Andrew was appointed in September 2023. He began his career in brand management before founding a retail design and manufacturing company. In 2014 he took the opportunity to move into working in the 3rd sector. Since then he has chaired an NHS mental health trust and been a board member/chair in a housing association, and several charities in fields as diverse as community sport, contemporary arts and heritage. He served as CEO of Herefordshire Mind and continues there as a trustee, having a particular interest in mental health care. In his spare time Andrew pursues an enthusiasm for historic architecture, volunteering with two preservation charities and restoring early 20th century buildings.
Ron Whitfield
Trustee
Ron has been a Trustee since 2016. In his first career, Ron served with what is now West Mercia Police for 35 years, and during that time worked across the Force Area in various roles. In 2001, Ron “retired” from West Mercia and formed his own company. Since then, he has undertaken an eclectic mix of activities in the public, private, and third sectors, all focused on supporting people and organisations. Ron has Trustee experience dating back to 1997. As well as supporting YSS, Ron is a Trustee with Herefordshire & Worcestershire Community First, and the Oakland Foundation. Ron lives in South Shropshire, and is sole carer to a family member who has middle/late-stage Alzheimer’s.
Lady Susanna McFarlane DL
Trustee
Susanna is a Trustee, following her role as Chair of Trustees from 2007 to 2018, having been a Trustee since 2004. Prior to that, she was a YSS Appropriate Adult Volunteer. Susanna is a member of the West Mercia Police Vetting Appeals Panel and Disciplinary Appeals Panel. She is also a member of Suckley Church PCC, The Worcester Cathedral Council, and a Trustee of Herefordshire Historic Churches Trust, as well as a school Governor. Susanna works part-time at Bromyard Community Hospital as a Physiotherapist, and is a Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Herefordshire.
Fiona Charny
Trustee
Fiona was appointed a Trustee in September 2016. She trained as a Nurse at the QEH in Birmingham, and worked as a Health Visitor in Birmingham and Worcester before becoming an NHS Manager in 1990. Fiona worked in various organisations, mainly concerned with primary care, and was latterly a Chief Executive of a PCG. After having her fourth child, she left the NHS in 2003, and since then has run a business with her husband helping the medical device and pharma industries get their products through the regulatory processes in the UK and Europe. Fiona has been a Magistrate for 11 years, and sits on the adult and family panels. She was chair of the South Worcestershire Bench from 2018 to 2021. She has chaired the Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign since it began in 2007 and, after raising £1.5 million, saw the new unit opened in February 2015. She now chairs the Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven Charity which provides ongoing support to all breast cancer patients.
Sandra Kelley
Lead for GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
Sandra became a Trustee in 2013, having been a Director and Senior Manager in both health and social services in the Birmingham area, working in information and systems programmes for more than 25 years. She has extensive experience in strategic development, ICT programmes, management, national contracting, and information reporting requirements. Since retiring, Sandra has worked with Age UK and other voluntary organisations. She is a keen gardener, and biennially organises “The Gardens of Wichenford”, a popular open gardens event in a small Worcestershire village, which raises much needed funds for local charities.
Nerys Thomas
Trustee
Nerys became a YSS Trustee in June 2018. She is a Solicitor specialising in private client law. She studied Law with French both here in the UK and in Lyon, France, before completing her legal training with a Worcester-based law firm. Prior to training, Nerys worked with the Wales Probation Trust whilst undertaking a Master’s degree in legal practice. She has also volunteered with the Citizens Advice Bureau as a Gateway Assessor. In her role as a Solicitor, Nerys specialises in Wills, administration of trusts and estates, inheritance tax planning, and Court of Protection matters. She also advises several charitable trusts and CIOs.
Jared Whitehouse
Trustee
Jared was appointed an Associate Trustee at YSS in December 2021, and full Trustee in May 2022. He started his career as a Financial Adviser, and subsequently worked for the financial ombudsman before moving into head office roles. Jared has most recently been Internal Audit Director, and now Client Services Director at St. James’s Place Wealth Management (“SJP”), with responsibility for the administration back-office function across the Group. Previously, Jared worked in compliance for HSBC supporting their Branch Network, Contact Centres, and First Direct operations. He has also previously served as the Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer for SJP, prior to which he had set up their Business Assurance function.