
I have been involved with the Trust since 2008.

His main passion and hobby is Lydbrook Band where he has been a member for over 60 years and secretary for 37 years. He is married to Barbara (also a member of Lydbrook Band) and has 3 children Neil, Ian and Sally. Robert has been involved with the Trust since 2008.

I mentored George Gordon-Smith, founder of The Orchard Trust for a number of years and when he retired I joined the board of the Trust in 2006 so that my knowledge would not go to waste. I have been a chairman of an extremely good board which hosts a very solid range of skills.

I was a teacher of children with special educational needs and have been a governor both of the British School in Tokyo and Lydbrook Primary School. I have worked for Samaritan based organisations in both France and Japan.
Over many years I have come to admire The Orchard Trust and I am honoured to be a Trustee. I hope the Trust continues flourishing and achieves more for our service users. I have been involved with the Trust since 2008.

Elaine studied for a degree in History followed by a PGCE in Primary Education and was then a Primary School teacher until retirement.
Elaine enjoys walking, line dancing, cinema, reading and painting. She joined the Board of the Orchard Trust in 2018.

I first encountered the Orchard Trust when I moved to Lydbrook over 20 years ago and became head of social care commissioning for Gloucestershire County Council. The Orchard Trust has always stood out as a truly special place. Now, as Procurement Director for the National Trust, I am so proud to be able to support this unique local charity and have been on the Board of the Orchard Trust since 2017.
I love animals, running, reading, music and travelling, and enjoy spending time in our wonderful Forest of Dean.

Chris enjoys the outdoors, gardening, walking and water sports.
Chris realised over the years that the Orchard Trust provides a very valuable service to the community and its service users. He joined the board in 2019.

Her professional background is in media and communications. She began her career as a wildlife television development producer at the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol, after completing a BSc in Biology and an MSc in Science Communication. She spent a year living in Australia, before returning to the UK in 2014 and setting up her own business as a freelance copywriter and editor, specialising in the public and non-profit sectors.
Since moving to the Forest of Dean in 2020, she has worked as a producer for various community arts organisations, as well as performing and publishing poetry and other writing on themes including neurodiversity, ageing and dementia. She has a keen interest in projects, ideas and organisations that connect people and communities through art and/or nature.
Our ethos
We look after ourselves, each other, our places and the environment. Through listening to each other and paying attention when someone has something they want to say we support the development of self respect and feelings of worth and appreciation. We recognise one another for the people we are, understanding and accepting preferences and beliefs to ensure a personalised care and support.
We also believe the best results are gained through working as a team, valuing suggestions and encouraging new ideas as we strive to continuously improve the care we provide. We appreciate that knowledge, skill and understanding develop over time and through the sharing of experience. Seeking best practice and innovation we work closely with others to achieve the best result. We value the contribution of clients, families, staff, volunteers and our partners to support us to be the best we can.