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Financial Statement

The Directors' Report and Financial Statements for the year ending 31st March 2011 were approved by the Board of Directors on 16 August 2011. 

A summary document and the full report and statements are available below.

Board of Trustees

Andrew Mills (Chair)

Over a 25-year period Andrew held various positions within (and as a service provider to) the pharmaceutical industry. His main working experience included marketing research, product management and business development in Europe. In 1995, he took voluntary separation from a major corporation in order to start and develop several businesses, including a consultancy practice in marketing and survey research.

During 2005, Andrew became the principal and often full-time carer to his wife, following her experiencing profound physical disability, resulting from brain pathology and a series of surgical interventions. Happily, Mrs Mills has made significant recovery and Andrew's caring role has substantially reduced.

Andrew's contact with Carers in Hertfordshire dates from June 2005, at which time he was invited by the organisation to assist in the design and implementation of a survey of carers in a part of the county. More recently, Andrew played a part in the planning and design of a questionnaire survey within a major consultation of parent-carers throughout Hertfordshire.

He has been a Carers in Hertfordshire Trustee/Director since 2008, Vice Chair of the Board since 2009 and until recently, Chair of the General Purposes Sub Committee. From September 2011 Andrew became Chair of the Board of Directors. Andrew also serves on the Finance, General Purposes and Strategy and Services Sub-Committees of the Board.

Stephen Wylie (Vice Chair)

Following obtaining a Physics degree, Stephen qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant and worked for 11 years in telecommunications and 21 years in the oil industry. He held various positions in Murco Petroleum Ltd, including Finance Director, Supply Director and, for the last 6 years as Managing Director before leaving in 2008.

In the past, Stephen has been a Volunteer with Leonard Cheshire and participated in humanitarian aid trips to Africa. Currently he is a Volunteer Advisor with the CAB as well as being a Trustee of Carers in Hertfordshire since 2009.

From September 2011 Stephen became Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the General Purposes Sub-Committee. Stephen is also a member of the Finance Sub-Committee of the Board.

Connie Bunker

Connie was raised in the USA but came to England in 1958 as a student. She was originally a sociologist and research assistant. She then became a Social Worker in Sussex working initially in the medical and later in the psychiatric (Mental Health) setting.

Connie retired as a Senior Social Worker and Approved Social Worker (under the Mental Health Act). She has three children; the youngest, Paul, having Downs Syndrome is living in a Rudolph Steiner Community in Gloucestershire and has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She also is involved with the care of a grandchild with Autism.

Connie has been a Trustee since 2008 and is a member of the Strategy and Services Sub-Committee of the Board.

Michael Downing

Michael came to Stevenage in 1968 to take up a post as Lecturer in Social Policy at North Herts College (NHC), teaching on courses for training social workers, health visitors, district nurses and other health and social care professionals. He stayed at NHC for 30 years.

Michael served for many years as an elected member of Stevenage Council and Herts County Council (HCC). At HCC he chaired the Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee. He was a member of North Herts Health Authority for 4 years and later chaired the Community Health Council.

Michael is currently active in Herts LINk, chairing its Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Theme Group. He also acts for HPFT as a Mental Health Act Manager, hearing patients' appeals against detention under the Mental Health Act. Michael's leisure interests are the theatre and Surrey Cricket.

Michael was appointed to the Board of Directors in September 2011 and is a member of the General Purposes Sub-Committee of the Board.

Julia Everett

Julia is the parent of a young adult daughter who has had severe learning and physical disabilities from birth. Julia originally trained and worked as a librarian but since becoming a carer has done voluntary work involving children with special needs, such as Toy Library, setting up a playscheme and Opportunity Class.

More recently, Julia has trained to become a parenting practitioner and facilitates groups for parents of children, some of which are specifically aimed at parents whose children have special needs.

Julia has been a Board member of Carers in Hertfordshire since 1997 and has been until recently, Chair of the Strategy and Services Sub-Committee. Julia continues to be a member of that Sub-Committee and also serves on the General Purposes Sub-Committee.

Santo Mann

Santo cares for his son who has severe learning disabilities following an attack of meningitis in 1974.

Santo is a Chartered Engineer and was a professional trainer registered as a Supervising Engineer on the Roll of Index of Institution of Civil Engineers. He worked as a Chartered Municipal Engineer in local government UK for thirty years. He took early retirement in 1993 from Islington Council, London as their District Engineer. For the next four years he was Managing Director of Wolf Mann Consultants Limited and became a management consultant in 1997.

His voluntary involvement has included Lions Club - Internationally and in Stevenage; St Johns Ambulance; Carer Representative on the Herts LD Partnership Board; LD Carers Forum, Eastern Region Family Carers Network and National Valuing Family Forum; Expert by Experience Group for EoE. He is a Board and Executive member of Herts LINks representing them at local hospitals, PCT boards, and regional Chairs' meetings, Network and Social Forum.

Santo has been a Trustee of Carers in Hertfordshire since 1998; Director since 2000; chaired two Sub-Committees and is currently a member of the General Purposes Sub-Committee of the Board.

Cathleen Palmer

Cathleen is an ex-carer having cared for years for her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, and for her father who died recently aged 99 years. Before that she cared for her husband for several years after he suffered a severe stroke. Trying to juggle a career in teaching with her caring responsibilities made Cathleen very aware of the stress and pressure which carers suffer in the workplace.

Cathleen does some work for the Care Quality Commission and contributes to their Carers Advisory Board. She has served on the Board of Carers in Hertfordshire since 2006 and is a member of the Strategy and Services Sub-Committee.

Cathleen enjoys doing this work and feels the organisation has been a great help and support to her in the past and she wants to help make sure that the good work it does for carers is not only continued but expanded. Cathleen says: "It is good to be part of an organisation which can set an example of excellence to other counties".

Norman Phillips

Norman took early retirement in 2008 to become full-time carer for his wife who has secondary progressive MS and a defective auto immune system.

In his career he was a Programme Manager on large scale IT Projects, mainly for the Government and Public Sector. His experience there was focused on managing the organisational changes needed to gain the maximum benefit from the IT investment. He has a great deal of experience in dealing with all forms of Government Departments at all levels.

Norman became involved with Carers in Hertfordshire in 2009, when he was really struggling to keep going in his role as carer. With Carers in Hertfordshire's help he has understood that he needs a life outside caring and as a result, has become active with Carers in Hertfordshire in ensuring that Government at all levels understands the needs of carers and the benefits they bring. In addition, he has helped at an Alzheimer's Unit and the Hitchin British Schools Museum. Norman has also trained as a Carers Representative with Carers in Hertfordshire.

Norman was appointed to the Board of Directors in September 2011 and is Chair of the Strategy and Services Sub-Committee of the Board.

Nial Thackray (Treasurer)

In 1974, shortly after qualifying as a Chartered Management Accountant, Nial joined The Welcome Foundation Ltd (now part of GlaxoSmithKline plc) as Financial Controller for Latin America. This started what would become a 30 year career in international financial management and corporate development within the Pharmaceutical/Healthcare industry during which he held a number of senior management and Board positions. His work took him to many countries and he was based in Sao Paulo, Brazil in the late 1970s and Princeton, NJ, USA in the early part of the decade.

Since retiring from full-time employment in 2003, Nial has undertaken several business development projects for Pharmaceutical companies on a free-lance basis. As his work commitments reduced he has volunteered his services to local charities (Harpenden Helping Hand and Harpenden Seniors Club) and was co-opted as a trustee and Treasurer of Carers in Hertfordshire in mid 2009.

Nial has been a full member of the Board of Directors since September 2010 and is Chair of the Finance Sub-Committee of the Board.

Jenny Young

Jenny has a daughter with severe learning disabilities and epilepsy, and continues to be fully involved as her carer even though her daughter is in residential care.

Jenny is part of a team of carers who train new Health and Community Services (formally ACS) staff within an induction process before they begin working with people with a learning disability

For the last year she has represented Carers in Hertfordshire on the county's LINks Board and attends their Mental Health and Learning Disability Theme group.

Jenny was on the original steering group of Carers in Hertfordshire, and served as Trustee for many years before becoming Chair of the Board twelve years ago. Jenny resigned from the position of Chair of the Board of Directors in September 2011 and in recognition of her long service has been awarded the position of Honorary President of Carers in Hertfordshire. She is also a member of the General Purposes and Strategy and Services Sub-Committees of the Board.

Memorandum and Articles of Association

Carers in Hertfordshire is a company limited by guarantee governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association.

A downloadable document is available below.

Privacy Policy

1. Statement of Intent

From time to time, you will be asked to submit personal information about yourself (e.g. name and email address, etc.) in order to receive or use services on our website. Such services include newsletters and personalised services such as our free quarterly magazine "Carewaves" and occasional emails of specific interest.

By providing your details when requested, you enable Carers in Hertfordshire to provide you with the services you select. Whenever you provide such personal information, we will treat that information in accordance with this policy. Our services are designed to give you the information that you want to receive. Carers in Hertfordshire will act in accordance with current legislation and aim to meet current internet best practice.

2. Submitting Personal Information

When you supply any personal information to Carers in Hertfordshire we have legal obligations towards you in the way we deal with that data. Please note that any information you provide to Carers in Hertfordshire will only be used within the charity and will never be supplied to third parties without first obtaining your consent. The only time we may do so is if we are obliged by law to disclose information.

We will hold your personal information on our systems in order to provide any services you have requested and for statistical/research purposes only. Personal information will be held only as long as necessary. We will ensure that all personal information supplied is held securely in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

3. Access to your Personal Information

You have the right to request a copy of the personal information Carers in Hertfordshire holds about you and to have any inaccuracies corrected. (We charge a fee for information requests, please address requests to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and put "Personal Information Request" in the subject line of the email.)

4. User Surveys and Information on New Services

As Carers in Hertfordshire's services expand, there will be more opportunities to enhance the services provided to you. From time to time we may provide you with details of other services provided by Carers in Hertfordshire which may be of interest to you and offer you the opportunity to take advantage of them. We may also offer you the opportunity to participate in surveys carried out by Carers in Hertfordshire or its agents which help our research into the types of service we offer.

5. Users under 18

If you are under 18, please make sure that you obtain your parent/guardian's permission beforehand whenever you provide personal information to the Carers in Hertfordshire website. Users without this consent are not allowed to provide us with personal information.

6. Visitor Logs

Like many websites, we do collect visitor data such as browser, screen resolution, approximate geographic area and visitor path through the site. Any such data is only used to analyse use of the website and, as a consequence, make appropriate improvements. No personally identifiable data is gathered or stored in these files.

Employment

There are no current employment opportunities at Carers in Hertfordshire.

AGM and Annual review

The minutes from the Carers in Hertfordshire AGM (September 2011) are available to download below.

You can also find out more about what's been going on over the last year in our Annual Review - The Year in Focus (2011).