Five new and highly experienced trustees have joined the existing board at a Staffordshire hospice providing additional support to strengthen the organisation and future proof its services.

St Giles Hospice has appointed Caroline Barclay, Richard Crawley, Logan Khan, David Payne and Helen White to further strengthen its trustee board.

The new recruits bring a wealth of skills including significant NHS experience, legal and financial acumen, IT and transformation expertise, and higher education experience.

The new trustees have recently attended their first round of assurance meetings, including a full board meeting at the start of this month (October).

Following a recruitment process that began in spring, the trustees have been elected for an initial three-year term. They may stand for re-election up to a maximum of two times, with a maximum term of office of nine years.

The appointments come as the hospice continues to recover from financial pressures. It was forced to cut bed capacity from 23 to 15 beds and make 23 staff redundancies last year due to sector-wide financial pressures.

Sally Bedford, Chair of Trustees at St Giles Hospice, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Caroline, Richard, Logan, David and Helen to our board. The calibre of candidates throughout the recruitment process was exceptional, and these five individuals bring exactly the expertise and fresh perspectives we need at this pivotal time.

“They complement our existing trustees perfectly and will play a vital role in helping us deliver our strategic priorities, including securing sustainable funding, expanding our community services, and ensuring we can continue providing outstanding end of life care for everyone who needs us.”

Elinor Eustace, CEO of St Giles Hospice, said: “We are delighted to welcome these five exceptional individuals to our Board of Trustees. Their diverse expertise spanning healthcare, finance, law, technology and education comes at a crucial time as we navigate ongoing challenges and work to secure the long-term sustainability of our services.”

The hospice provides end of life care across Staffordshire, North Birmingham and surrounding areas.