Neil Scott

Neil is Chair of the Board of Trustees of Family Fund. He is Chief Financial Officer at Aston University and has previously held senior positions at the University of Hull, Wyevale Garden Centres plc, Marston, Thompson & Evershed plc and the Ford Motor Company. He is a non-executive director at Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust.

David Lewis

David worked for international law firm, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, for 27 years, the last 17 as a partner where he specialised in commercial real estate.

“It is difficult to think of a more vital charitable purpose than providing help and support to families with severely ill or disabled children; as someone who grew up with a severely disabled brother, i appreciate the importance of the support the Family Fund can provide.”

David Braybrook

David offers a consultancy service across the UK as an independent strategic and operational partner in Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) working with children and young people aged 0-25 years. He works across educational and care settings in the public, private and voluntary sectors and has over 35 years’ experience gained in front line strategic, inspection, regulatory and consultancy roles.

Originally with a background in teaching deaf children, David has been a teacher, specialist teacher trainer, Head of a large residential special school, External Examiner in Higher Education, Registered Ofsted Inspector (SEN), Ofsted contractor, Ofsted Accredited Trainer (SEN), Independent Care Standards Visitor and a Director of Education and Chief Executive of two national educational charities. He was the Deputy Chair of Governors of The Retreat, an independent psychiatric hospital in York and a co-opted Trustee of Children’s Hospices UK. He has served and still serves on a wide range of national and public bodies including regulatory bodies and tribunals.

He was also a member in 2010-12 of the Department for Education’s Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Research Project.  More recently he has been working with the Health and Social Care Commissioners  in Staffordshire County Council on the implementation of the SEND Reforms and in other Local Authorities reviewing the work of schools and specialist services.

“I feel very fortunate to be a trustee of the Family Fund. It is a very focused and effective charity which provide very real and flexible support to families who have children and young people who are disabled.”

Geoff Linnell

Geoff has over 35 years’ experience in transformation leadership and IT innovation as Board Executive, Non-Executive Director and Information Security advisor, who gained extensive international capabilities working with both SMEs and blue-chip organisations across multiple sectors.

Geoff is a Board Member with Incommunities Group Limited, a former Non-Executive Director with the NHS and an Advisory Board member with NaviSite Inc. He was Group CIO with Celerant Consulting, following 10 years as Managing Director, Technology and Security, with UBS (Investment Bank and Wealth Management) and a Transformation Leader with Gemini Consulting, Allied Irish Bank, Pearl Assurance, Halifax Building Society, National Air traffic Services, CAP Gemini and Arthur Young.

Geoff graduated from University of Birmingham and is former international basketball player and a keen golfer. Married, he enjoys travel and fine dining.

“I’m honoured to be a Trustee of the Family Fund. I feel my skills are ideally suited to grow and develop this important charity ensuring that families continue to receive essential items efficiently and effectively.”

Grant Macrae

Grant Macrae is a Chartered Accountant who has had a long career with KPMG in Scotland with a wide range of clients, specialising in clients in the public and not for profit sectors. After retiring from KPMG at the end of 2011 he spent two years in Canada working on the development of international public sector accounting standards.

Grant enjoys curling, skiing, golf and travel. He is married with three grown up children, one of whom has had long standing major health difficulties for 25 years, so he has personal experience of the impact this has had on everyone in the family.

"I am very pleased to be a trustee of Family Fund and to use my experience of the effects of a seriously ill and disabled child on family life to help support other families."

Tara Palmer

Tara is Group Chief Operating Officer of Societe Generale Hambros Bank. Prior to this, Tara spent most of her career as an employment lawyer and has gained over 15 years of experience across a variety of industries, advising on significant restructuring programmes and all areas of employment law. She has worked at Royal Mail Group plc, Deloitte, and was Head of Employment with Societe Generale.

In her spare time Tara enjoys physical challenges and has climbed Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc and Aconcagua. Tara has a younger sister who is on the autistic spectrum and has learning difficulties, and through this Tara has experienced some of the challenges faced by those living with a disability

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with an organisation like Family Fund which is making a real difference to the lives of disabled children and their families every day.”

Mary Bishop

Mary has worked with disabled children and adults throughout her career in both the statutory and voluntary sectors, including eight years as Chief Executive of Livability, a charity which offers a wide range of social care and educational provision. She was formerly an Assistant Director of Commissioning Children’s Social Services in a busy London Borough and Chief Executive of a London teaching hospital’s grant-giving charity.

Since stepping down from her CEO roles, more recently Mary has taken on board positions, including serving a three year term as a Non-Executive Director of a Community Health Care Service.

“Family Fund provides practical help and support to families with severely sick and disabled children. I’m delighted to be able to join the committed team at the charity, who strive to make a positive difference to families when they need it the most.”

Kate Fleck

Kate has worked in the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland for over 35 years in a number of roles. Her experience spans from volunteering to paid employment with Phab NI, Diabetes UK and currently Arthritis Research (incorporating Arthritis Care). As Northern Ireland Director she has responsibility for overseeing the work of the organisation and ensuring the needs of people with arthritis in Northern Ireland are met.

As a member of the Long Term Conditions Alliance Northern Ireland (LTCANI), Kate was involved with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland in developing the Long Term Conditions Policy Framework (2012). Through her membership of LTCANI she sits on the Long Term Conditions Implementation Steering Group as one of three voluntary sector representative.

Kate is a member of the Executive Committee of CO3 (Chief Officers of the 3rd Sector) and chairs CO3 Health Special Interest Group. Kate also served on the Board of Open College Network NI for three years before taking over the role of Chair in January 2016.