Our Team

Lt Col Patrick Holcroft LVO OBE CStJ

Lt Col Patrick Holcroft LVO OBE CStJ was appointed to the role of Lord-Lieutenant of Worcestershire in December 2012. He was brought up in Worcestershire and continues to live in the county with his wife and three sons. Prior to his appointment he spent 19 years with the Grenadier Guards before moving to a career in the City of London, initially with merchant banking group Robert Fleming from 1988 to 2000 and thereafter with RFIB Group, a Lloyds re-insurance broker, of which he was CEO from 2000 until 2009. He also held a number of non-executive directorships in the City of London until 2016.

Through his role as Lord-Lieutenant he maintains close links with many county organisations. He is President of the Worcestershire Bench of the Magistrate’s Association, President of Worcestershire Ambassadors, and President of The Worcestershire Community Foundation. He is also a member of the Council of Worcestershire Cathedral and a fellow of the University of Worcester, Patron of New College, Worcester, and the Worcestershire and Dudley Churches Trust.

The Lord Lieutenant is also a trustee and/or adviser to a number of national trusts and charities including the Hedley Foundation, a charity which supports young people, the disabled and the terminally ill; The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the Grenadier Guards (including the Colonel’s Fund), until 2014 the Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund and until 2019, The Nuffield Trust for the Forces of the Crown.

David Shaw
(Chair)

David is retired from the post of West Mercia Chief Constable. In this role he led West Mercia through a period of substantial financial constraint, was one of the architects of a unique Strategic Alliance with Warwickshire police and worked in other regional and national roles. He was awarded the Queens Police Medal for distinguished service in June 2016. Since retiring he has undertaken diverse consultancy roles. He is a Trustee of a care farm as well as enjoying mountain biking, triathlons and supporting Worcester Warriors. He is married with three children

“I want to use the abilities I have developed in my life to improve the lives and opportunities of those across Worcestershire who are most in need.”

Tamar Thompson
(Vice-Chair)

Tamar began her working life as a nurse and progressed up the ranks to become a Ward Sister before moving into a career managing healthcare, eventually becoming a Chief Executive. She has also worked at a national level including a role on the Prime Minister’s Commission into Nursing and Midwifery. In 2009 her contribution to Health was recognised by the award of an OBE.

“I became a Trustee as I believe strongly that we can make a real contribution to our communities locally, now and in the future.”

Nick Wentworth-Stanley

Nick had a career in the City of London with a particular focus within the insurance industry. More recently he has been helping early stage businesses develop to their full potential. He was High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 2013/14 and is founder of a charity tackling the problem of suicide in the UK particularly amongst young men.

“Helping each other, particularly those less fortunate, is a natural desire of thousands of people and organisations within our county. I am delighted to be involved in our Community Foundation as there is no better platform on which we can bring together all that help and support to improve the lives of many within Worcestershire.”

Roger Britton
( Chair of Governance & Finance Committee)

Roger leads on quality and governance matters. He has a background in teaching, training, human resources and organisational development including work on national initiatives on public service efficiency and effectiveness. He currently divides his time between running a consultancy and involvement in voluntary sector work including running a job club.

“I am determined to do my part to make sure that the Community Foundation delivers a lasting legacy for those people in Worcestershire who are in greatest need.”

Rob Sykes

Rob’s career was primarily in local government and he spent the 10 years to 2007 as chief executive of Worcestershire County Council. Since then he has been a non-executive director in the public and private sectors, chaired a health board, developed leadership programmes at Worcester University and worked as an executive coach. He remains a non-executive director at The National Audit Office

“I believe that we can use the Community Foundation to deliver big differences in the lives of people across the county and I am committed to leading an organisation that will make this happen in the most effective and efficient way possible.”

Mark Yates

In a full career in the fire and rescue service Mark worked in three different services including his final 6 years as the Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive (CFO/CEO) of Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service. Whilst CFO/CEO he worked extensively at a national level on a number of issues including organisational peer reviews, Health and Safety Executive liaison and performance improvement.

Upon retirement Mark became the first independent chairman of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS Sustainability Transformation and Partnership (STP) Board and following 18 months in that position accepted a role on the Board of the Worcestershire Acute NHS Hospitals Trust where he is currently the Vice Chairman. Mark has a young daughter in a local school and has put his roots firmly down in Worcestershire. Mark was awarded the Queens Fire Service Medal (QFSM) in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Kathy Leather
(Chair of Development & Fundraising Committee)

Kathy worked in commercial radio as a Senior Sales Executive for 13 years. She then moved into the sporting world and was Commercial Manager of Luton Town for 6 years, followed by working with boxing promoter Frank Warren. She moved to Worcester to take up the position of Commercial Director with Worcester Warriors where she remained for 13 years. Whilst there, she won the Worcestershire Businesswoman of the Year award.
For the last 4 years she has built a thriving bed and breakfast business in Malvern.

In her spare time, she is involved in lots of voluntary positions with local causes including Rotary, Worcestershire Ambassadors, Breast Cancer Haven and the Rory the Robot appeal. She is a co-founder of the Marvellous Malvern Makers who have been busy making scrubs for local NHS staff during the pandemic.

Nic Lloyd

Nic is Chief Executive of Malvern Theatres, and is delighted to support Worcestershire Community Foundation as a trustee, bringing a wealth of community and fundraising experience with him.

Jonathan Chenevix-Trench
(Chair of Grants Committee)

Jonathan worked in the financial services industry for twenty-five years, serving as Chairman and Chief executive of Morgan Stanley International. Subsequent to that, Jonathan co-founded African Century Limited, a business focussed on long term investment and skills development in sub-Saharan East Africa, with a particular focus on Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Jonathan has served on numerous charitable boards, and as a resident of Malvern is delighted to be working with the Community Foundation in the critical work of supporting and developing our local communities. He is married with four children.

Mark Jackson OBE

I grew up in Worcestershire near Broadway. After school I became the third generation of my family to serve in our County Regiment, then the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, and enjoyed a full career with much travel and varied experiences from working in Whitehall to service in Northern Ireland, where I was awarded the OBE, and with the United Nations.

At the end of my military career I returned to Worcestershire and had the enormous privilege of serving as the Chief Executive of St Richard’s Hospice for eleven years of great expansion. During this period I gained a great insight into the fantastic contributions so many Worcestershire people make to over 1,500 charities and community groups across our county. 

The Worcestershire Community Foundation serves them all and I am honoured to be part of the team to help it continue to support such a vital part of our civic society.

Bob Warman

Bob Warman is the senior presenter of ITV Central which broadcasts nightly across the Midlands. As such he is the most instantly recognised media face in Central England. He is one of the longest-serving anchormen in ITV news, having begun his television career with ATV in 1973. His achievements were recognised by the Royal Television Society when he received the Society’s highest award, the Baird Medal. Bob has lived in Worcestershire for the past forty years, commuting daily to the ITV studios in Birmingham.

“The problems in the big cities are clear to see, rough sleeping, drugs misuse and people living with mental health issues and others existing below the poverty line. In the shires, Worcestershire included, the same problems are there but perhaps not so apparent, which makes it even more difficult to address them.
The Worcestershire Community Foundation is a safety net, harnessing the many charitable and voluntary organisations with the common purpose of targeting those in need.”

Bishop John Inge

The Rt Revd Dr John Inge is the 113th Bishop of Worcester. Before taking up this appointment in 2007 he ministered in Cambridgeshire, latterly as Bishop of Huntingdon, and before that was Vicar of a church in the heart of inner-city Tyneside. He has sits in the House of Lords and is Lord High Almoner to the Queen. He is involved with a number of charities locally and nationally and is honoured to act as a Patron of the Worcester Community Foundation, to whose excellent work he is very committed. As a Christian he is passionate about human flourishing for people of all faiths and none.

Angela Brinton

Angela has lived in Worcestershire all her married life except for three years spent in Paris. Initially she worked on the Health Authority Board for Worcestershire, and was subsequently Chairman of Kidderminster Hospital. She continues to work for the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care trust helping with Mental Health Hearings. Angela’s charity work is extensive including: Commander of St Johns Ambulance Worcestershire; National Youth Commissioner for St John in London (and on its board); Chairman of the Macmillan Appeal raising funds for Evesham Hospital. Angela’s husband Michael started Worcestershire Community Foundation hence her involvement with the organisation. She is also a Fellow of Worcester University and a Deputy Lieutenant for the county.

Andrew Grant

I was a founder member of the Worcestershie Community Foundation (2009 – 2014 ). .I was aware of the challenges to take the charity forward and importance of it to succeed to give support to the many charities in need of support within the County.
I am delighted and honoured to become a Patron of this groundbreaking foundation.It shines a beacon of light to all those vital charitable organisations in Worcestershire that need grants for there particular and urgent needs. In addition there are emergency funds set aside to throw a lifeline.
I founded my own business in Worcestershire some 50 years ago.In return I have supported many charities in fund raising.I have been .I was a Governor of St.Richard’s Hospice , Chairman of the fund raising committee for the New Hospice in Wildwood Way and now a Patron. Chairman of Governors of St.Mary’s Convent School (1994-2002 ) .Trustee of Elizabeth FitzRoy Support ( 1990 – 2014 ) – which looks after some 800 people with serious learning difficulties around the country -now a Patron.Also Trustee of Worcester and Dudley Historic Churches Association (2005 – 2016 ),President of Worcester Conservative Association ( 2006 – 2020 ). At present Trustee of Oscott College, Main Board of CLA ( Country and Landowners and Business Association which has 28000 members ) and Trustee of their Charitable Trust – also was Vice Chairmen ,Chairman and then President of Worcestershire Branch of CLA. I am a Knight of Malta ( British and Sovereign Military Order of Malta) was
High Sheriff of Herefordshire and Worcestershire ( 2005/2006 ) and has been a Deputy Lieutenant of Worcestershire since 2006.

Lucy Wells
(Development Director)

Lucy joined WCF as Development Director in 2017 to help lead the Foundation forward, develop a new strategy and build a range of funds. She came from both a corporate and third sector background, initially working in magazine and newspaper publishing in London and overseas, and latterly leading on fundraising at The Courtyard Centre for the Arts in Hereford. She is passionate about helping third sector organisations become more resilient and sustainable. In her spare time she loves running, cycling, singing in Herefordshire Soul Choir, cooking and walking her dog in the beautiful countryside where she lives, and regularly takes part in fundraisers for a range of charities.

“I feel proud to be part of the philanthropic movement of Community Foundations, and having this unique opportunity to help WCF on our journey to make positive impacts on the most vulnerable across the county”.

Ilaria Mazzuchetti
(Marcomms Assistant)

Ilaria joined WCF in 2021, as a Marketing and Communications assistant to support the Development Director in developing new marketing strategies for the Foundation and raise new funds. She is a second-year student at the University of Worcester, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. After moving from Italy to Worcester for her academic studies, she considers Worcester her second home and is excited to collaborate with WCF to give back to the community she now feels part of. In her free time she likes cooking, volleyball and she enjoys her role as Course Representative at University as much as her social life.