New Chair of Age UK BRWF Board of Trustees

After ten years of overseeing the Board of Trustees for Age UK Bromsgrove & District and more recently the Board of Age UK Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest, Sheelagh Keen has announced that, despite wishing to continue being an active Trustee, she is stepping down from her role as Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Alison Schofield, CEO of Age UK Bromsgrove Redditch & Wyre Forest, who has worked closely with Sheelagh over the last ten years, said:

“On everyone’s behalf, I would like to say a huge thank you to Sheelagh for her dedication and commitment to the organisation and our community. Sheelagh has been involved with supporting older people for over 25 years.  Sheelagh has always believed in empowering people by making sure that they have access the ‘right’ information and advice.  During the 1980’s, whilst working for the Citizens Advice Bureau, Sheelagh was approached about getting involved with, and setting up, Bromsgrove Age Concern.  One of the first things that she was involved in was establishing the Bromsgrove Information and Advice Service – by the early 1990’s, Sheelagh had become CEO of Bromsgrove Age Concern.  During her time with Age Concern Bromsgrove District, Sheelagh secured lottery grand funding to acquire 51 Windsor Street for the organisation – today the building is the registered office and administrative centre for Age UK Bromsgrove, Redditch & Wyre Forest.

Despite retiring in 2002 Sheelagh continued to seek ways to ensure older people ‘have-a-voice’.  She was soon asked to join the Board of Trustees for Age UK Leominster, (subsequently becoming Chair) and supported the creation of Age UK Hereford and Localities before returning to the Board of Trustees for Age UK Bromsgrove & District.”

Whilst she is stepping down in her role as Chair, Sheelagh is keen to re-enforce that she remains committed to improving the lives of older people and that she will continue to be an active member of the Board saying:

“Attitudes are changing.  Older people are now getting a stronger voice and are speaking up for themselves and are more able to articulate what they need – there is however, a lot more that needs to be done.”

When asked what more ‘needs to be done’, Sheelagh added:

“There are over 118,000 people over the age of 50 living in North Worcestershire.  I want Age UK Bromsgrove, Redditch & Wyre Forest to be reaching and supporting more people.  We need to be challenging perceptions and breaking down barriers – don’t make the assumption that help isn’t available and don’t make the assumption that the advice you received a few years ago is the most current and up to date. It doesn’t stop with giving people a voice, it needs to be developed.  I want older people to feel more empowered to take responsibility for their future and I want everybody over the age of 50 in North Worcestershire (along with their families and carers) to know that Age UK Bromsgrove, Redditch & Wyre Forest is here for them.

I am also so proud of the work that the team are doing – it never stops.  These are incredibly challenging times, but the team is constantly looking at new and different ways to make sure that we secure, and develop, the valuable support and services that we provide and to make sure that Age UK Bromsgrove, Redditch & Wyre Forest continues to be there for everyone.”

Following a Board Meeting in December, it has been confirmed that Trustee, Trevor Hughes, has agreed to become the new Chair of the Age UK Bromsgrove, Redditch & Wyre Forest Board of Trustees.

Trevor has spent most of his working life in the public sector, with Local Authorities or with Housing Associations.  The early part of Trevor’s career was spent in Finance Departments before moving to social housing, a field in which he spent 30 years. Within Local Government Trevor was a Policy Director responsible for Housing and Environmental Health and his final position was that of Corporate Director responsible for four major service areas.  For ten years, up until his retirement in 2010, Trevor was was an Executive Director of a large housing group based in Stratford upon Avon.  He was also a Board Member of bdht (Bromsgrove District Housing Trust) for nine years.

Commenting on his new role of Chair of Age UK BRWF Board of Trustees, Trevor said:

“It is my intention as the new Chair to build upon the solid foundation that Sheelagh has put in place for Age UK Bromsgrove, Redditch & Wyre Forest. As a charity we are facing very challenging times with not only the demand for services for the elderly increasing but also financial restrictions on those services. Following the merger of the three districts of Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest. Age UK BRWF is in a good position to deliver the services and give the support that older people in these areas need”

Sheelagh Keen (centre) is pictured with Alison Schofield CEO of Age UK BRWF (left) and Amanda Allen, Age UK BRWF Community Engagement Manager (right). 

For additional information please contact: Jo Hughes - Age UK BRWF Marketing Executive, Telephone: 01527 868855, Email: Jo.Hughes@ageukbrwf.org.uk