Trustees

Our Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for ensuring organisational objectives are met and legal and financial obligations are fulfilled. As is the case with most charities, all of our trustees are volunteers who give a considerable amount of time, energy, ideas and enthusiasm to the charity.

Board of Trustees

Nicholas Woolf, Chairman of the Trustees, brings a healthcare and financial focus to the Board, with his career history as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor, along with experience of being a Trustee for a number of other charitable organisations.

Hilary Barrett has worked in marketing, communications and business development for retailers and consumer product businesses in both the private and charity sectors. Having lost her father to bowel cancer in 2011, she’s determined to put all her experience and skills into the charity and help it raise awareness and grow successfully.

John Collard has worked in the property world both in Central and Greater London since the 1970’s and for the last 14 years has been a Director of Robert Holmes & Co – an independent Company of Chartered Surveyors specializing in residential and commercial estate agency based in Wimbledon Village.

Paul Jackson served in the Royal Navy from 1973 to 1996. On leaving the Royal Navy, he joined the United Kingdom Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, based at the Houses of Parliament.  He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2004, and following treatment and surgery, joined the board of Beating Bowel Cancer as a trustee in 2007. He is also a trustee of the Human Trafficking Foundation, and he chairs the De Morgan Foundation.

Paul Jansen has created, managed and grown several social enterprises and charities, predominantly in healthcare. He brings a strong strategic focus and business-like approach to the table. He joined the charity after his sister-in-law died from bowel cancer at the age of 35. Two of his friends are currently battling the disease.

Adam Leach brings nearly 30 years’ experience at senior level in the international development and UK charity sector, leading and supporting a diverse range of organisations working to tackle vital needs. He was drawn to the charity because of personal experience and the crucial importance of practical information that empowers people and helps to save lives.

Deborah Mechaneck is an MBA with over 30 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical, medical aesthetic, medical devices and health related not-for-profit sectors.  She has worked for companies such as Glaxo Wellcome, Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Deborah’s career has included management and executive roles in sales and marketing, finance, strategic planning, customer relationship management, PR, public and government affairs and communications.  She now works in a part-time role for the charity Changing Faces and is on the board of Dreams Come True.

Sir Christopher Pitchers was a High Court Judge until his retirement in 2008. He became involved with the charity after the death of his wife from bowel cancer in 2006.

Richard Taylor was for 30 years a partner in the solicitors’ practice CMS Cameron McKenna, where he specialised in EU and UK competition law and chaired the firm’s European law firm association. He is currently a member of the Competition Commission and also trustee of the Eating Disorders Association.

Lesley Woolnough has 16 years senior level healthcare experience in the charity and industry sectors and is a key opinion leader in the field of patient and public engagement and continence care. For 8 years, she was the CEO of The Bladder & Bowel Foundation, and a major driving force in improving healthcare outcomes for people suffering from bladder and bowel conditions.  She has an extensive network of clinical and policy key decision makers and has served on many committees and working groups including NICE, Dept. of Health and The Royal College of Physicians.