Our Board of Trustees

I’m Penny Brooks and I joined Ashgate as a Trustee in 2014.

My background is as an experienced NHS Chief Nurse. I have worked for over 40 years within NHS Trusts, Foundation Trusts and commissioning organisations. I have held Board level positions since 2001, the most recent of which was as Chief Nurse of Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group. I am also a trained Executive Coach and Mentor with an active interest in the education and training of the workforce to support the delivery of excellent services for patients. In December 2017, I retired from the NHS and now am a Director of an independent consultancy providing leadership development and coaching support to public sector organisations.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent successful treatment in 2012. I use my personal experience along with my clinical and professional background, within my role of Trustee. That role includes being a Vice-Chair and chairing the Healthcare Governance Committee. I really enjoy being part of such an amazing organisation and feel privileged that we have these services within our community.

I trained as an accountant and qualified whilst living up in the North East, and then moved to Chesterfield with my wife and two daughters in 1988 to work for Royal Mail.

Following a wide variety of finance roles across the UK, I moved to HR in 2003 to set up and run the largest HR Shared Service Centre in Europe. I remained there up to my retirement in 2017.

Outside of my Royal Mail career, I have also worked with a wide variety of local organisations such as Surestart, Pathways, Business in the Community, East Midlands Ambulance Service, Bluebell Wood and the Ashgate Allotment Society.

In 2020, I experienced first hand the wonderful help and support that another local hospice provided to a very close friend and her family. This further ignited my passion to help Ashgate Hospice build for the future.

I joined Ashgate in 2020 during the second wave of COVID. I am passionate about end of life and palliative care, having supported my mum who died of breast cancer in 2019.

I am currently the Director of Integration & Direct Services for Derby City Council, and an active member of the local NHS and social care “system” – known as Joined Up Care Derbyshire. My professional experience is as a Chief Officer within Local Government, as well as operational experience within the housing and homelessness sectors. I have previously been a Board Member for Framework Housing Association. I am also currently a Trustee of a small family support charity in Derby called Family Support Derbyshire.

I’m Malcolm Pope and I joined Ashgate Hospice as a Trustee in 2015.

I am one of nine Partners at Shorts Chartered Accountants, which has offices in both Chesterfield and Sheffield. I have been with the firm for more than 15 years. I specialise in presenting financial information to local owner-managed businesses in an easy-to-understand manner. I then use this information to help management make informed strategic decisions. I am a qualified Chartered Accountant and Auditor as well as a registered and approved coach for GrowthAccelerator.

I enjoy using the skills I have gained in my commercial career to contribute to the development of Ashgate Hospice.

I’m Nigel Myhill and I became a Trustee at Ashgate Hospice in January 2019.

My background is in Estates and Facilities for over 30 years within the NHS. I have also been a board-level Director since 2005, covering mental health, primary care and acute care. My last post in the NHS was Director of Estates and Facilities in a large integrated NHS Trust in London. I have also worked in the Australian health system. I now work part-time as a self-employed management consultant. I am a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Manager, my qualifications include MBA, MSc and BSc.

I am proud to be a Trustee of such a wonderful caring organisation and I hope to use my skills and experience to contribute to the Ashgate Hospice.

I am Tim Robinson and I joined Ashgate Hospice as a Trustee in 2022.  I started my career in NHS general management and have since worked for companies delivering digital solutions to NHS and other public sector organisations.  

My current role is Commercial Director at East Midlands AHSN, where I am part of the leadership team and get the opportunity to use my experiences to support the NHS and care system in taking advantage of innovative technologies and solutions. 

I look forward to using my skills, knowledge and experiences to help the continued growth and development of the much-valued services the hospice delivers for the people of North Derbyshire. 

I joined the Board of Trustees in June 2022 after working as a GP in North Derbyshire for almost 30 years until the end of 2020, where I was most recently a partner at Staffa Health in Tibshelf. 

I have also worked as a clinical leader on Hardwick CCG and more recently for three years as a Governing Body GP for Derby and Derbyshire CCG. 

Over the years I have witnessed first-hand the excellent and invaluable care Ashgate’s staff provide to patients and seen the services expand and respond to the needs of the population. I am passionate about providing good end of life care for both the patient and their loved ones and feel privileged to be a part of the team.

I joined Ashgate Hospice as a Trustee at the end of 2022.

I am a Senior Audit and Accounts Manager at Shorts Chartered Accountants. I am responsible for a portfolio of corporate and charity clients of varying sizes, assisting them in fulfilling their statutory duties to prepare and file accounts and carrying out statutory audits where required. I present accounts and audit findings to my clients and provide advice where necessary. I am a qualified Chartered Certified Accountant and hold a diploma in Charity Accounting.

The work Ashgate Hospice does is invaluable, and they are very well regarded in the local community. I am extremely proud to be part of their story. Ashgate looked after my dad when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2020. I am bringing my professional background and my personal experience to the board in my role as Trustee – I can see things from a financial and strategic point of view as well as from the patient’s and family’s perspective, which will be helpful.

I am Victoria Webb and I joined Ashgate Hospice as a Trustee in 2022.

I have worked within the NHS for over 25 years in the Dental, Primary Care and Community Care sectors. My current role is General Manager for Derbyshire Community Health Services, covering North East Derbyshire and Chesterfield.

Over the years, I have worked in operational and executive roles and I am looking forward to utilising my skills, knowledge, and experience to support the future growth of Ashgate Hospice. In addition, I work closely with my colleagues across Joined Up Care Derbyshire to develop and grow our healthcare leaders.

I am extremely passionate that patients should receive good end of life care, as well as ensuring their loved ones are supported. The care that Ashgate Hospice delivers is outstanding and I feel very proud and privileged to be a Trustee. Over the years to come, I look forward to supporting the future development and growth of services that the hospice delivers to our local patient population.

I am Claire Pilsworth and I joined the hospice in July 2022. I currently work as a Senior Associate Solicitor at Irwin Mitchell LLP with over 20 years’ experience. I specialise in brain and spinal cord injuries and understand the need for quality care, compassion and support when life can be at its toughest.   

My mum and dad have both died of cancer and received hospice care in the past three years and I am very passionate about ensuring others have access to the same support my family did.  

I am very proud to be a Trustee of Ashgate Hospice and I am looking forward to using the skills I have developed during my career to support the hospice moving forward. 

I joined the Board of Trustees in January 2023 after working as the Chief Nurse and Director of Nursing and Patient Care at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trust.

I have been a Registered General Nurse with the NHS since 1981. I trained and worked in Scotland before moving to the Midlands in 1987. My clinical background is in General and Cardiac Intensive Care and my professional career has enabled me to work within acute care organisations at a national and regional level, including within Derbyshire for the last 10 years.

I opted to start working part-time in 2020 to support my family and to allow me greater flexibility. I am currently a Non-Executive Director with Derbyshire Healthcare Trust.

My senior nursing experience and wider family interactions with healthcare have enabled me to appreciate what safe, quality care means in times of need for compassionate and great patient care. I have a strong commitment and passion to improving the quality and experience for all patients and staff with the ethos of learning and open culture.