| The Governing Board |
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Sheffield LINk's Governing Board is made up of 15 volunteers. Elections were held in March 2009 to elect 10 members and another 3 were asked to join or selected because of their special skills and experience. One has left and three more added in June 2010 to bring it back to full strength. Current Governors are in post for two years. Mike Smith chairs the Governing Board assisted by his vice-chairs, Alan Carter and Helen Rowe. Here's a look at who's who and the expertise and interests they bring to Sheffield LINk. Anne Ashby
Anne wants to make sure Sheffield LINk helps to promote good health for everyone, and is keen to help the LINk grow big enough so that its voice is heard loudly in health and social care services. Christine Barton
Christine believes that local people are the best people to make a difference to health and social care services, and that Sheffield LINk is a great way to involve them and help make sure that public money for health is spent well. Alan Carter
Alan has lived in Sheffield all his life and is passionate about health and social care issues in the City. He is a volunteer for the NHS Sheffield Advisory Forum among other organisations. He is also a vice-chair of Sheffield LINk and heads up the Partnership Standing Committee. Bare Dagaal
Diane Davies
Recently, Diane has been a member of Sheffield Coronary Society, Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust, Sheffield Carers Network, and has represented Sheffield at the North Trent Network of Cardiac Care User Group. She also experiences the services as a carer for her mother. Lee Harker
Lee works on a number of committees that look at social care, such as the Charging Commission that works in partnership with Sheffield City Council. Lee has also been involved recently in developing a new disability information helpline. Mubarak Ismail
Mubarak's recent research projects include the impact of both Type 2 diabetes and tuberculosis among Somali people living in Sheffield, and self-management for people with Parkinson's disease. David Lovett
He is an elected member of the People's Parliament and sits on Sheffield First's Learning Disabilities Partnership Board. He has also been an active member of Speaking Up For Action (SUFA) for 15 years. David says that he loves meeting people and socialising. Dave Northrop
He sits on the NHS Advisory forum and is an 'expert patient', running sessions to help people live with long-term conditions. He is a big believer in working with people to achieve things. Dave lives in Woodthorpe and is a grandfather. Alice Riddell
Alice is also a member of the PEAT (Patient Environment Action Team) inspection team at Sheffield Children's Hospital, the National Association of LINk members, Sheffield Child Death Overview Panel, and the National Paediatric Link. Helen Rowe
Helen was a manager for home care services for many years, working closely with healthcare professionals, volunteers and faith groups to provide the best possible services to users. She is also Vice Chair of Sheffield LINk. Mike Smith
Mike is passionate about equality and diversity, and especially wants to make sure that minority groups are well represented by Sheffield LINk. Maureen Stoneman
Maureen is also involved in her local community - she is a school governor, secretary of the Owlthorpe Community Forum, and a member of Emmanuel Church in Waterthorpe. Blake Williamson
Blake is also a member of the 'Choices not Barriers' strategy group for Sheffield Homes, the Physical and Sensory Disabilities Forum, and Sheffield Hallam University's Disabled Students Forum. Sheila Wright
Sheila believes changes in the health service mean groundbreaking decisions are being made in every area about policies, care and services. She wants to make sure that Sheffield LINk gives everyone in Sheffield the chance to have their say, and to make sure that health and service care providers are trained and up-to-date with those changes. |
Anne has worked in the NHS and Social Services for nearly 40 years. She has been an occupational therapist and a senior manager of services for older people. Anne has also worked with children, with people who have learning difficulties, physical disabilities, mental health problems, and their carers.
Christine knows what life is like for local people with health issues, as she is a quadriplegic with long-term health problems. She has lived in Sheffield for more than 30 years, and has been involved with many local and national programmes to support health services.
Alan has been very involved with Sheffield LINk since it started, taking part in a number of committees and the Annual Health Check action group. Alan has a lot of experience in making sure organisations are run well, as he is a Chartered Company Secretary and has worked in local government in South and West Yorkshire for more than 30 years.
Bare arrived as a refugee from Somalia three years ago where he had worked in the state housing department, as a teacher and had also written books on urbanisation. Bare (pronounced bar-é), speaks Arabic and Somali and is passionate about access to health services for those from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities and helping people to communicate effectively with health professionals. He lives in Darnall with his wife and five children.
Diane has extensive experience in health and social care services, having worked at senior levels in Community Health Sheffield, Burngreave New Deal for Communities in Sheffield, Sheffield Adult Protection Office, South East Sheffield NHS Sheffield, the School Food Trust and the Children, Young People and Families Network in Greater Manchester.
Lee has been a campaigner for disability issues for more than 25 years, and is currently a director of Inclusive Living Sheffield. Lee has a personal disability and understands the day-to-day issues Sheffield people face - such as access to public buildings and facilities.
Mubarak has a special interest in the needs of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities, and improving the health and well being of the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities. Mubarak speaks Arabic and Somali fluently, and is currently involved in research into the health-related issues faced by BME groups.
David lives in Heeley and is particularly interested in increasing the profile of, and supporting, those with learning disabilities.
Dave is a former railway construction worker, trade union official and has also run a Harley Davidson shop. His particular interests are in mental health, learning disabilities and children's issues.
Alice is especially interested in health and social care for children and young people in Sheffield. She chairs the 
Helen worked in social care for 26 years until she took early retirement in 2008. She is now a user of Sheffield's health and social care services and joined Sheffield LINk to make sure those services go on improving.
Mike chairs Sheffield LINk's Governing Board and is, therefore, the figurehead of Sheffield LINk. Before this, he was chair of the Patient and Public Involvement Forum (fore-runner to Sheffield LINk), and worked closely with VAS, the City Council and the different Health Trusts to help set up Sheffield LINk.
Maureen says she has experienced both the best and the worse of NHS care, and wants to make sure everyone's opinions are heard so that everyone's experience of the NHS is the best it can be. Maureen has been a non-executive board member of the 
Blake is disabled and has used a number of Sheffield's health and social care services, from the 
Sheila is a retired nursing sister who worked in Sheffield for more than 35 years, specialising in accident and emergency care.