Our Trustees
Our trustees meet at The Pankhurst Centre to oversee the direction of The Pankhurst Trust (Incorporating Manchester Women's Aid) and act in the best interests of the charity.
Caroline Roberts-Cherry: Chair
Caroline Roberts-Cherry is an experienced trustee, chair and a local businesswoman. She runs a TV and film production company in Manchester. Known within her sector as a diversity champion, Caroline's television work platforms female writers, producers and directors.
In 2018, she produced the award-winning BBC documentary, 'Emmeline Pankhurst - The Making of a Militant', presented by the actress and writer, Sally Lindsay. The film was premiered at a special event at Radisson, Edwardian (the former Free Trade Hall) and led directly to the creation of GM4Women2028. The film has sold internationally, and short-form Emmeline films were also created for BBC Teach and Bitesize as part of the curriculum.
Sara Radcliffe: Vice-Chair
Sara Radcliffe is an experienced management consultant. She has 25 years' experience of working in NHS leadership. Sara has a background in strategic policy and is an experienced NHS service change manager. Sara has an MA in Women's Studies, BA (Hons) in English Literature and DIP HSM Institute of Health Services and Management.
Janet Pickering: Secretary
Janet Pickering is a retired social worker. Domestic violence was a significant factor in her work with families and children and in 1998, she joined the management committee of a woman's refuge in South Manchester. She continued to serve as a board member following the merger of five refuges to create Manchester Women's Aid in 2008 and was actively involved in the merger of five refuges to create The Pankhurst Trust in 2014.
Janet holds the office of Board Secretary and also volunteers as a tour guide in The Pankhurst Centre. The woman who inspires Janet the most is Ellen Wilkinson, a radical Mancunian and the first woman Labour MP elected in 1924.
Joanne Peters: Treasurer
Joanne is an experienced chartered accountant. She has had a varied career including 15 years with PwC working with public sector and non-for-profit organisations in the UK and Australia. Currently, Joanne works in transformation and financial management focused on the public sector. She has a particular interest in social finance and impact investment.
Joanne is an experienced trustee having previously held roles as treasurer of Nutrition Australia and the Hansard Society as well as currently chairing the audit committee for a Lancashire based Housing Association. She also brings experience in small business as co-founder of a successful commercial artisan bakery.
Gill Cowell
Gill Cowell is the Head of Gender Equality at the British Council, leading the strategy for the organisation’s work. Her role involves the design and delivery of programmes focused on women and girls and gender equality issues, gender mainstreaming on all programmes and capacity building of staff and partners. She also commissions research reports which support the British Council’s work and share knowledge and understanding on gender equality in the UK and worldwide.
Gill brings her gender equality expertise and experience from her work globally to the valuable work of the Pankhurst Trust and the benefits it brings to women and communities in Manchester and beyond.
Gill Heaton
Gill Heaton had a 50-year career in the NHS, from training as a nurse in the 70’s at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) to coming full-circle, joining Manchester University Foundation Trust (MFT) in 2001 and becoming the Deputy Chief Executive a few years later.
MFT has 30,000 staff and a turnover of £2.5 billion so Gill is used to working at a highly complex level and managing problems without confrontation. She brings that highly detailed and personable approach to the board as well as extensive networks across Manchester.
Gill received an OBE in 2010 for services to healthcare and nursing.
Sally Hobbs
Sally's background is in public service leadership, commissioning social care, health and housing services. She has worked at national, regional and local levels as part of leadership and improvement teams. Sally has headed joint commissioning for several North West health and social care authorities and led local government transformation programmes.
Sally has provided management consultancy in organisational and service change for public services. Sally has substantial expertise and experience in financial management and has delivered significant financial efficiencies to ensure that services are sustained and protected for the benefit of the people they serve. She has been actively involved in the development of domestic abuse service for over 30 years.
Dr Saleema Kauser
Dr Saleema Kauser lectures in the Organisation Studies group at Alliance Manchester Business School (MBS). She has a first degree in Psychology from the University of London. She holds a Master's degree in Information Systems and Technology from Cass Business School, an MBA from Aston Business School and received her PhD from the Warwick Business School. Dr Kauser has been lecturing for over 15 years on strategic and organisational management issues.
Dr Kauser's research interests include gender inequality and feminism and increasing the visibility of women from underrepresented backgrounds to transform workplaces.
Emma Richman
Emma is an award-winning professional with a career in housing that spans over 27 years. She is currently the Executive Director of Operations at Peaks and Plains Housing Trust and sits on the board of First Choices Homes Oldham as an independent Non-Executive.
Emma is a qualified architect and building surveyor.
Emma has been a volunteer and supporter of The Pankhurst Centre for over 7 years.
Emma will bring support on housing and property issues through her expertise and current roles. She is a great networker and will assist raising the profile of The Pankhurst and in fundraising.
Melanie Sharples
Melanie has been a board member since 2009, initially of Central Manchester Women's Aid. Before the merger of the organisations to form The Pankhurst Trust, she held the position of chair from 2011-2014. Melanie is now a Deputy District Judge and formerly a family solicitor, specialising in Children's Law which related to arrangements for children and a large percentage of her former clients experienced domestic abuse.
Melanie says: "I enjoy the challenges of making decisions as a board and the honour of working with strong, intelligent and enterprising women."
Mary Watson
Mary is a retired social services senior manager working for Manchester, and then Liverpool City Councils. Until 2021, she was a Manchester City Councillor (Labour) for 13 years for her home ward of Whalley Range. She sits on the Audit Committee for PTMWA and is the board's Safeguarding Lead. Mary was one of the women who helped set up the first Women's Aid refuges in Manchester in the 1970s inspired by her membership of the Manchester Women's Centre. Mary was a board member of Manchester Women's Aid that initiated the merger with The Pankhurst Trust to ensure its survival.
Mary says: "I am inspired and excited by the opportunities this gives for women in Greater Manchester."
