Members of the Board are elected annually at the AGM but may be co-opted throughout the year.
The members of the Board proposed for election on 10th September 2025 are
Willy Goldschmidt
President and Communications Lead
Elected to the Board 2013
Willy has served as Communications Lead since 2013 and is a member of the Financial Strategy Group. He was Chair of the Charity between 2016 and 2021.
When COVID lockdown was eased he lead the restoration of Volunteer services and recruitment for the Charity.
After retiring from a career as a senior manager in the textile, transport and IT industries, Willy spent 2 years as a Non-exec Director of the George Elliot Hospital.
His motivation in joining the Friends is to give back to the Trust which supported him and his late wife during periods of poor health. He is also a Research Champion for the UHCW Trust.
Garth Murphy
Chair and Patient represenative
Brian Cheney
Treasurer
Elected to the Board 2022
Brian has served as Treasurer and as a member of the Financial Strategy Group since joining the Board as a Trustee in October 2022
Since qualifying as a Chartered Cost and Management Accountant in 1988, Brian has had an extensive career in finance, having worked for many years in the engineering, automotive and education sectors.
In addition to his role as a Trustee of The Friends, Brian has been a school governor in Rugby for over 25 years. He is currently Vice Chair of Governors at the Avon Valley School in Newbold on Avon.
Brian has lived in Rugby for his entire life.
Hilary Parry
Secretary
Elected to the Board 2025
Hilary spent a number of years growing up in Rugby and has retained links to the town whilst working and living in other parts of the Midlands.
She has recently retired from managing her own business and a long career in Customer Operations, primarily in the Energy Sector.
Having been involved in volunteering activities during COVID and seeing at first hand the positive impact volunteers make in the NHS, Hilary welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the invaluable work undertaken by The Friends.
Adele Bull
Governance Support
Elected to the Board 2025
Recently retired qualified School Business Manager with a background in Finance and Admin management in business and education. Lived in Rugby since childhood.
A volunteer member of the social fundraising team since 2022.
Elizabeth Burnett
Volunteer Support
Elected to the Board 2020
Elizabeth has enjoyed being a volunteer at St Cross since 2018. She is the Service Coordinator for the Ward Trolley Service and the Tea Bar.
She has lived in Rugby for over 50 years but was born and raised in Newcastle on Tyne. She was a primary School teacher in Rugby and Coventry for over forty years and was a Head Teacher in Coventry for 23 years before retiring.
Doug Jones
Governance Lead
Elected to the Board 2018
Doug has served as the Governance Lead and as a member of the Financial Strategy Group since becoming a Trustee. He was elected as Chair at the 2021 AGM and stands down from the Chair in September 2025.
He has an extensive background across both Private and Public Sector bodies at a senior level with a wide range of experience within Retail Banking and Local Government.
Doug and family moved to Rugby in 1995 and he and his wife have been actively involved with the Charity as volunteers within the Social Fundraising Committee for a number of years and have been supporters for in excess of 20 years.
Tracey Lennard
Social Fundraising Lead
Elected to the Board 1999
Tracey was born and grew up in Rugby. She is part of a large family that was looked after on many occasions by the Hospital of St Cross.
She was persuaded to join the board of trustees by her former school teacher and one of the charities former trustees Isabel Liddle.
Tracey leads the Social Fundraising Team and has a wealth of experience in organising and running very successful social fundraising events. She is also a strong advocate of the hospital, working tirelessly to raise the profile of St Cross.
Gita Natarajan BEM
Community Fund Raising
Elected to the Board 2023
Gita is a highly experienced project manager and specialises in social engineering/innovation, community cohesion and volunteer management. She has worked alongside Rugby Borough Council, Warwickshire County Council and The Benn Partnership Centre for over 20 years to help regenerate various deprived council wards in Rugby and transformed them into productive, thriving, cohesive and resilient communities.
During COVID she managed the Locke House Vaccination Centre, leading a team of over 80 healthcare professionals and 120 volunteers to deliver a regional record of more than 160,000 vaccinations.
Gita is currently working as the Transformation Project Manager with the Rugby Primary Care Network, leading on the management and delivery of Enhanced Access to GP Services with a focus on addressing health inequalities across the region.
Collette O’Connor
Elected to the Board 2024
Collette has a strong interest in helping the marginalised and the vulnerable in our community
and helps to oversee our Befriending Scheme, which The Friends offers all year round.
Collette has previously worked in Private Practice as a Solicitor, has extensive experience in the Third Sector and currently sits on a number of Boards.
She joined The Friends as she has a strong interest in healthcare and wanted to help with the important work that The Friends undertake.
Supriya Pattanayak
Communications Support
Elected to the Board 2025
Supriya brings many years of experience from a career in the IT industry, with expertise in delivering strategic, value-driven solutions for customers across North Europe.
She has lived in Warwickshire for the last 17 years and is passionate about supporting and making a difference in the local community. She is committed to helping the Friends and aims to contribute towards a practical and forward-looking approach to the charity’s work, with a particular focus on amplifying awareness through an enhanced social media presence and communication.
Stephen Walshaw
Purchasing Lead
Elected to the Board 2019
Stephen has served as the Purchasing Lead since becoming a Trustee and more recently became a member of the Financial Strategy Group.
Now retired, he has an extensive background in Energy Procurement and Infrastructure Projects, across both Private and ex-Public Industries.
Stephen and family moved to the area in 1990, he and his wife have been actively involved with charitable activities from before that time. He joined the Friends through the Daily Mail’s Helpforce Campaign, to help staff and patients by making a difference in local healthcare.