Community Foundation makes high profile trustee appointments

Four new faces have joined the board of trustees at South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF).

Professor Jaydip Ray DL, the former High Sheriff of South Yorkshire, Adrian Kirk, CEO of Care After Combat, Laurence Gavin, partner at Hemingways Solicitors and Guy Whitehead, legal director at Irwin Mitchell LLP have been appointed as SYCF trustees.

Professor Jaydip Ray DL, who held the position of High Sheriff of South Yorkshire 2023 to 2024 is the clinical director for ENT and Hearing Services at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, professor of Otology Neurotology at The University of Sheffield and Professor of ENT for Sheffield Hallam University.

Adrian Kirk served as a Royal Navy Aircraft Engineer for 29 years seeing operations in the Balkans and Gulf War II. Adrian wanted to give something back and joined the charity, Care After Combat, supporting armed forces veterans in the justice system progressing from Volunteer Mentor to Chief Executive.

Laurence Gavin provides corporate and regulatory advice to clients including charities in his role as partner at Sheffield-based specialist commercial and corporate lawyers Hemingways.

Guy Whitehead is a legal director at Irwin Mitchell LLP with a focus on charity work. During a career spanning more than 20 years, Guy has developed considerable experience in all real estate transactions.

South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation is the region’s largest local grant giving charity and last year awarded more than £1.7m to 410 community organisations.

Ruth Willis, CEO of South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation, said: 

All four new trustees bring a range of different skills, strengths and experience. We’re confident they will become tremendous assets to our team, and we’re delighted to welcome them to the Community Foundation.

We have an incredibly dedicated board of trustees who play a key role in guiding the direction of SYCF and ensuring we continue to achieve our vision of acting as a catalyst for positive change in South Yorkshire’s communities.

 

It comes as SYCF has also appointed Darren Littlewood as its new vice chair. Darren is chief financial officer at Henry Boot PLC.

The former High Sheriff of South Yorkshire, Carole O'Neill, has been appointed as chair of the SYCF Grants Policy Committee.

Since 1986, South Yorkshire's Community Foundation has made grants of more than £37 million to local groups, individuals, charities and organisations across the region.