Our new Trustees are announced

The appointments are as follows:

Sian Lockwood OBE

• Sian Lockwood is currently Chief Executive and Director at Community Catalysts, working to harness the talents of people and communities through high quality small scale and local support and care enterprises. She was previously Chief Executive of NAAPS UK (now Shared Lives Plus), leading its work to promote the effective provision of accommodation, care and support for disabled and older people who need support within very small-scale family settings. She has established several charities, including Paperworks, providing training for people with learning disabilities.

Nicholas Mays

• Nicholas Mays has 35 years experience in health services research and policy evaluation. Since 2003 he has been Professor of Health Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He also directs the Department of Health-funded Policy Innovation Research Unit and has experience as a policy advisor in government, having previously been principal health policy advisor in the New Zealand Treasury. He is co-editor of the Journal of Health Services Research & Policy.

Dee McIntosh

• Dee McIntosh has over 15 years experience of delivering strategic communications in the not- for-profit sector, encompassing marketing, digital, public affairs, PR and award-winning campaigns. In her Director-level roles across the environmental, sport and animal welfare sectors, Dee has delivered transformational brand growth, most notably as Director of Communications and External Affairs at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, where she has worked since 2010. Prior to her achievements at the National Trust for Scotland, the RFU, Scottish Rugby, British Swimming and Lantra Sector Skills Council, Dee’s earlier career was in broadcast journalism at the BBC, in particular on Newsnight and as a programme editor at BBC Radio 5 Live.

Mark Hesketh

• Mark Hesketh is currently UK & Europe Finance Director for Standard Life. He has previously been Director of Group Financial Planning and Analysis at the Royal Bank of Scotland and Chief Financial Officer at RBS Insurance. Mark will provide financial leadership to the Board and advise on the organisation’s strategic plan, including accounting, investment and reserve policies.

The Ageing Better Board is headed by Lord Geoffrey Filkin, a cross-bench peer active in ageing policy and practice. The new trustees join existing members Cheryl Coppell, Heléna Herklots, Katherine Rake and Michele Acton. They will work closely with Anna Dixon, the Centre for Ageing Better’s new Chief Executive who took up post in September to shape and deliver Ageing Better’s mission.

Ageing Better is supported by funding which includes a £50 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund. Forming part of the What Works Centres network in England, it will work across the country to strengthen and apply evidence around how people can age better. Working in partnership with older people and collaborating with a diverse range of frontline groups and organisations, Ageing Better aims to create real and measureable change.

Lord Filkin, Chair for the Centre for Ageing Better, said:

“We are delighted to welcome our new inspirational trustees to the board. Their experience, commitment and passion will be vital to helping Ageing Better achieve its goal of ensuring that every person from every background is ready and able to enjoy a positive experience of growing old. We look forward to working with them to bring fresh thinking to the challenges and opportunities facing our ageing population.”