About us

About us

Age UK Bournemouth, Poole & East Dorset is an independent local charity. We exist to promote the health and wellbeing of people in later life by providing services, identifying gaps in provision, and by influencing policy and decision makers. 

How we are funded

We rely on your support to keep providing services, activities and support to people over 55 living in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, and East Dorset. We are supported by donations & legacies from the public, income from our charity shops and paid for services and grants from the local authority and Dorset Health Care Trust. Without the dedication and kindness of our supporters we would not be able to provide the range of help that we are currently able to offer.

Meet the Management Team 

Our Trustees 

Rachel Newman (Chair)

I have worked in the charity sector for over 25 years and being part of making a positive contribution to wider society has always been something that has motivated me in my work. My background is in HR . The passion, commitment and purpose a charity has is unique and very special and whilst we often face challenges, working together we tend to find a way. I also love hearing from those that access charity services, just what a difference it makes in their lives.  I joined the board in Spring 2024 and became chair late summer. I am deeply passionate about supporting older people in the community. With aging parents and family members diagnosed with dementia, I know the work we do is vital and so needed.

Peter Simpson (Vice Chair)

I spent 40 years in the financial services industry managing teams and projects in a variety of product management, risk, and governance roles.  Having retired, I am keen to continue to use my knowledge and skills in supporting the important work that AUKBPED undertake.  In my spare time I am a keen golfer and also try to attend a few exercise classes each week

Charlotte Connell

I joined AgeUK BPED as a Trustee in March 2024. I wanted to contribute purposefully to my local community and support a meaningful charity which is what AGEUKBPED is. I have worked in HR for over 26 years. I am currently working as an HR Director and have worked in HR for over 17 years. I have also worked in the HR field in legal, charity and local government. I bring a people, organisational and commercial lens. I’m passionate about enabling people to thrive and organisations to succeed.

Chris Thomas MBE

My background is in the emergency services where I worked for nearly 40 years beginning his operational career with the ambulance service in Bournemouth before joining the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) I was the Coastguards inclusion champion promoting issues of diversity and equality and particularly campaigning to increase women’s roles in business and improving female representation at senior levels. I have also worked closely with Stonewall to support vibrant LGBTQ+ initiatives across the MCA and continues to champion under-represented groups and networks. I have significant leadership experience within the charitable sector having also been Chair of the Dorset Race Equality Council, Chair of Recreate Dorset and Chair of Homestart Wessex. I am delighted to be able to join the great team at Age UK BPED and look forward to supporting the Board, Executive and all involved with the delivery of our very important services.

Kevin Gunputh

I joined the board in November 2024 to support the charity’s mission of improving the lives of older people in the community. I have a strong background in business, finance, and care home operations. I am a CEO and Founder of the Luxury care Group and have built and managed a portfolio of care homes across Poole and Bournemouth, focusing on high-quality care and sustainable business growth. My expertise is  in financial planning, operational management, and recruitment, including international workforce solutions, provides valuable insight into the challenges facing the sector. I am committed to ensuring older people receive the support, dignity, and respect they deserve, and he looks forward to contributing to the charity’s impact.

Ian Peterkin

My business career spanned 37 years in the sustainable packaging industry, managing global sales and commercial teams.  After a successful and varied career, including living in the US for 5 years. Already being a volunteer driver for the older people for several years, I wanted to make more of a difference by using my business skills in becoming a charity Trustee. Having joined a local charity in Christchurch, I then joined Age UK BPED as a Trustee in November 2023. My sales and commercial experience will hopefully allow me to significantly contribute to our Board in commercial reviews, such as contracts, budgeting and pricing and in Sales looking at new sources of income and retail sales.  

Rachel Hayward 

With a professional career in nursing and health and wellbeing delivery and management the chance to join the Age UK Trustee Board seemed like  the perfect opportunity. I was delighted to join the board in November 2024 and as this is my first trustee position I have been on a steep, but enjoyable learning curve since!

With a 30-year career in healthcare, I originally trained as a nurse and later specialized in Occupational Health. My early years saw me working as a clinician, where I developed a deep understanding of patient care and the intricacies of healthcare delivery. Over the last 20 years, I transitioned into operational and client management roles, leveraging my clinical experience to improve healthcare services and manage client relationships effectively in both the private and public sector.

I’m hoping that my friendly and positive attitude, knowledge of the healthcare sector, understanding of the needs of an aging population and my people and client management expertise across a wide variety of workplace settings in the private and public sectors will enable me to help and positively influence the wonderful work, care and support provided by Age UK Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset.

Jermey Wilson

I retired as a solicitor and a partner of a law firm in Orpington in April 2024 and moved to Bournemouth with my wife and dogs where I am now a local will writer. I was previously a trustee for Age UK Bromley and Bexley and I also volunteer for a homeless charity. In my spare time I play badminton, and can often be found on  local golf course, I also try to belt out a half decent tune on my blues harmonica.