Meet the Council of Governors
Click on the tabs below to see our Governors
Public Governors
Calder and Ryburn Valleys
Peter Bamber
Elected July 2021
Peter was a Consultant Anaesthetist at CHFT from 1991 until his retirement in 2021. Since retirement he has become an accredited Humanist Funeral Celebrant.
Peter was a staff governor for four years at CHFT for the doctors and dentists group. He brings to the Council of Governors a wealth of knowledge from both his medical career and his previous experience as a governor.
As a publicly elected governor Peter wishes to represent the concerns of his local constituency and aims to help our hospitals and community services to continue to be the best they can be for the people they serve.
Gina Choy
Elected July 2021
Gina brings her experience of working for the NHS as a midwife to the Council of Governors. Gina also has experience as a midwifery teacher, a SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) and as a Childline Counsellor.
Now retired Gina plans to use her time as a governor to support the NHS by hearing about the issues first-hand and helping to find solutions to ensure the best use of public funds.
She sees her role as a governor as an opportunity to make certain that the voices of the public are heard and is keen to work with the Trust to ensure that the care is being delivered in a safe, compassionate and inclusive environment.
Huddersfield Central
Robert Markless
Elected July 2021
Robert was previously a Governor at Kingston Hospital. He also had experience on the Board of the local Health Authority and as Vice-Chair of Kingston Primary Care Trust as well as in the voluntary sector, which he sees as an important partner in supporting patients.
At CHFT Robert has been a Governor Observer on the Trust’s Finance & Performance Committee and is currently Chair of the Community Healthcare Divisional Reference Group. He has made presentations to community forums about the role of a Governor, has sat on interview panels for senior medical staff and has made several visits to wards under the Observe and Act programme.
Robert volunteers at HRI, bringing his dog Daisy into the hospital to meet patients, their families and staff as a “Pets as Therapy” dog.
As a governor, Robert aims to use his knowledge and experience to help CHFT to achieve its mission to always put patients first regardless of their background.
Christine Mills
First elected July 2018
Re-elected July 2021
Christine is now retired but was previously a School Administrator. Christine also served as a Huddersfield/Kirklees Magistrate for twenty years.
Having been successfully re-appointed in July 2021, Christine is now in her second term as a governor. She wants to continue to be an active governor on the various committees and projects she has been involved with so far, and to work alongside her fellow governors to ensure that they fulfil their duty to hold the Non-Executive Directors to account for the performance of the Trust.
South Huddersfield
Isaac Dziya
Elected July 2021
Isaac has experience of partnership working and has participated in robust governance frameworks relating to flood risk management and assurance leading to community resilience.
Isaac is passionate about making a difference and promoting equality across the health sector, and in the governor role, will work creatively and innovatively to drive change internally and externally.
Isaac brings experience in governance related issues to the role of governor, and he has navigated challenging fields to achieve a number of fellowships which he believes will stand him in good stead in the role.
Vacant
North Kirklees
2 Vacancies
Skircoat and Lower Calder Valley
Lorraine Wolfenden
Elected July 2023
.Lorraine worked for the NHS for 40 years, in a variety of leadership roles, starting her career as a nurse at Calderdale School of Nursing.
She has also worked in public health and has a Masters degree in the subject.
Lorraine retired from the experience of care team at NHS England at the end of March, where she had worked for the last 10 years. The role involved ensuring people using services (patients) are listened to and are involved in co-producing improvements to give them the best possible experience of care. This role gave her a passion for ensuring that patients and people using services have the best possible experience and that everyone’s voices are heard.
Diane Cothey
Elected July 2023
Diane was one of the first women engineers in the UK with a degree in Astrophysics and Applied Mathematics but left engineering when she had a family and started teaching.
Diane became a Senior Software Consultant and travelled around the country advising clients how to progress their organisations.
She has been a governor at a number of schools and is currently a governor at Calderdale College.
East Halifax and Bradford
2 vacancies
North and Central Halifax
Kate Wileman
Elected July 2023
Kate was previously a governor at CHFT between January 2013 and September 2018.
Kate is retired and her former career was in education. She was a teacher and a university lecturer and set up and managed national and regional projects.
Kate is also a patient of CHFT and has made use of many of the different hospital services, some still ongoing.
Tony Wilkinson
Elected July 2023
Tony served three terms as a public governor with South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
He has also undertaken voluntary roles with Healthwatch and other Care & NHS related organisations.
Tony always welcomes contact and can use his awareness of the many sectors of NHS & Social Care to get information he receives as a governor directed to the right place.
Tony is a retired pharmacist and wishes to use his lived role experiences to increase the quality and realistic quantity of services.
Lindley and the Valleys
Brian Moore (Lead Governor)
Elected July 2021
Brian lives in Longwood, Huddersfield. He is retired after being a sales manager for 30 years and a CEO of a buying group for the catering industry for 10 years. He is passionate about the NHS and wants to ensure the Trust continues to perform to the highest standard.
Through his role as a governor, Brian wants to support managers and other staff in their work at the Trust. He is also keen to ensure that any plans for reconfiguration at the Trust provides and maintains a first class health service that meets the needs of the people in the area that both Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Calderdale Royal Hospital serve.
Pam Robinson
Elected July 2023
Pam is now retired, has taught in several schools across Kirklees and at Huddersfield College. She has worked alongside Minority Centres as part of her role at Huddersfield Technical College creating opportunities for flexible learning.
Pam has worked as a verifier / moderator for City & Guilds and NCFE.Since retiring from teaching Pam then worked as a project leader for the IMWS (Batley) to run academic courses in the heart of the minority communities.
Running concurrently, she also worked for KC Handel (Netherlands) – monitoring Dutch students / companies involved / accommodation here in the UK. Pam has been a Governor at a local school, whilst her grandchildren were attending.
Rest of England
Our first election for a governor in this constituency will take place soon
Staff Governors
Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), Health Care Scientists and Pharmacists
Jonathan Drury
Elected 2023
Jonathan started in the NHS as an orthoptist and has recently qualified as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Ophthalmology, the first of its kind in the Trust.
His training has taught him to view patient care more holistically and compassionately and he is currently researching how spiritual practices can support patients coming to terms with visual loss.
As a staff governor he tries to see things through the eyes of the patient and use his experience to help make improvements whilst encouraging staff engagement in training and development opportunities to upskill the workforce.
Ancillary staff
Jo Kitchen
Elected July 2021
Jo is an elected staff governor in the Ancillary staff group, which incorporates HCAs, healthcare support workers, housekeepers and nursing associates amongst others.
Jo has worked for the NHS for a number of years, with the majority of them at CHFT. Jo is currently working within the Children's Diabetes Team as a Patient Advocate, a unique role which she finds very rewarding, as she describes herself as a ‘people person’.
Jo has completed a QI project within her team which has resulted in some positive changes for the service. As a staff governor, she wishes to build on this experience and help the Trust as a whole to improve and move forward.
Doctors and Dentists
Sandeep Goyal
Elected July 2021
Sandeep is an elected staff governor in the Doctors/Dentists staff group. He has worked in the NHS for over 15 years at various levels as a doctor so brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience.
He is currently a speciality doctor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and is also a mortality reviewer.
As a staff governor Sandeep wants to actively participate in decisions that impact colleagues in his staff group and address any issues with colleague welfare, and patient care, in mind.
Management, Administration and Clerical
Vacancy
Nurses and Midwives
Liam Stout
Elected July 2021
Liam is an elected staff governor in the Nurses/Midwives staff group. He is currently a full time nurse in advanced clinical practice at CHFT.
Liam is passionate about maintaining the high standards of professional training at the Trust and as a staff governor he wants to actively support the development of his colleagues. He feels he has the passion, determination and ability to drive changes that the Trust can make to better his colleagues’ professional lives and the exceptional care that they provide to our patients.
Liam brings to the staff governor role an understanding of the ward and operating theatre level challenges that face professionals daily. He is looking forward to being a representative of his staff group on the Council of Governors and will take the time to listen and act on any issues that anyone wishes to present.
Emma Karim
Elected July 2023
Emma is a sister based on Ward 6 at HRI. She has always worked in elderly medicine and has a specialist interest in dementia care. She has previously been a parent governor at Hillside Primary school and has volunteered at the Alzheimer’s café in Moldgreen.
As a staff governor Emma wants to help to get staff engaged and involved with and informed about what is happening within the Trust.
Appointed Governors
University of Huddersfield
Dr Sara Eastburn
Acting Head of Department of Allied Health Professions,
Sport and Exercise
Locala
Vacant
New governor to be appointed
Calderdale Council
Councillor Josh Fenton-Glynn
Healthwatch
Karen Huntley
Director
Calderdale and Huddersfield Solutions Ltd
Abdirahman Duaale
Assistant Operations Manager
Kirklees Council
Vacant
New governor to be appointed
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Jules Williams
Deputy Director of Corporate Governance
Associate Youth Governors
Izzy Swindells
Izzy is currently studying Film Studies A- level and Btec Travel, Tourism and Event management at Huddersfield New College.
She also attends an astronomy class as part of enrichment opportunities at college.
In the future Izzy plans to go to university to study Events Management – and to work eventually in the events management field within the sporting or music industries.
She has worked in a local children’s bookshop and in her spare time, enjoys music, reading and Formula 1!
Chase Cockcroft
Chase Cockcroft
Chase is currently studying towards her GCSEs at Colne Valley High School.
In the future Chase plans to go to university to study nursing – and then she hopes to become a Paediatric Nurse.
Chase has done some work experience at Linthwaite Clough Primary School, helping the children with craft activities, giving them support as necessary and tidying up after the activities. This gave her a good insight into what it is like working with children.
In her spare time, Chase likes to listen to music, and she enjoys walking and spending time with her family and friends.
If you would like to contact our governors, please e-mail:
