We are delighted to welcome Elaine Mills as our new Chair of Trustees.
Elaine is replacing Roy Harding, who stepped down on 7 April 2022 and left us this lovely message.
“Dear Colleagues,
I’m writing to let you all know that I will be stepping down from the Gaddum Trustee Board on the 7th April 2022. It has been a privilege to have been a small part of the Gaddum family over the last ten years, particularly as the organisation has grown from strength to strength.
I’m always impressed by the dedication, commitment and professionalism that you all show in delivering our services to our clients and the positive impact that has on their lives. I’ve been particularly impressed in the way our services have been adapted to cope with the demands of the pandemic, and the imagination and flexibility, you have shown to carry on providing first class services during this period.
At this point it’s with excitement that I can also announce that, following a rigorous recruitment process, Elaine Mills has been appointed to the role of Chair of the Board. You will be hearing from Elaine in the near future. Under Elaine’s, the Board’s and the SLT’s leadership, I have every faith that Gaddum will continue to achieve even greater successes.
It’s been a real pleasure to join you on the staff away days and to listen to your service reports and get a first hand understanding of the real impact you are making on people’s lives.
I have to confess that every time I’ve been fortunate enough to watch the Who Cares production at the Lowry, it has brought me out in tears. At the last production at the Lowry, it was fantastic to meet some of the original young people, represented in the play, and see how much they had benefited from your support.
I’m known for being a bit of a Gaddum bore, because I talk about the organisation to everyone I meet but just because I’m standing down, doesn’t mean I won’t continue to sing your praises.
As a family, we will never forget the help and support Gaddum gave to us, and it has been a real pleasure just to be able to give a little something back in thanks.
So finally, I have been tremendously proud to be your Chair for the last four years, and I wish you all good health and happiness for the future.
Kind regards and best wishes
Roy”
Here is an opening message from Elaine.
“Hi everyone,
My name is Elaine Mills, and I am delighted to have been appointed Chair of Gaddum. I am excited to be volunteering in the VCSE sector in Manchester again. Some years ago, I chaired a Black-led mental health charity in Manchester, supporting the Board of Trustees to develop the organisation and recruit new volunteers. My previous experience volunteering within the charity has helped me develop an understanding of mental health, particularly in relation to the need for culturally appropriate, accessible services. Also, as a young carer myself, I understand the challenges faced by carers and hope to become a champion for carers going forward. I’m looking forward to supporting Gaddum to continue to grow and develop to deliver vital services to the people of Greater Manchester.”
We wish Roy Harding all the best for the future and a warm welcome to Elaine Mills.