Board of Trustees | About | Friends of the Friarage

Shirley Donaldson

PRESIDENT

Since joining the 'Friends' in 1985 I have been totally committed to upholding their aims. I am passionate about the Friarage and appreciate the valuable work it does. I have been actively involved in all aspects of fundraising. I particularly welcome the opportunity to meet patients which is why I enjoy distributing presents to those unfortunate to be in hospital over Christmas. I have been responsible for the purchasing and wrapping of gifts for over 25 years. I am honoured to be President of the Friends and welcome the opportunity to continue to support the Friarage as my enthusiasm for our aims is undiminished.

Antony Walters

CO-CHAIR

I initially came to live and work in Northallerton in 1985, being a junior doctor at the Friarage Hospital. Having completed my training on the General Practice training scheme I became a GP in rural South Australia before returning to Northallerton in March 1989. I became a GP partner at the Mayford House Surgery in Northallerton from that date until my retirement in October 2016. For a number of years I was also a medical director of the Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust. Both of our children were born at the Friarage, and we regard the hospital as an important local service and resource.

Susan Watson

CO-CHAIR

Susan was born and grew up in Scotland before moving to Northallerton in 1992. She worked for the NHS for more than 30 years - 22 of those with South Tees Hospitals.
Susan has two grown up children who were both born at the Friarage. Her husband, mother and father have all been treated at the Friarage and always had excellent medical and nursing care. She's a member of the United Reformed Church in Northallerton and, with her husband, dances with the Northallerton Caledonian Society. She became a trustee with the Friends of the Friarage in 2015 and regularly volunteers in the Friarage shop.

Donna Jermyn

TRUSTEE

I worked in the NHS from 1979 in a variety of clinical and managerial roles before taking early retirement in 2015. I started working in the Friarage Hospital as a radiographer in 1992, eventually becoming the Hospital Manager in 2011 until 2014. Although no longer employed by the NHS, I still support the ideal of high quality healthcare, delivered locally. After many years of observing their unstinting enthusiasm and commitment to raising funds to help improve the care and wellbeing of local patients and staff, I was delighted to join the Friends of the Friarage in 2014.

Chris Baker

TRUSTEE

I have lived in the Northallerton area all my life. I enjoyed a long career in banking with Barclays Bank, taking early retirement in 2006. For the following six and a half years I worked at the Rural Payments Agency in Northallerton before retiring fully in 2013. I am proud to have been actively involved with the work of the Friends of the Friarage since 1993 providing support for our local hospital. I initially joined as a volunteer in the coffee shop in the old waiting area and for many years I have been involved with the hospital shop committee. I served as Vice-Chair of the charity from 2007 to 2020.

John Wright

TREASURER

I have lived in Thirsk with my wife Kimberley since 2013 after studying Law at Leeds Met University. I have worked in Financial Advice and Wealth Management since 2008 with HSBC. We have 2 young sons who eat into my time playing Golf and Cycling but are worth every second of it. Other than that, I’m a lifelong fan of Middlesbrough FC. It is an honour to be the treasurer of this fantastic charity and I feel proud to be part of something that the local community feel so passionately about.

Celia Curry

ADMINISTRATOR

Having spent many years working with different local communities I am enjoying being part of the Friends of the Friarage and enthusiastically support their aim of providing the best possible healthcare to every patient. I am a former primary school headteacher, with a career prior to that including being employed overseas supporting greenfield agricultural developments in Somalia and Papua New Guinea. I recently took early retirement from headteaching and was thrilled to be appointed as Administrator to the Friends in September 2019. I love learning new things, travelling, canalling, theatre, walking, poetry and piano and, best of all, visiting our two children who live at different ends of the country.

Derrick Brearley

TRUSTEE

Born 1955 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, I spent most of my working life in the Midlands before taking early retirement and relocating to Northallerton. My former careers include pharmaceuticals as a Medical Representative for CIBA-GEIGY a large multinational; visiting General Practitioners, hospital consultants, retail and hospital pharmacists. I have 15 years NHS experience as a registered Biomedical Scientist specialising in Haematology and Blood Transfusion. My interests include being a Member of the National Trust and attending Steam engine rallies. I was appointed a Trustee of The Friends in 2016 and I volunteer in the Hospital Shop.

Lyn Proud

TRUSTEE

Hi, I’m Lyn. I am married to John and have three children and 4 grandchildren. I live in Northallerton and worked at the Friarage Hospital for 21 years. My interests and hobbies include spending time with my grandchildren and supporting them in all their many and varied activities, cake decorating, genealogy and reading historical novels, particularly the Plantagenet and Tudor period. I am a member of Northallerton Rotary Club supporting its projects in Nepal. I joined the Board of Trustees for the Friends of the Friarage in October 2015 and am responsible for arranging Events and helping with Fund Raising.

Steve Lamb

TRUSTEE

Steve joined the Friends over 20 years ago as assistant to our treasurer. He came to Northallerton from Scunthorpe with his work at the local Barclays branch, although he was born and brought up in York. From 2007 till 2013 Steve was Chairman of the Friends and during this time over £1 million pounds’ worth of equipment was funded by the Friends. For over 12 years Steve has been the regular Sunday morning volunteer in the shop selling newspapers, sandwiches and gifts to patients, staff and visitors. Why don’t you sign up to join him in this worthwhile and much valued service?

Jim Dixon

TRUSTEE

I have lived locally for 18 years and worked at the Friarage Hospital for 14 of those, seeing many changes to the organisation in that time. I maintain my connection with the Friarage by volunteering in the Friends Shop on a weekly basis. I am proud of the friendly, caring and efficient service our hospital provides for the local and wider community in North Yorkshire. I am concerned about any erosion of services at our local hospital and want to assist in preventing further losses and at the same time do all that is practicable to enhance current services and facilities through the assistance that the Friends of the Friarage can provide.

Mike Bramble

TRUSTEE

Professor Mike Bramble is a retired Consultant Gastroenterologist, having worked at Middlesbrough General Hospital and then the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough since 1982. He was Vice-President of the British Society of Gastroenterology and Chairman of the Endoscopy Committee 2000-2002. He became the Trust's Medical Director in 2005 until 2010 after which he returned to part time clinical work at the Friarage until 2018. In 2013 he was appointed to the Board of Sunderland CCG for a 4 year period as the designated Secondary Care Doctor. His hobbies include playing tennis, walking and gardening.