our people
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the governance of the organisation. The Trustees have ultimate responsibility in law for the charity, its assets and activities.
The Trustees hold the Executive Directors to account for their leadership of the organisation and also work closely with them to guide their decision-making on strategic issues.
Trustees are appointed because of their commitment to Spurgeons’ and their experience which enables them to undertake the responsibilities of trusteeship for a complex and growing organisation like Spurgeons.
Do you want to use your great professional expertise and skills for our amazing charity. Please email us today if you are interested in becoming a trustee for Spurgeons.
Stuart Cornwell (Chair)
Stuart was appointed a trustee in 2008 and then appointed Chair in March 2011. A former director of The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service, Stuart’s portfolio of responsibility in CAFCASS included operational, strategic, budget, commissioning and people management. His national responsibility has included consultation and strategy lead with The Legal Services Commission, the Commission for Equality and Human Rights and Local Government Offices.
Tony Gilbert
Tony has been a trustee since 2002 and was Chair from 2008 until March 2011. Tony has a wealth of experience in the voluntary sector spanning a 20 year career, previously as director of Hertfordshire Community Foundation and now as strategic researcher for CAFOD. Tony is also a trustee of a small charity helping communities in Sri Lanka devastated by the tsunami.
Keith Hiscock
Keith has been a trustee since 1987. During his time as a trustee Keith has held various governance roles including the Chair. Throughout these years of dedicated service Keith has brought extensive support in business management and social work to the Board. Keith’s professional career encompassed a vast range of social care work from planning to safeguarding.
Carol Russell
Carol was appointed a trustee in 2010. Carol has extensive financial and strategic experience gained from working in central government where she was responsible for policy on revenue compliance and internal audit procedures to managing director of a domiciliary care company where she oversaw the strategic planning of the business, including tenders to local authorities. Carol was also a co-owner of a training company and NVQ assessment centre. In addition to her trusteeship with Spurgeons Carol is also a trustee for a local charity working with young people.
Ian Gray
Ian Gray has been a trustee since 2010. Ian has over a decade's charity experience, both working with domestic and international charities that have focused on children and young people's poverty and exclusion. Ian has significant experience in programmes addressing these issues ranging from field work to programme management. Ian also brings experience of leading strategy and strategic change processes in both small and large charities. He holds Masters degrees in Business Administration, Social Development and Modern History.
Bob Groves, C.B.E
Bob joined as a Spurgeons' trustee in July 2011 with a background as a former Group Director and CEO of a wholly owned BT business and latterly as a special adviser to the Chairman. Bob has a Masters in Management, is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, and was made a Commander of the British Empire in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to the Foreign Office. Bob created and managed BT’s Emergency Response Team which responded to the Tsunami in Indonesia and to both of the Earthquakes in Kashmir and Pakistan. Bob also brings valuable experience from his work with the Child Exploitation Online Protection Unit (CEOP) and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA).
Phil Inch
Phil joined the board at Spurgeons in July 2011. He is married with 3 children. Phil was a GP in busy urban practice for 24 years where he was a Senior Partner until he retired in January 2011. Phil was involved in commissioning with his local Primary Care Trust, mainly within mental health services. Until recently he was an elder at his local Baptist church and also acts as a medical advisor for local fostering and adoption agency.
Tim Elgar
Tim’s trained in Human Resource Management but took a career u-turn and worked as a youth worker for the Salvation Army. He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Youth and Community Development where he increased his knowledge of urban deprivation and current societal challenges. In 2007 Tim began work as an Outreach Team Leader at e:merge, stepping up to Chief Executive in June 2010. Tim is married to Emily and they have a little boy called Noah. He loves the outdoors and plays competitive football. He loves any physical challenge.
Catherine Burns
Catherine was appointed to the board in October 2011. She is married with one child and in 2009 established a Supported Lodgings scheme for young people - this is now being expanded nationally. Catherine also works as a Safeguarding Supervisor, ensuring support services to young people are delivered appropriately and professionally. Catherine has a wide experience in the corporate, public and charity sector and brings a wealth of expertise in delivering services for vulnerable young people and families.
Ruth Vincent
Ruth’s background is in social work across England including working as Head of Children’s Service in Wiltshire and a Director in the London Borough of Newham. She retired in 2007 and travelled with her husband to Kenya to work as volunteers for The Salvation Army. They stayed in Kenya for three years working with women and children in the slum areas around Nairobi. Returning home in 2010 Ruth and her husband set up their own charity – Kenya Kids Education Trust. Ruth and her husband have a son and two grandchildren.
meet our CEO: Tim Jeffery
I came to Spurgeons in April 2005 with a remit from the Board to take an energetic, growing charity, build a clear strategic focus and ensure it remains at the cutting edge of work with children and families.
My background has been largely in international development, starting in water supplies for developing countries and broadening into community development. I have spent many years living overseas and have worked in 23 developing countries either as a consultant or as a staff member with a variety of agencies such as World Vision and Action Aid. Before coming to Spurgeons I Ied Oasis Trust’s international work, developing programmes with children and communities into a number of new countries. Through all of my career what has been emerging are core skills in strategic thinking, developing people and organisations and leadership.
I love my job, am deeply committed to it and hugely proud of the work Spurgeons does with so many children and families up and down the country. And when I can carve out some time, I love a game of golf or tennis, being at the gym or getting away from it all on any kind of boat (yachts being my preference!).