Charlie Bagot Jewitt was a regular Naval Officer for 22 years serving all over the world and finishing up leading Royal Navy Logistics in Operations. In 2006 he became Chief Executive of the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire, guiding it through the building and opening of the Armed Forces Memorial and the appeal and planning for the new visitor centre. In 2013 he combined both his Naval and Charitable knowledge to become Area Officer for the Sea Cadets, firstly in the East of England and then in the North West.

In 2020, just as Covid struck, Charlie took on the voluntary role of High Sheriff of Staffordshire, becoming closely involved with the Community Foundation for the first time, which led to his appointment as a Trustee in 2022. He is a Deputy Lieutenant for Staffordshire and has also been involved in a myriad of other bodies and initiatives including Transforming the Trent Valley (having served as Chair of ‘Central Rivers Initiative’ its predecessor body), Lichfield Cathedral Council, (with Lichfield diocese covering Staffordshire and northern Shropshire, as well as parts of Powys, the West Midlands, and Warwickshire), and a past President of the Staffordshire Society. He is currently President of Staffordshire Gardens and Parks Trust, Chair of Abbots Bromley Hospital Trustees and a rather poor organist, (his words), in his local Parish Church.

Mridula started her career in Sales and Marketing after completing her degree in Economics (Hons) with Mathematics.  She opted to go down the teaching route following a postgraduate degree in Education.  With over 20 years teaching experience, Mridula tutors Mathematics and Science at GCSE and A-Level.

Mridula moved to the UK from India in 2002 and soon after started volunteering with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.  She was then employed as a Generalist Adviser for a few years before resuming a teaching role.

Mridula enjoys cooking, reading and travelling with her family and is a very proud mother of a (female) aerospace engineer.

More information about Kate will be available soon

Sherrel is passionate about helping and supporting people in the community.  She has lived in Telford for 37 years and in that time has volunteered and worked in a number of different roles and areas within the community.  Sherrel founded a nationally recognised rehabilitation centre in Shropshire which she managed for 20 years, and is currently Chair of Healthwatch in Telford & Wrekin, as well as being a trustee of the Tribe Project, the Citizens Advice Bureau and sitting on the national board of the Asian Business Association.  Sherrel chaired Telford & Wrekin Connecting Communities which went on to become the Interfaith Council.  She is the founder of One Voice Shropshire and was an ambassador for West Mercia PCC.

Antony’s background is in Molecular biology, but he is now Head of Infrastructure and Facilities at the University of Birmingham and responsible for the management of new building projects and costing facilities offering specialist instrumentation to support scientific research projects.  Antony takes an active role in his local community and is the chair of his Parish Council.  Antony volunteers for several charitable causes, amongst them as an Independent Custodial Visitor co-ordinator, where he arranges and is involved in visiting detainees who have been arrested to ensure that their health and welfare is being met.  He is also an adviser to the Cannock Chase National Landscape Joint Committee, where he helps to ensure that the natural beauty of Cannock Chase is preserved and enhanced.

Reena joined the board of the Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Shropshire in early 2024.  She has lived in Cannock Chase since the 1990’s.  She helps to run her own successful business, is a mother to two sons, and is a Deputy Lieutenant.

She has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over thirty years, now running her own chain of pharmacies with her husband.  Reena is now responsible for HR and staff training for nearly 70 employees.

Reena has a significant history in charitable involvement and volunteering.  Over the past 20 years she has been a member of the PTA at Yarlet School, local Chair for the NSPCC, as well as being responsible for their local events and fundraising, and trained as a counsellor for Childline, where she was active for three years.  Reena volunteered as a vaccinator for the covid vaccine in Staffordshire and is currently a school governor for the Chadsmoor Federation in Cannock Chase.

Judy joined the board of the Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Shropshire in 2019.

Originally from Ashbourne, she has lived in North Staffordshire for most of her life.   Judy has worked in many industries across her working career, including in the health industry and the NHS.  Judy is now a Deputy Lieutenant.

Judy is a busy and active member of the local voluntary community, particularly in the Staffordshire Moorlands, but across Staffordshire and Shropshire more generally.  She is currently Chair of Macmillan Cancer Support in Staffordshire and before that championed many other local charities.

This trustee vacancy is one of our ‘service user’ vacancies.  To ensure that the Community Foundation is truly representative of the communities that we serve we appoint some trustees from people who may have benefitted from one of our grants.

Open recruitment is underway to fill this trustee vacancy, although preference will be given to Shropshire based applicants.

Prakash is originally from Uganda, but has lived in the Staffordshire Moorlands since he was 18.  He arrived as a refugee with his family following an expulsion order made by military dictator Idi Amin.  Arriving with nothing, Prakash remembers the kindness and support given to him by the people of Leek.

Prakash started his career in Staffordshire at a pottery in Baddeley Green, before becoming an office junior at the Leek Post & Times in 1973.  By the time the company was sold in 2002 Prakash was Managing Director.  He has been a magistrate on the Staffordshire & West Mercia bench for more than 25 years, and currently serves as a Deputy Lieutenant.

Prakash joined the board of the Community Foundation in 2008, before stepping down in 2020 to head up our Ambassadors scheme.

More information about Jeremy will be available soon

Terry’s background is in media and journalism .  He has worked as both a presenter and director, across TV and radio.  His work in sports for the BBC has taken him around the world, and he was a director on well-known game show The Generation Game, amongst many others.   He was a regular part of the schedule for both BBC Shropshire and BBC Stoke for more than 20 years.

Terry was the Community Foundation’s first Chief Executive, having served from 2008 until 2011. He re-joined the board as a trustee in 2016, and currently chairs the steering group for our Best Kept Village Community Competition.