Sacro is delighted to welcome three new members to its Board of Trustees: Jon Beck, Alistair Brown and Jayne Laidlaw. The new Trustees bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the Board at an exciting time for Sacro as it implements its progressive new strategy.
Jon Beck will take up the role of Chair. Jon is a Chartered Accountant with more than 30 years’ experience in financial services, investing and charity sectors. His varied career included 20 years overseas in Bermuda and Canada, before he returned to Scotland in 2013. He has served as Finance Director, non-executive director or trustee for a number of charities and commercial organisations, with particular interest in community, education and medical research causes. He was most recently CFO at Worldwide Cancer Research, an Edinburgh-based charity which funds innovative cancer research all over the world.
Speaking on his appointment Jon said:
“I’m very pleased to be joining Sacro as it celebrates over 50 years of providing hope, opportunity and support to thousands of people across Scotland when they most needed it. And I’m particularly fortunate to be joining a diverse group of committed trustees and to work with an energetic executive team that is passionate about the cause.”
Alistair Brown is a Judicial Officer for Mental Health Tribunal Scotland; based on long experience as a Mental Health Officer across Scotland’s forensic psychiatry estate. Alistair is the immediate past National Director of Scottish Association of Social Work a former company director of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW).
Alistair delivers consulting, policy and research work as well as supervision training and leadership development. Clients include Scottish Government, Councils and Third Sector.
Jayne Laidlaw has served Scotland’s voluntary sector for over 30 years, working predominately with children and families and people affected by social disadvantage or trauma. Jayne has previously held positions with Women’s Aid, Crossroads Youth & Community Association, and the NSPCC where she managed the Childline Service while leading on key projects in the charity’s Transformational Change programme. In 2019, Jayne was appointed by Scotland’s Minister for Mental Wellbeing to become Head of the National Confidential Forum. She is currently Managing Director of a small charity supporting people who have autism or learning disabilities to live their best lives by tackling social exclusion.
Jon, Alistair and Jayne took up their new roles on 26 May and we look forward to working with them and benefitting from the skills and knowledge they bring to the organisation.
We would also like to offer heartfelt thanks to Trustees; Steve Uphill and Jim Crichton – who have left the Board this year – for the valuable contributions and service they have given to Sacro over the years.