Introducing our trustees
Say hello to The Pear Tree Fund's trustees!
Jane Edwards
Former nursing sister Jane is a founder member of our charity, who joined forces with Nikki Sawkins to set up HCNCF in 1989 after recognising a gap in provision for people who wished to die at home.
She said: "We hope that the Pear Tree Centre is helping to fill the void which patients and their families can feel when they are first diagnosed with a life-changing illness.
"As well as allowing us to offer services to people living in the very rural area around Halesworth, the centre acts as a listening hub and provides information for all manner of conditions. We hope this will empower patients and their families to make their own informed decisions about their future wishes while feeling supported along the way."
Ted Edwards - treasurer
Ted is a qualified accountant who spent his career in a variety of senior positions in commerce, including financial director and group financial controller. He joined our committee in 2011 and became a trustee in 2012, and offers financial expertise and advice to boost our fundraising.
“I’m proud of everything the charity has achieved towards improving healthcare provision in Halesworth, and of the progress we are making towards the new Pear Tree Centre,” said Ted.
Philip King - treasurer
Dr Dinah Morley - chair
Dinah joined The Pear Tree Fund in January 2017 and was appointed chair in August 2021.
She brings with her experience of teaching, social services and health, having worked in education, children and youth services, community care and the voluntary sector, both locally and nationally.
She currently teaches twice a year as an honorary senior visiting lecturer at City University, is a fellow of the Dartington Social Policy Unit and vice chair of People in Harmony, a small national charity supporting mixed race people.
“I enjoy the friendship of the other trustees and the involvement in local life that the charity has given me,” said Dinah. “It is good to be working with an organisation which is so important to people at their time of greatest need. I will be very pleased when we are able to provide a more comprehensive service via the Pear Tree Centre.”
Howard Tidman
Nikki Sawkins
A trained nurse and midwife, Nikki spent 28 years as a district nursing sister at Cutlers Hill Surgery before moving to the national Gold Standards Framework team for five years, where she worked as nurse lead and contributed to strategic developments in end-of-life care and dementia across the country.
Nikki is a founder member of our charity. Although she has now retired from full time work in the NHS, she continues to spend one day a week as a supportive care lead nurse in the Louise Hamilton Centre at James Paget Hospital. She also supports local and national developments in healthcare, and played an instrumental role in helping to establish the Halesworth Dementia Carers’ Fund.
“It is so heart-warming to hear that the care and support the charity gives to local families makes a difference to people’s lives at a time they most need it,” said Nikki. “I am very proud of what the charity has achieved over the years and excited about the future with the Pear Tree Centre being able to offer help and support to the wider community.”
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