Meet our newly elected public governors

Four newly-elected public governors are set to embark on a new three-year term with Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT), supporting and helping to make a difference to its services.

Public governors are elected by our members to represent the views of the local community and each governor represents one of the 12 local authority areas in Kent, including one out-of-area representative.

Elections for Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone and Hythe and a staff governor vacancy for adult services took place during three weeks, with 10 candidates standing for election.

KCFHT Chair John Goulston said: “After a successful election, we welcome our new governors, who bring with them a wealth of experience and enthusiasm. We look forward to working together and encourage them to challenge how we do things on behalf of their community to help make their local community services the best they can be.

“I’d like to thank the governors who are leaving us, Lynne Spencer for Canterbury, Daniel Mott for Folkestone and Hythe, Kathy Walters for Ashford and Dawn Gaiger for Adult Services.”

KCHFT’s new governors are:

• Sarah Ansell, Ashford – With 25 years’ experience as a nurse, Sarah is passionate that vulnerable patients have the opportunities to have their voice heard. She has a wealth of experience working with KCHFT as both a volunteer and a Patient Participation Partner.
• Penny Shepherd, Folkestone and Hythe – Penny is now retired and lives with long-term health conditions and has most recently used the trust’s services for and recovery. She has a particular interest in supporting vulnerable people within the community and is a co-founder of Ageing without Children, East Kent which supports and advocates for the increasing number of people ageing without adult children or other close family.
• Chris Cornell, Canterbury – Chris is a university lecturer and city councillor. He’d like to help bridge the gap between NHS and the community and support more people to have their voice heard. Chris aims to utilise the links he has built across the district to support the most vulnerable in the community.
• Jan Harris, Staff Governor, Adult Services – Jan Harris is an occupational therapy assistant at Faversham Cottage Hospital. She likes to listen to colleagues’ ideas and concerns and wants to be the person who takes these ideas forward for adult services to help improve their working experience.

Elections for public governor vacancies in Gravesham and Swale will take place from Wednesday, 26 April. Look out for more information soon on our website and social media channels.

You can find out more about all our governors and how they represent their communities by visiting: www.kentcht.nhs.uk/council-of-governors/