Our Board of Trustees

I have worked in the dementia field both professionally and in a voluntary capacity since 1990 and am particularly passionate about supporting carers.  I cared for my mother who was diagnosed with dementia in her early 60s, when she came to live with us and our then very young family.  I currently work part time managing a local charity supporting older people where I facilitate a monthly support group for dementia carers.  I also facilitate a monthly county wide support group for Rare Dementia UK and am a trustee for my local Voluntary Action and also a Carer Support Charity.

I was born in Scotland, brought up in Wales and have now lived around London for over 45 Years . I have worked for music companies all my working life in the finance and administration departments of three different companies one major EMI and   two independent classical companies Naxos Music and Harmonia Mundi and retired from full time work in 2023. Dementia has always haunted my family over decades where one by one my aunts uncles and cousins and eventually my mother succumbed to the illness . I found it difficult to look after my mother and work until I found a day centre  Dementia First which made my life a lot easier for several years until I had to put my mother into a residential care home.

Penny is widowed with two sons, she attended Agricultural College and qualified as a farm secretary, past occupations include Beecham Pharmaceuticals Research Farm, higher level teaching assistant and ICT technician in local primary school and kept accounts for her husband’s business. Experience of committee membership includes social club, co-ownership housing, PTA, school governor and currently chair of the local residents’ association.

I am widowed with three grown-up children and one granddaughter. My husband suffered with a rare dementia from 2013 until his death in 2019 and spent many happy hours at The Byre under the care and understanding of the Dementia First team. I was born in Kent to a Naval family and my early years were spent in the Far East. I studied Business Studies in English, French and German and worked in the Haute-Loire in France, the Marine and Press fields in London. When I married and had the children I worked locally, managing Front of House at a local theatre until I retired. Since my husband’s diagnosis, I have been involved with Alzheimer’s and Rare Dementia support groups and visiting people in their homes and care homes, providing a friendly face and companionship, through my local church.

I am married with two grown children and one grandson, my husband is now living in a nursing home suffering with the full range of complications due to diabetes and for the past 19 years vascular dementia which first manifested in his frontal temporal lobe.  I was born and grew up in Australia where I trained as a nurse specialising in Oncology.  I came to Britain in 1973 and began married life in 1974 in Liverpool where we stayed till moving to Surrey in 2019 to be near family.  Our daughter now lives permanently in Australia and our son in Ashstead.  I have worked in many aspects of nursing within the NHS, commercial and community ending up in-charge of elderly care facilities until my retirement to care full time for my husband. I have been involved in community life through various organisations Lions Clubs International, Domestic Violence and Church.