and remains closely involved; she is now Treasurer of Bedfordshire Sands.

Vanessa has been a Trustee of Sands since October 2011.

Clare is an advertising and media professional, currently working as a global client managing director with Starcom Mediavest Group. She has held senior client leadership roles at a number of global media agencies. Her special interest is in communications planning and digital media. She began her career in her home town of Sydney and moved to the UK 13 years ago and is married with three children.

Clare’s second child, Alfie, was stillborn in July 2009 when she was 37 weeks pregnant.

Clare became a trustee of Sands in November 2012.

Mohamed is a Finance Director for Intellicomms Solutions Ltd – A software solutions company. He is also a Director of Global Energy and Commodities Trading Ltd – Providing consultancy for emerging markets.

He is currently involved with various charities: Board member – External Affairs, Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery, based in Hainault Essex. This is the largest dedicated Muslim Cemetery in Europe and has a capacity for 10,000 graves and burials in accordance with Islamic Shariah.

He is a trustee of The Social Enterprise Loan Fund – an organisation funding Social Enterprises that are not able to obtain funding from banks. He is also a Muslim representative on the Burial Cremation and Advisory Group at the Ministry of Justice. Mohamed has been actively involved with community work in East London for the last 15 years. He became a trustee of Sands in November 2012. 

Richard is a Sales and Marketing Director and has held board positions with a number of businesses. Throughout his career he has gained broad commercial experience across the financial services, leasing, business services and manufacturing sectors and has a strong track record of delivering profitable growth through direct, distributor and internet channels.

Richard’s association with Sands dates back to 1992 when his first child, Robbie, was stillborn at 38 weeks as a result of Obstetric Cholestasis.

Richard became a trustee of Sands in November 2012.

Steve has been a consultant paediatrician since 1991. He qualified in Leeds and subsequently trained in Leeds and Manchester, undertaking research into nutritional problems in premature babies. As a general paediatrician he developed a special interest in the management of children with headaches and has been invited to speak at national events about his practice.  He won a national award for his headache practice in 2009. He was Medical Director at the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for over six years, and was Acting Chief Executive for five months during that time.

Steve undertook a leading role in the NHS Next Stage Review in the North West and subsequently was seconded part-time to NHS North West as Deputy Medical Director and was a member of the NHS medical board at that time. Steve joined Barts and The London as Medical Director in June 2010, and has recently been appointed as Medical Director of Barts Health. 

Steve is passionate about health prevention and promotion as part of his and his hospital’s work and has been on local and national media to demonstrate that passion.

Steve became a trustee of Sands in November 2012.