Our trustees

Gill Marcus, Chair of Trustees

Gill spent most of her career as a lawyer in the corporate world working for National Lottery operator Camelot. From there, she went on to Cancer Research UK and later took her passion for the not-for-profit sector into a voluntary role. Having chaired the board during the creation of Aspens from its merger, Gill is now enjoying watching the charity grow and thrive.

Ian Colbridge

Ian has a background in engineering, aircraft design and production and spent 24 years in the military. He took his first trustee role in 1990, at a charity which provided residential and outreach services for people with autism in Bexley, Kent. He continued when the charity merged with Pepenbury in 2011 and sits on Aspens' board. Aspens supports Ian's daughter, who is autistic, to live independently within her local community.

Peter Green

Peter brings professional knowledge of care quality, multi-agency working and governance to the Aspens board. A particular focus is helping to ensure that Aspens can recruit, retain and develop the best possible staff so that those the charity supports can build stable relationships. Peter’s son is an Aspens resident and being a trustee gives Peter an opportunity to give something back to the charity.

Steph Upton

Steph brings 17 years’ experience in marketing in the not-for-profit sector. The majority of her experience has been in charities working to empower people with disabilities and their families, a cause that she is passionate about and which is at Aspens’ heart. Steph is committed to working with Aspens to help ensure that everybody it supports has the opportunity to live life to its full potential. 

Raymond Smedy

A former banker and barrister, Ray worked for several international banks during his career in the financial sector and brings skills for business, management and finance to the Aspens board. With over ten years’ board experience with organisations that care for people with learning disabilities, Ray is passionate Aspens' work and his son, Andrew, attends Aspens’ Day Services.

Kirsty Sadler

Kirsty provided corporate finance experience during the merger that created Aspens and has remained a member of Aspens' Finance and Risk committee. Her commercial banking background includes managing portfolios of corporate clients at Barclays and Lloyds banks and her knowledge of the banking world is invaluable to Aspens.

Eileen Jackman

Eileen joined the Aspens board in early 2020. Her professional background is in education, the criminal justice system and neurological rehabilitation and she has been a director of a national charity specialising in independent living; improving mobility and acquired brain injury rehabilitation. She's glad to be able to continue her involvement in the charity world as an Aspens trustee.

Adrian Batchelor

After joining the board in December 2019, Adrian brings skills and experience from a career in financial services. Married, with five boys, his youngest son is autistic with severe learning difficulties and lives in residential care in Sussex. Adrian is looking forward to working with his fellow trustees and staff to make a difference to everybody supported by Aspens.