Our Patron and Trustees

Patron, CVO, MBE

Mary served as Lord-Lieutenant for Bristol from 2007 to 2017. Her business career was primarily as Sales and Marketing Director of Alexandra plc. Until recently she ran a beef farm in partnership with her husband. Mary is currently a Director/Trustee of Valencia Communities Fund and a past Pro-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, as well as a past President of the Royal Bath and West Agricultural Society. She has held a number of Trusteeships and continues to support a range of local organisations as Patron or President.

Chair of Trustees, BSc, CEng, MICE, MCIWM

Andrew moved to Bristol in 1980 after graduating from London University with a 1st class honours degree in Civil Engineering. In parallel with a successful career as an environmental consultant and international waste management specialist (one of the five founding Directors of global consultancy SLR) Andrew has in recent years become increasingly involved in charity work and social enterprise/business and social investment in Bristol, and also actively supporting microfinance and social investment in the developing world.

Andrew has set up and Chairs FareShare South-West, is Chair of InHope (the leading homelessness charity in Bristol) and also Chair of a number of other partnership or community-based initiatives. He has led the redevelopment of a large number of semi-derelict buildings for the benefit of local communities and charities. He is also currently leading city-wide partnership projects focused on alleviating food poverty and creating jobs, training and mentoring opportunities for ex-offenders. He is actively involved in leading the development of support networks for refugees and asylum seekers coming to the city.

Trustee, BA, MSC, CIHCM

Andy has been active in social housing for over 40 years, with the main focus of his experience on the management and development of supported housing for a range of client groups including older people. In recent years he has worked as an interim manager and consultant based in Bristol. In addition to being a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Housing, he has an MSC in Housing.

Trustee

Anita is an experienced professional with a commercial procurement background from the Ministry of Defence, specialising in strategic sourcing and contract management. As former Head of the MOD’s Equality Diversity & Inclusion Network, she led talent acquisition and inclusive practices initiatives. A former local government councillor for Downend & Bromley Heath in Bristol, she brings public sector governance expertise and community engagement skills across both public and private sectors.

Trustee, CMIIA, FCCA, QIAL

Karen is a career internal auditor and spent 20 years in a top 10 practice providing outsourced internal audit to a range of publicly funded or regulated bodies before moving to a large social housing provider as Director of Audit.

Trustee

Keith is Chair of SOFA Project, a Reuse Charity focused on supporting low-income families and rehabilitation for prisoners. Previously he was part of the Senior Management Team at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), one of the UK’s largest universities, for nearly 20 years. Alongside that he held other roles in education, including Governor of the local Further Education College. Prior to UWE Bristol he held senior marketing positions in top FTSE 100 companies, Prudential and Lloyds TSB.

I am keen to support the great team at Bristol Charities in their ambition to alleviate many of the poverty issues facing a lot of people in parts of Bristol.

Trustee (Chair of Investment Management Subcommittee), Chartered FCSI

Nolan is an Investment Director at Rathbone Investment Management where he manages portfolios for private clients, trusts, pensions, companies and charities since 2001 after three years in a similar role at Greig Middleton. Nolan is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI); where he is also past president of the CISI Bristol, Bath & South Wales Branch Committee. Outside of work Nolan is a member of MENSA. His interests include cricket, films, music, hiking, travel and food.

Trustee, RIBA

Olivia is an Architect and Planner with more than 30 years experience of housing, urban design and the conservation of listed buildings. She began her career as a sociologist working with homeless families and after qualifying as an architect spent a number of years working with tenants on refurbishment and redevelopment of former local authority estates in London. Subsequently, in a planning role, she worked with a wide range of stakeholders on small and large scale developments across England.

Trustee (Chair of Assets and Finance Subcommittee)

Paula is a chartered accountant with over 25 years experience, working predominantly in large international corporates. She recently returned from an early retirement to work in a smaller Bristol business involved in building and operating laboratory rental space to cutting edge scientific research companies.

Trustee, MA, MSc, CPsychol, AFBPSs

Rachel is a Clinical Psychologist and a qualified Coach. She has worked locally within the NHS for more than 35 years where she was ultimately responsible for establishing and managing a team of psychologists delivering care within the acute medical setting of one of Bristol’s large hospital trusts. Since retiring in 2017 she has continued to work as a psychologist focusing on staff well-being initiatives, coaching and supervision. She has also gained experience working as a school governor within a Multi-Academy Trust.

Trustee

Robert has worked in the construction industry for over forty years, primarily as Managing Director of John Perkins Construction Limited, and now serves part-time as Chairman. He enjoys finding ideas that improve the business’s efficiency and encourages working in a smarter way. He is also a Trustee of the Aerospace Bristol Museum.

“The most rewarding aspect of my role at Bristol Charities is knowing that, along with the other Trustees and the Senior Management Team, we are collectively playing a part in helping people in need within the Bristol area.”

Trustee

Roni Adjei has over 10 years’ experience in the charity sector and currently works in international development. He supports communities and volunteers across the world to drive social impact and lasting change, and is passionate about empowering marginalised people and promoting ethical, community-led development.