Our Board

After sitting as a Board member for nearly two years, I am delighted to have been nominated and accepted as the Chair for Held in our Hearts, a wonderful charity I have had the pleasure to know for over 10 years.

Since working alongside Nicola, our amazing Chief Executive, as the lead for the City of Edinburgh’s Mortonhall Infant Cremation response and subsequently as a Ministerial Appointee in the role of Inspector of Funeral Directors, I have seen firsthand the impact of the work of this team who deliver high quality baby loss counselling and support to bereaved families at a time of the loss of their child.

More so, after over 40 years operating in Scotland, I know the significant influence and high regard that the charity is held in across Scotland, shaping both the policy and political landscape for current and future generations.

In the last few years, through our ambitious growth strategy, we have expanded services to new areas in Scotland, including launching our groundbreaking Hospital to Home service. It is a privilege to be leading a refreshed Board of experienced Trustees and Advisers to continue to support our team to deliver through our values of empathy, connection and love.

My son died aged two days old in 1991 and I have been a constant supporter of the charity following the help that was provided to me and my family. I was elected Chair in 2015 and live in Edinburgh with my wife Debbie. I have three other children, Matthew, Edward and Nathan. My background is in financial services, property and banking and this extensive experience and strategic planning capabilities help me ensure the organisation continues to achieve its core objectives.

Throughout her career, care of bereaved families has been an important part of France's work and she has seen many changes since first qualifying as a midwife in 1986.

Frances worked as a midwife in Lothian starting in Bangour in 1987 and then St John's Hospital in Livingston when it opened and held various senior roles within NHS Lothian. She was the Clinical Manager at St John's Hospital when she met Nicola and worked collaboratively with her to improve the care for bereaved families at St John's. Frances was appointed Chief Midwife in 2015 and continued to work with Nicola and HIOH with a dedicated team of midwives, passionate about bereavement care, Frances made positive changes to the care of bereaved families in the Maternity unit of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.  She says; "It is so important for maternity services to listen to and work with charities such as Held in Our Hearts if care for bereaved parents is to improve and meet the needs of all bereaved families”. 

Although she retired in September 2020 Frances hopes that with her background knowledge of maternity services in Lothian she can contribute to the amazing work that Held In Our Hearts does on a daily basis.

As a bereaved parent I know first-hand the invaluable support that Held in our Hearts provides.  Our daughter Eloise was stillborn in 2016 and we knew no-one who had been through such a traumatic experience and we were offered limited support.  I was put in touch with the charity through a friend and immediately felt part of a community of families and professionals full of compassion and empathy.

I have over 25 years’ experience in human resources, incorporating recruitment, compensation and business partnering, as well as previous trustee experience with an Edinburgh-based student charity.  Joining the board is a great privilege but also is my way of giving back to the charity which helped us at the worst point in our lives.  I’m excited to support Held in our Hearts using my skills and experience as it looks to expand its reach and support more families across Scotland.

I came across Held In Our Hearts over ten years ago through an opportune conversation, it turned out to be one of the most important conversations of my life. I discovered this was a charity that supported bereaved families following pregnancy, baby and infant loss. 

Personally I know all too well how the experience can go if you don't have this vital care and support. So I'm passionate that no other family should suffer on their own and I'm a huge supporter of this wonderful charity. 

Professionally, I'm a Mindset & Behaviour Change Coach in the health and wellness arena. Before that I had a twenty five year corporate career in sales and sponsorships, culminating in holding the position of Partnership Director for a mass participation running events company.

I'm grateful to be a Trustee and look forward to supporting the future of this incredible charity, so they can continue to be there for bereaved families in Scotland.

Olwyn is a qualified lawyer with a career spanning law, the third-sector, and finance.  At present, she works in the banking sector, with experience of leadership, governance and risk management.  Outside of work, Olwyn was the chair of a nationwide advocacy charity for four years, where she worked on initiatives to support those marginalised across society.  

For Olwyn, it is an honour to join Held in our Hearts, a cause close to her heart. She is committed to contributing her skills and experience to help the charity make a meaningful difference

When I first met Nicola and the amazing team at Held in our Hearts and began to see the incredible work they do with compassion and love, I was instantly drawn to want to help and support this wonderful organisation.  I was particularly inspired by the charity’s ambition to make the amazing care that Held in our Hearts provides available to every family across Scotland who suffers the devastating loss of a child.

My career has mainly been in technology consulting but I have also, in parallel, held a number of charity board positions with Children 1^st, Trust Housing Association, PoppyScotland and SCVO and I hope to bring this experience to bear in my role as Chair.

I am married with three children and generally enjoy sports that we can all participate in as a family – sailing, golf and hillwalking with our two labradors.  I am currently studying Counselling at Edinburgh University and I hope that this gives me a good insight into the work that our peer supporters and counsellors do.

I am a consultant obstetrician at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Honorary Senior Lecturer at Edinburgh University Medical School. Originally from Edinburgh, I did my undergraduate medical degree at Edinburgh University and then postgraduate training in Yorkshire and the South East of Scotland. I have been a consultant in Edinburgh since 2001 during which time I was labour ward lead for 10 years. My main area of interests are labour ward, high risk antenatal care and preterm labour especially with regard to cervical weakness. I am also interested in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and support of trainees and students. I live in Edinburgh with my husband and our three sons.