The Board of Trustees

Jennifer, Lady Gretton's connections with LOROS started in January 1988 when her husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He died in April 1989 and since then Jenny has been running the Stapleford Estate near Melton Mowbray.

Jenny was appointed President of LOROS in 1999 and Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire in February 2003. She has a daughter, Sarah, who is married with three children, and a son, John, who is also married with three children.

Jenny’s hobbies are music, sport and all aspects of steam.

Robin trained in London at the Royal Free, Queen Mary’s and St John’s Hospitals. He was appointed Consultant Dermatologist at Leicester Royal Infirmary (now part of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust) in 1983. He has been a visiting consultant to the Gibraltar Health Authority for 20 years and was also, for a time, an honorary consultant to University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation. In parallel to his clinical and academic work, Prof Graham-Brown has pursued a career in medical management, holding a number of senior positions including, latterly, Clinical Lead for End of Life Care for NHS East Midlands.

In addition, Robin has been Editor of the British Journal of Dermatology and President of the British Association of Dermatologists, and for two years led work on Care Closer to Home at the Department of Health. He has been elected to membership of the European Dermatology Forum and is an honorary international member of the American Dermatological Association. He chairs the Development Board at the University of Leicester.

Prof Graham-Brown is married to Margaret (also a doctor) and they have three grown up sons and four grandchildren. Robin is a member of the MCC and, as well as cricket, enjoys most sports but especially equestrianism, as well as travel and music. He and Margaret have been members of the Ratcliffe Chorale for a number of years.

Andrew has been a Board member since November 1987, Honorary Treasurer from 1988 and is now also Vice-Chairman.

Andrew is a partner in a three-partner practice of Chartered Accountants, with offices in Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Leicester. He lives in Ashby with his wife and has one son.

Richard qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1967 and practised in London until 1970 when he began the development of Pal International Ltd, a manufacturing company based in Oadby, Leicestershire. The company manufactures disinfectant wipes and hygiene workwear for export in the food, pharmaceutical, healthcare and industrial markets. The manufacturing base, warehouse and offices are now located in Lutterworth and the company is represented in the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

Richard is a past Governor of Ratcliffe College and Chairman of Governors at the Samworth Enterprise Academy. His retains a close association with the University of Leicester, where he was presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Laws in 2013, and is presently Chairman of the Trustees of the Chaplaincy.

Richard was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List 1995 for his contribution to smaller businesses. He was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire in 1999.

Sian has worked as a GP for over 30 years and retired in 2014.

She developed an interest in palliative care while working in Rutland and completed a Post Graduate Diploma at LOROS in 2006. She also works in a local bereavement group.

Her hobbies include walking, writing and the Rutland Water Osprey Project.

Chris is a partner in Gateley LLP, a UK top 50 law practice with 140 partners.

His main field is dispute resolution, an area for which he is responsible within the practice across the East Midlands.

He has been an equity partner, based in Leicester, in various law firms since 1987.

Chris has long been professionally ranked in the Legal 500 and/or Chambers which are objective quality appraisers of the Legal profession.

He is a member of The Professional Negligence Lawyers Association and is a Past Chairman of the Round Table Area 14.

Chris is married to a partner in a law firm based in Loughborough and has two adult children. He enjoys mountaineering, skiing, rugby and military history.

Liz worked in the advertising industry both in London and Leicester and was also PA for a national energy group. She was secretary for the Leicestershire branch of the Institute of Directors for a number of years. Currently she works for a large international insurance company as an events co-ordinator.

Liz has been a member of the Charnwood NSPCC fundraising committee for over 20 years and has also served on various charitable committees organising various events.

Liz lives in Queniborough, is married to Peter and has two children at university. Having played tennis for years she is now trying to master the games of golf and bridge in her spare time.

Born in a mining community in South Yorkshire, David graduated in 1974 from Leicester University with a 2:1 honours degree in the biological sciences. David went on to have a successful career spanning nearly thirty five years in policing. He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal- QPM for distinguished service in 2002 and retired as Deputy Chief Constable Leicestershire Police.

A former governor of Welbeck the Defence Sixth Form College, Woodhouse, Leicestershire and chair of its Facilities committee and COPS- Care of Police Survivors. David has a long interest in the wellbeing of young people and was previously chair of The Princes Trust Business leaders group supporting the Team programme.

David is a trustee of LOROS, and the Bradgate Park and Swithland Woods Trust. He is the Independent Person for Leicester City Council dealing with complaints about the conduct of its councillors and Ambassador for Giving World Online.

David nows relaxes as a volunteer by carrying out conservation work for the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and Bradgate Park and Swithland Woods Trust. He has a passion for drystone walling and is Life member of The Friends of the Leicester University Botanic Gardens.

David was commissioned Deputy Lieutenant for Leicestershire in 2015.

Ajmer has been a director of two companies since 1979, namely Midland Corsetry, a lingerie manufacturing company and Mahal Properties, both based in Leicester.

She is currently on the Board of Leicestershire Asian Business Association with a special responsibility for the Women's Network, which she chairs.

For the past 18 years, she has enjoyed philanthropic activities and community service.

It was during her time as a broadcast journalist at BBC Nottingham and news presenter for MATV, a television station based in Leicester, that Ajmer became interested in politics. She has been a parish councillor in Great Glen for over four years.

Ajmer is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and as part of this is on a mission to unleash the potential of people.

Ajmer is married and a mother of three grown up children, all pursuing their careers in medicine and media. In her spare time Ajmer enjoys reading, keeping fit, theatre and social events.

Tim is Chairman and Chief Executive of Berkeley Insurance Group, one of the UK’s largest privately owned Chartered Insurance Brokers.

Tim currently sits on several Trustee and Advisory Boards including The University of Leicester’s Philanthropy Advisory Board, the National Board of Victim Support and previously the Prince’s Trust in the East Midlands. These roles all demonstrate Tim’s enthusiasm and commitment to the local and regional voluntary sector. He strives to help, advise and guide organisations in building their futures. The work of LOROS has long been of interest to Tim and he brings his broad skills and experience to the governance of the charity.

In addition to his interest in charities, Tim plays an active part in the local business community; he enjoys rural life and spending time with his two young sons.

He is due to become High Sheriff of Leicestershire in April 2017.

Kathryn has been a GP for the past 20 years and has worked in Coalville for the past 11 years. She has always had a professional interest in palliative care. She first worked at LOROS for nine months following her GP training, and continued contact with the organisation by holding the post of GP Macmillan Facilitator from 2000-2006. This was a strategic and educational post funded by Macmillan, then the PCT and based at the Hospice.

Kathryn is involved in GP appraisals and revalidation, working as an Associate Appraiser in Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

She has been on the Board of Trustees since 2008.

Kathryn lives in Quorn, is married to Jon and has three school-aged children. Her interests include orchestral playing (cello), bell ringing, pilates and following the Leicester Tigers with the family

Priyesh is Managing Director of Cofresh Snack Foods. The family-run business has been established since 1974 and specialises in ethnic ambient and frozen foods. He has been active in the business since 1997 after completing his MBA at the University of Leicester. The company is now the largest ethnic snack food manufacturer in the UK, supplying all the major supermarkets and most independents and wholesalers. The company has establishments in India and Australia.

Recently Priyesh has been involved in a care home for the elderly specialising in dementia with further plans to extend the number of homes.

Priyesh is also a board member of Leicester Asian Business Association (LABA), dedicated to assisting businesses in the East Midlands to reach their goals.

Priyesh lives in Leicester and is married to wife Divya. He has two daughters, Keya and Tia.

Michael spent most of his career on the finance staff at Loughborough University, becoming Bursar and Finance Director from 1990 to 2007. He was responsible for financial and business management, including estates, residential, sports and commercial operations.

Since retiring, he has written guides to higher education finance and audit and currently chairs the boards of a housing association and a group of independent schools. He is a trustee of several local charities. In 2008, he was appointed a deputy lieutenant for the County of Leicestershire and awarded an honorary doctorate by Loughborough University.

Michael joined the Treasurer’s Committee of LOROS in 2009 and became a trustee in 2010. He lives in Loughborough.

Pauline qualified as a State Registered Nurse and a Midwife in the 1970’s. After gaining experience in a number of nursing and midwifery roles she was appointed as Director of Surgical Services and then Executive Director of Nursing and Quality at the Grantham and District Hospital where she stayed for 5 Years before moving to Wigan. After two years as Executive Director of Nursing and Facilities at the Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust she was appointed Executive Director Nursing at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in 2000, a position which she held for eight years. During that period she was responsible for the standards of nursing care, development and delivery of nursing strategy and Infection Prevention and Control. She was Executive Lead for patient and public involvement and completed two periods as Acting Chief Executive.

Since that time Pauline spent two years as an independent consultant in the NHS providing executive coaching, planning and conducting reviews of clinical services, as well as hospital quality assessments commissioned by the Department of Health. In 2010/11 Pauline was a non-Executive Director for the Leicestershire and Rutland County PCT where she was involved in developing commissioning strategy and scrutiny of provider Trusts, as well as chair of the Clinical Governance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee.

In the autumn 2011 she was appointed a non-Executive Director of the East Midlands Ambulance NHS Trust focussing on strategy development, scrutiny of executive directors and Chair of the Quality and Governance Committee. She was appointed Interim Chairman in November 2013 to stabilise the leadership team and work with the interim Chief Executive to create an environment to deliver improved performance and strengthen governance. Following a recruitment process in August Pauline was appointed as Chairman of EMAS from October 1st for two years.

Pauline was awarded an MBA from the Henley Management College in 1997 and she has received an MBE in recognition of her contribution to healthcare in Leicestershire. In her spare time Pauline plays golf and enjoys walking.

As Chief Executive Officer at Morningside Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Dr Nik Kotecha OBE has utilised his passion for drug discovery and International Trade towards the company’s commitment to “Making Quality Healthcare an Affordable and Accessible Reality Throughout the World”.

Nik started his education at Newcastle, with a First Class Honours Degree in Chemistry; then he went on to do a PhD at Imperial College in London, and finally further Doctorate work at Cambridge University. His areas of research included drug discovery of molecules to treat type II Diabetes and Infection.

Nik draws on his expertise in R&D and worldwide ethnic and cultural diversities gained through visiting most continents, and experience of exporting Healthcare products worldwide. He has a strong passion for giving back to the local community, country and International Aid Sectors.

As a board member of the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) Nik represents the interests of UK based manufacturers and suppliers of generic medicines and helps to promote the development of the generic medicines industry in the United Kingdom. As well as this, Nik became a Councillor of the CBI East Midlands Regional Council, an Enterprise Forum which represents the voice of business to government.

In the June 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours Dr Nik Kotecha was truly honoured to be awarded an OBE for services to Entrepreneurship, Innovation in Pharmaceuticals Services and Philanthropy.

Nik enjoys spending time with his wife, two children, other family members and friends. He regularly watches sports games and has a keen interest in economics. Nik also likes to have an active involvement within political affairs.