Our Staff
The Sick Children’s Trust is made up of a professional and enthusiastic team dedicated to the charity. Find out more about our people who enable us to achieve its key objectives.
Claudette Watson, Chief Executive
Before joining The Sick Children’s Trust, Claudette worked as a Finance Manager for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship (RETHINK) for nearly three years. During this period she was responsible for planning and applying for project grants, monitoring the expenditure creating financial budgeting and working with volunteers. She joined The Sick Children’s Trust in 1999 as a Finance Manager before being promoted to the Chief Executive role in September 2000. Since then she has had many achievements, most notably re-designing the fundraising strategy to increase the long term income and sustainability of The Sick Children's Trust, she was also part of the team that worked to create a new brand identity for the charity.
Jane Featherstone, Head of Fundraising
Prior to having her two children Jane was a Financial Advisor working for Eagle Star and Black Horse Financial Services. A full time mum whilst her children were small, Jane decided on a career change and began working as the sole fundraiser for a small charity in Bromley that helped elderly and disabled people for three years. Jane joined The Sick Children’s Trust in September 2006 as a Trust Fundraiser before moving into a Major Donor Fundraising role in October 2008.
Rob Clark, Corporate Fundraiser
After leaving college in 1980, Rob spent two years in the Metropolitan Police before joining HSBC. A short spell with the United Bank of Kuwait followed and then a 23 year career began at reinsurance broker C.T. Bowring (now Marsh). He worked his way up to become the North American accounts manager which involved regular trips abroad. In 2004, Rob became aware of The Sick Children’s Trust after a close friend stayed at Rainbow House when their eight year old son died. This inspired him to apply for a role in October 2008 and he is now the Corporate Fundraiser.
Evelyn Len, Trust Fundraising Executive
Eve graduated from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and History in 2004, and from the University of York in 2006 with a Master’s Degree in Medieval Studies. Her introduction to the voluntary sector came in the year between studies when she worked as a telephone fundraiser at Pell and Bales. In 2007 she became Fundraising Research Assistant at Nacro, the crime reduction charity, where she was mentored in various types of fundraising and in particular charitable trust fundraising. Eve joined The Sick Children’s Trust in September 2008 and is responsible for submitting funding applications to charitable trusts and foundation and livery companies, managing relationships with our current funders and researching new sources of financial support.
Lydia Solomon, Community Fundraiser
Lydia began her career in fundraising in spring 2007, as the Fundraising Co-ordinator for a small charity in Bristol that helps people with M.E before joining The Sick Children's Trust after moving to London in January 2009. Her main responsibilities involve looking after anyone who wishes to raise money through various different events, challenges and collections. Her favourite thing about the job is building relationships with our fundraisers and interacting with people who are so enthusiastic about the cause and put in such an amazing amount of effort!
Vicki Smith, Regional Fundraiser
Vicki found her passion for community relations and fundraising
when she started volunteering as Events Assistant for The Cancer
Council Victoria in Australia. It was here she worked on fabulous events like Pink Ribbon Day, Relay For Life and became the Coordinator for Daffodil Day. On returning to Leeds in 2007 Vicki took up post as Event Organiser for The Breeze International Youth Festival (a two week showcase of live performances and workshops to raise aspirations of 13-19year olds) before joining The Sick Children’s Trust. In her current role she is responsible for increasing the fundraising efforts, both community and corporate, for The Big Move appeal.
Sam Broderick, Fundraising Assistant
Sam graduated from University College London in 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in Serbian and Croatian and East European Studies. During his time at university he spent a year living, studying and teaching English in Belgrade. Working as Fundraising Assistant, Sam supports the fundraising team with their administrative needs, as well as conducting all the research necessary to make the charity's fundraising campaigns a success . The Sick Children’s Trust is Sam’s first full-time position since leaving university, and he is really enjoying the challenge provided by the role. He is also proof reader extraordinaire!
Sarah Wallace, PR & Marketing Manager
With more than nine years’ experience, Sarah joined The Sick Children's Trust in August 2009 as nine month maternity cover for Head of Communications, Anna Michaels. Her career has included work in both agency and in-house roles, more recently for the wildlife conservation charity, the Bat Conservation Trust, where she was the Communications Manager, and cricket’s official charity the Lord and Lady Taverners. Working in the communications team, Sarah is always keen to hear interesting news to shout about, so if you have any ideas please get in touch.
Heather Brown , Events Manager
Heather graduated from The University of Leicester in 2005 with a BA in Politics. Since then she has worked for two charities organising special events in London and across the country. She first joined The Sick Children's Trust in March 2007 before leaving two years later, but she couldn't stay away for long and rejoined the team in June 2010.
Heather enjoys working with the wide variety of people who come into contact with The Sick Children’s Trust and is looking forward to planning an exciting programme of events for the charity.
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Karen Wines, Finance Administrator
Karen graduated from The University of Wales Institute Cardiff, with a HND in Business and Finance. She then travelled around the world for a year before moving to London where she joined The Sick Children's Trust in June 2005 as a Database Administrator and then moved into her current position as Finance Administrator in December 2007. Karen really enjoys working for The Sick Children's Trust as it's such a fantastic charity and a lovely place to work.
Sophie Dean, Database Administrator
Sophie graduated from the University of Leeds in 2009 with a BA in Sociology. After working in a nursery school, as a teacher in France, and assisting in an orphanage for handicapped children in Sri Lanka during her university holidays, Sophie knew she wanted her full-time job to also be related to helping children. The Sick Children’s Trust is Sophie’s first full-time job since leaving university and she is responsible for maintaining The Sick Children Trust’s fundraising database, processes all Gift Aid records and provides reporting assistance for the fundraising team.
Sue Cartwright, House Operations Manager
Sue began working for The Sick Children’s Trust in March 2001 as Treetop House’s first House Manager. In 2003, she was given the additional responsibility of Northern House Managers Coordinator responsible for the management of both the Leeds and Newcastle houses.
Two years later Sue became the House Operations Manager and is now responsible for managing all the house staff across the seven ‘Homes from Homes’, ensuring good management of houses and creating and adhering to budgets.
More recently, she has also become more involved in the project side of The Sick Children’s Trusts work.
Sue has also worked for four years as an auxiliary nurse on Intensive and Cardiac Care Unit and Paediatrics, for Sheffield Health Authority and for 18 years with Rotherham Social Services.
