New year, new chairman - Cransley Hospice trustee Paul takes on role

The trustees of a county hospice have welcomed their new chairman into his unpaid role supporting the team providing specialist palliative care to patients with life-limiting illness.

Cransley Hospice Trust has appointed Paul Humphrey as the new chairman to the board of trustees, a position vacated by outgoing chairman, Maureen Gaskell.

Mrs Gaskell retired at the end of 2020 with Mr Humphrey taking on the challenge of leading the board of trustee volunteers.

She said: "I am absolutely delighted that Paul Humphrey is taking over as chair for Cransley Hospice Trust. He brings a wealth of business experience, deep local knowledge and a commitment to the work that Cransley Hospice does in the community and at the hospice."

Mr Humphrey had been on the board of trustees at Cransley Hospice since April 2020 and is an experienced general manager and non-executive director, with an MBA from Cranfield University Business School.

His early career was in UK manufacturing and human resources management and more recently he has held a number of senior executive positions in the international fashion and consumer sector.

A long-term volunteer Mr Humphrey and his family have been supporters of Cransley for many years. He manages the Cransley Hospice Community Choir.

He said: "Palliative and end of life care is a subject that remains close to my heart. It will be a privilege to serve as chair of the Cransley Hospice Trust."

Paying tribute to the outgoing chairman, Cransley Hospice Trust CEO Peter Kelby added: “On behalf of the board of trustees and the staff at Cransley I would like to express my deep gratitude to Maureen Gaskell, for her commitment as chair to the hospice over the past few years and for the knowledge and support that she has shared with us.”

Cransley Hospice's lease of the current building adjacent to St Mary’s Hospital in Kettering, expires in 2023.

The charity Cransley Hospice Trust is overseen by a Board of Trustees who are unpaid. They bring their experience and expertise to the operation of the charity ensuring the charity's objectives, and to establish a strategy whilst complying with laws and regulations. They challenge and support the Executive Team and monitor the organisation in its use of best practice.