Announcement of new Chair for Big C

Professor Dylan Edwards will be stepping down as Chair of the Board of Trustees at the end of November, as he relocates to Dorset. We are delighted to announce Big C Trustee Professor Charles ffrench-Constant has been appointed as new Chair.

Dylan’s career in cancer research and higher education spans decades. He came to Norfolk in 1998 as the Big C Chair of Cancer Studies and during his tenure, he coordinated ambitious international research collaborations – this work has been central to deepening our understanding of cancer biology.

When Dylan joined the Big C Board in 2017, becoming Chair in 2022, he brought scientific insight, strategic thinking and commitment to collaboration to the position. He has lent his voice and authority to support our research grant priorities, elevate our profile and promote ambitious partnerships.

We owe Dylan a profound debt of gratitude for his dedication, leadership and the invaluable guidance he has provided over the past nine years, and we wish him and his family all the very best in this next chapter of their lives.

Whilst we will miss Dylan greatly, we are delighted to share that the Board has formally approved the appointment of Big C Trustee Professor Charles ffrench-Constant, as our new Chair of the Board.

Charles joined the Board in June having just retired from his role as Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Medicine and Health at UEA, a post he had held since 2021.

Prior to that Charles had carried out research at Edinburgh and Cambridge Universities working on developmental neurobiology and multiple sclerosis. He has also served as Dean of the Norwich Medical School and as a non-executive director with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Trust. Charles will formally take up the role as Chair on 26 November.

He brings a wealth of understanding of research at the national level through involvement with a number of charities; he is currently Chair of the Grants Committee of Alzheimer’s Research UK which oversees around £30M annually in funding for dementia research. He also brings an extensive network of contacts throughout Norwich, UEA, the Norwich Research Park and beyond. He is keen to promote a role for Big C in cancer prevention research, building on regional and national partnerships with Cambridge and Cancer Research UK.

Big C would like to give an enormous thank you to Dylan for his incredible service and warmly welcome Charles to his new role.

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Big C announces HM Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk, the Lady Dannatt MBE, as new Patron

Big C is honoured to announce HM Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk, the Lady Dannatt MBE, as its new Patron.

In recognition of the work the charity does supporting local people affected by cancer in Norfolk and beyond, Lady Dannatt said “As Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk it is a great honour to be asked to be Patron of Big C. Big C is a phenomenal Norfolk cancer charity that touches and enriches so many lives across the county, and as such is close to my heart.”

(Lady Dannett, centre of the photo, during a recent lab tour visit at Norwich Research Park)

Lady Dannatt has been close to Big C for a number of years, alongside a variety of other hard-working Norfolk charities with which she is involved. As a trained professional counsellor, latterly working at the Sue Lambert Trust, she knows only too well the importance of support for vulnerable people.

Karen Vincent, Chief Executive at Big C said “We are delighted and deeply honoured that HM Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk, the Lady Dannatt MBE has graciously accepted the role as our Patron.

“As we mark 45 years of supporting local people affected by cancer, Lady Dannatt’s patronage holds special significance. This milestone follows the profound loss of our beloved President and co-founder David Moar MBE and so to have Lady Dannatt alongside us going forward means so much.”

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Big C celebrates its Board of Trustees

Trustees Week (3-7 November) is a time to celebrate our wonderful and passionate Trustees and the amazing work they do in supporting Big C, your local cancer charity!

Trustees play a key part in any organisation, sharing the ultimate responsibility for governing and directing how it is run. Our Big C Trustees are all volunteers and meet monthly to reflect on performance, make key decisions and plan for the future. We are so grateful to have such a dedicated group of Trustees, all bringing their own specialities, experiences and personal connections to the role and helping us shape the charity.

Professor Dylan Edwards, our Chair of the Board, has been a Trustee since 2017 and Chair since 2022. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his role. He mentions “I have a long experience of cancer research, over 4 decades, so I understand many aspects.”

Paige Gouldthorpe, our Vice Chair loves meeting the employees and volunteers who make the charity so successful.  “I love watching the charity thrive and change people lives and being part of that is such a blessing.”

Dr Noreen Cushen-Brewster comes from a clinical background, and this, she explains, “gives me an opportunity to use my knowledge and skills to support future developments of the charity as well as raise awareness of what services it provides.”

Trustee, Beth Gammage, says cancer care, prevention and treatment have been important to her for a number of years and she wants to share her experience and give back to support Big C.

Treasurer, Marilyn Martin, has been a Trustee since 2015 and is “a big fan of research, raising money and making research strides.” She also is passionate about “seeing the charity grow.”

A recent addition to the Board, Rob Mills says “I became a Trustee in order to help improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their families.” Rob’s experience as a cancer surgeon brings a hands-on perspective of the experience those affected by cancer have. He mentions “I hope to be able to use the experience I have gained to support Big C.”

Chloe Smith says “it’s a privilege to give back as a Trustee” to those who helped support her during her cancer experience in 2020. She is passionate about helping service people across our region through research, support, equipment and education.

Helen Cordingley has been part of the Board of Trustees since 2018 and continues to be “very keen to support this superb charity.” Helen brings a legal background to her role, crucial to understand legacy support which is such an important part of Big C’s income stream.

And finally, Denise Troughton says “it’s an opportunity to put my strategic and senior leader ‘head’ on” and use my “experience, knowledge and skills to give back to an organisation I admire and have close links with.”

Professor Charles ffrench-Constant is an active research scientist and has a passion for training the next generation of scientists with the aim to enhance cancer prevention and treatment. He wants to “be able to share this experience to give back and support this fantastic organisation.”

Please join us in celebrating our amazing Board of Trustees this Trustees Week!

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