“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart .”
– Elizabeth Andrew
Behind every charity there is a Board of Trustees. These Trustees are the unpaid – and often unsung – heroes of the charity sector. Our Trustees are so passionate about supporting the military community, that they voluntarily give up their own time to oversee the running of The Ripple Pond. They all work incredibly hard, making hugely important decisions about how we operate, and about the services that we provide to our Members. Theirs is a vital role, and we wouldn’t be where we are without them.
Jennifer started her career in the public sector and spent the best part of ten years working in the NHS, in non-clinical roles in adult psychiatry and end of life care. Continuing her desire to make a difference to those in need, Jennifer crossed over to the Third Sector when she moved to London almost ten years ago. Having previously worked for a women’s refuge charity and the Church of England in Safeguarding, Jennifer now works for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, developing the next SSAFA strategy. Having been the daughter of an Army Officer, who sadly died whilst serving, Jennifer understands the unique challenges service families face. She is passionate about ensuring that the sacrifices of family members are recognised and that they receive the support they deserve. As a result, she joined The Ripple Pond as a Trustee in February 2019 and became Chair in February 2020. Jennifer is also a volunteer Mentor at SSAFA and takes every opportunity to show her support for service personnel, veterans and their families in any way she can (like cycling across Northern France and Belgium for three days). Outside of work and volunteering, Jennifer lives in Wimbledon with her fiancée and loves nothing more than a day at the rugby.
Rachel is our human calculator! She’s an accountant with a public sector background, so has a passion for getting the numbers right when it matters most. Having worked alongside the military, Rachel understands how essential the support provided by the Ripple Pond is. When she’s not working, Rachel spends her time running races and being bossed about by her dogs.
David is currently the Director of Fundraising for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance, having previously held roles with City of York Council, Cancer Research UK’s National events team, St Luke’s Hospice in Sheffield and, more recently, as Head of Supporter Fundraising at Help For Heroes. David’s experience of working with beneficiaries, supporters and colleagues at Help for Heroes had a profoundly positive impact on him, and he cites H4H’s Big Battlefield Bike Ride as being one of the most humbling experiences of his life. David had no hesitation in applying for the role of Trustee at The Ripple Pond, and hopes that his 20 years in fundraising will be of benefit to our team, supporters, and beneficiaries. One of David’s proudest achievements was being part of the 2012 Olympic Games organisational team, and having responsibility for key stages of the men’s and women’s cycling and outdoor swim. Strangely enough, David’s appearance on the Channel 5 remake of ‘It’s a Knockout’ doesn’t feature on his list of proudest moments…! Outside of work, David is a big Ice Hockey fan – playing, coaching, and watching. When he’s not driving up and down the country to play in freezing buildings, usually at ridiculous hours of the day, and having people hitting compressed rubber at almost 80mph at him, David enjoys nothing more than spending time with his partner, three children and their Labrador, Ashbee.
Jess has over 15 years PR, Communications and Marketing experience, working with a variety of consumer, corporate and third sector brands including McDonald’s, Jaguar Land Rover and Age UK. Having started out in London, Jess then moved to Wiltshire to join Help for Heroes when it was in its infancy and spent 10 years working within their Communications & Marketing team. There she had a particular focus on encouraging veterans and their families to seek help and also led the charity’s rebrand and brand development work. Jess’s career to date has given her a passion for people and brands with purpose. She believes in the power of a team and is inspired by people achieving things they never thought possible. Coming from a military background with her father, grandfather, uncle, aunt and husband having all served, Jess joined The Ripple Pond in November 2020 as she wanted to combine her passion for the Armed Forces Community with her Marketing & Communications experience. Outside of work, Jess enjoys spending time with her 3-year old daughter, running, good food and getting to see the rugby when she can.
A UK wide Self help support network for the adult family members of British Service Personnel and Veterans.
The Ripple Pond is proud to be supported by the following funders:
