Trustees

Kate Fowkes

Kate started her work in the sphere of mental health when she started working with women who had been disadvantaged by their experiences but often lacked the support to make their thoughts and feelings known and understood. After being introduced to Wish, by the then chair, she quickly realised that Wish was an organisation that put women first and worked towards giving them a voice. Kate is a senior manager in an NHS Mental Health Trust and brings a range of management and policy skills with her.

Karen Grayson

Karen Grayson is a public sector professional, having worked at Transport for London, the Greater London Authority and the Equality and Human Rights Commission. She has a strong background in policy development, project management, public consultation, and writing for a range of audiences. She brings her personal experience of mental health issues to bear on her role as a trustee for Wish.

Dr Cate Hemingway

Cate has worked in the fields of criminal justice, women's rights and social care for over twenty years. She worked for the Home Office as a specialist in women's prisons and opened the Women's Prisoners Resource Centre for NACRO. She founded and co-directed STARFISH, a user-led charity providing training, education and welfare for women diagnosed as HIV+ in Cape Town, South Africa. She became involved with Wish when researching the women's experience of the Special Hospital System for her D.Phil (Oxford University). She is a qualified social worker and is currently training as a Forensic Psychologist.

Holly Dawson

A freelance writer and editor, Holly first became involved with Wish in 2008 as a copywriter. Since then, she has been able to draw on her previous career as a charity development consultant to assist with all areas of the organisation. She continues to bring both of these strands of professional experience to bear on her role as a trustee, as well as personal mental health experience.

Maria Berry

Maria recently left an Executive role in a high-profile media company in order to focus on her Psychology degree, and her home life. In her previous role, Maria was responsible for the broadcast and technical facilities for a large media organisation, looking after a team of over 90 people. She brings a wealth of organisational experience to the Board, and is looking forward to pursuing a new career in Mental Health. While helping family through illness, Maria has been in and around numerous Mental Health facilities over the years, met many patients, doctors and counsellors, and continues to be actively involved in various mental health therapies.

Suzzi Holden

Suzzi is an advocate in the fields of mental health, learning disability and dual diagnosis with over ten years experience.  She uses mental health services herself, and is involved with various service user groups.  After the death of her partner by suicide she became a Trustee of the charity Survivors of Bereavment By Suicide, and she is also a counsellor in bereavement.

Sherron Bloomfield

Sherron has been a mental health service user for the last two years, and has experience of being on remand for a four month period. She is computer literate and has a post graduate certificate in computer arts, and is a mother. Sherron is currently enrolled on a Legal Studies course. She has worked as a volunteer at Wish on administration and internet research. Sherron values Wish because it can reach out and empower women, and give them support. She became a Trustee so she could contribute to Wish going forward and to bring her skills and experience to the Board.