Vegetarian for Life

Governance & regional contacts

Key Team

Amanda Woodvine

Amanda Woodvine

Chief Executive

Amanda brings around two decades’ experience of NGO governance and operations, including community engagement, advocacy, campaigns, publishing, and marketing. She joined Vegetarian for Life’s board as a trustee in 2009, and is currently Vice Chair of a charity supporting people living with dementia.

Kim Stringer

Kim Stringer

Director (Scotland)

For the last 10 years Kim has been a Research Officer in Primary Care, working on many studies focused on improving the health of older people. Prior to this she completed a PhD in English Literature and spent some time teaching in college, university, and adult education. Kim also worked in the theatre for a number of years and has worked as a volunteer for a number of good causes.

Kim has been vegetarian for most of her adult life and she supports a variety of vegetarian and animal rescue charities. Kim takes a keen interest in environmental issues and in promoting the well being of older people.

Trustees

Barbara Sharp

Barbara Sharp

Chair

Barbara is a registered nurse and nurse teacher who worked in the NHS, specialising in the care of older people, for 18 years. She then joined the voluntary sector organisation, Alzheimer Scotland, where she held a variety of operational, practice development, policy and research posts in the support of people with dementia and their families for 30 years, until her retirement in November 2020. During this time, Barbara completed a PhD on stress and dementia, and worked extensively with academic partners to deliver national educational programmes to support Scotland’s Dementia Strategy. On her retirement, she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to dementia in Scotland.

Barbara has been vegetarian, now vegan, for 46 years and active in human and animal rights, and green politics throughout her adult life.

Jo Reed

Jo Reed

Treasurer

Jo has been vegetarian and now vegan for over 40 years, her focus being on the health, animal welfare and environmental benefits of these choices.

She has spent over 10 years working in the social housing sector, the majority of that time within a housing mutual.

A Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers, Jo worked in a variety of corporate sectors before her move into social housing in 2010.

She now works for a housing consultancy and as an independent member of transport for the North’s Audit and Governance Committee.

Richard Parker

Richard Parker

Trustee

Richard has over 30 years’ experience in Human Resources.  Before retiring in 2020, Richard was Group HR Director for IVC Evidensia – a company running over 1,500 veterinary practices across 11 countries.  Prior to this he spent many years working for financial services and healthcare-related businesses. 

He has a degree in Accounting & Finance and a Post Graduate Certificate in HR Management.

Sian McGreary

Sian McGreary

Trustee

Sian has over 18 years’ experience in a range of Marketing and Communications roles, 10 of which have been at Senior Management level, and has a wealth of experience supporting commercial and not for profit organisations. She is currently Director of Marketing at Liverpool Guild of Students, the Student’s Union at the University of Liverpool.

Sian completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Marketing in 2007 and is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (MCIM)

With a strong passion for animal welfare, Sian has been fully vegetarian for 7 years.

Valerie Wright

Valerie Wright

Vice Chair

Val has worked in social care for over 20 years. The majority of this time has been spent working with older people in a variety of settings such as hospitals, care homes and in their own homes. She is passionate about listening and learning from older people, supporting and advocating for their rights and helping to enable individuals live the life they choose.

Val has been vegetarian since childhood and takes a keen interest in animal welfare issues and campaigns. She enjoys reading about vegan cookery and trying out new recipes as often as possible!

Would you like to join us?

We’d love to hear from anyone involved in larger-scale or hospital catering who might be interested in becoming a trustee or a member of our advisory panel. Please contact us for further information. The board meets four times a year.

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