We’ve appointed a new Chair Designate for our charity, Lara Sonola.

Lara is an experienced charity chair and works as an independent consultant helping charities and public bodies with strategic plans, people strategies, and collaborative partnerships. She also acts as a mentor, including supporting charity trustees and future chairs.

She is currently a non-executive director at Octavia Housing, Co-chair of Age UK Wandsworth, and a trustee at Helpforce, a national charity which aims to increase volunteering in healthcare.

Her professional background is also in healthcare with roles at the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England/NHS Improvement, and at North Central London Integrated Care Board.

She joined as Chair Designate this month and will become Chair once our charity completes the transition to become independent from our Trust.

Sue Lees, a non-executive director at our Trust, will continue as acting chair until that process is complete.

Jacqui Smith, our Chair, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Lara to our charity and to benefit from the wealth of experience she brings.

“It’s an exciting time for our charity and the new chair will be the one leading the team into the future. Lara will oversee the appointment of a board of trustees, as well as working with the charity and our Trust to put in place a new strategy to maximise fundraising for the benefit of our staff and patients.”

Lara added: “I’m really looking forward to getting to know the charity, its staff and volunteers, and working closely with the Trust to continue and expand upon the fantastic work which the charity has supported, as we look towards an exciting new future.”