Our Patron and Trustees
Our Patron is a wonderful supporter and ambassador for Kyra Women’s Project.
Our Trustees give their time voluntarily to govern the charity and set its direction and strategy.
Our Patron
Dame Penelope Wilton
Patron
We are so pleased to have actress Penelope Wilton DBE as our patron.
Penelope who was presented with an Olivier Award for her role in the west end play Taken at Midnight has starred in many roles on stage and in film and television. Her credits are many and include playing Jean Ainslie in The Second Best Marigold Hotel, Isobel Crawley in Downton Abbey and Harriet Jones in Doctor Who.
Our Trustees
Nicola Shepherd
Chair of Trustees
I have worked in Marketing for over 20 years across both the private and the not for profit sectors in addition to volunteering as a Mentor to young Marketeers and running my own business as a Family Celebrant.
I live with my two rescue cats Oscar and Jack who bring me joy every day and the occasional mouse!
I feel it is incredibly important that women are able to access the support and intervention they require, when they require it and I am delighted to be a trustee of Kyra, working with the team to ensure that we achieve outcomes for women that have a positive impact on their lives and help them to fulfil their potential.
Nicola
Nicola Winter
Vice Chair of Trustees, Chair of Finance Committee
I work for Experian as an IT Risk and Controls Manager and outside of work I volunteer as the IT support for the City of York Hockey Club, as well as being Ladies 4s Captain and Ladies Club Coach.
As a mother to two amazing teenage girls, it’s important to me to give them the best start in life, by listening and being present in their lives. I believe that every woman should have support and compassion from others at all times but especially when they are feeling lonely, confused or vulnerable.
I am absolutely thrilled to be a trustee of Kyra as the outcomes that are achieved for the woman who participate in the available activities are brilliant. I want to ensure Kyra is around to support women long term.
Nicola
Helen Bradley
Trustee, Chair of Marketing and Fundraising Committee
I am Corporate and Foundation Philanthropy Manager at The University of York. I support the Faculty of Social Sciences to generate philanthropic income for ground breaking research and projects that makes a difference to the lives of people across the world.
Helen
Nicola Clemmit
Trustee
As a careers and coaching professional with over 10 years experience in learning and development, people development, programme design and leading projects I love to help empower others to be more of who they are and move towards what is meaningful to them.
Social mobility is a key driver of mine and I work hard in my career to contribute it’s progress.
Supporting and empowering women to make positive change in a safe environment and in a holistic way is close to my heart. I’m proud to be working with Kyra to support and drive this mission forward.
Nicola
Nicola Walker
Trustee
I work for NHS England as the sexual assault and abuse services (SAAS) implementation manager. I work at a national level with our sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) across England and work with government, lived experience and voluntary sector partners to give the best service we can to victims and survivors for recovery both physically and mentally.
Most victims for these services are women and I’m passionate about helping women where I can and I know that Kyra has such wonderful offerings and programmes for women to help them live their best life. I’m proud to be a trustee of Kyra and have seen first hand some amazing women excel through Kyra.
Katherine Baxter
Trustee
I am a Chartered Accountant with nearly 30 years experience of working in finance. I have worked in a very male dominated environment through much of my career and so have been passionate about mentoring and coaching other women to help develop them and support their career progression. I have also been an active advocate of trialling ways of working which allow women to juggle theirs careers and their home life.
I am delighted to have joined Kyra and hope that some of my skills and experience can ensure that we are able to continue to provide the wonderful services we do today.
Chris Baines
Trustee
After over 30 years in HR, working for SMEs and a women’s charity, preceded by a stint managing finance and administration in a family business, I have now retired and am delighted to be able to join Kyra as a trustee.
I have long had an interest in how and why societal expectations and stereotypes impact women’s lives and in supporting women to achieve their ambitions, which led to my concentrating on the study of sex differences in my first degree, including studying children’s beliefs about male and female roles and how women interact with the criminal justice system. I also worked to counter prejudice in recruitment in the various companies I worked for and to increase the number of women in non-traditional roles.
Joining Kyra offers me the opportunity to translate some of my interests into practical support and I look forward to being able to contribute to the wonderful work Kyra does to help women to fulfil their potential.
Suki Desai
Trustee
I am very pleased to join Kyra as a trustee member. I have a wide range of experience. I have worked as a social worker, specialising in mental health. I have been a senior executive and Regional Manager for The Mental Health Act Commission, Mental Health Act Commissioner and a Mental Health Tribunal Lay Member.
I have worked as a University academic, and, during my early career, I set up the Mental Health Shop, an advocacy project for black people with mental health needs, with other like-minded people in Leicester.
Following retirement I completed a PhD at the University of Hull. In 2022 I published the thesis as a book entitled ‘Surveillance Practices and Mental Health: The Impact of CCTV Inside Mental Health Wards’. I hope to bring this experience to Kyra and learn new skills and knowledge.
