Our Trustees

Professor David Coslett

Chair of Trustees

David is an experienced higher education leader with a distinguished profile and career spanning over 30 years in the education sector. He was interim Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive at Plymouth University from 2014 to 2016, having previously served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of Arts. He had oversight responsibility for External Relations including relationships with the media and international partners. He has considerable experience of working with a broad range of people, institutions and organisations and building an integrated and collaborative approach to leadership. He is a graduate of the Leadership Foundation’s Top Management Programme. David is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the Advisory Group of The Box, Plymouth and has Board experience of a number of charities including Plymouth Culture, the South West Film & Television Archive and the Barbican Theatre, Plymouth. He is a former Secretary of the UK Council of Deans of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences and former board member of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership. He is currently an Emeritus Professor of the University.

Paul Boys

Paul has spent the whole of his working career in construction and housing development. He worked on major projects for John Laing Construction moving on to Laing Homes and finally Taylor Wimpey as a regional MD. His interest in learning disabilities began 33 years ago when his youngest son Alex was born with Down’s Syndrome. Since then, he has held several Trustee roles in charities that support people with a learning disability including 20 years at Robert Owen Communities, a Devon based support provider which has recently merged with United Response. He is currently a Trustee of two other Charities; a grant making Trust and a small housing provider for people with a learning disability.

“Dame Hannahs is a great charity and I am delighted to be able to use the skills that I have gained both through my working career and from working with other charities with a similar ethos to hopefully make a useful contribution to the ongoing success of the organisation”

Nikki Henderson

A passionate and values driven health and social care professional who has a multi-dimensional understanding of public services and an inherent appreciation of the impact of services on people and families. Nikki started her social care career having met Jason a young man with profound and multiple disabilities when she was 14 years old. Nikki has worked with people with disabilities and autistic people throughout her career.

"I am really pleased to be offered the opportunity to become a member of the board of Trustees at Dame Hannahs. I hope to bring my experience of developing, commissioning and running support services to the board but more importantly my passion and enthusiasm for ensuring peoples voices are heard and listened to, so they maintain choice and control over their life. I hope to contribute to the work of the board in both supporting the amazing workforce at Dame Hannahs and in working with people and families, to deliver high quality care and support that is bespoke to each person. I am excited to join the Trustees and the leadership team on the next stage of the Dame Hannahs journey ensuring that people, families and the great staff teams remain at the heart of all the our work."

Simon Morris

Simon is a lawyer of over 20 years experience. He started his legal career in Devon with the then Bond Pearce LLP, moving to Bristol for over 10 years and working for Osborne Clarke LLP and DAC Beachcroft LLP. Simon’s experience is in commercial and corporate contracts and project financing. He has recently worked on high value NHS commissioning contracts and financings. Simon also has industry experience having worked as an in house counsel for Wincanton plc and the then Lloyds TSB Bank plc.

“Dame Hannahs is a wonderful charity and I am pleased and proud to be a member of the board of Trustees. I am hoping that my previous experience can positively contribute to the direction and growth of the charity, to allow it to continue to provide the excellent services which it currently provides.”

Katie Jones

Katie is a highly accomplished professional with a strong background in nursing and executive leadership. With extensive experience in healthcare, Katie has played a pivotal role in transforming and operationalising various aspects of healthcare organisations. As the Executive Director of Transformation and Operational Berkshire West CCG she has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in spearheading the creation of integrated care partnerships. Her visionary approach and strategic thinking have paved the way for the successful establishment of population health management for the Berkshire health and care system.

Katie's passion for becoming a Trustee for Dame Hannahs stems from her unwavering commitment to improving care and wellbeing. She firmly believes in the power of collaboration and innovation to drive positive change in the lives of individuals with disabilities. With her extensive knowledge and expertise, Katie is dedicated to supporting the Trust in its mission to provide exceptional care and empower individuals to lead fulfilling lives.

"I am truly passionate about making a difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities. Becoming a Trustee for the Dame Hannah Rogers Trust is an incredible opportunity for me to contribute to the improvement of care and wellbeing. I am committed to utilising my skills and experience to drive positive change and create a lasting impact."

Tony Lumb

Tony is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ experience in financial and operational restructuring, and commercial operations. Over the last 10 years Tony has focused exclusively on healthcare services including those for the elderly, profoundly disabled and individuals with acquired brain injuries. Although finance based, Tony has knowledge of Estates, HR, legal matters and taxation. He has also been project manager for a substantial residential home refurbishment programme.

“Through my work I have seen some outstanding care services with such dedication from both staff and the families of residents. I have known Dame Hannahs for seven years and it has been a privilege to see the hard work and commitment which goes towards improving the lives of the residents. I therefore jumped at the opportunity to be a trustee when it became available. “

Nigel Godefroy

Nigel has recently joined the Board for a second time. Well known in the area Nigel was previously CEO of Sutton Harbour and was responsible for much of the regeneration around the Barbican area of Plymouth. A commercially minded Chartered Accountant, Nigel is also the current Chair of Plymouth City Centre Company, sits on the Board of Destination Plymouth and is a shadow Board Director of The Box in Plymouth. For the last seven years Nigel has been a Trustee of Plymouth Marine Laboratory where he chairs the audit Committee. Other previous roles include being Deputy Chair of Plymouth’s Barbican Trust, a Commissioner for Cattewater Harbour and a Director of Resound Health which built health facilities in Plymouth including Mount Gould Hospital.

“It’s an absolute privilege to be involved in such a fabulous and worthwhile charity as Dame Hannahs. I am humbled to be given the opportunity to support others whilst at the same time to work with so many other amazing people.”

Nicola Kelly

With over 30 years of dedicated service in nursing, Nicola Kelly brings a wealth of experience and commitment to enhancing care quality as part of the Dame Hannahs Trustee team. Her career has included roles as the Executive Director for Somerset Care Ltd and the Head of Quality Assurance for the Care Quality Commission (CQC), where she consistently demonstrated her expertise in driving quality management and ensuring the highest standards of care.

Nicola's career is characterised by her unwavering dedication to listening to and understanding the needs of both people and their families and care providers. She firmly believes that the best care comes from valuing and incorporating the perspectives of those who are directly impacted. This ethos has guided her work and contributed to significant improvements in care delivery and people's satisfaction across multiple organisations.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Nicola has a deeply personal connection to her work. As the parent of an autistic daughter, she has first hand experience navigating the challenges that come with transitioning from child to adult services. This personal journey has fuelled her passion for advocating for comprehensive and compassionate care solutions that truly meet the needs of individuals and families.

“I am delighted to join Dame Hannahs and bring both my professional insights and personal perspectives as a Trustee. I am honoured to have the opportunity to contribute to Dame Hannahs' continued success in providing exceptional care and support to those who need it most”.