Our Trustees & Patrons

I joined the Board of Trustees in 2020 and have lived in Cam since 2000. I am also Chair of Stroud District Council, ward councillor for Dursley since 2012, and manage my family's publishing business - Cornell Sailing.

I grew up in the local area and joined the Board of Trustees in 2021. I enjoy working alongside the other trustees to support and steer the vital work being carried out by the GL11 Community Hub. I'm also deputy leader of Stroud District Council, ward councillor for Nailsworth and work as a Careers Adviser.

I spent the last 25 years of my working
life as an independent consultant/trainer/facilitator/counsellor/workshop leader and performance poet, working mainly in the Public and voluntary Sectors with Staff, User/Clients and Board Members.

I chaired the Board of an Afrikan/Carribean Arts and Resource Centre.

Eight years ago I retired to Dursley and started attending different Groups at GL11. I'm still an active member of the Sew Knit And Natter group and am recently coming out of retirement as a Performance Poet.

I'm looking forward to working with the rest of the GL11 Board and Staff in supporting their excellent work and wonderful vision for the future.

I was proud to become a Trustee at GL11 in March 2021.

I started my career as an Occupational Therapist before moving into Health and Social Care management before retiring in 2021. I have experience as a Board Director in NHS Hospital Trusts, NHS Commissioning Organisations as well as the Independent sector.

I have enjoyed seeing GL11 grow during my 30 years as a local family man and I look forward to helping it grow further, as it meets the needs of local people.

I am proud to be a Trustee at GL11. I was a Chartered Psychologist and after a 40 year career in business, practising industrial and engineering psychology in a global consultancy, I retired in 2020. Having lived in the GL11 area for over 20 years, I began volunteering locally with the Royal Voluntary Service and with GL11, mainly making food bank deliveries and collecting prescriptions for people in the community. My role within GL11 grew and in January 2023 I was delighted to become a trustee with responsibility to support financial reporting. I am eager to support the brilliant work of the Hub which is a vital resource to our community.

I joined the Board of Trustees in 2021. Having grown up locally I have a connection to local people. I spent most of my career working with people struggling with instability, mental health and addiction. I joined GL11 last April 2020 as a volunteer during Covid, becoming co-ordinator for the Listening Ear Service, helping with the vaccinations team and the Friday food bags. I enjoy working with the other trustees to steer GL11 in meeting the needs of our local community.

I joined GL11 as a Trustee in October 2022. Working in Public Health, I have a keen interest in working with communities to promote health and wellbeing, but most importantly addressing the inequities which mean some people’s journeys to health and wellbeing are more difficult. I am also a Mum of young children and first got involved with GL11 through the baby and toddler groups. I am proud to work alongside my fellow Trustees to guide GL11 in continuing to support our wonderful community.

Bio to follow

Dr Cathy Stannard was a Consultant in Pain Medicine for 23 years, and now works as the Clinical Lead for Pain Transformation in NHS Gloucestershire. She writes and lectures internationally on aspects of pain management and is a passionate advocate for a holistic approach to support people living with pain, as medical treatments are often disappointing.

Cathy has worked with GL11 on a unique initiative to find out what local people living with pain, and those who support them, most need to help them live well. “The work of GL11 in meeting the needs of local people is a great example of how we can change the way we think about what living with long-term pain means to an individual” says Cathy.

Dr Simon Opher is the Clinical Lead for Social Prescribing at NHS Gloucestershire. He pioneered a ground-breaking Social Prescribing partnership with GL11. This allows local GPs to refer people who don’t necessarily need medical care, to GL11 for community support and activities that help improve the individual’s health and wellbeing, including and support for those living with long-term health issues.

Simon says, “Community-based support like these can have an immensely positive impact on people’s lives. GL11 Community Hub is doing great work supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our community. Personally, I would like to see a Hub like this in every community.”