CURE LEUKAEMIA - Key Persons
Broadcaster, journalist and proud Brummie Adrian Chiles has been a Patron of Cure Leukaemia since 2009 when he was struck by the simplicity of the charity's model and the business sense behind it.
Adrian presented a video produced to mark Cure Leukaemia's 10th Anniversary in 2013 and hosted the celebratory dinner held at Villa Park that same year. He also took part in the Great Birmingham 10k in 2016 and hosted the launch event for the 3 Tours Challenge in 2017.
Alex was made a Patron after he completed a 3,000, unsupported row across the Atlantic with fellow Patron Harry Martin-Dreyer. The ‘Rowing 4 Research' duo raised over £200,000 for Cure Leukaemia and JDRF and although Alex was fundraising for the latter he was also appointed as a Patron for undertaking one of the most historic challenges in Cure Leukaemia's history.
Alex joined us in December following a successful 15 years working in the sports industry, most recently following a spell as Head of Commercial and Retail at Walsall Football Club, guiding both departments through the Covid-19 pandemic ensuring the club continued to generate income and engaged with sponsors effectively despite a full season being played behind closed doors.
Prior to that, he spent seven years at the League Managers' Association (LMA), the representative association for football managers in the professional game, the last five years of which, was as Commercial Director. The role involved working closely with the game's stakeholders like the FA and Premier League, alongside many leading brands within the sport such as Barclays, Cadbury and Budweiser and not to mention getting to know the odd football manager too!
Alston Owens brings a wealth of experience obtained in the Healthcare Advisory and Financial services industry. He has a special interest in healthcare innovation, bridging the gap between health and digital transformation for improved quality. He is also a keen advocate of helping others both in a coaching and mentoring capacity and has been involved in several initiatives both in personal and professional capacity.
Amelia has been a Patron, along with husband Dougie, since the early days of Cure Leukaemia. Amelia regularly attended events and, as a professional singer, would often perform to raise funds as well.
Former England and Warwickshire cricketer and current Director of England Men's Cricket Ashley Giles MBE has been a Patron since the early days of Cure Leukaemia. Another key reason for Warwickshire's long-standing support for the charity, Ashley regularly attended fundraising events and played an active role in the growth of the charity.
Recently retired former England goalkeeper Ben Foster first became involved with Cure Leukaemia when he cycled our London 2 Paris event in 2015 to recover from knee ligament damage when at West Bromwich Albion FC. Straight away Ben was hooked into the #CLFamily as he loved every minute of L2P and he went on to take part in Ride London for the charity as well (pictured on the start line).
From that point on Ben was always available to appear at events, record promotional videos and help spread the charity's message wherever possible. In 2019, Ben was appointed as a Patron and intends to play a more active role when he retires from football. His love of cycling is evident and in November 2020 he launched ‘The Cycling GK' YouTube channel which has proved hugely successful. He has made no secret of the fact that he wants to ride the Tour de France at some point in the future for Cure Leukaemia - watch this space…
Job Titles:
- Head of Marketing and Communications
Ben began his career at The Albion Foundation (club charity of West Bromwich Albion Football Club) in 2013 following the completion of his Masters degree and quickly rose up the ranks. Ben joined the British...
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder of Blood Cancer Charity
- Professor
- Professor of Haemato - Oncology at the University of Birmingham
Charles Craddock is Professor of Haemato-oncology at the University of Birmingham and the Academic Director of the Centre for Clinical Haematology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He trained in haematology at the Hammersmith Hospital in London, the Institute of Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford, and the University of Washington in Seattle, USA.
Professor Craddock is Co-Founder of blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia, Chair of the UK Stem Cell Strategic Oversight Committee and was Medical Director of Anthony Nolan from 2010-2014. He was elected President of the British Society Of Haematology in 2017. He led the development of the £24 million Birmingham Institute of Translational Medicine, which opened in 2015 and in 2017 oversaw the £3.4m expansion of the Centre for Clinical Haematology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, £1m of which was raised by Cure Leukaemia.
Professor Craddock's main research interests include the development of novel drug and transplant therapies in myeloid leukemias and he leads the UK Haemato-oncology Trials Acceleration Programme. He pioneered the development of a UK stem cell transplant trials network, IMPACT, which was launched in 2017. Professor Craddock was awarded the CBE for services to medicine and medical research in the 2016 New Year's Honours list.
Charlie is a keen cyclist and has taken part in London 2 Paris for Cure Leukaemia on a number of occasions.
Doug McKinnon first became involved with Cure Leukaemia in 2015 when he cycled the full Tour de France alongside Geoff Thomas. Doug, who has no personal link to blood cancer, saw the importance of the charity's work and has been involved ever since.
He took part in the 3 Tours Challenge in 2017 and once again rode the Tour de France with Geoff for the final time in 2021 completing ‘The Tour 21.' Doug with wife Wendy have raised hundreds of thousands for Cure Leukaemia over the years and they are very much part of the #CLFamily.
Former England, Scotland and Warwickshire cricketer Dougie Brown has been a Patron since the very early years of Cure Leukaemia. Dougie played a very active role in many fundraising events, did a trek in the Sahara to raise funds and was instrumental in maintaining the long-standing relationship with Warwickshire County Cricket Club.
Gemma joined Cure Leukaemia in the early part of 2020. Just a few weeks into her role the UK went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic but this didn't stop her engraining herself in the CL Team. Gemma works closely with James to oversee the running of the charity, is a key member of the CL Lifesavers team and is in regular communication with members of the CL Family.
"I am incredibly proud and excited to be Chairman of Cure Leukaemia. The charity is entering a transformational stage in its history and I hope to utlise my experience through many years working for global businesses to enhance and benefit the charity going forward.
I myself have been touched by this disease having been disgnosed with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2005 so I am acutely aware of the phenomenal strides that are being made in the treatment of blood cancers. I look forward to working closely with the Board of Trustees, CEO James McLaughlin and his team with the aim of establishing Cure Leukaemia as the UK's leading blood cancer charity within the next five years."
Cure Leukaemia's Chairman has worked in a number of countries in key leadership and business transforming roles, including CFO North America for Jaguar Land Rover before leading Jaguar UK as Managing Director through its biggest cultural and business transformation in its history during the period 2006-11.
Geoff is currently Chairman of G&P Group Holdings, a world leading quality management provider, working closely with key automotive and aerospace manufacturers and associated supply chains to improve quality and efficiency levels. He also consults with private equity companies and is Visiting Professor of Global Governance at the University of South Wales.
Geoff is currently Chairman of G&P Group Holdings, a world leading quality management provider, working closely with key automotive and aerospace manufacturers and associated supply chains to improve quality and efficiency levels. He also consults with private equity companies and is Visiting Professor of Global Governance at the University of South Wales.
Geoff has non - profit sector experience as a former member of the NSPCC national Corporate Development Board and Chairman of the NSPCC's Business Group in Coventry and Warwickshire. In the sporting world he was a member of the Corporate Development Board for the Sport and Recreation Alliance and established the Jaguar Academy of Sport to support the development of the next generation of sports stars.
In a career that started in Finance, Geoff has worked in a number of countries in key leadership and business transforming roles, including CFO North America for JLR and then leading Jaguar UK as Managing Director through its biggest cultural transformation in its history.
Geoff brings intellectual clarity, foresight and commercialism to any business in a logical pragmatic and concise way with an approachable but clear and effective delivery style and an enviable business network and address book.
Geoff Robert Thomas is a former professional footballer who played for Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest among other clubs and was capped nine times by England in the 1990s.
In 2003, a year after retiring from the game, he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (a form of blood cancer) and given just three months to live. After a stem cell transplant from his sister Kay and treatment from Professor Charlie Craddock CBE, the co-founder of blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia, Geoff entered remission from the disease in January 2005.
Ever since, Geoff has dedicated his life to raising vital funds to help other blood cancer patients now and in the future. In 2005, he set up the Geoff Thomas Foundation and was awarded the Helen Rollason Award at BBC Sports Personality of the Year. He was very proud to have played a key role in the delivery of the national Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP) which has driven the great progress in blood cancer treatment in the last decade. Geoff has cycled the Tour de France on three separate occasions and in 2017 he took on the biggest of all his challenges in the saddle…
With three other amateur cyclists, Geoff rode all three Grand Tours; the Giro D'Italia, Tour de France and La Vuelta one day ahead of the professionals. They rode 10,403km and are the first amateur team to complete this remarkable feat.
Celebrity chef Glynn Purnell has been involved with Cure Leukaemia since 2012 first as a Trustee and now a Patron. Glynn decided to support Cure Leukaemia after meeting a young girl with blood cancer who sadly passed away. In 2014 Glynn fronted a live cooking event called Glynn Purnell's Friday Night Kitchen (GPFNK) at Villa Park and the event was so popular the event returned again in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Glynn was also involved in helping Cure Leukaemia secure the support of Brindley Place in 2014 which led to our partnership with Deutsche Bank and he took part in the Great Birmingham Run in 2013 when £125,000 was raised from the event.
Graham is Chairman of Hampson Investments, an investment holding company with interests in different sectors cross the UK and internationally. In February 2001, he was named as "one to watch" in a business magazine, however later in that same month he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia. Having been given only 3 years to live, he was lucky to become one of only 45 people to enter the only UK trial for the first example of personalised medicine for the revolutionary drug, now known as Glivec.
Following successful treatment, together with his Professor, Charlie Craddock, he co-founded the charity Cure Leukaemia, with the intention of taking luck out of the equation for other blood cancer patients. This was achieved by creating a trials acceleration programme (TAP) thereby accelerating access to new and better drugs and Patient treatments.
Professor Guy Pratt is a Consultant Haematologist with a specialist interest in multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, lymphoma and general haematology. His NHS practice is at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham and he has an honorary title of Professor of Haematology from the University of Birmingham. Guy became a Trustee of Cure Leukaemia in 2016 and has taken part in a number of fundraising events including the Great Birmingham Run and Velo Birmingham.
He trained as an undergraduate at Cambridge University qualifying in 1989. Following junior doctor training in London he specialized as a specialist registrar in Haematology in Liverpool and Leeds. In Leeds he completed an MD thesis looking at chromosomal translocations in patients with multiple myeloma.
Professor Pratt has been a Consultant Haematologist in Birmingham since 2001 initially as a clinical academic working in the School of Cancer Sciences in the University of Birmingham/Heart of England NHS Trust and more recently as a Consultant Haematologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. His main research interests are multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. He has developed a large number of research collaborations including clinical trial involvement both locally and nationally with a continual growing publication output and was clinical lead for the 2016 NICE myeloma guidelines. He has a number of positions nationally including BSH guideline lead for Haemato-Oncology, chair of the BSH science and publication committee and secretary for the UK Myeloma forum.
Professional chef Hayden Groves first became involved with Cure Leukaemia in 2015 when he cycled the full Tour de France alongside Geoff Thomas. Hayden, who has no personal link to blood cancer, saw the importance of the charity's work and has been involved ever since. He took part in the 3 Tours Challenge in 2017 and wrote a unique, award winning cookbook, ‘Back In The Saddle' after the event combining cycling and recipes from Italy, France and Spain.
Thanks to the generosity of Hayden and his, then employers Baxterstorey, 100% of each book sold has come to Cure Leukaemia raising tens of thousands for Cure Leukaemia. Hayden also went on to take part in ‘The Tour 21' in 2021 and 2022 and is an integral part of the #CLFamily.
James first became involved with Cure Leukaemia in 2015 when he cycled the full Tour de France alongside Geoff Thomas. James who has no personal link to blood cancer, saw the importance of the charity's work and has been involved ever since. James was instrumental in securing the long-term support from the Syncona Foundation which has brought over £500,000 to Cure Leukaemia. He also took part in the 3 Tours Challenge in 2017 and ‘The Tour 21' in 2021 and is an integral member of the #CLFamily.
Having studied Retail Management at Bournemouth University James began his career as Head of Sales at Southampton FC, despite being a lifelong Portsmouth fan!
During his four-and-a-half stay with the Club, James was a key member of the management team that delivered the club's new £32m St Mary's Stadium, an FA Cup Final appearance and the highest league table position in the Premier League.
James moved to Holland as Product Manager for Football Equipment for Nike EMEA and continued his moved within football by joining Watford FC as Commercial Director with one of his key achievements being a 23,000 sold out Sir Elton John concert at Vicarage Road
With Watford securing promotion in 2006, James headed to Birmingham and joined Edgbaston Cricket Ground as Commercial Director and once again was part of the management team that saw the opening of the new look £32m Edgbaston in the summer of 2011. The move to the stadium saw Jaguar become a long term partner of the Club
After nearly six years at Warwickshire and having been a Trustee of Cure Leukaemia since 2010 James made the switch into the third sector becoming CEO of Cure Leukaemia in April 2012.
Job Titles:
- Accounts and Fundraising Assistant
Jennie joined Cure Leukaemia in 2012 having previously worked with James and Jackie at Edgbaston Cricket Ground. Jen oversees all of Cure Leukaemia's accounts, manages our major fundraising platforms such as Just Giving, is an integral part of the CL Lifesavers team and plays a key role in delivering our major events throughout the year. Jen's husband Dave Hill, who is Executive Chef at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, regularly helps at Cure Leukaemia events as do their daughters Phoebe and Isabella.
Jo Murphy has been a qualified Solicitor for over 20 years and currently works for Global - one of the world's leading media and entertainment organisations - as part of their legal team for the past 10 years.
She previously headed up a small corporate, commercial and company law team at Sheridans Law before moving in-house as Head of Legal/Sole Counsel for a video games developer.
Joe joined Cure Leukaemia on secondment from John Lewis in the summer of 2013 and immediately made an impact helping Cure Leukaemia recruit 400 runners for that year's Great Birmingham Run which raised over £125,000.
Since then he has managed all of Cure Leukaemia's mass participation sporting events including running, treks, football tournaments and cycling events. Most notably, Joe's taken a leading role in organising Cure Leukaemia's London to Paris rides since 2015 a considerable logistical exercise. Joe's communication skills have enabled him to build excellent relationships with the participants of these events which has yielded support in other areas of the charity as well as maximising fundraising.
In 2018, Joe managed Cure Leukaemia's national two-year partnership with Deutsche Bank which raised £2,000,000. He developed excellent relationships within the bank, many of which have continued beyond the partnership.
Kay has been a Patron since the early days of Cure Leukaemia. A regular at fundraising events, Kay was the driving force behind ‘Redventure' a trekking and challenge-based campaign which took fundraisers to all parts of the globe to take on gruelling treks.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Corporate Solicitor With Silks Solicitors Limited
Kevin Jones is a commercial and corporate solicitor with Silks Solicitors Limited of 27 Birmingham Street, Oldbury, West Midlands B69 4DY. After education at King Edwards Five Ways, Birmingham and Durham University he was articled to John Silk at the firm at which he remains. The firm was then known as John Silk & Co. training with John Silk, a highly respected solicitor then specialising in the corporate sphere, he became a Partner within two years of qualification.
Remaining with that Practice since he has acted, throughout his career for businesses and their owners dealing with commercial property matters and constitutional and corporate matters, including sales and purchases of businesses, formation of businesses, etc. Throughout his career he has carried out work for a number of Charities, it being considered that the firm needed to be part of the community in which it was placed and to support those who are attempting to support those in need in the area.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Managing Director of Transport for West Midlands
Laura Shoaf CBE is Managing Director of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) which is the transport arm of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA); and the strategic transport authority for the area covered by the seven metropolitan authorities of the West Midlands. Laura has more than 25 years international experience delivering integrated economic and spatial regeneration and is the first woman in England to a lead a strategic transport authority.
Laura has held a number of senior roles in the West Midlands including Head of Strategic Planning & Implementation at the Black Country Consortium, the Black Country Director of Transport and the Strategic Director for Transport at the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority.
Laura is responsible for the development of integrated transport in the West Midlands and for delivering a £4 billion transport package over the next 10 years which is fundamental to the delivery of economic regeneration in the region.
Laura is a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and sits on the Board of the National College for High Speed Rail and the Urban Transport Group. She is also a committee member of UITP and board member of EMTA, both highly respected international and European public transport organisations.
Job Titles:
- Trusts & Foundations Executive
Lynn Richards-Cole started at Cure Leukaemia in early 2020 having spent many years as Client Development Director at AON. Lynn was brought into the team to focus on applications to Trusts and Foundations...
Michael Doolin has almost 35 years of experience in Commercial HR exposure in global Organisations and currently heads up Clover HR as Managing Director. He has a strong interest in the Charity sector and its ethos while his own business has spearheaded a series of educational webinars and blogs on Wellbeing.
He frequently speaks at Business conferences and has lectured at Warwick Business School for the past 10 years.
Michael Shaw was a member of the chartered institute of management accountants having passed their exams in October 1970. From 1971 to 2000, he worked a plethora of roles with Pilkington Plc around the UK and overseas in South Africa and Brussels. Roles included, Accountants consultant, Finance Director, Finance controller, amongst others.
In 2005 he became Trustee and Treasurer for Cure Leukaemia. A national, Birmingham based charity fighting the ongoing battle to Cure Leukaemia.
Since retiring, Michael keeps active by regularly participating in sport whilst being a member of a local health and cricket club. In addition, he is a social member of Solihull Arden Tennis club, a member of a living well health club and treasurer of Tamworth Cricket Club.
Michael has two Grandsons who keep him busy whilst enjoying some downtime with a book or on his computer.
Blood cancer survivor Michael Woolley is one of the Co-Founders of Cure Leukaemia. Michael was chairman for the first six years of the charity's life and in that role and played an important part in its early years which set the foundations which enabled Cure Leukaemia to grow into the charity it has now become.
Patric played a key role in the early years of Cure Leukaemia regularly attending fundraising events and took part in a number of celebrity golf days to raise funds.
Harry Martin-Dreyer was made a Patron of Cure Leukaemia after completing an extraordinary cross-Atlantic row alongside fellow Patron Alex Bland in 2014. Harry, who lost his mother to blood cancer, raised funds for Cure Leukaemia whilst Alex supported JDRF.
The pair raised over £200,000 split between the charities and were both made Patrons of Cure Leukaemia as a result. Not only did Harry and Alex row over 3,000 miles, unsupported, across treacherous seas Harry's engagement ring for now wife Lucy made the journey too and he proposed when they arrived in Barbados.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Senior Executive Experience to the Board of Trustees
Phil Whitehead brings extensive Senior Executive experience to the Board of Trustees through his role as Managing Director (Western Europe) of Molson Coors Beverage Company having spent the past 15 years with the organisation and has spent the last 10 years of his career at both Board and Chief Executive level.
Richard has over 20 years' experience as an Indirect Tax advisor, and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. He is a partner at KPMG, where he advises charities and public sector bodies on a wide range of VAT issues related to their operations and capital projects. He has helped a large number of UK Universities, charities, NHS Trusts, Local Authorities and the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit to resolve complex problems related to their activities.
Richard and his wife Rebecca have been supporting blood cancer charities since she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2003. In 2012 he became involved with Cure Leukaemia when it was selected as Deloitte Birmingham's charity partner, and he became a trustee in 2014.
Richard's other interests include running, cars, and spending time with his family.