The HEY Smile Foundation is thrilled to announce the appointment of two distinguished individuals to their Board of Trustees, Kenneth Ross and Catherine Sykes. Their collective expertise and commitment to our organisation’s mission of ‘Empowering charities, people and communities’ will bring fresh perspectives and invaluable contributions to our governance and strategic direction.

Patricia Dalby, Chair of Trustees, said: ‘A warm welcome to Catherine and Kenneth as they join our team of trustees at the HEY Smile Foundation. We are grateful for the extensive skills and expertise that they will both bring and the passion that they have for the important work of Smile’

The new appointments will join HEY Smile Foundations current trustees: Patricia Dalby, Chair, Andrew Milner, Andrew Bowden, Tim Wigglesworth, Graham Cross, Cathy Philips and Dileepa Ranawake,

The recruitment process was rigorous as the Board received a large number of applications to join the trustees, who were all appointable, but Kenneth and Catherine were considered to be the best fit with the ethos and direction of the charity.

Kenneth Ross, Chief People Officer at KCOM, expressed his enthusiasm for joining the board, stating ‘“In my role as Chief People Officer at KCOM I’ve been proud to work with HEY Smile Foundation on a number of community initiatives and to strengthen the partnership between our organisations. Being asked to serve as a Trustee is a true privilege, and I look forward to working with the Chair, the CEO and the Board of Trustees to support the amazing work Smile delivers to improve lives in communities across Hull and the East Riding.”

Catherine Sykes, who is the Director of Governance at Hull College, commented “I am extremely grateful to be appointed as trustee of HEY Smile Foundation. I am committed to support positive change and make a meaningful difference to Hull and East Yorkshire through nurturing a healthier community and building a future where compassion and care thrive. I look forward to supporting Smile’s continued success.”

HEY Smile Foundation’s CEO, Jamie Lewis, added: ‘We are delighted to welcome our new trustees Catherine and Kenneth to the board here at the HEY Smile Foundation. We are excited to work alongside these prominent figures from within the city, tapping into their wealth of knowledge and expertise. Attracting talented trustees is always a challenge for most charities. I know we are extremely lucky to work alongside Catherine and Kenneth, especially as our foundation evolves to focus on the needs of our local communities.’