Our Trustees | Cardiff Foodbank

Our trustees are the people who share responsibility for leading the charity and deciding how it is run. They make sure that we have a clear strategy, that our work and goals are in line with our vision, and that the charity is run sustainably. Our board of trustees bring a huge range of skills and experience to help us run Cardiff Foodbank.


	Bruce has been a volunteer at the Cathays distribution centre since 2013, providing food parcels to our clients and offering a safe, welcoming environment. He became a Trustee in 2018, since which time the Cardiff Foodbank has moved to bigger premises, and the staff team and board have grown and developed. He is committed to working with volunteers, staff, and trustees to develop the Foodbank’s services and partnerships with others, to make sure that we are as effective as possible in meeting need in the city. Bruce works at the University of South Wales, where he is the Chief Operating Officer of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and Science.
	Chris has many years of experience as a leader in the not-for-profit sector, with a commitment to social justice and promoting public voices in decision-making. He is currently Chief Executive of Building Communities Trust – a community development charity working throughout Wales. He was previously Director of Oxfam UK’s Poverty Programme and Head of Oxfam Cymru. He has also worked at the National Assembly for Wales, and in two community development charities and a civic organisation in South Africa. He is currently a board member of Egni Coop. Chris is a retired rugby coach and can be found at his happiest on top of a Welsh mountain.
	In his day-to-day work life, Craig leads teams of analysts and data experts to help understand how an organisation can help best serve its customers. Craig hopes to apply his skills and expertise to Cardiff Foodbank, to improve the lives of food bank users every day through the service we provide. Craig has lived in and around the Cardiff area for most of his life, and is now settled in Dinas Powys with his wife Kay. He is also a volunteer with the Cathays food bank centre delivery team.
	Cynthia has a strong sense of fairness, social justice and equality – values which have guided her throughout her working and personal life. Recently retired, she worked in local government and for three housing associations in Cardiff and Swansea for over 25 years. In the latter part of her career she worked as a business coach, helping senior executives grow and develop. An experienced trustee, Cynthia has been a board member and of a housing association, a mental health charity and several equalities charities. Cynthia also volunteers in our Ely distribution centre. In her spare time, she’s an avid reader and enjoys travel, watching sports, walking and trying to keep fit.
	Fiona has led or contributed to a variety of voluntary activities to provide support to others. These have included: youth organisations, charitable fundraising, school governor, church boards/committees, professional committees and more recently supporting the work of Cardiff Churches Together Night Shelter as a member of a ‘breakfast crew’. Professionally, she is a registered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development. She recently retired from a senior management role within the Workforce Team of a large NHS Health Board.
	Gauri is a Methodist preacher, teacher, musician, mother and a lover of animals, laughter and red wine. She is also the musical director of Cardiff Methodist Community Choir (CMCC) – a rock gospel performance group. She is a team leader in one of our food bank distribution centres, a trustee for an asylum seekers accommodation project called Home4U, and works with SUTDA.org as a facilitator and advocate for women going through Domestic Violence. Gauri also works for Cardiff Council enabling and empowering teenagers who have left the care system, and serves as the EDI officer for the Methodist Church based in Cardiff and Caerphilly. She is also part of a team who broadcast for BBC Radio Wales, Wednesday Word. In her (limited!) spare time, she enjoys being with friends, going to the theatre, travelling and reading. She has three dogs, a cat and possibly a squirrel in her loft.
	Karen has recently retired and moved back to Wales with her mum, husband and two cats. She spent the majority of her working life in higher education, working to support students through their academic careers, and has also had roles in events management, advice work, childcare and retail. Karen is passionate about community, equality and fairness in society and has an interest in the importance of cultural values and norms. It’s these interests and values that attracted her to Cardiff Foodbank.
	Louise has been a regular volunteer at Cardiff Foodbank since February 2021, primarily in the role of Signposting Coordinator. She previously worked as a primary school teacher and head teacher, so has seen first-hand the devastating consequences of poverty and the knock-on effect this can have on personal development and family relationships. She hopes to bring the skills she developed as a headteacher to her role on our board – leading a large team of staff and volunteers, controlling a significant budget, developing and monitoring strategic plans and creating links with the wider community. Louise’s happy place is at the front of a live music gig – the louder the better! She also collects vinyl records and is an avid reader.

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