Our trustees
Our trustees are all volunteers and they are responsible for making sure that everything we do helps take us one step closer towards achieving our vision.
The Board of trustees is made up of the chair of Leeds Mencap and up to 12 trustees.
Trustees have a range of skills and experience in areas including wills, probate and family law, mental health, learning disability, health and social care, charity law, governance, strategic planning, risk management, communications, fundraising and marketing and lived experience of learning disability.
Meet our trustees
Dr Lesley Hewson OBE
Lesley retired after 21 years as an NHS Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She worked in Bradford where she was also the Director of the Young People’s Mental Health Services. Lesley became nationally renowned for pioneering new ways of working including home treatment for teenagers. She was a long -standing member of Bradford’s Safeguarding Children’s Board. After retiring she worked in an advisory capacity to the Government and has experience of being a trustee to a counselling charity for many years.
Louise Greenwood
Louise joined Leeds Mencap as a trustee in November 2023.
As a parent of a child with SEND she had an affinity for supporting similar families in the local community.
Louise is an experienced accountant who has worked in a number of industries for large corporates through to owner managed businesses.
Louisa Smedley
Louisa was appointed as a trustee in November 2024.
Louisa’s son is 13 and has a learning disability, autism and ADHD and uses the Leeds Mencap services of the youth club and holiday playscheme.
Louisa has worked as a primary school teacher for 15 years but is currently taking a career break to care for her son. During this time, she was able to set up as an independent artist and run her own small business of selling her design of personalised puzzles for young children.
She has been able to use her skills to take on volunteering positions. She is the Vice Chair of Governors at the East SILC in Leeds and has been instrumental in setting up a school PTA.
Angus Martin
Chair of Trustees
Angus has recently been appointed as Chair of Leeds Mencap. He is a chartered accountant and worked for Deloitte for over 30 years. He specialised in Corporate Advisory, Restructuring and Risk Management, working in Leeds, Reading and London.
Since retiring from Deloitte he has focussed on the charity sector in Leeds, working for charities in the health and education sectors.
Bill McCarthy
Bill retired at the end of 2023 following a career of nearly 40 years in public service, including Chair and Chief Executive roles in the NHS, and a spell as Director General of Policy and Strategy in the Department of Health nationally.
Join our board of trustees
We’re looking for people who are passionate about improving the lives of children and young people with learning disabilities to join our board of trustees.
If you’d like to join our wonderful board and help us to shape our services, we’d love to hear from you!
