New trustee joins local charity after father received exceptional care
New hospice trustee Fiona Whitehouse
A new trustee has joined the board of a local charity after it provided exceptional care to her father in his final days. And she is set to begin her tenure on a high by taking part in the charity’s Great Wall of China Trek next year, helping to raise vital funds that will enable the hospice to continue supporting families like hers.
Fiona Whitehouse, an experienced business owner, volunteer and community leader from Winchester, has recently joined the board of Winchester Hospice, bringing with her a long-standing commitment to supporting local charities and community initiatives.
“The team at the hospice was just brilliant when my father, and our family, needed support,” Fiona remembers. “Everyone was friendly and supportive, and nothing was too much trouble. They were helpful right up until the end and so it seems only right to repay them by giving what I can to help, both in terms of my skills and experience, and by taking part in this exciting overseas challenge.”
Fiona’s Father died in November last year, and the care the family received compelled Fiona to become more actively involved in supporting the charity that looked after them so well. “The care, kindness and compassion every person gave helped us deal with our loss. I felt like I wanted to give something back and he’d be so pleased that I am. He greatly appreciated the care he was given by everyone at the hospice.”
While training for next year’s trek, Fiona will begin her voluntary role as a trustee, providing strategic oversight, advice and support to help Winchester Hospice achieve its fundraising goals so it can continue making a meaningful difference to people across Winchester and the surrounding area.
She will draw on more than 20 years’ experience of running her own business, PA Anywhere, which provides professional personal assistance and administrative support services to a wide range of clients.
Fiona also brings extensive experience of supporting charitable organisations and community projects across Winchester and Hampshire. She is a former President of Winchester Rotary Club, where she led local service projects and fundraising initiatives, and was also actively involved with the former Winchester-based charity 3Women, supporting fundraising and networking activities.
Speaking about her appointment, Fiona said: “Having experienced first-hand the difference the hospice makes, I am honoured to join the board of trustees. I hope to use my business knowledge, together with my background in volunteering, fundraising and community engagement, to support the continued growth of the charity, raise awareness of its invaluable work, and help ensure more local families can benefit from the outstanding care and support that my family received.”
Chair of Trustees Nick Vaughan said: “I’m delighted to welcome Fiona to the board at Winchester Hospice. She brings a wealth of experience as both a business leader and committed charity supporter, which will be invaluable as we continue to grow our income so we can be there for those who need us, when they need us.”