LLOYDS Bank Foundation for England and Wales has announced educationalist and business leader Dame Ann Limb DBE DL as Chair of Trustees. Ann is joined by activist Bushra Ahmed, small charity CEO Cherrie Bija and start-up entrepreneur Claud Williams.

Providing strategic leadership, governance, and insight into the charity’s running, these voluntary roles will be essential in shaping the charity’s mission as it prepares to launch its new three-year strategy. The need for investment in small charities has never been more vital, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic when small and local charities played a crucial role in supporting the community.

With extensive experience as a charity trustee and chair, Dame Ann is a butcher’s daughter who grew up in Moss Side, Manchester. She is Chair of The UK Innovation Corridor, Chair of the City & Guilds of London Institute, Deputy Chair of The Prince’s Foundation and Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Buckinghamshire, where she has lived since 1986. In September 2015, Ann became the first female and LBGTQ Chair of The Scout Association in its 108-year history.

Ann said:

“I’m really looking forward to learning about the vital work undertaken by the small charities the Foundation supports, ensuring Lloyds Banking Group resources make a lasting and sustainable change to people’s lives.”

Ann takes over from Baroness Rennie Fritchie DBE who stepped down in May after seven years as Chair. Rennie has made a significant and valued contribution to ensuring Lloyds Bank Foundation is a true partner to small and local charities, helping develop the range of support the organisation offer in order to grow their capabilities and capacity to influence policy and practice.

Bushra Ahmed is an experienced charity sector leader, businesswoman and community campaigner, with a wide cross-sector network, as well as over 20 years of experience in community engagement. Currently, she holds positions as Trustee for HomestartUK and several other boards, sits on the Survivors Advisory Forum for the National Emergencies Trust and the Victim Care Improvement Forum at the Met Police, as well as being a Civic Futures Fellow at the GLA. Bushra is the founder of West Croydon Voice, set up after her family business was destroyed in the 2011 Riots, to fight for victims’ rights to compensation. She is a public speaker, mentor and strategic consultant, and uses her lived experience to advise on issues around diversity, inclusion, equity, belonging and cultural awareness.

Bushra said:

“I’m honoured to be joining the Lloyds Bank Foundation Board. Its values and commitment to supporting the most vulnerable, not only with funds but through the additional support they provide to enable small charities to build capacity and resilience, are much needed in the sector. I’m looking forward to bringing my skills and lived experience to this much loved and respected organisation.”

Claud Williams is an award-winning entrepreneur, board member, and executive coach with lived experience in many areas Lloyds Bank Foundation focuses on, such as poverty, mental health and discrimination. Founder of the personal development start-up Dream Nation, which has impacted the lives of thousands of young adults across the UK, Claud is a Non-Executive Director of two NHS trusts and a London-based housing association.

Claud said:

“Over the years, I’ve been blessed to have more great experiences and lessons than I can count. So now I’m working to share as much as possible and working as a trustee of Lloyds Bank Foundation is a great opportunity to contribute to society. I look forward to working with the team to help make a difference.”

Chief Executive of Swansea-based Faith in Families, which the Foundation has funded, Cherrie Bija describes the non-financial support she received from the Foundation as ‘amazing’. With experience managing political and multi-sector stakeholder relations, Cherrie has dedicated over 25 years to making a positive difference in the lives of children and young people through outreach activities, advice and guidance, family support, training, apprenticeships and work placements. She currently sits on the Board for Swansea Council for Voluntary Services and has served as a committee member for Children in Need. Cherrie is a single mum with three sons.

Cherrie said:

“My recent involvement as a grant holder of Lloyds Bank Foundation has given me an insight into the outstanding support and effect that the Foundation can have. I want to be part of a foundation that is creating a society where people dealing with complex social issues get the support to overcome them, each of us has an obligation to eliminate inequality at every level of society, and the Foundation does that.” 

Dame Ann Limb and Bushra Ahmed will join Lloyds Bank Foundation’s Board of Trustees this month, joined by Claud Williams and Cherrie Bija in January 2023.