Board of Trustees | About | Friends of the Friarage

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.

Jane Greenwood

TREASURER

I joined the Board of Trustees in 2021 as I believe strongly in organisations which have a direct impact on the health and wellbeing of local communities. In my home village I help to maintain our community garden to benefit people and wildlife, and I organise events and activities which bring the community together.

I have worked in the charity sector for over 20 years, and I have worked for a variety of charities of all sizes and in a range of sectors. In 2019 I set up my own business supporting small charities in the areas of finance, governance and operations.

In my spare time I love walking in our beautiful Yorkshire Dales. I am learning to play the Irish whistle, and I find painting with water colours very relaxing.

Donna Jermyn

TRUSTEE & CONVENER OF FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE

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.

Derrick Brearley

TRUSTEE & CONVENER OF SHOP COMMITTEE

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.

Keeley Metcalfe

TRUSTEE

Keeley is an experienced HR professional, having worked in Human Resources for the past 12 years, specialising in recruitment. She also has experience of delivering Volunteer led projects. Keeley is a part time Adult Education Tutor, delivering a wide range of courses

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.

Celia Curry

ADMINISTRATOR

I am a former primary school headteacher, with a career before that including being employed overseas supporting 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 travelling, canalling, theatre, walking, poetry and am currently learning piano but best of all, we love visiting our two children who live at different ends of the country.