4 November 2025
This Trustees' Week, we want to take a moment to recognise the commitment, passion, and expertise of our Trustee Board.
Trustees are volunteers who give their time to help ensure that we, as a charity, reach more babies, children, and young people in our catchment area. From experts in paediatric nursing to leaders in finance, publishing, and HR, our diverse Trustee Board is there for us every step of the way.
Thank you so much to our Trustees, and every Trustee across the country, for the time, commitment, and effort you dedicate to helping charities thrive.
Meet Two of Our New Trustees
To mark Trustees’ Week, we’re delighted to introduce two of our newer trustees and share why they joined us:
Professor Lorna Fraser
“Children’s Hospices play an important role in our health and care system for seriously ill children and their families. I feel privileged to be able to play a small part in shaping the future of hospice care as part of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice Board of Trustees.”
Lorna brings clinical experience in paediatrics and leads research into the needs of children, families, and healthcare professionals. Her expertise helps shape how we deliver care and influence wider children’s palliative services.
Ginika Achokwu
“I see my role as a trustee as one of deep trust and profound stewardship. It is a privilege to safeguard not just an organisation's resources, but it's very mission, core values, and lasting promise to the families and communities we serve.”
Ginika brings leadership experience across health services and safeguarding, focusing on supporting families, inclusivity, and reducing inequalities.
We’re so grateful to Lorna, Ginika, and all our trustees for their commitment, insight, and guidance, helping us continue to deliver vital care and support for children and families.
Spotlight on Our Own Trustee Volunteer:
Philip Roethenbaugh
As part of Trustees’ Week, we’re also shining a light on our Fundraising and Communications Director, Philip Roethenbaugh, who also generously volunteers as a trustee at The Charles Plater Trust.
Philip says:
"I became a trustee of The Charles Plater Trust in June 2025. The charity provides financial and practical support to UK organisations, with a focus on social justice rooted in Catholic teaching. A key part of my role is assessing and recommending applicant charities for funding. Having spent over 25 years making hundreds of grant applications myself, it’s unusual, but incredibly rewarding, to experience the process from the other side. I hope my experience helps me empathise with applicants and make thoughtful decisions about where the charity invests its funds."
Philip’s trustee role is entirely voluntary, yet it carries real responsibility, balancing his leadership at Noah’s Ark with oversight and decision-making for another charity. He reflects:
"It’s a hugely rewarding role and gives me a deeper understanding of the pressures our own trustees face here at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice."
We’re incredibly grateful to Philip and all the trustees who support the charity sector.
Thank You to Every Trustee
This Trustees’ Week, and every week, we celebrate those who lead with compassion, integrity, and expertise, ensuring that charities like ours can continue to make a real difference to the lives of children and families.
You can read more about our Board of Trustees here: Leadership Team | Noah's Ark Children's Hospice
