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mEET OUR TRUSTEES
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Gavin Grant
Chair of Trustees since 2014, Gavin is also Wiltshire Councillor for Malmesbury and a Town Councillor and has lived with his family in Malmesbury since 2004. He retired as CEO of the RSPCA in 2014. He was UK Chairman of global public relations consultancy Burson-Marsteller, joining in in 1999 from The Body Shop International where he was global head of communications and public affairs, working with company founders Anita and Gordon Roddick. Gavin chairs Wiltshire Council's Area Board Local Youth Network and is a Director of the Malmesbury Town Team.
Richard Dodridge
Richard has lived in Malmesbury since 2004 and joined HEALS as a trustee in 2015. Following a career in aircraft engineering, Richard retired from the RAF in 1992, then joining the Ministry of Defence, working in training and development, validation, quality assurance and auditing. He helped people with disabilities integrate into the MoD workforce. Until he retired in 2011, Richard was Regional Resettlement Advisor for the South West, helping officers leaving the armed services to re-enter civilian life and employment. More recently, he was Project Manager setting up the Malmesbury & District Foodbank.
Liz Cook
Liz began volunteering for HEALS in 2016 and became a Trustee in 2019. She has organised many events for Heals over the years, including the Christmas Community Lunch and the Summer Programme for young people and likes a nice spreadsheet! She has a professional PR background and until April 2023 worked for Wiltshire Police in the Communications & Engagement Team. She held senior PR roles at Wiltshire Police, Environment Agency, G4S Facilities Management, London Fire Brigade and the RSPCA. Liz and Gavin moved to Malmesbury in 2004 and love living in this vibrant community and giving a helping hand to families and individuals here.
Karen Franklin
Karen moved to the Malmesbury area 28 years ago and since then has enjoyed running the family farm with her husband Richard and raising a family.
She also runs a property management company with her sister. Once her children had grown up she found that she had extra time on her hands and joined Heals as a volunteer in 2016, becoming a Trustee in 2019.
Her hobbies are sewing, yoga and walking Britain’s National Trails.
Paul Overton
Paul became a Trustee in 2020. He retired in 2017 from a career in education as head teacher of four primary schools, as well as head of a Special School for students on the severe end of the autistic spectrum. He became an Ofsted Inspector and an assessor and trainer for the National Professional Qualification for Headship programme. He was also an inspector and senior advisor for three Local Authorities. Paul has lived in Malmesbury since 2011 and in 2018 became co-chair of the new Malmesbury Carnival Committee. His hobbies include walking Millie the cocker spaniel and writing.
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Brian Leitch
Brian joined HEALS as a Trustee in 2023. He grew up in Chippenham but married into a Malmesbury family. He is a governor of Malmesbury Primary School and also a Trustee of Citizens Advice Wiltshire. He became involved with HEALS through the meals delivery during COVID and has been on the fundraising committee since 2021. He spent most of his early career in the charity sector, mostly working overseas in either a project or operations development function, including on tsunami relief in Sri Lanka, child protection with Burmese migrants in Thailand, and domestic violence prevention in India.
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Laila Valentine
Laila spent her early life in Denmark, Australia and New Zealand, moving to the UK in June 2002 with her husband and two children, settling in the Malmesbury area. She worked as a bookkeeper and assistant accountant for several companies in Australia and New Zealand. In the UK she
found employment in the finance department of a local domiciliary care company and was there for 13 years, qualifying as an accounting technician.
She has been involved with various school committees and community groups on a voluntary basis over the years in a number of roles, including secretary, treasurer and chair. Laila became involved in HEALS’ work, including delivering food during Covid, and joining the community fridge volunteer team. Then in February 2023 she took over as Treasurer and became a Trustee. In her spare time, she enjoys cycling, walking, wild swimming and reading.
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