Council of Governors

Brian Spencer, Public Governor, Blackburn with Darwen 

First Term: 01/01/25 to 31/12/28

Brian was born in Burnley but now resides in the Blackburn area. He retired from a 30 year career as a Registered Mental Health Nurse and TA medic, during which he travelled extensively across the UK.  

Brian has also served as the Chair of Link Blackburn with Darwen. 

He has always been passionate about championing the cause of people trying to access the healthcare they need. 

As a governor, he would like to represent the people of Blackburn with Darwen. He actively spends time meeting people and discussing healthcare issues. Brian has a particular concern about diabetes and is part of the Blackburn with Darwen Peer Support Group. 

Zacky Hameed 

First Term: 05/01/2023 to 04/01/2026

Zacky lives in Blackpool but has spent many years during his career working abroad including in the United Arab Emirates.   

Zacky is passionate about supporting people with their healthcare needs and attends many events and meetings to raise awareness. 

Sadiq Asmal

First Term: 05/01/2023 to 04/01/2026

Sadiq was born in Preston and continues to reside there with family. Sadiq is married with two sons and a daughter and has a strong passion for improving our NHS. In 2015, he worked closely with PMS and helped raise over £38,000 to help buy life-saving equipment for Royal Preston Hospital. He is aiming to develop stronger links between the Trust and the local community, and wants to bring the community together to help address the needs of local hospitals. Sadiq is keen to make use of his previous experiences, such as when he set up and constructed a charity hospital, to help his colleagues in achieving shared goals.

David Hargreaves

First Term: 01/02/2020 to 04/01/2023

Second Term: 05/01/2023 to 04/01/2026

David was born, raised and educated in Walton-le-Dale, Preston before moving to Cottam, Preston with his wife and young family. David is a senior executive in a large multi-national engineering company in Lancashire, having started as an apprentice 25 years ago he has performed a number of varied engineering and management roles to date. David has also been a small business owner in the local area for many years and more recently has become a business mentor supporting small and medium businesses nationwide.  

Having had several family members utilise the Trust’s community services, David has a keen interest in improving these services. David has a particular interest in the Trust’s digital, transformation and estate planning agendas and believes his experience working in both large corporate industry and small businesses will help him fulfil his role effectively as an NHS governor.

Peter Higgins

First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027 

Peter recently retired from a long career in director and chief executive roles working with doctors and health care professionals to provide the best services to their patients. Most recently he worked with GPs and their practices across Lancashire and Cumbria.

He has worked in all sectors of healthcare, from front-line day-to-day services through to specialist regional services, hospital and primary care services, physical and mental health services. In his role as a governor, Peter would like to encourage and facilitate greater understanding and integration between the professions and between health and care organisations.

Peter has always wanted to champion the cause of people trying to get the healthcare they need, and knows from personal experience with family and friends how complex it is to navigate your way through the various components of the health service and allied agencies. As a governor, he would like to represent the people of Central Lancashire, feed in their views and represent their interests as the Trust develops its plans for the services it provides.

Anita Murray

First Term: 05/01/2023 to 04/01/2026

Anita was born and raised in Preston where she again resides after university and a 20-year career in energy logistics, finally as a VP at JP Morgan in London. Anita intends to use this logistical and management experience to bring more understanding and transparency within mental health services. 

Anita has many years of experience as a service user within the community mental health teams both in London and Lancashire.  She now runs a bipolar support group in Preston.   

She wishes to use her role as a governor to promote positive mental well-being by raising awareness and improving the experience of service users and their families. 

Whilst in London she was an avid fencer and won the Middlesex novice trophy and university try colours. Since returning to Preston she has been the West Lancashire area manager for a poker league, in which she has won several trophies, and a couple of badminton ones too.

Her other hobbies include exploring the outdoors walking, hiking and camping. 

Mark Hindle

First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027

Mark lives in East Lancashire and is a public governor for East Lancashire. His working career of 45 years was spent working in the NHS. The majority of that time was working within mental health services. Mark is focussed on seeing people with mental health and learning disabilities get the best support they can with the resources available. This includes ensuring that as many people as possible receive treatment in Lancashire and where possible are not transferred out of area.

Sobia Malik

First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027

Sobia was born and brought up in Burnley, where she was a local councillor. Currently, she's a Lancashire County Councillor representing Burnley Central East. Sobia is a former additional Ofsted inspector and her work in education over the last 20 years has reinforced her commitment to the mental health of young people including those with learning disabilities. Sobia is also a qualified therapeutic counsellor. She recognises the social impact of the voluntary sector and runs a charity in Burnley offering welfare rights advice with wellbeing services to people in socially disadvantaged communities. She ensured the charity base was accessed as a vaccination site at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to support our NHS. She is particularly interested in the Trust's transformation, people and wellbeing work and believes her experience in counselling, education and politics, working within communities will support her LSCft governor role.

Michael McFarlane

First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2026

Michael has worked within the NHS and healthcare sector for a number of years, primarily focusing on business development and strategy.  I am particularly interested in service design and performance to ensure that services run effectively and meet the needs of all service users and patients.  

Steven Gratrix

Second Term: 22/05/2023 to 21/05/2026

Steve comes from a family with a 200-year history in the Fylde Coast Blackpool area. He is the son of footballing legend Roy Gratrix and is a proud father of three children.  

Before taking on his current role as a public governor at LSCft, Steve served as a public governor for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals. Steve believes strongly in his duty to represent the public who elected him, ensuring their voices are heard and their views are effectively conveyed, regardless of his personal opinions. 

Steve brings a wealth of lived experience to his role, allowing him to contribute meaningfully to the Trust’s initiatives on both national and organisational levels. His involvement includes ward accreditation, patient-led assessments, and serving as an observer and act assessor. Steve has also participated on various interview panels across the Trust. He is honoured to serve as the Culture of Care Lived Experience Lead for the Fylde Coast as part of a two-year programme. 

Motivated by his lived experience, Steve chose to apply for the governor role within mental health services, ensuring he remains actively involved with the Trust and its community.   

Natallia Robertson

First Term: 08/01/2024 - 07/01/2027

Bio to follow.

Vacancy

Colin Ranshaw, Lead Governor 

First term: 01/02/2022 to 31/01/2025

Second term: 31/01/2025 to 07/01/28

Colin was a registered pharmacist for 40 years and worked in both hospital and community pharmacies also within academia and the pharmaceutical industry. Colin has been involved at senior level with many major NHS changes in previous roles as a hospital consultant pharmacist, Chairman of the Welsh Executive and Council Member of The Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Colin has chaired professional organisations and working committees at local and national levels.

Colin is currently the chairman of South Lakeland Hydrotherapy Ltd (Sandgate Hydrotherapy Pool, Kendal) and has been a trustee of Cumbria County Volunteering Services for over five years (presently deputy chairman). Colin was a public governor at Cumbria Partnership NHS FT and whilst at University Hospitals Morecambe Bay NHS FT held the role of deputy head governor and subsequently head governor.

Outside of ‘health’ Colin is a trustee of Stricklandgate House Trust, South Lakes Citizens Advice and Sunderland University Alumni where he was chairman of the University of Sunderland Students’ Union (2014 to 2019) and held an appointment as an honorary professor at the School of Pharmacy at Nottingham University (2014 to 18).

Colin was honoured with the award of Fellowship of the University of Sunderland in 2019 (his alma mater).

Mark Wilson

First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027

Mark Wilson was previously a headteacher and social support worker. In 2013, he was elected as county councillor for his local area. He then became a governor of North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust in order to gain more knowledge in relation to the factors that affect all of his residents. As a governor of Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, Mark is enthusiastic about NHS and healthcare developments which have occurred since the pandemic and is looking forward to the new age of digital health.

Candace Bedu-Mensah, Corporate Services Constituency 

First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027

My name is Candace Bedu-Mensah and I am a staff governor for Corporate Services. The role is important to me because creating a workplace that listens, appreciates, and learns from the voices of its people and communities is crucial. If our colleagues cannot thrive within the workplace, if we as a workforce do not feel respected and heard and individuals do not feel valued then we as an organisation cannot deliver the best possible care to our communities. At LSCft we are dedicated to developing an inclusive culture and taking steps to ensure that the true meaning of belonging is felt by all.  In my role as governor I want to both hold the organisation to account and support it to make this vision a reality. 

I am head of diversity and inclusion in this Trust and also the owner of Nguzo Saba: Principles in action (named after the seven principles which contribute to building and supporting family, community and heritage), community activist, mother, daughter, sister, and dancer. I share my titles as they do more than say just my name but also who I am at the core. I was blessed to be born into a family with community values and a passion to build equity. Our Saturdays were spent building community relationships and supporting young people, our Sundays working with community elders to support education and the recognition of our heritage. All these values and experiences have shaped my thinking and passion to drive change that really supports our communities. 

Joseph Cawley, Nursing Professions and Support Staff Constituency

First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027

Joseph works within the Home Based Treatment Team Fylde Coast. 

Angela Layton, Administrative and Clerical Constituency
First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027

Angela has worked for the NHS in the area of mental health for over 10 years, and over three years as a medical secretary here at LSCft. Previously Angela was an IT office manager at the University of Manchester and previously worked for the head of faculty administration within the senior leadership team. Angela recently completed the BA (Hons) in Psychological Studies with the Open University and joined a local choir. Angela is married and has two grown-up children.

Angela has vast experience working within mental health inpatient settings and believes this understanding of patient experience will help her fulfil the role of staff governor, working alongside colleagues.

Justin Ponnamdanthil, Nursing Professions and Support Staff Constituency

First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027

Justin, one of the first internationally recruited nurses to join the Trust, brings a wealth of global experience from his work in India and Dubai across various physical and mental health settings. Based at The Harbour as a trainee advanced clinical practitioner, Justin is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where the voices of international colleagues are heard and valued. 

With a deep commitment to compassionate, patient-centred care, Justin is passionate about serving as a role model for new and experienced staff, demonstrating excellence in nursing practice and cultural sensitivity. His goal is to advocate for the unique needs and contributions of international staff, ensuring their perspectives in organisational discussions and helping to create a workplace where everyone feels empowered to deliver outstanding care. 

Emily Richardson, Nursing Professions and Support Staff Constituency

First Term: 05/01/2023 to 04/01/2026

Emily is from the Lancaster area and works in Chorley as a mental health nurse, managing a female acute ward. Emily is passionate about improving patient care and ensuring the team delivers compassionate care.

Emily loves to be involved in quality improvement work and champions this within the team. Emily has an interest in the governor role and she is keen to represent the views of frontline nursing staff and ensure that the patient's voice is heard and represented in organisational discussions.

Selina Toussaint-Peterson, Other Clinical Constituency

First Term: 08/01/2024 to 07/01/2027

Selina works as a CBT therapist and equality diversity, inclusion and BAME champion for the Trust, roles which involve seeing and hearing the challenges met by both staff and patients. Making positive changes within the Trust is a value she strives to achieve for both patients and staff.

Lancashire is Selina’s home county and over the years she has lived and worked in both England and Canada. This has provided her with a multicultural perspective around race, religion, neurodiversity needs and the importance of respecting cultural values.

As part of the second generation of black people born in Lancashire, Selina understands the challenges of diaspora, immigrant people and being part of the working class. Taking part in local community activities such as youth clubs, BAME communities events and being a buddy keeps Lancashire close to her heart. 

Having worked in the NHS for over 13 years in various roles, she has lived experience delivering inpatient and community care within both physical and mental health. She embraces any opportunity and takes part in board meetings, interviews, Trust talks, CPDs and mentoring programs. As a dyslexic, black woman working in Lancashire Selina believes she can bring an alternative perspective to building a more inclusive Trust for all. Her goals as a governor are learning and making change.

Dr Monica Nangia, Medical Staff Constituency

First Term 01/01/25 to 31/12/28

My name is Monica Nangia, and I am a medical staff governor. After completing my Medical and Post Graduate Degree in India, I worked in North Carolina, USA for two years. I moved to the UK in 2000. I have been a consultant in child and adolescent psychiatry in East Lancashire since 2006. For the last 18 years in this role, I have worked tirelessly to ensure that a safe and high-quality service is delivered to the children and young people in our area. For the last 14 years, I have been the medical lead of the Quality and Safety Board, ensuring good governance in our department. I am the lead for medical students teaching/placements and the training lead for our service. 

I spent my childhood in different countries which broadened my understanding of different cultures and communities. My husband and I have lived in Lancashire for over 24 years. I enjoy travelling and nature walks. I organise and perform skits, fashion shows and dances for various community events. I believe I retain unbridled enthusiasm. 

As a staff governor, I aspire to represent the views and interests of my colleagues in the Trust. I hope that my experience in different roles will support our organisation in continuing to improve, develop and thrive. 

Asher Ayres, Partnership Organisation

Head of Services at Carers N-Compass

Asher is a Senior Manager with over 10 years experience managing in the non-profit sector. Asher's experience includes managing Carers, Mental Health, Heath Training and Health and Wellbeing Services.

Public Health and Wellbeing - vacancy 

Age UK - vacancy 

UCLan - vacancy