New Chair of Trustees appointed
10 May 2023
Minstead Trust has appointed a new Chair to lead its dynamic board of trustees.
The charity has appointed serving Trustee Josephine Grunwell to take up the role of Chair and guide the Trust through the next phase of its transforming strategy.
Josephine’s experience comes from many years of working in consulting and human resources strategy within the financial services sector, having held senior leadership roles at several organisations, including Hargreaves Lansdown, NatWest Group, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. She is also the parent of a young person with a learning disability.
An existing trustee of Minstead Trust for five years, Josephine said: ‘I’m delighted to have been appointed as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Everything Minstead stands for is very close to my heart and I’m looking forward to serving and leading the Trust as we continue to make a difference to the lives of all the people we support by helping them to live independently in, and contribute to, their community.
‘As a parent trustee, I have personal experience of the exceptional care and support we provide and I’m proud to be able to undertake this role with the support of my fellow trustees, our chief executive, the senior leadership team and all our amazing staff and volunteers.’
Josephine takes on the role of Chair from Elizabeth Selby, who led the Trust through the challenges of the Covid pandemic and into an exciting period of growth for the charity. The Trust supports over 300 people with learning disabilities and has expanded its services and social businesses along the south coast of England in recent years.
Elizabeth Selby said: ‘It’s a bittersweet moment for me stepping down after having been privileged to be Chair over three quite unusual and sometimes turbulent years. Despite setbacks and some big changes, the Trust continues to thrive and survive.
‘The Board has developed a great deal over the past three years. We have modernised and updated the way that we work, recognising that this change is necessary to ensure that we can support the Trust in meeting its ambitious strategy for enhancement and growth.’
Adam Dodd, Minstead Trust Chief Executive, said: ‘I’m deeply grateful for Elizabeth’s support, guidance and leadership over the last three years.
‘Minstead Trust faced some of its most uncertain times during the Covid pandemic, and Elizabeth’s thoughtful and wise counsel was critical to helping the Trust come through that period stronger than before. I am delighted she will remain one of our trustees so we can continue to benefit from her broad knowledge and experience.
‘We welcome Josephine’s appointment by her peers at a time of challenge in the social care sector, with the cost of living crisis, staff shortages, and squeezed government funding meaning that traditional models of delivery are no longer fit for purpose.
‘Despite that, this is an exciting time for the Trust as we consolidate our position following a period of rapid growth, build new social care models, and grow our impact. Josephine’s considerable experience as a strategic senior leader, coupled with her knowledge of Minstead Trust and her perspectives as a parent, mean she is excellently placed to ensure Minstead Trust continues to support people with learning disabilities to enjoy fulfilling lives of their own choosing.’