Not for Profit
Left to right: Dr Karen Rees, Mike Emsley (Chair of Trustees), Ann Allen and Peter West.
Published: July 30, 2024 | Updated: 29th July 2024
Three new trustees have joined Macmillan Caring Locally (MCL) the Christchurch-based hospice charity celebrating its golden anniversary this year.
Dr Karen Rees, Peter West and Ann Allen will help to drive the continued success of MCL.
The charity has been supporting the Macmillan Unit, in the grounds of Christchurch Hospital, since 1974.
Dr Rees is a Registered Nurse, District Nurse and Health Visitor.
She has worked locally as a practitioner and nurse academic for 30 years.
An accomplished swimmer Dr Rees has completed several ‘big’ swims to fundraise for the unit, including a solo English Channel and 20 Bridges, a circumnavigation of Manhattan Island, New York.
Peter West joins MCL as Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees.
On a personal note, the ‘Mac Unit’ is extremely important to Peter, as his wife Debbie – a local nurse – was cared for there until she passed away in March 2018.
The third new Trustee Ann Allen also brings a wealth of professional and personal experience to the role.
A former Special Constable in the Avon & Somerset Constabulary, she worked in Special Educational Needs schools for over 12 years partly due to her son being born very prematurely and diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.
As the Chair of Southmead Hospital Special Care Baby Unit Parents Group, she guided it through the process of becoming a registered charity.
“The role of a Trustee is to grow awareness and support, often through challenging ups and downs, and this is key to a charity’s success.
“Karen, Peter, and Ann’s expertise and guidance will be huge assets as MCL embarks on its next 50 years supporting patients and their families across our communities.”
