Meet the Trustees

British Army - Army Officer: joined the WRAC (Women’s Royal Army Corps) in 1980 and left the service in 1993, serving 13 years in various jobs mainly in training. I won the communication skills prize for the 3 colleges at Sandhurst.

National Trust for Scotland: joined as a guide at Crathes and the position of corporate sales for the North East organising concerts, dinners and weddings in various castles.

VSA – Trustee: 2004- 2014

In the 10 years that I was a Trustee of VSA I contributed to decision making on significant issues, including the Major Strategic Review developed by the Board and Managers in 2006 and agreeing the role of Trustees in relation to operational activities.

I have been passionate about the work of VSA and over the years I have taken on a variety of volunteering roles. Throughout my time with VSA I have embraced my role as an Ambassador for VSA, seeking out opportunities to promote the work that VSA does, making contacts through relevant networks, giving time and energy to support the fundraising strategy and offering practical help and positive influence at events.

After several years as Trustee, I took on the role of Vice Chair and then Chair of the Board. My work in helping to shape the strategic direction in previous years gave me a good understanding of VSA priorities, and the challenges we faced. I had good oversight of the tremendous progress made by VSA over the previous decade, and the positive regard in which we were held. During my tenure as Chair I continued the work of previous Chairs to strengthen our governance process. When my planned successor as Chair was temporarily unable to take up the post, I continued as Chair for a further year.

For the past 4 years I have supported VSA in a different way as a Vice President continuing to promote the organisation and the impact that we have to benefit the City. I would be delighted to join the Board again and take up the role of Chair; bringing an understanding of the recent history of VSA, and a proven ability to lead and manage the Board of Trustees.

As VSA approaches its 150th anniversary I feel I have the skills to make the most of the opportunities, while ensuring that we uphold our values and commitment to quality.

In October 2018 I was delighted to accept the position as Chair of Trustees.

Spent some 42 years in local government in North East of Scotland

• 1969 with Kincardine County Council in finance
• 1975 moved at reorganisation to Grampian Regional Council
• 1982 went to North east Scotland Development Authority and progressed to Assistant Director
• 1988 appointed to role as Manager of Grampian Initiative
• 1996-2010 held the position of Head of Economic Development at Aberdeenshire Council 
• Chair of Langstane Housing Association Ltd
• Chair of Balmoral Road Races Ltd
• Vice Chair of Aberdeen Football Club Community Trust
• Volunteers and mentors businesses and people

1996 to 2010: Director of Finance and latterly Director of Resources at Aberdeen City Council.

2011 to 2012: Post Graduate Certificate in coaching at Aberdeen University.

2013 to 2016: self-employed. Undertaking business planning, financial management, coaching and consultancy work both in the private and public sectors, including various interim management positions e.g. Interim Chief Executive of ACVO (2012-2013), Interim Finance Manager at GREC (2013-2015) and Interim Finance Director at VSA (2015-16).

January 2017 to June 2019: Director of Finance at VSA.

Relevant Board Experience

2010 to 2017: Board member of Grampian Housing Association, a registered social landlord (including periods as Chair of Finance and Board Chair).

2011 to 2018: Board Member & Treasurer of Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations (ACVO), which involves representing and supporting the development of the third sector in Aberdeen.

2012 to present: Board Member and Chair of Corporate Governance Committee at Sport Aberdeen, responsible for the development and delivery of a wide range of sporting and leisure services within the city.

2018 to present: Trustee of Aberdeen Football Club Community Trust.

2019 to present: Board member of Abertay Housing Association, a registered social landlord. (approached by Scottish Housing Regulator to assist on an interim basis).

Key Attributes

Broad range of experience at Board level across the third sector, particularly in financial management, budgeting, corporate governance, sustainable business/ resource planning and strategic risk management.

Following receiving a professional qualification in Social Work, with a specialism in Psychiatric S.W. I worked for most of my career in Hospital settings. For many years I was a Senior Social Worker leading teams dealing with patients with serious illness, disability, rehabilitation and terminal illness across the North East.

I was a Practice teacher for students from R.G.U.In 1999 I was seconded to the first jointly funded Health and Social Care post in the area and I set up and managed the Rapid Response Team with both NHS and social care staff working together under one umbrella. This team became quite famous nationally for its' success in preventing hospital admission and facilitating hospital discharge through effective joint working and laid some of the foundations for the current Integration of Health and Social Care.

The last four years of my career were spent working on the changes in practice and policies needed to enable staff of all organisations to work effectively together. Before joining the V.S.A. Board I was Chairman of North East Sensory Services for some years.

A highly motivated, solution focussed, effective and confident leader with extensive clinical and managerial experience in a wide range of specialities including primary and secondary care in the NHS. Educated to Masters Degree level in both Adult Education and Health & Nursing Studies, together with continued professional and personal development, has provided me with the personal resources and transferable skills to work effectively at a senior level within an organisation.

PERSONAL SUMMARY

I have lived in Aberdeen for the past 20 years, working in the oil and gas industry in both technical and commercial roles. 

My previous volunteering experience has included practical involvement with youth work and presenting classes and workshops for secondary school pupils, and governance experience as a trustee and member of the Scottish Mathematical Council and as treasurer and subsequently chair of an Aberdeen orchestra. 

I am delighted to have the opportunity to apply my skills and experience in a new setting and to be able to support VSA, which makes such a positive difference to the lives of so many people in our community.

Career Summary

Skills

• Recently retired Service Manager with Aberdeen City Council.
• I have been a Social Work Manager managing the social work service in Mental Health and substance misuse for the past 11 years.
• Management of 70+ staff.
• I have a great deal of experience in commissioning services to meet the needs of people with mental health problems and substance misuse
• Ensuring quality of service provision within the social work service and within commissioned services
• Working flexibly and managing competing demands

Experience and Previous Employment

I am both a qualified nurse and social worker so have experience of working in both the National Health Service and local authority. I also have experience of working in the private and voluntary sector.

David Watson is an Aberdeen graduate (1984) and GP Partner at Hamilton Medical Group in Aberdeen since 1990. He is a full time doctor who as well as working as a GP has worked since 2005 as a GP with special interest in headache in the Neurology Department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

David is also a part time lecturer at Aberdeen University working in the medical school. He has been involved in Scottish national work in neurology and headache. Outside of work he is a keen cyclist.

Relevant Experience

Provision of agency and general valuation/development consultancy advice throughout Scotland.  

Experience in providing strategic advice to a wide cross section of clients including developers, investors and occupiers.

Specialist in appraisal of development projects.  Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Substantial experience in acting for Landlords/tenants in rent review negotiations

Professional Summary

Graeme is one of FG Burnett’s industrial agency specialists and has in excess of 30 years’ experience in the sector. Graeme not only advises on all aspects of the property disposal process, he also consults on valuations and development appraisals while undertaking rent review negotiations for a wide range of Landlord and Tenant clients on projects throughout Scotland.

Graeme is also a RICS Registered Valuer and has overall board responsibility for the FG Burnett Valuation and Rating Departments. 

Career Summary

Held various senior management posts within NHS Grampian and retired in 2010 after 41 years of service. Worked as the Lead Nurse for Aberdeen City for over ten years prior to retirement with specific remit in supporting the Director of Nursing and joint working with Robert University in curriculum development and workforce planning. Awarded an MBE in Nursing and Racial Equality in 2004.

Experience in Third Sector Organisations

• Grampian Racial Equality Council for 18 years: Board member, Chair and Vice Chair.
• Robert Gordon University: Governor, Chairman of the staff governance committee, 2008-2013.
• AFCCT (Aberdeen Football Club Community Trust): Board of Trustee 2013-2017
• CLAN (Cancer Link Aberdeen and North East of Scotland): Vice Chair and Chairman of the Services Committee 2012-2018.

Appointed as Deputy Lieutenant of Aberdeen City in April 2015 and has been a Burgess of the City of Aberdeen since 2014.

Current position: Independent consultant and writer, enthusiastic, articulate, experienced.

37 year career as teacher and educational leader, in state and Independent sectors, in Scotland with head teacher experience abroad.

Seeking to use skills and experience in new contexts in governance, consultancy, creative and non-executive roles in business, education and voluntary sector.

Particular Interests In education and training, strategic plannlng, writing and communications and integrated marketing.

Areas of experience include history, Scottish culture, wildlife and nature.

Profile

With over 20 years’ experience within the industrial rental market, he is a high achieving senior manager/director with proven entrepreneurial skills. He has also personally developed his own thriving storage business whilst simultaneously acting as MD of a £multi-million portable and modular building hire company. Known for bringing new and successful ideas to the table, he strives to bring the best out of people both within the business, and as an external entrepreneurial mentor and volunteer.

From 2013 to 2018 Kevin was with Befriend a Child. Established in 1975, this excellent charity is aimed at affording vulnerable or deprived children from troubled backgrounds (parents suffering from, e.g., drug or alcohol abuse) the opportunity to experience positive adult relationship on regular occasions. This is carried out by volunteers who will spend time with them 1:1 on a fortnightly basis, providing, for example, proper meals, trips to the country or seaside, and everyday experiences they would not otherwise have. Kevin was not only an active director, but also Chair of the charity.

Born and educated in Aberdeen, I commenced my tertiary education at Aberdeen University. This was followed by periods at Stirling University and London School of Economics. I qualified as a social worker at the London School of Economics in 1976.

After obtaining a social work qualification I returned to the Aberdeen area and spent the next 34 years working in Grampian Region and Aberdeen City Council, initially working with a variety of service users. A move towards specialisation in the delivery of services resulted in a choice to work with children and families. Originally my roles involved front-line delivery of services but I progressed to a job which involved chairing meetings which helped to formulate plans for children who were in the care of the local authority. My final pre-retirement role was managing the Looked After Children Review Service, the Child Protection Case Conference Team and the Children’s Rights Service. Each of my roles involved working with a broad spectrum of other providers, including Aberdeen Voluntary Services. In these roles I also took part in Scottish Executive working groups, which helped to inform the development of policies.

Post retirement in 2010, I undertook some work for a voluntary agency, also for Aberdeen City Council. Currently I act as an independent chair for the Aberdeen City Council Adoption and Permanence Panel. My other role is as a chair of the Arts Society Grampian.

Solicitor

Partner, Ledingham Chalmers LLP

Advocate in Aberdeen

Burgess of Aberdeen

Member of the Weaver Incorporation of Aberdeen 

I am a senior partner and head of corporate at Ledingham Chalmers LLP. Ledingham Chalmers is a full service law firm with approximately 160 personnel. I qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and was assumed as a partner in 2002. I have served on the Ledingham Chalmers board for the last 8 years. I directly line manage a department of approximately 20 people across four cities.

As a solicitor I regularly advise clients on commercial negotiations, contracts, corporate governance, compliance issues, funding and business sales/restructures.   In the course of my profession I work with and for local and national not for profit organisations. My work with the third sector/charities covers industry groups, schools, heritage groups and religious organisations.

 I am the Registrar to, and a trustee of, the Episcopal Diocese of Aberdeen. I am a council member of Moray Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Weaver Incorporation of Aberdeen (one of the Seven Incorporated Trades). I provide business mentoring services to entrepreneurs and business executives through a scheme run by Scottish Enterprise. I was previously vice chairman of Albyn School.

 I live in Bieldside and am a member of St Kentigern’s Church (Ballater), The Royal Northern & University Club and Aberdeen Petroleum Club (Kippie Lodge).

Business Background

Motion Software was set up by myself in 2005 and has grown to be the industry leader in inspection and compliance software solutions across a wide range of industry sectors including Renewables, Oil and Gas, Construction and Insurance. Motion has 30 staff and continues to grow at 30% per annum as part of a strategic plan which has been developed as part of a strategy to remove me from operational responsibility and to focus on business growth and planning

Aside from the day to day running of our organization, one of the key objectives this financial year is the enhancement of our internal systems in order to optimise efficiencies. Whilst we are a software company we believe in the approach of utilising proven technologies – I mention this as I am aware of your desire to implement a more centralized approach to systems.

Personal Background

Competitive Golfer and have represented club and district, inactive Badminton player – capped at Under 21. Immediate past chairman of Guide Dogs for the Blind Charity committee – who organised and ran the very successful Shades of Summer Ball.

I have spent my entire professional life working as a qualified lawyer.  For most of my professional life I have been a Partner in the legal firm now known as Burness Paull LLP, and for the latter 20 years or so as a Partner in the Employment Team. 

In that time I have specialised in the area of Tribunal and other court advocacy.  I have developed an extensive practice with predominantly oil and gas sector clients, both large and small, including Subsea 7, CNOOC, Halliburton and others but have also been privileged to work with smaller and start-up organisations within the sector.  Outside of the oil and gas sector I have for many years been the primary legal adviser to certain third sector organisations, including Voluntary Service Aberdeen (legacy Paull & Williamsons’ oldest client) and Aberdeen Performing Arts. 

I have during my legal career won plaudits for my straightforward, no nonsense and practical advice.  Although I have a particular interest in courtroom litigation, my primary advice is always directed to avoiding litigation and to achieving dispute resolution rather than conflict.  I have throughout worked with HR teams and management avoiding disputes through proactive and early intervention, effective training and clear and transparent communication.

1988-1990       Trainee (Edinburgh), W & J Burness

1990-1996       Assistant and Associate, Paull & Williamsons LLP

1996-2020       Partner, Burness Paull LLP

Between 2015 and 2018 or thereby I taught on the Diploma, a valuable experience and passing on my practical experience to those beginning a career in law. 

I have extensive interests outside of work including in developing foreign language skills (an ambition on retirement to achieve fluency in French), environmental issues coupled with a passion for the outdoors, music and the arts, and travel.  In conjunction with my family I have undertaken several extended trips in Southern Africa, often in remote and challenging environments. 

After leaving school and prior to starting my law degree, I spent 12 months as a Project Trust Volunteer teaching first in Egypt and laterally in rural Kenya.  The benefits for my career from this experience have recently been brought home to me as my daughter has been this year a Project Trust Volunteer teaching in a school in Southern India, albeit that year was interrupted by the present COVID-19 pandemic.  The benefit of an early cross-cultural experience cannot be underestimated. 

As I move to retire from over 30 years in professional practice, I am anxious to make use of the skills I believe I have developed throughout my career within the third sector and I am therefore looking for voluntary opportunities within that sector where these skills might be of use. 

Professor S D Heys

Steve is a consultant surgeon at Albyn Hospital, having retired in 2019 from the NHS and University where he had been a consultant surgeon for almost 30 years. He had been Head of the School of Medicine and published more than 200 scientific papers about the treatment of breast cancer and the role of nutrition.  

He has previously been a member of the Governing Body of the University of Aberdeen and its associated committees, the University Senate and has been a member of several national committees for research, clinical practice and led the guideline development for the treatment of breast cancer. He had also been a member of the Board of NHS Grampian from 2017 to 2019 and a member of the Joint Integration Board for Health and Social Care for Aberdeen City during 2017 to 2019. 

He has played a major role in education, leading the medical school and also nationally and internationally through quality assurance programmes, in particular leading some quality assurances teams from the General Medical council which is the regulator of medical practice and education. 

In his spare time is a keen piper in the band of the Gordon Highlanders Association Drums and Pipes, as well as an enthusiastic cyclist - although not at the same time!!