Skip to content
Trustees
Our trustees provide expertise, experience and balance and underpin our decision making function.
Lady Alexis Redmond MBE LL
President

Lady Redmond MBE (Alexis) came into office as Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire on 25 August 2021. She is a chartered accountant and spent several years in the accountancy profession before establishing, with her husband Phil, one of the largest independent television drama production companies in the UK.

She has held many senior non-executive, governor and trustee positions including National Museums Liverpool, Riverside Housing Association, Liverpool John Moores University and Alder Hey Hospital NHS Children’s Charitable Trust. She continues to support many charitable and not for profit organisations.

In 2003 she was made a Fellow of John Moores University, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and was awarded her MBE in 2011 for services to the community. Alexis held the office of High Sheriff of Cheshire during 2018/19.

Howard Platt DL
Chair

Howard is chairman of Locker Group, Warrington’s last surviving wire products company, as well as Chair of Trustees of the Challenge Academy Trust (TCAT) an innovative and fast-growing group, currently consisting of 14 Warrington schools responsible for educating over 12,000 pupils, employing 1,500 staff with an annual budget of over £90M. He is also a panel member of the North West Business Angels and is a past member of the Warrington Skills Commission.

Howard and his wife Wendy financed the construction of Lymm Heritage Centre to provide a permanent facility focused on celebrating the village’s unique history with particular emphasis on transport.

Howard and Wendy open their gardens at Laskey Farm each year for charity under the National Garden Scheme (NGS).

Zoe Sheppard DL
Trustee

I’m incredibly proud to step into the role of Trustee, after 8 years as CEO, and am so inspired by what we achieved together during my time: we awarded over £12.5 million in grants, to projects that helped 900,000 people. Together, we even survived a pandemic, and quickly got help to the people who needed it most. The incredible generosity of our donors is the driving force behind our achievements. It really is moving to think of all the kindness, all those gifts, entrusted to us. As a trustee, I’m excited to remain closely connected to our mission and to witness the continued growth and impact of the Foundation.

David Wootton CBE DL
Trustee

David lives near to Nantwich with his wife Wendy. He has over forty years experience in education in a variety of roles across the UK. He has been Chief Executive of one of the highest performing school groups in the country.

David was also an Adviser to the Department for Education, served on Ministerial working groups, was a Board member of the ESFA, Chair of the IAA and a long-standing member of the APPG on Educational Leadership and Governance. He was awarded a CBE in the 2021 Queens New Year’s Honours List for Service to Education.

David is presently a consultant adviser working across the educational landscape with a focus on governance, strategy and leadership and writing, and speaking at events and conferences. He is a Life Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Educators (City of London). David is involved in shaping the next generation of teachers and educational research as Visiting Professor in Education at Manchester Metropolitan University.

David’s focus presently is significantly on community activities in Cheshire, working with charities and he is a Trustee of Cheshire Community Foundation and Chester Zoo and Chair of the largest schools Trust in Cheshire. David is also honoured to be a Deputy Lieutenant for the County.

He is a keen cyclist, scuba diver and plays Bass Guitar in the South Cheshire Concert Band and in an 18 piece jazz orchestra. David loves all aspects of music and the arts, spending time with family, travel and is enthusiastically involved in his local Church in Wybunbury.

Jeannie France-Hayhurst
Trustee

Jeannie is a Barrister who specialised in Family Law, practising for four decades in the North West and North Wales, retiring a few years ago to focus on health, education and community organisations. She is known for her willingness to ask searching questions, assemble a persuasive argument and effective presentation.

Jeannie served as High Sheriff of Cheshire 2022-23. She is a Consultant with The Confidence Clinic and continues to train and coach in personal presentation.

Jeannie is an active Director of the family property development companies. She chaired the Governing Council of Moreton Hall School until 2018 and now serves on Chester University’s Governing Council, chairing the HR Committee.

Having served as a Non-Executive Director at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for six years until 2019, she continues as a Trustee of the Hospital’s Charity and is a former Trustee of Relate.

As an organiser of the Sandstone Ridge Festival, she is involved in promoting art, literature and music in South Cheshire.

Jeanie sings with Decibellas, the community choir and is a keen gardener, active in fundraising through the National Garden Scheme.

She lives in Bunbury with her husband James: they have four children and eight grandchildren, a couple of affectionate spaniels and an ancient but vigorous mouse-catching cat.

Sarah Callander Beckett DL
Trustee

Sarah has worked in Marketing and PR in London, Hong Kong and the USA.  A career in fashion, lifestyle and travel PR for well-known brands Browns of South Molton Street and Colefax & Fowler, she moved to the USA becoming Director for Public Relations for Laura Ashley Inc. and Ashley Inns and then International PR Director for the group worldwide.

Returning to the UK, she became owner/manager of the Combermere Abbey Estate in Cheshire, transforming and diversifying its businesses to include organic agriculture, hospitality, tourism events and property development.  A 30-year restoration programme of the heritage buildings has won many awards. She developed a strong commitment to promoting rural tourism and a wide range of rural economic areas. Sarah represents Cheshire on several national and regional boards and committees. Sarah was High Sheriff of Cheshire from 2017-18 and is also a Deputy Lieutenant of Cheshire.

Sarah is married and has one son.

Sean Humphreys
Trustee

Sean has over 30 years’ experience in a variety of roles in financial services with MBNA, Bank of America and Lloyds Banking Group. He’s a director of the Very Group and Chief Operations officer of the financial services arm of Very,  overseeing all of the Very Groups operations of 1200 people.

 

Sean is the chair of the MBNA foundation as well as voluntary roles as Non Exec Board Member of Cheshire FA. Sean was inspired by the work of Cheshire Community Foundation working close with MBNA on a number of initiatives as well as participating on the Young Minds Matter Grants Panel. He brings with him a wealth of leadership experience both commercially and in the charity sector though his work as Chair of the MBNA Foundation.

Andrew Butters
Trustee and Treasurer

Andrew joined CCF as Treasurer in November 2019. He has more than 40 years’ experience in financial and general management roles at Board level in the private and public sectors.

Andrew’s recent roles have been on NHS Boards as, variously, chief executive, director of finance and director of strategy. Working with various charities during his professional career has given him an understanding of the importance of charities, such as CCF, in helping deliver health and well-being services.

Prior to this he worked in financial roles for several Plcs, including Balfour Beatty and Lucas Industries. Andrew also serves as a Trustee on Fintry Trust CIO and Tyneside Coast Academy Trust, acts as an advisor to Cheshire Connect and is a member of the Preston Health Research Ethics Committee.

He brings wide experience to CCF and is keen to contribute to the work and growth of the charity.

Terry Inns
Trustee

Terry is a senior leader within a global engineering and project delivery company. His experience has covered a wide range of business functions where he has always put stakeholders, customers and relationships at the heart of his role.

With over 30 years’ experience in leadership positions across a wide range of businesses and business functions, spanning multiple sectors, Terry brings a wide range of knowledge and support to CCF, from risk management capabilities through project management and both physical and cyber security.

As our Grants Chair, Terry is driven by the inspirational work that ‘with the support of our donors’, CCF is able to fund across the breadth of charitable organisations throughout Cheshire and Warrington.

Nicky Owen
Trustee
Nicky is Chairman of Epigram Communications & Design Limited, an international creative agency which she established in 1991 and now has studios in Manchester UK and Kuala Lumpur.
Her career began in Local Government Leisure Services, managing sports centres and recreation projects. Following her MBA, she moved into Corporate Affairs and Corporate Design roles in industry, working for companies including BAe Systems and Tootal Group plc.
In recent years, she was one of the founders and organisers of the Tatton Yule Yomp, a mass participation 10K race which has raised over £!75K for local charities. She is a passionate advocate of access for all to sport and recreation.
She is also a Trustee of Knutsford GROW, a charity that provides gardening support for frail and vulnerable people.
Jake Ankers
Trustee

Jake is the Managing Director of Abbots Moss Ventures, a family run investment company based in Cheshire. Jake oversees the management of around 20 investments in sectors such as health-tech, energy, online retail, logistics and property-tech. Philanthropy is a core value to the company and the family and, as such, Jake is also a Trustee of The Holroyd Foundation, a long standing supporter of CCF.

Prior to joining the business, Jake worked with an Ed-Tech start-up in London and worked for Enterprise Holdings Inc managing their corporate business in the NW.

Jake also sits on the board of Ark, a property-technology business; BGFG, an online media publisher and is the Chairman of GO-PA, a virtual PA business.

I’m keen to act as a bridge between the commercial and professional world and the voluntary sector, helping Cheshire charities in any way that I can

David Briggs MBE, KStJ
Patron

David is involved with a number of Cheshire charities and is our Patron. He plays a pivotal role in Cheshire Community Foundation’s fundraising initiatives, supporting the organisation by making valuable connections with businesses and organisations in the voluntary sector, who are well placed to work with us to make a real difference in our local community.