TCF News, Spring 2023

Spring 2023 - TCF Newsletter | tcf.org.uk 8 Board of Trustees update A warm welcome to the newly elected trustees – Adelle Brenner and Alison Cramp, to the Board of The Compassionate Friends. Here they share a little about themselves. Alison Cramp At the time of the untimely loss of my little boy Dylan-James I was a Headteacher of a successful Primary School. One-year after losing Dylan-James I left Headship. I felt I had a different calling in my life, in Education and with my Leadership. I wanted time to explore more fundraising work and develop my connections made with bereaved parents from my journey with Dylan-James. I am keen to offer my expertise and knowledge of EDI to TCF, alongside my experience in leadership as a headteacher. But above most I have my lived experience as a bereaved mother, and I feel I could offer my parental voice in setting and maintaining the vision, mission, and values of the organisation. Adelle Brenner We lost our beloved daughter Celia in 2011. She was three years old and died in an accident in Singapore where we were living. I found TCF after a desperate post for help on Mumsnet. Meeting a local contact and hearing about her life five years on from the death of her daughter gave me the hope I needed to survive those dreadful early days. I gave up my career in marketing for Unilever and Dyson after losing Celia and I am now a stay at home mum to my three surviving school age children. I hope to be able to put my experience in business and communications to use for TCF as the charity moves forward, supporting more people, in more ways, at all stages of their grief. Sefton Kwasnik I qualified in 1981, and now, with over 40 years in the legal industry I have acquired a wealth of experience. I have offered legal help and advice for TCF parents and families since 2007. In October 2017, I lost my only sibling Deborah after a lengthy battle with cancer. I am a passionate believer in the aims of TCF and am honoured to be a Trustee so that I can lend my experience and expertise to the growth and governance of this amazing organisation and its members. January board meeting At the January Board Meeting Melian Mansfield and George Burn were elected as co-Chairs of TCF. For full details of our full board of Trustees go to tcf.org.uk/trustees