For more than 80 years, people have trusted MHA to support their needs and aspirations in later life.
Travel back through the years to 1943 when we were founded by a group of Methodists who wanted to improve the quality of life of older people in the time before the creation of the Welfare State. Explore our successes and achievements over the years that has led us to becoming the largest charity care provider in Great Britain.
MHA is governed by an experienced Board of Trustees, all volunteers, who bring expertise from their professional backgrounds. They oversee the organisation's operations, set its strategy and vision for supporting older people, and ensure that the executive directors and team deliver high-quality services.
Chair
James retired in 2016 after serving as the Chief Executive of Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust. Prior to that, he held executive positions in London local government, overseeing social services, housing, community safety, and regeneration in various boroughs. Additionally, James was involved in education and community development in the Philippines and Zimbabwe, where he grew up.
Trustee
Andrew, a prominent social care and health policy analyst, has worked independently since April 2012. His recent commissions include projects for the Local Government Association in England, the Welsh LGA, the Health and Social Care Information Centre, and various councils, voluntary organisations, and private sector entities.
Trustee
Anne, an experienced Non-Executive Director, served on the boards of Affinity Trust and Livability from 2011 to May 2022. As the Chief Executive of Bristol Charities from 2014 to April 2022, she oversaw the development of housing and care services for older people. Additionally, she managed the distribution of the charity’s endowment income through grant programs, aiming to enhance the quality of life for vulnerable individuals, families, and communities in Bristol.
Trustee
Archana is the Head of South Asia venture investments for the Gates Foundation's USD 2.5Bn Strategic Investment Fund, actively supporting purpose-driven tech companies as a Board Member. Based in London, her 17+ year career spans consulting, strategy, public policy, and impact investing at KPMG and the Gates Foundation. She holds a Master's from Stanford GSB, and is a Chartered Accountant and Certified Internal Auditor.
Trustee
Cathy, a former social worker, has 45 years of experience in social care, health, and housing. She served as Director of Adult Social Services in London and led major change initiatives. Since 2017, she’s worked freelance, advising organizations like CQC and DHSC. Cathy has held various board roles, including NHS boards, charities, and ADASS leadership positions.
Trustee
Derek is a Methodist Minister in the Leicester Trinity Circuit, regularly leading worship at MHA Aigburth care home. With a strong commitment to inclusion, especially disability inclusion from personal experience, he also plays a key role in safeguarding. Previously, Derek worked as a senior actuary specializing in risk management for insurance and pensions. He is a Trustee nominated by the Methodist Conference.
Trustee
Frances is a senior communications professional with over 30 years of experience across public, private, and non-profit sectors. She recently became a freelance consultant, specialising in health, social care, science, and research. Formerly Director of Communications for the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Frances has also worked in life sciences and healthcare consultancies. She has held various voluntary roles, including mentoring and coaching.
Trustee
Jessica, a seasoned financial leader, served as the Chief Financial Officer of Barratt Developments plc, a FTSE100 housebuilder, from 2017 to 2021. Before that, she held other senior financial roles at Barratt for a decade. Earlier in her career, Jessica worked in various positions at Wilson Bowden plc and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She qualified as a chartered accountant in 2003 and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS).
Trustee
Before retiring, Keith worked for 18 years at British Gas, ultimately serving as the Director of Finance and Planning in the Power Generation Business Unit. Subsequently, he spent another 18 years in the charity sector, holding positions such as Group Director of Resources at RNIB, Finance Director at Help the Aged, and Chief Executive of the Charity Finance Group.
Trustee
Lisa is a senior public service leader with expertise leading corporate strategy and multidisciplinary teams to make a positive difference for the public. Lisa has been Ofwat's Chief Operating Officer since 2017 and is an Executive member of Ofwat's Board - leading business improvement, change, corporate strategy and enabling services.
Trustee
Richard is a national expert in social care and health policy, author of Ending the Social Care Crisis (2022), and Senior Policy Advisor to the Health Foundation. He has held various roles, including Visiting Professor, Trustee, and Senior Fellow. With 46 years of experience, he has worked in social services, health, and government advisory positions, alongside non-executive directorships.
Trustee
Dr. Vautrey serves as a general practitioner (GP) in Leeds and is also a local preacher in the Leeds North and East Methodist Circuit. Previously, he held the position of vice president of the Methodist Conference and served as a trustee for All We Can, the Methodist Relief and Development charity. Additionally, Dr. Vautrey is a nationally elected member of both the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) councils.
Our executive directors are a highly experienced team responsible for the day-to-day management of MHA. They bring diverse expertise and leadership across various sectors, working together to ensure the delivery of our mission, vision, and strategic goals. Committed to providing high-quality care and housing for older people, they oversee all aspects of our operations, ensuring we remain at the forefront of excellence in our services.
Chief Executive
Sam joined MHA as Chief Executive in February 2018. With over 30 years of experience in social care, he has held various positions, including corporate director and senior operational and strategic manager in both the Third and Public Sectors. Sam’s career trajectory is diverse: from his origins as a graphic designer, he transitioned to social work in 1988. His professional journey includes 15 years in local authority social services before joining Action for Children in 2003. In 2006, he took on the role of Midlands Director at Barnardo’s and later became Corporate Director of Children’s Services in 2013.
Chief Operating Officer
Dan, in his role as Chief Operating Officer (COO), oversees the operational management of MHA’s care homes, retirement living schemes, and property and estate management functions. He joined MHA’s Executive Leadership Team as Director of Operations in April 2019 and assumed the COO position in December 2022.
Director of Finance & IT
Victoria joined MHA in 2014 with the goal of enhancing the commercial finance function. Her efforts focused on providing business support and optimising budgeting and forecasting capabilities. After assuming the role of Head of Finance in December 2017, she further advanced her career by becoming the Director of Finance in November 2019. In this capacity, Victoria oversees all aspects of finance, including budgeting, forecasting, statutory accounts, external reporting, operational finance, and the organisation’s financial strategy.
Director of People & Communications
Anna oversees all aspects of our people services, including HR, payroll, people development, and communications. Before joining MHA in 1998, Anna worked in local government, holding roles in marketing and project management. She holds a BA (Hons) degree in Psychology, Sociology, and English.
Director of Communities, Fundraising & Marketing
Jonathan spearheads MHA’s strategy and vision for Collaborative Communities, overseeing activities related to Communities Operations, Development, and Digital Communities. Additionally, he leads the teams responsible for Volunteering, Marketing, and Fundraising across all MHA services, contributing to the organization’s mission of enabling people to live well in later life.
General Counsel & Company Secretary
Mandy became a member of MHA’s Leadership Team on May 8, 2018, assuming the role of Company Secretary/General Counsel. In this capacity, she oversees MHA’s legal matters and governance. Mandy, a qualified solicitor and barrister, brings extensive experience in commercial, property, and legal domains at a senior level, having served as both Company Secretary and Director. Prior to joining MHA, she worked with The Co-operative Group and held positions at Eversheds, Trinity (Estates) Property Management, and EMIS, a company specialising in software development for primary care and community services.
We aim to ensure that MHA is best positioned to continue our support for people in later life for years to come. We support more than 19,200 older people each year through our unique blend of care homes, retirement living and community groups embedded in local communities.
At MHA, our ambition is to become sector leaders in promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). We want to create inclusive workplaces where everyone can feel a sense of belonging irrespective of their individual characteristics.
Read about our operational and financial performance over recent years and the difference we're making in enabling people to live later life well.
Read our supporter magazine to keep up with MHA's latest news, stories, campaigns and fundraising events.
Read ‘Finding Nana’ - a children’s book following Ella and her brother Jack as their nana moves into a care home, coming across characters along the way.
