We are sad to announce the death of former Chair, Trustee and long-term friend Mike Ormerod

It is with great sadness that we announce that Mike Ormerod, a long-serving volunteer and former Trustee and Chair of Carers in Hertfordshire, passed away after a period of illness on Saturday 22nd April 2023.

Mike will be greatly missed and our thoughts and sympathies go to his family at this difficult time.

Mike was involved in the development of effective carers support in Hertfordshire and held several volunteer roles with Carers in Hertfordshire over the last 12 years. He was a Trustee from 2013 to 2021 and Chair between 2015 and 2018. During this time, Mike used his business nous and experience as a carer to enable Carers in Hertfordshire to grow and directly provide vital carers services such as home care and breaks.

In addition, retired teacher and former governor Mike, drew on his experience caring for his late mother, who had dementia, as a Mentor to other carers and helped at the Hoddesdon Hub. He was a Mentor for 11 years and supported at least 19 carers, including three during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mike also contributed to our involvement and engagement work to ensure carers and bereaved carers co-produce services and strategies with health and social care organisations. One of the campaigns he was involved in was a bid to secure Dementia nurses in Hertfordshire. He was part of a delegation of carers that met with Hertfordshire MPs, County Council representatives and NHS staff. The campaign was successful and in 2016 a team of Admiral Nurses began working in Hertfordshire and has since grown and there are now seven nurses supporting family carers who are approaching, or at crisis point.

Michèle Stokes, Chief Executive of Carers in Hertfordshire, said: “We were sorry to learn about the loss of Mike Ormerod. He was a kind and compassionate person committed to supporting unpaid family and friend carers and improving their lives. On behalf of Carers in Hertfordshire I would like to extend our condolences to Mike’s family and those who knew him.”