Management of the charity

Our Trustees.

 In charity law, members of the Executive Committee are known as "trustees".

The aim and responsibility of every trustee is to ensure that Age UK Milton Keynes operates in a manner which enables it to fulfil the objectives given in the constitution in as effective a manner as possible.  The committee has overall legal responsibility for the work and finances of the organisation, employs the staff and manages volunteers.  Our trustees are unpaid volunteers.

At the Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday 22nd October 2025 the following people were appointed as members of the Board of Trustees:

Jan McMeekin - Chair

I first came across Age UK Milton Keynes when they helped my mum, and later spotted they were looking for Trustees. As I was nearing the end of my career in sales and marketing for medical device companies, I knew I wanted to use my experience to give something back — and Age UK MK felt like the right place to start.

I’ve been a Trustee since 2017, and it’s been fascinating learning how a charity works. It’s very different from the corporate world in some ways, but at the end of the day the basics are the same: income, costs, and making sure we can keep our services running.

What do I bring? Years of working at a senior level taught me how to spot issues quickly, find solutions, and make sense of data — all useful when reviewing finances and helping guide decisions.

Being part of Age UK MK has had its challenges (Covid especially), but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. I always encourage friends who are moving into the next stage of life to consider a role like this — it’s a great way to use your skills and make a difference.

John Goodman- Trustee

My grandfather was born in the village of Simpson, one of thirteen, and most of the resulting families remained in the area so I have lots of local cousins and relations. As a result, I was able to see, first hand, how Age Concern (as it was called at that time) helped the older members of my family by giving advice, helping to complete forms, gardening, doing odd jobs and arranging lunch clubs.

As a Bletchley boy, I have watched Milton Keynes develop, and so too I have seen how Age Concern became Age UK Milton Keynes and changed and adapted to meet the growing and more complex needs of the older population.

I took early retirement when my employer relocated and I was soon contacted by the then Chief Executive, who suggested I should become a trustee, so I didn’t spend all my time sitting in the garden.

I was initially unsure how my engineering and construction background would be of use to the charity but on meeting my fellow trustees I realised we all came from different backgrounds and all had something to offer. The strength of the trustees is not only due to the specialist skills we all bring to the charity but to our unique backgrounds and life experiences.

I have been a trustee for a number of years and have enjoyed working with the other trustees, staff and volunteers. It has been rewarding to work with these dedicated and committed people knowing that we are making a difference and helping the ever-growing Milton Keynes population.

Gary Baxter- Trustee

I currently work in the Integrated Retirement Community sector where I have been managing a medium sized private retirement community for the last seven years. Previous to that I worked for a number of years within the social care sector.

Through my full time role I have become increasingly aware of the needs of older people and the range of support and advice that is offered by Age UK Milton Keynes to counter some of those needs. I was surprised to discover that Age UK Milton Keynes was in fact a charity in it's own right and NOT funded by the national organisation. Working as I do for a Not-For-Profit company; I understand the challenges that come from trying to fund smaller organisations. It was this recognition of the challenges that initially lead me to apply for the role of a trustee in 2022.

I very much hope that my experience within business and social care will in some small way contribute to the board of trustees and the management of Age UK Milton Keynes. I have already met a number of staff at all levels and have been impressed by the passion and commitment shown through-out the organisation

Vasco Fernandes- Trustee

I have been a Trustee of AgeUKMK since early 2024 and am enjoying it immensely. 

I believe that with my clinical  and medical background, I will bring added value to this most impressive and worthwhile organisation. Together, we all can further improve on "Adding Life to Years and Years to Life".

I am a retired Milton Keynes NHS retired Consultant Physician, having also been a General Medical Practitioner.

Throughout my working career ( and since retirement) I have endeavoured to help all communities and people, but especially disadvantaged ones.

I have maintained my keen interest in the health and well-being of older people. As part of that , I continue to research the latest evidence to improve  healthspan ( ie improving longevity and quality of life). I use that knowledge to undertake (hopefully, as demonstrated by positive feedback) ) very practical, interactive talks and discussions to a wide range of audiences to try and help meet this aim. 

My hobbies include table tennis, bridge and walking. 

Sue Graham BEM - Trustee

After retiring from many years working in Adult social care, I joined Age UK Milton Keynes as a Trustee and held the position of Chair for a number of years. 

As a Trustee and keen swimmer, I have participated in fundraising "Swimathons" and am a keen supporter of all AUKMK events and always happy to help where needed whether thats making tea or painting walls!

In what spare time I do have, I love to spend it in my garden 

Janet Deeley- Trustee

I have grown up and lived in Fenny Stratford for well over sixty years. I am proud to call myself a second generation ‘Fenny girl’. I am community minded and have been a school governor at my local school for fifteen years. I also volunteer in Bletchley library one morning a week.

My first involvement with Age UKMK was when I volunteered in their Bletchley shop on a Saturday as I was still working full time. When I retired a friend who was a trustee said he had just the job for me in my new life - to become a trustee. This was over six years ago and I have enjoyed the role immensely. I am particularly interested in the retail side and try to visit the shops and Kiln Farm on a regular basis. I also work in retail when needed and enjoy the buzz of working with other volunteers. During my time with Age UKMK we have had challenges to face but have worked through them. I find the role rewarding and feel proud to be part of a charity which works tirelessly to support older people of Milton Keynes.

My background was in the world of education and I taught for over thirty years, the last nine as Head of a Nursery and Infant School. After leaving teaching I worked for eleven years as Library Manager at a large secondary school. In these roles I was responsible for managing teams of people and running budgets.  I feel these skills have been transferable to my role as a trustee.

My interests include gardening, knitting, sewing, walking and playing mahjong.

Giles Martin - Trustee Treasurer

I have almost 40 years experience in Treasury and Finance. I was Group Treasurer in multinational firms across a wide spread of industry sectors, including SSL International (healthcare) and the TP ICAP Group (broking).

In my free time I enjoy offshore sailing, especially during night watches, drifting along under the stars.

Hywel Lewis - Trustee

I have three daughters, manage a local football team and have a background in marketing and partnerships with experience in both agency and corporate settings. My passion is in bringing organisations together for mutual benefit and I look forward to creating lasting partnerships that will benefit Age UK MK and the broader MK community. 

We welcome enquiries from people interested in volunteering as a trustee.  We would love to hear from you if you have expertise in the fields of social care care or medicine.  Please get in touch on 01908 550700.

annual reports