Heather Wood appointed Chair of ACT PDF Print E-mail

Heather Wood, Chief Executive of Rainbow Trust Children's Charity, has been appointed as the Chair of ACT, the UK charity that represents children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions and their families. Heather Wood succeeds John Overton, Executive Chairman of the Quercus Foundation, Acorns Children’s Hospice, who retires after nine years in the Chair. ACT is the only organisation working across the UK to achieve a better quality of life and care for every life-limited child and their family.

With a career that spans over thirty years, Heather brings a wealth of experience in management, the voluntary sector and in particular, children’s palliative care to this role. Heather first worked in the insurance industry and later education before joining the fledgling Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity in 1988. Working closely with founder, Bernadette Cleary OBE, Heather gained a valuable insight together with hands on experience working with families who have terminally ill children and their special needs.

As the organisation grew and skilled support workers were recruited, Heather made the decision to move from fundraising into management. She was appointed as CEO in 1999 and is now experienced in organisational development which equips her for this pivotal role at ACT, which represents the diverse range of agencies within children’s palliative care, including community children’s palliative statutory and voluntary support services, and hospice based provision. Heather is well known within the children’s palliative care sector, and has already served as an ACT Trustee for one year. 

Heather is welcomed by Lizzie Chambers, ACT CEO: “I look forward to a long and productive relationship with Heather.  Heather brings great energy and enthusiasm to the role, and has valuable experience of children’s palliative care from the perspective of a non-health based voluntary sector provider.  This is important to ACT as we believe that children’s palliative care should be a holistic approach to care that embraces social, emotional, spiritual, practical, and nursing needs.”

Heather Wood, Chair of ACT and Chief Executive of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity said:

”I am honoured to be appointed as ACT’s new Chair. It is a critical time for children’s palliative care, we have never been stronger, and there is a real sense that policy makers are beginning to listen to what children and families have been telling us for years.  ACT demands the very best life and care for life-limited children and their families, and we will not rest until we have achieved this.”

“25,000 children or young people in the UK live with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition. My duty and vision as Chair of ACT is to make our voice louder and stronger so we can make a real difference to these children’s short lives.”

John Overton, who has served as ACT’s Chair for the last nine years and has also been re-elected as an ACT Trustee and Treasurer, added:

“It’s been a great privilege to serve ACT for so many years – a privilege that has enabled me to work with the best trustees and staff - many of whom are the UK’s leading lights and experts within children’s palliative care.  The role has brought many challenges, and I have seen so many changes, not least finally seeing children’s palliative care firmly on the political agenda.”

“Raising awareness of children affected by life-limiting and life-threatening conditions has been central to ACT's work, and I know we have played a key role in bringing this to the attention of our policy makers and politicians. I warmly welcome Heather Wood into this prestigious role – I know she will do a sterling job, both guiding the charity through these changing times and shaping our strategic direction.”
 
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