We are delighted to announce the appointment of five new trustees to further strengthen our board and help shape Gingerbread’s work as it enters its centenary year.

Our board of trustees is vital to the success of the charity. It is comprised of experts from a diverse range of fields, many of whom have experience of being part of single parent families, and who give up their time freely. The new appointments have been made on an initial three-year basis and bring the total number of trustees to 15, led by Chair, Jonathan Welfare.

On announcing the appointments, Jonathan Welfare said: “We’re delighted to welcome our new trustees to Gingerbread’s Board. They bring a breadth of knowledge and experience that will be valuable to Gingerbread and will ensure we continue to effectively support single parents in England and Wales.”

Gingerbread Chief Executive Rosie Ferguson commented: “Since 1918, Gingerbread has been at the forefront of shaping policy and services that support single parents. We look forward to working with our new trustees in our centenary year and beyond.”

The new trustees are:

Dr Wanda Wyporska

Wanda is Executive Director of The Equality Trust, the national charity that campaigns to reduce economic and social inequality in the UK. Previously, she spent a decade working in the trade union movement on child poverty, education and equality policy. Wanda grew up in a single parent family and is a writer and activist.

Sir Martin Donnelly

Martin is a high-profile UK official whose career across central Government, starting in the Treasury to Whitehall leadership at Permanent Secretary level, has connected closely with business decision makers in the UK and internationally. He was Policy Director of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate at the Home Office and led the Treasury teams controlling defence spending and managing European monetary issues. He has served as Private Secretary to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

George Coleman

George is the founder and president of Creation, a global marketing communications agency. He is a CIPR Chartered Practitioner with more than 20 years’ experience advising blue-chip brands on communications strategy and reputation management. Creation is part of the Interpublic Group of companies (NYSE: IPG) and has 40+ offices around the world.

Joyce Materego

Joyce is Director of Finance and Resources of Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), which works for families in the UK to prevent and end poverty among children and families with children. She joined CPAG in January 2016 and has day to day responsibility for overseeing the charity’s finances and resources. Prior to joining CPAG, Joyce worked in various financial and accountancy roles in the charity sector, she has also worked in the book publishing industry. Joyce has been a single parent since 2008.

Lily Caprani

Lily is Deputy Executive Director at UNICEF UK where she leads public policy, political and communications strategy and child rights programmes and is responsible for some major fundraising partnerships. She has spent over a decade as a social justice campaigner, media commentator and fundraiser for national and international NGOs. She specialises in human rights and children’s issues, having been an advisor to the Children’s Commissioner for England and Director of Strategy for The Children’s Society. Lily started her career in frontline mental health and child protection services, before running a busy caseload in a community law practice. For several years, Lily was a single parent and now lives with her husband and teenage son in London.

Find out more about our board here.