The Trustees

Caring Together’s Trustees serve voluntarily and pro bono; they have particular responsibility for strategy, quality, compliance, governance and oversight of management. They ensure compliance with legislation and regulations, safeguard assets, and act as ambassadors for the charity.

The board has established three committees to oversee critical elements of our operations:

• Finance and Audit Committee (FAC), chaired by Alison Griffiths. Members: Mark Blake, Steve Scott, Stuart Evans, and Donna Talbot. View the Terms of Reference.
• Quality Service and Delivery (QSD) Committee, chaired by Anita Pisani. Members: Kate Hepton, David Hipple, and Bertone Santos-Soccoro. View the Terms of Reference.
• Fundraising Committee, chaired by Donna Talbot. Members: Stuart Evans and Christy O’Connell. View the Terms of Reference.

Committee terms of reference are approved by the full board and reviewed regularly. Meetings are reported back to the board. Chief Executive Miriam Martin routinely attends all committee meetings.

Meet the Trustees:

Alison Griffiths – Honorary Treasurer Alison brings 30 years of financial and professional expertise. She is a Chartered Accountant and Institute of Taxation member, having held senior roles at Inchcape plc and EMAP plc. Also a Trustee at Cambridgeshire Community Foundation. “I have so far enjoyed using my financial and project management background to help Caring Together and look forward to providing further support.”

Mark Blake
Mark has held senior finance roles in the charity sector for over 20 years, including within disability support. He brings expertise in finance, HR, IT, legal, governance and change management, with a strong passion for improving support for unpaid carers.

Kate Hepton
With 24 years as a Senior NHS Nurse Leader, Kate has led in clinical, operational, and transformation roles.
“I became a Trustee for Caring Together due to my desire to support carers outside of my NHS role and was inspired by Caring Together’s values and vision.”

David Hipple Over 35 years as a Chartered Accountant and Finance Director across public and private sectors (e.g., Anglian Water, Guernsey Electricity, DfT). “I became a Trustee to help Caring Together respond to the increasing demand for care—an urgent challenge for the UK.”

Christy O’Connell Christy is a partner at Ashurst LLP. Her connection to Caring Together’s mission is deeply personal. She enjoys the outdoors with her husband and dogs and is passionate about community contribution.

Anita Pisani
Over 30 years in the NHS and Deputy Chief Executive at Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust since 2012. Fellow of CIPD. Anita supports carers based on personal experience and her work in health and care systems.

Bertone Santos-Soccoro Head of Acute and Specialised Commissioning, Norfolk and Waveney ICB. Nine years in NHS leadership after beginning as a Biomedical Scientist. Passionate about reducing health inequalities and driving impactful, evidence-based programs. “My commitment to lifelong learning and emerging best practices allows me to drive change.”

Steve Scott
With 30 years of commercial and financial experience across the UK and internationally, Steve is an ACCA Fellow. He’s worked for Anglian Water and Travelex, and looks forward to supporting the community through his Trustee role.

Donna Talbot Chief Executive of Emmaus Cambridge and previously with Arthur Rank Hospice Charity. Passionate about people and fundraising, she champions it as a key to sustainability and recognition of carers' efforts.