Nigel Turner, Social Care Director

Nigel joined FTF in 2010, having previously lead a large London-based not for profit enterprise which supports people with learning disabilities and people with mental health support needs. He has a Masters degree in social and economic studies, and the Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors.

Attracted by its national remit, range of services, and deep commitment to dignity and respect of individuals, Nigel is keen to build further on the success and innovation found within FTF.

Nigel is a lay assessor with the NHS National Clinical Assessment Service, and a trustee of the international development charity, One World Action. For a number of years he has trekked to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust, and joined FTF "fresh" from an expedition to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Sr. Rosemary Donohoe, SMG, Deputy Social Care Director

Sr. Rosemary Donohoe is a member of the congregation of The Poor Servants of the Mother of God. Much of Sr. Rosemary's nursing career was spent in acute nursing and hospice care, but she also has experience in working with the elderly and with people with learning disabilities. She has worked in a family support centre, as part of a team providing a range of family support services to support family life.

Mother Magdalen Taylor's (Foundress of the Congregation) maxim was that each person be treated with 'Respect and dignity and the uniqueness of every individual especially those most in need in our society, regardless of ethnic, social and religious background, be recognised and honoured'. This is the attitude Sr. Rosemary endeavours to bring to those with whom and for whom she works.

Heather Todd, Deputy Social Care Director

Heather joined the Frances Taylor Foundation in 2002 having previously worked at Scope, a national based charity, managing a community based service and day centre. Much of Heather's career has been spent working in the voluntary sector managing and developing services to people who have learning and physical disabilities. Heather holds NVQ level 5 in Management, is an Internal Verifier and Assessor. She believes strongly in Continuous Professional Development and has been managing the FTF Assessment Centre.

Heather was instrumental in introducing and implementing person centred planning throughout the Foundation. She has a strong commitment to the values and ethos of the Congregation and this is evident in her managerial approach. Heather is committed to demonstrating to others outside of the FTF, the high quality services and respect based on The Frances Taylor Mission Statement.

Heather started in the role of Deputy Director in February 2011, keen to work collaboratively with other agencies, and to see combined knowledge and experience used to its full potential.

Sr. Mary Whelan, SMG, Superior General, Trustee and Chair of the Advisory Board

Sister Mary Whelan is Superior General of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Congregation and Charity since 2007.  She is responsible for the members of the Congregation as well as all the social care, education, nursing and pastoral care work carried out in their name throughout the world.

Sister Mary has a nursing background and has held senior posts in financial administration within the charity's hospitals. She held the post of responsibility for the training of new members of the Congregation for a number of years. She is a BACP Accredited Counsellor/Therapist with specialist training in couple and relationship counselling.  She has worked extensively with families as Director of St. Joseph's Family Centre for ten years up to 2007, striving to promote the dignity and sacredness of family life, whatever its shape. She continues to be a member of the Board of Trustees of St Joseph's. She was a national trainer and Trustee of Seasons for Growth, which deals with loss, grief and bereavement for children and adults and introduced the programme in the NW of England.

Sister Mary sees the work and spirit of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God and their Foundress Mother Magdalen Taylor being continued in the UK social care services provided by the charity through the Frances Taylor Foundation. Thus fulfilling one of Mother Magdalen's sayings "Serve God always but not always in the same way."  This maxim continues to inspire and challenge Sr. Mary in her own life of mission and ministry.

Sr. Mary Beecher, SMG

Sr Mary is a member of the Congregation of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God and is a Nurse by profession. She has been involved in Health and Social care for many years in the UK, USA and Ireland and has a wide experience of acute care, elderly care and care of the those with profound learning and physical disability. She has been involved in the FTF service, since its foundation in 1994, and has held the position of Care Manager in our nursing / residential facility. She was a member of the UK Regional Team for 5 years with particular responsibility for the UK Region.

Elected to the General Leadership of the Congregation and as a Trustee of the PSMG Charity in 2002, she has a global view of the Charity / Congregation and its outreach through its worldwide services which enable and empower the uniqueness of each person.

Sr Mary now works in St Joseph's Family Centre in Warrington

David Clark

Formerly an audit partner in the Charities Unit of haysmacintyre and predecessor firms, David now works as a consultant both to the firm and to charities.  He is also a Visiting Professor at City University (London) in the Centre for Charity Effectiveness of the Cass Business School, where he has helped to establish the Diploma in Charity Accounting, a post-graduate qualification jointly awarded by the University and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. He is actively involved in advising a wide range of charity sector clients on accounting and management issues and has developed a particular professional specialisation in religious charities.

Nora Clarke

Nora Clarke is the Nursing Services Manager at the Nuffield Hospital Bristol. She has worked in the independent sector for many years working mainly in acute surgery, and has a special interest in Orthopaedics.

Nora is a founder member of the PSMG Associates, having have had a long and happy relationship with the Sisters. This began in her early school days and continued into her working life when PSMG owned and managed St Mary's Hospital, Bristol. Nora is married and has six children.

Phillip Jukes

Phillip Jukes is Director of Phillip Jukes Consultants, providing a range of services to Religious and other charities. He works with trustees on a range of issues ranging from schools, retirement funding, care home development and strategic planning.
Phillip is a Charity Trustee and has had lengthy experience as a Governor in both Catholic Independent and Voluntary Aided schools.

Sr. Mary Forrest, SMG

Sr. Mary worked closely with FTF services for nine years in her capacity of Regional Leader UK and came to know the demands and challenges of providing ongoing good quality services to meet each person's individual needs.

Sr. Ita Keane, RSM

Sr. Ita joined the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of the Union in 1961. For thirty years she worked in education as a class teacher, the latter thirteen years as Head Teacher.

In 2000 she was elected to the Leadership of the Congregation, bringing experience of administration and financial management to this role. As a Trustee and having pastoral care of the Congregation, her experience was varied, involving a lot of travel, meetings, decision-making and journeying with communities and individuals.

She has a particular interest in heritage; she set up a new heritage Centre at St Mary's Convent, Handsworth, Birmingham in 2003, undertakes archive work, and has, with others, organised the refurbishment of the Sisters' graves throughout the country.

Sr. Madeleine Ryan, SMG

Sr. Madeleine has been a Trustee of the charity - Poor Servants of the Mother of God - for the last three years. She is a national of Ireland with a background in education, a Roman Catholic by tradition and a sister of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God by life-choice.

Previous to this she was privileged to reside and serve in Kenya for sixteen years. Here the Kenyan women reflected to her the lived values of the Congregation - hospitality, respect for people at every stage of life, sharing what they had in common, hard work done with a spirit of love, commitment and hope, time for one another, respect and awe for the earth and our Creator.

Sr. Madeleine brings to the Advisory Board this insight of respect and openness to peoples, faiths, creeds and cultures.