Diane has 40 years’ senior management experience in the Financial Services industry, most recently in regulatory risk and compliance roles. She has been a committee member of the Insurance Institute of Southampton for the past 15 years and was President in 2010/11. She currently holds the role of Charity Awareness & Fundraising Officer for the Institute. Diane is passionate about training and development and now runs her own business as a Development Coach and Mindfulness Teacher.
Diane says it is a huge privilege to be joining Wessex Cancer Support at a time when we are supporting a growing number of people living with cancer, and she is delighted to be joining a charity so close to her heart:
“Joining Wessex Cancer Support is an opportunity for me to give back to the charity that supported me through my own cancer journey. I think that many people assume that once you’ve had surgery and completed chemotherapy everything is going to be fine, but it was actually at this point that I reached out to Wessex Cancer Support’s support centre in Chandlers Ford. Attending the centre for yoga and therapeutic sessions gave me valuable ‘time out’ to focus on my recovery and overall wellbeing. The care that Wessex Cancer Support offers clients and their families through diagnosis, treatment and recovery is truly amazing.”
As Chair, Diane will be responsible for planning and running trustee meetings, ensuring trustees comply with their duties and that Wessex Cancer Support is well governed, acting as a link between trustees and staff and line managing the CEO on behalf of the trustees.
Rachel Billsberry-Grass, who became our CEO in July, says she is delighted that Diane has joined as Chair of Trustees:
“Diane’s experience in business, wellbeing and development, and as a past Wessex Cancer Support client, will be hugely important in helping us to get through the challenges of Covid-19, and in building a charity that will be here for as many people as possible into the future.”