We’ve got a wealth of experience and expertise on our Board, all of whom are incredibly passionate about the work Dogs for Good does to make life possible. We’re delighted to introduce you to them!
Co-Chair of Trustees – Helen Timbrell
Helen Timbrell, an experienced Trustee, was looking for a national charity near her home in Moreton-in-Marsh so she could feel more connected and be able to attend meetings and events more easily. After seeing the Trustee role advertised and that Dogs for Good was looking for a focus on volunteer development, she felt her skills were a perfect fit.
With a background as a People Director in charities like the National Trust, Samaritans, and Girlguiding UK, Helen brings extensive volunteer management expertise. She now works as a consultant, researcher, and coach, supporting charities nationwide, and is an Associate at the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at Bayes Business School.
Volunteering is Helen’s passion. She completed a PhD on the subject and currently volunteers with three organizations, including the National Trust’s Upton House. Though she doesn’t have a dog due to work commitments, she and her husband often care for friends’ dogs, particularly cocker spaniels.
Co-Chair of Trustees – Ruth Goddard
Ruth Goddard recently joined Dogs for Good as a Trustee, drawn to the charity after meeting its volunteers at the Cornbury Festival and living locally in the Banbury area. When she saw the Trustee role advertised, she knew it was the perfect fit.
With a 20-year background in finance as a CFO and Financial Director for growing, entrepreneurial organisations, Ruth brings valuable financial expertise and governance knowledge to Dogs for Good. She is excited by the opportunity to help improve the lives of many people through the charity’s work, fostering meaningful connections between people and dogs.
A lifelong dog lover, Ruth recently adopted a five-year-old rescue Cavapoo named Lulu after losing her previous dog last year. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys staying fit, practicing yoga, and is currently perfecting her headstand. Ruth is eager to contribute to the charity’s growth and expand its reach to more people.
Claire Moreton
Claire Moreton has always had dogs in her life, including her current dog, Kiera, a Labrador-Golden Retriever mix from Dogs for Good. Kiera is her son’s autism assistance dog and has made a profound impact on their family. This inspired Claire to apply for a Trustee role at Dogs for Good, as she wanted to help others receive the same transformative gift.
As a mother of three, including twins—one with a physical disability and one with autism—Claire brings valuable insight into the challenges faced by families of children with disabilities. She believes her lived experience, alongside Kiera’s role, provides a unique perspective to the charity.
Claire is excited about Dogs for Good’s expanding services, many of which she wasn’t aware of when they got Kiera three years ago. She is particularly fascinated by the potential of assistance dogs in fields like dementia and social care, calling their impact “mindblowing.” The bond these specially trained dogs create with individuals is what excites her most about serving on the Trustee board.
Lynda Whittaker
Lynda Whittaker has been involved with the Riding for the Disabled Association since 1996 and understands the therapeutic impact animals can have. She is excited to bring this experience to Dogs for Good, helping to enhance lives through the support of dogs.
As a business advisor in the social enterprise and charity sector in Scotland, Lynda brings expertise in governance, business planning, and safeguarding to the charity. She is inspired by Dogs for Good’s inclusive approach and is passionate about the powerful bond between people and dogs.
At home in Scotland, Lynda shares her life with Taz, a mischievous Jack Russell terrier who brings daily laughter. When not with dogs or horses, she enjoys working on crochet projects and relaxing with a good film.
Jane Fossey
Jane Fossey joined Dogs for Good as a Trustee after 20 years of supporting the organisation. She has provided training on mental health and bereavement support and served on the research reference group for the Family Dog programme, AAI initiatives, and the Dementia Dog programme. Jane’s background as a leader in NHS Psychological Therapy Services brings valuable expertise in understanding people’s needs and fostering collaborative relationships with other agencies.
Jane has also held senior research positions, focusing on quality of care for people with dementia and factors impacting service delivery. She previously served as a Trustee for the Society of Companion Animal Studies, where she contributed to developing standards and training in animal-assisted interventions.
Having grown up with dogs, Jane has lived with a border terrier, border collies and a spaniel, some of whom accompanied her in therapy work. She also co-founded a community dog training club, helping others enjoy the joy that dogs bring into everyday life.
Alice Tucker
Alice Tucker has been a Dogs for Good Trustee since 2021 and was attracted to the role for numerous reasons. As a Veterinary Surgeon by profession, Alice sees the daily impact of the relationship that dogs can have with people – helping people to unlock and build connections to feel more included and empowered. To be part of a charity that also recognises the importance of this, whilst also ensuring high animal welfare values was hugely attractive.
Alice is excited about the huge amount of change the charity has undergone in the last couple of years and the direction it is taking – ‘there is a clear and ambitious strategy to increase the number of people that we support which has created a palpable buzz within the charity’.
Dogs play a huge part of her life, both professionally and at home where she has three (golden retrievers and a Labrador) to keep her busy alongside three young children. In the very little spare time she has, she is a self-confessed ‘closet thrill seeker’, enjoying anything that elevates her heart rate including previously having been shark cage diving and planning a wing walk next year.
Alex Jordan
Alex Jordan recently joined Dogs for Good as a Trustee having followed the charity’s work for years and previously providing valuable autism training to its staff. Alex saw an incredible opportunity to deepen her involvement with the charity as it sought out more Trustees.
With over 14 years of experience in Health and Social Care, alongside three years working for a communication charity, Alex brings a wealth of knowledge to the Dogs for Good team. Passionate about inclusion and accessibility, she strongly believes that everyone—regardless of disability or diversity—should have equal access to information and the community. As a trainer, Alex is dedicated to empowering others with the knowledge they need to better understand and support those with disabilities.
Outside of her professional life, Alex enjoys exploring new places, spending time with friends, and breathing in the fresh air. As a member of Mensa, Alex loves exploring new opportunities and challenges, constantly seeking to expand her horizons.
As a lifelong dog lover, Alex is excited to support Dogs for Good’s ambitions in a meaningful way as a Trustee.
Asvin Morjaria
Asvin recently joined Dogs for Good as a Trustee having been a volunteer for the past year. He was introduced to the charity by a friend who is a puppy socialiser and was impressed by the charity’s work and the staff he met.
He is a semi-retired Finance Director who has worked with a variety of organisations including private equity, corporate and not for profit. He has extensive commercial, operational, strategic planning and governance experience to support the charity.
As a lifelong dog lover, he has a four year old Labrador called Henry who he got as a puppy and enjoyed training him so much he decided to qualify as a dog trainer. He utilises this experience by supporting puppy classes for the charity, which he really enjoys.
Outside of work he enjoys going to the gym, playing tennis and Yoga. Asvin is keen to help improve the charity’s performance and meet its plans for growth.
Ben Cohen
Ben is delighted to join Dogs for Good as a Trustee. As a proud dog owner to Bill, a spirited Sproodle, he appreciates the transformative connection between people and their canine companions and is passionate about the charity’s mission to enrich lives.
Ben is a Director at Good Innovation, where he supports charities in creating meaningful social impact. He previously led the innovation team at the British Red Cross and spearheaded the development of multi-million-pound products at Macmillan Cancer Support. His expertise includes strategic planning, fundraising, design thinking, and more recently, using artificial intelligence to help unlock the impact of charities.
What excites Ben most about Dogs for Good is seeing first-hand how the charity profoundly enhances people’s independence and quality of life through the unique partnership between humans and dogs. He is enthusiastic about using his experience to help the charity explore new pathways for impact and growth.
A recent ultramarathon runner, Ben had Bill accompanying him during some of his training sessions—though Bill wisely chose to keep his own distances much shorter!
Sam de Frates
Sam is thrilled to be a Dogs for Good Trustee, bringing both his passion and technical expertise to contribute to the charity’s incredible work.
Sam has always adored the unique bond between dogs and people, and having a brother who is disabled, he empathises with the physical and mental health challenges that individuals with disabilities face.
He is regularly inspired when he sees the Dogs for Good expert trainers and volunteers around his local town demonstrating both their powerful skills, as well as their deep care for making a difference to people’s lives
Currently the Vice President of Procurement at Mars Wrigley Europe, Sam brings 20 years of corporate experience. This role gives him the privilege of leading Mars’ disability Associate Resource Group, a team that has made strides in advocating for inclusion, raising accessibility standards, and supporting exciting initiatives, such as Mars’ apprenticeship scheme for people with learning difficulties. Previously to Mars he held procurement roles at GSK, Barclays and Kearney.
Sam, his wife and their two children love spending time outdoors camping, running and cycling. They live in Brackley, with their cat (Marcel) and dog (Pascal).
Sarah Ready
Sarah is an experienced marketing and communications professional who has also built and led commercial, fundraising, publishing and retail functions. She was excited to become a Trustee at Dogs for Good because of the opportunity to bring her professional skills into an organisation aligned with her passion for the human-animal relationship.
Sarah is currently Director of External Relations at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) where she oversees; alumni relations, events, public engagement, admissions, student recruitment and widening participation, fundraising, trading, marketing & communications activities.
Sarah shares her home in Hertfordshire with her family and a small menagerie of animals. As a lifelong equestrian, she enjoys judging for several equestrian societies together with gardening (in a very amateur way).
Willie Anderson
Willie Anderson is a recent addition to the Dogs for Good Trustee pack. He and his wife Ann have been Dogs for Good volunteers since 2017, mainly boarding dogs for the Dementia Dog project in Scotland.
Willie has had a long charity sector career in senior finance and management roles. He set up as a consultant in 2023, helping various charities with finance and governance requirements. The Dogs for Good Trustee role enables Willie to use his newly found available time with a charity that he cares deeply about.
Willie has had his own dogs for most of his life but since 2017 he has concentrated on dog boarding and fostering. He is especially interested in the autism and dementia-focused work carried out by Dogs for Good where he has seen first-hand the differences that can be made by dogs.
Outside of his work life, Willie has always loved playing, coaching and officiating in different sports, with his new passion being lawn bowls. You may also still spot him at Murrayfield, managing the sidelines in rugby’s Six Nations as a match official!