Cricklewood-based social charity Ashford Place have announced changes to their board of trustees.
Doug Crawford, who has held the position of Chair of the organisation since September 2006 is stepping down from the role with current Trustees Mark Fox and Carey Fitzgerald replacing him as Co-Chairs.
Mark Fox has been a Trustee of Ashford Place and a member of the Housing Committee since 2017. Mark runs a property business and is a former banker. He is also President of West London Synagogue, on the Advisory Board Member of a Fintech company and is studying a Masters in Religion at Kings College, London.
Carey Fitzgerald, an Ashford Place Trustee since 2015 and lead on P.R. and Communications, is a film and television producer, business mentor & lecturer in Film & TV. She runs her own film & TV production, distribution and training Company and is Co-Chair of the organisation Business of Film & TV, whose purpose is to bridge the gap between academia and the commercial world to produce job ready graduates in the media industries.
Mark and Carey commented: “Doug has been an inspirational leader to us and we are delighted that he has agreed to stay on as a trustee, offering guidance based upon his long experience of Ashford Place.”
Ashford Place’s CEO, Danny Maher, added: “With the departure of Doug as our Chair I was worried about finding someone with his talent and passion for Ashford Place but there was no need to worry. We are very lucky to have someone of the caliber of Carey and Mark leading from the front.”
The charity, originally known as Cricklewood Homeless, has been helping people in Brent with isolation, dementia, mental health and homelessness for 30 years.
They have been working throughout the pandemic to combat the isolation felt by elderly people who have had to spend far more time indoors. Initiatives have included their ‘A Conversation With…’ series that has seen them get to chat to people such as former Coronation Street and Eastenders actress Michelle Collins and Ambassador to London Adrian O’Neill.
They have also recently launched Brent Thrive, a mental health community action project that has already earned the attention and support of MP Dawn Butler.
