Meet the Team
From left to right: David Parsons, Jill Broadhead, Lesley Braithwaite, Keith Trivett and Lorraine Collings
Crossroads Care Wessex is a registered, not for profit charity, managed by a Board of Trustees who give up their time voluntarily to contribute to the important work that we do.
The Board are ultimately accountable for all of the legal and financial responsibilities of the organisation; these duties are then delegated to the Chief Executive, Helen Storey.
All charities need a range of talents and skills on their management committees to enable them to get the best strategic guidance that they can. Crossroads Care Wessex is fortunate to have a very proactive and able group of people who perform this function and are deeply appreciative of the commitment that each of them give to their role.
Lesley Braithwaite
Chair
Lesley worked in London as a social worker, manager and social care consultant/trainer until her retirement to Somerset in 2009. She now works in private practice as a couple counsellor. She has a keen interest in developing strategy to promote and develop best practice and ensure the highest possible standards of care. She is also a Director and Trustee of Relate Mid Wiltshire and member of the Frome Festival Board.
Jill Broadhead
Jill qualified as a solicitor in 1978, breaking through traditional barriers to become the first female equity partner in any substantial Bristol practice in 1986. She acted for many healthcare providers nationally, becoming recognized as a leading expert in health law and developing a particular interest in governance, which she retains. She ceased practice in 2006 and was appointed a Trustee in October 2007. She is also a Director and Trustee of Milestones Trust.
Jill and her husband farm in Somerset, producing pedigree breeding stock. Jill continues her family tradition of service to her local church, through which she is heavily involved in her local community.
Lorraine Collings
Lorraine has worked with a number of education charities providing opportunities to disadvantaged young people in deprived areas across England. During the 1990’s she became Chairman of Women in Motorsport at the RAC, a group she brought together to encourage more women to take part in the sport and seek roles within strategic management. Looking ahead, Lorraine is a Fellow of the RSA and hopes to find more time to become involved in international debates on a range of social issues and to take part in locally based projects.
David Parsons
A Cambridge history graduate, David went through a management development programme before becoming a Training Manager with a large computer company. He worked for 30 years with ITS, a management consultancy specialising in the development of people and organisations. Based in the South West, he became a Principal Consultant, Area Manager and Executive Director. He was involved in and managed a variety of projects including the development of Personnel and Training Managers in the NHS and major Management Development and OD projects in the Civil Service and the private sector.
On retirement, David joined the Board of what is now Crossroads Care Wessex and was Chair from 2001 to 2008. He re-joined the Board last year and has been Chair of Crossroads Care South West since 2007.
Keith Trivett
Treasurer
Keith is a Certified Accountant and before his retirement worked mainly in the Gas and Electricity supply industries, having trained initially and qualified in the profession after training with a local firm of accountants and auditors. He also held office as a director of a Mutual Health Insurance company for many years and various positions in private industry. Since retirement from full-time paid work he has undertaken a number of overseas assignments with the British Executive Service Overseas (now part of V.S.O.) in Russia and Ukraine and acted as a business consultant for the N.H.S.
He is also a trustee, company secretary and treasurer of Crossroads Care South West.
