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Our trustees

As a charity, our activities are overseen by our Board of Trustees. These trustees are appointed collectively and volunteer their time at regular meetings, complying with our governing document and the law and acting with skill and care in order to:

  • Ensure Grassroots Suicide Prevention is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit
  • Act in Grassroots Suicide Prevention’s best interests
  • Ensure Grassroots Suicide Prevention is accountable
  • Manage Grassroots Suicide Prevention’s resources responsibly

Chair Emma Mills-Sheffield

Emma is an independent business consultant and coach who has spent 15 years in industry-leading major projects, training delivery programmes, workshop facilitation and coaching.

She has experience working at KPMGWSP and in the creative and digital industries and has worked extensively across the private, public and charity sectors. Her experience brings project management and business skills to the board.

Having been bereaved by close family suicide, Emma is using not only career experience, but also her experience of recovery in her work with Grassroots Suicide Prevention. She’s passionate about making a positive difference to those who need support in the community and through Grassroots Suicide Prevention’s work.

Emma is also a volunteer for Re-Engage and a mentor for local businesses at the Sussex Innovation Centre and students at the University of Sussex. In January 2020 she was named as one of 100 female entrepreneurs in the UK as part of the small business campaign f:Entrepreneur and she is also a Fellow of the RSA.

Trustee Chris Adams

A man with fair hair, beard, and glasses smiles to the camera.

Chris brings expertise of all things digital to help guide Grassroots growing portfolio of digital projects and products. 

He is Chief Technical Officer at Madgex and has the technical and commercial experience to deliver high-quality software development. With over 16 years of experience in web development Chris is clued into the changing technical landscape, especially in the current environment of mobile web and mobile applications, and cloud infrastructure.  

He also brings keen governance and oversight experience, honed through his time as Governor of Elm Grove Primary School, and Director of the Elm Grove Out of School Club, a parent-led not-for-profit company that provides wrap-around care for the children of Elm Grove School and holiday care for the children of Brighton and Hove. As a Director of the company, he works with other parents to ensure the business is successful and provides quality after school care to the children. 

Trustee Donna Holland

Donna has worked in the sector for nearly 20 years. Starting out as an intern in a small local charity, she has worked her way up through various charities and roles to her present position as Deputy Chief Executive at Concordia – a charity supporting people all over the world to develop skills and gain life experiences. Before this role, she was Interim Chief Executive at Maternity Worldwide, and Director of Fundraising and Development at The Mix

Over the years she’s worked on dozens of (sometimes award-winning) campaigns and projects – from branding (and rebranding), strategy and impact programmes, governance, HR & operations, fundraising, Media/PR, youth service development, research & policy, comms and digital. Donna is a fellow of Clore Social Leadership.

Donna has been a Trustee for a range of national and local charities, as well as a charity volunteer, mentor and advocate. Based in Brighton, her passions include youth work, mental health support, travel, art and roller derby.

Trustee Emma Wadey

Sussex born and bred, Emma is a mental health nurse with over 20 years of experience transforming services, leading change, and supporting and empowering people, wherever they are, to lead a life worth living.

Having been bereaved by suicide, Emma has gone on to work in hospitals, prisons, immigration centres, ambulance care and in people’s homes to promote awareness, educate, research and care for others. This involves listening, learning and sharing good practice to save lives by promoting openness, understanding and the need to take positive action.

A mum, wife, runner and general livewire, I have joined the Board of Trustees for Grassroots Suicide Prevention at this exciting time in their journey, to build and extend on the fabulous work they do every day. I am really looking forward to working with my colleagues and the wider community to make Grassroots Suicide Prevention even greater.

Trustee David Rainford

David Rainford

David is a Chartered Accountant who works with businesses to help them manage their finances and get the most value from their financial information.

Having been bereaved by the suicide of a close friend and being a previous fundraiser for Grassroots Suicide Prevention in the past, David was keen to join as a Trustee to support their lifesaving work. Making sure that they have as stable a financial base as possible means that the rest of the team can focus on what they do best.

David’s work at Galloways Accounting includes supporting a wide range of businesses and charities, with experience of finance across many sectors, allowing him to bring a broad viewpoint to the financial management of Grassroots Suicide Prevention. He also offers insights into the management of a charity as a business.

Did you know 1 in 5 people will have suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives?

With your generosity, we can help people stay safe and provide the support they need in times of crisis