TRUSTEE biographies |
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Trustees
Chair - Michael Forbes Smith KHS
Michael is a former British soldier (1971-1978), diplomat (1978-2004; Ambassador to Tajikistan 2002-2004) and Director General of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (2006-2012). During both overseas postings and at home, Michael has served in various ministries and offices in his local Roman Catholic parishes.
Honorary Secretary - Sister Helen McMahon FMM (Franciscan Missionaries of Mary)
A Franciscan Missionary of Mary since 1956, Sister Helen was a teacher in Catholic schools in deprived areas of London 1962-1978. She was in the Brentwood Diocesan team 1980-1986, Regional Superior for Scotland and the North of England 1986-1992, Official of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Vatican City, Rome 1992-2006 and Honorary Secretary of SFLG since 2006.
Spiritual Director - Reverend Michael Copps OFM
A member of the Friars Minor (OFM) since 1965, Michael was Guardian and Novice Master in the community in Chilworth, Surrey from 1981-1990. From 1990-1999 he was a parish priest in Nottingham and was guardian of the community from 1994-1997. He was parish priest in St Antony’s, Forest Gate 1999-2001 and then in the same role in St Francis, Stratford from 2002-2005. In 2005 Michael was elected Provincial of the Friars and served until 2014. After another period as parish priest in Stratford, Michael was elected Custos in 2018.
Liam Allmark
Liam is Senior Policy and Research Analyst, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
Dr Gosia Brykczyńska, RN/RSCN, European President of The International Association of Catholic Nurses (SICIAMS)
Gosia is a retired paediatric oncology nurse and nursing lecturer at the Royal College of Nursing Institute of Advanced Nursing Studies. She is the author of many textbooks and currently European President of The International Association of Catholic Nurses.
Professor Noel Gill - COVID-19 Taskforce, Public Health England
An infectious disease epidemiologist and honorary professor at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Noel worked at the National Infectious Disease Surveillance Centre for England (1980-2020), leading the HIV and STI team. He is currently assisting the COVID-19 emergency response.
Professor Robin Graham-Brown, BSc(Hons) MBBS FRCP FRCPCH - KC*HS.
Robin is a (mostly) retired consultant dermatologist at University Hospitals of Leicester and the Gibraltar Health Authority (1983-2018); Editor, British Journal of Dermatology (2000-2004); President, British Association of Dermatologists (2005-2006) and Dowling Club (2009-2010). Robin combined active clinical practice with research, teaching, authorship and clinical management at trust board level; he is active in his local parish and in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He is Chair of trustees of a hospice in the East Midlands.
Philip Newill
Philip was a bank clerk with NatWest Bank (1971-2009); member of Legion of Mary (1982-2020); and has been a volunteer with St Francis Leprosy Guild since 2000.
Cecilia Taylor-Camara
Until 2020, Cecilia was senior policy adviser in the Office for Migration Policy at the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales. She was the strategic lead and advisor on migration, racial justice and human trafficking. A significant part of her brief was to work on combating human trafficking and raising awareness of this crime. Her work also focused on tackling the root causes of social exclusion, particularly the stigmatisation of migrants. She represented and advocated on behalf of the CBCEW, with appropriate international institutions, government, parliamentary and local government departments and agencies.
Chair - Michael Forbes Smith KHS
Michael is a former British soldier (1971-1978), diplomat (1978-2004; Ambassador to Tajikistan 2002-2004) and Director General of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (2006-2012). During both overseas postings and at home, Michael has served in various ministries and offices in his local Roman Catholic parishes.
Honorary Secretary - Sister Helen McMahon FMM (Franciscan Missionaries of Mary)
A Franciscan Missionary of Mary since 1956, Sister Helen was a teacher in Catholic schools in deprived areas of London 1962-1978. She was in the Brentwood Diocesan team 1980-1986, Regional Superior for Scotland and the North of England 1986-1992, Official of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Vatican City, Rome 1992-2006 and Honorary Secretary of SFLG since 2006.
Spiritual Director - Reverend Michael Copps OFM
A member of the Friars Minor (OFM) since 1965, Michael was Guardian and Novice Master in the community in Chilworth, Surrey from 1981-1990. From 1990-1999 he was a parish priest in Nottingham and was guardian of the community from 1994-1997. He was parish priest in St Antony’s, Forest Gate 1999-2001 and then in the same role in St Francis, Stratford from 2002-2005. In 2005 Michael was elected Provincial of the Friars and served until 2014. After another period as parish priest in Stratford, Michael was elected Custos in 2018.
Liam Allmark
Liam is Senior Policy and Research Analyst, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
Dr Gosia Brykczyńska, RN/RSCN, European President of The International Association of Catholic Nurses (SICIAMS)
Gosia is a retired paediatric oncology nurse and nursing lecturer at the Royal College of Nursing Institute of Advanced Nursing Studies. She is the author of many textbooks and currently European President of The International Association of Catholic Nurses.
Professor Noel Gill - COVID-19 Taskforce, Public Health England
An infectious disease epidemiologist and honorary professor at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Noel worked at the National Infectious Disease Surveillance Centre for England (1980-2020), leading the HIV and STI team. He is currently assisting the COVID-19 emergency response.
Professor Robin Graham-Brown, BSc(Hons) MBBS FRCP FRCPCH - KC*HS.
Robin is a (mostly) retired consultant dermatologist at University Hospitals of Leicester and the Gibraltar Health Authority (1983-2018); Editor, British Journal of Dermatology (2000-2004); President, British Association of Dermatologists (2005-2006) and Dowling Club (2009-2010). Robin combined active clinical practice with research, teaching, authorship and clinical management at trust board level; he is active in his local parish and in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He is Chair of trustees of a hospice in the East Midlands.
Philip Newill
Philip was a bank clerk with NatWest Bank (1971-2009); member of Legion of Mary (1982-2020); and has been a volunteer with St Francis Leprosy Guild since 2000.
Cecilia Taylor-Camara
Until 2020, Cecilia was senior policy adviser in the Office for Migration Policy at the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales. She was the strategic lead and advisor on migration, racial justice and human trafficking. A significant part of her brief was to work on combating human trafficking and raising awareness of this crime. Her work also focused on tackling the root causes of social exclusion, particularly the stigmatisation of migrants. She represented and advocated on behalf of the CBCEW, with appropriate international institutions, government, parliamentary and local government departments and agencies.
