Our Trustees - Cavell

Susan Gostick (Chair). While I have never had first hand experience as a nurse or midwife, I have always had great admiration and indebtedness for the fantastic job they do, especially in often difficult circumstances. Equally many of my close family are in the profession, with my aunt and sister being nurses and my niece a newly qualified midwife. Cavell gives me the opportunity to give something back and say a big thank you. My own career has been in the very different world of finance, having spent over 30 years in the asset management and pensions industries. I am now also chair of a large pension scheme and spent time focused on Environment, Social and Governance issues and how we can help save the planet.

Deborah Critchley. I am a registered general nurse with over 30 years experience working across all sectors of health. I run a consultancy and interim management company primarily working with healthcare organisations. I was born in the Midlands and studied at Derby and Nottingham University. I feel privileged to be a trustee of Cavell and I’m particularly keen to ensure the charity supports more and more nurses and midwives every year who find themselves in financial hardship. I’m also keen that the charity continues the legacy of Edith Cavell who was an inspiration to us all, keeping her values alive through the work of the charity. I also want to value and support the fantastic Cavell team who work relentlessly and with passion to enable the charity grows from strength to strength. I live in Oxfordshire and in my spare time enjoy walking, volunteering and travelling.

Jill Cox. I am a general and mental health nurse with wide experience working at board and Chief Executive level. Since 2000 I have run a successful company providing independent healthcare advice for organisations in the UK and Internationally. I am proud to be a Trustee of Cavell to support the fantastic work for nurses and midwives. The life of Edith Cavell is inspirational and her values and courage and strength is still needed to be a nurse today.
I love to walk and my most memorable so far is from Florence to Assisi, I am planning to finish the route from there to Rome. Part of the joy for me is learning about food along the way so I can cook on my return.

Paul Bishop. I have worked with Information technology for over 30 years, starting as a computer operator in the 1980’s with main frames, used by the oil industry. I’ve worked in senior leadership roles for over 20 years, with companies such as, Walt Disney, Dunlop, BUPA and Equinix. Today I support technology start-ups with a range of companies from health care to pure cloud technology. I grew up, lived and worked in East Africa and Belgium coming to the UK in 1990. I’m based in Brighton with my partner and daughter. I’m a keen tennis player, surfer and skier.

Matthew Hodson MBE. I am a registered adult nurse with over 20 years’ experience working across both the NHS and independent sector, alongside a broad range of nursing roles including a respiratory nurse consultant and within senior nursing leadership roles. Currently I am the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer at University Hospitals Dorset. I am originally from Hampshire and trained at Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, and then moved to London where I stayed a further 16 years. I feel very honoured to be a Trustee of the Cavell especially at a time when nursing and nurses has never been so critical in the management in this pandemic. I want to ensure Cavell’s legacy that every nurse and midwife gets the help they need. I am very proud of the work the charity has already undertaken and want to use my knowledge and skills to take forward the legacy and current work of the Trust and contribute to its continued growth. I currently live in Dorset with my Husband and daughter Liliana.

Cynthia Gumbiti-Zimuto. I have been a registered adult nurse since the late 1990’s. Having had many different senior nursing’s roles in that time there has always been a common theme and passion in all my roles, and that is to ensure our patients receive outstanding care through staff receiving support, education, professional development and by empowering each person to reach their potential. Cavell’s aim reflects my passions; to empower by giving support to reach their potential in a time of crisis. I also bring to the Cavell trustee role the experience of serving for over 5 years as a board director and trustee to a local charity which also strives to support people at a time of difficulty or life crisis.
Despite personal danger and risk to her life, Edith Cavell put the safety and needs of others first; something I have seen every day at work in the recent years, and still do today. And so with this in mind it is an honour and privilege to represent my nursing, midwifery and HCA colleagues as a trustee on the Cavell board.
Outside of work I’m a busy mum of 2 teenagers and wife, who relaxes by running, baking and sitting drinking coffee whilst watching my chickens.

David Lewis. In over 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry, I have engaged with many inspiring, hardworking and patient centric nurses and healthcare workers. I am honoured to recognise and encourage those nurses, and midwives who support patients, and I am consequently proud to be a trustee of Cavell.

Debra Moore MBE FRSA. As a nurse who continues to enjoy what has been a long and varied career in policy, executive & senior clinical nursing roles, I have been privileged to meet nurses and healthcare assistants in many organisations and across sectors. I hope to bring this experience to supporting the vital and inspiring work of Cavell, along with learning from previous trustee roles. In my spare time, I am an avid reader and enjoy walking the North Yorkshire Coastline near my home in Scarborough.

Naomi Dickson. I joined Norwood as CEO in 2023, providing residential and supported living services for adults with profound & multiple learning disabilities, having previously spent 8 years as Chief Executive of Jewish Women’s Aid (JWA), the community charity that supports Jewish women affected by domestic and/or sexual violence. Having initially joined JWA as Refuge Coordinator, as CEO I was responsible for almost doubling the organisation’s annual income, and was recognised as one of the BBC’s 100 Women in 2020. My experience also includes roles at Jewish Blind and Disabled and the Notting Hill Housing Trust. I have served as a trustee for the Women’s Aid Federation of England and am currently enjoying my time as trustee for Home-Start UK and Cavell.